01/09/2026
Today 1939 saw the introduction of the 'blackout' across the United Kingdom. The blackout began at sunset, 7:47pm and light from all houses and buildings had to be masked and streetlights were turned off.
Vehicle headlights had to be fitted with special 'slit' covers which only emitted limited light. Unsurprisingly, in the first month of the blackout, road traffic accidents trebled and the Government bought in measures to reduce casualties on the road such as white lines being painted down the centre of the road for the first time and kerbs, bollards and trees were painted with white stripes.
Locally, garages were quick to offer their services in the selling and fitting of headlight covers of which we have many examples at the museum.
Today 1940, Operation Pied Piper – the evacuation of children from cities to rural areas – began. Every part of the country was classified into evacuation, neutral or reception areas for the purpose of relocating evacuated peoples. Neutral areas neither sent or received children.
Llandudno did not receive evacuated children but the borough of Conwy did. On 2nd September 1939, the day before Neville Chamberlain declared war, cars mounted with loudspeakers toured the district announcing that evacuated children should be expected the following day. The broadcast also reminded householders that if they failed to accept the evacuees then they would be committing an offence and might be prosecuted. Most of the children who arrived in the Conwy district came from the Shiel Road area of Liverpool. A small number of London children also came to the area. In total 1090 children and 248 adults were received in Conwy, Deganwy and Llandudno Junction.
From Conwy railway station the evacuees were first taken to St Michael’s Roman Catholic Hall and examined by the Medical Officer. It was found that fifteen children were not fit enough to be billeted in local houses and other accommodation was found for them. After refreshments the children were taken to their new homes. Host families received 10/6 per child per week and 8/6 per week if more than one child was taken. This was to cover board and lodging but not clothes. However, many arrived in the borough in a dishevelled state and some of the host families bought new clothes and shoes for the children at their own expense.
A local Appeals Tribunal was established at the Guildhall to hear complaints and grievances both from dissatisfied householders and evacuees. The first case in October 1939 concerned four boys who were deemed so unruly that it was decided to send them straight back to Liverpool. The tribunal also heard the case of a little girl who had been at three billets and disliked all of them and kept asking to be removed. After the third time the tribunal decided it be best that her parents came from Liverpool and collected her.
On another occasion a Conwy housewife asked that the Liverpool mother and her three children billeted with her be moved elsewhere as they “demanded fish and chips for almost every meal”. The tribunal decided that unless satisfactory arrangements could be made for re-billeting them then they should be asked to return to Merseyside. The diet of the Liverpool kids often raised eyebrows in the district, one Conwy woman was busy preparing a breakfast of bacon and egg for her three young guests and was surprised when they politely told her that they preferred bread and dripping. A bottle of “pop” was often requested for breakfast instead of a glass of milk.
