now. And we got
a bit more coal too, since we couldn’t manage to get all ours
out, but the woman was a bit funny about that, said it didn’t
take any more to warm five of us than one. I told her, we’ve
got to have something to cook on while there’s no gas, and
we’ve got an invalid in the house too, and she gave way in
the end but she didn’t like it.’
‘She only give us enough for a couple of hours a day
anyway,’ Alice observed. ‘I could have practically carried it
home in my pockets.’
Judy smiled. She was tired and cold after the long journey
from Southsea, and it was good to be back with the family
again. ‘I feel as though I’ve been working forever,’ she said.
‘It doesn’t seem like Sunday at all today. Did you manage to
get to church?’
‘Yes, we did, and so did just about everyone else in
Pompey,’ Polly told her. ‘Our church was full and I reckon
all the others must have been as well - the ones that are still standing, anyway. The vicar told us there was - how many
churches did he say got bombed, Mum?’
‘Well, there was the Wesley down Arundel Street, and
the one in Elm Grove, and Kent Street and Lane Road - oh
yes, and Immanuel too, all Baptist places they were. And the
old Unitarian in the High Street, that’s nothing but a pile of
rubble now, they say.’
‘What, old John Pound’s church?’ Dick said, glancing up
from his armchair. He was looking a bit better now,
although still with a slight greyish tinge to his face. ‘I never heard that. Well, that’s a proper shame - bit of history, that
church was. It was where old John Pound the cobbler
started up his Ragged Schools. Many a time I’ve looked at
the old wall tablet that said about how he used to take
kiddies in off the street and teach ‘em their letters while he
mended shoes. Used his own money to feed ‘em too, he did,
and put shoes on their feet and clothes on their backs. I call
that a real shame.’
‘I don’t think he actually mended shoes in the church,’
Judy began, but was silenced by a glance from her mother.
She bit her lip. It hardly mattered anyway. The tragedy was
that so many buildings had been bombed, whether they
were fine old churches or tiny terraced houses. The city was
having its heart torn out.
‘Tell you what,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a new job!’
The others stared at her. ‘A new job? Why? Have you been promoted? You never told us about this, Judy.’
Judy laughed. ‘I didn’t know, that’s why! And it is a kind
of promotion, I suppose, in a way. The Lady Mayoress has
asked me to work for her, helping with the WVS. You know
she’s high up in it, and she says they’re going to be even
busier now, helping in all sorts of ways. She needed some
more staff, so she asked Miss Marsh if she could have me
and Laura Godsall.’
‘But surely they’re all volunteers?’ Cissie said. ‘Does that
mean you won’t get paid?’
‘No, I’ll get the same wage as before. She’s allowed some
paid staff, you see, so that she’s always got people who know
what’s what. And we’re stopping out at the Royal Beach
because the WVS works with the Local Authority - it’s
something like the way the Wrens help the Navy and the
ATS help the Army, that sort of thing - but we might find
ourselves doing all sorts of jobs. I think it sounds
interesting,’ she said and finished her tea while the others
gazed at her.
‘Well, fancy the Lady Mayoress herself asking for you,
our Judy,’ Alice said at last. ‘They must think a lot of you.’
Judy shrugged, feeling pleased all the same. ‘I don’t know
about that. I reckon I just came in the door at the right
moment.’
Polly’s face was bright with excitement. ‘So you’re going
to help with the WVS. Well, what a coincidence. Because I
am, too!’
‘You are?’ Judy turned to her. ‘How d’you mean, Polly?
Are you volunteering?’
‘I already have. Put my name down at the Centre
a bit more coal too, since we couldn’t manage to get all ours
out, but the woman was a bit funny about that, said it didn’t
take any more to warm five of us than one. I told her, we’ve
got to have something to cook on while there’s no gas, and
we’ve got an invalid in the house too, and she gave way in
the end but she didn’t like it.’
‘She only give us enough for a couple of hours a day
anyway,’ Alice observed. ‘I could have practically carried it
home in my pockets.’
Judy smiled. She was tired and cold after the long journey
from Southsea, and it was good to be back with the family
again. ‘I feel as though I’ve been working forever,’ she said.
‘It doesn’t seem like Sunday at all today. Did you manage to
get to church?’
‘Yes, we did, and so did just about everyone else in
Pompey,’ Polly told her. ‘Our church was full and I reckon
all the others must have been as well - the ones that are still standing, anyway. The vicar told us there was - how many
churches did he say got bombed, Mum?’
‘Well, there was the Wesley down Arundel Street, and
the one in Elm Grove, and Kent Street and Lane Road - oh
yes, and Immanuel too, all Baptist places they were. And the
old Unitarian in the High Street, that’s nothing but a pile of
rubble now, they say.’
‘What, old John Pound’s church?’ Dick said, glancing up
from his armchair. He was looking a bit better now,
although still with a slight greyish tinge to his face. ‘I never heard that. Well, that’s a proper shame - bit of history, that
church was. It was where old John Pound the cobbler
started up his Ragged Schools. Many a time I’ve looked at
the old wall tablet that said about how he used to take
kiddies in off the street and teach ‘em their letters while he
mended shoes. Used his own money to feed ‘em too, he did,
and put shoes on their feet and clothes on their backs. I call
that a real shame.’
‘I don’t think he actually mended shoes in the church,’
Judy began, but was silenced by a glance from her mother.
She bit her lip. It hardly mattered anyway. The tragedy was
that so many buildings had been bombed, whether they
were fine old churches or tiny terraced houses. The city was
having its heart torn out.
‘Tell you what,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a new job!’
The others stared at her. ‘A new job? Why? Have you been promoted? You never told us about this, Judy.’
Judy laughed. ‘I didn’t know, that’s why! And it is a kind
of promotion, I suppose, in a way. The Lady Mayoress has
asked me to work for her, helping with the WVS. You know
she’s high up in it, and she says they’re going to be even
busier now, helping in all sorts of ways. She needed some
more staff, so she asked Miss Marsh if she could have me
and Laura Godsall.’
‘But surely they’re all volunteers?’ Cissie said. ‘Does that
mean you won’t get paid?’
‘No, I’ll get the same wage as before. She’s allowed some
paid staff, you see, so that she’s always got people who know
what’s what. And we’re stopping out at the Royal Beach
because the WVS works with the Local Authority - it’s
something like the way the Wrens help the Navy and the
ATS help the Army, that sort of thing - but we might find
ourselves doing all sorts of jobs. I think it sounds
interesting,’ she said and finished her tea while the others
gazed at her.
‘Well, fancy the Lady Mayoress herself asking for you,
our Judy,’ Alice said at last. ‘They must think a lot of you.’
Judy shrugged, feeling pleased all the same. ‘I don’t know
about that. I reckon I just came in the door at the right
moment.’
Polly’s face was bright with excitement. ‘So you’re going
to help with the WVS. Well, what a coincidence. Because I
am, too!’
‘You are?’ Judy turned to her. ‘How d’you mean, Polly?
Are you volunteering?’
‘I already have. Put my name down at the Centre
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