The outbreak of World War II - 70 years ago this month - saw the first mass evacuation of children from British cities. Hilarie Stelfox’s mother Joan Stephenson, was among them. Tomorrow will be the 70th anniversary of the day Joan became an evacuee.

The outbreak of World War II - 70 years ago this month - saw the first mass evacuation of children from British cities. Hilarie Stelfox’s mother Joan Stephenson, was among them. Tomorrow will be the 70th anniversary of the day Joan became an evacuee.

MY MOTHER remembers listening to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s declaration of war on the radio at 11.15am, Sunday, September 3, 1939 (pictured right).

MY MOTHER remembers listening to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s declaration of war on the radio at 11.15am, Sunday, September 3, 1939 (pictured right).

It was news that everyone had been expecting.

It was news that everyone had been expecting.

In fact, her family’s neighbours had already built an air raid shelter in their back yard.

In fact, her family’s neighbours had already built an air raid shelter in their back yard.

For my mother, who was just 11 at the time, there could have been little understanding of what to expect. For my grandmother, it was a case of history repeating itself. Born in 1896, she was a young woman when the First World War devastated Europe.

For my mother, who was just 11 at the time, there could have been little understanding of what to expect. For my grandmother, it was a case of history repeating itself. Born in 1896, she was a young woman when the First World War devastated Europe.

My grandmother would also have been fearful for the safety of my grandfather, a merchant navy chief engineer who was, at the time, sailing to Australia on an oil tanker. (As the war gathered pace he was called up to serve in the Atlantic fleet, carrying supplies from America to Britain).

My grandmother would also have been fearful for the safety of my grandfather, a merchant navy chief engineer who was, at the time, sailing to Australia on an oil tanker. (As the war gathered pace he was called up to serve in the Atlantic fleet, carrying supplies from America to Britain).

The outbreak of World War II coincided with the start of the new school year for thousands of British children.

The outbreak of World War II coincided with the start of the new school year for thousands of British children.

My mother, who now lives in Salendine Nook, Huddersfield, had passed the 11 plus and been awarded a place at a grammar school in Sunderland.

My mother, who now lives in Salendine Nook, Huddersfield, had passed the 11 plus and been awarded a place at a grammar school in Sunderland.

Although the heavily industrial town, with its shipyards and coalmines, was certain to be a target for German bombing, the Government had made no plans to evacuate its children and vulnerable residents until angry protests by local council officials and MPs.

Although the heavily industrial town, with its shipyards and coalmines, was certain to be a target for German bombing, the Government had made no plans to evacuate its children and vulnerable residents until angry protests by local council officials and MPs.

And so, on September 10, my mother said goodbye to her own mother and walked to school carrying a bag containing a change of clothes. She joined 450 girls in the school hall who then made their way on foot to the local railway station to board a train bound for North Yorkshire. She was one of the lucky evacuees and has mostly positive memories of the experience.

And so, on September 10, my mother said goodbye to her own mother and walked to school carrying a bag containing a change of clothes. She joined 450 girls in the school hall who then made their way on foot to the local railway station to board a train bound for North Yorkshire. She was one of the lucky evacuees and has mostly positive memories of the experience.

This is her story:

This is her story:

We were each given a paper bag with rations, including tinned milk, biscuits and corned beef, which we were to pass on to our hosts.

We were each given a paper bag with rations, including tinned milk, biscuits and corned beef, which we were to pass on to our hosts.

“I was taken by car to a billet in Frenchgate, Richmond, with a school friend, Kathleen Borlace. It was a big, three-storey terraced house. Living there were our host and hostess, Mr and Mrs Malaburn, their son Douglas, who was about 21 and a qualified ladies hairdresser, four male lodgers and Ethel the maid. Poor Ethel had lived in the workhouse where her illegitimate son had been born. He was in an orphanage.

“I was taken by car to a billet in Frenchgate, Richmond, with a school friend, Kathleen Borlace. It was a big, three-storey terraced house. Living there were our host and hostess, Mr and Mrs Malaburn, their son Douglas, who was about 21 and a qualified ladies hairdresser, four male lodgers and Ethel the maid. Poor Ethel had lived in the workhouse where her illegitimate son had been born. He was in an orphanage.

“Mr Malaburn worked at Catterick Camp, which was nearby, while Mrs Malaburn ran the guest house.

“Mr Malaburn worked at Catterick Camp, which was nearby, while Mrs Malaburn ran the guest house.

“We got on quite well with Mr and Mrs Malaburn and to be honest I found it all quite exciting. Being an only child it was my first experience of being independent and I enjoyed it. I had pocket money for the first time and bought a camera at Woolworth’s for 3s 6d, including a film. The snaps were pretty awful and then I found I couldn’t get another film because of the war, so it was a total waste of money.

“We got on quite well with Mr and Mrs Malaburn and to be honest I found it all quite exciting. Being an only child it was my first experience of being independent and I enjoyed it. I had pocket money for the first time and bought a camera at Woolworth’s for 3s 6d, including a film. The snaps were pretty awful and then I found I couldn’t get another film because of the war, so it was a total waste of money.

