My mother, when at home, had the radio on in the background all day with music and talk. It featured so largely in our lives. Whenever possible I listened to plays, shows and musical programmes. Workers Play Time, Forces Favourites, Tommy Handley and ITMA, Henry Hall and his band and all the big American Jazz bands. My younger sister, Sylvia, intent on disrupting the end of a play to spoil it for me, would regularly interrupt the drama. No amount of pleading helped — she made every noise she could to drown the radio. Often I had to read the play to find out how it ended. later.... Growing older, I was allowed to attend dances at the Rotherham Town Hall where a Canadian swing band entertained and the girls could hardly contain themselves when the Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra songs were played. Tapping our feet and swaying to the rhythms we longed for and hoped some lovely airman would swing us into action on the dance floor. We tried every dance, learned the new steps, and prepared to be carried away on cloud nine. On one occasion I wore a long, home made, blue gown, modelled on a famous film star's dress. The band struck up 'Alice Blue Gown'; I was taken into the arms of a very strong Canadian Airman to dance - and was so flattered! There was also a very talented young Canadian pianist who played the most amazing boogie-woogie music. It was almost mesmerizing. I often wondered what happened to him in the war. << less