Escape to Gwrych Castle: A Jewish refugee story

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Despite the fact that Gwrych was the flagship hachshara, the centre’s days were numbered and during 1941 it was allowed to decline in favour of a new centre in Birmingham. It was chosen again for a meeting of the leaders of Bachad and Bnei Akiva in December 1940, the first ever to be held on British soil. Whilst not all disabilities are physical, we’re sorry but unfortunately the scare attractions are not accessible for people in wheelchairs or those with mobility issues due to narrow corridors, uneven ground, steps and tight spaces. Located in the hidden Forest of Abergele, Gwrych Castle is only accessible for those brave enough to find it… Just pop the address in to your Sat Nav and away you go. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH).

It was particularly impressive after being told by the owners the whole thing was built in 2 days whilst the castle was open to the public.The lodge provides a unique opportunity to become the Lord or Lady of the Castle, and with the choice of two self-contained options! The numbers later included 43 young people who were formerly at another hachshara at Llandough Castle in Glamorgan, who were evacuated after it was requisitioned by the government.

Gwrych Castle provides the perfect venue to impress due to its picturequest location and elevated position. According to a survey carried out by The Association of Jewish Refugees in 2007, 12 of 22 children surveyed remained in the UK after the war, with five emigrating to Palestine and four to elsewhere. Escape alive is not recommended for heavily pregnant women or people with heart conditions however the decision is with the individual • Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Among those were teenagers Herthel and Gerhard, who met at the castle at age 14 before starting new lives in London and later getting married and having two children. By the beginning of 1940, the youngsters were starting to emerge from the darkness of their recent past and had the opportunity to behave, probably for the first time, as teenagers do.I was lucky enough to be taught history by Mr Hesketh, (2002-2009) who was not only a great teacher who nurtured my love of history, but also a top guy who is so knowledgeable on the subject. Rabbi Sperber initiated educational programmes that focused heavily on developing the children’s religious knowledge and understanding. In Escape to Gwrych Castle: A Jewish Refugee Story (U of Wales Press, 2023), Andrew Hesketh explores the lesser-told history of the children who lived in this North Wales castle, bringing together their personal memories and experiences to create a unique picture of their experiences.