Memories of School Days during the War Years by George Dance
It was with some trepidation that I boarded the bus for school in early September 1940. This would be my first day at Hawkley School to join boys from Battersea Central School who had been evacuated to Hawkley from London. I boarded the school bus, joined by other Liss boys including Eric Hobbs, Stanley Wedge, Bob McQueen, Ted Lane and Roy Alphey. We were surprised to see boys from Liphook – Bill Fiddler, Reg Swan, “Topsy” Moss and Bill Moulding, to name but a few, who also boarded the bus.
We arrived at Hawkley School and were escorted by Peter Croft and Butch Leutchworth to join assembly. We were welcomed by Dr Raine, the Head Teacher who introduced the other teachers, Mr Lewis, Mr King and Mr Walker. Without delay we were placed in our class and started lessons with no fuss or bother.
I must now stress that at no time was there any “them and us” situations – we were all Battersea Central School Boys. From day one it was instilled into us that you were expected to work hard and do as you were told without argument. The teachers and prefects were always firm but fair and we soon adopted their system which I am sure stood us in good stead throughout the years.
Other Liss boys joined the school later – they included Roy Kersley, Don Clark and Bill Bleach - which made Liss quite a strong contingent. After a while we were told that school lunches would be provided at a cost of 5d a day, and served in The Old Bakery. The Head cook was Mrs Kemp and how she turned out such wonderful meals day after day in that old-fashioned bread oven amazes me to this day. I can remember going up into the hangers gathering wood to make into bundles which the older boys lit and put into the oven early in the morning. The ashes were later raked out and Mrs Kemp and her helpers started cooking our lunch.
When we started out from Liss to Hawkley the bus stopped at Liss Dairy to collect the school milk, then on to Landers the Butchers to pick up the meat for lunch. We always had a quick look to see what would be on the menu for that day.
Under quite difficult circumstances our education progressed – down to Lower Green for woodwork supervised by Mr King, or in the Hut for French lessons. It was always an important event going to Rowlands Castle for the Annual Football Match – several of the local lads were in the team.
I also remember the potato picking, recording our hours on a little card, for the pay of 8d per hour. As some of the older boys left we moved up the scale to become monitors or prefects. When some of the local boys left in 1944 some started working at the Admiralty Signals Establishment in Haslemere and of course at 18 we were invited to join His Majesty’s Armed Forces.
How wonderful it is to have been able to meet like this for so long, to keep in touch with old school friends and what has happened to us all over the years.
The Hawkley villagers accepted all of us lads and must have wondered what had hit them – all disturbing their quiet village life. They still accept us at these reunions so, on behalf of all the Battersea Central School Boys I would like to offer them our hearty THANKS.
George Dance
