And Linda Beck promised one from her daughter Anja as well. Allendale Primary School Year 6 class have been studying the local history of evacuation to the rural countryside during WWII.
The diary has also featured another evacuee story which is revealed behind the Royal Albert tea service displayed at Allendale Tea Rooms.
I wonder if, perhaps, I might key in Charlie Burchall’s story in case the photograph of his excellent work doesn’t print clearly enough when the book of the blog comes out:
“Benny and Phillip
Benny and Phillip were two brothers from South Shields who were evacuated to Sinderhope during the war.
All the children who were evacuated to the Allen Valleys, mainly came from coastal towns in the north-east of England, because the Lufftwaffe mainly targeted these towns.
Benny settled very well in his new home, however Phillip felt homesick. He would not eat his food, had nightmares; he missed his mother so much it was agreed he could move back with her. Benny stayed at Sinderhope for the duration of the war. Phillip and his mother visited whenever they could.
For many years after the war, Benny, Phillip and their family continued to visit the Allen Valleys for many years.”
That’s a lovely story, Charlie, thank you!
And here’s Anja Beck’s two page effort:
Just to make sure the words are saved for perpetuity here:
“June Walker’s Story: Laura and Billy Simpson have taken over Deneholme in 1935 from the Pickering family who built it in 1901 as a private family home. The Simpsons converted it into a hotel.
When the war started, and the Tyneside shipyards were bombed, a lot of families fled to the countryside. June, the daughter of Laura and Billy was 6 years old and attended Allendale First School together with the evacuee children. She particularly remembered Anita and Louise who had a Spanish connection. The husbands of families staying at Deneholme had to go to work in the shipyards during the week and came back on the 12:00 bus home from Hexham.
They handed their ration books to Billy, the hotel manager, who took them to the Co-op and butchers for a week’s supply of groceries. He tended to buy all of the kerosene; that meant no one else had any.
Deneholme remained until the end of the war in 1945. I was born at Deneholme 64 years later.
Interview: June Walker, 18th November, 2019; by Linda & Anja Beck”
That sounds like a brilliant interview, Anja and Linda, and a super story! Thanks so much for sharing this with Allendale Diary!
A few years ago a man came to our door having driven up from Yorkshire. He said his father had died recently and left instructions for his ashes to be scattered in the cleugh below our house.
Apparently his father had been evacuated here from Newcastle during the war and he said that the years he spent here were the happiest in his life. I’ve always thought it rather sad that it took the calamitous effects of the war to bring a small boy happiness.