The Forgotten Havens

We all know about Second World War evacuees, but thousands of youngsters were also evacuated to campsfunded by the Government… 

- Rebecca Gamble

If someone in your family remembers being evacuated in wartime, you’ll know what a traumatic, life-changing event that was – not just for the children themselves, but for their parents, too. And even if your family wasn’t directly affected, we’re all familiar with the heartbreaking pictures of young evacuees crowding into railway stations, with meagre luggage and identification labels tied to their clothing.

The evacuation of around three million people at the start of the war – known as Operation Pied Piper – was an essential part of protecting the most vulnerable members of our population, and became the greatest mass migration of people in British history.

But not many people realise that some children were sent, not to other people’s homes, but to a new type of evacuation centre. These were government-funded complexes originally set up by the National Camps Corporation in 1938. Their prewar purpose had been to give children a break from polluted towns, and allow them to enjoy fresh air and exercise, with the first such camp appearing in Overton, Hampshire, in June 1939.

Designed by architect Thomas S Tait to accommodate hundreds of children, the camps had dormitories, a dining hall, classrooms, an ablutions block and lots of green space – everything the children needed to be happy, healthy and educated.

Keeping children from harm