1939: When Guisborough Welcomed Middlesbrough’s Evacuees

Highcliffe Nab, that well-known sandstone crag that dominates the view from Guisborough, has been the subject of these posts many times. But Kemplah, which sits in its shadow, doesn’t get nearly enough attention. The old settlers clearly thought this promontory was important since there’s evidence of both early British and Roman activity there. The name “Kemplah” is likely from Norse, meaning “Kempi’s Cliff.”

But today, I’m thinking about more recent history. For, on this day in 1939, Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, made that famous radio announcement that Britain and France were officially at war with Germany. Churchill got appointed as First Lord of the Admiralty, but the war preparations had already been in full swing. We had peacetime conscription, and on this same day, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau was officially set up to help everyone get a grip on the new war-related laws. War must have seemed inevitable for many weeks before.

On this day, The Yorkshire Post reported that weather forecasts were being cancelled for the duration of the war¹Yorkshire Evening Post – Sunday 03 September 1939. And, on a lighter note, that schoolboys had even come up with new lyrics to a Disney tune:

Whistle while you work,
Whistle while you work,
Mussolini bought a shirt,
Hitler wore it, Chamberlain tore it,
Whistle while you work.

Just five days later, on the 8th September, the Daily Gazette in Middlesbrough reported that 6,500 children from the area were being evacuated to safer parts of the North Riding²Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough – Friday 08 September 1939. The whole operation was super organised, with trains getting the kids to their new homes on time. Even though the situation was serious, the kids were still excited about the adventure. Guisborough was set to welcome about 200 children.

The evacuation was smooth, thanks to local officials, teachers, and volunteers who all pitched in. The kids were warmly received in their new communities, where they had fun exploring and playing outdoors. The villagers took good care of them, making sure they felt at home.

Most of the children seemed happy in their new surroundings. Friendly locals helped them adjust, making a tough situation a bit easier. Over in Great Ayton, kids from Gateshead were having such a great time blackberrying, fishing, and playing in the woods that they didn’t even want to go home. Evidently some of these children were accompanied by their mothers who were a bit concerned about how their husbands were managing back on Tyneside, but overall, everyone was happy. One evacuee mother even told a reporter, “The kiddies are loving it. There’s nothing like this back in Gateshead; it’s like a holiday for them.”

That said, it’s worth remembering that the newspapers probably didn’t report the tougher moments. It’s likely that some, if not most, kids found the experience pretty traumatic.

• 1
  Yorkshire Evening Post – Sunday 03 September 1939
• 2
  Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough – Friday 08 September 1939