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Description
Robert Griffiths, 84 (in 2012), from Penmachno in Conwy, was at school with two or three evacuees from Liverpool including comedian Ken Dodd, who was evacuated to farm in Penmachno, Conwy, in 1940. Robert and Ken became good friends in the four years he lived in Penmachno.
Robert said: "My primary school was Welsh-speaking, so Ken learnt the language and wasn't too bad at it either. Even as a young child he was funny so it's not surprising he ended up being so successful."
Robert remembers how the children arrived from Liverpool 'skin and bone', and went home much healthier having been fed freshly-sourced farm foods. At the end of the war, the village residents were very sad to see the evacuees leave, and the evacuees themselves were also sad to go. Some of the other evacuees came back to visit from time to time and the whole village was always pleased to see them and find out how they were getting on.
Years later, in around 1992, Robert went with his wife Jane Ellen,and daughter to see Ken Dodd live on stage in Blackpool. Robert's daughter called ahead to let Ken know Robert would be there. Towards the end of the performance Ken shouted out "Hello- is Robert Griffiths here?" and told the crowd how he went to school with him in north Wales as an evacuee. Robert and his family met with Ken backstage, and Ken spoke of how fond his recollections of Penmachno were during the war.
This picture was taken in March 2012 at Robert's home in Denbigh with the picture of their reunion at the Blackpool gig.
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