Peter J Wright
Last Thursday 26/2/2004 I met Charles Sammonds after over 63 plus years. We had a nostalgic chat of events at Battersea Central School before the war and leading to the ultimate evacuation to Hawkley in deepest Hampshire. and the subsequent schooling etc.
Cliff my name is Peter Wright but you will probably not remember me, since reading from the Internet, you were only about 7 in 1939.
I am not a web/internet person myself so I was unaware of its existence and of the many re-unions that have taken place over the years. It was only last Christmas that my nephew who spends a lot of time on the Internet and also traces back our family history spotted my name and address on the search engine coupled with the evacuation details of Hawkley and alerted my daughter and everything progressed from there!
I was even more astounded to learn that Charles Sammonds has lived for so many years in another suburb of Wolverhampton. It seems that life has turned full Circle.
Yes, even after 65 years I still vividly recall all so wonderfully transcribed on the web and that momentous and fateful day Friday 1 st September 1939. The march to Clapham Junction Station and the train journey to Petersfield and then coaching on to Hawkley.
Together with Martin Voisey and Alf Mullins I was billeted with Mrs Chiverton and family at Empshott Green. Charles Sammonds and his brother George were next door with Mrs. Chappell and family whilst Stan creed was billeted down the lane in a thatched cottage, if I recall near Carpenters Farm. Stan Creed was transferred to Mrs. Chiverton in the early months of 1940, Martin Voisey and Alf Mullins must have left, and returned to London, although I cannot pin point the actual month.
I still recall vividly schooling at the Hawkley Village School, also the pre-fabricated building that was built at the rear of the school - lessons across the road in a hall - woodwork in a building (upstairs) at Lower green and of course afternoon lessons at Empshott Hut, that is where we often congregated in the evening for games and such like activities.
As Mrs. Chiverton and family had close links with Holy rood Church I was very much involved there. I was drafted in as a choirboy and one occasion had to sing a solo, although I did not think I could sing very well, Mr Lewis and family were regular worshippers there and he seemed quite impressed as he remarked the following day at school. He and I often played chess at lunch times.
I left Battersea Central / Hawkley and Empshott Green in May 1941 having gained a trade scholarship to Wandsworth Technical College who were then evacuated to Guildford Technical College for our studies, a whole new world from than that I had experienced at Hawkley. I attended the Tech for 3 years before I returned to Battersea (just in time for the V1 and V2 attacks!) and then took an Apprenticeship with The Projectile and Engineering Company. Staying with the Company apart from a two and a half years Army Service with the REME, until 1965 when the Company was taken over by GKN and relocated to Wolverhampton.
I was one of a hand full of employees invited to relocate with the move to Wolverhampton an offer after much careful consideration by family and myself we decided to take up - moving there in mid 1965. After many internal moves with GKN group I had the opportunity to take early retirement at the age of 55 - a decision in spite of having to "cut the cloth" I have never regretted.
I should love to participate in the Annual Re-unions but distance and the fact that my wife Majorie, does not, I am afraid enjoy the best of health these days and is very immobile, I have to give her my undivided attention, thus my absence from home for a period is extremely difficult for me.
We married in 1951 and have two daughters, but sadly the eldest died in 1999 at the early age of 47. It is since that time that Majorie began to go down hill, as she has not been able to come to terms with grief and sadness.
We have one grandson, now aged 13 his mother Mary our youngest daughter who has done so much to make me aware of the Hawkley evacuation web site.
Please keep me updated via Mary about changes/addition to the site.
My Sincere Wishes and Best Regards
Peter J Wright
8 Anson Close, Perton, Near Wolverhampton
West Midlands, WV6 7SE - 01902 757 136
10 Sandringham Place, Pen, Wolverhampton,WV4 5TG.
March 13th. 2004.
Cliff,
By now you would have heard from Peter Wright, my old friend from 1940/41 with whom I resumed contact with last month, after 63 years! I enclose a photo (left) of the two of us when we met up for a good old chinwag at his house.
Peter undoubtedly told you that he was billeted next door to me and my brother George at Empshott Green. He was with Mrs Chiverton together with a couple of other evacuees, and George and I were with Mrs Chappell, until we were relocated to Empshott Place at the top of Stairs Hill.
What I find amazing, is that he has lived in Wolverhampton longer than I have, we just did not know of each other.
However, now we have met up, we shall maintain contact: despite my parlous condition at present, I am hoping that we may be able to see other ex-evacuees, or at least correspond with them.
For information to others who knew him, I had the sad news that Ron Chiverton has recently suffered a series of strokes that have incapacitated him. If you remember, he was an avid gardener and later in life earned his living by jobbing in the area, specifically at Empshott Green and in Selborne. Through physiotherapy he is gradually learning to walk and talk again. I also wonder how Butch Luetchford is recovery in from his mishaps I have not heard from Mrs Luetchford recently, but perhaps Harry has?
I must book an hour or so in my local library, to catch up on the developments on our web site, I am told it is even more extensive since the beginning of the year!
Sincerely,
Charles Sammonds.
