The inspiring, uplifting true story of a group of London girls dispatched to a children's home in rural England during the Blitz, and meet the formidable nurse and Lady in Waiting who transformed their lives forever . . .

'A heartwarming story of hope and kindness' Daily Express

'An engaging war-time tale. These evocative first-person memories conjure a vivid picture of 1940s Britain, leaving a lasting impression' Lucy Fisher
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Bombs were falling all over Britain . . .

For one young Londoner in a children's home - Queenie Clapton - it might have been the end of the world. Yet swiftly evacuated Queenie, along with the other children taken up by the Waifs and Strays Society, escaped the shattered streets.

Instead, she found herself invited into the stately home of Dorothy Peyton, a recently widowed Lady in Waiting. There, under the formidable guidance of Matron Bailey, Queenie discovered a new world: birdsong, knitting circles and taking tea with royalty.

In such unfamiliar, unlikely surroundings, might Queenie and the other waifs and strays have finally found somewhere to call home?

This is the inspiring true story of that remarkable bond forged in times of trouble, and the woman at the heart of it all.
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'A well-documented, imaginatively empathetic account' The Times Literary Supplement

'Full of fascinating detail, affectionately told, The Angels of Englemere Wood is by turns a humbling, touching, astonishing and ultimately uplifting read' Joanna Toye

'An exquisite, meticulously researched account of what happened to Britain's disadvantaged children and all who touched their lives when war came. Gentle, fascinating, nostalgic - I loved being in the company of this beautiful humane book' Tessa Dunlop

'A winning blend of nostalgic personal narratives with a detailed social history of World War Two. I guarantee you'll be charmed by every one of the cast of waifs and strays, as well as by the "Angels" who took care of them' Duncan Barrett

Karen Farrington

Pre-order now to discover the inspiring, uplifting true story of a group of London girls dispatched to a children's home in rural England during the Blitz, and meet the formidable nurse and Lady in Waiting who transformed their lives forever.

Life in Britain between the two world wars was arduous and daunting. Working people laboured to stave off the spectres of disease, hunger and homelessness, and against this troubled backdrop, children inevitably came off worst.

This is the true story of a group of poor London girls who, to escape the merciless bombing of the Luftwaffe, were dispatched to a children's home in Ascot. Where once they heard the throb of railways and tasted the smoke of locomotives, now there was birdsong and a whole new set of escapades to enjoy. And under the care of the formidable but kindly Matron Doris Bailey, and their high society host Dorothy Peyton, the lives of the girls were utterly transformed.

Through first-hand accounts from the surviving girls, their stories and anecdotes shed light on life at the time - from the emotional upheaval of evacuation, rationing and royalty, love and loss, and adventures on the royal grounds of their new home - recounting the people who came into the orbit of girls, from princesses to socialites, and above all, the work of one woman who helped save a generation.