Primary Schools mid 20th Century

a suburban primary
school classrooms free school milk absenteeism from
school teachers' favourites the 11-plus exam May Day at school

Absenteeism from school
in 1940s Britain

A 21st century photograph of what was Edgware Primary School, courtesy of Tony Woods.

When a child was ill and off school, it was often for quite some time because the childhood illnesses like measles, mumps and whooping cough were rampant. As few households were on the phone, schools were seldom told why a child was absent.

To address this problem, there was a man - I don't know what he was called - who visited homes to document why children were absent. Our man was of indeterminate age and was probably in a reserved occupation. All I remember is that he seemed to spend his time with us, sitting round our kitchen table, probably drinking tea, and just complaining about the difficulties of the war.

Text and images are copyright