TWO brothers who were evacuated to Frome from London during World War II have revisited the town for a trip down memory lane.
Jim Beer, aged 89, and brother Richard Beer, aged 90, visited the churchyard of St John’s Church, to spend time on the Portland stone seat, which bears the inscription, “Given in gratitude to the people of Frome who generously opened their homes to the schoolchildren evacuated from London during the war 1939-1945.”
The seat was donated in 1999 by evacuee schoolboys from the Coopers’ Company School, where Jim and Richard went to school.
Their sister, Joyce Shaw, who lives in Bradford on Avon said, “Jim was billeted with Mrs Austin and Mr. and Mrs Andrews at 58 Oldfield Road and went on to take a degree in chemistry.
Richard lived at several addresses – Mr and Mrs Edwards at 19 Berkeley Road, Mr and Mrs. Parkes at Nunney Road, Mr and Mrs White in Oldfield Road, Mr and Mrs Grist at Gurnville Cottages and Mr. and Mrs Brotherwood at Lansdowne Crescent. Richard went on to study estate management in London and then at Harvard University.
“My third brother, John, moved to Frome to join his brothers when he was 11. He stayed for most of the years in Frome with a Mr. and Mrs Flower, living at Marston Lane and then Adderwell.
“We all went back to London after the war (I was evacuated to Guildford) and although many times we were homesick, I am sure that looking back, it was a very life-enhancing experience being transported from London to the green fields of Somerset during formative teenage years, going cycling and fishing and growing vegetables.”
Above: Jim and Richard Beer visit the Portland stone seat in St John’s churchyard.
