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I first lived at …. Carry Street, Silvertown, London, E.16; this was before I was evacuated.

Then I moved to …. Corn Street, where I stayed with a Miss W……, who never got married and was around 50 to 60 when she took me and the other girl on. She also had two lodgers, Grandad Cox and Uncle Charlie, who were extremely good to me. I made these into my second family. As I was only 5 years old, I got used to them extremely quick, as I didn't know any better really.

When I left for Witney I caught a train, but didn't really know what was going on around me. I can remember my Mum saying to my brother who was also evacuated to Witney, "You hold her hand now and make sure you don't let go of her". When I arrived at Witney, I had a suitcase which was very rare, most people had a sack over their shoulders.

When we arrived the teacher asked if I wanted to go with her or with my brother. I said ‘with my brother’. Although we didn't stay in the same house, he was only next door to ma in Corn Street, which was very nice. We arrived at six o'clock and went to …. Corn Street, and said, "You'll take two". Miss W…… said, "Yes", and that were me and another small girl of the same age.

In my house in London there was me and my mother and family living in the bottom of the flat, and my Aunt and Uncle living above, so this felt a little strange at first. Also the stairs were different; they were straight up in my old house, but here they were rounded. The first night I stayed, I needed to go to the toilet, but didn't know where it was, and also it was dark, and I couldn't see. Well I wasn't used to the rounded stairs and fell right down. I always wanted to go around the thin end, so there were many a time a fall. But this first time Miss W……. came running to see what was wrong and then showed me to the toilet. This was another difference, it was such a long way down the garden, ours was nearly at the door. Also my room was in the attic, with a large gas lamp in the middle, but this was never alight as Miss W….. was very frightened of what might happen to us upstairs at night, so we had candles, as there wasn't any electricity in her house at all. After falling downstairs that night and finding the toilet a bit too far to go at night, we had a bucket put into the bedroom for usage at nights.

Another two things I noticed which were different were the garden and speech. The garden was different because it was bigger, we only had a yard, back home. Also the way in which Miss W…… spoke; she was very much a lady, and was always trying to correct me on the way I spoke or the slang I may have used. She made me polite and gave me some manners, which did me a lot of good. I was taught to give an older lady a chair, and open the door for a person older than me, or take the first cake I came to, which did me a lot of good, as I still do it now and I have passed it down the family.

I will always remember Miss W….. calling me ‘'Cherie", which is French for "Dear". Miss W…. did love me, and cared for me a great deal. We got so close, I began to call her "Mum". Although I settled in extremely easily and made a new family in Witney, I still missed my mother, who was back in London, where my brother went back after a while.

Queenie, the girl who stayed with me with Miss W…… really hated it, whereas I loved it. Her parents came and collected her back after six weeks of staying there, and no one else came, so I guess I liked it on my own with my new family; they all loved me and spoiled me. I really felt happy and at home here.

One thing I really found different was the way of life. It was so tough in London, as I didn't have a Dad, as he had died.

The main things I do remember is Victory Day/VE Day. But the most embarrassing thing was when Miss ….. made me go to a Fancy Dress Competition dawn the Leys. She had made me wear a Daffodil Suit and after she had made it, I thought I had better put it on; but I didn't win.

After school the main things I would do were: go to Guides in the Methodists, I was in 1st Witney; I was also very sporty, and would go swimming, cycling, play tennis or hockey, which I really loved.

My mother at first visited regularly, coming down to Witney by bus, but as the war got worse the visits stopped too.

I went to the Grammar School and passed my exam, and left at sixteen, and then worked in the office at Early's with my old Guide leader, Mrs. B…….

My brother went back to London after two years in Witney, but I didn't return until I was 16. The place was in a terrible state; it had been bombed and the place was in a right mess. Although I was pleased to see my mother, I did return to Witney and said, ‘Miss, I'm really glad to be back". When I said this, Miss W….. grabbed hold of me and cried; she was so pleased, as she was afraid that after I had returned home I would want to stay. So when my mother gave me a choice of staying in Witney (as I had made a new life here) or going back to London, I decided to stay. I thought this was really nice of her.

When I was 22/23 Miss W died, but she didn't go into hospital. I looked after her, right up until she passed away. When this happened I was offered 7 places to go and stay. I decided to stay with Miss ……, until I finally got married.

Uncle Charlie, who was extremely good (who bought me first-bike and gave me a choice of all the dolls in the shop for my birthday), lived with us until my family got too large, and then went to live in St. Mary’s Court, where he died three years ago. But we always visited him (he was like the children’s grandfather). They went to see him every night after school.

Miss W…… taught me a lot. I loved her very much.

Mrs. G. B …… (nee Miss Gertie Pratt)
Witney
1989

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