Figure 1.-- In addition to the official evacuations, there were thousands of private evacuations. Here the parents had control over the evacuation and the mothers stayed wityh the children. It was a much less traumatic experience for the children. These were families that had the means to relocate all or part of the family. It also involved families with relatives living in small towns and villages or even farms. These were areas that the Germans would not target because of the lack of meaningful targets or low population density. Here we see a liitle boy and his teddy bein evacuated as one kof the non-official evacuation. The caption of this press photo taken September 3, 1939 read, "David Tennant: An English boy, leaving for the countryfrom London, due to war threats. Thousands of chikldren have been evacuated from London." The photograph was dated September 3, 1939.

The official evacuations were voluntary and all done by the Government with no cost to the parents. The parents, however, had no control about where the children were sent. They did not learn where the children were until letters began arriving from the relocation areas. In addition to the official evacuations, there were thousands of private evacuations. Here the parents had control over the evacuation and the mothers stayed wityh the children. It was a much less traumatic experience for the children. These were families that had the means to relocate all or part of the family. It also involved families with relatives living in small towns and villages or even farms. These were areas that the Germans would not target because of the lack of meaningful targets or low population density. Children were not the only evacuees. City hospitals throughout Britain were also evacuated. Evacuees also included expectant mothers, the blind, and crippled. There were 31,000 Edinburgh mothers evacuated with their children. At the time, the men were the principal bread winners. They were expected to stay at their jobs which at the time meant mostly the cities. Wives and depedents were free to locate as the parents decided and many with means or relatives outside the cities did so. Others decided to remain in their homes. There are no detailed statistics on the number of these evacuees.

Created: 6:57 AM 11/24/2013
Last updated: 6:57 AM 11/24/2013