“For me, the importance of the dig was being in the location where the 300 children lived for several months, where they experienced the scenery of the beautiful Lake District and the ‘paradise’ as many have described it. On a wider spectrum, it brought many different people from all areas of life who have some connection to ‘The Boys’, whether this be members of the second and third generation, past residents of Calgarth Estate or nearby areas and academics. I met a number of people who I connected with through my interest and passion for this area of history, some of whom I hope to stay in contact with for many years.

I learnt a great deal from the dig. Before this I had never taken part in any practical archaeological work and so it was extremely interesting to see the process of an archaeological dig, from marking out the area we were going to dig to recognising the different levels of the pit by the change in colour of the soil. Every minute became more exciting as I dug further into the pit in the hope of coming across something of relevant significance.”

Hayley Shaw – August 2019