Central School, Bridgend

I went to the Central School (by the A97 where the Priests Water burn joins the River Bogie) at Bridgend. Left in mid-1954 when my parents moved from Dunscroft Cottage at Dunscroft Farm, down to Somerset in England. Boy - what a change - scenery, climate and language! The Dominie was Mr Strachan and the teacher a Miss Grant. Mr Strachan lived in a house by the river bridge - from the bridge we used to throw stones at his ducks and usually got strapped as a result - when he could catch us as we ran round the classroom - usually ended up with a few weals on the back of the legs! Vividly remember a flood in, I think 1953 - the water flooded the field between our cottage and the Priest's Water burn and came right up to our doorstep. A 10ft high waterfall which was about halfway between Dunscroft and Bridgend simply vanished in the torrent Took my wife & 3 kids back to show them Dunscroft Cottage and the school in about 1986 only to find both empty although there were pigs in the overgrown school playground Another memory is of the Coronation 'do' in 1952 at the village hall - my brother & I had to leave early and head home because one of his hands was swelling up - just when we had been tucking into the ice cream !. Mum sorted it when we got home - he had put an elastic band onto his wrist !! Unfortunately don't remember any of my compatriots - grey cells not so numerous as they once were! My parents were William and Anne (Nancy) Aitken and I was Ian Aitken (no 'Kemp' on my surname then) and my younger brother was Billy.