The Hemel Hempstead School during WWII

War had a major impact on schools throughout the country. Teachers joined up to fight, evacuees arrived in many places, and schools took part in military training. The reminiscences of people who were pupils at what was then called Hemel Hempstead Grammar School can be found here.

Some parts of these stories are detailed on this page. Highlights include fund-raising for a mine sweeper here, memories of refugee children here and here, and how petrol shortages affected the journey to school here. Read of how children sheltered from a German aeroplane here.

John Stanbridge's story

(Interviewed by Lynda Abbott and Fay Breed in December 2011)

John Stanbridge, who was part of the school's second intake in 1932 remembers school staff who served in the war:

One interesting fact that we didn’t know about until sometime after the war when the conditions of the Official Secrets Act were partially lifted. Mr Robinson, the school’s second Head Master, had as a fluent German speaker, been stationed at Bletchley Park code breaking station. He used to fly into Bovingdon airport and as a RAF officer was doing liason work with the Polish code breakers based in Felden. He told us that he formed a liking for this area and was delighted to apply for the Headship.

The younger members of the male staff were called to colours: Mr Doggett (Geography) served in the army in Yugoslavia. Mr Boucher (woodwork and PE) in the RAF. Mr Prior (French) in a French medical unit. I believe that he was a Quaker and Conscientious Objector, unwilling to fight; but he acted so bravely that the French Government awarded him the Croix du Guerre. He was a lovely gentleman.

Read more from John Stanbridge about school life here.

David Stevens' story

(interviewed by Polly Taylor and Harriet Bullock)

David Stevens started at Hemel Hempstead Grammar School in September 1940. He told us how pupils did their best to support the war effort:

The school adopted a mine sweeper called the Lord Keith and there was a model of the ship in a glass case at the back of the assembly hall (now PA1). A “farthing fund” was set up to buy comforts for the crew and there was competition between the forms as to how much was contributed.

House competitions were very popular. One was linked to the “Dig for Victory” campaign. Each house had a plot of land and we had to grow our own vegetables.

The war brought much closer to home on one occasion:

We had an art teacher whose husband was killed while on duty with the navy. We were messing around that day, not realising what had happened. She came in and we were severely reprimanded and given 500 lines, “Manners maketh man”. It was a lesson we never forgot.

More memories from David Stevens are here.

Jean Stevens' story

(interviewed by Polly Taylor and Harriet Bullock)

Jean Stevens was Jean Baxter when she started at Hemel School in September 1939. She remembers how the outbreak of war made an immediate impact on the school:

The start of school was postponed for 3 weeks that year whilst the girls’ cycle sheds were made into an air raid shelter. Sticky tape was criss-crossed over the windows to prevent damage in case of a bomb blast. Parents were concerned that the school might be a target for bombing as the tower was painted white and stood out so it was painted grey. We had to carry a gas mask in a box and a box of rations in case we were kept at school for any length of time. Mine contained nuts, raisins and chocolate.

With many materials in great shortage during the war, school life could be affected in the most basic ways:

Paper was rationed and we had a rough book to do some of our work. We went through it with pencil first and then with ink. When it was full you had to take it to the school secretary who signed and stamped it before you could get another. If there was even a quarter page that was unused you had to take it back.

Jean Stevens also remembers new pupils from across Europe:

There were many refugees from Austria, Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia in the school. One girl had long hair, despite the school rule that hair should not touch the collar of your blouse. She was gently asked to wear it shorter but she said that her father, who had been left behind in Germany wanted her to have long hair. She was allowed to keep it long but wear it tied back in a bow. The staff were very understanding and sympathetic.

More memories from Jean Stevens are here.

Jill McLeod's story

(interview by Lucy Hughes and Samantha Rees)

As Jill Gledhow, Jill McLeod came to Hemel School in 1941, while living in Kings Langley. The war had an effect on her journey to school: "I had to travel by bus and as petrol was in short supply it was powered by a contraption on the back."

It also had an effect on school uniforms:

The girls wore uniforms of light navy blue gym slips, cream shantung silk blouses, black stockings and sensible lace up shoes. Silk blouses were later replaced by cotton blouses. Silk, which is a very strong, light fabric, was being used by the forces for parachutes etc. and also maps were printed onto squares to help men escape capture behind enemy lines if they were shot down.

More memories from Jill McLeod are here.

Mary Horton's story

(interview by Lucy Hughes and Samantha Rees)

Marry Letto (as Mary Horton then was) had already been at Hemel School for a year when the war began. Like Jean Stevens, she remembers refugee children attending the school:

These European children were mostly Jewish. One or two came with their parents but some came by themselves. Their parents went to great lengths to help them escape. They didn’t want to talk about their experiences at first but opened up later and had earth shattering stories to tell. They were wonderful students. They began the school year not speaking English but learned very rapidly. It was a lesson to the English pupils.

Mary also remembers the shelter:

There was an air-raid shelter in the school in the girls cycle shed which ran under the cloakrooms. The arches in the cycle shed were filled with sandbags and the area was divided into sections for classrooms, one for each form. When the air raid siren went pupils went the correct place in the shelter and were registered. We had to bring a stool and a tin of iron rations (my tin had barley sugar in it). We were not a bit scared. We did not think of the danger and it made a change from routine. The teachers must have felt terribly responsible. The shelter was not used often because most of the air raids were at night. Teaching carried on in the shelter.

On one occasion, the pupils were in real danger:

I remember one bright, blue February day we were playing house matches when two masters rushed out to warn us. A German plane was emptying its guns along the Boxmoor Valley and the children had to get to the shelter. The warning siren went quickly followed by the all clear. It was an incident I remember well.