Life in the huts was great for us in those days. One lived almost as a family and the mix of years helped us newcomers to quickly settle in. I started out in Hut 8 where I shared the end room with a chap called Fred. There were two other freshers in one of the other rooms. It was really amazing how & what we cooked up - baked beans, potatoes & veg which we collected from the Hall, get there early or you are just left the spuds. I started an interest in photography & once a month or so took over the bathroom to use it as a dark room. At one point you got to know who your friends were. Somewhere in about 1960 I went home to Birmingham for the weekend. That was when there was a case of confirmed smallpox. Fred and I went over to the sick bay to get a vaccination as a precaution. When Jim had finished he said as a throwaway line, “You have both had the vaccine before”. "Yes," said I, but Fred said "No". Jim went a little pale and later that night Fred’s arm went bright red! Moral, if you are going to have the scratch have it in your childhood. I forget which year it was but once a well-endowed lass came to our hut during the day. We were talking about which hut who was in. Someone asked if she was 36 (meaning are you in Hut 36), "No, I'm a 38!" Being taller than the average bear I got an extra long bed and subsequently it went with me to Hut 3 and then into D block. That was smarter than the huts but there was not as much camaraderie.

Alf Kendall (1962)