One Day in May by Jack Gaughan

One Day in May

After reading about the Belgian refugees who came to Temple Newsam in the First World War I Wondered how it must have felt to have fled their homes and travelled over land and sea to escape the Germans who had invaded their beloved country.
Did they ever regret the decision?
How did they adapt to our way of life?
How did they cope with the language barrier?

Here is the story of Maria
She took the white dress from the wardrobe and the memories came flooding back.
At the age of ten Maria had arrived in England with her mother along with some other families who had fled from the advancing German army. They were transported to Leeds City and housed in stables that had been converted into living quarters on the Temple Newsam estate owned by Lord and Lady Wood.
Life was hard but her mother insisted she must learn how to speak English and adapt to the local way of life.

Jack Gaughan (Osmondthorpe Creative Writing Group)