Childhood In Abbotsham

A Memory of Abbotsham.

I lived in Abbotsham from birth in 1947 until we moved away in 1967. I attended the village school from 1952 until 1959. Started in the infants class with Mrs Attenborough then on to the Junior class with the Headmistress, Mrs Cotton. In the Juniors we used to listen to the Schools Radio programmes where we learnt much about History and Geography. Also twice a week were music programmes - Music and Movement and Singing Together. Once a week we had Country Dancing - Cumberland Square Eight, Circassian Circle, Ribbon Dance; this to music on a wind up gramaphone with 12 inch records. These dancing classes culminated in the Village Fete held in the Vicarage Gardens when we, as the school children, danced to entertain the visitors. Our reward - a free ice cream - for which we later had each to write a letter to thank the ice cream man for his generosity! Friday mornings were times table tests. On Friday afternoons we either played games in the playground or went to the 'butty' (village playing field) and had races, jumping or French Cricket. School meals came from the Secondary School in Bideford in heatproof containers. Although I always went home for my lunch, living not far from the school in Pump Lane. In the mid 1950's the children from the School in Alwington were moved to us and came on the school bus. I left to go to school in Bideford in 1959, so my connections with the school came to an end.

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