大象传媒

I was five and a quarter years old when WW2 broke out. On the 4th September 1939 my school Holy Trinity (Platt) was being evacuated to Blackpool. My mother had a coat made for me which we had to collect on the way to school that day. Because of this I was the last one to arrive. I remember being put on the platform of the bus and waving goodbye to my mother. I wasn't in the least bit tearful. I was excited because I was going on a big adventure. I ended up in Marton with a Mr and Mrs Lonsdale, now deceased, at 77 Kingsmede Avenue. My time there was extremely happy. Regrettably Mr Lonsdale became ill, so I was moved. I went to Longton in Preston, but my memory of my stay there is sketchy. I think I was unhappy there and maybe I have blocked the memories out. I remember ending up in Hospital whilst in Longton with a skin infection on my feet. It is there where I got my dislike of Tapioca pudding. I hated it and used to heave everytime I was made to eat it. My mother brought me home because she said I wasn't being looked after properly. I remember being home for the Manchester Blitz in 1940. We sheltered in the cellar under the stairs and I recall my sister wouldn't join us. She said to my mother 'If I'm going to die I want to die in my bed'.

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