The War Evacuees 1940
Rhandirmwyn must have been a huge culture shock for the children evacuated here during World War II. The first reference to them in the school log goes as follows:
‘1940 14th May: Schools were ordered to re-open this morning by wireless announcement, owing to the possibility of evacuees arriving. Germany has invaded Holland and Belgium’.
The children evacuated to Rhandirmwyn came from the Woodmansterne Road School, Stretham, London and Swansea. Initially both schools (Rhandirmwyn and Woodmansterne Road) ran as separate units within the Rhandirmwyn School building. The local school was in the larger senior classroom whilst the evacuees occupied the infants classroom. This must have caused considerable difficulty as they were only separated by a curtain. In November 1941 however the evacuees were moved to the vestry at the Salem Chapel and remained there until the end of the war. There was little reference in the Rhandirmwyn School log to the evacuees which leads us to believe that the headmaster of the Woodmansterne Road School kept a separate log.
The headmaster was Mr Herbert Percy Connelly. He was born in south London in 1880. He was headmaster of Woodmansterne Road Senior Mixed School from 1931 and was due to retire in 1939 but due to the war he stayed on. Initially his school was evacuated to Eastbourne and then Rhandirmwyn where he remained until the end of the war. He eventually retired in 1946 and went to live in Falmouth, Cornwall. He died in 1970.
If you are able to assist with identifying any children in the photographs or have any information about any of them, please contact us at [email protected]
We are very grateful to Christine Lane, Mr Connelly’s granddaughter for the information and photographs.
Extracts from Rhandirmwyn School Log
1940 14th May Schools were ordered to re-open this morning by wireless announcement, owing to possibility of evacuees arriving. Germany has invaded Holland and Belgium.
1940 Sept. Upon receipt of instructions from the Education offices, as an A.R.P. measure the partition has had to be folded back and curtains put up in between the evacuated school and ours.
1940 4th October Window pane in Infants’ room now used by evacuees broken during morning play by Eva (possibly Ena) House an evacuee accidentally, whilst she was playing net ball.
1940 10th October I put in a new pane of glass in the window broken on 4th October. Cost 9d for glass and 1d for putty.
1940 5th December Reception – Concert will be held at the school this evening to welcome home on leave A. C. W H House RAF the father of an evacuated girl now resident here for the duration of the war.
1941 10th January Another Tea – party is being held this afternoon, commencing at 4 P.M. This tea is provided to all London evacuees by the London County Council. Through the kindness of Mr H.P. Connelly. The Headmaster of Woodmansterne Road School, Streatham, the local school pupils, staff and management have been invited. Games will be played after tea until about 9 P.M.
1941 5th March School used for concert organised by the W.V.S. in aid of the ‘Air Raid Victims Fund’
1941 12th May Admitted Rosalind Evans, Norma Perriam and Brian Perriam today. The two last named are on our register but are receiving instruction with the evacuated school.
1941 4th Sept. Brian and Norma Perriam two unofficial evacuees from Cardiff on our register but taught in the evacuated school have left the district.
1941 3rd Nov. The L.C.C. evacuated school have been transferred to Salem Vestry and the Swansea evacuees (9) have been merged with our local children. This means that our Infants and Stds I and II now have a separate room. The furniture we lent the L.C.C. group can also be used by our own pupils.
Miss James B.A. the Swansea evacuated teacher is to have charge of our infants and Juniors (Stds I and II).
1944 13th July 28 London evacuees have now come to the district and are billeted locally. They are to go to other school – evacuated unit at Salem vestry. These are victims of the, ‘pilotless plane’ now used by the enemy in southern England.
1945 9th June Tea for all held at the schoolroom from 3 – 6 pm followed by athletic sports on Pwllpriddog Fields. An enjoyable time was spent especially by the children, local and evacuated.
THIS WAS THE LAST ENTRY IN THE SCHOOL LOG RELATING TO THE EVACUATED CHILDREN
‘1940 14th May: Schools were ordered to re-open this morning by wireless announcement, owing to the possibility of evacuees arriving. Germany has invaded Holland and Belgium’.
The children evacuated to Rhandirmwyn came from the Woodmansterne Road School, Stretham, London and Swansea. Initially both schools (Rhandirmwyn and Woodmansterne Road) ran as separate units within the Rhandirmwyn School building. The local school was in the larger senior classroom whilst the evacuees occupied the infants classroom. This must have caused considerable difficulty as they were only separated by a curtain. In November 1941 however the evacuees were moved to the vestry at the Salem Chapel and remained there until the end of the war. There was little reference in the Rhandirmwyn School log to the evacuees which leads us to believe that the headmaster of the Woodmansterne Road School kept a separate log.
The headmaster was Mr Herbert Percy Connelly. He was born in south London in 1880. He was headmaster of Woodmansterne Road Senior Mixed School from 1931 and was due to retire in 1939 but due to the war he stayed on. Initially his school was evacuated to Eastbourne and then Rhandirmwyn where he remained until the end of the war. He eventually retired in 1946 and went to live in Falmouth, Cornwall. He died in 1970.
If you are able to assist with identifying any children in the photographs or have any information about any of them, please contact us at [email protected]
We are very grateful to Christine Lane, Mr Connelly’s granddaughter for the information and photographs.
Extracts from Rhandirmwyn School Log
1940 14th May Schools were ordered to re-open this morning by wireless announcement, owing to possibility of evacuees arriving. Germany has invaded Holland and Belgium.
1940 Sept. Upon receipt of instructions from the Education offices, as an A.R.P. measure the partition has had to be folded back and curtains put up in between the evacuated school and ours.
1940 4th October Window pane in Infants’ room now used by evacuees broken during morning play by Eva (possibly Ena) House an evacuee accidentally, whilst she was playing net ball.
1940 10th October I put in a new pane of glass in the window broken on 4th October. Cost 9d for glass and 1d for putty.
1940 5th December Reception – Concert will be held at the school this evening to welcome home on leave A. C. W H House RAF the father of an evacuated girl now resident here for the duration of the war.
1941 10th January Another Tea – party is being held this afternoon, commencing at 4 P.M. This tea is provided to all London evacuees by the London County Council. Through the kindness of Mr H.P. Connelly. The Headmaster of Woodmansterne Road School, Streatham, the local school pupils, staff and management have been invited. Games will be played after tea until about 9 P.M.
1941 5th March School used for concert organised by the W.V.S. in aid of the ‘Air Raid Victims Fund’
1941 12th May Admitted Rosalind Evans, Norma Perriam and Brian Perriam today. The two last named are on our register but are receiving instruction with the evacuated school.
1941 4th Sept. Brian and Norma Perriam two unofficial evacuees from Cardiff on our register but taught in the evacuated school have left the district.
1941 3rd Nov. The L.C.C. evacuated school have been transferred to Salem Vestry and the Swansea evacuees (9) have been merged with our local children. This means that our Infants and Stds I and II now have a separate room. The furniture we lent the L.C.C. group can also be used by our own pupils.
Miss James B.A. the Swansea evacuated teacher is to have charge of our infants and Juniors (Stds I and II).
1944 13th July 28 London evacuees have now come to the district and are billeted locally. They are to go to other school – evacuated unit at Salem vestry. These are victims of the, ‘pilotless plane’ now used by the enemy in southern England.
1945 9th June Tea for all held at the schoolroom from 3 – 6 pm followed by athletic sports on Pwllpriddog Fields. An enjoyable time was spent especially by the children, local and evacuated.
THIS WAS THE LAST ENTRY IN THE SCHOOL LOG RELATING TO THE EVACUATED CHILDREN
