As a little girl of six , during the Second World War, Eddi Kebby was evacuated
from London to Wantage to the home of Una Bailey (who was then Una Prior).
Eddi was rather shocked at arriving in a strange home and then finding that
her mother had returned to London without her. As an only child, Eddi was also
wondering how she’d fit in with Una and her older sister and two brothers
not to mention Mother and Father Prior and a set of grandparents.
Una’s first memory of Eddi was what she’d looked like on that wartime winter
evening "when she arrived she was wearing a Pixie hood and she had ribbons in
her hair that stuck up like ears. She reminded me of a little rabbit. I wasn’t very happy that she’d
arrived because I was the baby and a little bit spoilt, I think".
Happily Una changed her mind about the new arrival "We shared a bedroom and Eddi started sleepwalking and calling for
her mummy and I felt so sorry for her."
Eddi says she didn’t have any trouble fitting in with local children, she recalled that
the local children even wrote a song about her to accompany their skipping:
"Edna Mason broke a basin on the way to Scrivenham Station."
Eddi wondered if children in Wantage were still skipping and singing that verse today
and wondering who was Edna Mason?
Although Eddi missed her mother and father and cat, she never felt lonely: "the Prior
family gathered around me like a warm blanket. Mum Prior and Dad Prior were the most
wonderful parents anyone could want to have." Eddi lived with the Prior’s for 5 years
and was so happy there that when it was time to get the train to return to her family
in London she sat on Mum Prior’s knee and they both wept.
Una says that she loved having Eddi as a sister during those years " it was so nice having
someone you could confide in and tell secrets to".
Eddi and Una’s friendship has continued for many years now and one of the things they
share is writing poems about their childhood experiences.
Una’s Poem
I didn’t want a sister, in 1939
Having been the baby, suited me just fine
But on a cold dark winter’s night, arriving at our door
A lady stood with a little girl, and on her head she wore,
A Pixie Hood with points like ears and Mum said " Do come in,
And warm yourselves and met the rest of kin"
the poem ends with the line
"and I’m glad I have a sister."
