OH/065
Reference code
OH/065
Level of description
Item
Title
Buckland, Rita
Scope and content
"
Mrs Rita Buckland
Born 1920 in West Bengal in Anglo-Indian family\
In RAF in India in WW2 where she met her husband\Came to England in 1948 because of riots following partition and set up home in central Ealing\Memories of The Green, Walpole Park, Ealing Studios\Remembrance day ceremonies, the ships, cinemas\Worked for Daly Condensers, Ealing Green - accounts of work outings\Fervant royalist - writes to royal family regularly and saves replies\Questors Playback Theatre Collection\Born 1920 in Kharagpur, West Bengal in a family of several generations of Anglo-Indians. Enjoyed a happy childhood in close, warm family. Met and married Fred Buckland in 1945 when they were both in the RAF in India. She was a Sergeant and he a Corporal. They have one daughter. [This period is written up in some detail and was used as part of Ealing Library's VE Day anniversary exhibition.] As a result of the Hindu/Muslim riots which followed partition they decided to come to England in 1948 and first lived at 2 Oxford Road. Rita started work winding condensers at Daly Condensers on Ealing Green and remined with them for 13 years. They were later able to buy a house at 12 Disraeli Road. Recalls the parrot called Laura in Walpole Park and how upset her daughter had been when it was killed in the 50s. Daughter attended Grange School. The HM was Mollie Kiernon now also in Cecil Court. Another residet Sylvia Middleton who used to wait outside Ealing Studios to catch a glimpse of the stars. She had seen Vivienne Leigh, Gracie Fields, John Mills, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Alec Guinness, Leslie Banks, Leslie Howard, Sid james, Hattie jacques, Jack hawkins, Kenneth Williams. Rita herself only recalls seeing Diana Dors getting out of a very posh car. Describes Ealing Green as 'a pretty, a very, very pretty area' and Ealing Green as 'all in all a lovely place to live in'. Recalls shops. Justins Stores at the end of Disraeli Road (now an antique shop) and Foleys fruit and veg shop in the Hif St. Gives a very good description of Stockwells the chemists. Remembers Mr and Mrs Stockwell and their son who all served in the shop. \Inside - everything you could possilby want in the way of toiletries was in Stockwells lovely shop... Mrs Stockwell took care of the ladies when they wanted advice and Mr Stockwell spoke to the gentlemen which I thought was very nice - old fashioned but lovely... They became as friends of mine. The shops then were not so 'money making' like now. Even Mr Justin had time to ask you about yourself and your family which I thought was lovely\"". Reactions to her colour. Realised that others were not treated so well and that at the beginning the neighbours must have thought 'what have we got here?' because there 'were very few coloured people around at that time'. \""Gradually I found that English people were very thoughtful of many people...\"" About Walpole Park - \""I remember that Walpole Park was full of prams and full of children. I went there a few months ago and I couldn't believe it was the same park... but a lot of the mothers then were not working. They don't seem to be that way now... I thought the parks then were prettier than now.\"" Daly Condensers. Worked there for 13 years. It was a shock when they heard they were moving to Weymouth. Her first job at Dalys was 'winding condensers on a winding machine'. Later promoted and became an inspector. There was a foil shop downstairs - \""the foil had to go through water. the second floor was where all the girls were - winding condensers\"". There were about 80 staff altogether. She was paid £5 pw when she first started and had to clock-in. \""When I became an Inspector I didn't have to clock-in - I'd arrived!... They were a very good firm to work for. Very kind people. Mr Simon very nice\"". Tells story (which happened in India but which could just as easily have happened here) of being approached by a white RAF Officer who says in a stilted way \""You tell me where Orderley Room\"". She replied in perfect English \""Ceertainly sir. Take the second on the left and first on the right and it is directly ahead of you\"" - evincing astonishment and apologies. Remembers Sainsbury's and Gapp's. When she first arrived she was often confused between rupees and pence and used to ask the shopkeepers to help themselves from her purse. Gives graphic and moving description of Armistice Days just after the war of the crowds that gathered at the memorial on The Green and of the two-minute silence. \""Thinking of all the friends in the RAF who flew over and never came back. Happy in one way that we still continued to remember people that we knew so well - but also sad that they never came back\"". The silence was also observed in homes. She recalls her father (an Indian) \""switching off the radio and standing to attention and he encouraged us all to stand up and respect the dead. He was praying for his friends in WW I and I was for mine in WW II - so nobody was forgotten. the traffic stopped that's what I liked then compared to now. There was silence in the shops. Everywhere there was silence... That was very said he liked my manner in talking to the girls\"" ... and so gave her a good reference. The