RootsChat.Com

razzleRita.

Just re-read your account above and noted that you played The Toad in Toad of Toad Hall. Frank Gorman (my co-author) actually listed the participants ,which I reproduced in the book. I quote

"among the stars were....................Rita Cook,Peter Neave, James Ward, Edith Lewis etc etc etc"

He went on to say that Toad was given an extra two years for being green!

Regards

Gnashers

Hi there Bindy68.

I don't think I arrived in Ashford until early 47, so may not have met your Dad§ However the times would have been the same and I would be pleased to send on The Book Blitz Kids if you both understand that the book covers my experiences through the war, then at several other homes to finally being dumped at Ashford. Hoever,there is also a fairly substantial contribution by the late Frank Gorman who was there for many years preceeding and during my stay.

Hoping tohear again.

Gnashers

cher frederikay/Jan?

Sorry have been out of touch. If you wouls till like the book Biltz Kids' please n
contact me on '*'

Meantime best wishes with your own porogress.

Gnashers

(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.

Hi there every body particularly 'swampsiesue'

The book that I threatened to write should be available next month. It is my own view of life growing up during the blitz, evacuations, in childrens homes (4 of them). The last home being Ashford.

Half the book is devoted to my time at Ashford which is beautifully enhanced by the late Frank Gorman who's widow, Ann, has given me permission to publish his potted history of Ashford and  a very entertaining description of the people that worked and lived there.

The Epilogue includes references made by swampiesue's mother Sylvia and Maggi both posters on this site. If any one is interested in buying a copy it is a hardback of 140 pages and a few old photo's . Please contact me by personal message.

To the 'moderators' Through this Subject I have managed to meet up with Bill Taylor who had copies of Frank Gormans work. All three of us were there at the same time in the forties. Thanks

gnashers

Moderator comment: email address removed in accordance with Rootschat policies

hi swampiesue and maggie rose (how are you?)

Since both of you have mentioned visits to Walton-on-the Naze I thought to enlarge on this. This was the annual camp and we would be transported in a convoy of green  LCC wooden buses. A journey which would take all day
En route we would stop at The Rose Cafe' between Brentwood and Chelmsford on the A12.It was still there last year.

The tents were typically army style laid out in rows qverlooking the estuaryon a high field.

To me Walton was paradise, with its lovely beach, cliff walks and yes the famous tower. To say little of it's equally famous pier. Second only to Souhthend  in length at the time. We were given vouchers to use at the fair on the pier
and trade sweetsor do favours to get more vouchers.

I also remelmber a group of elderly locals who would sit in a beach shelter or was it a bus shelter on the promenade. They would sing hymns and there was a very good accordionist. One hymn stuck in my head for life:_

"God be in my head
and in my understanding"

My contemporaries thought I was a but wierd as I went to listen to them most days.

And to finish, a small boast, I won the Sandcastle competion every year

As a teenager I used to go back there regularly with friends on Bikes on Day trips. Made a few friend among the locals and eventually stayed in a big house up on the cliffs as Honeymoon present. Great days