EVACUATION

The two volumes of diaries of Jean Kilgour Hart cast light on the interesting wartime crossover between the Universities of London and Cambridge. On the evacuation of Queen Mary College to Cambridge at the beginning of the Second World War, both the College administration and male staff and students were accommodated at King’s College. Women staff and students were initially provided with accommodation at Girton College, but from 1940 they were housed in two private houses in Hills Road.

HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy 'London' County-class heavy cruiser, launched in 1928 and decommissioned in 1942. In July 1936, as part of the Mediterranean Fleet 1st Cruiser Squadron, she sailed to Barcelona, relieving HMS London, the first ship to arrive to take off refugees from the Spanish Civil War. The present item (possibly written by Admiral Binney) is excessively scarce: the only other copy traced is in the Hampshire Archives. [3] + 19pp., foolscap 8vo. The original document from the 1930s, spirit-duplicated in aniline ink, with pages on one side only of 22 leaves.

Printed on one side of a piece of 15cm square card. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Four numbered instructions, preceded by: 'There would be a great need for extra bed coverings for children should evacuation ever take place. Suitable covers can be made by sewing together squares knitted up from scraps of wool. They will always be useful even if, as we all hope, they are not needed for their original purpose.' This initiative can be dated from a reference in 'Home & Country' magazine, 1939. Scarce: no copy traced in the Imperial War Museum or elsewhere.