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London and Middlesex / Re: Ashford residental home . middlesex
« on: Wednesday 08 December 10 20:45 GMT (UK) »
Hi,! I was at Asford from 1934 to 1945. evacuated to Maidenhead, Berks. Have pleasant memories of Ashford seeing it was the only place that I knew of. Must have been 2 years old when I went there. Discipline by today's standard was pretty strict but for us it was the norm. Education was the basic 3 Rs but pretty thorough. I was just under 8 years old when WW.2 started and could read and follow a lot of it . From the Newspapers. Being an avid stamp collector at that time . I found the war maps easy to follow . Maidehead was a very nice place for me . With nice views along the river . Used to hang about Boulters Lock to help open & close the Locks. School was a mismatch affair. in various places such as Church Halls, Scout Hut etc. We went to Dymchurch for summer. I think it had a miniture railway . Which was taken over by the Military. I had 4 elder sibblings at Ashford and none of them complained about conditions there , at lease to me. t the age of 14 yrs we were put into Apprentice programes for boys or Boy service in the Armed Forces . My eldest sisterwas put into domestic service for a Dr's family home. and had to sign some sort of contract. She told me many years later that it was terrible working there and eventually ran away. The start of War helped in avoiding the authourities and work was plentiful