Excerpts from the Log Book of the Intermediate Girls School, Brighton, 1939/40

'There's a war on!', was the valiant defiant cry of the ordinary men and women of wartorn Britain. Civilian life in Brighton carried on in difficulties such as grief, danger, loss of belongings and lack of sleep. This might seem to us unbearable for people who, along with all this, had to fend for a family. But they not only bore them, but bore them without fuss, almost took it all for granted.

Children Going to Air Raid Shelter, c. 1940

Brighton and Hove in Pictures

Roedean Tunnel Air Raid Shelter for Roedean School, c. 1939

Brighton and Hove in Pictures

In particular, the typically unemotional, unexcited style of the Intermediate School Log Book (see below), taken from 'Brighton behind the Front', gives a vivid picture of the dark days of 1940-43.

It depicts clearly the awkwardness of staffing a school divided between Brighton and Yorkshire; of losing members of an already depleted staff almost without notice for a week or two when husbands came home on leave; of lessons interrupted by air raid warnings, are never mentioned. This was the real stuff of the Home Front. The final entry ushers in a new era in education, hoped and worked for throughout the dark days of war.

Monday Sept 18th 1939
School reopened with sessions 11 am -1 pm and 1.30 - 3 pm war having broken out on September 3rd. The expected Year 1's were not admitted.

Thursday Sept 21st
Respirator drill was successfully practiced, and respirators were tested by two Air Wardens.

Thursday Oct 5th
School closed at 4 pm for three days, to allow the staff to make a billeting survey.

Wednesday Oct llth
School reopened at 11 am and the new Year's pupils were admitted in the afternoon.

Thursday Aug 8th
For the first time the Air Raid Siren sounded during school hours - at 9.30 am. The School went down to the trenches, and the 'All Clear' was given at 9.50. A second warning was given at 11.45 am and several girls already dismissed, returned to the school shelters.

Monday Aug 26th
At 10.45 pm last night the Boys' Department was hit by enemy incendiary bombs, the roof and top storey being badly damaged. It was decided not to open School until September 16th, the week from Sept 9th being, in any case, a holiday.

During this enforced holiday, two pupils who had just left the school were killed in a daytime bombing raid on Saturday Sept 14th at approx. 3 pm.

Joan May Cordier d.o.b 11.2.25, Flat 2, 47 Essex Street, Brighton Freda Harris d.o.b 29.5.26, 26 Freshfield Street, Brighton. [These facts had been clearly marked against their names in the Admissions Book in red ink.]

Thursday Sept 24th
A German lone raider suddenly swooped over the School, which was providentially saved, and dropped bombs on two streets off Albion Hill, and a time bomb near the TechnicalCollege. Two pieces of bombs were found in our playground. Last Friday Sept 20th, whistling bombs were suddenly dropped in Franklin Road by a lone raider. Year 1 at games for the first time, had to fall on their faces on the ground. No siren was sounded on either occasion.

Monday Sept 30th
Sirens having sounded, the School was in the trenches from 9.30 - 11.50 am, from 1.30 - 2.30 pm and in the case of some girls shopping locally or still near school, from 4.15 - 6 pm.

Tuesday Oct 1st
The School was in the trenches from 1.30 - 3.30 pm.

Wednesday Oct 2nd
The School was in the trenches from 9.55 - 12.37 pm.

Friday Oct 4th
The School was in the trenches from 1.55 - 5.35 pm, though some of the parents came for their daughters after 4 pm.

Monday Oct 14th
The School was in the trenches from 11.40 am to about 2 pm when girls with their parents' authorisation were allowed gradually to go. Those without remained till the sounding of the 'All Clear' at 3.10 pm. There was no afternoon session.

Friday Oct 25th
490 pairs of earplugs for distribution to the School, have been received. The School closed at 4 pm for the Autumn holiday. Owing to continued air raid warnings all day, except for brief dinner hour intervals, registers could not be marked, and only those girls who had arrived very early attended school.

Tuesday Nov 5th
School reopened at 9am, the hours of work being 9 - 1 pm and 9 - 12 pm Sats. Extra homework is being set.

Tuesday Nov 26th
Mrs Humphrey was absent attending by permission a 'Spotter' course for training in recognition of hostile planes. The course continued until Friday and was concluded the following Thursday.

Friday Dec 20th
For the first time, there has been a full week without an 'alert' period in school hours.

Monday Jan 27th 1941
Normal hours of work (9 - 11am & 1.35 - 4.30) were resumed.

Friday March 14th
The School has been closed every afternoon except Monday to allow for preparations for voluntary evacuation of schoolchildren.

Sunday March 15th
82 girls and 3 staff, including the Senior Mistress, were evacuated to Sprotbrough near Doncaster. The Secretary went as a helper.

Friday April 4th
The School practiced going into trenches while wearing respirators. The Headmistress resumed duty (off under medical orders from March 24th).

Monday Sept 28th
The School Canteen was opened, dinners being served to 152 girls. Members of the WVS [Women's Voluntary Service] did the serving.

Monday October 12th
The dinner girls, numbering 154, had a providential escape when a German lone raider dropped bombs near Preston Circus.

Monday March 29th 1943
The School was providentially saved when German raiders dropped bombs in districts including Gloucester Place and on the School Clinic.

Friday April 16th
The School was closed in the afternoon as Brighton Schools had raised over £8,000 in 'Wings for Victory' week.

Tuesday May 25th
The dinner girls had a providential escape when German bombs attacked Brighton in a brief raid. Miss Garrow was absent, suffering from bruises and having her home seriously damaged.

Tuesday October 26th
Girls were measured for clothing coupons.

Tuesday April 4th 1944
The School closed at noon to allow the revision of billeting lists by the staff.

Summer Term 1944
School reopened at 8.50 am. Miss Bland was late, owing to being called out for Rest Centre duties when a German plane fell in St Nicholas' church yard during the night.

Tuesday May 12th
The School was closed in recognition of the large amount raised by the Brighton Schools during the 'Salute the Soldier' week.

School Year 1944/5
Thursday January 24th 1945
The Girls were dismissed as soon as they arrived because of the frozen state of the outside lavatories and the Housecraft Department.

Wednesday March 28th
This is the last day of the Schools working as a selective Central School in accordance with the new Education Act.

Summer Term 1945
Wednesday April 11th 1945
School reopened as a County Secondary School under the new Education Act.