8 December 1939 - Allowed home for Christmas

8.12.39


Dear Angela
I hope you receive this letter sometime near Xmas, I have tried to judge it so you will. We have been having very cold weather, snow and ice. On one day it was extra cold and remained at -9°C all day. We are hoping to have some ice skating here, we do not get any at home because the ponds and rivers never freeze thick enough.
I am still enjoying myself in spite of all the troubles of an evacuee. Some of the boys have not been very lucky in their billets because they have got in with some “queer” kinds of people. I have been very lucky. We have had a great debate here as to whether we should be allowed to go home for Xmas or not. We (the boys) have beaten the Government because we can go home if we wish, and no one can force us to stay here. I will be going home on Dec. 22 cond and I will return on Jan.8th. My pal and I have been having a queer time lately because we went to the “flicks” last week (a 1/- seat costing 2/- can you work this out?) and this week we found out we were “broke” and have had to be careful with our money until our next allowance came from home.
I am now in the middle of the term exams, we have a week of them two each day, they began last Thursday. My friend and I got “fed up” of “swotting” last night and went to the cinema (on our own this time!). We did just as good in the exams as if we had worked all night.
I am now training for the school Cross-Country team, we are running against the “Royal Signals” at Catterick next week. I have been “ploughing” through some of the dirtiest farmyards I have ever seen. Do you have much cross-country running in America? The school was very proud of an old boy yesterday because he has been chosen to play for Oxford University Football team.
I am now talking “Yorkshire” altogether, I have got some of the very funny Yorkshire “sayings” off now. We meet farmers every day and hear new proverbs etc., some of them are very funny. The last one I heard was that a man was “too lazy to shiver when he was cold”, this is in standard English however. Did you understand all my talk about the dialect? Have you any dialects in America?
I hope you will soon get used to my ironical remarks, I have developed a habit of putting them in letters since I hear so many from the Yorkshire hosts.
I have managed to get hold of a German 40 mark stamp, it is very common and you will almost be certain to have it.
I must close now, I hope you are in the best of health, “but don’t if you would rather not” (another piece of Yorkshire)

I close wishing you and all at home a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

