Wartime evacuees remember their lives in Oldham

ALL together now . . . Oldham Mayor, Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman and his wife, Mayoress Yasmin Toor, next to Captain Frank le Messurier and others who attended the 70th anniversary Guernsey evacuees service

GUERNSEY evacuees sent to Oldham and other Greater Manchester towns during World War II gathered for a special service to commemorate a significant milestone in their history.

Dozens — including Oldham Mayor Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman — gathered at St Mary’s Church, Stockport, for the 70th anniversary of the 1945 “return home” of the Channel Island evacuees after they had lived in our region for five years following the German occupation of the Channel Islands.

The 5,000 children — accompanied by some mothers and teachers — left never knowing whether they would see their parents again. Many never returned and settled in towns such as Oldham.

The service, organised by historian, researcher and writer Gillian Mawson, who has written books of the evacuees’ experiences and set up a community group in Stockport, was attended by a number of those who made their homes in Oldham. Guernsey’s minister for culture and leisure, Deputy Mike O’Hara was also present at the event.

Gillian said: “The service was very well-attended, at least 150 people were there, as well as a number of visitors aged 80 and over who flew over from Guernsey for the day.

“The surviving evacuees all told me of the kindness of the Oldham people between 1940 and 1945, and that they will be eternally grateful.”

Gillian’s research revealed how one Guernsey evacuee, Bill Spurdle, joined Oldham Athletic then Manchester City. He never returned to Guernsey and fellow former evacuees used to go and watch him play at Boundary Park.

She also unearthed information about Hulme Grammar School handing over the use of their classrooms to 200 Guernsey boys, their teachers and headteacher.