Sennockian 2019-2020 | Page 150

VE Day at Sevenoaks
Above : School House in 1945 . See also page 156
A letter from David Easton , 8 May 2020
Dear Sevenoaks School ,
Last night I watched Sky News , and saw not only preparations in the UK to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day , but cine films taken on 8 May 1945 . It made me think , here am I in South Africa today , in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown . It is quiet outside , only a few vehicles taking essential service people to work . In a way that was the case 75 years ago , very few cars , they had a filter light on their headlights , and many had white paint around the wheel bodywork , for safety ’ s sake .
There were about 40 boarders in School House , Jimmy Higgs-Walker was Headmaster . Through the mists of time : as a soon to be a 15-year-old , we had our cold baths before breakfast . We entered the dining room that had a grey steel framework to hold the ceiling above , if a bomb hit the school . In a dark corner was a tray full of saucers , our names on each , each had a little pat of butter ; we started the week with just one cubic inch of butter . To get some other memories out , and dusted off , I have got out my box marked ‘ My treasures ’.
I find school photographs , my certificate of confirmation at St Nicholas Church that I received later in the year on 21 November , signed by Rev FW Argyle . I find a letter sent to all schoolchildren signed by King George VI . This is dated 8 June 1946 , and starts , ‘ Today as we celebrate victory , I send this personal message to you and all other boys and girls at school …’
On that day , 8 May 1945 , we boarders got together , with a little help from staff , and took from the area above the stage in School Hall sets of wooden troughs called battens . These contained spotlights ; we took them round to the roadside of the main building . We assembled these battens with the front open , and if I remember correctly , cut out of cardboard , the words ‘ V for Victory ’. These were powerfully lit from behind .
The main building containing the dormitories had a steel walkway which ran along outside each window , so that we could escape in the case of fire . Up the fire escape went these illuminated signs , these were placed on the walkway and wired up . Surely somewhere there is a picture of our handiwork ?
Today we wait in trepidation , for the end of our 2020 lockdown . In this house , all online , my daughter is conducting business for the Municipality , my grandson his university assignments and my granddaughter her Matric school work . My thoughts go out to all at Sevenoaks School , the second oldest nondenominational school in Britain , 1432 and all that .
David Easton ( OS 1947 )
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