b'Now, Annie Farrow, she had hair right down herAnd then with us living outside a shipyard if there was back, masses of auburn hair, it was beautiful. Shewhat we called over-the-top they had a special siren always wore it in the plaits, the big plaits, and thethat used to go off that was to tell all the men to take lace-up boots right up to the knees. But she used tocover. We lost the railway station or the best part of it. have her hair in rags in preparation for May Day. ThenCinemas, lots of homes. Lots of people killed.when she took it out she looked absolutely gorgeousI came home and I went to a school called with ringlets and she was a great big buxom lass. Diamond Hall and me Mam started work. So when Now, further down there was three cottages. Thereshe started work I just stayed at home. Because I was this old man that lived in the first one, and therewould work for buttons and she would make a lot was a Miss Slater lived in the middle one and theremore than I could have made. She was a painter in was a Mr and Mrs Slater lived in the third one. Thema shipyard. That was right outside me door where three were from Hartlepool. The first one, the old manI lived. We were surrounded by shipyards. And we owned the three cottages. There was a big orchardused to watch the ships getting launched. It was a at the back. There was another girl came here frommarvellous experience but you didnt realise that then, Sunderland and she was billeted on Miss Slater anddid you, when you were kids. At that time Sunderland I was invited down to tea this Sunday. She had thiswas considered the biggest ship building town in the big bowl of crab apple jelly and she said help yourself,whole of the world. Hilda. So what did I do? Take a flaming spoon to it.The area where I lived isnt there no longer. They I didnt know it was a jam. She said, Thats for yourjust pulled it all down. It was all tenement buildings. bread, mind. I used to deliver milk to them.So they just moved us on into council houses. After We had one bad winter and the village wasthat I went to an estate which had been farm land, completely cut off. We had to go into Pocklington onwhen I had all the kids. Prior to that I lived on a farm. horseback to get some supplies. We were walkingIn fact, I went back to what I had left in Bishop Wilton: over gate tops. lamplights, fire cooking. But the kids had the run of My mother couldnt believe I could make breadthe field and you werent frightened to let them out in and what have you by the time I got home. those days.My Dad died on the 25 thof June 1941 and weI came back once to see Mrs Cook when I was went back on the 26 th . We still got air raids and weseventeen, straight after the war. Then I brought had a concrete shelter in the back yard. When themy bairns back about 33 years ago (see photo on sirens went we used to go into the shelter and youprevious page).only had a candle and a bit rug to wrap round you. No. 75, Main Streetc1900 with oil lamp on wooden pole - photograph supplied by Lynne & Jennifer Scott196 BULLETIN 12'