I lost 7 members of my family that night at Wilkinson's. I was 23 at the time. I lived at 24 Hylton Street and during raids I would often use my mother's brick shelter at her house in Little Bedford Street. Fortunately, I never used the Wilkinson's shelter.
My relations had really bad luck. Their house had been damaged in a raid - the windows had been put out. They decided to move in with my uncle and aunt who had a five bedroomed flat above Atkinson's the Fruiterer at 66 North King Street. When the alert sirens went my uncle said that they all had to use Wilkinson's as there was only enough room for 3 people in his yard shelter. It was their first time in that shelter. 9 people went and only 2 came out alive.
I lost 7 members of my family that night...9 people went and only 2 came back...
Mrs Lee the ARP warden was my aunt. She was a lovely woman and we all called her Nellie. I remember she came to our house on the Sunday - she looked terrible. She told us that she had found my grandmother (Emma Curran: MN 34) but that she hadn't suffered, she'd been killed instantly. And then the police came and we found out about the others. (William Curran: MN 52, Agnes Smith (daughter): MN 6, Maureen Smith (grand daughter): MN 20, Veronica Smith (grand daughter): MN 9, John Glynn (son in law): MN 58, Margaret Glynn (grand daughter): MN 35). We just couldn't believe we wouldn't see them again. The two survivors (Evelyn Curran (daughter) and Anne Glynn (daughter)) were both taken to hospital at Hexham. My mother and brother went to organise the funeral.
I don't think Nellie got an official award (she helped rescue over 30 people) but I remember that the soldiers billeted at Kettlewell school made a pesentation to her because of her bravery.
The mortuary was in the old Public Wash House opposite the Alnwick Castle pub.
I heard that when the alarm sounded, the police stopped a bus travelling from Tynemouth. They took everyone onboard to Wilkinson's. The bus was full of girls after a night out at the coast - I don't think many of them survived.
I had a funny 1941. I had been working in domestic service at a big house in Monkseaton (175 Holywell Avenue: 1934-41), in the february I got married, then Wilkinson's and then on the 30th September my own house was flattened in a raid. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing I managed to get a job at Holmes Farm at Sharperton near Rothbury (Northumberland). I got ｣1.00 per week and the use of a stone cottage. I took my mother and sister with me. My mother had never really got over Wilkinson's and it was good to get away from the raids. My father couldn't come with us and he went to stay at Mrs Lee's