South Twerton Junior
My first day at School was confusing, at my (Moorfields) infants school I had been provided with a coat peg with my name on. At this "big"School I was told by this lady techer to hang up my coat. I spent ages looking for a coat peg with my name on it ..."duh"...
Not very bright yet, we hadn`t made our own labels for them had we?.
Another thing I was asked, "would you like to save up your pocket money to buy christmas presents?". Yes, I said.. I handed over my penny a week for a while until I asked the techer where my money was, she showed me these penny postage stamps on a card. I never saved again, didn`t like to see my money as bits of paper.
The naiveity and trusting innocence of childhood eh?.
A school coach trip in 1957 to Burrington Combe and Cheddar caves.
I can remember going to the place where "rock of ages" (the song) was written by someone sheltering there from a storm. The "rock" was more like a cleft between to large rocks. We had to write a small book about the trip, paste in a picture or two. We were also given raw potatos to cut out and make our own "ink stamp" to decorate the front cover in what ever patterns we could design.
Another episode took place at the Ascension Church next door to the School. A man came there to repair something, and he dropped a bottle of Mercury (shiny liquid metal). A whole lunch time was spent on our hands and knees with bits of paper and cardboard trying to pick up all these small drops of "wobbly" metal from the gravel in front the Chuch entrance.
Quite a lot of swapping went on that day!.
The Staff of South Twerton School when I attended 1955-59
This was in Bath Chronicle: "School teachers When the school first opened; Mr Skinner was the head master of the boys' end. In 1934 Miss Rowsell was the head of the infants and some of the other teachers were Mr Sperry, Mr Pullen and Miss Cane. In 1936 Mr Storey was the head master. Mr Pullen was a form master, Mr May was a master and lived a couple of doors away from the post office. Mr Oliver who was killed in the blitz. There was also a Miss Cave who was the sewing teacher. The staff picture on the right shows, the front row and wearing spectacles, Miss Kate Abbott, who was the subject of many old pupils' reminiscences" I was at the school until 1969 and have very fond memories of Mr Cope (2nd from right in middle row). He, and another teacher took 40 of us to Penzance for a fortnight. Added by Mary Alford
Pupils and friends names that I can remember.
Chris Kilminster, Robert (polly) Parrot, David Finney, Neil Merrit, Maurice Dyer (RIP), Kay Cross, Jean Wheatley, (I sat behind these two girls in Miss Abbots class)), Barry (ginger) Cannel, Andrew Leat, Roger Ferris, Hilary Pritchard, are a few names that come to mind, Miss Abbots and Mr. Humpages classes are remembered well. (both brilliant teachers)
I remember us all being taken outside by Miss Abbot because she had found a aluminum Cigarette lighter made from part of a "Spitfire" airplane. (It was my Mums, I had lost it in lessons). I was too scared to own up to bringing it into school, it was a good lighter too!
Three legged races on the little raised green area (by the Girls playground).
The piggeries were at the back of the school, near the bottom the lane that led to the "Sandpits" park. I shall never forget rolling an old lorry tyre down the lane, it crashed into a pig, bounced over the low hedge and ended up behind the "parkies" shed near the waterfall in the park..
The red bricked "Moravion Chapel" was on the other side of the road and up the hill from the School. There was a really steep sloped road (path) by the side of it. A very scary ride on your bike (if the brakes were bad!).
I think we used to have a christmas service there once or twice and sing Carols.
I can remember coming home from School and taking the shortcut down the lane (just before the sweet shop), and playing in the old brickfields (as we used to call them) by the Railway line. The buildings were derelict and overgrown with bushes. They used to be an old factory for making house bricks. The A.G. Workman removal vans used to park opposite the public toilets by the railway bridge at the bottom of Lymore Avenue. Sometimes we would stand by the lorries and wait for trains to come along.
Kids always hung around the sweet shop there as well.
1956 Monksdale road, Sandpits Park on left, Scout Jut (52nd) & Sub Station (with Old Oak Tree behind), through the Arch to Beckhampton Rd. and the top of 3rd. Ave. & Oldfield Lane. Double headder from Green Pk.Station goint to Midford through the Two Tunnels. 1 in 65 gradient slope.
That was a time (1950s`) when it was normal for us kids to WALK to school. (or, if you had wealthy parents, ride a bike).
Mr Humpage, he was my art teacher in 1955. He was a small thin faced man. I can remember him doing a profile sketch of my face, and I seem to remember getting a book as a prize for winning a competition for drawing.
Andrew Leat was in my class, he sat close to me and he picked up the book by mistake. I remember trying to grab the book back while still hanging on to my drawing that Mr. Humpage had drawn.
1957 Trix, the "poor mans" answer to Meccano. Built some really good stuff.
Use Browser "Back" Button to return to previous page -to School Days