WW2 school evacuees sought for 80th anniversary

The girls of the former Church High School spent four years at Alnwick Castle

A castle which became a school for evacuees during World War Two is trying to trace girls who attended at the time.

The former Church High School in Newcastle moved into Alnwick Castle in Northumberland from 1940 to 1944.

The last of the evacuee schoolgirls left 80 years ago this year and a reunion is being held on 6 May to mark the anniversary.

Daniel Watkins, education officer at Alnwick Castle, said: “We hope it'll be a special day for them to share memories and stories."

Children of all ages were evacuated from Church High School in Newcastle to Alnwick Castle.

In 1939, Church High School in Newcastle had 220 boarders and day pupils, but it was judged too dangerous for them to stay in the city.

The castle owners stepped in to offer a new base for the pupils.

"The 9th Duke of Northumberland had been killed on the retreat to Dunkirk in France in 1940," explained Mr Watkins.

"His brother, the 10th Duke, was also away serving so their mother, Duchess Helen, invited the school to use the castle and the family moved to the nearby village of Lesbury."

Alnwick Castle was run entirely by teaching and domestic staff from the school

Alnwick Castle became the school’s main base from 1940 and was run by the teaching and domestic staff.

The dormitories were situated on the first floor and in the castle towers.

"We hoped to hold an anniversary in 2020, but with Covid it was difficult, so it's great we've finally been able to rearrange," Mr Watkins said.

"We've already been contacted by about 20 former girls or a relative so we hope that in May we will have quite a good gathering.

"Some of them haven't seen the castle since leaving school in the 1940s."

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