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"This story was submitted to the site by the 大象传媒's Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with Betty Edmonds permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

Many evacuees to Mansfield came from the London area. Our first evacuee, whom I shall not name, was from the East End. His language was "colourful". During the week, Mum ran a small amount of water into the bath - as was the war time custom, and as we had had a bath two days earlier Albert said "Cor Blimee Missus I aint a muddy duck".

My mother was employed carrying on my Dad's work as a Prudential Agent (Brownlow Road and Bould Street were just as rough as they are now and a miner used to accompany her up those roads on a Friday night - pay day). Unfortunately Albert helped himself to the Prudential money so had to be transferred elsewhere.

Shortly afterwards a Mrs Cottee, from Southend, was billeted with us. She was a very kindly lady - helped with homework and told me stories. She told Mum that her son Ernest was very unhappy in his evacuee home on Rosemary Street. The family made him do his homework by candlelight in his attic bedroom, Ernest was clever and at Grammar School. He had to work too. He was 14 years of age. My parents couldn't bear this so Ernest came to live with us. He had to share a bedroom with his Mum, but they didn't mind. We lived on Chesterfield Road North. Ernest went collecting with my Mum. He made up games with me and made me a see saw from a plank on a base. We played Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Lotto and cards. Ernest did his homework at Dad's desk.

Mrs Cottee would take me to the park and we had picnics after school.

I remember being sad when they left. They gave me a bible with pictures in it. My Mum made Ernest shirts for school and a pair of grey trousers from a pair of Dad's. They had arrived with very little. We didn't have a lot but we did have love and caring.

It was Ernest who taught me about "Mischief Night" - tying door knobs of adjacent houses together, tying a button on string so it tapped on the window. The pranks were a one off - Prudential Agents quickly heard of their childs misdemeaners!! No playing in the park on the way home from Bull farm school for a week! Washing up to do as well.

I have often wondered what happened to the Cottee Family, I hope the end of the war and a return home brought happiness in 1945, although they left us in 1944.

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