The ‘Blue Danube’ scheme to recruit girls to work in British factories was a big adventure for me. After the war there was nothing but cleaning jobs in the tiny Austrian village of Ebental. So I signed up to come to Britain enthusiastically, although my Austrian mother and Russian father were not best pleased. The Ministry of Labour insisted we were unattached, not pregnant and in perfect health - we were very thoroughly examined!

We were given lovely accommodation when we arrived. Although I was Austrian and could speak English, some people thought I was German and called me a ‘Nazi’. But many people were kind and invited me in for tea.

We were only allowed to stay for two years and had to work in the cotton mills. The noise of 50 looms working was horrendous, but the money was good and we had a great time in the pubs and dance halls. I started courting - he was a double bass player in a jazz band and when we were married it meant I could stay permanently. We moved to Sheffield together and I’ve been here for nearly 60 years.

At home in Burngreave