Central School Logs, 1941

Jan. 10th- The Headmaster was detained in Birmingham by his wife’s illness and returned to duty to-day. Miss Badham reports that the School re-opened on Tuesday Jan. 7th. All Scholars who went home for Christmas have returned except two boys.

Air-raid warning this morning at 9.25am

There are now 71 scholars on the Registry.

Jan 13th- All our scholars were invited to a Christmas Party by the British Legion on Saturday afternoon.

Jan. 20th- There has been a snow blizzard this week-end.

This morning the weather is very bad. 75% of our scholars are present. Instructions have been received from the Office to close School this afternoon.

Mr. Wilkins is taking 1 week of his Christmas Holiday this week.

Jan. 21st- The weather is still very bad. This morning 50% of our scholars were present. Instructions have been received from the Office to close School until Thursday morning.

Jan. 23rd- School re-opened. 85% present.

Jany 27th- Mr. Wilkins returned to duty.

Jany 31st - Miss Badham is taking her 2 weeks’ Christmas Holiday from to-day.

[Feb. 5- Bombs dropped on Great Yarmouth.]

Feby 6th- The Education Committee arranged for Messrs. Cadbury to show 3 Educational Films at the Liberal Hall this afternoon. All our pupils & staff attended.

[Feb. 7- Bombs dropped on Lowestoft. Severe damage in the port/bridge area. 9 killed including 2 bridgemen and 32 injured]

Feby 10th- Mr. Wilkins is taking his 2nd week’s holiday this week.

Feby 11th- Miss Badham returned to duty.

Feby 17th- Miss Loweman is absent ill today.

The School nurse weighed and measured all pupils.

[Feb. 16- Bombs dropped on Lowestoft. Severe damage. 3 killed.]

Feby 18th- Mr. Wilkins and Miss Lowman returned to duty.

Feby. 19th- The Headmaster was absent ill yesterday. Returned to-day.

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[Feb. 25- Bombs dropped on Lowestoft.]

Feby 26th- Yesterday (Shrove Tuesday) the School was closed. Heavy snow has fallen this week.

March 4th- Miss Lowman is absent attending a School Governors’ Meeting in Surrey.

March 5th- Air-raid alarm 2.20 to 2.50 pm.

[March 6- Bombs dropped on Lowestoft. 3 deaths.]

March 7th- Miss Lowman returned (3 day’s absence).

Air-raid alarm 11.30 to 11.40 am.

[March 8- Dogfight over downtown Lowestoft.]

[March 15- Bombs dropped on Lowestoft.]

March 17th- A plot of land near the School has been loaned to us by Mr. Platt and the boys under Mr. Wilkins leadership have commence to prepare it for cultivation. The work will be done out of school hours.

[March 25- Bombs dropped on Gorleston, raids in the near area around Lowestoft.]

[March 26- Bombs dropped on Corton Beach, battles out at sea, attacking convoys.]

March 28th- A Youth Service Section has been formed in the School . Most of the senior boys & girls have joined. Salvage work has already commenced.

[March 29- Norwich/Yarmouth trains attacked. 3 dead. Lowestoft bombed. Kessingland bombed.]

[March 30- 15 Bombs dropped on Carlton, raids in the near area around Lowestoft.]

[April 1- Air battle over Lowestoft.]

[April 2- Air battle over sea by Lowestoft.]

[April 7- Yarmouth heavily bombed.]

April 8th- 2 girls and 1 boys have gone to Lowestoft for the Easter Holiday at their parent’s request.

April 10th- School closes this (Thursday) morning for the Easter Holiday. Some part of the School will however, be available for the boys & girls for social activities during the week. Mr. Wilkins and Miss Craig are remaining on duty.

[April 10- Heavy bombing north Lowestoft. 25 dead between the 10th and 17th of April, about 30-40 wounded.]

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April 1st- School re-opened.

[April 21- Lowestoft bombed. 5 dead, 18 injured.]

April 25th- Mr. Wilkins commences his Easter Holiday to-day.

[April 28- Heavy bombing in Pakefield.]

[May 3- Lowestoft bombed.]

[May 4- Lowestoft heavily bombed. Hamilton Docks, minesweeper blown up. High Street severely damaged.]

[May 5- Lowestoft heavily bombed.]

May 5th- Mr. Wilkins returned to duty, Miss Craig is taking her Easter Holiday this week.

[May 6- Air battle over Lowestoft, Corton road area. 14 bungalows had all their glass blown out.]

[May 8- Lowestoft heavily bombed. Another minesweeper blown up.]

