Dear Mr. Douthwaite
I was browsing on Google looking for references to Hawkley Hurst and found your website.
I was very interested to read about the evacuees and their memories of Hawkley. My mother, Katherine (Kitty) George, was Parlour Maid at Hawkley Hurst during the war years; she used to talk about Mr. Hudson the butler and Mrs. Davies the owner of Hawkley.
My grandmother, Beatrice George, also helped look after 'the boys' at Hawkley. I had always assumed that these were the children of the owners but now, having read your website, wonder if they were in fact the evacuees!
My mother passed away in 1992 but I do have some photographs which I believe were taken at the time and an invitation dated 1942 to attend Tea and Fun at Hawkley Hurst organised by the Committee of the Hawkley Schools' Canteen (Mrs Raine, Mrs King and Mrs Davies) with RSVP to Mrs Raine at Parsons' Piece.
I hope this will be of interest to you.
Best wishes
Sarah Hallson - mailto: shallson@hexagon.org.uk
Dear Cliff,
Please find enclosed as promised copies of the photographs that I believe were taken during the period that my mother's family lived in Petersfield.
I have numbered them on the back to correspond with the following descriptions:
1. Hawkley Hurst!
2. My grandmother, Beatrice George, who "gave the boys their tea" at Hawkley Hurst. I now believe that the boys in question must have been the evacuees.
3. My grandfather, Charles George, holding his youngest son David. My grandfather was disabled and was therefore evacuated along with my grandmother and the younger members of the family. At first it was thought he had MS but I understand that at a later date it was considered that he had suffered nerve damage from poison gas used in WWI.
4. My mother, Katherine (Kitty) George on the right and her sister Margaret (Peggy) George on the left. My mother was Parlor Maid at Hawkley before returning to London with her elder brother where they slept in the air raid shelter at nights.
5. My mother's youngest brother David with Petersfield scenery.
6. Ditto
7. The accommodation at Petersfield, my grandfather is standing in the doorway and other family members are nearby. I seem to recall that the cottage belonged to someone called Captain Cundy Cooper. My mother had a fruit knife that we always called "Captain Cundy Cooper's knife" which must have been inadvertently packed up with their belongings when they were leaving.
It will be interesting to see if these pictures bring back memories of people or places for anyone.
With very best wishes. Yours sincerely,
Sarah Hallson - mailto: shallson@hexagon.org.uk copy to webmaster please c.douthwaite@btinternet.com