works outings were usually to Southend. \""We all met outside Daly's and were taken to the seaside. It was a good thing for me because in those days money was so tight that we didn't have cars or anything, so by going in a coach that was the big event of the year - the works outing. And we all had to take packed lunches - there was no such thing as going into restaurants to eat the food - it was too expensive anyway... We loved paddling - although we were all grown-ups - and we sang songs all the way going and all the way coming back. It was something that doesn't seem to be happening now - it was wonderful\"". Remembers the Salvation Army Band coming down the High Street and playing on The Green... \""which was the famous place for the Salvation Army. I remember that well. They played very well... and attracted a good crowd. But they had complaints from people on night duty and had to stop\"". The Post Office Sorting Office. \""I remember all the telegram boys on their bikes... I received a telegram when my parents were coming from India... I was surprised... He said 'can I wait'... I think he wondered if I had bad news. I thought that weas very kind of him. When he heard that it was good news - he said 'Good' and he was on his bike and away he went... They were so kind in those days. People spoke to each other - even the postman, the milkman. We got to know them all you see\"".The 'Rag and Bone Man'. \""He used to shout out... I didn't quite understand what he was saying - he had a way of shouting. We used to save things to give him\"". Surprise on first coming to Ealing to find no iron fences and gates which had been melted down for the war effort. The Walpole Cinema. \""I thought it was very posh because it had red velvet seats... I like the idea - it's stopped now - of everybody standing up for God Save the Queen at the end of the cinema\"". The Royal family \""I had a thing about the Royal Family - that's why I've got many letters from the Queen Mother, Charles and Diana's wedding. I wrote to congratulate them... Andrew and his wife. With me as a little girl I used to think that I'd go to Buckingham Palace and the Queen would come down the stairs in her crown and she'd say 'You're Rita Foxley (?) and you're from Kharagpur in India'. And i used to say 'Yes@ and then she used to welcome me into Buckingham Palace. That was my dream. So when I came to England I decided to write to the Royal Family... I got a reply to every one of them... I think the grandchildren will be very pleased to see all this... I was very privileged for my story (her war stories featured in the exhibition)... It was a wonderful tribute - especially for those who never came back.""
Buckland, Rita"
Mrs Rita Buckland
Born 1920 in West Bengal in Anglo-Indian family\
In RAF in India in WW2 where she met her husband\Came to England in 1948 because of riots following partition and set up home in central Ealing\Memories of The Green, Walpole Park, Ealing Studios\Remembrance day ceremonies, the ships, cinemas\Worked for Daly Condensers, Ealing Green - accounts of work outings\Fervant royalist - writes to royal family regularly and saves replies\Questors Playback Theatre Collection\Born 1920 in Kharagpur, West Bengal in a family of several generations of Anglo-Indians. Enjoyed a happy childhood in close, warm family. Met and married Fred Buckland in 1945 when they were both in the RAF in India. She was a Sergeant and he a Corporal. They have one daughter. [This period is written up in some detail and was used as part of Ealing Library's VE Day anniversary exhibition.] As a result of the Hindu/Muslim riots which followed partition they decided to come to England in 1948 and first lived at 2 Oxford Road. Rita started work winding condensers at Daly Condensers on Ealing Green and remined with them for 13 years. They were later able to buy a house at 12 Disraeli Road. Recalls the parrot called Laura in Walpole Park and how upset her daughter had been when it was killed in the 50s. Daughter attended Grange School. The HM was Mollie Kiernon now also in Cecil Court. Another residet Sylvia Middleton who used to wait outside Ealing Studios to catch a glimpse of the stars. She had seen Vivienne Leigh, Gracie Fields, John Mills, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Alec Guinness, Leslie Banks, Leslie Howard, Sid james, Hattie jacques, Jack hawkins, Kenneth Williams. Rita herself only recalls seeing Diana Dors getting out of a very posh car. Describes Ealing Green as 'a pretty, a very, very pretty area' and Ealing Green as 'all in all a lovely place to live in'. Recalls shops. Justins Stores at the end of Disraeli Road (now an antique shop) and Foleys fruit and veg shop in the Hif St. Gives a very good description of Stockwells the chemists. Remembers Mr and Mrs Stockwell and their son who all served in the shop. \Inside - everything you could possilby want in the way of toiletries was in Stockwells lovely shop... Mrs Stockwell took care of the ladies when they wanted advice and Mr Stockwell spoke to the gentlemen which I thought was very nice - old fashioned but lovely... They became as friends of mine. The shops then were not so 'money making' like now. Even Mr Justin had time to ask you about yourself and your family which I thought was lovely\"". Reactions to her colour. Realised that others were not treated so well and that at the beginning the neighbours must have thought 'what have we got here?' because there 'were very few coloured people around at that time'. \""Gradually I found that English people were very thoughtful of many people...