Private School News

Wartime experience for Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall

Year 5 pupils from Stonyhurst’s prep school St Mary’s Hall went on a school trip with a difference this week. Dressed as evacuees from the Second World War, complete with gas mask boxes, they visited Stockport Air Raid Shelter. The staff at the shelter were also ‘in role’ and the air raid warden told the children that there had been a near-miss the previous night, and that the bomb had left a crater outside. “The children’s eyes were like saucers,” said Mrs Joy Twigg, their teacher. “The ‘crater’ had actually been made by the gas board digging up the road but it made the experience very vivid!” To add to the excitement, one of their teachers, Mr Ogarrio, was immediately recognised as a ‘spy’ and arrested!

The children were given a full tour and sang war-time choruses such as “Run rabbit, run ” as they made their way around the labyrinth of tunnels. At the height of the air raids, there was room for 7000 people, often bussed in from Manchester.

“The children learnt a lot of new facts about the second World War and had a great time ‘living’ their history” said Mrs Twigg, who was also in costume.

Photo:the ‘evacuees’ in the air raid shelter.