[May 10- Lowestoft bombed. Kirkley Run. Railway. Norwich road. 7 people killed]

May 12th- 3 girls entered for the Cambridge School Certificate Exam. Miss Craig returned to duty.

[May 13- Lowestoft bombed. North end of town, by Regent Road.]

May 16th- Gas masks tested.

[May 4- Lowestoft strafed and bombed.]

May 21st- Swimming lessons started to-day.

May 23rd- Mr J. C. Wilkins absent attending N.U.T. Conference at Ipswich.

Air-raid alarm 11.25 to 12.10.

[May 24- Lowestoft bombed.]

May 26th- All Scholars attended St. Andrews S. at 3 to see National Savings Committee Films.

May 28th- The Headmaster was absent ill yesterday.

Glossop War Weapons Week. Parents & friends were invited to School this afternoon. The girls sang & did folk dancing & the boys gave a P.T. display.

In a poster Competition for War Savings Week open to all Glossop scholars. Leslie Rudd obtained a 1st Prize, Betty Hardy a 3rd Prize, & Celia Hampson and Ina Herring were highly commended.

May 30th- School closed for Whitsuntide Holiday at 12.

The Headmaster is staying here on emergency duty. The rest of the staff are taking a normal holiday.

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[June 4- Lowestoft bombed. Whapload road, Old Nelson road, Tonning street.]

June 10th- School re-opened. All staff on duty.

[June 11- Lowestoft bombed. Whapload road, Old Nelson road, Tonning street. Tramways Hotel, 5 dead.]

[June 13- Lowestoft bombed. “I found that the Central School near Christ Church had been heavily bombed, a direct hit in the middle. It had been full of soldiers and there were reports that 9 or 15 had been killed and 11 or 19 injured. Some were Border Regiment and some Royal Engineers. There was heavy damage again in Old Nelson Street and some in Whapload Road. There was another bomb on the Trawl Dock in exactly the same place as former one - outside Gearing's office. A trawler lying alongside was sunk and another bomb in Hamilton Dock sunk two Patrol Boats or Minesweepers. We saw only one of them. The Herring Market was also damaged and the canteen slightly damaged. I don't know about the casualties, all hush-hush but probably small.”]

[June 15- Gorleston bombed and strafed.]

[June 16- Air fights over Lowestoft.]

June 16th- Information received from the Town Hall, Lowestoft, that during an air raid on Friday morning our School had a direct hit and is badly damaged.

[June 17- Air fights over Lowestoft. Battles out to sea attacking convoys]

June 20th- The Headmaster will be taking his holiday next week.

[June 28- Heavy bombing activity in the villages around Lowestoft.]

[June 30- Battles out to sea attacking convoys.]

July 1st- Headmaster returned to duty.

[July 4- AA guns over Lowestoft, heavy sea battles.]

[July 5- Major invasion exercise from Lowestoft.]

[July 5- Major bombing raid on G. Yarmouth, Gorleston, Southtown.]

[July 7- Defensive battle from Lowestoft to sea. Bombing in Pakefield. German Blitz planes coming back from London crash in Lowestoft and area.]

July 7th- On Friday all the boys & girls of the school (54) with all of the staff had a motor coach excursion to Castleton. The Speedwell & Blue John Caverns were visited. Attendances were marked. Miss Lowman, Assistant Mistress, was absent during the week ending June 27th attending an Examination.

Air-raid warning this afternoon 2.45-3.15.

July 9th- 3 girls- B. Hardy, A. Bullard, & C. Hampson- are taking the Cambridge School Cet. Exam, commencing to-day.

July 14th- Miss Craig is absent ill today.

[July 14- Planes crash off South Beach. 6 dead, washed ashore with the tide.]

July 15th- Miss Craig returned to duty.

[July 18- Heavy defensive AA in Lowestoft. Blitz in London]

[July 19- Heavy defensive AA in Lowestoft. Blitz in London]

[July 22- Heavy bombing, Lorne Park road. 40 or more dead, dozens badly injured. Bodies obliterate, so could be more dead.]

[July 23- Heavy defensive AA in Lowestoft. Blitz in London]

July 25th- The Headmaster was absent ill yesterday. Returned to-day.

[July 26- Lowestoft bombed, north end of town, by Belle Vue Park.]

July 31st- School closed this afternoon for the Summer Holiday.

Arrangements have been made for one member of the staff to remain in Hadfield each week to supervise activities.

[August 02- Heavy defensive AA. Bombing in G. Yarmouth.]

