Research and structure of piece
The research I will carry out throughout the piece is looking into the lives of different children that were evacuated during WWII. I want to be able to find first hand resources from children that have expressed their true feelings about the situation for example in a diary etc.
Firstly, although evacuating children was voluntary “the closure of many urban schools and the organised transportation of school groups” (Clouting, 2021), heavily encouraged parents to send their kids away. They used posters to advertise the evacuation plans (see photo 1). The children were able to take a few items with them. The list of things was issued to their parents including gas mask, night clothes etc. Although only very little items “many families struggled to provide their children with all of the items listed” (Clouting, 2021). The children would gather in train stations before the trains came to take them away in large, crowded groups (see photo 2).
Photo 1 (Southern Railways poster for services evacuating women and children, September 1939, 2021)
The evacuees host families lived extremely different lives from the ones the children were used to in their crowded cities. Therefore, life in the countryside was often a shock for the children (Chancellor, 2009) . Although many children had a positive and uplifting time with the host families, many of them were neglected and even abused. (Clouting, 2021)
‘Evacuees are now being seen as forgotten victims’ (Chancellor, 2009) and as a matter of fact the whole evacuee system has been thrown off by myths. Some people got locked in a bedroom because of their “perceived dirty and lice ridden appearance” (Chancellor, 2009). This would cause them distress.
Photo 2 (Devon, 1940., 2021)
Structure of the piece:
I have decided to base my piece loosely related to a story told by an evacuee, Sheelagh O'Shaughnessy. Below I have planned the structure of my piece. I have based this structure off of a story told by an evacuee of the war, Sheelagh O'Shaughnessy. She, unfortunately, did not go to a good home and had to endure a lot whilst she was there. Her foster parents told the children "plainly that they did not want us" (O'Shaughnessy, n.d.). They treated them like a "slave" and she had to put up with "mild sexual abuse" (O'Shaughnessy, n.d.) from the foster dad and they often went hungry. Overall, many children did go to caring homes however, O’Shaughnessy story was one containing cruelty and unpleasant experiences.
(Sheelagh O'Shaughnessy, n.d.)
Sections and what they include:
1 - Walking towards the train and waving goodbye to parents and getting split up from siblings.
2 - Waiting to get picked by the mothers
3 - Getting treated like a slave. ‘Mild Sexual absue’ (O'Shaughnessy, n.d.)
4 - Going back to visit the her old foster family home and feeling sadness. Sat on ‘a bench where I sat and cried, reliving the unhappy memories’ (O'Shaughnessy, n.d.)
Structure of my piece (Notes)
Bibliography
A GROUP OF EVACUEES FROM BRISTOL ARRIVE AT BRENT RAILWAY STATION NEAR KINGSBRIDGE IN DEVON, 1940.
A group of evacuees from Bristol arrive at Brent railway station near Kingsbridge in (Devon, 1940., 2021)
Bi2021. A Group Of Evacuees From Bristol Arrive At Brent Railway Station Near Kingsbridge In Devon, 1940.. [image].
CHANCELLOR, A.
It's time to explode the myth that all children evacuated from the blitz were well treated | Alexander Chancellor
(Chancellor, 2009)
Chancellor, A., 2009. It's Time To Explode The Myth That All Children Evacuated From The Blitz Were Well Treated | Alexander Chancellor. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/sep/03/alexander-chancellor-wartime-evacuees> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
CLOUTING, L.
The Evacuated Children Of The Second World War
(Clouting, 2021)
Clouting, L., 2021. The Evacuated Children Of The Second World War. [online] Imperial War Museums. Available at: <https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-evacuated-children-of-the-second-world-war> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
O'SHAUGHNESSY, S.
Sheela's story - an unhappy evacuee
(O'Shaughnessy, n.d.)
O'Shaughnessy, S., n.d. Sheela's Story - An Unhappy Evacuee. [online] Timewitnesses.org. Available at: <http://timewitnesses.org/evacuees/%7Esheelagh.html > [Accessed 15 November 2020].
SHEELAGH O'SHAUGHNESSY
(Sheelagh O'Shaughnessy, n.d.)
n.d. Sheelagh O'Shaughnessy. [image] Available at: <http://timewitnesses.org/evacuees/%7Esheelagh.html> [Accessed 15 November 2020].
SOUTHERN RAILWAYS POSTER FOR SERVICES EVACUATING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, SEPTEMBER 1939
(Southern Railways poster for services evacuating women and children, September 1939, 2021)
2021. Southern Railways Poster For Services Evacuating Women And Children, September 1939. [image] Available at: <https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-evacuated-children-of-the-second-world-war> [Accessed 12 January 2021].
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