Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Anyone know Haywards Heath area, Sussex? / General question about WW2 evacuation

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Anyone know Haywards Heath area, Sussex? / General question about WW2 evacuation

    I've decided to go right back to the start and write up my tree - with the help of the book My Family History (the 10 generation family record).

    For some reason I'd never looked for my father on the 1939 Register. He was from Bermondsey in London and I know that he was "evacuated", with his mother and brother, to an uncle's house in Cheshire. He and other family members told me about it. I have just checked the Register and his mother is listed with an aunt of hers (Amelia E Pennington, b. 1885), a cousin of hers and her sister in law and 6 children (I presume, as that fits) who are all blacked out at a house in Sussex. I assume that as the Register was from 29th September 1939, and they all came from Bermondsey, they'd been evacuated there first.

    But, they are all listed in one house with no other residents. The address is given as "Erlsmore" (Ancestry) / "Erls?" Compton Road, Cuckfield U.D., Sussex (Find My Past). The map on Find My Past shows Lindfield, which seems to be confirmed by google search of the road name.

    HTML Code:
    https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/61596/tna_r39_2505_2505f_020?pid=3601901&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D61596%26h%3D3601901%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DXeq1728%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Xeq1728&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.67487381.52226525.1578478671-43616331.1546593294
    So, my question I guess is: were families evacuated and put into single houses? I guess my knowledge of evacuation is of children being put with host families or going to stay with family. They did not have much money (the family were all dock and factory labourers), so I doubt they could have rented somewhere independently. And we have no known links with the area.

    Does anyone have any knowledge of the area or know where I can look to find out more?

    Thanks.
    :D Charney Jo

  • #2
    Sorry, I tried to link to the Ancestry page but it went wrong :(
    :D Charney Jo

    Comment


    • #3
      There was a lot of useful info posted a couple of weeks back on this one:

      https://www.familytreeforum.com/showthread.php/121851-1939-register-Searching-for-my-uncle
      Carolyn
      Family Tree site

      Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
      Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

      Comment


      • #4
        I notice that is says see continuation sheet, I know sometimes they are in more than one place, except I can't see another sheet.
        Carolyn
        Family Tree site

        Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
        Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

        Comment


        • #5
          Do you have Find My Past? Mrs Pennington & family get a mention in the Mid Sussex Times 17th Oct 1939 :

          "Lindfield's canteen at the former Sewell Memorial Mission hall is still "going strong" and providing excellent mid0day meals for an average of over fifty meals for an average of over fifty patrons a day. At present the serving of teas has been discontinued, because most of the mothers and children are able to have teas at their billets.

          The canteen is open every day, including Sundays, and at week-ends relatives from London are catered for. Thus Saturdays and Sundays are busier than other days, but Mrs Allen and her helpers cheerfully carry on their good work.

          Roast joints , rabbits, sausages, vegetables of all kinds and dessert are included in the menus, and sometimes it is possible to have two helpings. All this at the price of 3d a meal for adults, 2d for children and 1d for infants, and 4d for visitors not included in the evacuation scheme.

          These week-end patrons are amazed at meals being offered at such a low price and many of them have given donations to the canteen funds.

          Another example of gratitude - most encouraging to the helpers - is provided by Mrs Pennington and members of her family who since their arrival have kept the hall clean. They receive no payment for their work, which is done purely as a token of appreciation."
          Last edited by Jill on the A272; 08-01-20, 19:32. Reason: typo, oops, more typos!

          Comment


          • #6
            I once lived in Lindfield and have asked on two local Facebook groups about the house and for information about how the evacuations locally were organised.

            My husband's family were Lindfield people so your family might well have met his granny and great granny (both little women with big characters.)

            Comment


            • #7
              Someone has suggested you contact The Lindfield History Project Group

              Comment


              • #8
                Oh wow, thanks so much!

                Carolyn - I hadn’t seen this. Funny that someone else from south London was evacuated down to Sussex at the beginning of the war but not mentioned it! I’ll have a read through the thread properly now.

