Your Wartime Memories

Blackpool
My two brothers and myself attended St. Patricks School, Livesey Street. At the start of the Second World War in September 1939 we were evacuated to Blackpool. I was ten years old and my brothers were 9 and 11yrs.

I remember going on a bus from school to Victoria Station, getting on the train and my parents waving us off. We were all very upset and crying, one of the helpers tried to comfort us, telling us not to cry as we were off to Blackpool on a real adventure! This was of little comfort as all I wanted to do was go home to my Mam.

We wore labels round our necks with our names on and we had our belongings in a rucksack on our backs complete with gas-masks.

On arriving in Blackpool we were all taken to a large church hall, given some refreshments and a brown paper bag containing sweets, biscuits and milk. We were then taken by a Billeting Officer around the streets of Blackpool crocodile fashion while he attempted to find homes for us.

Eventually we were placed with a Mr and Mrs Dearden in Handsworth Road. Although Mr and Mrs Dearden were good to us and the house quite ‘posh’ with hot water and electricity (something were not used to!). We were very homesick, as the saying goes ‘be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home’ and that was certainly very true in our case.

My Mam and Dad came to see us at weekends whenever they could and would take us onto the prom and generally spoil us. They also missed us very much so after about two months my Dad came one Sunday afternoon and took us home.

The first thing I can remember when I got home was the lovely roaring coal fire in the living room and my mothers smiling face and welcoming open arms.
I now live in Blackpool and have been to see Handsworth Road and Claremont Road School, but it looks quite different from how I remember it.
Veronica Murphy (nee Redikin)