Background and Preparations

Background

To those living in 1939 there was a sense that war was inevitable. To many people the question was not “If”, but “When”. The rapid and systematic rearmament of Germany under Adolf Hitler, together with his acts of aggression in the Thirties in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, made for an uneasy world. There were of course other factors, such as the failure of the League of Nations and the major powers to prevent Hitler’s advances, which contributed to the darkening political clouds gathering over Europe. Even in 1938 Europe was on the brink of war, although many countries, including Britain, were unprepared for conflict.

There was a realisation and a fear in Britain in 1938 that millions of civilians living in London and the major cities could be killed or injured in a matter of months in the event of bombing raids by the Luftwaffe, the German air force. The Government Evacuation Scheme was developed during the summer of 1938. In the event of war, the plan was that the country would be divided into zones, classified as “evacuation”, “neutral”, or “reception”, with evacuees being moved from city centres and relocated and billeted in private houses in more rural areas that were of less risk. The government mounted a propaganda campaign which featured the printing and distribution of posters, pamphlets and leaflets, all designed to raise the level of awareness and to inform civilians about what to do in the event of air raids and, at the same time, attempting to allay their fears and avoid panic in the event of war.

The school’s preparations, 1939

It was certainly the case that prior to evacuation of the children there would have been a flurry of standard official letters and circulars flowing into the school from the MEC and government departments. Although no such documents have survived from St Gregory’s, they have survived from other neighbouring schools and give an insight into the detailed planning, arrangements and provisions entailed in the evacuation process.

As early as April 1939 the school is known to have addressed the question of evacuation with parents. There is no record of whether this took the form of a letter or a meeting in the school hall, or what was said. However, in line with what happened at other Manchester schools in that month following receipt of an official circular on evacuation, it probably took the form of a meeting at which Mr Holmes would have briefed parents on the arrangements in the event of the evacuation of their children.  

In July, Mr John Walsh, a teacher, began a short period of military training after which he returned to school when it re-opened on 21st August following the midsummer holidays.

On 28th August, the school assembled to rehearse the arrangements for the evacuation which was felt to be impending. On 31st August evacuation was officially announced and notice was given that it would begin the next day, Friday 1st September, two days before the declaration of war on Germany.

Call-up

On that same day of notification, 31st August, Mr Lawrence Traynor received his notice to join the Royal Air Force. Sadly, he would be killed in action. On 1st September, Mr John Walsh joined his unit The 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment. Thus, both assistant masters left St Gregory’s for military service before the war was actually declared.

Evacuation

As part of Operation Pied Piper – as the mass evacuation was known – 155 of St Gregory’s pupils voluntarily were evacuated on 1st September to the apparent safety of the district of Timperley, classified as a “reception area”. Many made the journey by train. The school “remained evacuated”, which meant that it was completely empty of pupils and staff although at least one other high school in the evacuation area of Ardwick appeared to remain partly open for the instruction of some of its senior pupils. 

The evacuees attended with (according to the official list) gas mask, change of underclothing, nightclothes, house shoes or plimsolls, spare socks, toothbrush and comb, towel and handkerchiefs, warm coat or mackintosh, and food for the day. Thickest and warmest footwear were also advised. Clothing and footwear for any necessitous cases could be provided by the MEC. Every child would have been supplied with an identity disc and two labels (one for the person and one for luggage). Rucksacks, if required, were made available through the Stores Department of the Manchester Education Committee at a reasonable charge. 

At the commencement of the evacuation process to the Altrincham district, there were approximately 2,983 evacuees – including 1,683 from Manchester and 1,350 from Stretford. The Altrincham, Bowdon & Hale Guardian of 5th September carried the following account:

“Those people who, on Friday of last week and again on Saturday, saw the arrival of children and other possible classes evacuated from vulnerable areas in Manchester and district to Altrincham, Bowdon and Hale, will have for many years the memory of an unpleasant task performed in a highly efficient manner. It was unpleasant in the sense that it was necessary, but the majority of the children did not look upon it as such.

“Arrangements had been completed some days prior to the receipt of the actual order for carrying out the scheme, and the organisations responsible for the controlling of the evacuees played their parts in ensuring that the least possible delay occurred between the time the children arrived at the railway station and their ultimate destination.

“…Motor-buses and luxury coaches were drawn up in readiness to convey the evacuees to the various dispersal centres.

“On part of No. 1 platform, the evacuees were received by nurses and other helpers, together with rail-head officials, who marshalled, checked and re-checked, as they passed out of the station.

“It was evident that the appeals made by the Mayor and others in cinemas in the district for people to stay at home until the children had been billeted had been taken to heart. Only in a few cases was it found that householders who had consented to take children were not at home.”

They were initially taken to a number of schools in the reception area, from where they were eventually dispersed to their designated school and billeted locally. St Gregory’s pupils were destined for Wellington Road Senior Boys’ School.

