William H Johnson's Memories Of New Waltham Primary School In The 1930's

A Memory of New Waltham.

I lived in Station Road from 1932 to 1943 and attended the Primary School until 1935.
I walked to school and remember often having to wait for trains at the level crossing. there was a pedestrian gate which was locked after the main road gate. We knew the signalman and he would leave the pedestrian gate open as long as possible as we ran towards it.
The headmaster of the school was Mr Peake. He was ably assisted by several lady teachers and a Mr Lammin, who used to give one a rap on the knuckles if sent to him for some discretion Needles to say it was something of a terror to be sent to Mr Lammin. A new young teacher, Mr Crompton, arrived at the school. He drove a motorbike and one day he arrived late with a heavily bandaged face after an accident on the way to school.
One afternoon the whole school were called out to the playground to see the German zeppelin Hindenburg heading north over the Humber estuary.
Another memory I have was when the(480ft) wooden mast dating from the1914 war caught fire at the top. It had been fitted with an aircraft warning light shortly before which was thought to have caused the fire. The fire burned for several days. On about the third or fourth day the fire burst out about 60ft from the top and later that day the top section fell off. Later that evening I stood opposite the green and watched the remaining 300ft aflame from end to end until it fell, a spectacular sight which left a great impression on me.
On the whole it was a happy time at the school although my elder sister, Minnie Johnson, who also attended the school died tragically in 1935 of a heart complaint. The whole school turned out for her funeral.

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