To All Hawkley Evacuees

Sylvia and I are over the moon with the unusual and attractive gift presented to us by the reunion members.

It will be a permanent reminder of a long and happy association.

 

Sylvia and Harry Withers.
 

Battersea Central School

The LAST HAWKLEY REUNION 2010

 The Thirteenth Annual reunion in Hawkley, Hampshire

Saturday 10th July 2010

A dramatic event occurred at Hawkley in 1774: Gilbert White described how a large part of "the great woody hanger at Hawkley was torn from its place and fell down, leaving a high freestone cliff naked and bare, and resembling the steep cliff of a chalk pit."

The second dramatic event occurred in 1939 when a party of 80 London girls due to be billeted in Hawkley and District actually turned out to be BOYS from Battersea Central School some as old as 16. This must have been a shock to all those mothers with teenage girls. But perhaps to these maidens it was a gift from heaven?

Perhaps the last dramatic event took place on Saturday 10 th July 2010 when the last reunion took place, it has been decided as the original “boys” left from that event number perhaps only 12 and only 6 of these were able to attend the reunion, 3 are overseas in Canada and Australia and a few are hospitalised, so the time has come to disband before we all pass away, indeed in the last year 5 old boys have died. (Charlie Burcham, Dennis Davis, John Dickeson, Fred Glee, Gerald Jones)

But this reunion drew together 31 boys and friend for a get together lunch held in the Parrish Hall in a time of celebration, we were delighted that the Reverend David Heatley joined us for the occasion and opened our meal with Grace.

 

The 1939 London Evacuees to Hawkley

(80 boys and staff from Battersea Central School Arrived on the 1st September 1939)

The few surviving evacuees plus local lads who joined later

Invite you to our Final Reunion on Saturday 10 th July 2010 at 3.00 p.m.

 in Hawkley Village Hall when tributes and thanks will be given to the Village by one of the original evacuees

with a response from a villager Councillor. Followed by tea and cakes at 4.00 p.m.

Details of places and people who gave billets to the boys can be found on this web site

http://hawkley1939.emc.org.uk look in Contents

plus details of the background and memories of Hawkley

ALL are more than WELCOME

After lunch we held a meeting to which any villagers could attend via the Parrish Magazine shown above where Dick Raine gave a vote of thanks to the village on behalf of all the original boys, followed by George Dance who represented the local boys who joined Battersea Central School in Hawkley and at least 4 were present. Then Lady Sinclair then gave a response but from a villager's point of view, Lady Susan Sinclair is the grand daughter of Clive Davies of Hawkley Hurst who in 1939 was the evacuation officer for Hawkley and district, Lady Susan is also a Councillor on the Hawkley Parish Council.

We were pleased that a goodly number of the villagers who are the present owners of the houses where the evacuees were billeted attend and asked many question of those years ago before they were born.

Those still alive relate to some of the places as follows:-

Battersea Central Boys School Original evacuees, those who are considered alive in 2010 and where billeted

Dick Raine - Parsons Piece, Hawkley Vicarage

Denis Hacker - Mrs. Mayoh, Empshott Place

Peter Wright - Mrs Chiverton, Empshott Green

Cyril Bridgen - The Hollies

Cliff Douthwaite - Oakshott Farm and Hawkley Hurst

Jack Douthwaite - Oakshott Farm and Hawkley Hurst

Bob Blackie – Mrs Chiverton, Empshott Green

Len Abbott - Mrs Potter, Snailing Lane

Tom Cowell – Mrs. Potter, Snailing Lane and Hawkley Hurst

Stan Creed - Mrs Chiverton, Empshott Green

Bill Checkley - Mrs Waghorn, Avoca, Snailing Lane

Harry Withers – Uplands Farm

Roy Alphey - not sure

Messages were read from two of the boys who have moved and live overseas:-

Thanks for the invitation & privilege to add some final words to the Hawkley narrative.

We've heard it said & I suppose it is true, that "all good things must come to an end".

The Hawkley Reunion has been such; 'a good thing' that has retained and reawakened memories of exceptional times & experiences that we old 'Hawkley Ites ' have looked back on fondly & with gratitude.

Those memories, I guess would have remained locked away, had it not been for the vision of Harry & yourself that linked many of us back together through the Reunions & the Internet. Indeed, it brought my late brother Jim & I into much closer contact than the once a year letters we exchanged.

Jim was delighted with the Hawkley Reunion & shared his happy experiences with us here in Australia.

Although I was never able to be in England at the right time to experience a Reunion, your diligence & devotion Cliff, kept it alive for me. I can say I have spent many happy hours enjoying the reminiscences of the 'Old Boys' from BCS Hawkley on this web site.

Looking back those 70 years, I know that the Hawkley experience had a profound influence on my life. Had it not been for the meeting & friendship of the late Arthur Govus, I would not have met & married his sister Joan. My lovely wife of these 60 years. Our Masters at Hawley managed to instil in us a strong sense of pride in the school & respect for the community that embraced us into the warmth of their caring ways for the duration of the War.