[August 06-09- Heavy defensive AA. Bombing in G. Yarmouth.]

[August 13- Bombs hit South Beach, by Hatfield, Marine Parade, Wellington Esp. up to LRS, large numbers of properties damaged by blasts]

[August 17- Bombs dropped at Herring Market and Trawl Docks. Missed 300 soldiers by half an hour.]

[August 21- Bombs dropped in N. Lowestoft, Corton Beach.]

[August 31- Defensive AA. ]

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Sept. 1st- School re-opened. 39 new pupils from Glossop and Hadfield admitted. During the holiday Mr. J. C. Wilkins joined H. M. Army and Miss I. I. Lowman was appointed to East Grinstead Secondary School.

Mr. T. Parkes, Headmaster of Pakefield School, joined our staff to-day. The staff now is - Mr. T. H. Adams, Mr. T. Parkes, Miss Badham, Miss Craig, & Mr. O T. Outlaw. The no. of pupils is 87. The new pupils from Glossop will remain in their billets & travel by bus, bringing their mid-day meal to School.

[During the Second World War, the town became a secondary target for German bombers which failed to make their primary target elsewhere. On the afternoon of Friday 9 July 1943, a Luftwaffe bomber became separated from its squadron, followed the main railway line and circled the town twice, then dropped eight bombs. Two bombs, one with a delayed-action fuse, fell on the Whitehall Theatre, a cinema on the London Road, where 184 people at the matinée show were watching a Hopalong Cassidy film before the main feature. A total of 108 people were killed in the raid, including children in the cinema, many of whom were evacuees; and some twenty Canadian servicemen stationed locally, who were either in the cinema when it was hit, or arrived minutes later to help with rescuing survivors. A further 235 were injured. This was the largest loss of life of any single air raid in Sussex. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Grinstead (it is highly likely Miss Lowman had students killed or hurt in that raid)]

[September 03- Bombing in Fritton Decoy, fresh water supply threatened.]

[September 06- Convoys attacked off Lowestoft]

Sept. 10th- All 3 girls who sat for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination in July were successful-

Betty Hardy- 1 very good, 4 credits, 1 pass

Annie Bullard- 1 very good, 4 credits

Nelia Hampson- 2 credits, 4 passes

Sept. 12th- The Headmaster was absent ill yesterday. He returned today.

[September 18- Plane brought down at Kessingland. 1 dead, 2 wounded.]

[September 20- Heavy AA, bombing in Lowestoft]

Sept. 22nd- The School Nurse examined all scholars to-day.

Mr. A. H. Moore, Teacher of Shorthand, will take 10 senior girls for 2 lessons a week, commencing to-day.

Sept. 24th- From to-day, travel vouchers will be issued daily to all scholars travelling from Glossop to Hadfield.

[September 27- Lowestoft strafed.]

[October 1- Lowestoft bombed.]

Oct. 3rd- Miss Badham was absent today.

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Oct. 9th- Dr. Milligan (S.M.O.) & a National Health expert examined all the boys this afternoon for nutrition signs.

[October 10- Heavy AA over Lowestoft.]

Oct. 10th- A lesson on ‘Alcohol’ was given by a visiting lecturer.

Oct. 21st- A Barratt took the R. N. Fleet Arm apprentice examination.

[October 23- Lowestoft bombed. LRS]

[October 24- AA over Lowestoft.]

[October 29- Sea Convoy attacked off Lowestoft]

Oct. 30th- School closed for mid-term holiday this afternoon.

[October 31- Heavy bombing in Lowestoft.]

Nov. 4th- School re-opened.

Nov. 6th- From to-day boys selected by the S.M.O are to received vitamin capsules daily.

Nov. 20th- Mr. T. Parkes, recalled to Lowestoft, left here to-day.

Nov. 21st- Miss Quintrell commenced duty to-day.

Dec. 2nd- The Headmaster was absent ill on Wednesday & Thursday.

Sir Roger Curtis and Mr. Towler, HM Inspectors of Schools visited the School this (Friday) morning.

Dec. 15th- The Christmas Party was held in the School on Friday evening. After tea at 4.30 games & dancing followed.

Dec. 17th- This morning 11 pupils, mainly seniors,went to Lowestoft for the Christmas Holiday. School Closed this (Weds) afternoon to allow the Castle School Party to be arranged.

Dec. 19th- School closed this afternoon for the Christmas Holiday. Mr. Outlaw & Miss Quintell are remaining in Hadfield available in case of emergency need.

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