HAWKLEY REUNION 2008 - Harry's Christmas letter
http://www.evacuees.org.uk/stPauls.aspThe Reunion was obviously a success judging from the feed back and complimentary remarks which have been received, I confess that I experienced the same pleasant feeling. Everything seemed in place, weather was acceptable, photographers turned up, we had a smashing tea provided by our Village Ladies and we had some new faces to talk to. I have to mention one personal surprise in the form of George Colliety who used to live opposite my home in Battersea! The newcomers had some interesting tales and requests. Alan Hall for example was hoping to have news of an evacuee his parents fostered at Lower Green, sadly still looking. Joan Attewell who hails from Islington came with her Mother and brother and took up residence in Hawkley Hurst. Joan attended the Village School-she has a tale to tell! Brian Clark with his wife and son represented Don, one of our stalwarts, who was Brian's Father.
Peter Wright with his daughter Mary managed his first visit and delighted us all with his humour. Peter reminded me that next year is the 70th Anniversary of our arrival in Hawkley on the 1st of September 1939. That has to be something to celebrate as is the fact that we are still the very best of friends with the villagers despite our taking over their School building and other amenities, they always make us very welcome. Of course, we must not forget that we commandeered much of Empshott's facilities also. Peter posed the question, shall we take a photograph of those who left Clapham Junction on the 1st of September 1939 for the then unknown!?
Continuing with this theme, are you aware that in September next year a Commemorative Service is being held in St. Paul's Cathedral? A group known as the Evacuee Reunion Association is involved with the organisation, the tickets are £20, those and other information can be acquired by telephoning 01777 816166 or on the site
I am hoping I may be able to get there, the experience will be full of nostalgia as I served my apprenticeship on Ludgate Hill in the shadow of St. Paul's; forgive me, I digress!
You will be pleased to learn that we had 54 attendees this year, their names are appended. Not all who were invited were able to attend but nevertheless, our total is encouraging for the future.
Looking ahead to next year perhaps you would like to record in your diaries Saturday the 4th of July 2009 this being the proposed Reunion Day. I will be writing with reminders before then.
One advantage of leaving my report until this time in the year is the opportunity to wish you all both individually and collectively a Very Happy Christmas and a New Year with the best possible health.
Harry Withers -. December 2008
An invitation to a
Commemorative Service to be held at ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, LONDON to mark the 70th ANNIVERSARY of the start of the GREAT EVACUATION in 1939On Tuesday, 1st September, 2009
Exactly 70 YEARS since the GREAT EVACUATION officially BEGAN
ADMISSION WILL BE BY TICKET ONLY
There is a limit of 2000 tickets and they can only be obtained from the EVACUEES REUNION ASSOCIATION, using this application form. The tickets will be issued on a ‘first come, first served’ system. To meet the high costs incurred for such a major event the ERA has no alternative but to require a minimum donation of £20 per ticket, of which £5 per ticket ( non returnable) is payable with each application and the balance of £15 per ticket is payable no later than31st March 2009.
If after the payment of all costs to St. Paul’s Cathedral and those incurred by the ERA a surplus of funds has arisen they will be transferred to the National Memorial to the Evacuation Fund.
Based upon the Westminster Abbey event we held in 1999 we feel sure that the demand for tickets will greatly exceed the number available, therefore immediate application is advised to avoid disappointment.
more here http://www.evacuees.org.uk/stPauls.asp
Battersea Central School
HAWKLEY REUNION 2008 a short report
Alan and Shirley Hall whose parents, Ethel and Bill lived at Lower Green joined us by invitation, Alan believes one evacuee was billeted with them, he would be grateful for any information, it is interesting that Joan Attwell and Alan shared the same youthful companion ship of folk employed on the Hurst estate, such as the Davis chauffeurs son Michael who is shown with Cliff Douthwaite (1940) on the left with brother Jack on the right hand side, more follows.Another year has passed and we found ourselves in the refurbished Hawkley Inn gathered together for our reunion, the Inn is splendid in the new upgrade and is a delight to sit in a smoke free atmosphere, the food as usual was good but there was a slight glitch that Glenda Collins and her partner, had a long wait for their meals to arrive and nearly died of famine, but all ended well with the manager being nearly throttled!
Harry Withers had again organised the function well although next time Harry can we have a bit more sunshine, at least it did not rain, but rather chilly to sit outside even though the lawns looked more like Wimbledon than the rough scrub we used to sit in, all very nice.
After much chat and laughter we meandered down to the village hall just in time for tea, this was well prepared by our ladies, so thank you so much, you work like clock work but of course with your lovely smiles.
