War Time In Shirley

A Memory of Shirley.

I was born in Croydon in 1936, and lived In West Way, Shirley. My mother could not bear to part with us, so we lived at home all through the war. A bomb was dropped into the garden next door. After six months it was discovered it had not "gone off!" We were moved up the street while the Army defused it. We were told it was meant to be dropped on the docks. The whole garden was one big hole. I can remember leaning down to look, in my "Chad Valley" coat and leggings! We had lived all that time without knowing. The "hole" had been filled in! I'm so glad to see the libary still there. I went to Benson school, at the top of West Way, my brother & I used to walk up the middle of the street, daring a car to appear - it usually didn't! My brother went to Stanley tech, I went to Ashberton Secondary Modern. After the war, teachers were in short supply, I longed to have a lesson in the brand new, cookery rooms, but sadly, didn't. Many happy memories, of Shirley.
I married at 20, the reception at home at No 46, then I had to learn to cook!, Heather Tilbury (Sargent)