Guest Blog Post! Gillian Mawson
HULL'S SECOND WORLD WAR EVACUEES In the early hours of 1 September 1939, the British Government's plans for evacuation swung into operation and millions of school children, teachers, mothers and infants were moved before war was declared on 3 September. On 31st of August, the citizens of Hull encountered this stark statement in their newspapers: “Evacuation of schoolchildren and other priority classes from all towns included in the Government's evacuation scheme is to begin tomorrow. Mothers and disabled to be evacuated Saturday … 50,000 Hull children will go to safe places. Once organised evacuation starts, people who are not in the organised scheme may have difficulty in leaving and if they wish to go they should do so without delay.” Gordon McDonald remembers the day that the evacuation of children and teachers began in Hull: “I was 4 and a half and my brother Albert was 6, when we were taken to Paragon Station to catch the train which would take us into the count...