Image Bank
Hartlepool
Brougham Street, Hartlepool
You are in the garden of 4 Brougham Street, Hartlepool, in the summer of 1940. The people in the photograph are the Dalkin family, who live in this house.
Mr James Dalkin is a blacksmith, and his firm, Dalkin’s Ltd, is a few streets away. Standing beside him is his wife, Ann. The little boy is called Ian and the little girl is visiting from next door. The older girl is Ian’s sister, Joan. She went to Henry Smith’s school in Hartlepool, but left when she was fifteen.
Since then she has worked as a secretary for the shipbuilding firm of William Gray and Company. Although it looks very peaceful in this photograph this is not really the case. Since June Hartlepool has been suffering from bombing raids by enemy aircraft.
These usually take place at night and there are often several attacks in one night. Joan has started keeping a diary of all the raids. She doesn’t realise that they won’t stop for another three years.
Activity: Time Tourists
Look at the picture and read, listen to, or print the story.
Now think about how life must have been during World War 2 and write a review for a Time Tourists Magazine.
Download the Time Tourists Writesheet to help you write your notes.