Evacuation To Harrington

A Memory of Harrington.

I was born in Liverpool in 1932 from Cumbrian parents. In September 1939, just after the begining of the Second World War, my sister and I were packed off to High Harrington, as a sort of private evacuation, to the home of our Aunt Sarah and Uncle Tom Wilson. They were the owners of Whins Farm at the time. In the main it was a wonderful time with plenty of excitement on the farm. We enjoyed ouselves in the company of our three cousins, having all sorts of adventures. I attended school in Harrington and was viewed with curiosity by my fellow pupils, I think my Liverpool accent amused them. Needless to say at the end of the time I had developed a broad Cumbrian accent. I seem to remember that the school was made up of one main hall that was separated into three classrooms by two large sliding partitions. I wasn't a very good pupil, I always seemed to be in trouble. I had to walk to school and can remember part of this walk took me over a railway bridge where I would lean over the bridge wall and get blasted with smoke from a train, whose timing seemed to coincide with my walk, and arriving in school with soot covered face and hands. My sister Edith went to school in Workington. We remained at Whins Farm throughout the autumn, winter and spring of 1939/40. This was one of my favourite winters as a child as it was spent sledging over the many hills on the farm. Our "evacuation" didn't last long because my Aunt and Uncle said we were a distraction to their children, our cousins, and we were transported back to Liverpool just in time to be involved in the May blitz of 1940. I have many happy memories of Cumberland as a child and a young man having spent holidays with relations in Hensingham, Whitehaven and Workington. I never went back to Whins Farm. I firmly believe that Cumberland is by far the most beautiful part of this land. Sadly I have lost touch with all of my relations in Cumberland, I know most of my cousins have passed on. If a relation recognises my name I would like to hear from them. My family is made up of Routledge, Edmondson, Wilson and Harper.
Sydney Harper (sydney.harper@virgin.net)

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