The Shipyard Girls, page 31
Gloria and the other women all agreed that Dorothy and Angie were frighteningly similar, and, in their own words, were ‘double trouble’, but they were also a great source of entertainment.
‘Hi, Angie,’ Gloria said, as Dorothy grabbed Angie and linked her arm so they were standing side by side. ‘You not sick of this one yet?’ she joked, nodding her head in Dorothy’s direction.
‘Nah,’ Angie said. ‘Not yet, but I think she’d do my nut in if I was working with her all day, every day. She’s been trying to get me to join you lot, but I think I’ll stick to driving cranes. It’s easier, and I don’t get any earache from anyone.’
Gloria laughed. Looking at Dorothy and Angie, she wondered if she had a daughter what she would be like. As she buttoned up her work coat – which was getting tighter by the day – she felt a sudden flush of nerves. She had already decided she was going to tell the women her news over their pre-cinema drink. She knew they would all be asking why she was drinking lemonade rather than her normal preferred tipple of port, and at the rate she was putting on weight, it wouldn’t take them long to guess.
Besides, Gloria really wanted them to know. They were her friends, after all, and she wanted to share her secret with them, although she knew they would be more than a little taken aback. Women of her age just didn’t get pregnant. Nor did they throw their husbands out of the marital home.
She had already imagined their individual reactions. Rosie would look determined and offer to help in any way she could. Polly would be shocked, but wouldn’t show it. Hannah would take a little while to digest the information, as would Martha, before showing their solidarity, as well as their excitement about the baby.
And Dorothy, of course, would go into overdrive.
She would never have guessed when she first started as a trainee welder just how much her life would change. This yard had become many things to her. It had provided her with a sanctuary away from the brutality of her home life, and it had also given her the joy of friendship. And now it had given her another life growing inside of her.
As she surreptitiously touched her stomach under her work coat, Gloria realised for the first time in many years that she felt free.
Rosie looked about her and caught Gloria looking uncharacteristically pensive, and thought how well she looked. She seemed happy today, which made Rosie happy too as she knew how, out of all the women, Gloria had a particularly harsh home life. She had come to realise just why Gloria had wanted this job so much, and had stuck it out, despite her age and the long hours it demanded.
As her attention was drawn to the familiar shouts and noises which signalled that the ship was about to launch, Rosie looked at this grand vessel, this amazing piece of metal workmanship waiting to make its way down the slipway, and her chest literally lifted with pride. This town might have already taken a battering from Hitler’s Luftwaffe, and been scarred with the sorrow of too many senseless deaths, but it was not giving in. This ship was another example of the town’s defiance – its steely warrior spirit. It would never give in, and its people would continue building ships and fighting for what was right for as long as it took.
Rosie smelt the sea air and looked up to the flurry of seagulls squawking above them as if they too were excited by the ship’s imminent launch. She wished Charlotte could be here too, but contented herself with a letter from her sister which had arrived yesterday, and which was now tucked safely in her coat’s inside pocket, close to her heart.
Her eyes squinted in the winter sunlight, and, as they often did these days, they started to water. They would probably always be overly sensitive to light, but at least she was alive. And at least she still had her sight. She had suffered slight damage to her retinas, but she could live with that, just as she could live with the splashes of scars on her face. They were a small price to pay for her life.
Indeed for her new life.
When she had been recovering from her injuries Rosie had known deep down it was unlikely she would go back to her evening work. It was hardly surprising that after the night she had been attacked and had nearly died, her perspective on life had changed.
Her need, however, for money and survival hadn’t.
Since then she had talked honestly with Lily, who had agreed that her scarred face could be disguised by make-up, but that, in her line of work, it was going to change her earning potential with the kind of clientele Lily’s attracted. The men who came through the large oak door in Ashbrooke wanted to walk into a different world from the one they had just left. They wanted escapism. They didn’t want to pay good money to see up close the real scars of what life could inflict on a person, of life’s pain. They saw enough of that in reality.
But Rosie still needed to survive, and survive she would. She was determined to keep Charlotte in her boarding school, whatever it took. So when Lily had mentioned the possibility that she might be opening up a small, exclusive bordello in London’s affluent red-light district, Rosie had got out the cut-crystal glasses from the armoire and fetched Lily’s favourite Rémy Martin from the pantry and made her a business proposition.
Her idea had been aided thanks to DS Miller staying true to his word. After ascertaining that her uncle did not, in fact, have any living relatives who might have stood to inherit the money found in his bedsit, he had brought her a substantial wad of cash. Cash which was not just rightfully hers, but was actually hers: Rosie’s hard-earned wages. Money which had nearly cost her her sanity, never mind her life. And because of that, Rosie was going to make damn sure it was used to the best possible advantage.
As she looked across the River Wear, she caught sight of an orange mop of hair. It could only be Lily, Rosie thought as she smiled to herself. Next to Lily stood George and some of the other girls.
