The Woolworths Girls (24 page)

Sarah ushered the girls through the queuing customers, content that she’d done her best to keep her mate cheerful and her nan with a companion during the dark days ahead.

‘What time are you off, Alan?’ George asked as he handed his son-in-law a pint of bitter.

Alan took a gulp of the dark brown liquid and wiped his mouth. ‘Early tomorrow morning. They’ve given me a train pass, so at least Sarah won’t be worried about me riding Bessie all the way to Scotland.’

George patted Alan’s shoulder. ‘It’s for the best. Women don’t take to motorbikes like we do. They fuss about their hair and their clothes. I always fancied one myself. I told Irene we could have a motorbike with a sidecar and she nigh on went through the roof. She was hell to live with for weeks until I bought the car. Don’t tell her I said so, but I’m glad now we got the car. It’s handier for when I have to drive up from Devon. I’m not as young as you, Alan. I like to keep dry and warm these days.’

Alan nodded. He could see George’s point. No doubt when he was older and had a couple of nippers, he’d feel the same. He looked at his watch. ‘I suppose we’d better go find the womenfolk. Is Irene in Dreamland with the others?’

‘There’s no rush, lad. We’ve got time for another pint. Irene went for a walk. She’s not one for funfairs. She said she’d meet us all for tea later before heading back to
The Kentish Queen
and home. Ted Sayers was telling me there won’t be many more leisure trips on the steamer. He’s talking about carrying cargo up and down the Thames instead.’

‘I can’t see many people wanting to take pleasure trips. There’s no knowing how safe it’s gonna be on the river.’

The two men gazed out over the Margate seafront deep in thought. The mild September weather had drawn families out for a day on the beach. Children were digging in the sand making castles, while their parents sat on deckchairs and enjoyed the warmth of the autumn sun. If it weren’t for a number of visitors in uniform and most people carrying gas masks, it could have been any sunny day at the popular Kent seaside resort. Behind the pub where George and Alan were enjoying a pint could be heard the screams of excitement from people tasting the delights of Dreamland.

‘Do you think they’ll all be here this time next year enjoying the sunshine?’ Alan asked.

George finished the last of the beer. ‘There’s no point in asking things like that, lad. Who knows? As long as Dreamland is open and people are allowed onto the beach, there’ll be those who will come and enjoy themselves like they always have. This war could run on for a few months or years, but people won’t let it get them down. Fancy another?’

‘Just half, thanks, George. Then I’ll go see what the girls are up to. Young Freda’s that excited. You’d think she’d never been to the seaside before.’

‘There you are!’

The two men turned to find Sarah approaching them.

‘I’ve come to see if my husband wants a trip through the water caves with me. Mum’ll have your guts for garters if she finds you the worse for wear, Dad.’

‘I’ve only had the one, love,’ George was quick to point out.

Sarah kissed her dad’s cheek before linking her arm through Alan’s. ‘Why not go find Nan? She said she fancied a plate of winkles. You know you like them, Dad.’

George licked his lips. ‘I might just do that while your mum’s not about. She’s not as partial to seafood as we are.’ He rubbed his hands together and headed into Dreamland ahead of Alan and Sarah.

‘Bless him. Dad likes the simple things in life. Not like Mum.’ Sarah giggled. ‘It’s such a shame they don’t share the same interests anymore,’ she added thoughtfully. ‘You don’t think we’ll ever get like them, do you?’

‘What, me sneaking off for a plate of winkles with your nan, you mean?’ Alan asked, tucking her hand into the pocket of his jacket.

‘No, well, yes, I suppose that is what I mean. Let’s enjoy everything together, Alan. Let’s never have secrets from each other or drift apart. We have to be together forever, just like we said in our wedding vows.’

‘Forever’s a long time, Sarah.’

‘But we vowed we would, and in church too.’

‘I’m sure we will share as much as we can and be as close as any married couple can be, but we also have a war to get through, and who knows how long our own forever is going to last?’

