MEMORIES OF TWO WORLD WARS

Alice Hearne

Our oldest inhabitant, Mrs Alice Hearne, has many memories and remains very clear about events in both World Wars. She had just started secondary school in Tottenham when war broke out in 1914 and well remembers that the noise of the siren in both World Wars was very similar. In the first war they were sounded to warn of enemy Zeppelins ("Zepps"), the cigar shaped German airships, as aircraft did not then have the range to bomb London. The population as a whole were very frightened of air attack, not having experienced this before and the neighbour from next door would come in and sit with Mrs Hearne’s family for reassurance. The cupboard next to the kitchen range was considered to be the safest place in the house. She remembers a bomb landing in Tottenham, although there were many fewer dropped on London than during the second war.

In later years the men were nearly all away, serving in France, and Mrs Hearne recalls as many as half the church congregation wearing black, being in mourning for relatives, whilst long lists of casualties were given out from the pulpit every week. Her family were very fortunate in not having any losses, however.

Food distribution was not very well organised, particularly at the beginning, and people were quick to join queues outside shops, often only finding out what was for sale after arriving inside.

Mrs Hearne started work at the age of 15 with the Post Office as a telegraph girl at the King Edward building near St. Paul’s, with training in Threadneedle Street, and sat her examinations in Burlington Gardens, just off Piccadilly. From the options of telephonist, Morse operator or sorting assistant, she chose the latter, and went to Holloway where she sorted postal orders all day, a very boring occupation!

Just after the war in October 1918 the influenza epidemic took a terrible toll, and many people considered this to be due to ill nourishment as a result of a poor diet. Mrs Hearne’s mother took in her three cousins for a time because their own mother was a victim and whilst Dr. Barnardo’s Home would take them in, they would have been separated and placed in different homes. Eventually two of the three were fostered in private homes.

Mrs Hearne first came to Helmdon in 1926 to visit her future mother-in-law whose maiden name was Seckington and originally came from Weston. This lady was a great needlewoman, and had been a highly regarded court dressmaker, but had retired from this work by then. She ran a school for dressmaking apprentices, and amongst those known to have attended were Kate Templeton, Kate Seckington, Eva Gulliver, Nell Gibbons and Rose Cadd. Apparently, when an Inspector was due, if there was more than 5 in the room she would send the extra girls upstairs out of sight. She lived in Ivy Cottage in Station Road, which at that time had no electricity upstairs. She was reputed to read in bed holding a candle, which seems a highly hazardous practice today! She would also visit Frank Watson in Cross Lane, Ken Watson’s father, a nephew by marriage. London remained her and her husband’s home, however, until 1939, because of Mr Hearne’s employment.

When the Second World War started, Mrs Hearne evacuated to Helmdon with her daughters, and stayed initially with Frank Watson at the farm in Cross Lane. Her husband remained working in London and she and her youngest daughter returned to the city, as the anticipated heavy bombing did not materialise until after the fall of France. Then, fearing the worst, they returned to the safety of Helmdon.

Three years after the war started her sister-in-law, Lady Murray, was bombed out in Pall Mall in London and came to stay, also initially with Frank Watson, and eventually Mrs Hearne and Lady Murray together rented part of Fountain House. They had bedrooms, a sitting room and use of the kitchen. They were obliged to have lunch at midday in order that Mrs Barrett, the owner (and reputed to be related to the Barretts of Wimpole Street) could continue to eat at her regular time of 1 pm!

Food was more evenly distributed than in the First World War, and there were not so many shortages. The shop at 52 Wappenham Road run by Emily and Norman Watson was "very helpful" when there was anything over.

Mrs Hearne was a member of the "comforts" knitting group, which numbered about a dozen, and met at Miss Salmon’s house every Friday, and was run by Mrs Lees. They were supplied with khaki wool and knitted socks, balaclavas and the like for distribution to the soldiers. Members were presented with certificates at the end of the war to mark their efforts. She also took part in potato picking at both Frank and Luke Watson’s farms.

Mr Hearne was occasionally able to visit, coming down directly from Marylebone and spending from midday on Saturday until the same time on Sunday, or occasionally until first thing on Monday morning.

Mrs Hearne cannot recall many other evacuees in the village, and apart from the Home Guard activities, including guarding the viaduct, signs of the war were few and far between. The blackout was strictly enforced, however.

After the war was over, Mrs Hearne and her family returned to London, finally coming back to live in Helmdon upon Mr Hearne’s retirement in 1966.

As told to Stewart Moir in Aspects of Helmdon No 2