Schooldays And Beyond

A Memory of Manningtree.

Starting school for the first time was at Mistley Norman School, my first teacher was Miss Temple in the infants we were given a slate board and slate pencil one thing that sticks in my memory we all had a small mattres and after dinner we all had to have a nap.Then we moved from the prefabs to Lawford soI was sent to Lawford School in Wignal Street. Transport was bike or on foot sometimes my friend and I would get a lift with the milk cart from Pooles Farm to the churn table on the corner of Bromley Road, bulk tankers were in the future so horse and cart was used for the trip. Mr Hughes the head master wore a monacle and he wouldgive it a clean then the lesson would start. One day he bought a moose head from a sale and put it on the tree stump at the school gate the antlers were so large we could sit in them .My next school was Man Sec Mod the teacher that I remember was George Cobbold he would make lessons interesting we would start our day with a chat about on the news and things going on in the world. part way through school I like a lot more wanted a part time job . The COOP BUTCHERS wanted a Saturday boy for deliveries on a trade bike so after learning the round for three weeks it was time to go on my own.The day dawned and I loaded the wicker basket on to the beast walked up to the top of Foundry Hill mounter the bike on one side turned the peddles twice and fell off the other parcels strewn over the road not many cars about then so loaded them back and walked to finish the round ,Irode the beast back to the shop empty but the next week all was well and I was in control. Saturday afternoon there was a picture club at the Plaza and we had a club card stamped on your visit then at Chrismas Mr Poulter held a party and Father Christmas gave gifts the more points on the card the better the gift,Father Christmas AKA as Big Bill Embley the local bobby. Normaly after the films we would run to Brackpools the baker were after 5oc he sold all his cakes for one halfpenny each. Then on leaving school and my interest in the meat trade I was
taken on as an apprentice to M Cook and Son.
One of my jobs entailed taking an order to Sorrels shop and getting 40 Goldflake for Mr Cook, walking to Sorrels I had to pass Baileys Butchers and he came out from his shop and told me to walk on the other side past Dr Erskines because he said I was looking at his prices to compare with Mr Cook!. Well I went to three schools (missing out on Borstal) , a short time ago I had to return for a visit and spent a lot of time walking around Mistley /Manningtree things have changed so much from my memories in 30+ years we have the local rag posted to us it helps us to have news of the area. Vernon.

---

---