Thornbury, The Grammar School c.1950

Photo ref: T107006

Having been told I would be starting at Thornbury Grammar School in September 1955, a friend and I decided to cycle to Thornbury from our homes in Filton to see where we were going to spend the next five plus years. The eight miles along the A38 were not too difficult and an hour later we cycled into the high street in Thornbury. It was a warm August day and as we passed Paveys we saw before us for ...see more

Paul Martin is right saying the premises were Mogg's toy shop. He owned the shop, was the local cubmaster and I am almost certain he was the local Father Christmas. Obliquely opposite was a small grocer and I was once given 6d. to go into the shop to buy 2 bottles of Heinz salad cream by a lady who was entertaining at home and had already exceeded her ration!

I lived as a child in Down Road, Alveston (at Barton Cottage - now demolished) from 1959 to 1964 and have great memories of Thornbury. Having no car in those days the family would march down the hill into Thornbury to Mass on Sunday, occasionally hitching a lift with a fellow parishioner, possibly a Mr Sheppard who drove a large Austin Cambridge car. The church in those days was part of a small house in, I ...see more