Wartime West Sussex 1939 – 1945 EVACUEES Evacuees arrive in Mid-Sussex- children Mid-Sussex Times, September 12th 1939 Making the evacuees in Mid-Sussex feel at home Arrangements for Welfare and Education of Children __________________ The huge new population of evacuees which Mid-Sussex has Four children of a London painter absorbed is beginning to settle down. are billeted in Haywards Heath - two Reports from the various districts state boys in one home and two girls that billeting has been completed, separately in other homes. The three though in some cases re-distribution householders have arranged for the became necessary. children to have periodical tea parties at Community canteens and each house. hospitals are working satisfactorily, __________________ welfare committees are now active, and Mr T. Brennan of St Joseph's the authorities have in hand arrange- School, Croydon, is living in the Village ments for educating the children. with a number of his children, and says From all sides come human and "Everybody is most kind, and the often humorous stories of the children are wonderfully well treated." experiences of evacuees and house- Mr. Brennan points out that one of holders acommodating them, and the greatest difficulties the teachers equally numerous are the expressions have to contend with is the scattered of appreciation from teachers and billets. Some of the chiuldren are a mile mothers of the warm-hearted receptions or two away and some are at Fulking they and the children have had. and Poynings. "We can't speak too highly of the How this difficulty can be kindness we have experienced," is what surmounted for educational purposes many evacuees approached have said, was the subject of conferences between using more or less the same words. London and local Head Teachers at the They are delighted that it has fallen to Haywards Heath Senior Council School their lot to be billeted in such a last week..... beautiful district. __________________ In the meantime, the teachers of the evacuated schools are doing One of the beneficial effects of the everything possible to exercise control scheme will be an improvement in the over their scattered children. Take the health of the evacuees. Already, after a scholars of the Senrab Junior Mixed week in the Sunny South, the pale faces School, for instance. Each morning of the town children have a more Miss Howls, the Head Teacher, and her healthy appearance. assistants meet the children in Victoria __________________ Park at half-past ten for games and "Generally speaking, the reception other recreation. has been wonderful," say the teachers. They know where each child is Mr A. Grove (Head Master of St billeted, and every evening the billets Matthew's School) pointed out that one are visited to ensure that the children patent difficulty is the different are off the streets at seven o'clock. __________________ conditions in which some of the children are living. A number in "posh" houses feel that they are in "gilded cages" and are getting homesick. www.westsussexpast.org.uk 1 © West Sussex County Council Library Service Wartime West Sussex 1939 – 1945 EVACUEES The Henry Fawcett School adjoins Here is what nine-year-old Mary the famous Kennington Oval, and the Morris of Lewisham says: "I like boy scholars are keen cricketers. They Burgess Hill because of the fields. We are in love with Lindfield Common, and haven't any fields at home and no are good mixers with the local lads. blackberry bushes". Already they are calling each other by Evacuated children at Burgess Hill their Christian names. are fortunate in the outdoor facilities From a talk with some of the boys, they have at their disposal.....St John's we gather they are proving most help- Park has been looking more like ful. They have been weeding gardens Hampstead Heath on a Bank Holiday and cutting grass, as well as making than the beautiful recreation ground their beds, running errands for their which is Burgess Hill's chief pride. And hostesses, helping to wash up, and the litter ! - well, perhaps we had gathering blackberries for tarts. better not say any more about that ! __________________ "It is lovely down here, and much better and safer than London" was the One of the most popular of Mid- observation of one lad, who seemed to Sussex rendezvous is the Adastra have voiced the feelings of all his pals. Ground, Hassocks, which now teems Miss Webb, Head Mistress of the daily with East End mothers and Girls' Department of the Henry Fawcett children. To the children in particular School, described the reception as the ground is a seventh heaven, and marvellous. "People have been unbeliev- their delight at having a wide expanse ably kind, and for goodness' sake put in of grass to play on is plainly evident, our expression of deep gratitude to The youth of Hassocks are doing Lindfield people for their hospitality." their share of making the young Miss Webb spent the weekend of evacuees happy. Football and cricket her arrival making sure of the where- matches between the local and London abouts of her girls, and ascertained that boys have been arranged, and keen, some of them were in Haywards Heath. good-natured rivalry has sprung up. These have been meeting each day on The Londoners have brought to the the Haywards Heath Recreation district a game rarely if ever played by Ground, in the care of a teacher. the local children - rounders. For the "We have been having open-air uninitiated, this is a modified form of arithmetic lessions, as well as speech American baseball, played with a tennis work, physical training work and ball and anything that serves for the nature walks," proceeded Miss Webb, purpose of a bat. In playgrounds where who also mentioned that country this game is the rage among children dancing and community singing were the bases are marked by coats. At being included in the activities. Hassocks the bases are marked by The girls are emulating the boys, clusters of gas masks ! and are giving assistance wherever they __________________ can. __________________ .....A "double shift" system has Miss Watts, Head Mistress of the been inaugurated in the Council Lewisham Bridge Infants' School.....said School.....During the current week the the children were being treated evacuated children are being taught at excellently. There were one or two the school in the morning, and the complaints of children being rough, but "native" children in the afternoon. Next these were only to be expected. She week, Hassocks children will be taught spoke highly of the way the teachers in the morning and the London children had worked to get the children down in the afternoon, and so on. __________________ there and to ensure that they were adequately equipped with clothing..... www.westsussexpast.org.uk 2 © West Sussex County Council Library Service Wartime West Sussex 1939 – 1945 EVACUEES Among the evacuation juveniles in Every Saturday morning the Mid-Sussex are 170 boys in blue-and- Hassocks Council School is turned into white blazers and caps from St Joseph's a Synagogue, services being conducted College, a Roman Catholic Secondary for the Jewish children from London. School in West Norwood. The majority Special Jewish festival services are are in Haywards Heath, with small being held next Thursday and Friday, parties at Bolney, Ansty and Cuckfield. when the school will be closed to Their twelve masters who have come London children of other faiths. __________________ with them are known as Christian Brothers. The service for the eve of the __________________ Jewish New Year tomorrow (Wednesday) In view of the number of Jewish must end half-an-hour before the children who are billeted in homes official black-out time. On the Day of where the preparation of food in the Atonement, the Shofar will not be Jewish fashion is impossible, the sounded to mark the end of the fast, as announcement made on the radio on the service will end in the synagogues behalf of the Chief Rabbi is of great at 6.30 and the fast ends at 7.87pm. In importance. Referring to Jewish case of an air raid warning during the refugees, Dr Hertz said: "In a national services the minister willask those who emergency such as the present, all that live nearby to go home, and will indicate is required of them is to refrain from to those who remain the place of the forbidden meat and shellfish." nearest public shelter. Old men, women __________________ and children are asked to pray at home. © Mid-Sussex Times www.westsussexpast.org.uk 3 © West Sussex County Council Library Service .