Mum was born on 13th March 1935 and grew up in Whitehawk, with her mum, dad and 3 sisters. The bombing started in Brighton in 1940, the sisters belonged to The Mickey Mouse Cinema Club. One particular Saturday they begged their mother to go but she couldn't afford it, therefore, they stayed at home. That day a bomb dropped on the Odeon, Kemp Town, a lot of the children were killed.
When she was evacuated she was 5, Pat was in charge at the age of 10. They were told to stay together, when they got to Hebden Bridge they were ushered into a large hall and were the last ones left, eventually they were split up. Betty and Mary were together, they were staying with a Mr and Mrs King who were very wealthy. They had a huge bear in the hallway for coats, a sunken bath and an old fashioned coach in the garage, a far cry from Whitehawk!  Unfortunately they couldn't cope therefore they were separated, Betty going to a couple who had no children, he was a school teacher. They were very fond of Betty, they gave Betty a Birthday party inviting all her sisters, they were in awe of The of the table tennis room on top of the garage and the white piano. The couple fell in love with Betty and wanted to adopt her, needless to say Nan and Ella marched up to Yorkshire to bring them back. The bombing started again in Brighton with a vengeance so Pat, Mary and Betty were sent to Oxenhope, Pat and Mary stayed together and Betty was on a farm, they used to see each other at school.