Wimborne St Giles, Dorset

The Village School

I was the Head Teacher of the Cranborne First School from 1974-1978. The school was situated just off the square. It was a delightful little school and I have happy memories of my time there with my two teachers: Mrs Barbara Bayes and Mrs Gawman (who succeeded me as Head). Lord Salisbury was the Chairman of our Governors and occasionally I had to go to the Manor to discuss business with him. It was quite an experience being led by the butler to the large upstairs lounge to have a cup of tea with His Lordship. He would attend our special school events if he could. I remember him - a quite large man - on one occasion coming straight from the 'shoot' for our annual concert and because he was last to arrive and we thought he wasn't coming, he was obliged to sit on the only chair left - one of the children's infant chairs!

The shoe shop

I am only 23, but I remember the shoe shop very well, as it belonged to my grandfather Alex Adams, and had been in the family for many years.  And I do believe the child being walked up the road is my mum Linda Bright, nee Adams, and her gran, my great-gran Emma Adams.  She would have been 2-3 years old.  

Cranborne 1938

I was living at Cranborne where my father was the police sergeant. At the time of a crisis, members of the government came to stay with Lord Cranborne at the manor.
The  matter of security arose and it was decided a policeman should be on duty at all times as he would notice any strangers. Around the same period the massive German air ship flew over at a few 1000 feet. The Hindenberg; the largest thing I have ever seen in the sky.

Cranborne in the early sixties

I lived in Cranborne for two years from November 1963. My father owned the shops at the far end of the terrace in this picture and the building immediately facing, although it was derelict at that time. My sister and I were enrolled in the local secondary school that had opened two months earlier.