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The 'Bombs to Butterflies' Interviews
Interviewees: Mrs Jessie Smith
Interviewers: Margaret Lawson
Date of Interview: 19.04.02
"The Story of Aunt Meg and Danny"
So, tell me about your Aunt Meg. She was your mother`s sister was she.
Yes she was my mother`s elder sister. She had already been engaged to a New Zealand Captain during the first world war, but her mother wouldn`t let her marry him and go over the New Zealand. Of course in those days they did as their mother told them and she did not go. Then she was going to get engaged to a Petty Officer from the ship, “Courageous” but that ship was the first that went down in the second world war. So she was 44 when she met Dan.
Really, so there had been two sad events in her life before that?Where did she meet Dan?
Well she was working at the Ministry of Supply Depot on Asher Lane.
What was she doing there?
Working in the canteen. Danny came along with Mowlems who were working on site. She came home and said to her mother that these Irishmen had come over to Ruddington to work and they were looking for digs. My grandmother, who had two maiden ladies in the house, my Aunt Meg and my Auntie Ethel, wasn`t too keen on taking a male lodger.Anyway my Aunt Meg persuaded her to see Dan, whom she didn`t like. She said he hadn`t worn any shoes before he came to England and he had not eaten at a table so she was a little bit concerned about him taking up with Meg. But she did take up with him and indeed, changed her religion to Roman Catholic, so then they got engaged against Grandma`s wishes. They got married on 26th December 1942.
Where was this?
This was at the Holy Spirit Church on Melton Road.
Oh yes, I know. Is this the photograph here? What a lovely photograph. She looks so happy. I know all brides are supposed to look radiant. But doesn`t she just.
It was quite a different wedding, because instead of wearing white she had a dress of gorgeous forget-me-not blue and her dress was of a material called cloqué with embroidery on it. My sister and I were bridesmaids and we wore pink. My other aunt wore a dusky pink.
It was a very colourful wedding.
Yes, she carried bronze chrysanths, because it was December.
Isn`t the headdress unusual.
Yes, a sort of pleated heart shape. My cousin worked for a millinery factory in Nottingham and she made the headdresses for all of us.
Look at Danny. He has a button- hole and his hair is brushed up and he looks as though he has a new suit on.
Yes it was black pin-stripe. I think that was my father`s doing. He said that is what you should wear to him.
Where did they live when they were first married?
They lived at 3 Vicarage Lane, with my grandmother.
So he continued to live in the same house where he`d been a lodger? And did Meg continue to work in the canteen?
Yes, she continued there for quite a while. Originally she worked at Cooper & Roe and then moved to the MOS.
Do you know if it was the big main canteen or the special one in the ammunition area where they did the filling? Because they used to have to change all their clothing when they went in there so when they had a break they went to a special canteen in that area. I haven`t actually found anybody who worked there, but I think they certainly served hot meals as well as snacks.
Yes, I know my cousin, Ethel, who lived at 7 Vicarage Lane used to tell us people used to come and say, “What`s for dinner?” and they used to say “Rissoles”. I`m afraid she`s gone now and anyone else who knew about it too.
Yes, I`m afraid this project`s in the nick of time and I am having to get the details second hand from you. It`s such a lovely story. When did they buy the house?
In about 1948 after the war.
Danny came originally with Mowlems to build the Depot. They were the chief contractor? When the Depot was actually built, what did Danny do?
I don`t remember exactly.
He probably went with Mowlems on some other jobs in other areas. Or did he set up on his own?
Yes, he did. His invoices said, “Jobbing Working Speciality” on them, which I thought was a funny way of putting it. I really can`t remember him being employed afterwards, he always seemed to be at home, doing odd jobs for people.
Yes, he was a very useful member of the community. If you wanted anything doing you went and saw Danny. (Laughter) Everything was in short supply after the war and he was a general dealer as well as doing his jobbing work. You passed on to us from his garage, one of his Account Books which is now in the museum. He had two which his wife helped him with so that he was able to send in his tax returns. I remember Danny very well indeed. He was still around when we went to live in our house. It must be about 20 years since he died?
It`s actually 21 years ago.
Then Meg lived on in Widows` Cottages on her own?
She bought them herself. She was quite an astute lady and had her savings. She paid £50 each for them for the four of them. So they belonged to her then.Yes, in the first of the cottages lived my Great Step Grandmother. She was stepmother to my grandmother. In the second one was Sarah who was not quite the ticket and she used to shout and scream that she was not keeping Meg Goddard in her finery. We used to threaten her with Mr Sowter which shut her up as she was frightened of him. In the next cottage was a lady called Nellie Daft. Sarah used to shout, “I don`t like Nellie Daft – she wears men`s shirts.” But I can`t remember who lived in the last cottage.
So Meg and Danny didn`t live there originally?
No, the cottages were used by the widows in the way they were intended. They didn`t live there until Grandma` died in 1950 and then her house had to be sold. Then Meg and Dan moved into the cottages plus Auntie Ethel as well.
And Danny carried on his business from there?
Yes, he had a place at the side where he kept anything and everything. No matter what you wanted, if he hadn`t got it he would procure it for you. He even did eye tests.
Did you say eye tests?
Yes he found or bought one of these cards where you read the letters, as you do at the opticians. So people used to come to buy glasses. They paid about 50 pence (10 old shilling) for the eye test and the glasses were free. So he did just about everything.
I know Kenneth wanted some brass screws on one occasion because he was making an owl nesting box, and you need screws that won`t rust. So he went to see Danny and he fetched out some beautiful screws. Kenneth paid about 2/6 for them and asked Danny where he got them from. He said, “Up at the crematorium”!
Yes he had more coffin labels than enough.
He was such a character. And that`s one of the things that`s
coming out of this project. That`s why I wanted to talk to you. I am very
moved by this story and the way you have told it to me. So many people came
from far and wide because of the war, and then they settled here and made
their own contribution to the community. Some became, as Danny was, a character,
a very well-known character within the village.
Well, Jessie I must thank you very much for that story.
The pleasure is mine.
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