Paul McCue Books

Violette Szabó was born on 26 June 1921 in Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine, France, the daughter of Charles and Reine (née Leroy) Bushell.  Violette took her father’s British nationality, since Charles Bushell was an Englishman who, as a soldier, had met his wife in France during the First World War.  A son, Roy, had been born in England before the family moved to France where Violette’s father was self-employed as a private car hire driver.  Some three years after Violette’s birth in France  the family returned to England and Charles worked as a driver for his father’s bus company.  After only a brief stay, however, the family returned to France and, money and employment being difficult, the children were placed with relatives who could care properly for hem.  Violette stayed with her aunt in the village of Noyelles-sur-Mer, while her brother was placed with another relative.  She attended the Ecole Primaire Publique in the village and it was only in 1932 that both children return to England to join their parents who had left France several years earlier for Mr. Bushell to work as a used car dealer.  By this time, two more brothers had been born and the family moved to the Brixton/Stockwell borders in south London.  Violette attended Stockwell Road School where she had to master English properly, French often being spoken at home.  In 1935 the birth of another son led the family to move to more spacious accommodation in Burnley Road, Stockwell........[Remainder of case study is complete - contact author for further details].

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