Sheila's Visit to  the ROF at Puriton in Somerset in 2011
Channel: semw52
Date: 20/03/2023

Back in 2011 I was cycling  everywhere within a good 30 mile radius of my home visiting towns and villages .....On this day I visited  the old Royal Ordinance Factory near Puriton where  in WWII my  Mother worked as a stoker in the ammunition factory.My Mum Matilda was named the 'smallest Stoker in the UK' and she was offered a special award for her work as past of the war effort but she  turn the award down because she did not want a prize for helping to make bombs to kill people---Anyway this place was at the time top secret for obvious reasons  during the war--My Mum rarely spoke of her experiences  there but she was exposed to chemicals and  many others were also ? made ill from been exposed but nothing ever said  .........On this visit this was the first time I had  been here---now all closed but still guarded---grass and weeds and  empty buildings  the evidence of abandonment.But once this was a very busy place  with facilities for the workers like a well established social club, tennis courts---it was a Community and often as the years went by after WWII children would follow their parents into work at the ROF---but never spoke of their work much...AS I wandered about  here in 2011 I imagined my Mum walking here for work and having to pass thru the guarded gates, of perhaps enjoying some entertainment in the social club---sadly my Mum has not been around for me since I was 14 so I have not been able to discuss her life much....My Mum like others had been evacuated from London with my 2 older sisters during WWII (  I was born well after the War had ended)---they were separated and my Mum had to work in the bomb factory while my sisters were farmed out to a local family--not a happy experience for them as they have told me of their ordeals...There are other videos not yet placed on YT created by me some audio pods with photos  and others Video....I have loads..........all takes time to view adjust and edit