![Adults Left to Right: Doreen Dorey, Elsie Wright [John Wright's mother], Eddie Dorey [son of Grandma Dorey and brother of Eva] and Will Wright [John Wright's father]. Picture supplied by John Wright. (27086428)](https://assets.guernseypress.com/a05f0710-bee6-4d9e-bc18-7f79e352536c?width=1120&height=630&format=webp)
During the Second World War, a Guernsey family – the Doreys – were evacuated to Coventry. Next door to them was Mr Wright’s family home and the two families became good friends.
Mr Wright was born in 1945 and raised in Coventry.
His family maintained a good relationship with the islanders who moved in next door to them and the Wrights made annual visits to Guernsey to visit them once they returned home after the war.
![Adults Left to Right: May, John Laine [who married Peggy], Eva, Peggy [Eva's daughter], Molly [Eva's daughter], and Will and Elsie Wright [John Wright's parents]. Picture supplied by John Wright. (27086430)](https://assets.guernseypress.com/1d3df3cb-6c82-4723-a95d-c752991319e1?width=1120&height=630&format=webp)
‘We used to get the train down to Southampton and the ferry across to Guernsey – it became like an annual pilgrimage for us for about 10 or 15 years and we would spend the whole two-week summer holiday with [the Doreys].’
Mr Wright explained how the whole Dorey family were evacuated from Guernsey, including Grandma Dorey, Eddie and his wife May, Eddie’s sister Eva and her two daughters, Molly and Peggy.
When Mr Wright was 21 years old and the young Dorey girls had grown up and each found husbands, he returned to the island once more and stayed with them. He has several photos of the two families together in Guernsey from the 1950s.
Molly married a Clarence Falla and Peggy married a John Laine, who owned a small farm in the north of the island.
‘I have been extremely interested to read all the coverage of the island’s celebration of the Liberation of the Channel Islands and my wife and I are excited to visit the island again on 8, 9 and 10 May to be a part of the 75th anniversary celebrations,’ Mr Wright said.
‘I am very passionate about my connection to Guernsey and my family’s relationship with the Doreys. I would love to meet up with any members of that family to share stories and photographs – I think it would be really special.’
![Left to Right: John Wright's mother and father Elsie and Will, Grandma Dorey, Molly [daughter of Eva], Eva and May [Eva's sister]. Picture supplied by John Wright. (27086424)](https://assets.guernseypress.com/52c5b010-9f63-4456-9835-f5e60044bee3?width=1120&height=630&format=webp)
Mr Wright remembered how Mr Falla used to take videos of the time shared between the two families and said he hoped those films were something he would be able to see again and show his wife.
Anyone wanting to contact Mr Wright with any information can reach him on 07771 907025 or johnsport@sky.com.
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