A PHOTO of a traditional tobacconist’s featured in Looking Back on May 6 has brought back some happy memories for Thelma Brown of Weymouth.

Her mother worked at White’s Tobacconists during the war before she was called upon to make camouflage netting on the top floor of a garage behind St Mary’s Church.

Thelma attended St John’s School, which was then near St John’s Church. It is now a block of flats.

Mrs White, of White’s Tobacconists, was a teacher at the school.

Thelma said: “One of my teachers was Mrs White who was quite a disciplinarian so my mother got to know of my many misdemeanours in record time!

“At midday we would meet at the Cookery Nook for our dinner which was near the railway station.

“That’s also a block of flats nowadays.

“A relative was canteen manager so we always got more than out shilling’s worth – that was the cost of a two-course meal. As a child who loved sugar the puddings were particularly looked forward to as sweets were rationed.

“Thank you Gordon Pritchard for reminding me of happy times, even in the middle of a war.”