College during World War 2

In 1942 the college, then based in College Road, was bombed in the raids during the 1939-45 war. Undaunted by this the college continued in temporary accommodation before moving,in 1948, to Keswick Hall, a Regency building offered by the Gurney family of Norwich. (see 'Keswick Hall and Quintin Gurney')

Life was hard for students and staff, in fact it became a struggle for survival until April and May 1942 when, due to enemy action, the future of the college became highly questionable. (see newspaper article).

Prefabricated huts were quickly built to replace bomb damaged buildings and a stream of gifts, and loans, from microsopes to tablecloths were sent from other colleges, governors, former students, local residents from as far as Australia and the U.S.A.

College survived, through a tangle of war-time permits and regulations led by the indomitable Miss Duff, who had the vision that her college would survive. And it did!

below: newspaper report of the time.

Click in the article to view Keswick Hall in 1948 at the commencement of its career as a teacher training college.