I Was A Pupil at St Catherines School......
I was a pupil at St Catherine's School between 1954 and 1962. The school was run by Ralph and Joyce Cooper.
Teachers I remember are Mr Thunder, art teacher, Mr Smith, and Miss Muriel Stottart, who taught class 3b, the juniors.
At the rear of the building there was a large conservatory and a path that ran down to a long hut which served as classrooms. There was also a homemade concrete swimmimig pool. Our playground was a a grass area and a wood and beyond that were two fields. At the top of one field was a very old horsechestnut tree, where we had slung a rope over a high branch to make a swing.
We were given an amazing amount of freedom.
Each Saturday we were given pocket money, which ranged from one and sixpence (7 +1/2p) to two and sixpence (12+1/2p). We were allowed to walk up to the "top" of Almondsbury hill, to the post office/sweet shop to buy sweets and pop. The Swan pub, which is still there, was next door.
The Coopers had a son, Melville, who was the same age as me and we were good friends during my eight years there. I kept in touch with him for some years after we both left, as I did with the Coopers who moved to Parkstone, near Bournmouth, where Ralph took in private foreign students teaching English.
Since leaving I've been back to the school three times, on the first occasion the building was still standing but deserted. I found the door open and went in. I wandered around familiar rooms but found it very spooky. The second time I was with a friend and we just did a little detour. The building had been demolished, except for the tower, which is an ancient monument. A large house in keeping with other houses in Knole Park has been built on the site. Needlless to say this house is called Tower House. On my third visit I spoke to the owner of the new house and he has a very interesting collection of photographs of the old school being demolished. He also has photos of some of the students.
I should very much like to hear from anyone who was at the school and share some memories with them.
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RE: RE: I Was A Pupil at St Catherine's School...
I was a pupil at St. Catherine's School from 1951 to 1955. My fomdest memories were of John Russell, Ralph Cooper, Sheila Gough, Marcia Bowen, and Philip Godfrey. I was very happy there and would to love to hear from any one of you. I am still a nightmare, how about you? Get in touch.
Comment from Elizabeth Anne Grisdale on Sunday, 30th January 2011.
RE: RE: I Was A Pupil at St Catherines School......
It was really nice to see the comments on St Catherine's. I now have trouble remembering dates and names but I was a student there certainly in 1949 when the Brabazon did the test flights over the school. The pilot, Bill Peg, used to visit The Swan in the evenings according to our English teacher Tommy Gifford. It was at that time that the swimming tank was built. Not being a vegetarian I found the diet rather dull but the school nurse, June, had the same problem so we used to walk across the fields to the lorry drivers' cafe and tuck into bacon & eggs etc. I can still see the path we used to take on Google Earth. I used to sneak out early in the morning to the Cattybrook quarry where I snared rabbits which I sold to the gardener for cigarette and sweet money. Mrs Cooper caught me me early one morning with two rabbits and ended the project but I don't recall any punishment. My time at St Catherine's was quite enjoyable and certainly left me with a host of good memories.
Comment from John Fraser on Sunday, 6th March 2011.
RE: RE: I Was A Pupil at St Catherines School......
I was a pupil at St Catherines. I had some really good times at that school, I remember a teacher called Mrs Houston who had two girls, Helen and Penelope, who came to the school in the holidays. Mr and Mrs Cooper ran the school with a man called Mr Smith, the only other teacher I can recall was Mr Partridge (Birdy). My name is Godfrey Walley but I hated it so changed to Geoff. I am not sure what year I first went there, but I left at Christmas 1954. Please reply.
Comment from Geoff Walley on Thursday, 14th July 2011.