Harold

P.S. If you can’t understand some of my “slang” terms please ask me about them

19 November 1939 - New digs

8 Springwell Terr. East
Northallerton
Yorks

19/11/39


Dear Angela
I suppose you will be wondering why I have changed my address since my last letter. My new “mother” at the old “digs” took ill and I had to find a new place. I am here with my pal and the people are much more homely than the last place. They are very jolly and we can hardly eat for laughing.
I was home for the weekend after I answered or at least wrote to you. My pal and I got home because we had to buy some new clothes. I got home again for all of last week because I had been ill and the doctor sent me home for a rest. I can tell you that I did not feel like returning, although the people are so kind it is not quite “home”. I wish we were going to get home for Xmas as I have had invitations to three parties, but it is doubtful if we will be allowed home.
I am glad you liked the photo of Barnard Castle, I thought you would like them as I don’t think you have any castles in America. We have quite a number of old churches around Northallerton some as old as 1090 A.D. They are favourite subjects for pen and ink sketches. The oldest church I have ever seen is in Sunderland, it was built about 800 A.D. and is Saxon, the tower is still standing. I have just began to study Architecture and it is very interesting.
I did not think you would have to learn “Shakespeare” in America. We have him until we can quote from almost any of his plays, I like his blank verse but I would much rather have “Wodehouse” “Conan Doyle” etc. I have read “The Tempest”, “Twelfth Night”, “Julius Caesar” and “Macbeth”. We get a test on “Macbeth” in my first exam which comes next July, we get context questions, this is giving the speaker, the person spoken to and the part of the play in reference to about two lines given on the exam paper. We also get questions like this on Modern Poetry. I will repeat you and say “forget that I wrote anything about it” if you get the same.
I think I told you that our Girl’s School is at Richmond, well I rode about 40 miles to Richmond and back, not to see any girls!, but, to see our Rugby Football Team get beaten by Richmond Grammar School. The ride to Richmond is just torture, as Northallerton is in the valley and Richmond is “perched” high up in the hills. We miss our Girls School, because we used to have tons of fun travelling to school on our bikes or in the tram-car with them.
When we came back from Richmond we made a detour in order to pass a very large aerodrome which is nearby. When we went past we saw some of the famous “Spitfires” they were about ready to take off but we could not watch as we would have been taken for spies. I saw a Spitfire last week and it went down our high street about 100 ft high and at about 400 m.p.h. it was a marvellous sight to see.
I haven’t done much pen work for a while now but I have made a passable pencil portrait of my host. Our art course is very mixed now but I manage to be fairly good all round. Last week we had to shade a duster in pencil, it was some job because of the hundreds of shades and folds. I can also imagine you drawing a Roman Toga in pen, it must have been tough!
May I also congratulate you, not on a championship but on your writing. I have always admired it and it is far better than mine. I don’t know what you think of my scribble, it is pretty awful isn’t it. I have an excuse because my fountain pen has been borrowed and I am writing with a fine sketching pen.
You have been lucky having a heat wave we had snow about six weeks ago and there was about two inches of ice on the “beck” which is Yorkshire for stream. We cannot get any more apples as they have all been gathered but we have some very sweet ones from certain orchards. I think I will be writing “Yorkshire” soon as well as speaking it. I suppose you will have heard of the famous Yorkshire dialect well that is what I am refering to. One famous Yorkshire saying is:-
(A father’s advice to his son) “If tha iver does owt for nowt, die it for thee sen. Drink all pay nowt, hear all say nowt, but, if tha iver does out for nowt die it for thee sen”.
If you can’t understand it means:- “If you ever do anything for nothing do it for yourself. Drink all and pay nothing hear all and say nothing”
Another phrase, used in autograph books, is “By hook or by crook I’ll be first in this book”, this is put at the first page or it can be altered to the last.
Thanks very much for the photos, I think they are great and I am sure your first description of yourself did not pay you enough tribute.
I have a correspondent for your cousin his name is George Cutter he is also an evacuee with our school. I have given him the address so he will write first.
I must close now as I have expired both physically and mentally but I should not have left two letters unanswered.
Yours sincerely
Harold
P.S. Please excuse all mistakes

3 October 1939 - War has broken out

Eastbrook
Bullamoor Road
Northallerton

3.10.39


Dear Angela
Although I have not received a reply to my letter of the 15th August I am writing now as I have done so much since then.
After writing the last time I went for a fortnights camping. We had a wonderful time. We were camping in a field about 20 yards from the River Wear at Eastgate. There was good bathing and the woods were very close by. Our water was obtained from a very squeaky pump and we got our milk and eggs very cheaply from the farm. The village was about twenty houses and a public house. The Pennines were only about 6 miles away and we often went onto the moors. After ten days of fun we were called back home because of the crisis. When we got back we found the town in a fever of excitement over the “war scare”. We had only been back about a week when the war began.
Since the war began we have had to have complete darkness in the streets at night, and it is terrible trying to find your way about in the dark. I suppose you will have heard about the evacuation scheme, well I am an evacuee. We were told to report at school with our clothes in a rucksac, and then we were taken down to the railway station and sent to my present abode Northallerton which is a small town in Yorkshire.
I will have to tell you about Northallerton. It is in the North Riding of Yorkshire between the Pennines and the Cleveland Hills. It has a population of 5,000, two cinemas, no baths, no library and no river. We have to attend school and 450 boys have been put into space for 200. We are billeted in private houses and the owners receive some food for the first two days and they are given an allowance for our keep from the Government. I am sleeping with one of my pals and we are having some great fun although the town is half asleep and is so small. The girls portion of our school is now at Richmond which is 16 miles away, we often go through on our bikes.
The government have just begun to ration petrol and they are going to ration food in the next few weeks but we will not starve as this is a great fruit producing area and we know where the orchards are.
I cannot write to my German correspondent now so I will have more time to write to you now. I am sorry if this letter is like a story but it has been a new experience to me. Please excuse my writing as I tried to “bounce” my pen on the classroom floor. Write to my home address as I will be going home if the war finishes. If you write home it will be sent to me.
I think I have just about run out of my latest adventure so I will close now hoping you are in as good health as your “corresponding evacuee”. I would have sent some camp photos but they were very poor.
Love
Harold
P.S. Write soon

