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wanted to live with us. Eventually it all became too much and they decided to buy a shop in Bletchley. The shop sold sweets, tobacco, fancy goods and some hardware. It was a busy shop and we lived in accommodation above the premises.

When Edward, the eldest son remarked that Bletchley did not have a toyshop, they decided to fill the gap in the market. They found it difficult to get accounts with Triang and Hornby who would only dealt with larger businesses, but eventually we succeeded. They also opened an account with Matchbox. They were just starting in business in those days. They were Jews from Germany who started their business in the East End of London.

It was not long before Triang wanted them to start stocking prams. They were reluctant at first because they didn’t think they would be able to sell them. However they said we would try one of each type and they sold like hot cakes. New prams had not been available since the war because everything was turned over to the war effort. Soon they were selling prams, cots and all types of baby equipment. In those days everybody loved a big pram, mothers used to walk out as there weren’t the cars.

The shopping went on the pram and the toddlers could have a seat on the front. People walked for miles like that.

When they first had the business they were affected by the rationing. Cigarettes were in short supply, although they had some good connections and received a good quota of sweets, cigarettes and tobacco. Tobacco was sold loose by the ounce or half-ounce. There was a thick or a thin twist, which one would cut off with a type of guillotine.

They also sold boxes or tins of snuff. There was a great sale for snuff; people were addicted to snuff in the same way, as they are addicted to cigarettes. The snuff was weighed on special scales and you had to be very careful because if you were overweight the Government lost money in tax and if you were underweight the customer was deprived of a couple of sniffs. The scales were inspected periodically.

When the Government put a high tax on tobacco there was an outcry from the old age pensioners who enjoyed their pipe. The Government had to introduce stamps for the pensioners to help them to pay for their tobacco. They really did encourage you to smoke in those days.

They did not have to work such long hours during the war because everyone had to get home before the air raids started. They opened from eight-thirty until five o’clock and had a half-day on Wednesday and of course, we were closed on Sundays and Good Fridays.

Eventually as she had three children Dorothy only used to work in the shop during the busy periods like Saturdays and the run up to Christmas. Ted her husband did most of the day to day running of the shop but Dorothy had plenty of good ideas that he used to take them up. They had an assistant to help but during the Christmas period they could have ten assistants it was so busy

Later they bought another shop in Leighton Buzzard. Dorothy would leave Philip in a nursery school and run those shop her. She sold about twenty prams in the first two months. She opened a pram club and the ladies could pay off a pound or two a week until the baby was born. We did the same sort of thing for the expensive toys at Christmas.

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