“Bread was always a proper loaf; there was no sliced bread then, or wrappings, or gloves. Sometimes, if you were lucky, you would cut a slice of bread to find you had cut right through a dead spider. Apparently, after turning off the ovens, spiders used to crawl inside to keep warm, get locked in with the next day’s baking and burrow into the soft yeast to try and escape the heat and then get baked. My mam said that it was quite common, as indeed it was, as it happened a couple of times after. I told the baker and he gave me a free bun. About four years later I was on my way to school and he shouted across the road ‘Had any spiders lately?’ I said ‘Yes, two.” ChildhoodWartime Book:Passing Clouds Source: Passing Clouds
“There was plenty going on in and around the town. With the War Effort there used to be parties and dances, travelling circuses, fairs, cinemas and the like to cheer people up. There weren’t many men about. “Our boys are away fighting” the women used to say. Things went onto rationing and everyone was given a gas mask. Mine was a pink one called a Mickey Mouse mask.” ChildhoodWartime Book:Passing Clouds Source: Passing Clouds
“By the way, there was also a carpet beater round the back of the scullery door made of cane. But I don’t think I will go there.” ChildhoodWartime Book:Passing Clouds Source: Passing Clouds