Memories of Calderdale

Winston Churchill : June 1945

by

Nancy Nutman



It was a day of grey skies and threatened rain, typical of a summer's day in Halifax.

I was on my home from Trinity Senior School for my dinner – we didn't have lunch in those days – and as I came to the bottom of Bull Close Lane, I was amazed to find a very large crowd of people gathered in Bull Green.

I had no idea what was going on, so I made my way into George Square, and was told Winston Churchill was in Halifax and was expected to be canvassing (whatever that was) for the Tory Party any time now.

I wasn't able to see much, because at that time George Square had a number of air-raid shelters built on the waste ground in the centre of the square.

Lots of people were already on the roofs of the shelters, all of a sudden, I was hauled up on to the roof and told to sit down and wait for Churchill to speak.

Who hauled me up, I did not know, but everybody was friendly and very excited.

Then over in the area between Lister lane and King Cross Lane, there appeared just the head and shoulders of the Great Man himself, what he said I don't know or didn't care. I had seen CHURCHILL!!! that was enough.

I don't remember how I got down from the shelter, or even if I got home to Lee Mount for dinner, I had seen the Saviour of Great Britain.

Nothing else mattered



© Malcolm Bull 2021
Revised 10:26 / 30th May 2021 / 3162

Page Ref: M_4

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