This is a true wartime diary by Vere Hodgson of her time in Notting Hill, London and Birmingham.
She writes about her friends, air raids and life during the war as an ‘unimportant person’. Vere, however, was not conscripted during the war as she was a social worker. She wrote solidly almost every day during the war and talks about her love of London.
She is a heroine of the People’s War and some of her work is at the Imperial War Museum.
Here is a bit from her diary, on 8 July :
“No raids on London yet! We seem to be boming everywhere. A very healthy sign. It is to prevent them starting. But Eire still seems to be the weakest spot. Nice bright day. Went to see Auntie Nell in the evening with glass jars for making jam. Also tell her the good news that I could get two pounds of preserving sugar for her. We listened to the news, and heard the bombshell about tea! Two ounces per head, per week! However, it will do for me. I don’t like it strong; but I like to have to offer other people a cup’.
I bought this book from the Women’s bookshop ‘Persephone Books’ at Lamb Conduit Street, London.