Sarah stopped and faced her husband, pulling her hand away from his. ‘No. I won’t listen to you talking like this. I refuse to think we will be parted for long. This war won’t last forever and then we’ll be together until we grow old and grey. Promise me, Alan?’

Alan could see the fear in his wife’s blue eyes. This wasn’t how he wanted to spend his last day as a civilian. He needed Sarah to be brave and happy. He couldn’t bear to leave knowing she was sad. ‘Darling wife, I promise we will live to be a hundred years old and be overrun with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We’ll be a proper Darby and Joan. How does that suit you?’

‘That’ll do for now. But I’ll hold you to your promise, Alan. Look, here are the water caves. Let’s join the queue before the others find us.’

Sarah cosied up to Alan as the round tub-type boat headed into the darkened caves. It was chilly, and the sound of water dripping down the man-made walls caused her to shiver and hug Alan even closer. She could hear the whispers of other day-trippers in front and behind them, but here, in the darkness, for all intents and purposes they were alone. ‘Say goodbye to me now, Alan.’

‘Darling, I’m not leaving until tomorrow morning.’

‘But this might be the last time we are really alone. Even at Maureen’s house we won’t really be alone, as she will be in the next bedroom.’

Alan understood what Sarah meant and for the next few minutes they whispered their goodbyes and planned what they’d do when they next met. Sarah promised not to cry as she waved him off at the station, and Alan promised to wave to his wife until the train left Erith Station, heading towards London and then Scotland on his own personal adventure. They both fervently hoped that by Christmas Alan would be able to join her in Erith, a fully trained Spitfire pilot.

‘That was so much fun. When can we go again?’ Freda was still excited from her day in Margate.

‘Blimey, ducks, we ain’t even home yet. You’ve just stopped feeling sick from too much candyfloss and chips. It’s a bloody good job you didn’t have those jellied eels as well or you’d be hanging over the side of this boat all the way home to Erith,’ Maisie laughed.

‘Honest, I’m all right, Maisie. I wouldn’t mind a cup of tea, though, if there’s one going?’

‘You stay here and get some fresh air and I’ll bring up the tea. You don’t want to be below deck, as it’s a bit on the stuffy side down there. It’s not the best place to be if you are still feeling a bit rough, and you do look it to me, whatever you say.’ Maisie gave Freda a quick hug and disappeared down the steps to where the refreshments were on sale.

Despite her happiness, Freda
was
still feeling a little green around the gills, but she didn’t want to be a bother to her friends. The mention of jellied eels hadn’t helped. All the same, it had been a grand day and she swore to visit the seaside again soon, regardless of Hitler and the war. She gazed out across the darkening sky towards the riverbank on the Essex side of the Thames. If only she knew where her brother, Lenny, was. It had been over nine months since she arrived in Erith, and apart from the letter postmarked ‘Erith’ and sent while she was still at home, and that dodgy-looking chap arriving at her old digs, she was no closer to knowing where he was. However, she did know he was not in prison, or whatever it was they called the place where he’d been locked up, otherwise that bloke wouldn’t have come looking for her to get to Lenny.

Shifting her view of the river to look towards London, past the many ships that were on the skyline, she could see barrage balloons high in the sky like giant elephants, waiting to stop any enemy plane that dared get near the capital. She sighed. Was she wrong in coming to Erith? Should she instead be looking for her brother elsewhere? And was it safe for Lenny now that war had been declared? How would a young lad cope alone at a time like this? She knew the one place he wouldn’t be, and that was at home. No, neither of them was likely to return to the Midlands if they could help it. She would have loved to have moved back into Ruby’s house at Alexandra Road, but she didn’t want to bring any trouble to number thirteen if the dodgy bloke came calling again. It was best she stay put for now. Besides, she liked her digs, and if she did decide to work at Burndept’s, it was closer to the factory. She may hear something about Lenny if she worked among hundreds of people rather than at Woolworths. She’d give it some more thought once she felt a bit brighter.

