Evacuees

During the Second World War, this parish was a haven for children evacuated from the many towns and cities which were heavily bombed. The children arrived by train with their suitcases and gas masks. It must have been a difficult time for both children and their parents. The visitors mixed with the local children and played in the river at the bar in St Just and on the beaches and in the sea in St Mawes. Many evacuees learned to swim while they were here.

The Teague family at Churchtown Farm St Just hosted two evacuees Georgie Skates (with the tin helmet) and George Slaughter. The picture shows the boys with Amy Teague playing in The Mount Field with her doll and Shep the dog and St Just Creek in the background.

The school at St. Just had already closed and to begin with the children all attended St Mawes School but as their numbers grew the school had too many children for the school to cope with and for a while they were divided into two groups with each group attending for half a day. Following a further increase in numbers, the school at St Just was re-opened so the children could attend full-time.

The picture shows local and evacuee children playing together at St Just Bar. Many evacuees stayed here after the war and some of their families still live in the village today.