Not the Only Ones

Two previous posts have highlighted the adventures of two schools from Camden which were evacuated to St Albans during the Second World War.  To be in a position to tell those stories sufficient snippets of information from the time were pieced together.

Other schools came to the city as well, but we know less about them; and it is possible that one or more schools arrived, about which we are aware of nothing, not even their name or names.

Close to Haverstock Hill (see previous post) is Rhyl Primary School, given the address as Malden Road NW5, but in fact the school fronts onto Rhyl Street.  Rhyl Girls' School arrived with other Camden schools in September 1939, and they come to our attention because the Herts Advertiser ran an article soon afterwards under the headline "We Did Not Want to Come."  A number of children were interviewed to discover how they had settled.

Rhyl School as it appears along Rhyl Street today.

"I am staying with very nice people (Scottish) and I think St Albans is a very nice place, but I think I would rather be back in London.  The lady I am staying with has not got any pets.  On September 1st we had to leave our homes and families in the morning, not knowing where we would sleep that night.  We all carried our belongings on our backs, and we each had to look after one infant on the journey."

Parliament Hill School, Hampstead, was allocated St Albans Girls' Grammar School.  In 1939 STAGGS occupied the building today's Fleetville Junior School, Hatfield Road.  For the first time we have become aware of a little personal information, in that two of the girls from that evacuated school were billeted at a house near the Wynchlands shops.  And after all those years, courtesy of a former neighbour, we know their names were Betty Penny and Monica Neagle who were about 14 when they arrived; they probably would not have remained beyond their school leaving age.

A workshop in use by Northampton Junior Technical College, London.
COURTESY HERTS ADVERTISER

A London junior technical college named, confusingly Northampton, took up residence at St Albans School.  It is the workshops which were put to good use by the college.  In 1940, when south coast schools were relocating to safer areas, including Hertfordshire, Hastings Boys' Grammar School moved into the brand new buildings of the Boys' County Grammar School, Brampton Road and probably remained until 1942.  As with many evacuated schools Hastings School was allocated a hall elsewhere as the host school buildings would only have been available in the afternoons.  In Hastings' case they were offered and accepted the Independent Chapel in Spicer Street.

Other schools and colleges may have come to St Albans in 1939 or 1940, and if they did their names and other details are unknown to us so far.

Readers might wish to follow up a more detailed article by the author about the removal of Eastbourne schools to Bishops Stortford. https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/places/schools/eastbourne-bishops-stortford