My appreciation of country Folk & their generosity, was a direct result of the kindness and patience of the Villagers in & around Hawkley, that has left it's mark on my character.

Thank you all, thank you Harry, thank you Cliff, & of course thank you Villagers of Hawkley.

God bless you all.   Bill & Joan Checkley in Australia

and

Greetings:

I had always hoped that I might visit Hawkley during the 'well attended' era.  I appear to have run out of time.

For those who have attended for many years this may seem a sad occasion.  It should be a celebration. 

A celebration of the success of Battersea Central School to develop a community of spirit that has survived for most of us for more than seventy years.

Hawkley is where our childhood ended and self-sufficiency and independence began.

I shall always be grateful to our masters and their wives, to my peers, the Davies' of Hawkley Hurst and the Village of Hawkley for their invaluable contributions to my development and by extension, my life.

I wish you all a very happy reunion

Tom Cowell, Montreal, Canada

 

The opportunity was taken to present a commissioned skeleton Clock (shown below) to Harry Withers the organiser of reunions at Hawkley for the past decade and a half.

Then George Dance a local who joined Battersea Central School gave thanks to Harry and Sylvia Withers for all their work in organisation over the last twelve years,  they declined to come due to the distance from where they live in Chapel St. Leonards, Skegness, Lincolnshire, but the Skeleton Clock and scroll will be delivered to them with the tribute.

 

The scroll reads as follows:-

Harry and Sylvia Withers,

Please accept this gift to which everyone has contributed, as a token of our appreciation for all your hard work in organising the Annual Reunions of the Battersea Central Boys School  who were evacuated to Hawkley in Hampshire in September 1939. On behalf of all who attended the Final Reunion at Hawkley on Saturday 10^th July, 2010, and all those who are unable to attend.

THANK YOU.

 Then a message from Harry Withers

Dear All

Thank you for your recent good letter, nice to hear from you

You are on the count down to Saturday’s Reunion and Sylvia and I would like you to know that we are very conscious of the impending gathering.

Our thoughts will be with you and sincerely hope you have a very enjoyable day and your efforts will be rewarded. The weather seems “set” to be fair. So Good Luck

Best Wishes

Sylvia and Harry Withers

Tuesday 6 th June

After tea we all departed to the far corners of the UK, but with a longing to keep in touch via the Internet or the web site hawkley1939.emc.org.uk but with fond memories and thanks to Hawkley.

Cliff Douthwaite

Reunion 2010 attendees

Alex Cadogan

Bill & Doreen Dorey

Bill & Joan Bleach

Christine Jordan

Cliff Douthwaite

David Keats

Denis & Audrey Hacker

Dick Raine

Doris Barber

Doris Knowles

Eileen Keats

Eric & Peggy Hobbs

George & Renee Dance

George Colliety

Glenda & Mike Kennedy

Gwen Murtagh

Jean Crofts

Joe & Esme Simpson

Joy Hollies

Lady Susan Sinclair and Sir Patrick Sinclair, Bt

Peggy Carpenter

Peggy Taylor

Peter Wright

Rev David Heatley

Roy Alphey

 

Additions for the 3.00 Meeting

Bob Blackie

Ron Redsull

Kerrigan and Simon Bryant

Carol and Richard Ashby

Owner Parson Piece

Lady Lucas - Hawkley Hurst Apartment

Owner Hawkley Hurst Apartment ?

Others ?

The lunch Party in the Church yard by David Keats

Report sent to the local papers, Petersfield Herald and the Post

Battersea Central School (Boys) FINAL Reunion

After a happy gathering at the Hawkley Inn, 30 "old boys" and their friends and families adjourned to the Village Hall to celebrate the evacuation in 1939.

A sumptuous meal was provided by Michael Trussler, caterer, and was greatly enjoyed by all.

This final reunion was celebrated in order to have an "absentee" presentation for their long serving organiser, Mr Harry Withers, who has given up for health reasons.  The gift of a beautiful handmade clock was happily contributed to by the original evacuees, the local boys who joined the school at that time and by families and friends.

The organiser in chief was Mr Cliff Douthwaite, ably assisted by Mrs Peggy Carpenter (an old BCS "girl") along with Mrs Peggy Taylor, and Mrs Doris Knowles and her band of helpers.

After speeches and presentation the invited villagers of Hawkley stayed for tea and cakes so that the evacuees and the locals could thank the families for looking after them all during those troubled times. Speeches were made by Mr Dick Raine (who was the original Head Masters son) and an evacuee himself, and Mr George Dance - a local "boy".  Lady Susan Sinclair replied on behalf of the villagers and thanks were given to various people. The whole afternoon was a great success.

Peggy Carpenter

Hawkley Village green

Send mail to webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2001 Hawkley - Last modified: December 27, 2012