The Guernsey Evacuation has almost been forgotten by many in the UK. I am proud to announce that I am working with The History Press on a book about The Guernsey Evacuation. Since May 2008, I have been interviewing hundreds of children, teachers and mothers who fled Guernsey to mainland Britain in June 1940, just a few days prior to the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. Around 17,000 residents left their homes, and all of their possessions, behind. My research has concentrated on the many thousands that arrived in the industrial towns of Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. Hundreds then moved into Derbyshire, whilst others were scattered throughout the UK. The evacuees spent several weeks in Evacuee Reception Centres, before being provided with local accommodation.
Over 5,000 Guernsey children were evacuated with their school teachers, and most did not see their parents again for five long years. Some Guernsey Headteachers re-established their schools in England, in order to keep the pupils and teachers together throughout the war. Guernsey people who had previously moved to Vancouver, Canada, raised funds for the Guernsey evacuees in England. One Guernsey school in Cheshire England, was supported by the Foster Parent Plan for Children Affected By War – the pupils were each ‘sponsored’ by wealthy American citizens, including Eleanor Roosevelt and a number of Hollywood film stars. I worked with the BBC on a short documentary on this:
see: my ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’ page on this website.
My interviews with evacuees, and document searches, have revealed emotional stories from both children and adult evacuees, regarding the actual evacuation, their five years in England cut off from friends and family on Guernsey, and of their return to Guernsey in 1945 when many had difficulty bonding with their own families after such a long separation. I have worked with the BBC on a documentary, and created a documentary film with Diane Rickerby of Bury Archives. I run a community group of Guernsey evacuees, to share their stories with the community. SEE MY COMMUNITY PROJECT PAGE FOR DETAILS
You can purchase my limited edition booklet, or a DVD via my Shop Page: http://guernseyevacuees.wordpress.com/channel-islands-calendar-2011/ (correct at July 2012)
To Pre order my book
‘Guernsey Evacuees: The Forgotten Evacuees of the Second World War’
from The History Press, go to:
I also provide workshops to schools and colleges, and give talks to groups, for a negotiable fee.
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Please take a look at my Schools pages, Talks and Events page, and my Shop page, for further information.
Please feel free to email me at: gillianmawson@btinternet.com
Are you one of these Guernsey children, evacuated on The Viking? Please contact me if so!
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Thanks for sharing this. I knew the original story and it is incredibly touching.
Thank you very much for your comment, Bill
My Mother, Maureen Howe (Nee Le Poidevin) I believe was on the last or one of the last boats from Guernsey. She was aged 5 and only with her mother Eunice Le Poidevin and a sewing machine!They never returned to Guernsey. She remembers quite a lot about it.Her brother left with school and they didnt see him for quite a while. Thanks Rachel Hargreaves
Hello Rachel thank you so much for your message. I would love to know more about your Mother’s story if that were possible? my email address is gillianmawson@btinternet.com
I have just begun to use Google+ specifically for my BOXALL (and variant) One Name Study and while setting up some connections with the Guild of One Name Studies I came across a small segment about your research on Julie Goucher’s circle and she forwarded your details. Here is my interest in your research.
My father, William Falla Lane(was Louvet), left Guernsey and joined the British Army. I don’t believe any of his Louvet siblings left. As William was old enough to join the Army I would imagine that his half siblings were much older and maybe had families of their own and may have had children evacuated. As you see I know very little about my father’s family for good reason. William returned to Guernsey with his common-law wife about 1954 after walking out on my Mum and five children. All I know about him is he was the last to be born after his mother’s husband, Alphonse Louvet, died. His father, as far as I have worked out, was William Thomas Falla. I would be really interested if you come across any of these names in your research. Thank you.
A big thank you for reminding us of this part of history that many either don’t know about or have never been heard of this occupation by the German Army.
Regards
Ronnie Mensch
HI Veronica, thank you so much for your story. Sadly I have not as yet come across the name Louvet, but if it crops up in the future, I will get in touch with you at once. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Gill
My aunt by marriage (now deceased) went to England as an adult for the length of the occupation, the rest of the family stayed and while not evacuated were very much in touch with the “situation”.
I am so glad you are writng this book, the Nazi invasion of Jersey is so much a part of our family history.
I have to say that I had not realised so much about Guernsey and its involvement in the war until I read the book The Guernsey Literary and Potato peel Pie society. Although its a fictional story it did give some insight into Guernsey’s plight.
Thank for taking the time to send me your comment, yes the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel book gives an insight into the plight of Guernsey, hopefully you will enjoy my book for its true stories too. There is also a list of further books to read at the end of the book. Gill
Hi thank you so much for your comment and you are right. I hope that anyone who enjoyed the WW2 aspect of that book will find mine most enjoyable.
Have you spoken to Ernie or George Sauvage – a whole family evacuated to Halifax
hi Stuart, I will email you now for more information, thank you so much. Gill
Gillian, I really admire you for undertaking such a massive project. The world needs more people like you, recording and saving our history.I wish you every success!
Thank you very much Debbie and I like your blog too at http://debbierobson.wordpress.com/
My best wishes to you!
Thank you Gillian.