The 85th anniversary of a disaster which killed at least 80 people at a school in Canning Town has been marked.
The South Hallsville School disaster happened on September 10, 1940, during the start of the Blitz, and resulted in the deaths of those seeking shelter at the school.
Commemoration events remembering all those who were killed was recently held.
The South Hallsville School disaster occurred at the onset of the Blitz when schools were designated as rest centres for those evacuated from their homes due to bombings.
The rest centre provided a temporary refuge until families were collected and moved to safer locations.
On September 8, 1940, South Hallsville School was converted into one of these rest centres.
Lee Francis, a member of South Hallsville School Disaster Facebook Group which is looking to raise awareness of the disaster and investigate it, said displaced families sought shelter at the school while waiting to be rehoused away from London.
As the school became increasingly crowded, coaches that were meant to evacuate these families stopped arriving.
This left hundreds of people stranded within the premises, with the school’s corridors and basement filled to the brim.
Some chose to escape the overcrowded conditions, while others continued to wait for coaches that never arrived.
Lee said the government sanctioned the school’s use of as a rest centre despite it having been previously bombed and deemed unsafe.
At 3.45am on September 10, three bombs were dropped on the school.
At the time, about 600 people were present in the school, many of whom found themselves trapped in the basement and corridors.
Locals quickly rushed to aid the victims before official help could arrive.
Rescue operations were carried out until the site became unsafe.
The tragic incident caught direct attention from the King and Queen, leading them to visit the site and interact with the residents after Buckingham Palace was bombed on September 13, 1940.
Official figures state 80 people lost their lives at the school, with only three surviving.
But the Home Security Daily Appreciation Record held at the National Archives in Kew states around 200 people were killed and 400 injured, Lee said.
To mark the 85th anniversary of the disaster, two memorial events were organised by the South Hallsville School Disaster Facebook Group.
The commemorations took place last month, involving families affected by the disaster, individuals interested in the historical event, and other attendees.
As part of the tribute, wreaths were laid, the names of the dead were read aloud, and prayers were recited.
