Wartime allotments in Westminster.

Extract from Diary of a resident of Westbourne Terrace June 10 1942. Posted on BBC WW2 site by her niece 'missWestbourne' a resident of the Westbourne area, on July 10 2005.
My aunt spent the war in the Westbourne area, worked as a secretary in the west end of London and was a member of the Westminster Allotments Society.
' I had arrived at the office later than usual and was just settling down when in walked Madeleine x, and asked me to coffee with her. This is always so enjoyable. I was delighted. She took me to Fortnum and Mason's again where we had excellent coffee, a small round pot each, and then a brioche each, and a delicious cake each with some fine lemon flavour. Madeleine's company is most entertaining. We sat in a corner at right angles to the chocolate counter and had some fun watching people desperately trying to stuff at heaven knows what a pound, as though it was their last chance.
Bread and cheese lunch in the office. And I went out to the small Lyons about 4.30 and had a rasher, a fish cake and a cup of tea. and I then went back to the office and worked until 6.15 when I tidied up and went to Warren Street underground where I met the chairman and 8 other representatives of the Westminster Allotments Soc(?). We went by bus to Montpellier House, Islington on a friendly visit to the Mitchel-hill Allotment Society's plots. It was an awfully nice time, excellent types of men, very cheery. We were afterwards given beer or tea. On return about 10 p.m. I had a cup of ovaltine. The evening had grown cold.

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