Life At The Schoolhouse 1951 To 1958
A Memory of Dunsfold.
My mother, Betty Cronin, was the head teacher at Dunsfold School from around 1951 to 1958 and I lived in the schoolhouse with her and my sister Susan during this period. Both my sister and I went to school in Guildford which involved a two-bus journey there and back each day. I have many memories of life in the village during this time, too many to mention in detail. However, among those that stand out was the Guy Fawkes bonfire, organised by the Bonfire Boys, which was one of the major events in the life of the village. The bonfire was a magnificent affair, at least 20 feet high and built from brushwood on a tripod of saplings culled from the local woods. None of the wooden pallets that you see on modern bonfires. It took a couple of months to build and involved many hours of work from the men and boys of the village.
The Guy Faukes procession was a very grand affair; it started at Richard Nugent's home where flares were issued out and then proceeded up through the village to the accompionment of much singing of the pop songs of the era to the site of the bonfire. Here the Guy Fawkes prayer was said and the fire was lit. A great night's entertainment and a tradition which, unfortunately, has died out over the years.
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