As part of the calendar of events to commemorate the 1953 floods on Canvey Island, Canvey County Councillor Ray Howard and Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris are organising a reception followed by a tour of The King John School for survivors who were evacuated to the school when the flood hit sixty years ago.

The reception will begin at 2:00pm on Friday 8th March.

Cllr Howard, who as a young boy was himself evacuated to the school by the army said:

“I have very strong memories of those days we spent in the school. It was just about to open and hundreds of us lived for days in the brand new classrooms and corridors until we were allowed to go home.

“Despite the fact that many of us had lost everything, I remember spirits were quite high. Just like during the war a few years before there was definitely a feeling that we all had to pull together and make the best of it.

“I remember on the fourth day we were there we got a visit from the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret and we were all so excited that they had taken the time to come and see us and help us keep our chin up.”

Encouraging former evacuees to attend the event Cllr Howard said:

“The school has very kindly agreed to host a short reception open to all of us evacuees who were taken to the school on that fateful night and take us on a tour so we can revisit the classrooms where we lived once more and see how the school has changed.

“It will be a great opportunity for us to get together again and share our memories of those days and celebrate the role the school played in our lives as a place of safety during the floods.

“I do hope as many of the evacuees as possible will be able to come and I am sure it will be a very special event.”

The tour is also open to relatives of evacuees and local history enthusiasts. 

To book a place for the reception lease contact local MP Rebecca Harris via telephone on 020 2719 7206 or by emailing [email protected] .