A quick update on this topic. We haven’t found out any more on Jean Pamela Simpson and the farm where she stayed with her Uncle Simpson, but if anything occurs to you, do get in touch.
However, we have prompted several other memories of evacuees in Buckland St Mary. We’re very grateful to Neil Arnold and Richard and Angela Smith who’ve come up with fascinating information. Anecdotes range from the boy who was so unhappy that he tried to run away back to London (but, poor kid, headed the wrong way – to Exeter) to two girls who stayed at Higher Blindmoor, one of whom is in touch and has very happy memories. The photo shows them – Joan Childs and Olive Curzons – with Tom the carthorse. They each had ‘their’ cow that they milked. Olive’s brother was billeted at Beehive.
Interestingly, several seem to have stayed in, or returned to the area. Most came originally from London or Bristol.
Many of the names we’ve been given don’t tie up with those in the school registers, so there must have been more than the 57 listed there. Here’s the list – does it ring any bells?
Anything you remember, however small, I’d be glad to hear: Rosanna Barton – 01460 234213, rosannabarton1@gmail.com
EVACUEES LISTED IN THE BUCKLAND ST MARY SCHOOL REGISTERS
(names, and number in the Registers)
ALEXANDER, John 1464
ATTWELL, Iris Pauline 1466
ATTWELL, Enid Maud 1467
ATTWELL, Philip 1471
BENNETT, Raymond 1415
BRIDGES, Robert 1431
BRIDGES, Joan 1434
BRIDGES, Jean 1435
BINGHAM, Jean 1436
BIGWOOD, Richard 1461
BALDWIN, Stanley 1469
BODDINGTON, Michael 1506
DYER, Eileen 1411
DYER, June 1412
DYER, Frank 1413
EAVIS, Donald Francis 1424
EDWARDS, Ronald 1443
EDWARDS, Terence 1444
GRIFFIN, James John 1475
HATHWAY, Sheila Ann 1445
HATHWAY, Winifred Jeanne 1446
HOLLAND, Rosemary 1451
HILLIARD, Joan Margaret 1468
HATHWAY, Hazel 1499
HIRCOCK, Joan Elsie 1502
HOWLAND, Kathleen 1505
HATHWAY, Pamela 1513
JONES, Royston William 1465
JONES, John Leonard 1470
KENDALL, Ronald 1437
MARSHALL, Peter 1425
McKENNA, Kathleen 1432
McKENNA, Peter 1433
lMcKENNA, Fred 1440
McKENNA, Jack 1441
MOULDER, David 1452
MOULDER, Jeanette W. 1457
MOORE, Leslie 1493
POVEY, David John 1423
POVEY, Royston Peter 1428
PERRETT, Elizabeth 1489
PERRETT, Sylvia Ann 1490
PILES. Roy 1503
QUESTED, Brian 1438
RAVENSWOOD, Marian 1422
ROSS, John W. 1427
ROBINSON, Evelyn M. 1459
SWAYNE, Shirley 1416
SNEATH, Rene 1417
SMITH, Eric John 1426
SIMPSON, Jean P. 1509
TAYLOR, Sheila 1414
WHALE, Albert 1410
WEATHERLEY, Iris 1430
WALKEY, David Ian 1482
WHITE, Ann Valerie 1504
YOUNG, Alan 1494