Seven Kings, Aldborough Road c.1965

Photo ref: S639033

I attended both the Downshall infants and junior schools in the 1950's. I remember little about the infants school other than the Headmistress was a Mrs Knapman I believe. Teachers names I recall from the junior school were Mr. Freeman my form teacher for three consecutive years, Mr. Mooney, Miss Fox, Miss Woodward and the Headmaster Mr. Nutting I played for the schools football team thanks to Mr. Freeman but ...see more

I went to Downshall School in 1957 after moving from Downshall Juniors. The big tree on the right covers St John the Evangelist Church and Downshall Junior School. To the back of the shops on the right used to be the 2nd Seven Kings scout hall and Sunday school. On the left 50 metres on from the 105E Anglia were a group of shops that were suppliers of goods to the local community.

I went to Downshall Infants and Primary up to the age of 12 when I then went to Ilford Country High in Gants Hill. I remember the daily walk along Meads Lane calling for a sour grapes gob stopper that would dye our mouths dark purple. The school seemed so big and when I look at this photo it looks like something out of Dickens! Miss Backhouse was my infants teacher and in the primary I had a wonderful ...see more

I arrived at the Infants School aged 6, fresh from a tiny village school in rural Somerset. My abiding memory was of the outside communal toilets with a trough at the base of a wall which used to back on to the pavement of Aldborough Rd. We would compete to see who could reach the highest up the wall (if you know what I mean) and attempt to score a bullseye by actually aiming right over the wall onto the ...see more