Letter: Appeal to find evacuee’s wartime ‘family’
peter Staples, evacuee - Credit: Archant
While collecting 100 stories from British evacuees and billeters for my new book, I interviewed Peter Staples (pictured left) who, at the age of eight, was evacuated from the East End of London to Brumstead, near Stalham in 1939.
He and another boy, Donald Self, were billeted with the Scarff family who had two sons Patrick and Derek, who were then aged 10 and 14.
Peter really enjoyed living with the Scarff family, as he and the boys got on really well together, and were free to explore the countryside.
Peter remained in touch with Mr and Mrs Scarff for some time after the war and they later moved to a bungalow in Stalham.
He visited Mrs Scarff in the early 1950s when he was on holiday with friends in Great Yarmouth, but lost touch with the family some time after.
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He would very much like to be put in touch with Patrick and Derek.
It is possible that they live in either Great Yarmouth or the Stalham/Sutton areas.
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Peter now lives in Yorkshire. If anyone can help, I can be contacted at gillianmawson@btinternet.com
GILLIAN MAWSON
