Gwen Hollington facts for kids

Gwen Hollington (born Eleanor Gwendoline Paxton on February 1, 1919 – died June 12, 2014) was a very important British translator during World War II. She studied languages at Cambridge University. From 1941 to 1945, she worked at Bletchley Park. This secret place was where British codebreakers worked to understand enemy messages. Gwen helped by translating German messages into English.

Who Was Gwen Hollington?

Gwen Paxton was born on February 1, 1919. She was a very bright student. She won a special scholarship to attend Roedean School, a famous school in England.

Gwen's Education and Studies

After Roedean, Gwen went to Girton College, Cambridge. There, she studied French and German. To get even better at German, she spent a year studying at the University of Freiburg in Germany.

While at Cambridge, Gwen was also a talented athlete. She earned "blues" in two sports: lacrosse and lawn tennis. A "blue" is a special award for top athletes at some British universities.

Her Thoughts on Germany

In 2011, Gwen shared some of her memories. She said that before the war, she lived in Germany for a year. She made many friends there. She found many Germans to be very kind. This made it hard for her to think of them as enemies during the war.

Working at Bletchley Park

After finishing her studies, Gwen was asked to join a very secret team. She became a civilian translator at Bletchley Park. This was a top-secret center where British experts worked to break enemy codes during World War II.

Gwen's Role as a Translator

Gwen worked in a part of Bletchley Park called Hut 4. Her job was to translate German naval communications. These were secret messages sent by the German navy. Gwen would turn these coded messages, once they were broken, into English. This helped the Allies understand what the enemy was planning. She worked there for four years. During this time, she lived with a family in a nearby town called Woburn Sands.

Life After the War

After World War II ended in 1945, Gwen left Bletchley Park. She started a new career.

Family Life and Career

Gwen worked for a publishing company. She was a literary assistant, helping with books and writing. She married Barrie Hollington. They had five children together. Barrie passed away in 1964. Gwen Hollington lived a long life and passed away on June 12, 2014.