We are always delighted when The Rev. David Heatley - Rector and Vicar of Hawkley joins us for the reunion, he over many years has supported our annual occasions even when he has to perform other celebrations such as weddings on the same day. Thank you David.
In this months Village Magazine he writes with the theme "thoughts from the vicarage" in case you missed collecting your copy from the Church then the details can be found here.
Then Harry gave us the update of who is new to the reunion, of course the Girls from Battersea have joined us and we are delighted, Vera Francis was their secretary for many years, she was joined by Peggy Taylor and Susan Bettley.
One of the original 80 boys who arrived on 1st September 1939 was Leonard Abbott this was his first time at a reunion thanks to an article Harry had put in some media magazine, sadly he reported that his younger brother Donald who also arrived on the 1st September 1939 had died last year.
Then we welcomed Joan Attwell, although not an evacuee had arrived at Hawkley Hurst in the wartime period, about 1943 more information here, another BCS boy but not evacuated was George Colliety 1935-37.
We are delighted that Peter Wright (who arrived on 1st September 1939) joined us today with his sister, daughter and nephew, sadly Peter has recently lost his wife, he travelled down from Wolverhampton and it was great to see him, he was a great friend of Charles Sammonds.
Mr. Spalding
the chauffeur,
lived in the
Bothy (Garage
Cottage) opposite
Power House
(right
background) and
Saw mill (left
background -
since removed), had a
boy Michael
Spalding
(centre front), this
Bothy since
much enlarged
and modified to
an elegant house.
The second
chauffeur was
named Norris,
he took over
when Spalding
was called to
serve in the
forces.
Peggy Carpenter (who went to BCS but had left by 39) also reports my late husband was born in Hawkley and my brother-in-law, Alan Betsworth, was also a chauffeur to Mr & Mrs Clive Davies at Hawkley Hurst, before and after the war.
Sadly it was reported about the passing of Arthur Govus, details of his service and obituary from Tom Cowell in Canada is in the Memories section of this web site.
Harry Withers has promised a list of who was there and this will be on this page once received, in the mean time those mentioned above have been added or updated to the Hawkley Family on the home page, please check I have the correct names to the images!
With kindest regards, Cliff Douthwaite - July 2008
A few shots of tea time in the Village Hall are ...................here, not using the photo sequence system as this has caused problems in the past, we try to help!
List of attendees 2008
ABBOTT, Len
APPLEBEE, Bill
ATTEWELL, Joan
BARBER, Doris
BETTLEY, SusanBLACKIE, Bob
BLEACH, Joan and BillCARPENTER Peggy
CLARK, Brian wife and son
COLLIETY, George
COLLINS, Glenda
CROFTS, Jean
DANCE, George and Renee
DAWSON, MargaretDOREY, Doreen and Bill
DICKESON, Peggy and John
DOUTHWAITE, Cliff
EARLE, Judith
FRANCIS, Vera
GREEN, Elsie and John Bone
HALL, Alan and Shirley
HAND, Freda and Alison Bone
HOBBS, Peggy and EricJORDAN, Christine
KEATS, David (Peter Wright's nephew)
KEATS, Eileen (Peter Wright's sister) **
KENNEDY, Mike (Glenda Collins Partner)KNOWLES, Doris
MAY, ZoëMcHUGH, Mary (Peter Wright's daughter)
MYERS, Vic
PHILLIPS, Des
PHILLIPS, Joan and Jim
PHILLIPS, Lill and John
RAINE Dick
SIMPSON, Esme and Joe
TADMAN, GwenTADMAN, John
TAYLOR Peggy
WITHECOMBE, Dorice
WITHERS, Sylvia and HarryWRIGHT, Peter and family
**Eileen was also an evacuee (to Blendworth in Horndean, not Hawkley), when she was 6.
Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV6 7SE
19th July 2008
Dear Cliff,
I must write to thank you, not forgetting Harry Withers of course, to congratulate, for the most efficient organisation etc. of the recent Battersea Central School re-union on the 5th July 2008, and your continued excellent work on the Hawkley website. May it long continue!
As you probably know, through circumstance, I have been unable to participate in any by-gone re-unions – this year, being the first I have been able to attend!
Even now, two weeks since the re-union, I am still overwhelmed with the events of that day!
To meet so many lovely people, who in their different ways had such a connection with the school, to me, was very pleasurable.
Being able to visit Hawkley and Empshott again, after 69 years, I found all so nostalgic – as if time had stood still!
The cottages, although many modernized and transformed, to bring into line with the 21st century requirements, to me still retained the memory I had of them, all those years ago!
