Preston Railway Station, Soldiers Free Buffet - MEMORIES by Doris Shaw

An Account of the 
Preston Railway Station Free Buffet 

The Preston Railway Station Free Buffet

MEMORIES by Doris Shaw

It was a hot and sticky summer day in late August and I had just finished doing my shopping in Preston and decided that instead of taking the bus home as I was close to the railway station I would return home by the train.

I purchased a ticket from the booking office and wandered through the entrance of the station to the platform to wait for my train. The station was hot and noisy and I decided to go into the Station Buffet, which I felt would be quieter and more comfortable than sitting on a bench on the platform whilst waiting for my train. I purchased a cup of coffee and a sandwich, sat at a table and relaxed, my mind travelled back to the war years when I had voluntarily worked in the Station Buffet.

I was in my teens and worked for Askew's the booksellers in Preston, when war was declared like many civilians, I was conscripted by the Government for National Service. I did not join the forces and was sent to English Electric, an engineering company, which had been seconded to manufacture equipment for the armed forces. I did not work on the shop floor but was placed in the Wages Department, having to work seven days per week.

After a few months in the office I became very friendly with one of my colleagues, a girl working in the same office as myself, who did voluntary work at Preston Railway Station in the buffet. She really enjoyed the voluntary work there and tried on numerous occasions to persuade me to join her. After weeks of persuasion I finally became one of the voluntary helpers in Preston Railway Station Free Buffet.

As I sat drinking my coffee I recalled that the Free Buffet had originated during 1914-1918 war when thousands of members of British and Allied Forces had been entertained when passing through Preston Station, it was named the Sailors' and Soldiers' Free Buffet.

It seemed very appropriate that the service should continue during the Second World War.

The Buffet had been set up in 1939 in a large room at the end of Platforms 5 and 6 by courtesy of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company whose lines passed through the town to all destinations in the country.

The Buffet, run by volunteers, catered by providing refreshments and a place to rest for the millions of men and women of the fighting forces, together with civilians who passed through Preston. The Buffet was open day and night and never closed its doors even during air raid warnings, and there were many, nor was it closed during refurbishment.

The Preston Railway Station Free Buffet Committee in 1944 - Photo by Arthur Winter  

My voluntary shift commenced at 9.00 p.m. on Friday evening until 6.00 a.m. on Saturday once per month. When my shift finished at 6.00 a.m. I then had to walk home, two miles, as there were no buses or taxis, and I had to be back in the office by 9.00 a.m.

We had to wear a uniform, mine consisted of an overall and scarf for my head, and we had to wear a badge. This badge was round, it was red, with ‘Preston Free Buffet’ embroidered on it in gold thread. This badge attracted the servicemen and in particular the American servicemen, who wanted to start a collection of them, they even offered money to buy the badge. I do recall there was no shortage of Chewing Gum when the American servicemen were in the Buffet! I thought at the time that it was blackmail in the hope that one of the volunteers would give them a badge.

My duties involved making tea, sandwiches, serving refreshments and even having to take refreshments to the train to hand to passengers through the windows. It was a little difficult sometimes because the Free Buffet was for the servicemen and women only and not the civilians who were also on the trains which passed through.

Quite often the servicemen stayed in the Buffet all evening, either waiting for a connecting train or for some reason had missed their train. It was at these times in the quieter part of the night they talked of where they were going and their families and if they would ever see them again. There were also the servicemen who would tell jokes to liven up the atmosphere.

I looked for something in my shopping bag and remembered the amount of food, which was consumed by the travellers, each week, and the quantities of sandwiches we had to make and leave for the following day for the daytime staff to distribute.

Preston Railway Station Free Buffet During a Rush Period - Photo by Arthur Winter

In one week the quantity of food consumed was enormous. A typical example being 1500 loaves of bread, with 4 cwts of margarine, over 1000 meat and potato pies, 116 dozen tea cakes and buns, 500 dozen sausage rolls, one cwt of coffee and 156 Ibs. of tea, sweetened with 3 cwts of sugar, 230 gallons of milk, approximately 200 Ibs. of jam, marmalade and syrup, 210 Ibs. of cheese, along with 30 dozen lettuce, 30 dozen beetroot and 84 dozen tomatoes, when in season.

It was impossible to say how many people actually were given free food and drink; all of this was done by donations of food, money, and street collections. There was even a collecting box in the Buffet and many staff donated small amounts of money when they came to work.

Oh dear, I'm too busy reminiscing, my train has just approached the platform, I've finished my coffee and sandwich I had better pick up my shopping and make my way to the train. I had enjoyed sitting in the Buffet and thinking of the times spent helping there during the war years, some days it was enjoyable although busy and other days it was sad to hear the servicemen talking about their friends who would never return. I was glad I was just catching the train home.

Preston Free Buffet in the Middle East

~

This account was first publish by Catherine Forshaw in the Preston Past and Present Facebook group.

She described it as, "An article written by my husband's aunt who was a volunteer working for the Free Buffet on Preston train station."

Thank you to Catherine, for giving me permission to publish it here.

Doris Shaw (1923-2011) from Preston Volunteered at the (Free Buffet)

A Badge from the Preston Railway Station Free Buffet 

~