An Interview with 3 Evacuees from Hull

Arthur King by the beck with Fishers’ in the background

After the conversation on 1st July, Margaret wrote down more of her memories:

When we arrived at Bishop Wilton, a boy took my case, and strangely it turned out to be Arthur West. Dennis and I were almost the last ones to be fostered, then Mrs West offered to take us both. Almost straight away Joan and Arthur took us to see the animals at Mr Jebson’s farm.
We soon settled into No 5. They had a tortoiseshell cat called Topsy, and we called Mrs West “Auntie” and Mr West “Uncle”.
Miss Kirby, our teacher, took us on nature walks, as there were no facilities for the influx of children at the time. I remember we enjoyed the walks in the country. Then we went into the Men’s Institute. When the weather became colder, we went into the infants’ class in the Village School. We went back to the Institute after Miss Kirby left; we were taught by Mrs Bradley.
We then moved up to the School – I suppose that was in autumn 1941. Mrs Rhodes was our teacher. She gave us our work to do, then sat and knitted. There is one thing we did learn – and that was how to knit! Mr Rhodes was very strict; he used to take us for singing lessons – he was really keen on music, mostly old-type songs. When Mr and Mrs Iredale came to the school they didn’t believe in school songs and May Queens etc. Mrs Iredale liked her embroidery and taught us to sew. Mr Iredale was more for teaching English, Maths and History – a good teacher, I would think.
At playtime at school in the summer we had games – on sports equipment and running races – there was one village girl who was a real good jumper – I can’t remember her name. I used to wish I could do that, but I could only jump about 2 feet. We played ball and skipping, with plenty of talking or listening to older girls’ conversations.
In our leisure time we went for long walks, roaming the hills and fields. We were taught that if there were any low aircraft, to take cover in a hedge, or lay flat on your stomach no matter where you were.
I suppose spring and summer were our favourite times. The odd thing is you don’t remember the rain. I am sure we must have got wet sometimes! During the day we could go almost where we liked.
At Easter we had painted eggs, and rolled them down the hill until they broke, and then we ate them. We didn’t do that in Hull.
When we were older, in the late summer we would go potato picking. We would get picked up by Mr West from the Village in a van on to a farm. There the large horses and carts were waiting to take us to the fields. I enjoyed potato picking, and I loved the horses. At 12 o’clock we would stop for lunch – we had plenty of food and cold tea in a bottle. Mrs West used to bake ground rice pies with chocolate – they were lovely. We always had plenty to eat.
I was quite happy. Me and Joan West were friends. Mrs West was good to us.
I could go on and on ……………………..

Information assembled by
Mike & Kate Pratt
Bishop Wilton
May 2002

Page 11 of 11