An Evacuee

A Memory of Daventry.

I remember a sunny day in 1940 a 10 year old London kid alone nervous scared alone except for a bunch of other kids, We had been scurried away from war torn London having gone through the Battle of Britain German airraids. The British goverment had devised a plan given the secret name "Pied Piper" the ide to protect Britain's future generation .
So here I m swinging on a garden gate leading up the path to a Red door, the local vicar knocked on the the door within moments opened I observed a stoutish woman with golden hair a ruddy complextion and a wide smile, right at that moment the gate hinge broke, I see her point a finger I know I am in trouble. The vicar becons to me and with my worldly posessions in a pillow case over my shoulder I trudge up the path to cetain troublel
Mrs Jeffs a stoutly built lady in a floral dress looked at me with a smile "common in meduck" I knew this was lady I would like, I stepped into the parlour and she closed the front door with a clonk, it never did get fixed. I guess that some time dampness had swollen it. "Ok! sit down me duck - no not that chair that's Joe's" so I sat at the table and she offered me a cup of tea which I needed, not having anything to drink since we left London, now some 6 hrs later.
I sat nervous at the large wooden table with a patterned lace cloth. She asked my name, "Alfie" I replied, "well Alfie let me show your room upstairs". We climbed the stairs and my bedroom was on the right. I had never had a bedroom of my own that I could recall, my mother having died when I was 8 years of age and my dad, struggling to cope, shunted me around the family. Now I had a room to myself that overlooked a garden, Wow! It was like being in heaven. I put my pillow case down on the bed and emptying its meager contents out, a toothbrush, a comb, 2 pair of underpants, shirts, short pants, a tie, another pair of shoes, a couple of vests - I think that was about all I had - and a book "Just William".
I left them on the bed and went down stairs and found a chair to sit on. I assume Mrs Jeffs was as nervous as I. She did tell me Joe would be home pretty soon so I just sat there not knowing what to expect. It seemed an eternity but the latch on the back door made enough noise for me to know Joe had arrived.
Joe, a medium build man of quiet disposition, very friendly, came into the parlour and Mrs Jeffs said "this is Alfie, he's from London and he is going to stay with us for a while" [turned out to be over 4 years]. He looked at me, there was an immediate affinity, I knew I was going to like him. We engaged in small talk until it was time for bed.
If you wish me to continue jut hollar albiet I still have good hearing at 91. Excuse the poor spelling and grammar

Alfie AKA David Da Glider Guy

Hello Alfie - we would love to hear more. Please let us know how you got on. Editor