(Copyright Coxhoe Local History Group)
Memories of WW2
Before 3rd September, 1939 many people felt that war was imminent. Those who had lived through the first World War knew about rationing and shortages, so they tried to buy extra supplies. One day two large white sacks were delivered to our house. One contained flour and the other sugar. The contents were appreciated in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
As there were no school dinners, and we had to travel from Quarrington Hill to West Cornforth, arrangements were made for a mid-day meal with an old friend of the family, who lived next door to the Post Office in Cornforth. Each school day, for over two years, she was extremely kind and made us simple but nourishing meals.
At school, if we were able to knit, we had a choice of knitting helmets, scarves or socks in Air Force Blue, Khaki or Navy Blue. I always chose to knit socks on four needles because my Grandma knew how to turn the heel and we were always allowed help from home if needed. When the knitting was completed we had to attach our names and school name. Some girls received letters from the recipients.
My Grandad kept bantams (small hens which can be seen in the photograph behind James). One day in February 1939 he discovered that one had disappeared and he assumed that a fox had been by and felt hungry. He was wrong. Nearly three weeks later, on a very wintry March morning, the hen appeared with ten lovely little chicks. She had been nesting under a pile of logs near to the hen house. Granddad said she must have survived on melted snow and some of the corn that fell onto the logs when he scattered it out for the other bantams. By September 1939 six of these chicks were laying eggs which were enjoyed by all the family.
Living on a farm we had our own milk supply so my Grandma used to put milk into a large dish, for about two days, then skim off the cream to make butter. If she had sufficient cream she used to make the butter in a glass churn. When she had only a small amount she used a jam jar, with a very secure lid, and shook the jar until – great jubilation – a tiny piece of butter was made. This was often put on the Blackout Cake to make it more palatable! These photographs were taken at Pescott Hall Farm, which was near to Quarrington Hill. Later we moved to West House Farm, Coxhoe. Many years before both farms had been part of the Coxhoe Hall Estate. When the quarry began to extend too near to Pescott Hall the farmhouse and buildings were demolished but some of the fields still exist.
Coxhoe Local History Group 