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To the left are icons leading to some of the historical data of the main locations for the pupils and staff of Battersea Central School.
FROM THE HEADMASTER’S DIARY. Extracts from the 1938 edition of BCS "The Torch." Since our last issue we have lost the services of two valuable colleagues. Mr. R. J. Wood, M.Sc., has been appointed to the Head-mastership of Ethelburga Street School. We regret his leaving and shall miss his work in school and in connection with swimming. He definitely put Battersea Central "on the map" as far as swimming is concerned. He re-organised our Geography work and organised our first School Camp.
Mr. R. G. Broadhurst, who gained the Art Teacher’s Diploma after joining our staff, has gained early recognition of his work. He was promoted to Wilson’s Grammar School. We have just heard that after a year’s work at Wilson’s, Mr. Broadhurst has been appointed to the Bath School of Art.
Mr. L. R. Hawkes, B.A., has been appointed Geography Master, to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Wood’s promotion. Mr. Hawkes has already proved himself to be a popular master and colleague. His "concerts" at Camp will be remembered by all. Since coming to us, Mr. Hawkes has been awarded the second degree of Master of Arts at London University.
Mr. L. C. Williams has been granted a year’s leave of absence to attend an advanced PT Course at The Carnegie College, Leeds.
Some notes on the new building can be read elsewhere. Several entries in my Diary refer to meetings, conferences, and visits in connection therewith. The "War Crisis" loomed large in our thoughts in late September. Secret preparations hurried Staff Meetings, then the Parents’ meetings, called at very short notice!
Prefects 1938
None of these Prefects were evacuated to Hawkley.
Ministry of Health leaflet issued in January 1939. "We must prepare in good time against the possibility of war, however remote that possibility may be." The above are the opening words of a Ministry of Health leaflet issued in January 1939. By September of that year Britain was at war and the biggest relocation of people ever undertaken in this country had taken place. The leaflet was issued as part of the preparation for this mass exodus. Evacuation. The government had divided the country into three types of area (according to the risk of bombing raids). Big cities were "Evacuation areas", this meant that people who didn't need to be there, such as Battersea, would be given the opportunity to go to a safer place. These safer places were called "Reception areas". The third type was called "Neutral" this meant that the risk of air raids was not high enough to warrant evacuation but still great enough not to send evacuees there. Billeting Fees
Preparations Local residents would have received leaflets listing the fees they would receive for taking in an evacuee. This fee was to include accommodation and food. Under 5's were to be accompanied by their mothers and lodging only provided at a weekly rate of 5s (25p) per adult and 3s (15p) per child. Meanwhile in the evacuation areas parents were receiving letters asking them to register their children for evacuation, brothers and sister were allowed to travel together although this meant they were separated from their normal school friend if the family attended different schools because of their ages. The scheme was voluntary but parents were strongly advised to let their children go. Evacuation Problems When War was declared most people expected enemy attacks to start straight away, but this did not happen. This encouraged many parents to return their children to London. By February 1940 many areas reported that half of the evacuees received the previous September had returned, this was also compounded by home sickness and totally different standards to be found in the countryside, where privies at the end of the garden were the norm! When the bombs did begin to fall those who had gone back found conditions in the communal shelters rather unpleasant during the blitz. With conditions in London getting worse the flow of evacuees to many areas increased. The school records show numbers reaching a peak in October 1941. They Locked Their Doors
"Wrenched from their homes by the grim hand of war." Older children (says the Daily Express) seemed to regard the experience as a holiday whilst the young ones looked tired and bewildered. There was a lot of confusion as little information had been given out parents, children, and even the teachers accompanying them had no idea when or where they were going. This was certainly true for the children of Battersea Central who on enquiring of the platform staff at Clapham Junction were told "I have no idea where you are going" and with that locked the compartment door!
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With the arrival of more and more evacuees local billeting officers found it difficult to find people who were willing to take them in. Despite newspaper advertisements describing the care of evacuees as
"a national service"
many locals were determined not to help. One local billeting officer described it like this; "as soon as people saw the bus (carrying evacuees) in the street, they locked their doors and either went upstairs or went out so that no one would open the door". Eventually places were found but only after the adoption of compulsory billeting powers and the threat of a £50 fine for those who refused.
This is a
general statement for the country; there is no factual evidence that this was applicable to Hawkley?