Gerald Jones
Lillian Jones
Elizabeth Manterfield daughter of Alan Jones
I have found your web site absolutely fascinating (although I have to say the music is a bit irritating!). I was so amazed to see my father Alan Jones and his brother Gerald amongst the list of evacuees.
Sadly my father died in 1999 after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease.
Evacuation had a very profound effect on him, giving birth to a love of the countryside that he never lost. I have a couple of letters that he wrote home whilst he was away. He used to tell us stories about when he was evacuated, and I wish now that I had paid more attention.
I hope to go down to Empshott during the Christmas period to have a look round. Did you know my father? He and his brother were both tall boys, and Dad grew into a very gentle giant, much loved by his family and friends.
But from all accounts, he was not the sort of child I would like to have billeted on me- always in some scrape or other! Gerald is still alive and well, living on the Isle of Wight.
He has a very dry sense of humour! I must tell him about your site. As I recall, Dad was evacuated to Hawkley Hurst and then onto a family in Empshott? I think at first he was with a Mrs. Williams and then Mrs. Randle, of Stairs Hill, Empshott.
He was much relieved when the dreaded French teacher, Mr. Alway, was called up in the autumn of 1940, and started to like school a bit better.
Thank you for providing so much interesting information.
Yours sincerely
Elizabeth Manterfield