A Seaside Landlady

A Seaside Land Lady

I was nine years old, living in Brighton in 1939 when the war started. My brother was nine years my senior, and was already in the army, as (to my parents horror) he had joined the territorials soon after he was eighteen years old. My mother Caroline Saunders had always lived in the same neighbourhood and as a pillar of the church was well known locally. She was also in the W.V.S. My father William worked for a local brewery and was always very supportive of my mother’s war efforts.
We soon had various evacuees sent to our area (including a young Des O’ Conner and a very young woman with a baby). All these evacuees gradually drifted back home.
“Mum” was soon known as a good billet when “Caffyns”, the local garage, was used to train soldiers as motor mechanics. Mum was persuaded to have two soldiers billeted at our house. After D-day Mum was asked to have sailors who would be attending the “King Alfred” in Hove. They were on an officers training course.
Over the next few years we had a constant stream of soldiers to live with us, these were at first British but after a while we had Canadians, French Canadians and two from New Zealand. She gave them all a warm welcome (hoping that my brother would be well treated too) and really enjoyed the company. I was really spoilt by some of the boys who enjoyed the family life and, with their help; I soon became a very keen card player not to mention a master of dominos and tiddlywinks! We sometimes had food parcels and letters from Canada — I still have a great weakness for mars bars!
My Mum also welcomed relations who wanted a break from the Blitz. Our house was not big and it was a wonder how we all packed in.
When we had air raids she used to make the boys squash under the Morrison table shelter with us, while the much spoilt cat was put under the gramophone.
To our great sorrow, Mum died in 1956. In 1958 my husband and I were visiting my father, to my astonishment he saw (out of the window) one of the Canadian “boys” plus his wife and family, standing over the road looking at the house. I went outside and Sam recognised me. He immediately asked for “Mum”- when I told him of her death he was extremely sad. They came in for a cup of tea but didn’t stay for long. He only came to see Mum and to introduce his family to a fine lady. She worked hard at her “War Work” but would have said she was only doing her duty.

Points of interest
1) My brother came safely home.
2) My great interest in Canada was passed onto my eldest daughter Louise who now lives in Vancouver. I visit her regularly.
3) My French dictionary given to me by one of the “boys” is now in my granddaughter Abigail’s possession.
4) Carrie Saunders Great Grandson David has helped me write this account.

Written by Vera Thompson
Edited and typed by David Lamb

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