‘That’s right,’ said John. ‘We’re welcoming some new boys and girls into our school and I want you older ones to make sure they are safe and happy.’ There were knowing nods from the nine- and ten-year-olds. ‘It’s also the first day for Miss Briggs. She has come all the way from the south of England to teach the younger boys and girls. So I want you to show our new teacher what a lovely school we have here. Be good and work hard. Now, I’ll ask Miss Briggs to lead us in the Lord’s Prayer.’

‘Hands together, eyes closed,’ said Lily.

Back in her classroom Lily distributed the modest collection of books and sat down next to six-year-old Bertie Stubbs. He was staring in dismay at his new reading book in the Janet and John series. The title was I Went Walking and it featured a pretty little girl carrying a doll and an umbrella.

‘What’s the matter, Bertie?’ asked Lily.

Bertie shook his head. ‘Ah’m not keen on girls an’ ah don’t like dolls, Miss.’

Lily studied the little boy and considered the content of his reading book. It was clearly inappropriate for this son of Yorkshire. ‘We could make our own book, Bertie,’ she said. ‘What are you interested in?’

‘Int’rested?’

‘Yes, what do you like?’

‘Pigs, Miss,’ answered Bertie without hesitation.

‘Pigs?’

‘Yes, Miss, ah ’elp m’dad wi’ farrowin’ an’ feedin’ an’ muckin’ out an’ suchlike.’

Lily looked at this eager, stocky little boy with a short-back-and-sides haircut that could only be described as brutal. She selected a piece of white paper and a tin of crayons from the shelf next to the blackboard and placed them next to him. ‘Bertie, I would like you to draw a picture of some pigs and then we shall make up a story about them.’

‘Cor, thanks, Miss!’ said Bertie. ‘Ah luv pigs,’ and he picked up a crayon and began to draw as if his life depended on it.

In John Pruett’s classroom there was absolute silence as the children copied out their seven times table in their new mathematics exercise books.

The desks were in rows and the children bowed their heads and gripped their pencils fiercely. ‘Stop chewing the end of your pencil, Edward Brown,’ Mr Pruett called out suddenly. Ten-year-old Eddie Brown looked up in dismay and wondered how the teacher could see what he was doing while writing on the blackboard. The room was bleak and the walls were almost bare. John didn’t encourage distractions. There was only a huge map of the world next to the blackboard. Many of the countries were coloured pink to show the vastness of the British Empire.