The narrow, winding, leafy lanes together with the distant Hangers to me seem unchanged. It has all aroused my interest to spend a few days to explore the area that one cannot do in a few hours. Whether advancing years allows me to do so remains to be seen!
Before returning home, after the re-union, I was able to visit Empshott Green and the cottage where I was billeted from the 1st September 1939 until Easter 1941. The lady who now owns the cottage (again, greatly transformed), made myself and family, like all the folk in the area, a most welcome greeting and showed much warmth. We had a nice long chat and I was able to tell her how we lived – all those years ago!
Finally I was able to visit Holy Rood Church at Empshott, which had been kindly left open. Again, many memories of services, etc. there, and where I had the honour to be a choirboy, were revived!
Yes, it was a wonderful day and I am so glad that I was able to attend. Without wishing ones years away, God – willing, I am so much looking forward to 2009. Which will of course be the 70th anniversary of our evacuation from London – a milestone? No doubt Harry and your good self will organise some special event?
I look forward to up-dates and photos on the web. In conclusion, I feel that it would have been so nice if a photo could have been taken at the re-union of the few boys who actually participated in that exodus from Surrey Lane, to an unknown destination that turned out to be Hawkley! A day that probably changed the course of our lives for ever!!
Please keep up all the good work and I know you will without writing!
With my esteemed, sincere, good wishes
Peter Wright
And my daughter Mary who does so much to keep me updated with the website!
Battersea Central School
HAWKLEY REUNION 2008
Saturday 5th July
Hallo each and everyone, a reminder that it will soon be Saturday 5th July when as many of you as possible will attend our usual Reunion. So far, the Hawkley Inn has been alerted to our intended invasion, our kind tea providing ladies have been informed and the Village Hall has been booked.
The local Press has been requested to take some photographs and include an advance announcement of the event. An entry into the periodical "Yours" has been placed, so it just remains for us to attend and enjoy ourselves in the best of company! Good weather will enhance the day and in the past we have usually benefited from such.
Since I last wrote to you, much has happened in regards to our members. We have a few additions and some interesting enquiries; you may be able to help in this direction.
George Bentley attended the School 1935-38, he called and left a telephone number with an area code for Oxfordshire but no address, when I called, the operator said the number was unobtainable; your help would be appreciated.
Alan Hall whose parents, Ethel and Bill lived at Lower Green, Alan believes one Evacuee was billeted with them, he would be grateful for any information.
A telephone call from New Zealand revealed a lady name of Ivy White (her married name I think). She saw our entry in the "Yours" magazine and was touched with nostalgia because she was at one time a Battersea girl. Her details were passed to Peggy who informs she has corresponded with this lady. It is amazing how far our messages travel.
At last year's gathering, we welcomed some new faces who were mentioned during the tea-break which had been provided by our lady hostesses, incidentally, they have threatened to do the same again this year.
Sadly, we lost two stalwarts in Hugh (Butch) Luetchford and Don Clark. A floral tribute was organised on behalf of the Reunion for Don but it was not possible to do so for Butch. Don's son Brian joined our Reunion and indicated a desire to come again.Despite our sad losses, attendance was quite encouraging, from forty-seven invitations there were fifty acceptances but ultimately a total of forty-five attendees, of course the number is boosted by wives and other relatives plus a few from our companion Girls' School. When the Girls' School stopped their reunions, an invitation was given for them to join us as some have.
The refurbishment of the Hawkley Inn, which I mentioned on a previous occasion, is much improved including the addition of accommodation, should you come from afar and wish to stay overnight. No! I do not get commission. The management obviously likes us meeting there as indicated by the welcoming blackboard which was possibly purloined from Surrey Lane!
Thank-you all for your generosity in the 'whip round1 which is made ostensibly for the ladies towards the cost of catering, also a donation is made to the Village Hall, but however, on this occasion. The ladies proposed to subscribe their share to the Hawkley Parochial Church Council to be put towards the 'Stop the Rot' repair fund of the Church. The actual amount given was £49.00. A note of thanks was received by the Reunion.
As usual I make a plea for you to return the enclosed attendance card whether or not you will be coming, if you prefer to telephone, then please feel free to do so. I have neither E-mail nor Internet facilities, so it's old fashion communication methods.
See you again on Saturday 5th July in the Hawkley Inn from mid-day onwards followed by tea in the Village Hall at approximately 3.30.
My best wishes to you all
Harry Withers on (01754) 874 876 - 2nd April 2008
Hawkley Reunion 2007
If you have old photos please bring, also if you have not produced your memories for this site, please bring either on a disk or typed copy.
ALL are welcome who have any interest in Battersea Central School located in Hawkley during the evacuation period of the second world war.
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