Raby Street School, Byker. Wartime evacuation.

[pityackafromblyth]

Does anyone have dates for when children at Raby Street School were evacuated during WWII ? An elderly friend who attended there was evacuated to Windermere during the war.  Children from other Newcastle schools also went to that area.

[groom]

Have you tried contacting the school and asking them? They may be willing to let you see or send you a copy of the pages in the log book for that period.

If you Google it seems as if children from Newcastle were evacuated on the 1st/2nd Sept 1939. This might be of interest as well

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/35/a2872235.shtml

[JenB]

Original wartime documents about evacuation from Newcastle  and Gateshead are available here http://www.genuki.bpears.org.uk/NBL/Evacuation/intro.html
Raby Street School is mentioned in part 5

[groom]

It was an incredible feat when you look at that wasn't it, the sheer number of children involved? I can't imagine anything like that happening today as I can't see parents letting their children be sent away with no idea where they were going or when they would see them again.

[pityackafromblyth]

groom, and JenB, Thank you for your replies.  My friend was born in 1927, and I always thought that he went to Windermere at about 12 yrs of age,or even later.  I did not realise that the evacuations started just after the outbreak of war.  Unfortunately he has just died in the last few days, so I will not be able to clarify further dates with him.  After schooling in Windermere he returned to N'castle and worked at the armaments factories along Scotswood Road, before joining the Army in 1944 (Coldstream Guards).
 I will keep digging.  Today, I tried the Coldstream Guards website, but they want full details, including service no. etc. and a dispensation form, if I am not a relative. FEE - £30-00 !!!

[groom]

My friend was born in 1927, and I always thought that he went to Windermere at about 12 yrs of age,or even later.

That would be about right, as if he was evacuated in 1939 he would have been 12. I dont know about the rest of the UK, but I know in London that children were evacuated at the start of the war in September, but some started to drift back when there was no sign of bombing. There was a second evacuation I believe when the Blitz started.

I'm sorry to hear that he is no longer with us.

[pityackafromblyth]

Thanks for the interest, groom.  As I mentioned previously, I did not realise that the evacuation from Newcastle started so soon.  Regarding Raby Street school I believe it has long been demolished.  Would I be correct in thinking that the school leaving age at that time would be 14 yrs of age ?  If so, then at 14 (1941) he would return home, which would fit in with him working at the armaments factories at Scotswood, possibly.

[groom]

Yes, children could leave school at 14. Even if the school was demolished the log books should have been deposited somewhere, so it might be worth contacting the local authority.

[Craclyn]

My guess would be that Newcastle evacuations started fairly early because of the risk of attacks on the shipyards on the Tyne.