‘Why the glum face, Freda? Are you still feeling sick?’ Ruby stood beside her and sniffed the air. ‘It can be a bit ripe on the river sometimes, but today ain’t so bad. Although, if you aren’t so used to the pong, it can turn your stomach.’

Freda shook herself. She didn’t want the Caseltons to think she had a problem. They were like a second family to her now. In fact, a first family, as she could barely recall her own dad anymore. ‘I’m fine, thank you, Mrs C., just a bit tired what with all the excitement.’

Unbeknown to Freda, Ruby had been watching the young girl as she’d stood deep in thought. There was something on the kid’s mind and she’d be sure to get to the bottom of it or her name wasn’t Ruby Caselton.

17

‘It’s not quite the same, is it? But it’ll have to do.’ Betty Billington stepped back from the front-window display of the Erith branch of Woolworths, carefully avoiding passing pedestrians, and placed her hands on her hips. ‘What do you think, Sarah?’

Sarah tipped her head to one side and looked intently at the main window, as well as the two smaller windows either side of the double doors that led into the store. ‘It’s not the same as last year, but it’s still festive. Not that our customers can see much with all this anti-blast tape stuck over the windows.’

Sarah thought it was a shame that the usually highly polished curved windows, set in dark mahogany frames, blocked out so much of what was on display for the Christmas shoppers. The months leading up to Christmas 1939 had been full of anticipation for the residents of Erith. So far no bombs had dropped, but everyone wondered whether today would be the day that Hitler’s armies tried to invade or a bomb would drop on their home. There was also thought at all times of loved ones who were serving in the forces. Were they overseas or still at home? No one knew for sure, but in each home wives and mothers prayed for their menfolk’s safe return. Daughters, too, were joining the services or volunteering in other ways. The country was prepared, but when would it all really begin?

Gas masks were still diligently carried everywhere, and in each branch of Woolworths staff had been trained in what to do if their store should be damaged in an attack or if there was a fire. One of Sarah’s duties as supervisor was to make sure that all staff knew their place and the part they needed to play if there should be an attack. They already participated in fire-watch duties, although the time was usually spent knitting or playing cards.

‘I do wish we could light the window display more, but the government have been so strict about us illuminating the street and alerting the enemy if they should fly over.’

Maisie, who had been sweeping the pavement in front of the store, another one of her duties since young Ginger had been called up, looked towards the sky. ‘It makes you wonder why Hitler would want his planes to fly all this way just to drop a bomb on Erith Woolies, doesn’t it? A bit of light in front of our shop shouldn’t do any harm.’

‘It’s not just Woolworths, though, Maisie. Think of all the shops in the High Street and Pier Road. If they all had their lights blazing away, then the enemy pilots would be able to see from their maps that this is Erith and nearby are the docks, as well as factories that are doing important war work. Put them out of action and we could have Hitler marching through our towns in no time,’ Betty explained.

‘Blimey. It makes you think, don’t it?’ Maisie gasped as the women all looked skywards.

‘At least we are no different to all the other shops in town,’ Betty added, ‘with the Ministry of Home Security allowing us to use only lighting that doesn’t reflect into the street.’

Sarah pointed across the road to the Hedley Mitchell store. ‘We’re in the same boat as Mitchell’s, and if I do say so myself, Woolworths has a better window display.’

‘I don’t even know why you’re worrying about a bit of light. It all has to be turned off at dusk so no one can look into the windows anyway,’ Maisie declared. ‘Now, I’m really cold, so if we’ve finished out here, can we go in and get warmed up before we all freeze to death?’

‘I just want to check that the display of men’s gifts looks all right. Do you think we should add anything else?’ Betty peered through the gaps in the anti-blast tape. ‘What do you think? Will women be interested enough to buy items to send to their loved ones? You both have husbands in the forces. Would you buy presents from Woolworths?’