大象传媒

Every day of my life I am reminded of Mr and Mrs Joe and Ettie Green of Tebay and thank God for them and the people of Tebay. It all began for us September 2nd 1939 when my sister Joyce and I were awakened very early so that my mam could dress and prepare us for the evacuation before mam left for work at 6am. I was 8 years old, Joyce 11 years old. Joyce and I walked up to Westgate Hill School alone. With a huge label pinned to our clothes and haversack which we were taught to make out of a pillowcase and tapes. These were more than adequate for our clothes. Our tram cars were waiting. The thought of going on a train was exciting. Once on the train we seemed to stop and always got smiles and fruit from the workers on the line.
On arriving in Tebay we were taken straight to the Market Hall on the Brough where people were waiting. The walls had huge cartons stacked full of goodies. We all had to get in line and were given a tin of corned beef, Maries biscuits, Kit-Kat etc. People were slecting the children. It seemed Joyce and I would be left until the postman John Rae(he was also a coffin maker) arrived and walked us down to 6 Whinfell Terrace which was the home of Mrs Green. She took one look saying she could not take both and we looked a bit sickly. Our Joyce told her we could not be separated. We then entered a beautiful home.
Mrs Green cooked chips for us on a primus stove. Noticing a mans boots upset us as we were not used to that. Mr Joe Green who was a guard on the railway arrived home and he was so gentle and a loving soul. We shared a lovely bedroom and disappeared in a feather mattress, eiderdown and pillow, such luxury. All beautifully embroidered. Our Joyce was very home sick and cried so I used to sing to her in bed - 'Good night children everywhere your mammy thinks of you tonight' did not seem to help!
Our school was Tebay Endowed School. Mr Daniel and Mrs Lilian Robinson were the heads - very strict. We sat three in a desk at first. The teachers were Miss Russell and Mrs Little(local) and Mr Woodward. Daniel T Robinson (headmaster) and Mrs L Robinson (class teacher) every Monday checked who went to church and how many times on Sunday. Rev G Henderson was our vicar and there was a good choir. With Mr and Mrs Robinson sitting in the front row at church watching us. Tom Neill was one of the choir stars with his beautiful voice. Thursday night was choir practice and if you missed you could not sing in the choir on Sunday. We had 1/2 mile walk to school where we had a pot bellied stove in a classroom where hot Horlicks was prepared. We were both confirmed at 12 years old, myself on March 23rd 1944 and received the book of common prayer by the will of Philip Lord Wharton 1696.
Tommy Cobbler made super clogs. His shop nestled in the fell. We used to sit in front of his fire and talk and tidy his many tins full of nails. I had only a green pair of clogs, rubber soled. There was a 'knocker up' for the railway workers.
Fishy Joe had a warehouse and would push his barrow selling fish in Tebay. Often we tidied his place. The dairy was run by Percy O'Neill, a very hard worker, he would collect all the churns from the farms, bottle the milk and deliver. His wife Hannah was wonderful and lived with Gran O'Neill, Mrs Green's mother, No 11 South Terrace. They had three evacuees. Hannah used to take us up the fells on a picnic where we sang and learnt most of the war songs and sometimes would slide down the fell on cardboard.
Hannah also took us to the Institute for socials and taught us how to dance including the Palais Glide. She was fun. I met her a few years ago after 26 years such a reunion. Hannah lives in Kendal, her daughter Beth Chapman who is called after me and born on our Joyce's birthday, lives in Kendal Park.
Our first Xmas was magic., two pillowcases full of gifts, we had never know such happiness. The table beautifully set and the food all home cooked and baked. Mrs Green seemed to have a day where plum puddings, mincemeat and mince pies were all prepared. That same evening we went carol singing with the church and had a mince pie and ginger wine with Auntie Ettie.
It was the custom to always have steam puddings which Mrs Green cooked on a primus stove, her cake tins were always full. Every Sunday Mr Green gave us and Hannah's evacuees a packet of sweets, Dainty Dinah's and Blue Boy Liquorice toffees and then all of us (5 kids and 4 adults) went on a walk around Roundthwaite after Sunday School. We attended church morning, Sunday School at 2pm and church again at night.
We had lovely friends. Margaret Bell whose parents had Junction Hotel. Margaret Turnbull whose parents had M.A. Bloomers shop and where we bought ginger beer in stone bottles. Eileen Bamber - sweet shop and the Metcalfe girls - farmers.
Hilton the butcher from Orton brought meat in his van. Every Friday night Dr King from Orton visited. Mr Green was a J.P. and often visited Kendal, also we often went to Lancaster where Mr Green had a council function. On a Saturday we were dressed nicely always and treated like their daughters. My sister and I always say it is because of Mr and Mrs Green that we are what we are today. Of course it broke my heart to have to leave.
New Years Day a concert was held in the Institute. Mrs Plemery used to dress up, always with a straw hat and one of the songs was 'My old Man'. At night a dance was held.
In January 1946 when I was 14 years old because the war ended Mr Green suggested to my mam I should finish my schooling in Tebay, she agreed. The dreaded day came, I remeber very little except tears and heart rending. I was the last evacuee in Britain, 6 years in total.
My sister and I always kept in touch and went for holidays. They were two wonderful people. Up to the present time we have maintained contact with Hannah Dean.
I have always felt that the people of Tebay during the war should have been recognised. they were surrounded by evacuees whom they took to their hearts and homes. With hindsight the allowance of 5s 0d (25p) per week seems to have been a very paltry sum.
My greatest wish is to visit Tebay, walk around those special buildings and up the fell and just stand in silence.

Written by Betty Burton nee Graham.

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