One of the ‘Perrings’ Furniture Store was located on the High Street in Sidcup. Perrings was a small family firm, run by two brother, John and William Perring, who had broken away from their fathers shop just off Euston Road, London in 1893. Both in their early twenties, the brother set up independently, dividing their territories to the north (William) and the south (John) of London. They steadily opened up new shops, with wartime breaks, until by 1966 they both owned 20 stores each. Their business started primarily with bedding,…
Year: 2019
“Gay Defiance” of Staff and Pupils during WW2
How words change their meanings! This report tells how the education department were trying to minimise the threat of bomb damage: only allowing limited numbers of people on the school premises at one time (part-time schooling), and arrangements for repairs made in advance. It had all worked well. Staff and pupils carrying on as normally as possible in defiance of German aggression. Lessons would have continued in school air-raid shelters or even sheltering under desks! Kent Education Committee “Gay Defiance” of Staff and Pupils Use of School Shelters by the public Lord Northbourne presided…
Rationing Recipes – Cakes without Eggs
Rationing on food items such as eggs during World War II meant that a little imagination was needed in the kitchen when it came to producing sweet treats for the family. During the war years, the Bromley & District Times was on hand to help home bakers with ideas to satisfy their sweet tooth. Cakes without Eggs Even the present egg shortage need not prevent the housewife from making her own cakes. Here are some suggestions for afternoon tea: – Chocolate Cake 1 half size tin sweetened full-cream condensed milk…
Tragic Result of S.E. Suburb Bombing
Three Children Killed Tragic result of S.E. Suburb Bombing Sheltering in Dug-out Three children were killed when bombs were dropped prolifically on two parts of a South-East suburb on Tuesday night. They were sheltering in dug-outs. One of the victims was Joan Wooton*, daughter of an auxiliary fireman. Her mother was also injured and was taken to hospital. A high explosive bomb dropped between two shelters. Another high explosive bomb completely destroyed the homes of Mr A.E. Jeffreys, Mr G. M. Knowles and Mr G.B. Willis. Adjoining houses were badly…
Rationing on food items such as eggs during World War II meant that a little imagination was needed in the kitchen when it came to producing sweet treats for the family. During the war years, the Bromley & District Times was on hand to help home bakers with ideas to satisfy their sweet tooth. Cakes without Eggs Even the present egg shortage need not prevent the housewife from making her own cakes. Here are some suggestions for afternoon tea: – Chocolate Cake 1 half size tin sweetened full-cream condensed milk…
London Carries on – Spirit of the People
This news report featured in the Bromley & District Times in mid-October 1940 and gives an insight into how life carried on as normal for the residents of London during the Blitz of 1940. LONDON CARRIES ON 35-MILE TOUR AFTER THE BLITZKRIEG THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE The early morning train was crowded, and subsequent stops, and we were soon speeding along side by side with other trains, equally crowded with men and women, boys and girls, all headed for London. Surely not for London after the Blitzkrieg visitations…
Autumn History Talks with Pam
Pam will be giving a number of fascinating talks this Autumn to local groups in the London Borough of Bromley. Her first talk will be held on Thursday 31st October at St Martins Church in Chelsfield where she will be talking about the development of the Council estate in Bromley which were built after the war to help with the housing shortage View details here > She will also be giving this talk to the Farnborough Social Club in Orpington on Friday 1st November. Details here > On Tuesday…
Spirit of the People Unbroken during Air Battles over SE England
The Blitz began on 7th September 1940, ‘Black Saturday’, when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and over 1,600 injured. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. While London was bombed more heavily and more often than anywhere else in Britain, the Blitz was an attack on the whole country. By the time this article was published on the 18th October 1940, London had endured 42 days of attacks by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). Air Battles over S.E. England Several…
Wanton Bombing of Hospital
Sister Killed, Four Nurses Injured Stories of miraculous escapes and high courage A Sister was killed and hours nurses severely injured when German raiders deliberately attacked a South-East hospital during Wednesday night. High explosive and oil bombs were dropped and a kitchen an the female reception ward suffered most. While nurses and patients were being rescued from the debris caused by the first attached the enemy came back and dropped a 1,000lb bomb outside one of the newer hospital buildings. Despite their terrifying experiences, nurses, doctors and rescue workers carried…
Man Survives Air Raid which Destroyed his House
When a bomb demolished a house in a suburb on Saturday afternoon, the owner was inside. To the amazement of the A.R.P. workers who were at once on the spot, the man crawled from the wreckage suffering only from cuts and shock. Here he is being taken to a nearby first-aid post. Press Censorship during World War Two Newspapers rarely gave details of the exact location of successful bombing raids, so we may never know where this incident happened, nor who the lucky survivor was. When war broke out…