Home is where the heart is
THIS September marks 70 years since evacuees from London came to Downham. One of them, 80-year-old Mrs Judy Rayner, thinks her story may be unique. She was born in Downham – only to return because of the Second World War.
This is her story in her own words.
I WAS born in Riverside Cottage in 1928 – our house backed on to the River Ouse and was between the Iron Bridge and the Stone Bridge.
My father, Charles Utting, worked for his father, a jeweller and watchmaker, whose shop was in Bridge Street, next to the White Hart pub.
All was well until the Depression and people were unable to buy luxury items. My grandfather couldn't afford to keep my father in work so he was forced to do temporary jobs, such as working in the sugarbeet factory at Wissington, to feed his family of six, including four children.
When he was out of work there was no benefit system and so there was no money.
Dad's sister lived in London and helped him to find work, so in 1935 we moved to Hackney.
In 1939, I won a scholarship to Dalston County Secondary School and was about to begin when war was declared and we were called to the school for evacuation.
For three days we marched around the playground with our gas masks, a luggage label tied around our necks, a change of clothing in a bag and a picnic.
On the third day we marched to Hackney Downs station and said farewell to our parents before boarding the train. No-one knew where we were going, but I had been on weekend excursions back to Downham with my parents so recognised the names of the stations – Ely, Littleport, Downham. I couldn't believe that we would be staying in this, the place of my birth.
Many of the townspeople greeted us and I spotted my Auntie Jinnie (Mrs A. Ambrose) and waved.
We were taken to a barn near the Stone Bridge where we were given a few provisions. We then had to wait for someone to pick us up and take us to their homes.
Violet Taylor and I were almost last to be picked and I can remember how sad I felt that no-one wanted me!
At last a lady called Mrs Cook invited us both to come with her. She lived on a farm about two miles along the river bank. Old Mr Cook, the farmer, found us rods and taught us how to fish. He gave us rides on the horse and cart delivering food to the animals. Mrs Cook used to feed the farmhands and made wonderful meals.
Eventually my aunt, Mrs Hilda Potter, discovered I was in Downham and, as she had to take two evacuees, chose Violet and me to stay with her and Uncle Tommy.
They both worked for J.S. Bennett in High Street and lived at the back of one of the shops. Heather Bennett lived in the other house at the back of Bennett's and she became a great friend – we joined girl guides together. Her father owned a field beyond the railway station and in winter they used to flood it to form a skating rink. Aunt Hilda found me a pair of skates and we had great fun learning.
Lessons were at local chapels and Downham Secondary School. Our Headmistress, Miss Griffith, lived at the home of Dr Johnson in High Street and he lent us a room as a Common Room.
I can remember the Land Army girls coming to Denver, the Prisoners of War who worked on the farms with them, the Royal Air Force airfield on Bexwell Road and the Digging for Victory campaign when we dug up an area of the school field to grow vegetables.
I had aunts, uncles and cousins living in the town on both my mother’s and father’s side. My aunt lent me seven shillings and sixpence so I could buy a second-hand bicycle which my uncle helped put in good order.
My grandparents, Mr and Mrs W.C. Parsonage, lived at Kensington Road, Gaywood, and I used to visit.
In 1943, I returned to London to continue my education at the North-East Emergency Secondary School for girls, erected in 1938 to house Dalston Secondary School. We were exposed to bombing and buzz-bombs.
At 80 years of age these are some of my memories. I now live in Crawley, West Sussex, and stay with my cousin, Jack Ambrose, in Denver before attending an annual Utting family reunion in Attleborough.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
