- Contributed by听
- cornwallcsv
- People in story:听
- Les Slater, Raymond Horrell, Miss Gullick
- Location of story:听
- Launceston
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A6407228
- Contributed on:听
- 26 October 2005
This story has been contributed 大象传媒 People's Website, by CSV Volunteer Ann Toomey, on behalf of the author Les Baker, who fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.
About 5 years ago I was coming out
from the morning service at Central Methodist Church, Launceston, when I saw a younger member of our congregation talking with a couple of strangers - he called me over and told the couple that I, as a lifelong resident of Launceston, may be able to help.
The lady told me that she and her twin sister had been evacuated to Launceston and had stayed with a Miss Gillick in Tavistock Road and she would like to see the house and the school and chapel which she had attended. I therefore offered to take them to the school and the chapel, but first I must tell my wife where I as going. She was in our Sunday School Hall and as I went into the building I met Raymond Horrell, who had lived in Launceston longer than me and I asked him if he knew Miss Gillick - "Yes" he said "she was a good friend of my mother and we often visited here on a Sunday afternoon". When I told him the reason for my enquiry he told me that he remembered the two girls who were evacuees and had played with them - so he came and had a chat with the lady who had not been to Launceston since she left Miss Gillick's house to return to the London area.
I took the couple to the old school and old chapel buildings in St. Thomas Road and then to Holborn Terrace in Tavistock Road. During our short journey she told me how good Miss Gillick had been to her and her twin sister and recounted how that on one day she took them to Tavistock - l5 miles away - to do some shopping. The two girls mis-behaved in one shop and were told to wait outside and while doing so they watched an army convoy going past bringing the British war wounded from North Africa to be taken for convalescence at Werrington Park, Nr. Launceston and then on the back of one of the lorries was their Dad - the convoy stopped briefly for a wonderful re-union between Dad and his two little girls.
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