Mary Smith, former headteacher of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, gave a fascinating talk in which she shared her research into the school’s experiences during WWII. She was able to bring to life the stories of that era through the remarkable artwork of the art teacher at that time, Helen Keen. At just 27, during the war years, Helen documented school life in her unique cartoon-style paintings. These were discovered in a dusty box, only 8 years after her death, leaving behind a rare pictorial account of wartime school life.
We learned about the reopening of the air raid shelters or ‘trenches,’ as the girls called them which were reopened in 2013 to commemorate the school’s 125th anniversary. These became classrooms during raids, lessons continuing below ground while war raged above. Once reopened they were surprised to find these zig-zag tunnels, with their concrete walls and earth floors, still pretty intact, benches and all!
Mary learned how the girls fared during this time by tracking down 53 former students, who were able to corroborate the drawings and provide further detail. Mary’s presentation provided a powerful and insightful glimpse into a vital period of history. Thank you, Mary, for sharing such a special piece of our past.