Kindertransport
A fairly simple offset cache that starts on the forecourt of Liverpool St station on Liverpool Stitself.
The coordinates are for the memorial to the Kindertransport which saw nearly 10,000 Jewish children arrive in Britain between December 1938 and August 1939. Under pressure from various campaigning organisations, the British government passed emergency legislation allowing the admission of up to 10,000 Jewish children, provided that they would not be a burden on the state. Private organisations in Britain, particularly the Refugee Children's Movement, made arrangements for the children's travel and accommodation. Trains carried young refugees from towns and cities across Germany and the surrounding area to the Hook of Holland. From there they crossed the North Sea to Harwich and travelled to London by train, arriving at Liverpool Street Station. The majority were then distributed to hostels, boarding schools and foster families. The last train left Berlin on 31 August 1939, the very eve of war. Most of the children never saw their parents again. Find out more on the Museum of London site here.
Many commuters will have walked past this memorial on a daily basis without a second glance. Take a moment to pause and think about the history and story that lies behind it.
The cache
35mm film canister (not magnetic). Bring a pencil / pen. The GPS coverage here not bad – 24’ accuracy reported when I placed it.
Once you’ve found it: *** make sure it goes back where you found it. This is so it will be there for those who come after you and not found by those who shouldn't ***
As with a lot of urban caches you’ll need to be sensitive of local residents, builders, gardeners and passers by. Be aware of potential watchers (whether in homes or offices or via security cameras). However, if you are approached by either Police or Security Officers avoid acting suspiciously and explain what you are doing.
Avoid doing the actual cache discovery during the weekday commute or lunch hour. Very quiet in the evening or weekend.
Buggy and wheelchair friendly. A wheel chair user would need an assistant to do the final cache recovery.
Directions
Have a look at the children, you’ll notice that the majority of them plus some of the baggage have identity numbers on baggage tags.
- Suitcase on the ground under violin = 51A
- Boy with cap = 41B
- Tall girl with bow and pigtails = 34C
- Girl with hat and pigtails = 42D
- Bare headed boy = 35E
- When the memorial was dedicated = 200F
The final cache is N 51 31 CD(A+C) W 00 05 (D-C)(B+E-A)(F-D) [just work out each digit separately rather than multiply the brackets out]
***Note damage to the Step One means you can not find A. A = 1***
The cache is a short walk away from the station. Heading off in a generally westerly direction is probably a good idea.
As a sanity check: If you cross Worship Street, City Road, Moorgate, Bishopsgate, Shoreditch High St, Gt Eastern St or Old St something has gone wrong. If you cross London Wall you’ve headed off in entirely the wrong direction! Put another way: the cache is within the bounds of the roads above.