I’ve been left with special memories because you published my letter

There is no doubt having reached the age of 95 years that I have had a good innings. In spite of my hearing and walking disabilities I still find life interesting.

Big stories make headlines in newspapers and the media but each one of us have our own stories to tell.

Mine goes back to the Second World War where I met two evacuees at Trinity School, Halifax, in West Yorkshire.

I have never forgotten them, one was called Delma Renouf and the other girl was Brenda. They both were lovely, intelligent and kind girls.

In 2005 I wrote to your newspaper about them. I was thrilled to receive a letter from Delma who had remembered me. We corresponded for quite a while and then lost touch.

However, I also received another letter from Joan Sheppard who also came to Halifax as an evacuee but attended a different school. After corresponding with Joan for a while she came over for us to meet, together with her daughter-in-law Michelle, when a bond of friendship was formed with both of them.

I took them to the William Smiths Art Gallery in Brighouse to look at the scroll which was presented to the people of Brighouse by the evacuees for the kindness they had shown.

Len Giles encouraged me to write my original letter to your paper about the two girls who were in my class at school. He was also a 14-year-old evacuee who came to Brighouse. I have always been grateful to him for his suggestion.

Sadly, in 2012, Joan died and Michelle continued to write to me until 2020 when she also sadly passed away in your hospice.

I was informed of this by Michelle’s husband, Gary.

All this has left me with some very special memories that I treasure and I would like to thank the Guernsey Press because without publishing my original letter, I would not have these very special memories to look back on and share with you today.

Mrs Esme Dyson
Halifax