From E and A Hall.
WE felt compelled to write about the comments of Dr Chapman (JEP, 24 April) re UK-born Methodist ministers during the Occupation.

My father, Rev J W J Scott, was in the Island of Jersey as a minister for the Western Circuit. He and my mother had their deportation orders but, as stated by Dr Chapman, at the last moment had their orders rescinded.

My parents were in the Island five years before the Occupation and five years during the Occupation. He had the choice to leave and go back to England, but he chose to stay, as he had so much love and support from the Jersey people, and he felt unable to leave them in those troubled times.

In fact it was probably through all the help from many of his congregations that I, as a small child, was fortunate enough to have had milk and butter and other scarce commodities as several Islanders helped us greatly.

Being Jersey born myself, I was fortunate enough to be looked after by Miss Morwen Evans and her mother along with several other babies and small children, for the first three years of my life, before being adopted by my adoptive parents, Rev and Mrs J W J Scott, who took me to live with them, making their lives considerably more difficult for themselves. I owe a great sense of gratitude to my ‘foster mum’ for the first three years of my life. I shall never be able to repay her and her mother.

During his stay in Jersey my father kept a detailed diary complete with articles on flora and fauna. If these had been found it would have meant a quick German visa.

My father died in 1966 and my mother in 1971 and it was not until 1979/80 that we managed to take our three children to Jersey.

The diaries have been shown to several trusted people still in the Island who helped. People mentioned in the diaries I am sure would not appreciate Dr Chapman’s comments. What these people did to help this particular Methodist minister, his wife and family, was unbelievable.

On leaving the Island after the Occupation the many gifts and illuminated scroll which my parents received, I’m sure were a testament of the love and loyalty of the Methodist congregations. All these gifts we still have and treasure.

Who has Dr Chapman spoken to in Jersey and how does he come to his conclusions?
10 Low Ash Drive,
Wrose,
Shipley,
Yorkshire.