Jones, Christine Agnes (Oral history)

British schoolgirl in Peckham, London, 1939-1945 and evacuee in Kent and South Wales, 1939-1940

REEL 1: Background in Peckham London, 1924-1939: description of house; family; story of obtaining scholarship to grammar school; social life including cinema; relatives service in First World War; issued with gas mask, 1938; preparations for evacuation from school, 9/1939; luggage; number of evacuees; description of train journey from London to Charing, Kent, 1/9/1939; given food at local school; accommodation at farmhouse; name label. REEL 2: description of gas mask and case; age group of pupils; facilities on train; attitude to being evacuated. Aspect of period as evacuee in Charing and Ashford, Kent, 1939: selection process for evacuees; billeted on farm for two to three weeks; moved to house near Ashford; further memories of period on Mrs Cheeseman’s farm in Charing; opinion of treatment by host family; medical checks; story of hearing news of outbreak of war while in church, 3/Sep/1939; evidence of military preparations; communication with parents; first impressions of Ashford; sent to home of Mr and Mrs Dunstone; question of billetting according to class; attitude of host family to evacuees; opinion of food. REEL 3 Continues: description of house and accommodation; relations with host family; recreational activities including knitting; baths; laundry; story of visit from mother; memories of Christmas at home in Peckham, London, 12/1939; moved to new billet with elderly couple near Ashford; opinion of food; relations with host family; attitude to homesickness; school curriculum. REEL 4 Continues: description of school in Ashford; importance of having same teachers; relations with local children and villagers; effect of war on education; memories of wounded arriving back from Dunkirk at railway station, 1940; air raid warnings; attitude to threat of invasion; description of train journey to Llanelli, Wales, 6/1940. Aspects of period as evacuee in Llanelli, South Wales, 1940: description of house; relations with host family Mr and Mrs Jackson and maid; opinion of food; reaction to failing Matriculation Examination; relations with local people; comparison of different billets. REEL 5 Continues: Welsh lifestyle and customs; returned to London, summer 1940. Aspects of period in London, 1940-1945: air raid precautions; story of air raid during visit to cinema; opinion of sleeping in Anderson shelter; description of bomb exploding at workplace and effect on nerves; obtained employment at Ministry of Labour; story of land mine exploding near house; accommodation; registered for National Service; description of employment in factory inspecting aircraft parts; relations with male workers; attitude to night work; opinion of Morrison shelter; description of V1 and V2 raids; opinion of Winston Churchill; memories of VE Day celebrations, 5/1945. Reflections on period as evacuee.