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Memories of using a parachute to make a dress

online resource
posted on 2024-06-05, 19:54 authored by Their Finest Hour Project Team

Years ago, my great auntie (Susan Matilda Bentley) who lived in Hammerpot. gave my mum a parachute which saved an airman's life. It was found during the war years.

My mum (Ruth Thair) unpicked the material and seams from the parachute and made a dress for my sister and I. I have a photo of me Margaret Thair and my sister Eileen Thair wearing the dresses made from the parachute. In the photo, my mum asked my sister not to open her mouth because she had lost her front teeth. She is 88 next month.

My auntie embroidered poppies onto the material to make our dresses.

History

Item list and details

Photographs of young girls (Margaret as a girl) in parachute dress Account of the war scanned

Person the story/items relate to

Margaret Cornford (nee Thair)

Person who shared the story/items

Margaret Cornford

Relationship between the subject of the story and its contributor

Individual account

Type of submission

Shared at Lancing Prep Worthing, West Sussex on 16 September 2023.

Record ID

93753 | LAN004