                Thanks Jill. The women on that side of the family were quite formidable too. I think they would definitely have been known! It’s nice to know they gave something back to the community. It hadn’t occurred to me to look in the newspapers. I love this site and all your help! And thanks so much for the extra requests. I will definitely contact the Project Group. It’s funny, I hadn’t bothered looking into my grandparents in my rush to get further back. I assumed I knew about them.
                :D Charney Jo

                Comment


                • #9
                  what a lovely newspaper story, certainly sounds interesting to find out what they were up to.
                  Carolyn
                  Family Tree site

                  Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                  Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I get the impression from the article that Mrs Pennington is a resident and the family have joined her.
                    Carolyn
                    Family Tree site

                    Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                    Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Are there any electoral records or anything else for Sussex in the 1930s where I could check? I’ve never had to look at Sussex records.

                      Off to search Ancestry.
                      :D Charney Jo

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I've just had a message from the great grandson of the people who lived there until the late 1930s, the house was called Erlesmere and is now 7 Compton Road.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Oh wow, that’s amazing! Do you think Amelia Pennington lived in it and the rest were evacuated or were they all evacuees? I just can’t see how she would be able to afford it.

                          Just googled it and it’s lovely!
                          :D Charney Jo

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Just found his great grandfather Jesse Newnham died in 1934 and an obit gives that address, widow Elizabeth died 1938, found Jesse's probate, he left £603, not sure of property prices then. No will for Elizabeth.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Thanks Jill. Amelia Pennington seems to have died in Exeter in 1941, which also seems odd as I’m not aware of any relatives there either (and perhaps even odder still, her husband died in Australia in 1945!). I think I need to contact her grandson and see if he knows anything. I can imagine that my Nan, dad and uncle weren’t there for very long whatever because of the phoney war and the fact it was never spoken about! My grandad was listed with his parents in law and has an additional note that he was an “Industrial ARP Oxo Southwark Bridge”. I had no idea. Such a shame he’s not still around to talk to!
                              :D Charney Jo

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                The great grandson of the 1030s resident says that after his great grandfather's death in 1934 whis widow could not afford the mortgage repayments without the help of another famiy member, and when that became impossible she moved elsewhere in the village. So it sounds as if the house was sold. I couldn't find any other reference to your Mrs Pennington so it sounds like a temporary billet.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by Charney Jo View Post
                                  Thanks Jill. Amelia Pennington seems to have died in Exeter in 1941, which also seems odd as I’m not aware of any relatives there either (and perhaps even odder still, her husband died in Australia in 1945!). I think I need to contact her grandson and see if he knows anything. I can imagine that my Nan, dad and uncle weren’t there for very long whatever because of the phoney war and the fact it was never spoken about! My grandad was listed with his parents in law and has an additional note that he was an “Industrial ARP Oxo Southwark Bridge”. I had no idea. Such a shame he’s not still around to talk to!
                                  There are a few trees on ancestry with them on it and lots of photos, so might be worth getting in touch with them, her husband was a seaman.

                                  Also there are quite a few newspaper articles mentioning Mrs Pennington (and Miss Pennington) doing the cake stall etc at Burgess Hill, which isn't far away, so could be her? Also a Mrs Pennington left £100 in her will to Burgess Nurses (1945) she was honorary secretary.
                                  Carolyn
                                  Family Tree site

                                  Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                  Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Thanks so much Jill. I’ve sent Amelia’s grandson (my second cousin, once removed apparently - thanks Ancestry!) an email, along with the newspaper report. Shame I didn’t look at this earlier, but I am not sure anyone was alive then to ask.
                                    :D Charney Jo

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Thanks Carolyn. I think the trees seem to link from one Ancestry tree. I will await further information from Amelia’s family if they have it. I had never heard of whole families, or extended families like this, having whole houses.
                                      :D Charney Jo

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        There's a history of the Newnhams who lived there before your family here . I know I have a photo of the Sewell Memorial Hall where the evacuees had their canteen somewhere, it'll be on a memory stick or a card so it might take a few days to locate, the hall lies back from the road opposite the parish church.

                                        Comment

                                        Working...
                                        X