St John's School

This was the year I took my 11+ exam. There was such deep snow that winter that it was very difficult to walk to school. Luckily I lived in Milton Road where St John's was then situated. On arriving at school we were all so cold that we had to warm ourselves in front of the stove in the corner of the classroom before we felt able to take our exam.

St Johns CofE girls' school was tiny, only 2 classrooms. Father Chester from St John's Church would often visit the school and take morning prayers. Other times we would all walk up Park Road to the church for a service. On the way we had to walk over the railway bridge and I well remember how terrified one of the pupils was when a train passed underneath with all the steam billowing around us.

Another memory is of our teacher Miss Henderson bringing in primroses and violets each spring that she'd been sent by her sister who lived in the country. I thought the flowers were so beautiful, never having seen them before.