Welsh Journals

Wellington Road V.P. School: 11 September 1939. School re-opened. A number of children admitted who have left the larger towns and settled in Rhyl until such times as it is safe to return to their home towns. As ten desks have been removed to cater for evacuees in surrounding villages, we are finding it difficult to seat these extra children. 9 January 1940. Our numbers have fallen a little owing to 'private' evacuees returning home for the holidays. 30 September 1940. A great number of private evacuees have been admitted during the month, the number on books being now 124. [An increase of approxi- mately thirty]. Clwyd Street Boys' C. of E. School: 11 September 1939. School re-assembled children brought their gas masks between 40 and 50 children from vulnerable areas who had been evacuated by their parents were admitted as new pupils. 15 September 1939. All the classes are filled to capacity there are now 262 children on the books. 22 September 1939. More unofficial' evacuees have arrived the number on books is now 274. 29 September 1939. It is reported that 3 or 4 of the evacuated' children have returned to their home towns. 10 October 1939. H.M.I. Mr. P. A. Lewis visited all classes and noted the number of evacuees in each class. 21 December 1939. Several evacuated children are now returning to their homes as there have been, so far, no air raids. 9 January 1940. School re-assembled. Several evacuated pupils have returned to their homes 257 now on books. 17 June 1940. Ten children from Birkenhead P.A. Homes who have been evacuated to Rhyl were admitted. Several also from other areas. 21 June 1940. Ten dual desks requisitioned and damaged ones to be repaired. School is getting very full. 9 September 1940. About 25 private evacuees have been admitted. Air raids over Midlands and London have caused a large number of pupils to come to Rhyl. 23 September 1940. Large numbers of evacuees continue to arrive from Liverpool, London and Birmingham 293 on books beyond accommodation. 7 January 1941. More privately evacuated children for admission number now 320 on books. Attendance at this time was very poor (72%, down to 60% by the end of the week) which was probably just as well, as it would no doubt have been quite impossible to accommodate all these pupils. More children continued to arrive, especially from Birkenhead and Liverpool where the bombing had been terrible', until the number on the books reached a peak at this school in the week ending 25 July 1941 332 pupils. Other schools in the town all tell the same story with