Norfolk Ancestors tracing the recent history of Norfolk

I have a scrap book about Yarmouth's war and bomb damage. Me and my mum were under the bed, downstairs when a bomb dropped in the road a few yards from us. What a noise. The windows went out and the soot poured down the chimney. We never did find the front door. My mum decided it was dangerous in Gorleston and sent me to Costessy where my Aunt lives. A week there and the Germans decided to blitz Norwich. The school in Costessy was even damaged by a bomb so mum said you might as well come home and I did. I suppose that a 10 year old today would get a counselling from some so called counselor.

I left school in 1944 and got this job at Burrel's Engineering on Southtown Road. I was trained to put keyways in ship's rudders and I also to very large propellers. This was war work.

Burrell's was an old firm going back into late 19th. century, infact I have a photo and it states, Est.1884. They closed down a few years ago like all good British engineering has done. This factory had the largest lathe in the country and all machines were run off belts. Can you imagine a factory today with belts roaring round with no protection. I was trained on a "Shaper" which went back and forwards putting the channels in the rudder shafts. All highly tec' I don't think.

I stuck it for three years earning 16/- a week the went to work in a garage in Caister then went into the army. Thats another story. On this picture I am three rows up on my left is a smiling chap and on my right is a big fellow. I am not smiling.

Ivor Steadman