EMAIL FROM BOB HOOPER,
FORMER EVACUEE TO SULGRAVE IN 1940
(Reproduced with his permission)
Hi Dave,
I found your web page and it brought back many memories. I was an evacuee in Sulgrave in 1941, I stayed with a Mrs and Mr James who lived in a big courtyard encompassed by Stables and a large house that housed some titled people. The James family consisted of the parents and two daughters, Diana, and Mary and one son named David. Mary was married to a soldier named Charlie, the occupants of the large house were a lord Connor and a lord and lady Towers, there was also a child who we addressed as master Christopher. At Christmas time all the children would be entertained at a party in the main house. Mr James was Groom and Chauffeur to the titled people. Lord Connor was the officer in charge of the local Homeguard troop and used to hold parades in the Courtyard and on one occasion an aircraft flew over whilst drill was taking place and Lord Connor identified it as German and fired a shot at it but it disappeared into the clouds as children we thought that very exciting. There was a small schoolhouse the teacher was a Miss Cave who used a chair leg when punishment was required so we had a great incentive to behave. I have great memories of the hill at the back of the Church, in Winter we would have much fun tobogganing down it. From time to time I used to pump the organ during services, two boys would take turns because of aching arms The church was also the place that we were given Red Cross parcels on rare occasions.
Sulgrave was the place I learned about catching Rabbits to augments the rations we were allowed. There is one thing that intrigues me to this day, on one Church window cill there was a small opening with a locked top and my friends and I used to guess what could be in there. Thank you for your time taken reading my musings, as you no doubt realize I am seventy six now and fate has been kind to me I still play nine holes of golf and have fond memories of Sulgrave.
yours Sincerely
Bob Hooper