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Box in 1943 Alan Payne January 2018 The war seemed to be turning in favour of the Allies in 1943. In February German advances in the East failed to breach the Stalingrad siege with the death of an estimated 450,000 casualties. The Allies attacked Italy, Mussolini's Fascist leadership was deposed and by September Italy had surrendered. The war in Europe was far from won but at last Britain was giving as good as it had suffered. At home, it was time to implement long-term plans which might eventually lead to victory. |
Highlands School buildings (courtesy Sheila Snelgrove)
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Life in Box
Village life started well enough in 1943. The Bath Chronicle carried an extensive report about John RA Baldwin, son of the owner of Box firm Murray & Baldwin. John's flying exploits were recorded as if it were the First World War rather than the Second.[1] He attacked eight German Messerschmitts on their way to attack Lewisham, London, in January 1943 and attacked three that were slightly out of formation. He downed the lead plane, destroyed another but took a hit to his Hawker Typhoon. The third fighter tried to attack from the rear, Baldwin outmanoeuvred the attacker and shot it down. John was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for these exploits and had a number of other successful missions.
The Bath Chronicle tried to lighten the paper with a series of Cribbage Questions and Answers. Mr Rothery, licensee of the Queen's Head, Box, asked for the solution to a problem which is causing very heated arguments in the pub.[2] The answer was Definitely no run. Various plans were put in place for the organisation of the war effort: Major Alf Lambert was put in charge of a Special Home Guard Company to protect the underground workings and a scrap metal dump was set up at the entrance to the Recreation Field for people to contribute waste metal. In November, after a delay, a new school was opened at Box Hill called
Box Highlands.
Village life started well enough in 1943. The Bath Chronicle carried an extensive report about John RA Baldwin, son of the owner of Box firm Murray & Baldwin. John's flying exploits were recorded as if it were the First World War rather than the Second.[1] He attacked eight German Messerschmitts on their way to attack Lewisham, London, in January 1943 and attacked three that were slightly out of formation. He downed the lead plane, destroyed another but took a hit to his Hawker Typhoon. The third fighter tried to attack from the rear, Baldwin outmanoeuvred the attacker and shot it down. John was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for these exploits and had a number of other successful missions.
The Bath Chronicle tried to lighten the paper with a series of Cribbage Questions and Answers. Mr Rothery, licensee of the Queen's Head, Box, asked for the solution to a problem which is causing very heated arguments in the pub.[2] The answer was Definitely no run. Various plans were put in place for the organisation of the war effort: Major Alf Lambert was put in charge of a Special Home Guard Company to protect the underground workings and a scrap metal dump was set up at the entrance to the Recreation Field for people to contribute waste metal. In November, after a delay, a new school was opened at Box Hill called
Box Highlands.
Box Highlands School Opened, November 1943
The school was originally described as temporary, made as a prefabricated building.[3] It opened in November 1943 with
70 children, who live on the various sites, meaning the prefabricated houses on Boxfields. To give them a chance to settle in, no local children living in the vicinity of Box Fields or on top of Box Hill will be admitted until the New Year. By then it was envisaged that the register would be 160 children.
FG Neate, secretary of the school managers, suggested the name Highlands, adding that the top of Box Hill is known as the Highlands, and under the Hill, together with the Village is known as the Lowlands. The idea won instant approval. The first headmaster was Mr J Marriott, who also sat on the General Education Committee of the Wiltshire County Council, and two members of staff.[4]
Headmaster Ralph Warburton
From August 1945 until 1949 Ralph Warburton was headmaster. He wasn't local, he came from Audley, Staffordshire, where he taught for 20 years ending at Watlands School, Wolstanton, and an Evening Institute before coming to Box.[5] He had served with the Durham Light Infantry in the First World War and taught in the Air Training Corps during the Second and after in Box. Ralph Warburton was interested in bringing sports to Highlands School, particularly swimming.[6] Swimming certificates were issued in 1949 to: Pamela Beazer, Marion Matthews, Maureen Nixon, Sheila O'Neill, Sheila Pugh, Frances Smith, V Allen, K Davies, Alec Johnson, D Hill, M Holder, K Lear, R Maton, B Newton, M Nixon, B Risbrook, J Savine, L Sainsbury, B Turton. First and Second Class Pauline Risbrook. Second Class John Laucht and Brian Matthews.
His valedictory speech at the Boxfields Community Centre in 1949 spoke of results in the scholarship classes had been marvellous.[7] Improvements to the school included central heating (but no dining room), fencing of the school grounds and the highest number of pupils ever at over 200. Mr Warburton was pleased that older pupils had acquired an additional sense of responsibility ... and brought to their after-school life a more mature mind. Box Highlands was not just a place for teaching the 3Rs but where the whole of a child could develop.
The prize list comprised:
Infants Linda Maslin; Progress Sandra Lewis; Infants II Pamela Jones and Alan Trudgeon; Class 1 Janet Crowe, Thomas Voss and David Collett; Class 2 Maureen Nixon, Joan Betteridge, Jean Barnett, Susan Rankenheimer; Progress John Stanford; Class 3 Kenneth Edgell, Joy Maton Kenneth Davies, Sheila Pugh; Class 4 Pauline Risbrook; Cookery Vera Clutterbuck; English Ann Crowe; Needlework Maureen Steele; General credit and reliability Brian Matthews.
