The first meeting of the new season was held on Thursday at the Expanse Hotel when the chairman, Terry Atherton, welcomed members and the guest speaker Delia Smith, who spoke about “Bridlington in the War”.
The speaker began by showing some graphic photographs of wartime bombing sites which included Foley’s Cafe, St.Anne’s Home, Britannia Hotel, the Electricity Showrooms, the General Post Office and many other sites. She continued her talk with personal information that she was born in Bempton in 1935. Her mother died when she was one and consequently she spent time in the workhouse nursery. She was later brought up by older sisters and as the war came they walked around the area taking an interest in what was going on as the war developed.
She pointed out that the first actions of the war involved air crews from Leconfield and Driffield dropping leaflets over Germany on 3rd September 1939.As the war went on barbed wire was placed along beaches and the harbour and piers were mined. Children from Hull and Middlesborough were evacuated here and along with local children were educated on a part time basis. Delia was equipped with a gas mask, though much to her disappointment, not a Mickey Mouse one!
As she and her sisters roamed the area, particularly a favoured route along Fondbrig Lane, they came across areas used for target practice and ammunition dumps being readied for D-Day and being guarded by soldiers who were armed .In preparation for D-Day the town was full of soldiers of various nationalities and the Spa, Grand Pavilion and Floral Hall were all used for their accommodation. For their entertainment the cinemas even opened on Sundays! Delia recalled a visit to Bridlington by the King and Queen and Viscount Montgomery to review troops before their departure. She also recalled the delight of no school on V. E Day.
She concluded her talk with information about the emergency fog dispersal system FIDO used at Carnaby. Bruce Petfield gave an appropriate vote of thanks for an interesting and informative talk which took some members back to youth or childhood.
Earlier, before an enjoyable lunch, the chairman Terry Atherton had welcomed Keith Lowe as a prospective new member and had informed members of an invitation to attend a meeting of Hornsea Probus club on Tuesday, Oct 17th and of the joint meeting with Burlington Probus on Oct 26th.
The speaker began by showing some graphic photographs of wartime bombing sites which included Foley’s Cafe, St.Anne’s Home, Britannia Hotel, the Electricity Showrooms, the General Post Office and many other sites. She continued her talk with personal information that she was born in Bempton in 1935. Her mother died when she was one and consequently she spent time in the workhouse nursery. She was later brought up by older sisters and as the war came they walked around the area taking an interest in what was going on as the war developed.
She pointed out that the first actions of the war involved air crews from Leconfield and Driffield dropping leaflets over Germany on 3rd September 1939.As the war went on barbed wire was placed along beaches and the harbour and piers were mined. Children from Hull and Middlesborough were evacuated here and along with local children were educated on a part time basis. Delia was equipped with a gas mask, though much to her disappointment, not a Mickey Mouse one!
As she and her sisters roamed the area, particularly a favoured route along Fondbrig Lane, they came across areas used for target practice and ammunition dumps being readied for D-Day and being guarded by soldiers who were armed .In preparation for D-Day the town was full of soldiers of various nationalities and the Spa, Grand Pavilion and Floral Hall were all used for their accommodation. For their entertainment the cinemas even opened on Sundays! Delia recalled a visit to Bridlington by the King and Queen and Viscount Montgomery to review troops before their departure. She also recalled the delight of no school on V. E Day.
She concluded her talk with information about the emergency fog dispersal system FIDO used at Carnaby. Bruce Petfield gave an appropriate vote of thanks for an interesting and informative talk which took some members back to youth or childhood.
Earlier, before an enjoyable lunch, the chairman Terry Atherton had welcomed Keith Lowe as a prospective new member and had informed members of an invitation to attend a meeting of Hornsea Probus club on Tuesday, Oct 17th and of the joint meeting with Burlington Probus on Oct 26th.