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1939 - 1935. During this period of time many people were evacuated from cities and towns around the British Isles.People experienced the trauma of being bombed most days and every night for months in what was known as 'The Blitz'.
It was a war that killed many, but at the same time a war that brought to some, a way of life that few of them dreamt possible.
Having endured many hardships, which eventually culminated in losing their home in the London bombings, one such family embarked on a journey that would lead them to the small peaceful village of Embsay in North Yorkshire.

Tommy and Charlotte Chesser had three children. Ronnie, the eldest, Sylvia, who was 5 years younger and Shirley, who was a babe in arms at the beginning of the war. Tommy was in the Civil Defence working in the East End of London where the 'Blitz' was at it's heaviest, but as the war raged on, he was called up in the Army and was sent to North Africa and later to Sicily and Italy.

The two eldest children were the first to be evacuated and it was with a heavy heart that Charlotte waved them off to a very different life in the fenlands of Cambridge.
Having been made homeless by the bombing, Charlotte and her baby were evacuated with other mothers and small children to Middleton Hospital Ilkley, a rural township of Yorkshire. The hospital was being used as a transit camp. From there the families were directed to various villages and towns in the area. Empty houses were commandeered by the government to accomodate them all. Having lived in London all her life it was a difficult decision to make as to where to be billeted, but when she was told that Skipton had three 'Picture Palaces' her mind was made up! Charlotte loved a good film.

Charlotte was housed at No. 39 Main St. Embsay, a small village just a mile away from Skipton. She was to share this house with another lady who also had a young child. The cottage was built in 1693 and had previously been the 'Scissors Inn'. They had little in the way of furniture but the villagers gave what they could and the Red Cross helped with clothing. Soon the women were relatively comfortable. However, it was not long before the other woman returned to London, as she could not get used to the quietness of village life. So now the sole occupant of the house, Charlottes aim was to gather all her family together. This was to prove difficlut.

The rail fare from Cambridge to Skipton for the two children ( under supervision from the guard ) was to be 6 pounds in total. On a meagre army pension, this was going to be hard to find. By scrimping and saving, mainly finding domestic work in the village which included washing gravestones in the churchyard, the money was eventually raised.

The two children arived at Embsay Railway Station on a bitter cold winters day. Mrs. Fisher, the station master's wife welcomed them with a bowl of soup. It was the winter of 1941/42 and Embsay had just been 'dug out' after very heavy falls of snow. As the family walked up through the village, Charlotte, felt very proud and happy to have her young children with her in a safe and wonderful new life. As she walked on, she said a silent prayer for the safety of Tommy, hoping it would not be long before they could all be together.

To the children, the village was a 'wonderland!', meeting some of the local children, trying to understand the Yorkshire dialect, snowballing, sledging, it was all so different, they thought they were in Switzerland, or at least on the very top of England!. It was a time to settle down and be part of the community. It was during the next few years that the family were welcomed into the village and they came to regard Embsay as their home.

Thinking about these times, Charlotte could remember many kind and generous people.
Living in the Main Street the family knew everyone, especially the many colourful characters that lived and worked in the village.
There was Joe, the postman, he didn't have a uniform, his trousers were kept up with a length of string. He never shirked his duties and the post ( including items people gave to him to deliver to other people in the village ) was delivered whatever the weather.
Turpin Maude the milkman would deliver fresh milk from his churn every morning. The milk had to be poured into a jug using his own measures.
Embsay had a few shops, but there was a limit as to what was for sale because of rationing.
Bread, straight from the oven at Miss Masons bakery was always a special treat.
The village was dominated by an Elm Tree and situated close by was a pub of the same name. Nearby was Mr. West's shop, he was the 'Clogger'.
In the window were clogs of all sizes, even tiny ones made for babies. Inside, the smell of wax and leather was quite wonderful. His clogs would be waterproofed and substantial enough to last many a winter.

Mr. Willie Read asked Charlotte if the children could go to Sunday School at the chapel three doors away from their home, she agreed and the family took part in many activities throughout the years, paving the way for a life long commitment to the chapel.

Having been an evacuee herself, Charlotte had experienced the lonliness of being separated from her family. She was always ready to help the Billeting Officer if homes could not be found to accommodate young evacuees. During the war, Charlotte took in a total of 17 children. Several of these were form Brighton and one of the boys kept in touch with Charlotte right up to her death, he would come to visit after the war was over and brought his own family to see his 'Wartime Mum'.
If, at any time, the parents of the evacuees wanted to visit their children, Charlotte always managed to find room, it was a bit of a squash sometimes, but she always coped.
Some of the other evacuees living in the village came to the house on Saturday nights for a sing - song. Charlotte loved to play the piano and if there was a concert in the Village Institute, she would willingly get up and give them a 'turn'.
Afterwards going backstage to get on with the washing up!.

With the end of the war, Tommy came home safe and sound. Charlotte had many blessings to be thankful for. They had a little cottage where they felt part of a caring community, she certainly had no hankerings to return to London, and seeing his family happy and settled, Tommy had realised that he had at last, come 'home'.
He was offered a job at Embsay Quarry and they moved next door to No. 41. Many happy years followed and all the children found loved ones, married and settled down in and around the surrounding areas of the village.
Over the years Charlotte and Tommy were blessed with 6 grandchildren.

Saturday 5th Septmber 1964 was a terrible day for the family.
Embsay Quarry was an industry where many men from the village found work. The work involved heavy machinary, rock falls, explosions and accidents were common and whenever these occured they would sound a hooter to warn the men.
It sounded for Tommy that morning, he alone, had been killed in an accident.
He was laid to rest in Embsay Churchyard, his bearers (at their request) were his workmates from the village.
Charlotte was very grateful to everyone from the village for the help and sympathy she received during this time.

Charlotte continued to work in the village, becoming one of the very first 'Home Helps' she worked along side people like the doctor, the midwife and the undertaker and quite often she was the first person people would call on in times of illnes, bereavement or woe.
Any stranger coming to the village asking for 'Mrs. Chesser' would have no difficulty finding her because most of the villagers would have cause to know where she lived.
She always said that although she did not go to Chapel very often, she believed she was a Christian woman by the deeds that she did throughout her life.

Charlotte died on November 27th 1981, she was burried alongside Tommy in Embsay Churchyard.
'Two Cockney Sparrows' who grew to feel that they had also become one of the 'Village Folk' and helped to shape the history of Embsay.

Written by Vivienne Clarke, Charlotte's grandaughter.
From family memoirs and with contribution from Ronnie, Sylvia and Shirley Chesser.

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