大象传媒

This story has been entered on the site by Thomas Pickup aged 13 from Emmanuel College on behalf of Grace Beck and her family. She fully understands the conditions.

The Second World War began on the 3rd of September 1939. At the time I was eleven years old and had just passed my 11+ to the school of my dreams. Alas, on the 20th of September 1939 we were told by our headmistress that we were going to be evacuated to the country to escape the air raids. We assembled in the main hall of a nearby school, and had our names and addresses pinned to our coats. We were also issued wit a cardboard box containing a gas mask and given a carrier bag with a tin of corned beef, a packet of biscuits, 4 cheese slices, a small packet of sweets and a bottle of water. Buses were lined up outside the school and the destinations were stuck on the windscreen. My bus was number 7 and gong to Hayton, a small village this side of Carlisle. Upon arrival we all assembled in the main room of the village school where people were agreeing and arguing on who to take in as their evacuee. My friend Audrey and I were allocated to a farmer who lived two mile s form our new school. We had to walk the two miles to school in the morning as it was dark at the end of school, the farmer collected Audrey and me in his jeep. Unfortunately, Audrey missed her mother and father and didn鈥檛 eat. After two months the doctor decided to send her home for the sake of her health. As I was very lonely I asked the Billeting Officer if I could move nearer the village. I was then allocated to the vicarage but was very unhappy as I had to do all the housework and all other household jobs when I came home from school. After two months of agony and distress at the vicarage I asked the Billeting Officer for another move. In the village there was a house in its own grounds with double gates with black and gold railings all around. I stared in amazement to think I was going to this big house.

The lady who lived in the house was called Miss Slack and she had a maid called Mary. It was lovely staying there. Miss Slack was very kind to me, and took the maid and myself into Carlisle once a month in her chauffer-driven car for our dinner, tea and the pictures. I would have liked to stay all the war with Miss Slack, but unfortunately after almost a year she died and the new owners of the house did not want evacuees so I was sent home.

After returning home, our house was severely damaged by flying shrapnel. So I was evacuated again due to the city being so dangerous. My next evacuation was to Brown Rigg Camp, Bellingham, a residential school for girls, where I stayed until 1944. I then returned to the city to go to College. There were five dormitories, each dormitory containing approximately 40 with a teacher鈥檚 room at the either end. I was prefect in Guaigen House, the houses being called Chalton, Shepterson, Collingwood and Wallingford Houses. We had to look after our own personal hygiene, wash and iron own clothes, go to school classes, do homework and other chores. We had meals which were cooked by the staff or cooks. A few girls ran way from Brown Rigg because they missed their parents but they were always caught and brought back. Quite a few lost their father鈥檚 in the war. It was very upsetting to try and comfort them. Sweets were scarce so we divided them evenly between us. We were all friends and helped each other through difficult times. All the teachers were very nice and helped us with any problems we had. When the war ended we were sent home again. I still see a few of the girls from Brown Rigg. It is a delight to see them, although sadly we are getting old so many have passed away.

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