Menu Close

T13 – Summary

Back to Oral Taping Menu  

T13 Mrs P Rodwell

Hosting evacuees during World War 2

 

Recorded 21/08/1989

Length 00:12:00

 

  • A family sought shelter during wartime, leading to a temporary stay with another family.
  • The host family had two children and made arrangements for the guests.
  • The guests stayed for about 18 months, facing challenges like bombings in London.
  • The host provided food and care, sharing experiences of rationing and daily life.
  • The conversation reflects on the differences between city and country living, as well as the impact of war on families.

 

 

Here’s a detailed summary of the transcript contained in the file T13.docx:

Context

The document is a transcript of an audio interview between two speakers (Speaker 1 and Speaker 2), discussing personal experiences hosting evacuees during World War II in Britain. The conversation focuses on the arrival of a London family, their stay, daily life, rationing, cultural differences, and lasting relationships.

Arrival of the Evacuee Family

  • A London family—a mother with two children—arrived seeking shelter.
  • Speaker 1’s family had two children at the time; they rearranged sleeping arrangements (children slept downstairs, guests upstairs) to accommodate the evacuees.
  • The situation was initially awkward as everyone adjusted to new living arrangements.

Early Experiences

  • The evacuees arrived just before Christmas during wartime (likely 1941).
  • A significant event occurred shortly after: a major air raid on Manchester.
    • Speaker 1’s grandfather was away with the fire brigade in Manchester during the raid.
    • The household watched the raid’s aftermath from a distance (Hawkham Brook).

Duration of Stay

  • The evacuee family stayed about eight months initially.
  • Later, the mother returned to London briefly but came back again to help Speaker 1 when she was expecting a baby.
  • However, the evacuee mother and her children caught erysipelas (a bacterial infection), preventing her from helping.
  • She eventually moved to a cottage in “Ron's Bottom,” then back to London, where her house was later destroyed by bombing.
  • Over the course of their relationship, the family stayed “on and off for about 18 months.”

Living Arrangements and Finances

  • The hosts received five shillings a week from the city for housing evacuees.
    • This payment was for the entire family, not per person.
  • The hosts provided housing, electricity, gas, towels, etc.
  • The evacuees bought and provided their own food, but often meals were cooked and eaten together.
  • Rationing (e.g., jam, chocolate) was a significant part of daily life, and food was carefully divided.

Daily Life and Cultural Differences

  • The evacuee children were amazed by rural life. One boy was astonished to see a real lamb in a field—he’d only read about lambs in storybooks.
  • The evacuee family was unused to rural foods and cooking methods:
    • They had never baked eggs or made rice pudding, which were regular dishes for the host family.
    • They didn’t use spices or bake as the host family did.
  • The host family noted differences in resourcefulness and access to fresh foods between city dwellers and rural communities.

Rationing and Shop Incident

  • A notable incident involved rationed chocolate:
    • Speaker 1 received her ration and told the evacuee mother (Ada) about it. Ada went to the shop for her ration but was refused, upsetting her.
    • The shopkeeper blamed Speaker 1 for “letting her see the chocolate.”
    • Speaker 1 defended Ada, saying evacuee children deserved equal treatment and chocolate as well.
    • This incident highlights social tensions and attitudes toward evacuees during wartime rationing.

Lasting Connections

  • The evacuee mother and Speaker 1 stayed in touch for years.
  • She moved to Canada later in life with her children.
  • She continued writing to Speaker 1 every Christmas.
  • The evacuee children grew up; one, Alan, identified as a “Lancashire lad” since he was born during the evacuation period.

Historical Significance

The interview offers a vivid, personal account of:

  • The British evacuation scheme during WWII, where urban children and mothers were relocated to rural areas for safety.
  • Cultural exchange and adaptation between urban evacuees and rural hosts.
  • Rationing practices, community attitudes, and tensions around shared resources.
  • Enduring relationships formed through shared hardship.

 

Back to Oral Taping Menu