Evacuees of World War II (One family's story)
First of a three part true story of my sisters, who like so many others, were evacuated from London at the beginning of World II. Being the sole survivor of a family of seven children, I wrote this musical play as a legacy to my siblings.
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Evacuees of World War II (One family's story)
Evacuees - Episode 2 Bletchingdon
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War is declared.
The children arrive in the town of Bletchingdon, in Oxfordshire. They are marched to the Village Hall for billeting. Being among the last few, they are taken in by Lady Bailey of Bletchingdon Park.
"Where Is Home?" - vocals - Jessica Coveney
"Dear Mum and Dad" - vocals - Karina Redmond, Jessica Coveney & Corrina Coveney
"Using Our Imagination" - vocals - Karina Redmond
"My Baby Bruv" - vocals - Karina Redmond
Good morning. The German government finally, unless we heard from them, I never had to prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Jules. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received. And that constantly this country is at war with Germany.
SPEAKER_02Edie is seven, and my younger sister, Sheila, is only six. Despite my young age, I feel responsible for the younger two. Edie is homesick already, and Sheila, well, she just thinks she's on some kind of adventure. Somebody has to take charge, and that's me. Well, apart from Miss Merryfield, our headmistress. We all have mixed emotions during the train ride. A mixture of excitement, anxiety, and fear of the unknown. Many of us had never even been on a train before, and certainly not for a long ride like this. We were taken to a village called Blechenden, near Oxford. We had two teachers with us, our headmistress, Miss Merryfield, and Miss Lewis, as well as Miss Barber, who was the school nurse. I suppose the journey took a couple of hours, but it seemed a lot longer to us. Pars and fields and farmland along the way. So different from the smokestained grey buildings and cobbled streets we come from. When we finally arrived at the station, Miss Merrifield organized us into lines. And we were marched through the village street to the village hall for bulletin, as she called it. We found out that that meant we'd be taken in by local families to find out who would be taking care of us.
SPEAKER_09Dad make it easier. So bloody heavy. If Mum caught you swearing like that, you'll have your light. Maybe we'll show them maskets too. Bloody good idea that. That's worse. Anyway, I hope it's the nice family that takes us in. We will all stay together, won't we?
SPEAKER_02Yes, we will. Now let's be quiet.
SPEAKER_04Right, ladies and gentlemen. We've got a lot to get through today, so let's get things started here.
SPEAKER_02I don't know how long we stood there for. Seemed like ages watching the beating officer read the tags on our coats with our names, and villagers came forward to collect children they'd never seen before. The volunteers with armbands walked among us, offering comfort and water, but we became more and more anxious as we watched our classmates disappear with strangers. Miss Merryfield stayed close, and I hug Sheila reminded her and Edie that we were going to stay together. At the end of the day, there were ten of us left, including Edie Sheila and myself. Then, through the window, I saw a huge wooden clad car pull up outside. I think the type that Dad used to call a shooting break. And outstepped a man and a finely dressed lady. When they came into a hall, everybody seemed to know who she was. And I found out later that she was Lady Bailey of Bletchingden Park.
SPEAKER_01I'll take the last ten.
SPEAKER_04Why, that's very kind of you, Lady Bailey.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Well, just have them brought outside so we can load their personal belongings.
SPEAKER_02So that was it. We were on our way to a place we would all begin to call the Big House. Blechenden Park was a huge place, bigger than anything we'd seen in our lives. It had huge lawns at the front and gardens to the side. There were maids and all sorts of stuff like we'd never seen before. We're all tired and ready for bed, but at the same time quite excited. Except for Easy, that is. She was very quiet, and I could tell she was feeling a little scared and homesick.
SPEAKER_06Though the streets that I can gray. Now it seems so far away. With my family by my side. Why my heart lives to die just to be back home again. So I'm feeling so low and I want to wear it. To tell me to be afraid to be in love.
SPEAKER_02Our headmistress, Miss Merrifield, came to see us then and led us from the big house to the school in the adjoining village. When we got there, she showed us into a classroom where she helped us to write letters home to our parents, who at that point had no idea where we were.
SPEAKER_01I know you're all feeling very confused right now, but can you imagine how your parents must be feeling? Of course you do. We don't want them to worry, so we're going to write them a letter. When they get it, they'll know that you're safe and they'll know where you are. I want you all to get out your notebooks and pens and write a letter to your mums and dads. If you're not sure what to put, then I'm here and I'll help you.
SPEAKER_02So that's exactly what we did. Miss Merryfield walked around the class, helping each one of us write a letter home. I had no idea what to put first, so I just wrote down all about the train ride and going to the big house. And I told them about Lady Bailey, her big black car, and her grand house. And then I told them how much I was missing them and was hoping to be home soon. Although at that time I had no idea when that would be.
SPEAKER_07Miss Maryfield takes care of us and makes us watch behind our ears and takes us to the village school so we don't get behind.
SPEAKER_08I wonder what you're doing now. So fall away from home. The people here think nice enough, but not worth it, but I wish that I was home with you, not feeling so alone.
SPEAKER_10It really is a style. Okay, we play that stuff. So let's move to worry because I think it will be all right.
