'So two people, very much in love during the Battle of Britain, bought themselves some furniture with no home in which to put it.'

Just one of the many memories of Eve Farrant (nee Lisher) who was 22 years old when World War II commenced. Born in Lancing, West Sussex she lived with her father and mother, Frank and Annie Lisher, together with her older sister, Marjorie.

'One of the great events when I was a young child was when, as a family, we went to the British Empire Exhibition. A city of pavilions was erected at Wembley, each designed in the particular architectural style of the dominion, dependency or colony of Britain which it represented. There were also sideshows and amusements.

At the Exhibition my father bought my sister Marjorie and I a bracelet and matching pendant in a daisy form, and my mother, a necklace of special stones. The day was slightly marred, however, by the fact that just as we were preparing to leave for the train my father sat on my best doll and broke her.

I was a very keen Girl Guide, being a leader of the Wren Patrol, and had joined the movement when twelve years old. I had great difficulty getting my father to let me join as it wasn't attached to the Methodist Church. Although I enjoyed going with my parents to the Wesley Guild, I loved this independence and the opportunity to go to Guide camps, and on outings.

One of the highlights of our Guide year was the annual outing. Mrs Mason, who was president of our local association of Lancing and Sompting

Girl Guides, would pay for all the Guides to go to London for the day. We would visit Hampton Court, The Tower of London, and Madam Tussauds, along with other places of interest.

Always we would have lunch at Selfridges, where we delighted in going up to their roof garden, and purchased our gifts to take home.

One year we went to Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish factory, the firm of the Mason family. I'd never been in a factory before and my one thought was, I could never work in such noise.

My parents at this time were often hosts to students from Richmond College. They always stayed Saturday and Sunday nights as it wasn't considered right for them to travel on Sundays. We enjoyed having their company and I'm sure did our best to entertain them. Whether they enjoyed getting up to go walking over the Downs and gathering mushrooms before breakfast, or swimming with youth from the Church, I don't know.

At fifteen I put on a lot of weight, which gave me an inferiority complex. This had the effect of making me very aggressive towards my mother who, until that time, I'd been so fond of. I am sure I must have hurt her very much and I've felt great regret of my behaviour since.

Just before my 17th birthday I started working for Draycott's Estate Agents, in Lancing, where I met Bernard Farrant, who was the office boy. Bernard and I always worked well together. I took an interest in his enthusiasm for rowing, and shared his excitement when his crew won cups in regattas.

As summer came Bernard suggested I go for a lunchtime swim with him and so, as time went on, a really natural, sexual attraction was obvious. It wasn't so satisfactory, however, when Bernard invited me to go to a film with him. By then he had a motorbike and picked me up in Lancing, but when I explained that my father said I was to be home by 9.00 pm, and that I was frightened to disobey him, Bernard was most annoyed; especially as we had to leave before the end of the film. I think it was a long time before I was asked out again, but we were great friends.

January 1938, it was my 21st birthday and I had a party at home. I invited several of the youth of the Wesley Guild and also Bernard, Fred Dicks and Fred Snow, (friends of Bernard's). I'd been to one or two most enjoyable parties at Fred's house. I remember Bernard gave me a silver propelling pencil and yet can remember few of my other presents.

Bernard went into the Air Force thinking it best to get established before the outbreak of war (which seemed imminent). September 1939 and war was declared.

Now I was living for weekends when Bernard came home. If I was on ARP duty I would persuade someone to do my duty, and would then do duties for them in return. When Bernard and I met we were full of plans for our future, and shortly after the war had started, Bernard proposed marriage.

Bernard's parents moved to Barnet because his father was having difficulty travelling. Bernard would stay with us one weekend, and the next we would meet at Bernard's parents' home. I remember the train journeys up. There would be families taking up their positions on all the underground platforms, ready for sleeping there the nights as the Germans were very active dropping bombs on London, the East end of London being badly blitzed at this time.

One weekend when staying in Barnet, we decided to go down to town and in Tottenham Court Road bought ourselves a bedroom and dining room suite. I think we felt, as little furniture was being made at that time, that we would like to feel at least we had something.

So two people, very much in love, in the Battle of Britain bought themselves some furniture with no home in which to put it. The firm said they would store it for us. Then there was one of the worst incendiary raids of the war and I received a letter from Wolfe and Hollander that our furniture had been destroyed. We were requested to go to their Bromley premises to choose more. This we did but were then told they couldn't keep it for us.

I'd not told my parents of our purchases. At the Food Office, a Milk Department had been set up and I was elected to work for the newly appointed Milk Officer. Discussing the situation he said he had an empty room and would store it for us, so we jumped at this opportunity.'

How idyllic life sounded for Eve, even in times of war. She went on to marry Bernard, having a son and daughter of her own.