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The largest family and social upheaval ever experienced in this country began.

During the following three days hundreds of thousands of children were uprooted from their homes and families bundled into over crowded trains and buses and taken into what was for them the unknown.

They were not told where they were going, and neither were their parents.

Despite popular belief the civilian evacuation was not a knee jerk reaction to bombing by the British Government. Initial plans were laid down in1922 when the Air Ministry decreed that the next war would be fought in the skies which would mean aerial attacks on towns and cities.
The code name for this operation would be Pied Piper.

Most of the children who came to Stoke were pupils of Barlby Road School in West London. They were taught by their own teachers in the village hall, but joined the local children in the school playground. The photo below shows a party in the hall. Mr Yates, headmaster, is the fourth adult from the left.

Three of the pupils were Dorothy, James and Winnie Bird, who stayed with Mr & Mrs Boobyer, Orchard View, Woodhill. Jim remembers what happened when they arrived:
"We arrived in Stoke during the early evening. We were taken to the village hall where refreshments were provided. We were tired, weary and apprehensive. Once fed and watered the allocation of new homes began. "We waited for what seemed like an eternity but no one chose us. We weren’t told but a home had already been allocated for us, the people were too elderly to collect us so we had to wait until everyone was sorted then be escorted there by the billeting officer.
	Winnie (5) Jim (8) Dorothy (9)
"On arrival an elderly lady opened the door to greet her new charges. She had a shock because she saw three forlorn little faces looking up at her. My eldest sister and I sensed that something was not quite right. A great deal of discussion took place between the two adults. "Two weeks earlier the billeting officer had asked this lady if she could accommodate any evacuees. She had agreed to take two little girls. The names given to her were Dorothy James and Winnie Bird. What everyone had failed to spot was that this was actually three children from the same family not two girls from separate households. "It was agreed that I should stay there that night but be collected in the morning and found somewhere else to stay the following day. However when morning came Nan had decided that she wasn’t prepared to split us up. "This was the start of our life in Stoke."

Vic Lawson, who still lives in the village, was away from home when his London school was evacuated:

" . . . my parents, concerned for my safety, put their thinking caps on and decided to contact Mr and Mrs Harry Parker at Hancox Farm. My cousin had enjoyed a holiday in the country for children from the cities with them prior to hostilities.

"Aged 11, I found myself in Stoke, living in another strange house, with very few possessions apart from my gas mask and identity badge; “I just had to get on with it”.

"I attended school in the Village Hall and my class occupied the stage area. Mr Yates a teacher from London lodged in Curload (where Gordon Chedzoy lives), and he reared rabbits. Boys from my class took turns every morning to feed, water and clean out the rabbits. However if you were really lucky you got to clean his bicycle!"

Vic's ID photo

Ron and Stan Gadsby were originally from Stratford , East London . Their Father ran a basket making business. He regularly visited Somerset to purchase willow so was familiar with the area. When the bombing of London became intense Mr Gadsby contacted Harry Lane of Silver Street Burrowbridge to make enquiries regarding evacuating his family to Somerset .

In September 1940 at the peak of the blitz it was decided to evacuate. Their mother persuaded her parents to join them. A telegram was sent to Mr Lane and the family travelled to Paddington by lorry with their belongings and bicycles.

The journey seemed to take forever as the bombing had destroyed many main routes and roads were blocked by fires and piles of rubble.

They travelled by train from Paddington to Bridgwater and then by taxi to Burrowbridge arriving before their telegram!

Mr and Mrs Lane offered temporary accommodation until an unfurnished house in Stanmoor Road became available for rent; at last the family were reunited with their furniture

Ron and Stan fitted in well with local community attending Burrowbridge Baptist Church and Youth Club. Both boys played football for Burrowbridge and cricket for Stoke. Ron can remember American airmen from the camp at Westonzoyland attending church on a Sunday evening and then being invited into local homes for supper. Sometimes Padres from the camp would take the service in the parish church.

Their father continued to run his business by renting part of Mr Lanes premises then purchased the Old Motor Works along the A361 (now the Somerset Levels Basket and Craft Centre) and closed down his London premises.

More evacuees. If you know of any others, please contact us with any information or pictures you have.

Eva, Ronald & Laura Andrews - Bullplace House	Doreen Kemble - Right Worked in village shop	David or Alan Sinclair Stayed at Willments Farm	Pat & Maureen o'Leary Bullplace Farm	Geoffrey Pursall & Frankie Goff Bullplace Farm