SPEAKER_02So we soon settled into life at Lexington Park. We didn't see much of Lady David, but we knew she was around and was our benefactor. She fed and clothed us for the time we were to spend at the big house. She bought all our skirts a pretty vest to wear with a platter skirt and jumpers with the same pattern which we wore over our blouses. We weren't to use the front entrance, but instead we went in and out at the back. We were taken care of by Lady Bailey's staff. Later we learned that her husband was Sir Ava Bailey, who was a racehorse owner. He was in bad health though, and we didn't get to meet him at all. One thing I also remember were the red squirrels at Lechenden. I'd never seen red squirrels before. In London I'd seen plenty of grey squirrels in the local park, but never these red ones. In a letter from home, we later found out that Mum had also been evacuated and was in Bridgewater in Somerset. We weren't sure where exactly that was, but we knew it was a long way away. We were told that she would be safe there, but that didn't keep us from missing her. One evening, while we were all sitting around, I could tell that Edie and Sheila were still feeling homesick and unsettled. And to make matters worse, Miss Merryfield, our familiar beloved teacher, had gone to a different location. She'd be back soon, but for now I decided to play a game with the other two to help calm their nerves.
SPEAKER_11Everything seems so big in this house. Yeah, great, isn't it? It's like a castle. Not like home though.
SPEAKER_02Well, it's home for now, so we have to make the best of it.
SPEAKER_11I don't know if this sad feeling in my stomach will ever go away. I wish I knew what mum and dad was doing now.
SPEAKER_02Ear, can you imagine if this was really our home? What do you mean? I don't just mean the place we're staying for now, but really our home. And can you imagine that our mum and dad were lord and lady of the manor?
SPEAKER_11Yeah, well, wouldn't that be brilliant? I wouldn't care how big our house was, as long as mum and dad was with us.
SPEAKER_02What I mean is. Listen, let's play a game, eh?
SPEAKER_07When you feel low and you don't know where you're meant to be things are confusing and not what they seem That's when I find it's the right time to play McPhiliff Using our imagination Stay the big house is our own house. We'll talk like the tufts dressed to impress guests when they get dropped off and our schoolmates from the same place we'll welcome to We have so much why not just But we'll never forget where we come from Because we'll go back to visit sometimes When the family forget back together Where the bows of London still charm. When the family all gets back together Where the bibbards of London still charm I don't feel bad and don't feel sad we're in my place here in the big house, there's plenty of space that's no need for anything more with It was the spring of nineteen forty.
SPEAKER_02We'd been at Bletchenden Park for about eight months when we got a letter from Mum, along with a wonderful surprise. Mum had managed to get from Somerset to New Martin in Oxfordshire, just a few miles from Bletchenden where we were staying. We received a letter saying that Mum was staying with a lovely lady by the name of Mrs. Harris, who had four children of her own, so it was a little overcrowded to say the least. Mum told us she was working in Cowley, but was arranging to come and pay us a visit in Bletchenden. And we were all very excited at the prospect of seeing her in Little Georgie again. It was a beautiful spring morning when Mum arrived to see us, along with little Georgie, who was a toddler by now, and our brand new baby brother, John, who we hadn't seen before. We all sat outside on the lawn of the big house, and Mum bought some sandwiches so we could have a picnic. When she saw her, Edie wrapped herself around Mum's knees.
SPEAKER_11Can you stay with us? Can you sleep with us today?
SPEAKER_05Oh darling, I've missed you so much. It's not gonna be so long between visits now. I can't stay at your grand house 'cause there'd be too many of us for Lady Bailey. I'll be back again soon to visit though.
SPEAKER_11Well, can we live with you then?
SPEAKER_05No, sweet uh where I'm staying, there's hardly any room for little Georgie and John as it is. But the lady I'm with is very kind and most important we're all safe even if we can't be together yet.
SPEAKER_09Edie, we'll all be home before too long. Isn't that right, Mum? Why didn't Daddy come with you?
SPEAKER_02Edie, we told you that Daddy's doing very important work. Remember how we talked about the war and the people who might get hurt?
SPEAKER_05Daddy's helping them. Oh Daddy misses you too. But we have to be patient. Sheila's right, Edie. When this war is over, we will all be together again. Come on, you have to be a big brave girl. Go to school and learn all you can and be very, very patient. Now come on, let's see. I want to read all about your new school.
SPEAKER_02I was so excited to meet our new little baby brother that I don't know what came over me. I just scooped him up in my arms and went running across the lawn with him. I found some shade under a tree and settled Baby John down on the grass in front of me. Look at you. Look at those big brown eyes and all that black hair. You look just like your dad, don't you? You and I are gonna have so much fun together. Welcome to the family.
SPEAKER_07Through those dark brown eyes now. Tell me what do you see? Can you see the green grass and the sky of blue? Can you see this smiling face that's looking down at you? Hello little man, my little baby broth Happiness is here with you, my bond of love. The high in Canning Town is so far away. How can I be sad with you on such a lovely day? You are such an innocent, so so unaware of this world in all these troubled times. You haven't a care My Baby Bruff lying here beside me, you will see the world when all the hurt is gone, my baby bruff be my strength to guide me, you will be the future when this world moves on. Though it seems like there is no beginning to an end. You will be the harp in us on which we depend on the window.
SPEAKER_02We all felt sad when Mum had to leave to return to New Master, but we'd had a lovely day. A day I'll remember all my life.