A measure of the affection that pupils had for the school included forming an Old Girls Netball Club under captain Anne Boyne, which competed (and won) against WRAF Rudloe Manor and WRNS Royal Arthur in 1949.[8] Mr Warburton left Box to become headmaster at Newtown Junior School, Trowbridge, twice the size of Highlands. Senior boy, Brian Matthews, presented him with a wrist watch and spoke of the untiring efforts of Mr Warburton in building up a mighty tradition for the school on the sports field.[9] During his time he had founded hockey, cricket, football, swimming and netball clubs.[10] He was a strong supporter of the National Union of Teachers, President of the Wiltshire Branch of the National Association of Head Teachers, a committed Conservative in politics and an advocate of strong Parent-Teacher Associations to help in the school.[11]
The school was originally described as temporary, made as a prefabricated building.[3] It opened in November 1943 with
70 children, who live on the various sites, meaning the prefabricated houses on Boxfields. To give them a chance to settle in, no local children living in the vicinity of Box Fields or on top of Box Hill will be admitted until the New Year. By then it was envisaged that the register would be 160 children.
FG Neate, secretary of the school managers, suggested the name Highlands, adding that the top of Box Hill is known as the Highlands, and under the Hill, together with the Village is known as the Lowlands. The idea won instant approval. The first headmaster was Mr J Marriott, who also sat on the General Education Committee of the Wiltshire County Council, and two members of staff.[4]
Headmaster Ralph Warburton
From August 1945 until 1949 Ralph Warburton was headmaster. He wasn't local, he came from Audley, Staffordshire, where he taught for 20 years ending at Watlands School, Wolstanton, and an Evening Institute before coming to Box.[5] He had served with the Durham Light Infantry in the First World War and taught in the Air Training Corps during the Second and after in Box. Ralph Warburton was interested in bringing sports to Highlands School, particularly swimming.[6] Swimming certificates were issued in 1949 to: Pamela Beazer, Marion Matthews, Maureen Nixon, Sheila O'Neill, Sheila Pugh, Frances Smith, V Allen, K Davies, Alec Johnson, D Hill, M Holder, K Lear, R Maton, B Newton, M Nixon, B Risbrook, J Savine, L Sainsbury, B Turton. First and Second Class Pauline Risbrook. Second Class John Laucht and Brian Matthews.
His valedictory speech at the Boxfields Community Centre in 1949 spoke of results in the scholarship classes had been marvellous.[7] Improvements to the school included central heating (but no dining room), fencing of the school grounds and the highest number of pupils ever at over 200. Mr Warburton was pleased that older pupils had acquired an additional sense of responsibility ... and brought to their after-school life a more mature mind. Box Highlands was not just a place for teaching the 3Rs but where the whole of a child could develop.
The prize list comprised:
Infants Linda Maslin; Progress Sandra Lewis; Infants II Pamela Jones and Alan Trudgeon; Class 1 Janet Crowe, Thomas Voss and David Collett; Class 2 Maureen Nixon, Joan Betteridge, Jean Barnett, Susan Rankenheimer; Progress John Stanford; Class 3 Kenneth Edgell, Joy Maton Kenneth Davies, Sheila Pugh; Class 4 Pauline Risbrook; Cookery Vera Clutterbuck; English Ann Crowe; Needlework Maureen Steele; General credit and reliability Brian Matthews.
A measure of the affection that pupils had for the school included forming an Old Girls Netball Club under captain Anne Boyne, which competed (and won) against WRAF Rudloe Manor and WRNS Royal Arthur in 1949.[8] Mr Warburton left Box to become headmaster at Newtown Junior School, Trowbridge, twice the size of Highlands. Senior boy, Brian Matthews, presented him with a wrist watch and spoke of the untiring efforts of Mr Warburton in building up a mighty tradition for the school on the sports field.[9] During his time he had founded hockey, cricket, football, swimming and netball clubs.[10] He was a strong supporter of the National Union of Teachers, President of the Wiltshire Branch of the National Association of Head Teachers, a committed Conservative in politics and an advocate of strong Parent-Teacher Associations to help in the school.[11]
Compulsory War Service
The war seemed to come closer to the village at the end of 1943. In December compulsary enlistment included service in the mines to produce ever more coal needed by the war factories. Bevin Boys could volunteer to serve underground rather than in a military capacity but few took up the prospect, those who did being mostly Conscientious Objectors. Others were selected by ballot, including several Box young men.
It was just as bad for women because the government introduced compulsory war service for women aged 19 to 50 years-old obliging them to work in plane and munitions factories. The war was far from over by the end of 1943.
The war seemed to come closer to the village at the end of 1943. In December compulsary enlistment included service in the mines to produce ever more coal needed by the war factories. Bevin Boys could volunteer to serve underground rather than in a military capacity but few took up the prospect, those who did being mostly Conscientious Objectors. Others were selected by ballot, including several Box young men.
It was just as bad for women because the government introduced compulsory war service for women aged 19 to 50 years-old obliging them to work in plane and munitions factories. The war was far from over by the end of 1943.
References
[1] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 27 February 1943
[2] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 12 June 1943
[3] Parish Magazine, November 1943
[4] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 4 March 1944
[5] The Wiltshire Times, 19 November 1949 and Staffordshire Advertiser, 30 June 1945
[6] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 27 June 1953 and 30 January 1954
[7] The Wiltshire Times, 19 November 1949
[8] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1949
[9] The Wiltshire Times, 26 November 1949
[10] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 26 November 1949
[11] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 21 June 1952, 6 March 1954 and 7 November 1953
[1] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 27 February 1943
[2] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 12 June 1943
[3] Parish Magazine, November 1943
[4] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 4 March 1944
[5] The Wiltshire Times, 19 November 1949 and Staffordshire Advertiser, 30 June 1945
[6] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 27 June 1953 and 30 January 1954
[7] The Wiltshire Times, 19 November 1949
[8] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1949
[9] The Wiltshire Times, 26 November 1949
[10] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 26 November 1949
[11] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 21 June 1952, 6 March 1954 and 7 November 1953