Norman Hancock correspondence

Norman Hancock was an electrical engineer working at Metropolitan Vickers at Trafford Park, Manchester in the late 1930s. He was involved in the production of heavy engineering equipment, much of which was vital for the UK war effort. Consequently he was not enlisted in the forces but was a member of the Home Guard, patrolling Trafford Park.

Originally from Portsmouth, Norman was a keen scouter and was Scout Master of the Flixton Troupe, near Manchester. It is apparent from the correspondence in this collection that he had written an article which was published in an Austrian scouting journal. This article would have given his address so fellow Austrian scouts, whose lives were becoming increasingly difficult due to the Nazi persecution, could write to him asking for assistance to get them out of the country. Norman learned German at school and some of the transcripts are translations of the letters.