| AdminHistory | The Relief Service Unit (Poplar) was a group of people engaged during the Second World War in relief work for those who were taking refuge in the air raid shelters in Poplar. Many of them were pacifists who were exempt active service. Eventually the Unit had more than 60 members and employed several full-time workers. The volunteers used to work through the night, going to their jobs as usual the following day.
The Relief Service Unit was founded early in the war by a group of people in Hounslow and Isleworth, Middlesex. They were invited by Trinity Hall to go to Poplar to help them in their work, and soon established themselves at Shaftesbury Mission Hall, Kerbey St. When the Blitz started in September 1940 many local people were sheltering in the public air raid shelters every night. The RSU used an old van to take food and tea to the shelterers. They also helped with other problems, such as dealing with incendiary bombs, taking people to hospital and moving furniture from bombed-out premises. After initial distrust, they were encouraged by the local authority and eventually the van was replaced by a mobile canteen supplied by the people of Tambelup, Australia. The old van was stationed at the corner of Burdett Road, Commercial Road and East and West India Dock Roads, and became a canteen serving hot drinks for people coming off late or early work shifts; it was known as Coffee Corner, and existed for about a year (1942/43).
After the Blitz ended, the Unit split into two separate parts, one based in Isleworth and the other in Poplar, at a bomb-damaged Presbyterian church in Plimsoll Street. The latter was named the Relief Service Unit (Poplar). During the quiet periods between bombing campaigns they organised various activities for local people, including outings to Epping Forest. As the war drew to an end it was decided to wind up the Unit, but the Children's Holiday Fund, which organised country holidays for children from the East End, continued for a few years longer. |
| CustodialHistory | Donated by Mr Eric Sly, Quaker House, 40 Barton Court Road, New Milton, Hants BH25 6NR, 16 October 1993. |