\"" About Walpole Park - \""I remember that Walpole Park was full of prams and full of children. I went there a few months ago and I couldn't believe it was the same park... but a lot of the mothers then were not working. They don't seem to be that way now... I thought the parks then were prettier than now.\"" Daly Condensers. Worked there for 13 years. It was a shock when they heard they were moving to Weymouth. Her first job at Dalys was 'winding condensers on a winding machine'. Later promoted and became an inspector. There was a foil shop downstairs - \""the foil had to go through water. the second floor was where all the girls were - winding condensers\"". There were about 80 staff altogether. She was paid £5 pw when she first started and had to clock-in. \""When I became an Inspector I didn't have to clock-in - I'd arrived!... They were a very good firm to work for. Very kind people. Mr Simon very nice\"". Tells story (which happened in India but which could just as easily have happened here) of being approached by a white RAF Officer who says in a stilted way \""You tell me where Orderley Room\"". She replied in perfect English \""Ceertainly sir. Take the second on the left and first on the right and it is directly ahead of you\"" - evincing astonishment and apologies. Remembers Sainsbury's and Gapp's. When she first arrived she was often confused between rupees and pence and used to ask the shopkeepers to help themselves from her purse. Gives graphic and moving description of Armistice Days just after the war of the crowds that gathered at the memorial on The Green and of the two-minute silence. \""Thinking of all the friends in the RAF who flew over and never came back. Happy in one way that we still continued to remember people that we knew so well - but also sad that they never came back\"". The silence was also observed in homes. She recalls her father (an Indian) \""switching off the radio and standing to attention and he encouraged us all to stand up and respect the dead. He was praying for his friends in WW I and I was for mine in WW II - so nobody was forgotten. the traffic stopped that's what I liked then compared to now. There was silence in the shops. Everywhere there was silence... That was very said he liked my manner in talking to the girls\"" ... and so gave her a good reference. The works outings were usually to Southend. \""We all met outside Daly's and were taken to the seaside. It was a good thing for me because in those days money was so tight that we didn't have cars or anything, so by going in a coach that was the big event of the year - the works outing. And we all had to take packed lunches - there was no such thing as going into restaurants to eat the food - it was too expensive anyway... We loved paddling - although we were all grown-ups - and we sang songs all the way going and all the way coming back. It was something that doesn't seem to be happening now - it was wonderful\"". Remembers the Salvation Army Band coming down the High Street and playing on The Green... \""which was the famous place for the Salvation Army. I remember that well. They played very well... and attracted a good crowd. But they had complaints from people on night duty and had to stop\"". The Post Office Sorting Office. \""I remember all the telegram boys on their bikes... I received a telegram when my parents were coming from India... I was surprised... He said 'can I wait'... I think he wondered if I had bad news. I thought that weas very kind of him. When he heard that it was good news - he said 'Good' and he was on his bike and away he went... They were so kind in those days. People spoke to each other - even the postman, the milkman. We got to know them all you see\"".The 'Rag and Bone Man'. \""He used to shout out... I didn't quite understand what he was saying - he had a way of shouting. We used to save things to give him\"". Surprise on first coming to Ealing to find no iron fences and gates which had been melted down for the war effort. The Walpole Cinema. \""I thought it was very posh because it had red velvet seats... I like the idea - it's stopped now - of everybody standing up for God Save the Queen at the end of the cinema\"". The Royal family \""I had a thing about the Royal Family - that's why I've got many letters from the Queen Mother, Charles and Diana's wedding. I wrote to congratulate them... Andrew and his wife. With me as a little girl I used to think that I'd go to Buckingham Palace and the Queen would come down the stairs in her crown and she'd say 'You're Rita Foxley (?) and you're from Kharagpur in India'. And i used to say 'Yes@ and then she used to welcome me into Buckingham Palace. That was my dream. So when I came to England I decided to write to the Royal Family... I got a reply to every one of them... I think the grandchildren will be very pleased to see all this... I was very privileged for my story (her war stories featured in the exhibition)... It was a wonderful tribute - especially for those who never came back.""
Buckland, Rita"
