Ballet and World War Two

I was born 1 January 1939 and we moved to Norwich from North Walsham in about 1941, my father having been offered a post as engineer with the newly formed Norwich Fire Brigade. To get to Norwich father provided the removal firm one new tyre for their van - tyres being in short supply, and this paid for our move to Norwich.

Even in war-torn Britain there were still things like ballet schools for little girls and I was lucky enough to attend Peggar Carr's School of Dancing, which was held in a large room above the shops in St. Giles Street. We not only learned ballet and tap but also gave performances in and around the city and county as I suppose professional artistes we 'otherwise engaged'. I remember 'performing' at the now demolished Hippodrome, St. Andrew's Hall and various village halls in the county. I have pictures of the troupe and myself, (in various costumes).

We also had to take our exams and I have a certificate from the Examining Board for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing showing and Honours Pass in operatic Dancing - 18.4.1947 signed by Victor Silvester-Chairman and Nancy Robinson-Branch Chairman.

By this time the Americans were much in evidence around the city because of the large number of airfields in Norfolk and local people were encouraged to entertain them in their homes for Christmas. Unbeknown to each other Peggy Car and her mother both offered to have six servicemen for Christmas lunch and as they could not cope with 12 an appeal was made at one of our lessons for anyone to help out. So it was that we had two American 8th Air Force men for Christmas lunch - later after a very happy relationship had been established they confessed that they were feeling 'stuffed full' (in spite of rationing mother had produced a grand meal), and when asked if they wished for more felt it impolite to refuse and forced 'seconds' down!

We spent the rest of the war with their company and three other of their relatives - can you imagine that in this vast arena of war that five members of the same family happened to be posted to Norfolk and two to St. Faith's Aerodrome, close to Norwich.

The would come to visit whenever they had free time, but if the arrived when mother was alone they would come back later, since being the nice lads they were they had no desire to get mother a bad name!
Sometimes when they came they would bring things from the PX to repay the hospitality my parents freely gave. From time to time it would be large tins of peaches - (I would then be sent to the neighbours to tell them to come with bols to take their share). On one occasion I remember a bath full of cabbages - the 'Boys', as they were always known collectively, had seen a field of greens being ploughed in and knowing how short vegetables were, had grabbed sacks, borrowed a bike and carried them several miles for us and the neighbours to share!

In spite of the war we managed to enjoy ourselves and in the summer trips were made to the Broads where boating and sailing were still allowed. The weather must have been good since photos show 'The Boys' without shirts and Iremember someone had quietly written 'Slap Me' in lipstick on one back - much to the amusement of other boats going by!

Christmas and New Year meant several different things - a party given for local children at St Faith's Air Base when, dressed in our best, we were given all manner of things we had not had, nor seen before - presents, games and a huge Christmas tree with lights. The most spectacular memory for me was coming down one Christmas day to find a table FULL of sweets, biscuits and a wonderful doll. Whe had been sent from America by one of the Boys parents and had only suffered a broken finger in transit!

The doll was soon christened Jane, so named after a strip cartoon charater who had a shapely figure and was a favourite of the men at the time because my doll also ha a slight 'bosum'- I still have Jane but sadly her clothes have not survived. One day I shall have her restored using the pictures I have of her taken way back then. I suppose we were also lucky that the Boys also had camera & film to capture the pictures we now hold dear.

One of the Boys was an academic and treated us to ghostly stories on Old Years Night - I was allowed to stay up, as a special treat, as it was also my birthday on the lst January and to help with Phil's family custom of seeing out 'Old Father time'at midnight and to play the part of the 'Young Spirit of New Year' coming into the house to take his place. I can still remember standing wrapped up outside our front door, in the dark and freezing cold waiting to enter dressed in one of my white dance costumes.

It is fascinating how my mother managed to make costumes for me in War with rationing and such shortages - family pictures show a variety of styles which must have taken ingenuity to produce.

Like most families we spent many a night in the air raid shelter down in the garden and here too mother was inventive - I was made a 'Siren Suit', just like Winston Churchill's - an all in one suit with a long zip, which could go on quickly if we had to retreat to the shelter when the siren sounded a bombing raid. It was made from either an old coat or a blanket, but it kept me warm on cold dame nights. We often went down into the shelter as Norwich was bombed frequently and badly - I remember one night when shrapnel whizzed through the entrance passage as a house was bomber at the end of the road and one night being woken up to be shown a 'Doodlebug' making it's way across the city.

Sadly, my parents and all but one of 'The Boys' have died, but I still keep in touch with their widows and recently heard from Phil's sister and Robert's son asking for information about his father who he scarcely knew as a child - I still have Jane and the silver bracelet 'The Boys' bought and had engraved as a 'Thankyou' for mother when they left. I remember my mother cycling with me to St. Faith's to stand and wave goodbye to the departing planes at the end of the war - of course we did not know which plane our 'Boys' were in, but we hoped they could see us.

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