Page 8 - link magazine

8 swindonlink.com • January 2008
Sheila brings alive war child experiences

Getting first hand detailed accounts from those who lived through through World War II is increasingly difficult as time goes on. but Emma
Kimber has had the chance to go back in time with a senior citizen to hear amazing stories that she recounts to children in Swindon schools.
Films and books can help us imagine living through the war, but nothing brings it to life quite as much as speaking to a witness of the
blitz.
Sheila Jarvis from Grange Park which kept her spirits up.
was nine when the war broke out in In 1950 Sheila went to Holland
1939. She grew up in a middle-class to visit a boyfriend. They were
family in the suburbs of London; still in the aftermath of war, and
her father was a manager at Stan's s ^ s 40 remembered how England had
Department Store. ^. e liberated them. They showed their
But during the depression of the gratitude to Sheila by bringing her
1930s the family had to move to cream cakes and bananas. Britain
cheaper housing in the East End. was still in rationing at this point,
Her parents never made an issue of and had none of the luxuries people
their financial hardship and kept the across the channel were enjoying.
spirits of their children up. "People , Sheila was touched by this gesture,
were generally more upbeat then-if but was distressed to discover the
you lost something, you could make ^ horrors that occupied Holland went
light of it," said Sheila. __ through during those war years.
When war broke out, she was Sheila continued to live in the
old enough to understand what East End until she married and
was happening around her. Whils bought a house in the leafy suburbs
Sheila shows photos of ber childhood, includittg orze of soldie r J rck
her parents and younger siblings of London, where she had her son,
back from Dunkirk, to Greendown School Historic GCSE pupils
stayed in London, she was sent Mark. She decided she'd dedicate
Brandon Walmark, Mitchell Fernandez, Ashley Carrington
to Devon for a year, staying with herself to children who were less
family friends to get away from the Ham, but West Ham really suffered, scream, it sounded like thousands able bodied and minded as her son
threat of bombing. 23 schools were destroyed." of screaming women. After nine had fortunately been. She prides
"It was a fantastic year; we had "My parents were wonderful. My months, schools reopened; food was herself on her job as a special needs
the most wonderful time, playing mother used to let me go out on my short, it was a terribly boring time teacher for twenty years.
in the fields," remembers Sheila. bike as long as I came home as soon for a teenager. I once queued an hour Sheila now keeps busy doing
"We did feel guilty for enjoying as the siren went. When we saw the for a pound of tomatoes!" charity work and taking part in
ourselves. But my mother told us soldiers who'd returned, they were WhenSheilatellsherstorytochil- events at Freshbrook Evangelical
that that's what the boys were fight- such jokers, and so handsome; they dren nowadays, it seems important Church. After her first talk six years
ing for; so we could keep having couldn't be serious for a second! My that she doesn't edge around the ago at Tregoze Primary School,
fun and enjoying living." mother told me 'those are the boys facts, particularly now World War II she has continued, going to many
Jack, the nineteen year old brother who are saving us, Sheila." History is in the curriculum."Forty schools around the town, taking
of Sheila's Devon friend Vivienne, "My father once thousand people her photographs and turning her
fought in the retreat to Dunkirk. called usoutofthe died in London life's experiences into a historical
"He'd been in France and we hadn't shelter so we could r during the blitz, account enjoyed by many.
heard anything from him, apart seethe flames over and you can't ig-