Herne Hill

The Boys were teenage and child-Holocaust survivors, who were brought to the UK after the war for rest and rehabilitation.

The Boys had survived the Holocaust as slave labourers in the Nazi concentration camp system, in hiding and by living alone. 

After arrival in the UK, members of the Boys spent time in the reception centres before being moved to children’s homes known as hostels. Others were sent direct to boarding school or yeshivas, and those who were sick spent time in sanatoriums.

Some of the members of the Boys were lucky enough to find relatives or were taken in by foster families but the majority were moved to hostels.

Herne Hill was one of these hostels.

Overview

Herne Hill is a neighbourhood in south London. The hostel was purchased by the Central British Fund in 1947 and was also partially funded by the Jewish Aid to Charities Society. The hostel was for girls only and it functioned until 1950.

The Herne Hill Story

The grils at King’s Langley hostel moved to Herne Hill in 1947.

While living at the hostel, the girls were all taught a trade, from hairdressing to dressmaking, which would enable them to earn a living outside and eventually become financially independent.

A newspaper article described the girls’ routine, in which they would get up at six in the morning to study. The visiting journalist was full of praise, commenting that “Any English home would be proud to take them in. Without exception, they are a credit to their Jewish ancestry”.

In 1950, Herne Hill hostel closed and the girls, having trained in various professions, were able to live independently in private accommodation.

The Staff

Mrs Friedmann was the matron. Many members of the religious Zionist organisation Bachad were assigned to work at Herne Hill.