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      Memories of a Ludham Evacuee


Memories of Rita Woodford (nee Nightingale)

Rita was evacuated to Ludham from Elm Park in Essex in 1944 along with her Brother, Lionel and Sister, Diane.
Rita Nightingale
My sister, Brother and I were among 20 children evacuated to Ludham in 1944. We travelled by train complete with our gas masks in boxes and labels round our necks. Unusually, our mother came with us because Lionel was a baby and needed looking after. We did not know where we were going.

When we got to Ludham we sat on the floor in a hall and people came to look at us and choose who they wanted to take in. Nobody wanted us as we had a baby with us and so, eventually, we were taken in by Mrs Brooks at Ludham Manor which was probably a lucky break. Our mother was a seamstress and she did sewing work for Mrs Brooks. Mrs Brooks was quite a character who wore a strange hat because she had no hair. Her husband Russell was so much younger than her that, at first, I thought he was her son. Mrs Brooks had a grand piano with ornaments which you were not allowed to move. She looked after us well. We stayed on in Ludham after the war and we were still here for the Coronation in 1953. We were not allowed to go in the front door of the Manor and had to use the entrance at the back.

I remember the Fairy Garden in the grounds of Ludham Manor and the bird sanctuary with the cockatoo called Bill.
I went to Ludham School at first, and then later, when I was older, I went to Stalham. I also went to Sunday School at the Church Rooms and to church at St Catherine’s. We did not have much money and our Mother made our clothes. She made me a lovely coat and while we are out on a Church Brigade outing, I leaned on a large cable drum and got a black stripe on the coat. I was in a lot of trouble.

We did our shopping at Throwers which was a different and smaller place back then. We were fascinated by Mr Knights’ saddlers shop and loved to go in there and look at all the things on display. Opposite was the old Post Office also run by Throwers. Near to this was a chip shop which was really part of a house. In those days, the Garage was just a sort of shed. We got our milk from Manor Farm in Staithe Road. You took a can with you and they filled it up.

We were allowed out to explore the village. One very cold day, the water at Womack was frozen. We were not supposed to go out on the ice but my sister did and the ice broke and she fell in. I had to go out to rescue her. None of us could swim. I got new clothes as a reward and my sister got a clip round the ear.

Sometimes, Mrs Brooks would take us out in her sailing boat. We would go off to Potter Heigham for a picnic with cucumber sandwiches. You had to eat it all and could not get up until you had done so. The bridge at Potter Heigham was very low and I can remember scraping the roof of the boat on it as we went under.

Manor Panto
The Pantomime Cast outside the Manor
In the Manor Grounds was a large Nissen Hut which had been converted into a theatre. Mrs Brooks used to organise pantomimes there. If you were chosen to be in the production, you could not say no. Mum made the costumes.
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