Daily archives: October 1, 2024

The following are transcripts of letters sent by a Long Eaton girl to her pen-pal in America in 1945 and 1946. Sheila Redford was born in Long Eaton in 1929.  Her family lived in Bennett Street.  She left school at 14 and started work in a factory office in Sawley during World War 2 (perhaps Park Mill on Grosvenor Avenue which was used by Rolls Royce during the war). Arlene Olsen lived in Harrietta, a small town in rural Michigan.  After the USA entered the war in December 1941, she helped the war effort by collecting milkweed floss to fill lifejackets. Arlene’s daughter found the letters amongst her mother’s papers and thoughtfully contacted the Sawley Historical Society and sent the letters back to England.  The extracts are printed with the kind permission of Sheila’s daughter.   6 Feb 1945 Dear Arlene Very many thanks for your lovely letter, to which I am answering straight away.  So, Sergeant Elmore was your music teacher, was he?  When he came to talk to us about you boys and girls over there, we asked him if any of you would like to write to some English girls and he gave us your addresses.  I […]