Part of the half-term was spent in preparation for the upcoming evacuation day at school. Firstly we needed an outfit:
We found the cardigan at a charity shop (I could have probably made one but the war would have been over by then!) and we chose some fabric to make a skirt (again using the free tutorial from here).
Then we had a visit to the Imperial War Museum:
Which was incredibly emotional. We focused specifically on the Childhood exhibition which was superb. From the moment I heard the music playing I started to cry. Small boxes with childhood possessions - a pair of glasses from a boy who was evacuated here from Germany; a tattered dolly umbrella, letters to parents from evacuees. I couldn't imagine being able to evacuate my children. One boy's recollection was of being evacuated in the September thinking he would be back by Christmas - four years later he returned home.
It was easy to imagine the conflict that parents must have felt when surrounded by posters telling them to evacuate their children and yet I'm sure this went against their instincts to keep the family together.
There would have been some things I think I could have done well during the war such as the "Make do and Mend" - but perhaps not the knitting of socks which is still an ambition of mine!
There were some beautiful items such as these brooches made for a little girl. Her cape was made from an old blanket and her cardigan and dress were really beautiful.
Seeing my daughter in her evacuation outfit brings it all home to you. It wasn't that long ago. "Will you be home by Christmas?" I asked her. "Mum..." she replied tersely "I'll be home for tea!".
Thank goodness.
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