13 August 1939 - Postcard views of Barnard Castle

13.8.39

Dear Angela
Forgive me for not writing before now but I have just returned from a weeks stay at Barnard Castle. Barnard Castle is a small village on the moors and there are many pleasant walks nearby. I am sending two views, one of the ruined castle (it was built in 1379 A.D.) and the other of a beautiful old bridge across the Tees near an old abbey. I had a great time and there was only one day on which it rained.
We have had our school sports and I was Middle Champion (that is champion of the boys from 14-16 yrs old) winning three events, 100 yds, 220 yds and hurdles and having four seconds. I was presented with a cup and a cricket bat.
We finished school here on July 27th and do not go back until Sept 20th. I got a very good report from school so there were no complaints at home.
I think I know what you mean about that Australian animal, it is a koala bear, and I have a photo of one, which my cousin sent me. (Photo not bear!)
I am sending you an Australian stamp. I know this is very little but I will ask for some more in my next letter to Australia and Germany. You may have to wait for a fairly long time as it takes five weeks to reach Australia and my German correspondent is none too swift in answering. I hope you don’t think I have let you down about the stamps but I will send some sometime.
I only returned from Barnard Castle yesterday and am leaving for a fortnights camp on Tuesday 15th August. I am going with seven other boys from school and we are certain that we will have a good time if we are not “washed out”. We are going to a small village called Eastgate, this is also on the moors. It is beside Woolsingham, and both villages are on the river Wear, Barnard Castle is in the river Tees. You may not find these on the map as they are very small, but they will be marked on a large scale map.
I have been to the swimming baths fairly often in the last few weeks. I was going to go for a dip in the sea every morning about 8-o-clock, I went in once and it was raining the next morning and the scheme fell through, partly because it was too early to rise.
I will have to close now as I have many odd jobs to do and little things to get before packing for camp.
Your English friend
Harold

19 June 1939 - Harold aged 15

56 Bond St
Sunderland

19.6.39

Dear Angela
I was very glad to receive your letter as Steve said that Kay had obtained a correspondent for me. You wanted to know all about me, there is very little to say however.
I am 5 feet 9 inches tall and weigh 9 stone 10 lbs (136 lbs), my hair is dark brown and my eyes are grey. I am the “only baby” and mam and dad say that I am spoiled, but I don’t think so.
I go to the Bede Collegiate School, the same as Steve, I am in the fifth form and will take my leaving exam next year. The subjects I take at present are:-English, French, Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry) Chemistry, Physics, Art and History, but I will stop History, if I am lucky, this year. My hobby is also Art, I like pen and ink sketching and I am just trying water colour landscapes, but the fruits of my labour have been poor so far. In sports I play football (English) and cricket I also swim and do athletics. I like athletics best and our running club has the town cup for this year. Our school has quite a good record being football, athletics and cross-country running champions. The girls play hockey, basketball, base-ball and tennis, they do a little athletics also.
I do not save stamps although some of my friends do, but I will be able to get some Australian and German stamps if you want some as I have a cousin in Australia, and a German correspondent to improve my German.
I cannot say much of our view as I live in a very industrial town of coal-mines and ship-building. We have however a very good beach about a mile away and some pleasant scenery up the river.
I have a “bike” to travel to school on, I also go riding at the weekends, but I like hiking best as I can get off the roads onto the moors. We have a hiking club at school and we have some very happy tramps although the packs are heavy.
I go to the pictures once a week during the winter but very rarely during the summer as I like to bathe or do some running.
I am enclosing a snapshot taken in the school grounds by my friend, it is not extra good as the sun was shining in my eyes, but it will give you a vague idea of what kind of a person you are writing to.
I must close now as homework calls, do you get much homework from school?
Your friend
Harold
P.S. I am 15 years old, just like me to forget.