Salfords School

A Memory of Salfords.

I was born in 1951 in Copsleigh Avenue (No 42). I must have started at the 'old' Salfords School in 1956. (My sister Jennifer was born in 1947 and was there too.) The photograph shows its location being just about deserted, apart from the horse and cart. It was at the southern end of the Common and to some exrtent marooned between the A217 to Woodhatch, and the A23 Brighton to London to the right. The latter was often very difficult to cross, due to traffic, but somehow we survived. Like many others my first teacher was Miss Licence, whom I recall as a kindly soul and someone with endless patience. Miss Rosier was the Head, who imposed discipline in a firm no-nonsense way. We were in the south-facing classroom (almost visible in this photo) and I well remember that I found it a rather lofty room and a bit forbidding. Nevertheless she taught us well, and our routine included a spelling test (10 words) every Monday morning. The playground tapered down to a point. In those days everyone and everything came to a respectful and silent halt for two minutes to observe Remembrance. Goodness knows what the pollution levels were like outside with both busy roads close by, despite the trees. I recall starting at Salfords County Primary School in Copsleigh Avenue within, I think, about two years, with the building in the picture demolished not long after.

We moved to Park Avenue (just behind the shops) in 1959 and the family was there until 1970. Like many others I had a paper round based at Porter's newsagent in Honeycrock Lane, and somehow getting involved in 'marking up' within a year or two. That really was an early start - but the pay was marginally better!

Full marks to Friths for putting up these and many other fascinating photos. Coincidentally my first Saturday job was with Friths, Reigate Hill. My friend Julian Price was also there (he may have got me in) and I had to cycle from Salfords to Reigate Hill, via the A217, Woodhatch, (my next school) Cockshott Hill and Reigate town itself, and back home after a morning's work, for which I was paid 10/- initially. Great place to work and I spent many happy hours viewing their magnificent photos (when I probably should have been doing other things).

After Park Avenue it was East Grinstead (1970) then Redhill, back to E Grinstead, then Romsey and finally Crowborough. Now happliy retired in Bexhill-on-Sea.