Barbara Chapman was born in Brighton on a snowy Boxing Day in 1927. In this 1994 autobiography, she reminisces about her early childhood; focusing on her memories of home and school, and the effects of the Second World War on herself, her family, and the community.

Barbara shares her experiences of working life in the Brighton area; telling stories of her jobs, including her work as a waitress and a telephonist at the Old Ship Hotel, and the hardship, restrictions and freedoms of life during wartime. She recollects vividly a bygone era, narrating her life history with honesty, humour and charm and invoking for the reader a very personal impression of the city during the 1930s and 1940s.

This book is currently out of print, but you can download a PDF of the original text of Boxing Day Baby by clicking here.

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