Early 1940 my father was in the R.A.F., my mother, my younger sister, Evelyn, and myself, Dorothy Tomkins, were still at home in Woodford, East London, on the edge of EppingForest. I took and passed the 'scholarship' (later known as the ll+) and at Easter was evacuated with my new school to Kettering. Sometime during that year my mother's friend Mrs. Echart and her two daughters, Bobette and Suzette, were evacuated to Wichenford and were to stay several years with Eve and Albert Hiams and son Denis at 'Boxley'. Mr. Echart took my mother and sister to visit them and before long Janet and Sam Whatmore offered to have my mother and sister to stay with them. Their house was only just across the road, 3 Willow Road, but in Martley, they would also have room for me to join them. 1 think it was Easter 1941 when 1 was transferred to Worcester Secondary School, and so began my stay in Martley.

This was the start of a memorable and enjoyable period of my life, so many memories, so where do 1 start? We were like one big happy family, Suzette Echart the youngest, then Den Hiams and my sister, 'Evelyn, their birthdays only 12 days apart, next Bobette Echart and then me, Dorothy, the eldest, ll years old. Mr. and Mrs. Hiams were Uncle Albert and Auntie Eve, Mrs. Echart had always been Auntie Peg to us.

We got on well with Janet and Sam Whatmore but a lot of our time was spent over the road at 'Boxley'. No gas, electricity or running water was quite a novelty. At Whatmore's we had an indoor bathroom and toilet, but 1 cannot remember how we filled the bath, the toilet was flushed using a bucket of water which you had to refill from the pump in the front garden. At 'Boxley' it was 'the little house around the corner' adjoining the pigsty, with bucket needing regular emptying.

I went by bus to school having walked to Laugherne Hill to catch it, though later 1 took my bike and left it at the nearby house, charge of 6d a week 1 believe. Sometimes 1 cycled to school from choice, other times it was because 1 had missed the bus. Hilda Mann and Joyce Badger travelled on the bus too, and at different schools were Janet and Roy Gill, my memory lets me down for other names. We had to behave ourselves on the bus as there would be a bus prefect ready to report any misdemeanours to our school. School uniform was still strictly adhered to despite the war, those black stockings even in summer with our grey cotton dresses, though later we were allowed to wear white socks. Hilda and Joyce became great friends of mine, though Jo in particular. At that time Jo lived with her parents and younger sister, Barbara, at Hope House Cottage but we spent many hours playing Monopoly in the hayloft at Hope House. Sometimes we were joined by Bobette and Evelyn, I remember Bob slipping on the ladder and breaking her wrist! Cocoa beans were stored at the farm, a few loose ones always on the ground, Jo and 1 spent some time wondering whether it was possible to make chocolate from them, we never succeeded. Sometimes we were allowed to ride on the horse there, no saddle but 1 think we must have had reins, mostly we cycled around the lanes. Eventually Jo went off to boarding school and 1 returned home, we gradually lost touch.

Back to our gang at 'Boxley' where Sue, Den, Evelyn and Bob all went to Martley village school, except for Sue they were all in the same class. I believe Mr.Goring was headmaster. They all walked there and back every day together with Margaret and Ray Bishop, Les Birch and others whose names escape me.

We all had such a wonderful time. We went fishing in pools which do not appear to exist today; we caught newts with a worm on a bent pin, and various tiddlers. We slid on the ice in the winter and Sue fell in, we rushed her home to find Auntie Peg in the tin bath in front of the fire. We climbed trees and again it was Sue who fell out, luckily she was unhurt. There was an oak tree at the top of the field opposite 'Boxley' which we all climbed and used as our 'den'. We went rabbiting with Uncle Albert and his ferrets and at harvest time we were all ready with our sturdy sticks around the field being cut. A notch on your stick if you caught one and, if you were lucky, you would be given one to take home. 1 still enjoy rabbit pie or stew but my sister will not touch it.

Food was rationed but I never remember being hungry. Auntie Eve kept chickens; there was a pig, 1 think we had to have a special licence to have that killed. One Christmas we were fattening up a goose for dinner on the big day. The time had come to kill it and all five of us children hid at the far end of the orchard vowing we were not going to eat our Christmas dinner, of course we did!

I remember picking raspberries, black and red currants at Jackman's farm, I believe the children at Martley school were given a week off for this. We went blackberrying on Berrow Hill, we picked apples pears, plums and damsons at 'Boxley', and my mother even went hop-picking.

Mr. Hiams Snr. used to deliver our milk but then Uncle Albert took over. He kept 6 -8 milking cows at Barbers in Martley, they were milked by hand, the milk went into the chum and was delivered around the village by pony and trap. It was carefully measured out into the customer's jug; one house only had a gill each day.

Most evenings the four adults played cards; we children loved paper and pencil games of all sorts, though cards were also a favourite of ours too. Sometimes Auntie Eve would play the piano and we would all gather around for a sing-song and at Christmas we would go Carol-singing around the houses, they probably paid us to go away! We attended Martley Church most Sunday mornings, Den was in the choir and Ray Bishop pumped the organ, dare 1 admit that us girls tried to make them laugh 1 was in the Girl Guides taken by Stephanie Haines and actually met her again when 1 was visiting the church a few years ago.

Another of my memories is the village concert, never to be missed ... Then there was the bus coming back from Worcester which got stuck on the hill and we all had to get out while some of the adults pushed until they got it moving again. Also one memorable time when there were no buses due to the snow and my mother walked all the way to Worcester and back for our groceries. Top shop, as we called it, was kept by Mrs. Fidoe, the sister-in-law of Den's grandmother, and now the B and B where we have just stayed. So many lovely memories but 1 must stop somewhere. After we returned home we kept in touch, the years have rolled by, the five children have married, have children of their own and grandchildren too. For many years my husband and 1 had a narrow boat and often visited Diglis basin in Worcester, Stourport, Upton-upon -Severn, Pershore, Evesham etc. where we always met up with members of the Hiams family. We are retired now but there is something about visiting 'Boxley' and Martley that is like coming home.

Dorothy Smith (nee Tomkins)