Phyllis lives at Water Hall Care Home in Milton Keynes and during a recent one-to-one session with a team member, reminisced about her childhood and particularly the memories she had of growing up during the war.
Phyllis was born and raised in the east end of London which was busy and chaotic at times, so Phyllis has fond memories of visiting Kent during the summer holidays which was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of London.
Kent became a place Phyllis and her family spent lots of time during the 1940s, as London was a dangerous place to live during the war. Farmers in Kent set up tents to accommodate families who worked on the farm, but also for people who needed to get away from the city. Phyllis has fond memories of the time she spent at the farm – the fresh air and less hectic lifestyle certainly suited her.
However, with the war going on, nowhere was 100% safe. This became true when one day, Phyllis and other people who were working on the farm were out picking hops in a field when a German plane flew over and opened fire. Everyone quickly ducked for cover, with Phyllis and her family seeking shelter behind a hop barrel. “I felt very scared as I was only six at the time and all I could hear was the machine gun making such a loud thundery noise”, said Phyllis. It was a terrifying ordeal, but luckily no one was hurt!
Phyllis then pulled out some old photographs, one of which was taken whilst she was picking hops in Kent with her family. This brought back lots of memories for Phyllis and raised a smile as she remembered some of the special moments she shared with her family.