“Douglas ran his hairdressing business from the front room, using the bathroom for hair washing. He permed Kathleen’s hair into ringlets and put a wave into my short hair. He made bows for our hair from a ribbon that had decorated his parents’ silver wedding cake.

“Douglas ran his hairdressing business from the front room, using the bathroom for hair washing. He permed Kathleen’s hair into ringlets and put a wave into my short hair. He made bows for our hair from a ribbon that had decorated his parents’ silver wedding cake.

“The house had two cellars filled with food and bags of flour. We used to play down there.

“The house had two cellars filled with food and bags of flour. We used to play down there.

Although the house was large, Kathleen and I had to share a bedroom with Mr and Mrs Malaburn, who had put up a screen to divide the room, which had two double beds. We didn’t like it much.

Although the house was large, Kathleen and I had to share a bedroom with Mr and Mrs Malaburn, who had put up a screen to divide the room, which had two double beds. We didn’t like it much.

“Mr and Mrs Malaburn never took us anywhere but their elder son John was married and lived in a cottage on the moors. We would go and see the family and he would bring us back on his motorbike. I usually sat in the sidecar. He was a mechanic in Richmond.

“Mr and Mrs Malaburn never took us anywhere but their elder son John was married and lived in a cottage on the moors. We would go and see the family and he would bring us back on his motorbike. I usually sat in the sidecar. He was a mechanic in Richmond.

“We started school in Richmond, but only part time as we had to share buildings with children from different schools. We spent the spare half days playing hockey, netball and walking. At weekends we roamed the moors, played in the river, gathered walnuts and made brooches from acorns, sycamore seeds and leaves. These were things that I couldn’t do in Sunderland. It was quite an adventure.

“We started school in Richmond, but only part time as we had to share buildings with children from different schools. We spent the spare half days playing hockey, netball and walking. At weekends we roamed the moors, played in the river, gathered walnuts and made brooches from acorns, sycamore seeds and leaves. These were things that I couldn’t do in Sunderland. It was quite an adventure.

“But in November that year Mr and Mrs Malaburn moved to a pub in Richmond, where evacuees were not allowed, and as there was nobody to give us accommodation our parents took us home to Sunderland.

“But in November that year Mr and Mrs Malaburn moved to a pub in Richmond, where evacuees were not allowed, and as there was nobody to give us accommodation our parents took us home to Sunderland.

“Most evacuees returned in 1940 and the schools re-opened. The evacuation of Sunderland at that time was a flop because the bombing started after we got back and I believe that Catterick was bombed before Sunderland!’’

“Most evacuees returned in 1940 and the schools re-opened. The evacuation of Sunderland at that time was a flop because the bombing started after we got back and I believe that Catterick was bombed before Sunderland!’’

My mother went back to grammar school and the war overshadowed most of her teenage years. At school the cycle sheds were converted into air raid shelters but at first some lessons were conducted in teachers’ homes.

My mother went back to grammar school and the war overshadowed most of her teenage years. At school the cycle sheds were converted into air raid shelters but at first some lessons were conducted in teachers’ homes.

The street where she lived was bombed on many occasions and the family often had to seek refuge in their concrete shelter several times a week.

The street where she lived was bombed on many occasions and the family often had to seek refuge in their concrete shelter several times a week.

On one occasion all the windows in the house blew out, ceilings collapsed and the roof was damaged.

On one occasion all the windows in the house blew out, ceilings collapsed and the roof was damaged.

She described the events of that night: “We used to get a lot of nuisance raids in which nothing happened, you were just kept awake. So one night when the siren went off my mother said ‘just stay in bed’. But that was the night the land mine dropped at the top of our street. When that happened she shouted for me to get up and we hid under the dining room table as the windows came in.

She described the events of that night: “We used to get a lot of nuisance raids in which nothing happened, you were just kept awake. So one night when the siren went off my mother said ‘just stay in bed’. But that was the night the land mine dropped at the top of our street. When that happened she shouted for me to get up and we hid under the dining room table as the windows came in.

“The blinds at the windows saved us. It was really frightening. You could hear the drones of the aeroplanes and the ack-ack guns.

“The blinds at the windows saved us. It was really frightening. You could hear the drones of the aeroplanes and the ack-ack guns.

“After an air raid – at one or two in the morning – we’d all go out and walk about to see what damage had been done.’’

“After an air raid – at one or two in the morning – we’d all go out and walk about to see what damage had been done.’’

The footnote to my mother’s story is that while an evacuee in Richmond she was issued with an identity card. “The number on it is now my medical card number - a reminder of the past. Whenever I see it I think of my time in Richmond,’’ she said.

The footnote to my mother’s story is that while an evacuee in Richmond she was issued with an identity card. “The number on it is now my medical card number - a reminder of the past. Whenever I see it I think of my time in Richmond,’’ she said.

Were you an evacuee during the war? Have you a story to tell? Contact either 01484 437761 or email editorial@examiner.co.uk

Were you an evacuee during the war? Have you a story to tell? Contact either 01484 437761 or email editorial@examiner.co.uk