Off to Scotland

In January 1941, our parents decided to send us away to Scotland, to avoid the blitz. As you can see we were dressed in the latest fashion as used by Winston Churchill, though he preferred the brandy bottle to the Teddy bear. We travelled overnight on a train diverted from time to time as troop trains or supplies had priorities. We ended up at a rural residence near Carluke, in Scotland, called,Waygateshaw. A clearly upper class family had taken us in through the principal of the school where my mother was teaching. There were three daughters and a son. Ponies, stables land going down to the Clyde, a cook a handyman, and a governess.

I had truly traumatic experience here as a three ,year old, which I have never forgotten. It was my brother’s sixth birthday, when we came down at teatime there was a delicious looking birthday cake on the table. At my seat was the bowl of disgusting soup I had refused at lunch time, which was now also cold. I was told I had to finish it if I wanted to have any cake. I did not eat it and was sent to my room. That same governess was with the family in 1944, when I was sent to them again, and ultimately ended up teaching at the same school as my mother, We still received Christmas cards from her when she was 90