Drawing on first-hand testimony from those involved, Farrington's evocative, compassionate account of a group of London girls sent to an Ascot children's home during the Blitz and the kindness of the staff who transformed their lives.
Discover the inspiring, uplifting true story of a group of London girls dispatched to a children's home in rural England during the Blitz, and meet the formidable nurse and Lady in Waiting who transformed their lives forever.
Life in Britain between the two world wars was arduous and daunting. Working people laboured to stave off the spectres of disease, hunger and homelessness, and against this troubled backdrop, children inevitably came off worst.
This is the true story of a group of poor London girls who, to escape the merciless bombing of the Luftwaffe, were dispatched to a children's home in Ascot. Where once they heard the throb of railways and tasted the smoke of locomotives, now there was birdsong and a whole new set of escapades to enjoy. And under the care of the formidable but kindly Matron Doris Bailey, and their high society host Dorothy Peyton, the lives of the girls were utterly transformed.
Through first-hand accounts from the surviving girls, their stories and anecdotes shed light on life at the time - from the emotional upheaval of evacuation, rationing and royalty, love and loss, and adventures on the royal grounds of their new home - recounting the people who came into the orbit of girls, from princesses to socialites, and above all, the work of one woman who helped save a generation.
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9780241557181
Number of pages: 336
Weight: 592 g
Dimensions: 240 x 162 x 32 mm
An engaging war-time tale about the fortitude of children and the transformative impact of one woman's care for them. These evocative first-person memories conjure a vivid picture of 1940s Britain, leaving a lasting impression. - Lucy Fischer
A heart-warming story of hope and kindness - Daily Express
Full of fascinating detail, affectionately told, The Angels of Englemere Wood is by turns a humbling, touching, astonishing and ultimately uplifting read - Joanna Toye
A winning blend of nostalgic personal narratives with a detailed social history of World War Two. I guarantee you'll be charmed by every one of the cast of waifs and strays, as well as by the "Angels" who took care of them. - Duncan Barrett
An exquisite, meticulously researched account of what happened to Britain's disadvantaged children and all who touched their lives when war came. Gentle, fascinating, nostalgic - I loved being in the company of this beautiful humane book - Tessa Dunlop
A well-documented, imaginatively empathetic account of her life - The Times Literary Supplement
The Angels of Englemere is a heart rending and meticulously researched story of love, loss, companionship and bonding through the eyes of a group of disadvantaged children during WW2. When their families couldn't cope with them, doors opened that would transform their lives. This is a beautifully written nostalgic read. - Ellee Seymour
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