Guernsey/Burnley connection

[Claretforshaw]

Having just returned from Guernsey and speaking to locals celebrating "Liberation Day" yesterday, it seems that many children were evacuated to Burnley prior to the German occupation of the Island which lasted 5 years. As a frequent visitor to the Island over the last 45 years it's not the first time I have come across this connection and it made me wonder if anyone on the message board had any knowledge of the Guernsey children who ended up in Burnley homes during the war. I understand quite a few did not return to the Island after liberation, their families preferring to set up home and start a new life in the Burnley area. The evacuation happened nearly 80 years ago so the survivors are few in number now.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

A personal recollection: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2people ... 5114.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Claretforshaw]

Thank you for that post InRB, very interesting.

[South West Claret.]

How interesting.

[Wuggawumphwumph]

Fascinating story especially for me as I know the island quite well

[Claretforshaw]

The Island is very special to me and my family too. I'm sure this story, and no doubt there are other similar tales to tell,would interest my Guernsey friends.

[Clarets4me]

My mother-in-law, now 80, was sent to Guernsey in her mid teens, by the Burnley Health Board ( may have had another name ), to get two weeks fresh air which was to help her recover from a severe chest infection. This would have been around 1955, so there was certainly some connection there.

She lived on the bottom section of Albion Street, which was demolished to build the Trafalgar flats. One of the things she recalls was going to a dance, and dancing with a young man named LeTissier ! She won't be having us on, as she has no interest in football, but I daresay it's quite a common surname on Guernsey !!