大象传媒

This story was told to Judith Brewer in Birchington library and Mrs West understands the copywrite implications.

My mum was widowed with three babies and I was evacuated in 1943 to Skipton with my little brother who was not quite 5. We went from the Canning Town dock area where the school had taken a direect hit with many killed.It was a close-knit family but we went on the train from Euston. In Skipton we were put in a hall, washed and then local families picked out the children they wanted. My lady had a 9 month old baby and I learnt to do everything for babies, also how to make fudge and toffee apples and at Easter rolling painted eggs down the hill.I remember the canal, bluebell woods, having baths, learning how to behave. The older children asked what we used to eat in London - which I remember as a soup kitchen with powdered egg and mashed potatoes.
In Skipton it was an old-fashioned, terraced house and I was in an attic room with a room to myself. Such comfort! I met up with cousins there. But my little brother wasn't happy and disappeared one afternoon. The Police were called and eventually he was found wallking on the railway line trying to get back home to London.So after that he went home.I stayed for nearly 2 years.
50 years later I went back to visit. I was invited to the local school and treated like Royalty!I gave talks to the two classes - 7 year olds and 11 year olds. I stayed for 18 months.I was the only surviving Londoner from that group.

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