Just at that moment Lily caught sight of Rosie and waved to her with such enthusiasm that she nearly knocked the hat off the woman she was standing next to.
‘Oh, Ma’s just been clobbered by some woman with the most amazing hair,’ Polly laughed to Rosie, who was beside her.
Rosie broke into a big smile. The two women who had shown her such care and kindness had unwittingly ended up standing shoulder to shoulder with each other, and in true fashion Lily had managed to nearly knock poor Agnes’s block off. Lily still had a long way to go before she managed to emulate a chic Parisian madam. Her cockney roots would always get in the way, and Rosie hoped they always would. One day she hoped Lily and Agnes would meet. It might be too much of a stretch, but she would love the two to become friends. They might be complete opposites in many ways, but they were also remarkably similar. And, what’s more, they had both been there for Rosie when she’d needed it the most.
‘Is that Arthur, Tommy’s granddad, there as well?’ Rosie asked Polly. She could just about make out the outline of a tall, grey-haired old man standing next to Agnes, Bel and Lucille.
‘Yes, that’s Arthur. He’s become part of the furniture since Tommy left,’ Polly joked, but Rosie heard a sadness in her friend’s voice. She knew Polly’s heart yearned for the man she loved.
‘He’ll come back,’ she said quietly to Polly.
Tears started to come into Polly’s eyes. She stared straight ahead, forcing them back. ‘I’d love him to be here now – even if it was just to see this launch.’
‘Where’s your ring?’ Rosie asked.
She knew Polly couldn’t wear her engagement ring to work, but carried it with her all the time.
Polly reached into the top pocket of her overalls and fished out the beautiful ruby engagement ring Tommy had slipped to her when they had said their rushed farewells at the train station. He had written to her when he’d arrived at his training digs in Portsmouth and explained that the ring had been his grandma Flo’s engagement ring, and that it had been Arthur’s bidding that he give it to Polly.
‘Put it on,’ Rosie said, ‘then at least a part of him will be here with you today.’
Polly slipped the ring on and smiled.
At that moment there was a loud smashing sound as the ship was officially launched by a suited dignitary who performed the long-held tradition of smashing a bottle of champagne against its bow.
There were loud, jubilant shouts of ‘There she goes!’ and ‘God bless all who sail in her!’ as the enormous vessel slowly started down the slipway. Gaining momentum, it sliced into the murky river water, causing enormous waves at either side to splash against the walls of the dock, spraying those nearest to the quayside with a shower.
Polly touched her ring while she watched the tugboats gently guide the ship through the mouth of the river and into the North Sea, and made a wish for Tommy’s safe return. He had just completed two weeks of intensive training and been shipped out to Gibraltar. That was all Tommy was allowed to tell her in his letters. But even though they were miles apart, Polly still felt that nearness she had always felt from the start with Tommy, from the moment they had caught each other’s eye all those months ago, just a few feet away from where she now stood.
Watching the huge cargo ship turn into the expanse of the North Sea, Polly felt as if it signified the end of a part of her life, but also the start of another.
Her work at the yard had brought her such intense highs and lows, such heartfelt happiness and gut-wrenching sadness. And, of course, such terrifying drama. She could never have imagined that her determination to work here would enrich her life so much more than she had ever expected.
She had succeeded in becoming an important cog in the war effort, and she had also become a part of her family’s long-standing legacy in the shipyards.
But most of all, her work in the shipyard had also brought her something she had never thought she would find.
Love.
And that wasn’t just the love she had been lucky enough to find with Tommy, but also the love of true friendship.
‘Come on then, you lot.’ Rosie’s voice broke through Polly’s reverie. Polly looked at Rosie, Gloria, Dorothy, Hannah and Martha and saw them all as a strange family of sorts. A family of friends, who were bonded by so much more than blood. And it was a bond, like their welds, that was steely strong and totally unbreakable.
‘Let’s go and have a quick toast down the Admiral,’ Rosie said, ‘and then off to the Regal. We’re going to see this Gone with the Wind if it bloody kills us!’
The women all chuckled as Dorothy let out a loud ‘Hurrah!’
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Read on for an insight into The Shipyard Girls, plus the chance to sign up to find out more about Nancy and our other saga authors . . .
Dear Reader,
I hope you’ve really enjoyed the first instalment of The Shipyard Girls and will be joining the women as they continue to ride the ups and downs of love and life both in and outside of J.L. Thompson and Sons shipyard.
For me, what I love most about Polly, Rosie, Gloria, Dorothy, Hannah and Martha is the steely bond they have formed, despite their different personalities and backgrounds, as well as the sense of love, care and loyalty they have for each other. I think we could all benefit in this day and age from having a ‘family of friends’ in our lives.
During my research for the book, I was heartened to hear that this kind of camaraderie and support in times of need – as well as simply enjoying a good old chinwag – was very real for the shipyard workers during the Second World War – and, indeed, for those employed in the Wearside yards both before and after the conflict.
