Norfolk

The Norfolk part of the story focuses on two colonies. The first was at Oakley Park, near Hoxne on the Suffolk-Norfolk border; the second was at Rollesby, near Great Yarmouth. The colonies were established in August-November 1937 as places of safety for 50 young male Basque refugees. We learn about the English volunteer Poppy Vulliamy and how she set up a democratic ‘parliament’ for the boys. The Basque boys in these colonies made friends with local children, played highly competitive football matches, and were introduced to English food such as bully beef. We see why the youngsters were given the ‘freedom of the Pleasure Beach’ and how they won their way into the hearts of the local people.