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Margaret Messenger

Born Cheltenham, 15 Apr 1948

6 facts1 source

Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 15 Apr 1948

    Born in Cheltenham

Family

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Parents

Partner

During her lifetime

She has lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Cheltenham.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1940s · Margaret is born in Cheltenham

In the news1948

Creation of the NHS in 1948

In 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) was created to provide healthcare, following the 1942 Beveridge Report.

Getting around

Short branch line train travel times

A local branch line train between Oxenholme and Windermere stopped at three intermediate stations over a 10-mile distance, with the journey taking 25 to 30 minutes.

At the table

Scarcity of Sweets and Exotic Fruits

Exotic fruits like bananas were unavailable during the war, leading mothers to create mock versions using parsnips. Sweets and chocolates were also heavily rationed, and their scarcity led to a failed attempt to de-ration them in 1949.

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.Around the world · 1939–1945

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.

Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHoM) Robert F. Sargent · public domain

What people wore

Rationing limited new clothing to yearly allowance

Clothes rationing introduced in 1941 restricted purchases to about one new outfit per year, making it necessary to mend clothes or create new garments from scraps.

Music

Civic celebrations and improvised instruments

To celebrate victories, civic bands often led parades through city centers, although this tradition was more common in northern industrial regions than in others. Fans traveling to major events also used improvised instruments like mouth organs, tin whistles, and rattles to provide music.

Daily life

Limited Home Amenities and Rationing

Many homes lacked bathrooms and indoor toilets; families often used a portable tin bath in the kitchen and an outside toilet. To save fuel, authorities advised limiting bath water to a depth of five inches, a rule famously adopted even at Buckingham Palace.