Cleveland Work Camps facts for kids

The Cleveland Work Camps were special events held in the United Kingdom. They were also known as "Heartbreak Hill" by local people. These camps took place in the villages of Boosbeck and Margrove Park in East Cleveland. They ran every year from 1932 to 1938.

The main goal of the camps was to help people in these mining villages. Many mines had closed during the Great Depression, which caused a lot of poverty. The camps aimed to give people hope and practical help.

Why Were the Cleveland Work Camps Needed?

During the 1930s, many coal mines closed down. This left a lot of miners without jobs. Families struggled to find food and make a living. The Great Depression was a time when many countries faced serious economic problems. People lost their jobs and money was scarce. The Cleveland Work Camps were a way to try and help these communities.

What Did People Do at the Camps?

The camps were set up to help miners learn new skills and grow their own food. Student volunteers worked alongside the miners. They cleared rough moorland to create farmland. The idea was to grow crops and raise animals. This would help feed the families in the villages.

Besides farming, the camps also had fun activities. There were music and entertainment events. These events helped the students and miners get to know each other. It was a way to build community spirit and offer some joy during tough times.

Who Helped Start the Camps?

Several important people helped create the Cleveland Work Camps.

• Major James Pennyman was a local land owner.
• His wife, Ruth Pennyman, also played a key role.
• Rolf Gardiner was a young university graduate with many new ideas.
• David Ayerst, a journalist from the Manchester Guardian newspaper, helped share the story of the camps.
• Local trade unions also supported the project.

Music and Arts at the Camps

The camps were not just about hard work. Music and art were also very important. They helped bring people together and lift spirits.

Early Music Events

At the first camp in April 1932, a German music teacher named Georg Götsch led the evening events. He taught the miners to sing German baroque music. A famous German puppeteer, Harro Seigel, put on puppet shows that went along with the music.

Michael Tippett's Involvement

For the second camp in September 1932, the famous composer Michael Tippett became the music director. He put on a version of The Beggar's Opera. Local miners performed in the show alongside Tippett's friends, Francesca Allinson and Wilfred Franks. Tippett met Franks at the camps, and their friendship inspired him greatly. After the 1932 camp, Tippett started writing his String Quartet No.1. He dedicated this music to Franks, saying that his feelings flowed into the slow part of the music.

For a later camp in 1934, Tippett wrote another opera called Robin Hood (Tippett opera). This show was also performed by people from the local mining community, including Marjorie Bradley. Wilfred Franks played the part of Friar Tuck. Frida Knight was one of the musicians in Tippett's small orchestra, playing the violin.

Learning New Skills: Furniture Making

The camps also offered training in new skills. A project was started to teach young miners how to make furniture. This idea came from Wilfred Franks, who had learned furniture making in Germany. He studied with a master craftsman named Reinhold Weidensee.

Later, this furniture making project grew into a real business. Bernard Aylward, from Bootham School in York, helped develop it into a furniture manufacturing company. This gave young miners a chance to learn a new trade and find different kinds of work.