02/09/2026
Brighton, 2 September 1939
87 years ago today, Brighton was preparing for war.
On 1–2 September 1939, hundreds of evacuated children arrived at Brighton Station carrying suitcases and gas masks, just days before Britain declared war on Germany.
Across the city, preparations were already underway. Sandbag barriers were being built, air-raid shelters prepared and precautions put in place for what was to come.
These photographs from our collections offer a glimpse into Brighton at the beginning of the Second World War.
Image descriptions:
1. Evacuated children arriving at Brighton Station, 1–2 September 1939.
2. Children carrying gas masks arriving at Brighton Station, 1–2 September 1939.
3. Evacuees carrying suitcases and gas masks on Queen’s Road after arriving at Brighton Station, 1–2 September 1939.
4. Evacuees being introduced to their new home in Brighton, 1939.
5. Workers building a sandbag barrier outside Brighton Aquarium, 2 September 1939.
6. Air-raid shelter in the basement of the Royal Pavilion, 22 September 1939.
7. Naval personnel removing a mine from Brighton beach during post-war clearance operations, 22 September 1945.
8. A young girl wearing a Mickey Mouse gas mask beside a sandbagged wall in Brighton, 25 November 1939.
9. Invasion precautions at Brighton’s Palace Pier, 1940.
By July 1940, Brighton was no longer considered a safe area for children, and 30,000 evacuees were relocated, along with numerous local children.
📷 Images from the Brighton & Hove Museums collections.
