Kindertransport 77

On Friday 1st July 2016 there was a Kindertransport 77 Years commemorative special train which ran from London Liverpool Street to Harwich. A programme of events took place in the town including vintage bus rides, a Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance in the St Nicholas Church, special screenings of Kindertransport material in the Electric Palace Cinema and the annual Children’s Carnival with over 1,000 local schoolchildren.

Poster produced for London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) to promote rail and sea services via Harwich, Essex to the Continental ports of Esbjerg, Zeebrugge, Antwerp, Flushing and the Hook of Holland.
Poster produced for London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) to promote rail and sea services via Harwich, Essex to the Continental ports of Esbjerg, Zeebrugge, Antwerp, Flushing and the Hook of Holland.

Harwich was the port, in Essex, where the vast majority of Kindertransportees arrived and where many hundreds were accommodated in Dovercourt holiday camp. The date marks the first anniversary of our father’s passing away and the 77th anniversary of the arrival in Harwich of his largest single transport of 241 children on 1st July 1939. The commemorations will, however, be for the entire Kindertransport operation and not just those of the Czech transports.

Kinder transport child arriving at Liverpool Street Station
Kinder transport child arriving at Liverpool Street Station

The special trains conveyed around 300-400 London area school children who were learning about the history of the Kindertransports, the role of Harwich and the relevance of this to our world today. The children were also part of a sponsorship initiative and all proceeds beyond direct operating costs from this and ticket sales on the special trains are going to our nominated causes for child refugees, namely Theirworld and the children’s section of the Refugee Council.

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