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<\/a>Having shown keen interest in the sciences at school (not so much the languages, on one occasion asking the adjudicator of a Latin exam if she should translate the French parts too…) she obtained a position in the laboratories of the “dyes” in Grangemouth.\u00a0 Previously Scottish Dyes, then British Dyestuffs Corporation, the company was bought by ICI in the 1920s.\u00a0 Mum would only ever buy Dulux paints when we were little. \u00a0 She was placed with a team of research chemists and wartime projects were given to them\u00a0\u00a0 Mum worked on the problem of aircraft tyres bursting into flames on impact.\u00a0 The received wisdom is that she applied her tried and tested cure for everything – baking soda –\u00a0 which worked.\u00a0 The Head of the Lab got the kudos for the solution, but on an open day he apparently took Granda (Mum’s father) aside and told him that Jean had solved the issue.<\/p>\n Other snippets were that the technicians there were keen on photography, some tried various methods to print colour photos, and there is a lovely headshot (below) of mum with an interesting background.\u00a0 On closer inspection it is revealed to be scrumpled up brown paper. \u00a0\u00a0 A couple of the men experimented with ethanol and ended up being very ill.\u00a0 Not an alcohol substitute, then.\u00a0 It was also said that the Head of the Lab had already made so much money for the company that he never needed to do anything more, but I am sure that he continued his research. \u00a0 He did set the entire lab on fire once,\u00a0 when demonstrating fire drill procedures.\u00a0 I believe ethanol featured again as he poured an entire bottle of it onto the bench and set it alight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Like most people during that time, mum also worked with defence agencies, as an ARP warden.\u00a0 She did call out the Guard one night during thick fog which she mistook for a gas attack.<\/p>\n I think a lot of Mum’s war must have been quite tedious and worrying. I know she knitted a cardigan with one ply wool –\u00a0 how long must that have taken?\u00a0 There were trips to London to see sister Betty, and then there’s the story of Mum walking past a phone box in Falkirk where the phone was ringing.\u00a0 Mum went in and picked up, it was Betty on the other end, so they had a chat and then she went away without thinking about it until\u00a0 days later when she realised that they had made no arrangement to speak to each other …\u00a0 \u00a0 Holidays were cycle trips with friends.\u00a0 She also played hockey for ICI.<\/p>\n 16.06.18\u00a0 Alison has pointed out that Mum’s occupation would be a reserved one, which would account for that fact that she was not in the armed forces.\u00a0 Betty was a\u00a0 warrant officer, working in communications,\u00a0 spending a lot of time in England and latterly abroad.\u00a0 Older sister Joan was a nurse.\u00a0 Alison also recalls that Jean and Betty attended college in Glasgow, we both know that she had thoughts of becoming a\u00a0 doctor at one point and this may have been to obtain further exam passes?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/banthewasp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/006-300x197.jpg\")
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