The Altrincham, Bowdon & Hale Guardian published the following comment in its issue of 12th September 1939:

“Several schools in the Altrincham district were reopened on Monday, and, as soon as the cleaning and disinfection of nine others, which were used as dispersal centres for evacuees, has been completed, they also will reopen…It is hoped that the Wellington Road schools will open on Thursday.

“Local children will attend for three and a half hours in the mornings, and evacuated children in the afternoons, when they receive instruction from their own Manchester teachers. All evacuated children have to be medically examined before returning to school.”

Concerns

Some Cheshire councillors had misgivings about schools being reopened without proper provision having been made for the protection and safety of children. Some believed there should be trenches and air raid shelters within five minutes’ walk for all children. One problem with this suggestion, however, was the fact that it would take time – possibly months – to supply the steel necessary for the roofing.

The Altrincham, Bowdon & Hale Guardian wrote on the 15th September that: 

“The Chief Constable of Cheshire had advised teachers, in the event of an air raid before the trenches were dug, to keep children quietly indoors, seated under the desks if possible, and to keep all windows and doors closed.”

Some believed schools should be closed until there was proper protection and speculated that parents would not send their children to school. “If we wait for shelters to be completed, they [the children] will be at home for six months,” said one councillor. “I would rather have them at home for six months,” he said, “than have them in school when an air raid occurs.”

A contrary view to this was that it was better to send the children to school than to have them “rambling all over the place”. 

Evacuee’s luggage label, 1939 

This well-preserved label belonged to St Gregory’s pupil William Roe, aged 14, who lived in Chorlton-on-Medlock in the parish of the Holy Name church. The threat to the safety of children in the inner-city from aerial bombardment led to their evacuation to safer areas as the outbreak of war neared. This label was attached to William’s small brown travelling case, which displayed his initials “WR” and contained a few simple possessions and clothes; he also carried his gas mask in a cardboard box. His point of departure was Oxford Road railway station; time of train was 11.55; number of train was E 307; Reception District G and Reception Sub-District 1. William’s destination was not, in fact, too far away; he was evacuated to Broadheath, Timperley, where he was billeted with a local family and attended a local school for a period. William later recalled that he might have been evacuated with pupils from another school, although it is known that 155 boys from St Gregory’s were evacuated to Timperley. With the dispersed geographical location of the school’s pupils, it is possible that some may have been evacuated with other schools.

Wellington Road Senior Boys’ School, Timperley

Between early September 1939 and 15th January 1940, work for St Gregory’s pupils was continued on a system of half-day shifts alternating with the pupils of Wellington Road Senior Boys’ School which, in spite of its name, was actually located on Moss Lane in Timperley, which was part of Altrincham. Although situated in a fairly rural area, it was not entirely an ideal haven as close by were Ringway (later Manchester) airport, Broadheath, and Trafford Park, where there were many munitions and engineering factories – all legitimate targets for enemy bombers.  It was a new school, opened in 1938 for boys, so it was in marked contrast to the old, grim, Victorian Ardwick Green site which had temporarily been evacuated. 

Mr Holmes noted that: “A large number of [St Gregory’s] boys continued to reside at home.” They travelled daily to the school in Timperley, some on bicycles, where they were taught by familiar teachers.

Mr Holmes would have emphasised to the boys the need to take care of their clothing, sewing and mending where possible; the importance of always carrying gas masks; the need for good behaviour and giving help in the billets; no “faddiness” about food, and arrangements about seeing visiting parents.

Mr Holmes also probably addressed other issues to the boys at Timperley. Clear instructions would have been given in case of air raids, and gas masks would have been checked regularly; anti-gas drills may also have been carried out.

There was also the logistics problem of stores and stock. The St Gregory’s teachers may have been required to take books and other stock from Ardwick Green to Timperley. How would this have been done? By lorry, van or public transport? Where would books and stock be stored, and did the two schools share resources and equipment and help and cooperate with each other?

Speaking of public transport, a special card was produced by the Railway Companies to make it easier for “Teachers and Helpers” to return (from the reception area) in case of emergency. The card, which one presumes was a free travelling pass, would help them “at railway stations and bus stations”.

Some of the teachers must have found it an added strain travelling to Timperley from their homes, especially those who lived in distant places. Most teachers, if not all, did not own cars so public transport was very much used. Breakdowns and cancellations must have caused problems on occasions, with staff struggling to arrive in Timperley on time.

HMI inspectors may have visited occasionally to give advice and report back on problems.

For some evacuees – not Gregorians – there were problems associated with health, rebilleting and returning home. Some children were removed from one billet to another, and then sent back home.

Exact details about this period in Timperley are somewhat scarce. The Cheshire Education Committee ordered all records to be entered in a Log Book Summary and Registers supplied by them and, presumably, returned to them. As a consequence, St Gregory’s own log-book “was out of commission” during this short period.

Pupil evacuated to own home 

An article appeared in the Daily Express in January 1940 telling the unusual story of St Gregory’s pupil Tony Smith – later to be a teacher and then head of the school – who had been evacuated along with other pupils to Timperley. However, in Tony’s case he was “evacuated” to his own home which was in… Timperley.

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