Users' questions / August 30, 2020

Why did evacuees wear labels?

Children who were being evacuated were taken to the railway station by their parents or guardians, and sent off with a label attached to their clothing. This made sure that when they got off the train at the other end, people there would know who they were and where they had come from.

What was it like for a child to be evacuated in ww2?

What was it like for a child to be evacuated? Being an evacuee must have been scary and exciting at the same time. The children had to leave their families and homes behind and try to fit in with host families in the country. Children had labels attached to them, as though they were parcels.

What was school like in ww2 ks2?

During the warmer months lessons could even be held outdoors. Children’s education suffered during the war. One in five of the country’s schools were damaged by bombing and many others were requisitioned by the government. Children were crammed into large classes and stationery and books were often in short supply.

How can I find out where my dad served in ww2?

You can find a listing of dead and missing Army and Air Force personnel by county at The National Archives and Records Administration website. If the individual came home then his discharge papers will provide a lot of valuable information.

What was written on ww2 evacuee tags?

The labels include details of each child such as date of birth, name and school. They also have the destination information, showing your class that children were sent somewhere else.

What would Evacuees eat?

There, they were often better fed, as fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy products were more freely available. Butter and cream seemed like a luxury to evacuee children living in the countryside. Food shortages had a big impact upon cooking even everyday meals.

Are there records of evacuees?

The mass evacuation of children and other vulnerable people took place in early September 1939, before National Registration on 29 September that year. Individual records will only be open if the person is now deceased, but if the evacuee is still alive they can request a transcript of their own record.

How much were host families paid in ww2?

It became compulsory for homes to host assigned evacuees, with host families being paid 10 shillings and sixpence (53p; equivalent to £26 today) for the first unaccompanied child, and 8 shillings and sixpence for any subsequent children.

How did children feel during ww2?

Children were massively affected by World War Two. Nearly two million children were evacuated from their homes at the start of World War Two; children had to endure rationing, gas mask lessons, living with strangers etc. Children accounted for one in ten of the deaths during the Blitz of London from 1940 to 1941.

What age could you leave school in 1939?

15
In 1939 the government considered raising the leaving age again to 15, but this was delayed due to the onset of World War Two. The Education Act 1944 did succeed in extending compulsory education to 15, and this took effect from 1947. More significantly, the 1944 Act created the grammar school system.