My late father, Eric Rose, lived in Southport during the early years of the 2nd world war, together with his Aunt, Uncle, Sister Sonia and two cousins. My aunt has told me that they went on holiday there just before war broke out and then decided that it was safest to stay. My aunt is now 92 years and unfortunately, her memories of those days are a little hazy.
They rented a floor in a lodging house on Lord Street, the main shopping street. They went to the old synagogue on Arnside Road. My father, aged 15, used to take the train each day to Manchester Grammar, with his best friend, Cecil Moss. Sonia attended a local school. Their Uncle, Harry Green, would also commute to Manchester to run a clothing factory.
JACKIE ROSE thinks her family’s past influenced her interest in healthy food, ultimately leading to co-writing a new healthy eating cookbook with her cousin Judi Rose.
Southport was quite safe, in comparison to Manchester, during the blitz.
If bombs fell here, it was usually by accident.
Unfortunately, like so many bright young people at that time, my father was taken out of school at the age of 16, to work at a wine merchant shop, to contribute to the family income. He attended night classes to study engineering and eventually this took him to both Israel and Iran to help to plan and direct the laying of water and oil pipes. He came back to Manchester in his 30s and studied dentistry.
From a health point of view, Eric had been a slim young man, but after marrying he gradually gained weight and became solidly built, wearing XXL clothes. His love of ‘doorstep’ sandwiches, 2-3 inches thick, with great wedges of bread and cheese, was probably behind this. Unfortunately, in his later years, he paid for his weight with ill health, including chronic back pain and heart failure and for a short time even leg ulcers. However, this did not stop him from leading an active life, with determination he kept getting out, socialising and playing bridge. He volunteered for the citizen’s advice service until the age of 80 and was a wonderful off-the-cuff speaker.
I think that my father’s story is part of my motivation to help people to eat healthier and to avoid outcomes like his.
DISCOUNT
Judi and Jackie’s book is available from Amazon and through the publisher youcaxton.co.uk, using the 20% discount code SHUL2020
