- Contributed by听
- 麻豆官网首页入口 Southern Counties Radio
- People in story:听
- Mrs Kathleen Eves
- Location of story:听
- Chichester
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A5171023
- Contributed on:听
- 18 August 2005
The date was 1st September 1939. We had been told to arrive at school at 8.00am complete with a haversack containing a change of clothing, a second pair of shoes and sandwiches to last the day. We had no idea where we were heading. Eventually we were lined up in classes and marched the mile to the nearest railway station. We sat on the railway station a long time - it was so hot! Eventually we were packed in a train going South. We travelled very slowly with frequent stops, and arrived at Chichester Station at about 3.00 pm. We were then marched to the local Boys' High School where we were counted and then put in small groups. I was the last child in the group to be placed - I wanted to go home!
My host and hostess were a young couple married quite recently - they certainly could have done without a teenager disturbing their love nest! They obviously didn鈥檛 want me, but they were kind. The husband, Stan, went into the Army a short while after my arrival. I stayed with Alice for nearly four years. Was I happy? No! I missed my large, happy family - it was so quiet!
Originally we shared the Girls' High School, but this was not very satisfactory as it was too crowded. The Bishop of Chichester, Bishop Bell, eventually went to serve in the Forces and he generously allowed us to use the Bishop's Palace as a school. We didn鈥檛 realise what a privilege this was - the building was centuries old and very beautiful. Our Music Teacher was a 'lady'. Her hair was in a bun and she wore thick tweeds and flat shoes. Our music lessons took place in the Drawing Room - a very large room with a grand piano and highly polished wooden floor. We were seated on the floor round the piano and were told to "Sit up straight. We are now going to sing Nymphs and Shepherds鈥 - Oh, how boring! Playtime was spent in the beautiful gardens, the boundary walls of which were part of the old walls around the ancient city of Chichester. The rare Air-Raid warnings were spent in the palace wine cellars, which were very cold and with walls several feet thick.
This story was entered on the People鈥檚 War website by Charlie Sever on behalf of Kathleen Eves. Kathleen fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.
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