Fair Oak Infants 1953
55 years on I still remember the infant school in the village. The toilets were outside at the end of the playground with very cold seats in the winter - pre the flushing variety!! (or does my memory serve me wrong) and there was a round heater in the classroom that we all used to gather round in the cold weather. We used to walk up to the building that is now the Acorn club for some of our lessons.
I lived in Horton Heath where my dad's side of the family came from (Mum came from West End). We used to walk to school it was about a mile.
Dad was on the parish council for years and used to organize the Fair Oak fruit and flower show - We always use to dress up and parade round the village. One year my brother Bob went as 'the oak tree' and was dressed with branches sticking out all over him, another year my mum dressed my brothers as the 'fruit and flower show' with one covered in fruit and one in flowers.
Mrs Douse, Mrs Treasure and Mr Lewer I remember them all. Susan Hall, Jennifer Mitchell, Carol White, Pamela Brockway, Elizabeth Emmett, Madeline Toms to name but a few. I was Susan White in those days and my brothers were Bob & Jim.
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RE: RE: Fair Oak Infants 1953
Hi Susan, I don't remember you I'm afraid but I do remember Elizabeth Emmett, she lived just a few doors up the road from me. She is included in the "big school " photo (front row) I referred to in a previous post (see below) so it's likely you are there too. Have a look. Actually I'd like to get in touch with Elizabeth if anyone knows where she is now.
Comment from Robin Hill on Friday, 30th January 2009.
RE: RE: Fair Oak Infants 1953
I am not good with computers, I don't know how I got to this page, I was trying to comment on Gloria's memories, I wondered if Gloria's surname in those days was Botley, there was a Gloria Botley in my class along with Heather Laws, Micheal Baker, Linda Jenks and Eileen Alford to name a few.
The years have dulled my memory, I lived in Colden Common and took the bus to the Square and then walked up the hill to the Big School, Miss Bush was my home room teacher, along with Mr Gregory, Drama, Mr Morgan, Art, Mr Davis, Science, Mr Taylor, woodworking and Technical Drawing.
I visited the school in 1989 and Mr Morgan was still there, he said this was his last year of teaching.
I remember the third of pint bottles of milk we used to get, and the school dinners, some that were not so great.
I have good memories of the school, the nature walks down by the big elms, the garden plots and sports days, not being athletic a few of us would enter the first of the races, lose and then go home early.
I remember one Christmas the girls prepared a Christmas dinner in the cooking class, and it was great.
Comment from Barry Muncey on Wednesday, 18th February 2009.
RE: RE: RE: Fair Oak Infants 1953
I started school in 1952 when I was 5.
One of the things I remember most were the toilets. When I started school at Fair Oak I could hardly manage to get myself onto the wooden toilet box. We had to walk to the bottom of the grounds to use them. They were freezing to use in the winter. I remember coming back and washing my hands in the outhouse. I lived in Horton Heath and had to walk about a mile and a half to school. There were deep ditches all along the lanes I had to walk through and when it had rained hard I would watch the water rats in them and then be late for school. I remember Mrs Dowes. I fell on that awful grid at the main entrance of school and cut my knee so badly that Mrs Dowes had to take me to hospital to have it stitched. I still have the scar. I remember Mr. Clark, Mrs. Treasure, Pamela Morris who sat next to me, Bernice Target, Susan Clark, Wendy Styles, Barry Styles, John Hicks, Deniss and Eric Moore the twins. I also remember that we had to walk around the school in order of our place in exams so that everyone could see how well or how badly we had done. I also remember joining hands around the church next to the school and singing "all things bright and beautiful". I also remember Reverent Scott and playing tennis in the church garden.
I have been living abroad for the last 40 years and on the rare occasions that I visit I find it difficult to find my way to Horton Heath because it has all changed so much. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who remembers me . mermin@versatel.nl
Comment from Ingrid Boere on Wednesday, 28th July 2010.
RE: RE: Fair Oak Infants 1953
Hi everyone. Just found this site. Does anyone remember me (John Small) and my friends - Les Harris, Brenda Moore, Edward Metcalfe and Ray Howe? Regards to all, John Small
Comment from John Small on Monday, 8th November 2010.