The family name of our evacuees was Picket. The boy was called Donald (9 years old) and the girl was June (6 years old). Their mother stayed too. I was 8 years old when they came to stay with us. I didn't like them very much as he was older than my brother, Roger, (5 years old) and me and bossed us around and took what few toys we had. I can't remember if they came to school with me but I expect they did as there wasn't much choice.
I think the evacuees were safer with us than in London where they lived and their father was on duty as a policeman. But they missed so went back to London in 1943, after about 18 months with us. Lots of people had to have evacuees if they had a spare bed so it wasn't unusual. Not a lot of people liked having evacuees thrust on them, and the evacuees didn't like living in the country. People didn't move around back then like they do today, so everything new was strange.
I think the evacuees were safer with us than in London where they lived and their father was on duty as a policeman. But they missed so went back to London in 1943, after about 18 months with us. Lots of people had to have evacuees if they had a spare bed so it wasn't unusual. Not a lot of people liked having evacuees thrust on them, and the evacuees didn't like living in the country. People didn't move around back then like they do today, so everything new was strange.