Jean Shone was only 2 at the time the evacuees arrived in Chorley, but can remember having a Miss Clarice Wragg to stay with her mother and father, who was the teacher from the school evacuated to the village from Margate. She remembers the evacuees adding a lot to the small village, and although she was young she has vivid memories of the Dunkle brothers getting the cane in class. She also remembers Land Girls coming to work on the farms in Chorley, including her uncle’s farm. Listen to Jean talking about the arrival of the evacuees by clicking on the link below. This will open as an audio file.

Jean speaking about the evacuees

Transcript of Jean’s audio clip

Clarice Wragg, the teacher who came to stay with Jean’s family

Though some of the evacuees stayed on, Clarice left Chorley in 1942, and Jean’s mother and Clarice continued to write to each other until Clarice’s sudden death 5 years later. Interestingly, Clarice told Jean’s mother that it had taken a war to separate her from her home. Clarice’s mother then arrived at the house with her bags telling her she couldn’t live without her – followed shortly by Clarice’s father! There wasn’t enough room in Jean’s house, so they were put up with friends at Farewell Manor.