My Ealy Days In Ilkley War Time. 1940/46

A Memory of Ilkley.

I was born in Ilkley in Sept. 1940, my parents first residing at Ben Rhydding. After my birth we moved to a house in Valley Drive, living next door I recall to a lady called Miss Booth. From our rear garden we could look up towards the Cow and Calf and in later years I climbed these.
We used to collect our milk daily from a farm just down the road, from a farmer called Binns, and I believe his son was a pilot in the RAF and had done beat ups along the Wharfe. I was once given a ride on his horse by POWs (German or Italian) much to my mothers great disapproval!
Father was employed as a bacteriologist at the sanatorium and Mother worked for the Wool Control Board at a rather gloomy old mansion, where I remember they had fund raising fetes. My young Uncle Henry (Poore) came to live with us to escape the bombing in London and attended the Grammar School, whose playing fields were right opposite our house and is probably where I got my life long love of rugby, watching those young players. The school rag day always involved pinching our front gates which required Father to pay a ransom. He was also in the ARP. I remember his smart black uniform and hat.
I used to get quite frightened some nights hearing vast numbers of bombers overhead and hearing the phrase "its alright son, they are ours", on numerous occasions.
I have so many memories of those very early years, the infant school by the river, the fish and chip shop in Leeds Road and the stepping stones, I wonder if any of your readers recall those far away years 1940 to 46 in Ilkley?