Figure 1.--

From the moment we arrived in Massacgusetts, not only our host parents, but others were very generous and friendly to us. And this included the kids. I made many friends. One of the first was Richard Bamforth. I remember Richard very well after all these years. His was one of the first American houses I visited after starting school. I remember his mother making me so welcome. They lived in a part of Swamscott where several of our classmates lived. I lived probably a couple of miles away, but it didn't take long on my bike. The only problem was he lived at the top of quite a steep hill! I remember now why I never met Richard's father. He was in the Merchant Marine, a very dangerous occupation at the time. He was quite distinuished and worte a book several years after the War which Richard edited, called Iron Jaw. Richard grew up to be a clergyman. A very rich family lived across the road. They had a little girl named Patricia. We went to elementary school together.

Richard Bamforth

One of the first was Richard Bamforth. I remember Richard very well after all these years. His was one of the first American houses I visited after starting school. I remember his mother making me so welcome. They lived in a part of Swamscott where several of our classmates lived. I lived probably a couple of miles away, but it didn't take long on my bike. The only problem was he lived at the top of quite a steep hill! I remember now why I never met Richard's father. He was in the Merchant Marine, a very dangerous occupation at the time. He was quite distinuished and worte a book several years after the War which Richard edited, called Iron Jaw. Richard grew up to be a clergyman.

Patricia Pinkham

A very rich family lived across the road. They had a little girl named Patricia. We went to elementary school together. There is an English High School in Lynn, Massacgusetts. There is an amusing story that the foundations of the building were poured on to glass patent medicine bottles from Lydia Pinkham's factory (Lily the Pink). The Pinkhams were a local dynasty in Lynn. I went to 6th Grade with her grand-daughter Patricia. She lived just across the road from my family. I walked to school. She was taken by chauffeur driven, white-walled tyred Cadillac. I never got a lift! It is interesting that she went to public school, at least for elementary school. She and my brother and I and another British evacuee all lived in Lynn, but we went to Hadley School in Swampscott. Most of my classmates came from professional and middle class families. Their parents were doctors, shop owners, business executives etc. Patricia didn't go on to Junior High with us. I think she almost certainly went to a private school. I had a communication from an English cousin of Patricia's recently who had stayed with her uncle's family during the war. He had been on our ship, but had come across on a private visa. I learned that she had died. They were quite a large family and all had Walt Disney nicknames. I don't think there was a 'Dopey'. She was Tinker Bell.