Research Forum

St. Johns Church School, Weston-Super-Mare
published by on Sun, 14/05/2017 - 21:16

As a WWII Evacuee, I attended St. John's from early 1943 until return to my East London home address on 08 May 1945 (VE Day) - and wonder IF there are any pupils of that era who I could contact please.

Comments ..

Submitted by daveerasmus on Wed, 17/05/2017 - 14:06

Hi Reg.

An older cousin of mine attended St Johns around this time. I have tried to contact her to see if your name rings a bell but without success. As she is still alive I am reluctant to post her name here but if you contact me direct I will see what can be done.

Incidentally, my mother's family took in evacuees from the East End - specifically Limehouse. It is possible that you knew some of them, although I don't think any went to St Johns. I have some names and photographs.

Dave Erasmus

Submitted by on Wed, 17/05/2017 - 23:40

Hello Dave Erasmus,

Many thanks for your posting, and apologies for the mistake of 'early 1943' - it was in fact early 1944, for I wasn't discharged from Orthopaedic Hospital where I had been an in-patient 'resident' from 1936 - until November 1943. I had already been evacuated twice-times with others of the all Children Hospital patients, the first on 01 September 1939.
As the sole disabled lad at St. Johns I recall being somewhat shunned by other pupils, but made a ready friend with another lad 'in the same boat' whose name was Eugene, for he was the sole Black pupil at the time. Sadly, I never ever saw him again.
I wasn't in a evacuee group from East London at all, but on my own and placed with a pre-war friend of my late Mother, and known to me as Auntie May. Her house name was 'Imatome' and the two upmost then empty properties of the Victoria Park cul-de-sac were 'comandeered' by USAF Officers, one of whom (by name Reece) took me by Jeep to the Cinema in Oxford Street to see Danny Kaye's "Up In Arms" and another well recalled highlight was to see 'Where The Rainbow Ends' at the Knightsbridge Theatre.

I solely made my request in hope of gaining other recollections of the near 18-months evacuation stay until 08 May 1945, but do thank you immensely for your interest.

Submitted by Pat Hase on Thu, 18/05/2017 - 13:44

This may not help in your search for evacuees but according to a 1941 Street Directory "Imatone" was No 8 Victoria Park and living there in 1941 was an A. CULVERWELL.

The 1939 Register lists a Mrs Florence CULVERWELL as the Head of the Household as a Lodging House Keeper. She had two teachers lodging with her - Miss Elizabeth WRIGHT and Miss Fanny MELTZER - do either of those names ring bells with you?

Submitted by on Thu, 18/05/2017 - 16:05

Good Afternoon Pat,

Very many thanks for the info. provided re: my 18 months WWII evacuation address which I commented upon in my previous wfmhs.org.uk posting, and can readily recall my stay there from early 1944 to be far away from the dastardly V-1's and subsequent V-2 projectiles. The name/s you state are NOT known to myself in any way at all. 'Imatome' was presumably owned and definitely occupied by a Mr. and Mrs. W. Box at the time I was there - and 'Auntie May' had been a pre-war friend of my own late Mother. They had one Daughter who was a Commmissioned Officer with the A.T.S. who I only saw on odd occasions when Stella was allowed Leave from her Active Service position.

I do understand from a telephone enquiry of the Weston Library that they do have the Weston Street Directories for the past 100 years, in which case the names as now so mentioned should be so included.

In thanking you for your interest, whilst I really seek any knowledge of other WWII Evacuees as St. John's pupils of the latter part of WWII, I do still remain hopeful of contact with of any THEN 'local' 11-12 year olds who were at St.John's Church School during that time to reminisce ...

Submitted by on Thu, 18/05/2017 - 16:09

Submitted by Pat Hase on Thu, 18/05/2017 - 21:43

I think I've found someone who was at St John's at about that time - am awaiting a reply from him.