full-time.’
‘Full-time?’ Judy stared at her. ‘I don’t understand. I
thought it was all volunteers?’
‘I’m sorry, I haven’t explained properly. Look, my dear,
it’s obvious that with Portsmouth now under severe attack we’re sure to get more bombing raids like the one on Friday,
we’re in the front line here - there are going to be a lot of
people needing help. Immediate, practical help with things
like clothes, rations, food, accommodation - the sort of
things the Council would do, certainly will do - but the
WVS can do so much more quickly, leaving the Local
Authority to get on with the job of permanent rehousing,
putting the city back to rights and so on. That means we’re
going to need more volunteers and more office staff to help
them. I’d like you, Miss Taylor, to join my staff.’
The? But …’ Judy glanced round the room, looking
more like a bustling office now with men and women sitting
at tables which were already covered in sheets of paper.
Typewriters were being carried in, packets of envelopes
being opened. Where had they all come from? she wondered,
and felt guilty at not helping. ‘But I’ve already got a
job, madam, and I ought to be doing it now. I don’t want to
be rude - I’d really like to be able to help you, and I promise I will, in the evenings and at weekends, but there’s going to
be so much to do here—’
The Mayoress held up her hand. ‘Just wait a minute,
Miss Taylor, while I finish explaining. I’ve already spoken
to Miss Marsh and she understands the position. She’s
agreed to let me have two of her girls to help for as long as I need them. I’m afraid I asked for her best girls,’ the Lady
Mayoress smiled, ‘and she said that in that case one must be
you. But of course, this will only be with your agreement nobody’s going to force you. That’s not the WVS way at
all!’
Judy gazed at her, unable to think of anything to say. She
glanced across the room to where Miss Marsh was busy at
her own desk, deep in discussion with two of the senior male
clerks.
‘And Miss Marsh doesn’t mind?’ she asked at last.
‘I wouldn’t say that - she doesn’t want to lose you at all,
and I don’t blame her. But she understands the need.’ The
Mayoress leaned across the little table. ‘You see, the kind of
person I need will be someone who can respond to an
emergency — who can work on her own initiative, and who is
practical and won’t mind going out of the office and giving a
hand wherever it’s needed. Someone who can organise
anything from the evacuation of small children to collecting
scrap metal. It takes a very special kind of person to do all
that’s going to be required in these coming days and
months, Judith - not the sort of girl who just wants to sit at
a desk in a nice warm office all day.’
‘And you really think I could do all that?’ Judy asked,
with a little twinge of excitement.
The Lady Mayoress gave her a steady look. ‘You were
bombed out on Friday night, weren’t you? You and your
family lost everything. Yet you still made your way to the
Guildhall - your place of duty - having first made sure that
your family would be cared for at an Emergency Centre.
You even stopped on the way to help others who needed it,
and you then stayed at your post all day, despite the dangers
- there could have been fallen masonry or unexploded
bombs anywhere in the Guildhall Square - to make sure
that everyone from the offices knew the situation here.
Today is Sunday morning, and you’re here again, ready to
start work. That’s how I know that you’re the sort of person
I need.’
Judy glanced round the room once more. ‘But I’m not the
only one, madam. All these others …’
The Mayoress smiled again. ‘I also like the look of you,
Judith. I think we can get along - and that’s important too.
Now, what do you say? You don’t have to agree, and if you
do say yes and then find
‘Full-time?’ Judy stared at her. ‘I don’t understand. I
thought it was all volunteers?’
‘I’m sorry, I haven’t explained properly. Look, my dear,
it’s obvious that with Portsmouth now under severe attack we’re sure to get more bombing raids like the one on Friday,
we’re in the front line here - there are going to be a lot of
people needing help. Immediate, practical help with things
like clothes, rations, food, accommodation - the sort of
things the Council would do, certainly will do - but the
WVS can do so much more quickly, leaving the Local
Authority to get on with the job of permanent rehousing,
putting the city back to rights and so on. That means we’re
going to need more volunteers and more office staff to help
them. I’d like you, Miss Taylor, to join my staff.’
The? But …’ Judy glanced round the room, looking
more like a bustling office now with men and women sitting
at tables which were already covered in sheets of paper.
Typewriters were being carried in, packets of envelopes
being opened. Where had they all come from? she wondered,
and felt guilty at not helping. ‘But I’ve already got a
job, madam, and I ought to be doing it now. I don’t want to
be rude - I’d really like to be able to help you, and I promise I will, in the evenings and at weekends, but there’s going to
be so much to do here—’
The Mayoress held up her hand. ‘Just wait a minute,
Miss Taylor, while I finish explaining. I’ve already spoken
to Miss Marsh and she understands the position. She’s
agreed to let me have two of her girls to help for as long as I need them. I’m afraid I asked for her best girls,’ the Lady
Mayoress smiled, ‘and she said that in that case one must be
you. But of course, this will only be with your agreement nobody’s going to force you. That’s not the WVS way at
all!’
Judy gazed at her, unable to think of anything to say. She
glanced across the room to where Miss Marsh was busy at
her own desk, deep in discussion with two of the senior male
clerks.
‘And Miss Marsh doesn’t mind?’ she asked at last.
‘I wouldn’t say that - she doesn’t want to lose you at all,
and I don’t blame her. But she understands the need.’ The
Mayoress leaned across the little table. ‘You see, the kind of
person I need will be someone who can respond to an
emergency — who can work on her own initiative, and who is
practical and won’t mind going out of the office and giving a
hand wherever it’s needed. Someone who can organise
anything from the evacuation of small children to collecting
scrap metal. It takes a very special kind of person to do all
that’s going to be required in these coming days and
months, Judith - not the sort of girl who just wants to sit at
a desk in a nice warm office all day.’
‘And you really think I could do all that?’ Judy asked,
with a little twinge of excitement.
The Lady Mayoress gave her a steady look. ‘You were
bombed out on Friday night, weren’t you? You and your
family lost everything. Yet you still made your way to the
Guildhall - your place of duty - having first made sure that
your family would be cared for at an Emergency Centre.
You even stopped on the way to help others who needed it,
and you then stayed at your post all day, despite the dangers
- there could have been fallen masonry or unexploded
bombs anywhere in the Guildhall Square - to make sure
that everyone from the offices knew the situation here.
Today is Sunday morning, and you’re here again, ready to
start work. That’s how I know that you’re the sort of person
I need.’
Judy glanced round the room once more. ‘But I’m not the
only one, madam. All these others …’
The Mayoress smiled again. ‘I also like the look of you,
Judith. I think we can get along - and that’s important too.
Now, what do you say? You don’t have to agree, and if you
do say yes and then find
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