One Hundred Years

Sarah Alice Gardner

Today would have been my mother's 100th birthday but here she is at 23 in her Fire Brigade uniform when she was stationed in Kendal, Westmorland (today Cumbria) in the war.  Leading Firewoman Gardner.  The caption on the back of the photo says "1943 at Kendal over the river near the Kendal Fire Station.".  I think the Aynam Road Fire Station is in the background and can be seen here.  Not only is the fire station now elsewhere but she looks to be standing by lock gates which I presume was part of the Lancaster Canal which at one time ran right into Kendal and was closed to commercial traffic in 1947.

Sarah 'Sadie' Gardner and Charles 'Alf' Pugh

My parents met in Kendal when they were both posted there and my father used to enjoy saying that Hitler brought them together.  Here they are in March 1944 in the village of Sedgwick.  I would hazard a guess they have walked along the canal towpath. I wonder if the tree is still there.

Happy Birthday Mum