Not Many Wise

Tag: real life story 1940’s

  • Real-life stories: wartime children and African safaris

    Christine Reason, a wartime child of WW2, twice evacuated, then on to romance, marriage and self-employment. 1930 to 2019. Working for the British Government on African Safaris in the 1950s and 1960s.Fires in caravans, crawling caterpillars in a line, a dog in a bar likes a tipple, marbles as gifts, no brakes on a cliff…

  • [6] 1939 to 1940 evacuated to south coast

    In my real life story, after the September 1939 wedding, we did not return to Woodford, supposedly because of the threat of the German Luftwaffe bombing London, and I was sent down to Rye in Sussex to live with my Aunt Rene and Uncle Arch by myself. They were childless at this time…

    1940 Arch and Rene Ellis with Christine.
  • [7] 1940 to 1941 evacuated to High Wycombe

    Continuing my real life story 1940, during the Spring of that year, because of the air battles over the Channel and the threat of invasion by the Germans, as France had fallen to the enemy quite quickly, it was thought expedient to send me back to my grandparents in Bucks…

    1941 Naphill Bucks 5 children from the Whitehead family side.
  • [8] 1941 to 1942 High school during war time

    Continuing my real life story 1941 I went in for the Scholarship exam, but failed it, so I sat for an Entrance exam to attend the High School for girls at High Wycombe, and passed, so I was able to go there, paying a fee of £5.00 per term…

    1941 Grandma Haydon with baby Andrew Brown.
  • [3] WW2 dogfight – Before the Safari days

    A quick scan and I became pack leader on spotting them: twenty plus Dornier 17’s, heading for Bristol. This was a WW2 dogfight unfolding before my eyes. Beautiful blue undersides paled into the matching autumn sky, but black crosses stared from the wings. Crackle of gunfire revealed just three Hurricanes weaving around…

    Spitfires and hurricanes at Duxford. WW2 dogfight - Before the Safari days.
  • [9] 1943 to 1944 American Forces

    During my real life story 1943 and 1944 American Forces were stationed nearby, and we often used to get several of them attend Sunday services. Occasionally, my Grandparents invited them home to Sunday lunch. They were charming men and often very homesick for their loved ones back in the States…

    1944 Guide Camp showing 6 guides including Christine & Beryl.
  • [10] 1944 to 1945 test of faith

    In my real life story 1944 my faith was severely tested eighteen months later when my Mother, who had been ailing some time, died of breast cancer, aged 51 years…

    1946 The cast of Alice in Wonderland - Christine as the White Rabbit.
  • [11] 1946 new mum – my story

    In my real life story 1946 I was still attending the High School when my Mother died in January 1946, and I moved out of my Grandparents’ home, and went to live with Aunt Edna and Uncle Bob…

    June 1946 George and Moya's wedding.
  • [12] 1947 to 1948 Essex girl

    As a group, we did Folk Dancing, and I was quite attracted to him. In my real life story 1947 one day a visit was arranged to go to Cecil Sharp House in London. Sharp was a founder of the English Folk Song Society, and as a group we used to sing Folk Songs, including…

    1947 June Bogner Regis Pier Christine and Beryl
  • [13a] 1949 to 1951 boy friends

    In my real life story 1949, Stanley kept coming into the Library while I was working, and I used to be filling the shelves up with returned books, and he used to pop his head round the corner of the bookcases! Eventually, this wore me down so I agreed to go out with him…

    Christine at Alum Bay 1951
  • [12] Earith parades 1936 to 1960

    George V Jubilee Day 1936 at Earith. Recreation Field, Earith circa 1938-1939 Conservative Parade circa 1950-60

    Earith parade with children dressed up.
  • [15] Earith WW2 and evacuees

    Jack’s father and his father before him were calf dealers, and along with many others in the Earith area, they would keep four or five cows in a small holding on the fen, to supplement their meagre agricultural earnings…

    High Street, Earith looking west.