A family are appealing for help in finding old photos of evacuees in Moreton-in-Marsh during World War Two. 

Karen Belshaw’s mother May was evacuated to Morton-in-Marsh when she was eight years old in 1939 and lived there until 1941. 

The family are hoping to find pictures of London's East End evacuees who ended up living in Moreton or Longborough.

May was evacuated from Mile-End station in London to St. Pancras and then to Moreton. 

Karen said: “They were then taken to the village church where they were picked up by the very kind individual families.

“My mum went to the toilet and by the time she came out, apart from one other girl from her school, all the kids were gone including her two sisters who had been taken together.

“She ended up living in a shop in Longborough near Moreton which is now the post office, with a couple called Mr and Mrs Knight.

“We have since visited both areas quite a few times, and the first time we visited Longborough my mum was talking to a lady in the village shop, and one of the villagers, Margery Attwell came in and recognised my mum from when she was eight.

“She said ‘are you May Cable?’

“She invited us back to her home and made us all a cup of tea. I remember how lovely she was.

“My mum and Margery wrote to each other after that and regularly sent Christmas cards and then one year mum did not receive one, when we visited again we were told by the villagers that Margery had sadly passed away.

“We always visit the post office in Longborough when we go, and my mum likes to point out her bedroom window.

“Although it was a very sad time for her being away from her mum and dad, she also has lots of fond memories, and still has dreams of having a little cottage with roses around the door.

“When her dad finally came to collect her and her sisters, they got a coach home.

“When she came home, she met my dad who was a navigator and an air gunner in the RAF.

“She had three girls and we are all very close.”

Karen’s mum May celebrated her 90th birthday on Tuesday, November 3.

 Karen said: “We took her on an afternoon tea bus tour around London, we did have a party planned but because of Covid we had to cancel it.

“She looks amazing for her age, it must be all that fresh air from Moreton she had.”

If you have any photos, please email karenbelshaw@hotmail.com