In 1940, the coast of Kent became the British front-line of the war, as the German Army was then in France, twenty-five miles across the English Channel. All the able-bodied men of the district joined the services, leaving the women to take over the jobs. Fiona Carter and her mother ran Downs Farm with the help of Jill and Pat, two Land Army girls, while Mr Carter served with the Naval Reserve.
Sally Stevens was to be on call to her clients at any time in any emergency, and she called her service “Emergency 666”. She arrived at the office every morning ready for anything.
Other Appearances
Reg Bruce, a world cycling champion died in a road accident, but before he died his daughter, Lynn, promised him that she would practise until she became a champion herself. Lynn’s mother, however, forbade her to cycle again, but Lynn found a friend in Miss Lawson of Lackley Grange. Not only did Miss Lawson allow Lynn to practise in a large empty room in her house, but she also lent her an old bicycle.
Peggy Morrison was the youngest member of the Promettes, a group of girls employed by the Corporation of the seaside town of Whitesands. The Promettes’ job was to patrol the
promenades and beaches, giving help and advice to the summer visitors.
Other Appearances
Twins, Anne and Christine Timpson’s father thought his daughter’s were turning into spoilt young ladies, without the enterprise he had at their age. Therefore he had challenged the girls to complete twelve trials over the Easter holidays, while he was on a business trip. He had left twelve envelopes with Mrs Wiggs, the housekeeper to give to the girls.
Karen Lowe, a homeless London waif, was being cared for in the country home of Trevor Madison, a composer. She worked for her keep, doing housework and there were three guests in the house – Sylvia Stratton, a spoiled child star, who was to the dance the lead in Trevor’s new Baller “The Fairy Princess” , her wealthy mother who was financing the new ballet and the choreographer Jeff Stevens. One night Karen had an unusual instance of sleep dancing! The others in the home see her dance and are amazed at her natural talent but the Stratton’s see her a problem and demand Trevor get rid of her if he wants his ballet funded.
Jessica Jones, who in some strange way had walked back in history to the time of the seventeenth-century Civil Wars, was given shelter at Oakwood Manor by the Royalist owner, Sir Edwin Crawley. Sir Edwin’s cousin, Jasper Carver, accused Jessica of witchcraft and while the charge was being investigated, the fugitive King Charles II unexpectedly entered. As Jasper Carver was a Roundhead supporter, Sir Edwin had him imprisoned in a secret cell Until the King could escape. Jessica suggested to Sir Edwin that he should pretend that Charles had already escaped and should hold a ball in celebration. She hoped, by doing this, to draw off the Roundheads who were searching the manor for the King, and leave the way clear for Charles to escape to France.
Sally Brown worked as a ‘Jill of all Trades’ at the Hotel Metropole. Sally had some challenging situations but always managed to come out good in the end.
Other Appearances:
Sarri U Win, a twelve-year-old Burmese girl, was Guardian of the Sacred Belt in Rangoon. But it was stolen, taken to England, and eventually made into five silver cups for Tasker’s School for Girls, Sarri became a pupil there, hoping to win the cups and have the valuable Belt refashioned. The cups were awarded for different challenges, sewing and embroidery, entertainment, dance, cookery and art. Sarri got off to a good start wining the sewing and embroidery trophy despite sabotage attempts by a jealous rival Rita Merrow.
Fourteen-year-old Sadie Winters had an English father and a French mother, and the family lived at the French village of Auterne. Sadie loved horses, and she worked as a groom at the White Chateau, a nearby finishing school which had pupils from all over the world. When the German armies invaded France during the Second World War, Sadie volunteered to lead five pupils on horseback to the port of St Malo, where they hoped to board a boat for England.