My jovial grandmother, Mrs. Eileen Beckley, always regaled hilarious stories from the war, most of them funny or racy, some of them touching on the horrific and sad realities. But through it all, her tales showed how the women came together, working hard and keeping cheerful, to form the solid Home Front that played such a crucial role in the war. My warmest gratitude goes to her and the women who fought on through the bombs and the heartache. This book is dedicated to them.
At the beginning of the war, an organization known as Mass Observation began, encouraging ordinary individuals to keep diaries and journals and send them into the headquarters, where some would be published in a newsletter. These diaries filled in many gaps in my understanding of the war years, notably one by Nella Last, and my thanks goes to her and her fellow writers for allowing us to look not only into their lives, but also into their minds and hearts. Letters, biographies, and memoirs have also provided details of the era, and my thanks go to their authors, as well as to those who spoke to me personally about the war. A wealth of books about women in the war has provided background, as well as books and articles written during the era. Henrietta’s War, by Joyce Dennys, includes wonderfully witty stories written by a journalist of the era, and was invaluable for gauging the voice and spirit of the time.
After this book became a work in progress, a multitude of people helped to see it through. Wholehearted gratitude goes to my beloved critique group, Barb Boehm, Emmy Nicklin, and Julia Rocchi, for providing excellent critiques and plenty of wine and warmth to help the process along. Thanks go to my teachers at Johns Hopkins, especially to Mark Farrington, whose intuition for plot, character, and narrative is legendary, and also to David Everett, Ed Perlman, and Michelle Brafman. Other people who added information, personal stories, or helped along the way, include Irene Mussett, Jerry Cooper, David Beckley, Chris Beckley, Louise and Charlie Hamilton Stubber, Cheryl Harnden, Colin Berry, Breda Corrish, Annie Cobbe, Elaine Cobbe, Lorraine Quigley, Seth Weir, Douglas Rogers, and Grace Cutler.
From the very first time I spoke to my phenomenal editor at Crown, Hilary Rubin Teeman, I was taken aback by her intuitive understanding of the book. Her vision and exceptional editorial skills have made Chilbury into the book it is today. Thank you so much for all your work and expertise. My thanks go to the publisher, Molly Stern, and all at Crown, including Annsley Rosner, Rachel Meier, Maya Mavjee, David Drake, Kevin Callahan, Rachel Rokicki, Amy J. Schneider, Patricia Shaw, Heather Williamson, Sally Franklin, Anna Thompson, and a special mention to Rose Fox for all her help. Thanks also go to Mick Wiggins for the stunning jacket illustration.
Cassie Browne, my excellent editor at Borough Press, has blown me away with her ability to bring a book to its true potential. Thank you for your invaluable perception and insight. Big thanks also go to Kate Elton and Suzie Dooré, and the wonderfully welcoming and enthusiastic team at HarperCollins: Sarah Benton, Katie Moss, and the excellent Charlotte Cray. And for the ingenious cover, my gratitude goes to renowned illustrator Neil Gower.
My magnificent agent, Alexandra Machinist at ICM, combines editorial wisdom, publishing instinct, and immense charm in a truly spellbinding way. Thank you for your razor-sharp guidance and expertise. Thanks also to the invaluable Hillary Jacobson.
Special gratitude goes to Karolina Sutton, my brilliant and distinguished agent at Curtis Brown in London. Thank you for your tremendous skill and support. Huge thanks also go to Sophie Baker, my dynamic translation rights agent at Curtis Brown in London, and to my publishers around the world, including Martin Breitfeld at Kiepenheur & Witsch in Germany, and Anne Michel at Albin Michel in France.
Finally, to my sister, Alison Mussett, thank you for your invaluable ideas and first-class editing. Hearing your reassuring voice at the end of the phone has made this book as much yours as mine. Thank you more than I can say. My warmest gratitude also goes to my mother, Joan Cooper, for her ongoing support and keen reading eye. And lastly, massive thanks go to my family, Lily and Arabella and my wonderful husband, Pat, without whom this book would never have been written.
Jennifer Ryan was born in Kent, England, and now lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and their children. Before turning her hand to writing, she was a book editor, both in London and Washington, D.C.