大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Helen Avey of the 大象传媒 London Team on behalf of John Robert Meek and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

It was summer in 1939 and the threat of war seemed inevitable. On the 1st September the mass evacuation began from London. Our school, Methodist church and our grandmother's house were in Barrow Hill Road, St. Johns Wood, London NW8.

Children and mums were crying as they boarded the buses for unknown destinations. We had identification pinned on the back of our jackets. A small rucksack contained the bare essentials of clothing and cheese and a packet of Jacob's biscuits. It was both frightening and exciting leaving home for the first time. The journey was made by bus and train to Seer Green and then we walked to the village of Jordan's.

We were shepherded along and were given refuge by Alf and Mrs Innskip. Our schooling proceeded in an ad hoc basis and were given the Mayflower Barn for our lessons and activities. The barn was built in 1668 from the timbers of their ship 'The Mayflower' which the Pilgrim Fathers sailed to America in 1620.

Each morning we swept the floor when we opened up the barn as the bats dropped their pelts while hanging on the beams. This was felt to be our first contact with nature and the countryside. Walks and games were enjoyed by all and nature lessons played a big part to be with us the rest of our lives. Trees, birds and wild animals and woodcraft made our lessons enjoyable. We all became members of the 'Bird Lovers League' and learned how to tend for sick birds.

My wife and I recently revisited Jordan's and discovered the Quaker Meeting House had burned down. The complex comprising the Conference Centre and Mayflower Barn is up for sale. Sadly we were told that the last person to remember the times when we were there had recently passed away.

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