The Fernhurst Society
Tales from the Archives - 27
WW2 Refugees
Another delightful anecdote from Miss Margaret Hutchinson’s book ‘An Edwardian Childhood’.
It was not only the young who were evacuated from the big towns to the countryside, accommodation was also sought for the elderly, and so it was that two elderly widows in black arrived at the Hutchinsons’ home in Kingsley Green. Their trunks were carried up to the large spare bedroom which they ended up sharing for the next four years.
They were very London but managed to accept country ways without complaining. Each morning after washing up (they certainly did their bit at the kitchen sink) they crept silently into the living room, one with a mop, the other with a duster, and did the daily. Then, donning hats and coats they sallied forth to Mills’s, the shop and Post Office in Kingsley Green.
The afternoons were spent in their bedroom, but they emerged at tea-time. Between tea and supper they occupied the two armchairs by the fire, Mrs A knitting, Mrs C endlessly darning her combinations until they were a wonderful patchwork of neat rectangular darns. After supper they retired upstairs for the night and their hosts finally eased their weary bodies into the same armchairs.
If you would like to know more about this story, or research other local topics, the Archive is open on Tuesdays, 2.30-5pm in the Village Hall. Other times by arrangement.
Christine Maynard
Fernhurst ArchiveOne of a series of short articles bringing you some of the incidents from our rich village history. Collated by Christine Maynard, based on documents preserved at the Fernhurst Archives, these originally were published in the monthly Fernhurst News.
The Fernhurst Archives
Fernhurst History
