And other reminiscences ...

Capturing forgotten memories

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

Thinking about the past

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

When I was a child I lived in Matlock, there were 2 cinemas. It was a spa town and we had a pavilion. My first film was about Vesuvius and we saw it in the upper room of the pavilion.

The Odeon was a posh place, it had a café and we took my grandmother there but she didn't like it.

Whats under that kilt?!

During the war when the troops were there they put on entertainment. The Scottish soldiers used to wear khaki briefs at the dances to spare the girls blushes. The Americans came, and the family of one of them sent us parcels from America. I used to go to a few dances at the Pavilion; I had a ball gown of midnight blue with a sweetheart neckline. There were also a few pubs.

Cinema curfew

I remember seeing 'Gone with the Wind' It was so long I couldn't stay until the end, I had to get home. I didn't see the end until I moved to Brighton when I was 33.

Courting at the beach

The West Pier was still intact and I went there when I was courting. My husband was a photographer on the seafront.  I sorted out all the paperwork once we'd got married, we'd send all the pictures out in the post.

When I was young there was a serial about the Pony Express, we went on Saturdays and it cost threepence.

My dad wouldn't have a radio in the house, but my granddad had one. We had to listen to the nine-o-clock news. During the war they used to announce secret service messages after the nine-o-clock news.

I have always been a great reader, my mother used to buy me the Children's newspaper.

Celebrations

After the war we had venation lights on the river at Matlock bath with lights on boats, fireworks and music.

I remember going to the theatre in Derby one day with Mum and Dad.  I couldn't understand what was going on. I thought it would be a variety show but it turned out to be Shakespeare.