大象传媒

It was around June 1982, my Mother was entertaining three friends all over eighty in the back garden. I was there to do taxying home but as they were still in full flow, I sat listening intently to life in Hessle around World War I. It was pure nostalgia until a minor disagreement occurred. There was a distinct lull could see one of my 鈥渃hange the subject鈥� questions was needed. 鈥淟ooking back on your lives, you have seen the whole of this 20th Century, has there been a turning point which changed the direction of your life?鈥� I asked. The silence continued, suddenly the answers came. I expected their marriages to feature prominently, but I was wrong. Three out of the four chose the same day September 1st 1939, the odd one out chose a date about two weeks later. I too remembered it well as a 12 year old, an exciting time almost an extra holiday! The story I jotted down dealt with the two weeks running up to the Friday September 1st it was my Mother鈥檚 tale, more poignant than exciting.

Two week鈥檚 prior to September 1st , we had all been sitting on the beach at Bridlington the end of the fortnights holiday in sight, I was miserable with the thought of leaving my new found pals, especially the girl from Scunthorpe. Mother had in mind the mountains of washing and Dad in spite of Mr Chamberlain鈥檚 assurance was not happy with the newspaper headlines. 鈥淟obby Lud鈥� was the main talking point in Bridlington that day, 拢10 was the prize if a correct challenge to his identity was made, a newspaper circulation stunt.

On arriving home, Mondays Hull Daily Mail carried the headline, 鈥楨vacuation of School Children to Start on Friday Morning鈥�, followed by instructions of what clothing and food had to be taken, where to report etc鈥� Now contingency plans for the evacuation from the cities, based on city schools joining other schools out of danger in the countryside, had already been formulated. My parents had already decided where my sister and I would go should the need arise, we just hadn鈥檛 expected it so soon and with such little notice. Two days later Dad came home with the news that if war broke out the Port-of-Hull would cease to be a fishing port, the North Sea would be mined and Fleetwood would become the 鈥榤ajor fishing port鈥�. He personally would be needed as a Fisheries Distribution Officer, area to be announced later, wives and families were banned initially. I remember going with Dad to see Arthur, a joiner down the street, to ask him to make and fit a set of blackout shutters. He started next morning and whilst he was measuring up, it suddenly dawned on Mother that the whole purpose of her life was disappearing fast. 鈥淏y Friday night I could be on my own just me and the Luftwaffe,鈥� she told Dad. 鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 declared war yet,鈥� replied Dad. First thing tomorrow I shall be down at the school to see what help is needed with the evacuation . They accepted her, Evacuation Officer overseeing the children , report on Friday early. 鈥淗ow much is to pay,鈥� asked Dad, 鈥渘ever asked,鈥� was the reply. Christmas came early in 1939, Dad bought three bikes, he foresaw little or no petrol as time progressed. My sister and I were bought new haversacks, wellingtons and waterproofs ready for the 鈥楨xodus鈥�.

Friday morning, Paragon Station was utter chaos, long strings of children each belonging to a particular school, over 200 in our Grammar School, parents milling around looking for their offspring. We were not told our destinations until we boarded the trains. It must have been the biggest upheaval of all time. I can now see the anguish of the parents leaving their children probably for the first time in the care of others, not even knowing a forwarding address, but to us kids it was an adventure just beginning. Mother arrived with her contingent from Wheeler Street and set about searching for me, she found me and kissed me in front of the lads in Lower 3B, would I ever live it down I wondered. She pressed a 10/- note and piece of paper into my hand. My new address, write tonight letting me know yours, money for emergency only. By the way Dad鈥檚 going to Yeovil on Saturday, as Fisheries Officer. Years later I realised what a traumatic moment it must have been for her, a son in one queue a daughter in another and Dad heading South, when would we all meet up again? Mother returned to her flock, they had naturally put my sister Audrey with her and in her section was another Audrey aged 7 years with a letter pinned to her coat. Her likes and dislikes in food were listed and then followed :- 鈥淧lease give my only daughter all the love you can,鈥� (It was addressed to her new Mum.) 鈥淚t was then I shed a little tear,鈥� said Mum who was dictating the story. 鈥淚 was kept pretty busy鈥�.

On Sunday morning we were at war, our exercise was now reality. By the evening the sirens sounded, where were we all? I was under the stairs in Limetree Grove with a miner and his wife, Mum and the two Audrey鈥檚 where in Dunsville near Doncaster and was our house all boarded up and deserted? Dad was waiting in the Anderson shelter that night, his job had been postponed and he didn鈥檛 go to Yeovil for several weeks. They all eventually drifted back during the phoney war and settled in Fleetwood, all except me that is, I stayed in Thorne until June 1943 no wonder the kids on the block didn鈥檛 recognise me when I returned.

This is only my Mother鈥檚 story, you can see why it was the turning point of her century.

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