Karen Farrington

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The Angels of Englemere Wood

Penguin Shop: 3 Clothbound Classics for £33

An engaging war-time tale about the fortitude of children and the transformative impact of one woman's care for them. These evocative first-person memories conjure a vivid picture of 1940s Britain, leaving a lasting impression.

A heart-warming story of hope and kindness

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

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.

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

A well-documented, imaginatively empathetic account of her life

The Angels of Englemere is a heart rending and meticulously researched story of love, loss, companionship and bonding through the eyes of a group of disadvantaged children during WW2. When their families couldn't cope with them, doors opened that would transform their lives. This is a beautifully written nostalgic read.

The uplifting and inspiring true story of a children’s home during the Blitz

In 1940, as Britain braced for war, a group of poor London girls were dispatched to a children's home in Ascot to escape the merciless Luftwaffe bombing. At Englemere Wood they came under the care of the formidable but kindly Matron Doris Bailey - the Angel of Englemere - who cherished each girl as her own. 
 
 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 to adventures on the royal grounds of their new home - and the work of a woman who helped save a generation.

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 
__________ 
 
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. 
__________ 
 
'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 is a writer and former journalist whose published work includes titles on social and military history, together with a range of non-fiction TV companion books. 
 
Her most recent work includes the bestselling series of books from The Repair Shop. She also worked as lead researcher for The Life and Times of Call The Midwife, the companion to series one and two of the BBC series. She lives in Devon.

The Angels of Englemere Wood

The uplifting and inspiring true story of a children’s home during the Blitz

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About Karen Farrington

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