Winfred’s father died in his sixties... and then her mother went
to France, to have a holiday and recover from her grief, taking her daughter
with her… It was during a holiday there
that she met Eugene Gerin, a Belgian cellist. They fell in love.
Her mother was worried about her marrying a foreigner with a
somewhat uncertain profession such as a musician. But Winifred was in love and determined to
marry him. They wed and moved to France
to live, and for several years, she was a devoted and happy wife, following her
husband to engagements. Eugene was
devoted to her, as well. Their one
sadness was that they had no children but they often visited Eugene’s family in
Belgium… and his brother Maurice had a son, Paul. Winifred was the boy’s godmother and was very
fond of him. His parents had to work, so
he was cared for mostly by his grandmother, Eugene’s widowed mother. Winifred also helped with her godson… and he
was something of a consolation for the children she had not had, herself. She and Eugene also adored animals and
usually had pets. As the 1930s progressed,
however, there was the fear that War would come, and when it did, and France
fell and Belgum, the Gerins made their way to the South of France, to try and
get back to England.
They lived for 2 years in Nice, unable to get away to do something for the War Effort, and
living on short rations. Winifred still
mostly gave her meat ration to her beloved cat.
Jewish people moved to the South of France, also trying to escape from Europe
and the Gerins were among those who made heroic efforts to help them get away.
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