Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 04 January 1941
Hospitable Church Folk
Mexborough Holiday for Birmingham Children
Some of the Birmingham children and their Mexborough friends at the Parish Party on Wednesday.
On Monday evening 45 boys and girls ranging from 6 to 14 years of age, alighted from a train at Swinton station after a tiring journey from Birmingham, one of England’s raided cities.
They came with the Vicar of a Birmingham parish, the Rev. F. W. Bretton and were welcomed by the Vicar of Mexborough, the Rev. E. H. P. Rawlins who had organised a week’s holiday for them. The Vicar’s idea was formulated just after the Birmingham area had been severely attacked, and he made reference to it in the Parish Magazine, and in the church, asking Mexborough Church people to volunteer to take these “evacuees” so that they could spend a quiet week in the spot probably not so popular with the Nazi airmen as the Midlands.
Among the children were some who had lost their homes, the large number of them had had their homes damaged, and yet, even on their arrival, cold and tired, on a chilly December night, they were bright and cheerful and not a complaint was to be heard.
From Swinton they were accompanied by the Vicar and the Reverend G Bernard to the Parish Hall, Mexborough, where the Mexborough people and offered to take them into their homes awaited their arrival.
Then an orderly distribution with the aid of “dossiers” exchanged by the Birmingham Vicar and Mr Rawlings, was undertaken and the Reverend G Bernard and Miss P.M. Widdows assisted.
On Tuesday morning —their first in Mexborough—they were at the Secondary School for physical training and games, in the gymnasium. They whiled away two hours each morning from Monday to Friday in the gymnasium and acquired a healthy appetite for dinner.
Mr. V. R. Hadkins, games and P.T. master at the Secondary School, had charge of the boys and Mrs A.M. Hillier and Miss. This l Argyle took charge of the girls on these occasions.
A chat with one or two of the children elicited one outstanding fact. No matter what the German airmen had done to their homes they are not affected children’s morale. There was a spirit of cheerfulness and gaiety everywhere. It was encouraging to see that buoyant and confident spirit in children will experience far worse conditions than any we have had to suffer.
One of the boys Albert Summerfield, told our reporter that an “aerial torpedo” have been dropped upon his home that he was down to the ground. He said that his parents have been fortunate enough to get another house.
Although his home was not directly affected, another youngster, John Dyke, said there had been bombs near their house. He said he was not homesick and was having a good time.
Perhaps the most interesting story of the “carry on” spirit was told by Audrey Dugmore, who explained that although the roof of her parents’ home had collapsed, her mother and father were still living there. When asked what her impressions of Mexborough, and Mexborough people were she replied that she thought the place was very nice, and the people “lovely.”
The children, their Mexborough friend, enjoyed a party at the Parish Hall on Wednesday given by the Mexborough branch of the Mothers Union. On arrival, the children were given tea, after which there were games, supervised by the Vicar. In many of these the children Birmingham children competed against Mexborough boys and girls. The guests was then entertained by Mr Will Raymond (ventriloquist and illusionist).