Archive for February, 2010

The speaker for the night, phoned to say that she would be unable to attend the meeting, as she was stuck in a traffic jam. Stan Smith, the President of The Basford History Society, asked me if I would mind giving a talk to the members, of living through the Second World War. I had with me some artifacts, a Gas Mask, shells, bullets, and service men and women’s hat.

The meeting went very well, with stories of the Black out, discipline in the schools, and stories what children got up to. I was thanked by Stan and the thirty members of the Society for stepping in at short notice.

Mr Ken Cumberpatch and myself, were invited to give a talk to the children of Blidworth Oaks Primary and Nursery School on February 11th 2010, about living as children through the Second World War. We were greeted with politeness and enthusiasm from the Staff and the children.

We were amazed at some of the questions we were asked, and this was down to the teachers who were involved in the teaching the children of the Second World war.

In the afternoon we were invited in the School Hall to listen to the children singing some of the War time songs, and the speeches of Stanley Baldwin, and Winston Churchill.

It’s not every day you discover you have a real treasure in the family. That’s how I felt when I found out that I was related to the Victoria Cross hero, Anthony Clarke Booth – a few years ago now.

I think many people are fascinated to know who their relatives were. In fact, the Nottingham Evening Post wrote an article about me and my quest to make sure my heroic relative would be honoured and remembered forever.

To read the full story here