In about 1940, Ted Wells sent her to live with her mother and stepfather, who, the elder Wells thought, would be better able to provide for his talented daughter's artistic training.
Ted Wells je kot asistent delal z otroki, ki so jih evakuirali v Surrey ob Blitzu, medtem ko se je Barbara pridružila Tedu Andrewsu pri prostovoljnem zabavanju vojakov združenja Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA).