Evacuees

Stories about Cockney kids being evacuated to  stay with country  families in World War Two are frequently told. It has become a cliché that both sides were as astonished by the lack of understanding of each other’s lifestyles. The Chewton Mendip School registers confirm some of the stereotypes and the children from Millwall may never have seen cows in fields before but the story is more complicated than that.

A significant number came from Bristol which is to be expected as that city was also badly bombed but the children coming from Northumberland, Sussex and Surrey are more difficult to explain.

Former evacuees often provide a source of information. Sid Elias who lived in Ivy Cottage near Burgess Coombe is an example. For some reason he did not attend Chewton Mendip School. The Symes family who he remembers hosted a large number of Children.

Another exmaple of an ‘evacee family’ is the Alberts who bought what was hen called Navestock before he oubreak of histilities and hosted Jewish refugees, evacuees children and fomer prisioners of the Japanese.

The addresses used to describe  where the host family lived were stil vague like The Folly, Chewton Hill, The Street and Lower Street but some specific houses are identified.

Litton School had closed down so a number of Children were hosted by Lotton families. Emborough never had its own school so some children were billeted there.

The information provided is not a straight transcription and it is not clear how many families were evacuees and how many were just ‘passing through’. There are stories about secret activities going on in th village during the war so some people may not have been in a position t explain where they were going to.

Some children only stayed for one day and many left within three months. The frequent reference to leaving for Paulton suggests this was a natural progression to a senior school.

The references to L.C.C school is assmed to mean that London Count Council set up a temporary school in the Village Hall.

The list of evacuees is as follows. Edna Adamson was   living with Mrs Dudden in Manner Farm. Her previous school was in London N19.   She transferred to Paulton School in 1943. June Lillian Bailey was living with Mrs   Payne at the Waldegrave Garage. Her previous school was Hanley Infants, N 19,   London. She left for Paulton Senior in 1943. She was involved with the L.C.C   Village Hall school. Michael Hewen Paul Barrow was staying at   Green Down Cottage Litton. His previous school was Downend Junior in Staple   Hill. He returned to Bristol in 1944. Ronald Beer was staying at the Vicarage   (Old Rectory) with Mrs (Cromwell) Bush. His previous school was Air Balloon   Road Mixed. He spent some time at the L.C.C school at the Village Hall. Derek Bennet from Doncaster Road, Bristol   was staying at Rose Cottage, Chewton Hill. His date of return to Bristol is   not recorded. Celia Bigsby was staying at 2 Homefield   Cottages, Chewton Mendip. She was from Surrey and returned home in 1944. Michael John Black was staying with Mrs   Randall in Chewton Hill. His previous school was in Pontypridd. He left for   Bristol in 1944. Victor John Blackmore from Victoria Park,   Bristol  was hosted in Sages Farm. He   left in 1944 to attend a special place at Wells Blue School. Francis Briton stayed a 3 Council Houses   Litton. His previous school was Filton avenue J. M. He returned to Bristol in   1941. Graham John Brown was staying with Leslie   Pullin at Ford. He was from Staple Hill and returned to Bristol in 1945. Pauline Brown was staying with Mrs Alice   Pullin at Ford Litton. Her previous School was in Staple Hill, Bristol. She   returned home in 1943. Delis Marlowe Burnell was staying in   Chewton Hill and returned to Taunton in 1944. Yvonne Byrne was staying with Mrs Prior   at Brays Batch. Her previous school was Air Balloon Road Mixed. She returned   to Bristol in 1941. Donald Brian Candy was staying with his   sister, Jennifer, at East End Farm. His previous school was the Convent High   School in Bath. He left for Bridgewater in 1943. Janet Vivien Candy was staying in east   End farm. Her mother was Vivien Candy and they left for Bridgewater in 1943. Jennifer Candy was staying with her   brother, Donald Brian , at East End Farm. Her previous school was the Convent   High School in Bath. She left for Bridgewater in 1943. Michael Chamberlain was staying at   Chewton Hill with Mrs Keen. His previous school was C of E Junior Ifracombe. Herbert Reginald Chappel was staying at   Benleaze Eastwod East Harptree. His previous school was Easton Rd Jnr Mixed   in Bristol. He left for Harptree school in 1942. Gillian Mary Chivers was living in   Navestock with both her parents hosted by Mrs Albert. No previous school is   listed but they came from Bristol. Gillian left or Stratton in 1945. She was staying at Avlon, Litton and was   described as a visitor when she attendance Chewton Mendip in 1944. Her   parent/guardian  was listed as Susannah   and her previous school was in Tidworth, Hampshire. She returned home in   1945. Patricia Mary Clavey was staying at   Church Cottage Litton. Her previous school was Portbury Jnr Mixed. She was   transferred to Paulton school in 1943. David Coggins was staying at Avlon,   Litton, possibly with Mrs Curnock. His previous school was Sefton Park,   Bristol. He left in 1942 to attend Paulton School. Peter Cotterell was staying in 3 East   End, Chewton Mendip. His previous school was in Bishop Road, Bishopston. He   returned to Bristol in 1941. Edward Cox was staying at Redhill Farm   Emborough. His previous school was in St Anne’s, Bristol and he returned to   Bristol in 1942. Rita Cox was staying at Redhill Farm   Emborough. Her previous school was in St Anne’s, Bristol and she returned to   Bristol in 1941. Alexander Dack ‘s guardian is listed as   Violet Dack, c/o Mrs Hemming of Litton but was staying with Mrs Symes in   Griggs Pit. He was described as a L.C.C evacuee. He went home in 1945. Dorothy Margaret was staying at the Red   Lion, Green Ore. Her previous school was in Conaught Road, Bristol. She left   for Wells Central School in 1943. Edna Dando was staying at the Red Lion,   Green Ore. Her previous school was in Conaught Road, Bristol. She left for   Wells Secondary Modern School in 1946. Evelyn Dando was staying at the Red Lion,   Green Ore. Her previous school was in Conaught Road, Bristol. She left for   Wells Secondary Modern School in 1944. Doreen Dell was one of four members of   this family who were staying at Whitestyle. They came from Sussex and   returned home in 1944. John Dell was one of four members of this   family who were staying at Whitestyle. They came from Sussex and returned   home in 1944. Ruth Dell was one of four members of this   family who were staying at Whitestyle. They came from Sussex and returned   home in 1944. Sylvia Dell was one of four members of   this family who were staying at Whitestyle. They came from Sussex and   returned home in 1944. Peter Brown Dix was staying in East End .   His previous school was in Ashton Gate. He returned to Bristol in 1941. Maureen Elizabeth Emmett may have been   staying with Mrs Ford in Chewton Hill. Her previous school was in Croydon and   she returned home in Croydon. Hinchcliffe Michael Fielding was staying   at Navestock (The Old Vicarage). Mrs Albert and her children were themselves   ‘evacuees’ of a sort. He returned to an unspecified home in 1943. Albert Garret from Millwall, London was   hosted by Miss Middle of Orchard Place Litton but returned to London in 1940. Grace Kathleen Garrett was staying with   Mrs Reynolds in Shortwood Villa, Litton along with Margaret Payne. The both   came from Millwall and returned to London in 1944. John Giles was staying in Homedene. He   did not have a previous school and left in 1943. The remarks state he was   staying with relatives in Holy Cottage, Cricket Hill, Yateley, Camberley. Betty Golding was staying in Nurse’s   Bungalow Chewton. Her previous school was J.M Central Rd, Morden. She   returned home in 1941. June Caroline Goodenough was staying with   Mrs Ford in Chewton Hill. No previous school is listed but she left for Bath   in 1946. Eileen Goodhind was staying in Chewton   Hill, initially with her sister Sheila but she was moved to stay with Mrs   Humphries in Coles Lane. It is assumed her previous school was Air Balloon   Road Mixed. She returned to Bristol in 1943. Sheila Goodhind was staying in Chewton   Hill, initially with her sister Eileen. Her previous school was Air Balloon   Road Mixed. She returned to Bristol in 1941. Dennis Gwillell was staying at the Lodge,   Chewton House. He started at South St Bedminster school but moved to   Southville Junior Mixed school before being evacuated. He was transferred to   L.C.C village hall party. Moreen Gwillell was staying at Church   Cottage, Litton. Like her brother Dennis, from whom she was separated, she   started school in Bedminster and Southville. She was transferred to L.C.C   village hall party. John Haggett was staying with Mrs   Williams of The Cottage, Shortwood Lane Litton. His previous school was in   Doncaster Road, Bristol. He returned to Bristol in 1941. Brian Hales was staying with Mrs Hemmings   in the maisonette in Litton. He came from Balham and returned to London in   1944. Dorothy Beryl Hales from Herne Hill,   London was staying at the Maisonette in Litton but returned to London in   1939. Beverley Harding was staying in Church   Cottage, Litton. Her previous school was Sea Mills Junior in Bristol. She   went to Banwell in 1941. Michael Harrington was staying in   Hazeldene Cottage, Litton. His previous school was Ainthorpe? Grove, Hull. He   returned to Hull in 1941 Sylvia Loraine Hill was staying with Mrs   Ford of Chewton Hill. Her previous school was Corbridge C of E School   Northumberland. Maureen Holder was staying with Mrs Parry   at Bathway. Her previous school was in Sussex. She returned home in 1945. Bridget Horley was one of four members of   the Horley family from Hellingly in Sussex. They were staying in Chewton Hill   and returned home in 1944. Joane Horley was one of four members of   the Horley family from Hellingly in Sussex. They were staying in Chewton Hill   and returned home in 1944. John Horley was one of four members of   the Horley family from Hellingly in Sussex. They were staying in Chewton Hill   and returned home in 1944. Patrick Horley was one of four members of   the Horley family from Hellingly in Sussex. They were staying in Chewton Hill   and returned home in 1944. Anne Horne was staying at Chewton Lodge.   She came from Clapham and returned to London in 1946. Raymond Hulbert was living in Green Down   with Mrs Sherborne. His previous school was in Sheridan Road Bristol. He   returned to Bristol in 1941. Vida Elizabeth Francis Jones was staying   with Stanley Humphries of Coles Lane but her previous school was Downend   Junior in Staple Hill. She returned to Bristol in 1945. Florence keen was born in December 1935.   She probably stayed with Mrs Symes ain Griggs Pitt. Her previous school is   described as the L.C.C Village Hall. There is no record of what happened to   her. Jeffrey Kier was staying in Frogmore   House but was removed to London in 1939. Winifred Ann Kominek was staying in   Greendown. Her previous school was in Austria and her mother’s name was   Winifred. She was born 11/4/1938 so perhaps her mother was English and had   married an Austrian before the war. The Anschluss was on 12/3/1938. James Michael Lacey was staying in Manor   Farm, Litton. His previous school was in Manchester. He returned to the Isle   of Man in 1944. Michael Roland Paul Lacey was staying in   Lower Street. His previous school was Chesterfield School, Bristol. He left   in 1943 for the Grammar School in Wells. Jill Littlewood was staying at Manor   Farm, Chewton Mendip. Her previous school was St John’s Bristol and she   returned to Bristol in 1941. Brian was staying with Mrs Ford in   Chewton Hill. His previous school was Newgate Lane Infants, Mansfield. Betty Mconnell was one of three members   of that family staying in 2 Homefield. They had been at wells Cathedral   school for 4 months and were transferred to Paulton School in 1945. Douglas Cameron Mconnell was one of three   members of that family staying in 2 Homefield. They had been at wells   Cathedral school for 4 months and were transferred to Paulton School in 1945. William Mconnell was one of three members   of that family staying in 2 Homefield. They had been at wells Cathedral   school for 4 months and were transferred to Paulton School in 1945. Brian Monks was staying with Mrs Randall   ay Chewton Hill.  His previous school   was Air Balloon Road Mixed. He returned to Bristol in 1941. Denis Monks was staying with Mrs Catlin   at Chewton Hill. His previous school was Air Balloon Road Mixed. He returned   to Bristol in 1941. Royston Norris was staying at the Lodge,   Chewton House. He started at South St Bedminster school but moved to   Southville Junior Mixed school before being evacuated. He was transferred to   L.C.C village hall party. Marguerite Emily Virginia Ollis was   staying at Green Ore possibly with her father, Albert Leonard Ollis, or with   Mrs Curnock.  The remarks may be   confused with the record for David Coggins. Margaret Payne was staying with Mrs   Reynolds in Shortwood Villa, Litton along with Grace Kathleen Garrett . The   both came from Millwall and returned to London in 1944. Donald Pearce from Plymouth was staying   at Lower Street. He left for Radstock in 1943. Eric Pearce was staying at Lower Street.   