By ‘Zeppelins in the Searchlight’ recalls life in Lincolnshire during 1900s in meticulous detail
An immersive paperback book, telling the story and life of Bernard McGlynn Barnes in his own words, has been carefully crafted by his daughter, Hazel.
She preserved the memories of Bernard in his extensive recollections, which now collate into a book elaborating on the first 20 years of his life.
Bernard had roughly 13 jobs up to the age of 16, varying from Hull & Immingham Docks, to being a steeplejack responsible for the aerodrome demolition at Killingholme, and even working in a brickyard.
Born in 1909, he recalled being treated by radium at Hull’s Royal Infirmary, Zeppelin raids during WWI, incidents involving Hansom cabs, muffin man, sailor suits, and many more.
Hazel spoke to Gi Grimsby News about her reasons for publishing, and keeping her father’s memory alive in the hopes further generations can learn about life back then:
“My Dad kept diaries for all of his life, in his 60s he decided to type it all up, it drove everyone mad with his clicking.
“I ended up with the document around 30 years ago, it relates to the whole of his life, when everybody was in lockdown I started to read it properly, the first 20 years of his life I thought would be particularly interesting to those in the area.
“He was the first child in Hull to be treated with radium, he was in the hospital for 13 months in Hull Royal Infirmary, before he started school, he was lucky to be here. On his first day at school he ran away, he was very spirited. He was sent away, to school taught by Nuns, he talks about the kinds of things that happened, in great detail.
“When he was 14, he left school and for the next two years he found it difficult, during the depression, around 1923, he had thirteen casual jobs up to being 16 years old, including working in the bowels of a ship
“He talks about all the ships in the docks, the different nationalities in Immingham docks and Hull Docks, it appeals to a wide variety of people
“He was also a steeplejack, he dismantled the aerodrome at Killingholme. He lived at the tanks in Immingham, in a small bungalow, he recalls the trains and people there.
“He used to buy fish at Hull docks, worked on farms, in the brickyard, the list just goes on. He decided at 16, to apply for a job at the railway and moved away. He was born in 1909.
“I decided to wade through it all and typed it out in his words, just the first 20 years, I struggled to find a publisher so went through self-publishing, they’ve been really good
“It was released in March, and we’ve sold around 200 copies so far. It’s been really well received.
“It’s something I can pass down, and people can learn about life then. I’ve learned lots of new skills going through this. It is available on Amazon, WHS Smith, and Waterstones, and also online.”