I was lucky enough to find one woman who was employed at the Austin & Pickersgill shipyard in Sunderland during the war, a lovely lady called Joan Tate, and what struck me when we started chatting about her time there was how her face instantly lit up as she recalled the memories she had. It was also telling that the first words she spoke about her experiences there was to describe the playful banter and the sense of togetherness.
The romantic in me was heartened to hear that just like Polly, Joan also found the love of her life in the shipyards – a man who she went on to marry and have children with.
My research for this new saga series has also taken me on my own personal journey of discovery as my mum comes from a long line of shipbuilders. Both my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all worked in the Sunderland shipyards, as did most of their sons and relations.
My own father also served his apprenticeship at North Eastern Marine Engineering on the South Dock in the late fifties early sixties, and shortly after moving back up to my hometown last year he took me for a tour of the now barren area where he had learnt his trade as a tool maker.
Although it’s a real shame the shipyards are practically non-existent now, the River Wear still has a magical quality about it and over the years other businesses have flourished, reshaping the river banks where once there were shipyards.
The culturally-acclaimed National Glass Centre, constructed solely from glass and steel, now stands in place of the J.L. Thompson shipyard, next to which is the University of Sunderland, which enjoys enviable views over the river and out to the North Sea.
The historical St Peter’s Church, which first introduced glass making into Britain, and where Jack and Gloria seek solitude and rekindle their love for each other, is now a popular tourist attraction as one of the country’s first Anglo-Saxon stone churches.
What also remains unchanged is the beautiful stretch of coast along which Tommy takes Polly on the back of his bike. The stunning beaches of Roker and Seaburn have just been given the Blue Flag award 2016 for their high water quality, cleanliness and amenities.
And, the Bungalow Cafe overlooking the harbour, where Polly and Tommy go on their first proper date, is still a thriving little tea shop.
I’m now writing the second book in The Shipyard Girls series which follows the women as they stick together and help each other through the highs and lows of the first tumultuous six months of 1941. There is also the return to the Elliot household of Polly’s brother Joe, whose arrival back home has a great impact on those around him – as does the unexpected arrival of Bel’s mother, Pearl.
I hope you will come with me and join the women – and the men – as they continue to fight adversity on the Home Front.
With love,
History Notes
During World War Two seven hundred women worked in the Sunderland shipyards carrying out dangerous and backbreaking jobs such as welding, riveting, burning and rivet catching, as well as general labouring, operating cranes, and painting.
The work, which had previously only been deemed suitable for men, was not only carried out by unmarried young women, but also by married mothers, many of whom had just waved the men in their family off to war.
These women chose to undertake such difficult and often perilous jobs in the yards, not only because they needed to work – but also because they wanted to be a part of the war effort – often working time and a half, seven days a week in order to repair and build ships desperately needed to win the war.
Many war babies and children were looked after by neighbours and older siblings so that their mother could work long shifts in the shipyards – and sometimes even a second job at night.
The conditions in which the women laboured were harsh and hazardous, with scant regard paid to health and safety. They also had to contend with constant air strikes by Hitler’s Luftwaffe, and many of the women workers would do so with the added worry that their children were in another part of the town.
The yards in the ‘Biggest Shipbuilding Town in the World’ produced a quarter of Britain’s merchant shipping at the time, causing it to become one of the most heavily bombed towns during the war.
It is believed that without the shipyards, the country would have been forced to surrender, as the cargo vessels being built were essential for the transportation of vital food, fuel and minerals, as well as taking troops to wherever they were needed in the fight against the Axis alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan.
During the war years, Sunderland’s shipbuilding industry won Royal and political praise, and the town was also credited with producing Doxford Engines, known for their efficiency and reliability, while J.L. Thompson developed the prototype of the American Liberty Ship.
Initially the women’s induction into the yards was made even more difficult by the authorities who were opposed to the idea. A lot of men in positions of influence were very keen to protect the traditions of shipbuilding on the Wear. They wanted to protect the jobs for men returning from service and so were opposed to offering the jobs to women as they did not know what would happen when the men returned.
Women were eventually offered work in the yards, even if some people were reluctant. Many, however, were referred to as ‘dilutees’. This title was given to imply that one woman could not offer the same skills as one man and so ensured the women would not be able to continue in the jobs when the men returned.
Interestingly, in a report in the Sunderland Echo in 1942 it revealed: ‘At keeping the place tidy, sweeping up and so on, the women are, not surprisingly, better than the men. But those in skilled and semi-skilled work have also done well, and I have heard of machinists who have turned out far more work, of as good quality, than the men. Indeed, I have been told of one woman who produced as much work as six men – and she was a married woman who, after her day’s work, went home to look after her family.’
It is perhaps a sad omission in our history books that the remarkable women who did some of the most dangerous work in both the First and Second World War, have now died with little recognition or praise for the work they did and the conditions they encountered.
