Hornabrook have given their time unstintingly to this work.' By March 1941, Mr Withrington was still trying to arrange for school dinners for those in Torquay: There have been do difficulties in the way of getting School dinner facilities tor the evacuation party. I am pursuing the matter with the Heads of the local schools, the Director of Education, and His Majesty's Inspectors for the district. Hillside: The Social Hub of Torquay That Club House appreciated by Alan and Jim Rogers was considered essential by the authorities. As Mr Withrington put it: We have been encouraged to run a Club House and we are in process of obtaining premises and the necessary equipment. Funds are supplied through the Ministry of Health, as a club-house is one of the amenities which help to relieve the billetting problem and to make evacuation a success. A few months later: The Club House (Hillside) is being regularly used by both Schools, and has been well worth the additional work involved but he wanted the Governors to sanction expenditure from the Games Account up to a maximum of 10 for recreational lacilities that might be required in Torquay. IMAGE Hillside The Trickle Home The 'both' schools, by the way, were Greenford and Drayton Manor with whom Greenford was evacuated. Pupils and staff from both schools formed a single school in Torquay usually referred to as the Middlesex County School or Green Manor School. As the bombing raids in Greenford began to ease off the 'trickle' back to Greenford began, necessitating re-arrangements of organisation both at Torquay and with the home portion. In December 1941 the Head was concerned that a number of pupils were known to be returning from the evacuable area at Christmas time in spite of all efforts to persuade parents not to take this step. The Head reported to the Governors: The joint staff at Torquay has worked hard and loyally to keep children in the reception area. I would like to pay a tribute to their spirit of co-operation, and their cheerfulness and integrity in working at something which is continually falling to pieces underthem. I am quite sure no one could have done more. No Cookery or Handicraft By March of 1941 both at Torquay and Greenford there were some gaps in the full Secondary School curriculum. 'At Torquay no Handicraft is available for the boys, and they are now doing Gardening when the girls do Needlework. Facilities for Cookery for girls at Torquay are not available, but some of the older girls are getting practice at Cookery by doing cooking for the canteen at the Club House, under the supervision of the Domestic Science Mistress.' (No worries over gender stereotyping, Food Technology, Design and Technology or Textiles at that time!) Green Manor In May of 1941 the two heads of Drayton Manor and Greenford County Schools, or Green Manor as the pupils preferred to call it, issued a joint report which gives us some information as to how the school in Torquay was organised:- The numbers of pupils now at Torquay are:- TABLE Drayton Manor Greenford Totals 1st year 28 52 80 2nd year 22 48 70 3rd year 43 27 70 4th year 26 - 26 119 127 246 Next term these 80 1st year pupils will be 2nd year and so on. This new 2nd year group could be divided into 2 forms as also could the new 3rd year and 4th year groups. There will he in addition a Form 5 and a Form 6 made up entirely of Drayton Manor pupils. The composition of next year's 1st year group is as yet indefinite, but judging by present tendencies there will be a total of about 30 pupils who may ask to go to Torquay from the Greenford and Drayton Manor entrants. The suggestions submitted are based on the assumption that neither the L.C.C., nor the Devon C.C. will ask us to receive any of their 1st year entrants. There will then be a total of 8 Forms which will he divided for certain subjects. It is assumed that the numbers in the party will be about 220. There is a possibility that a further 30 or 40 pupils will join the Torquay party from another Middlesex evacuated school. Staffing: "The two Headmasters agree that if one is to be given charge of this combination it must he Mr Withrington, with Miss Redman (of Drayton Manor) as senior assistant and second in command. The choice of the staff remaining in Torquay would naturally be mainly in Mr Withrington's hands, but it is suggested that the following would provide a sound basis for a final selection. It is most desirable that an agreed solution should be found to what is bound to be a matter of anxiety to all concerned. Required to stay in Torquay: TABLE English Miss M Redman, Miss M L Vale French Miss L M Stonebridge, Mr L R Gleed German Mr M L Houston* Latin Mrs E E Houston Mathematics Mr H G Hobdell Science Mr S F Marshall Art Mr J C Pollard Geography Mr W T Tolley History Miss R M Dutton Physical Training Miss M Hornabrook Needlework Miss E Walker Music and General Subjects Mr L Potts *Mr Houston is very likely to be called up. In that case special local arrangements will have to be made. page 34