Worthing tea party in 1942 ‘improved prospects’

More memories of the mayor’s Town Hall tea party in Worthing have been sent in.

George Worsfold travelled from the Netherlands to visit his brother Fred and wife Di last month, and was shown the article in the Worthing Herald (August 30) about the tea party for winners of special places.

“Despite the fact that it was 70 years ago, they thought they recognised me in the photo of the participants and indeed there I am, the tallish boy with dark hair in the front row, third from the left,” said George.

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“I was indeed fortunate to be one of the winners of a ‘special place’ in 1942. There were four of us from Lyndhurst Road Primary School.

If my memory serves me correctly, there was Margaret Pattern, Donald Novelle, Barry Wye and myself. Sadly, Donald passed away a few years ago, but I have no information about the other two.” George did have to admit he had “ absolutely no memory” of the tea party, or of Patrick Tomsett and Teddy Kennard.

“It must, however, been a memorable event in 1942, in the middle of the war, and when rationing was in full swing,” George added. “Judging by all the smiling contented faces in the photograph, I would suggest that it was taken after all the sandwiches and cakes had been consumed.

“I was going to say devoured, but I am sure that most of us were instructed by our mothers to mind our manners, say please and thank you and not eat too much. Another point of note is that, in contrast to today’s schoolchildren, there is not even one overweight pupil to be seen.”

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The special places were, for many, a stepping stone, George explained, not only to further education, but to improve work prospects and earning capacity.

Read the full story in this week’s Herald & Gazette series.

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