His previous School was Laura Green J.M, presumably in Plymouth. He left in   1942 to attend Paulton School. Ruth Pearce from Plymouth was staying at   Lower Street. She transferred to Paulton in 1941. Vera Perret was staying with Mrs Jones at   the Coop.  Her previous school was Air   Balloon Road Mixed. She returned to Bristol in 1941. Leonard Pipe was staying with Mrs Ethel   Symes in Griggs Pit with his sister Lillian. His previous school was the   Burghley, St Pancras. He left for Paulton Senior in 1943. He was involved   with the L.C.C Village Hall school. Lillian Pipe was staying with Mrs Ethel   Symes in Griggs Pit with his sister Lillian. His previous school was the   Burghley, St Pancras. He left for Paulton Senior in 1943. He was involved   with the L.C.C Village Hall school. Audrey Povey was staying at Bathway   Chewton with her brother Royston. She had not been to school before. She   moved to Currey Rival in 1944. Royston Povey was staying at Bathway   Chewton Mendip. His previous school was St Andrews J.M. Clevedon. He left for   Paulton school in 1942. Peter Randall was staying with Mrs Guy of   Wooton Hole, Chewton Mendip. He came from Knowle in Bristol and returned to   Bristol in 1941. Gerald    Read was living in Chewton Hill    with his sister, Mary Josephine, when they attended Chewton Mendip   School. His Father’s name was Edward. His previous school was in Hampshire.   They left in 1944 without notification. Mary Josephine Read was living in Chewton   Hill  with her brother when she   attended Chewton Mendip School. Her Father’s name was Edward. Her previous   school was in Hampshire. They left in 1944 without notification. Brian Stuart Rees was born in November   1932. He was staying with Mrs Groves in The Folly. His previous school was in   St Phillips, Bristol. He returned to Bristol in 1941. Kathleen Barbara Rees was staying with   Mrs Heal in Chewton Hill. Her previous school was St Philips Marsh Nursery   School, Bristol. She returned home in 1942. Joseph Alan Robson stayed at The Folly   with his twin brother ,Thomas Leslie. His previous school was Beaufort   Sandhoe in Northumberland. He returned home in 1941. Thomas Leslie Robson stayed at The Folly   with his twin brother ,Joseph Alan. His previous school was Beaufort Sandhoe   in Northumberland. He returned home in 1941. Elizabeth Rymer was staying at Double   Farm but was removed to London in 1940. Wilson John Rymer was staying at Double   Farm  but was removed to Romford, Essex   in1940. His previous school was in Bournmouth. Dennis Smith was staying at the Drive,   Cross Roads, Priddy with his brother Gilbert. His previous school was in   Summerhill, Bristol. He only attended Chewton Mendip school for one day. Gilbert Smith was staying at the Drive,   Cross Roads, Priddy with his brother Dennis. His date of birth is not   recorded but his previous school was in Summerhill, Bristol. He only attended   Chewton Mendip school for one day. Brian Starr was staying with Mrs Curtis   of The Cottage, Shortwood Lane Litton. His previous school was in Doncaster   Road, Bristol. He returned to Bristol in 1941. Leon Thomas was staying at Red Hill Farm.   He was from Chasminster? And returned to Bournmouth in 1941. Michael John Thompson was staying with   Reg Middle. He was from Essex and returned home in 1944. Shirley Tigg was staying at Navestock   (The Old Vicarage). Mrs Albert and her children were themselves ‘evacuees’ of   a sort. She returned to an unspecified home in 1943. Norman Tilling was staying at the   Vicarage,  care of Mrs (Cromwell) Bush,   with Ronald Beer and his brother Raymond. His previous school was Air Balloon   Road Mixed. He spent some time at the L.C.C school at the Village Hall. Raymond Tilling staying his brother   Norman at the Vicarage. His previous school was Air Balloon Road Mixed. He   returned to Bristol in 1941. Betty Trevethan was staying with Mrs   Humphries at Coles Lane  who is listed   as her parent or guardian but no other details are recorded. Mrs Humphries   hosted several evacuees. John Graham Tyte was staying at Sherborn   Farm, Litton. His previous school was in Pontypridd. He left for Bristol in   1944. Hazel Vincent from London was hosted in   Paradise Farm in Emborough but returned to London in 1940. Colin Wakham was staying with his   brother, John, in North Lodge, Hill Grove. His previous school was Hartwell C   Bristol. He returned to Bristol in 1942. John Wakham was staying with his brother,   Colin in North Lodge, Hill Grove. His previous school was Hartwell C Bristol.   He returned to Bristol in 1942. Donald Warrilow was staying at the   Cottage, Griigs Pitt Wood. His previous school was Wick Road Junior Mixed in   Bristol. He left for Wells Grammar school in 1941. Louisa Warrilow was staying at the   Cottage, Griigs Pitt Wood. Her previous school was Wick Road Junior Mixed in   Bristol. She left for Wells Grammar school in 1941. Albert Watson from London was hosted by   Mrs Young of Litton but returned to London in 1940. Marea Watts was staying in Bathway. Their   previous residence was Wooton Basset and they returned there in 1940. Alexander Webster was staying with Mrs   Brown at Chew Hill. His previous school was Hargrove Infants?  He was described as a L.C.C evacuee. He   went home in 1942. Brian John West was staying in Chewton   Hill. His previous school was in Filton Avenue, Bristol. There is no record   of when he left or where he went to. Shirley Wilkins was staying with Mrs   Parson at Bathway. Her previous school was Hampton House, Stoke Bishop,   Bristol. She was removed to Ston Easton in 1941. Michael Windows was living in Green Down   with Mrs Sherborne. His previous school was in Sheridan Road Bristol. He   returned to Bristol in 1941. Herbert James Young was staying with Mrs   Evans. His previous school was Southville J.M in Bristol. He transferred to   Paulton in 1944.