大象传媒

As we lived only a mile or so from the ICI plant ( the biggest chemical works in the world) and even nearer to the Newport Bridge -which was one of main crossings of the Tees- it was decided to evacuate as many of the children as wanted to go. As all my mates said they would go, I told my parents I wanted to go with them. I was only nine and I doubt if any of us really knew what "evacuation " really meant. Anyway, on Saturday September 9 1939 we all boarded a train for an unknown destination. After a few hours we arrived at New Earswick, near York . We all stood there like cattle in a market with our gas masks, our little suitcases and a label tied to our lapels with our names and addresses written on. My best friend and I held hands as we wanted to stay together but we were chosen by two different ladies who only lived a few doors apart. So that was all right.
We were given a food parcel each to help our new families feed us over the weekend. As I recall it contained several bars of Kitkat, a tin of corned beef and some jellies.. New Earswick is the Rowntrees equivalent of Port Sunlight or Bourneville and I think they were the gift of the Joseph Rowntree Trust. We were given a card to wite home to tell our parents where we were.
We only went to school in the afternoon and the village children went in the morning as the school was not big enough for us all.
I stayed until 1941 when I passed the scholarship and had to return to go to Middlesbrough High School. I really enjoyed my time there and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

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