Mr Cook

A Memory of New Malden.

I spent the first 25 years of my life from 1943 to 1968 growing up in Kings Avenue New Malden. I went to Burlington Road School and at one stage was taught by Mr. Cook. His discipline was renown for the use of the board rubber and pulling the offender to the front of the class by a few hairs. However I learnt well from him. I can remember his teaching of perspective. He made sure I knew how to spell "necessary" I had to write it out 500 times. I handed the spelling in and went to my desk. Immediately he asked me to stand up and spell "necessary". I spelt it wrong and had to write it out a further 1000 times. Although he was a good teacher (managing to obtain entrance to Christ's Hospital for one class mate), I was terrified of him.
I used to help Dick - the Milkman, deliver milk to Kings Avenue and Coombe Gardens before school and Mr. Cook lived in Coombe Gardens in a house behind high privet hedges. I used to peep through the hedge to make sure he wasn't around and then dash up the path with the milk as quick as I could. I didn't have a watch then and I listened for the Steam Train Whistle when the fast train from the central platform at New Malden station blew at 8.05. I knew it was time to get ready for school.
In those days there were no parked cars in Kings Avenue. The road was used as a cricket pitch by the children who had to pay for broken windows out of their pocket money. We knew our councilors (Labour and Conservative) who used to say good morning to us and even pop in to some houses for a cup of tea. I was told to say good morning to everyone who I passed in the street and to know their names. It was a real community. I remember coming home from school and going and sitting with a Mrs Norman who was by herself and welcomed company. She arranged for her son to take me to Heathrow Airport, and that then set me on course for becoming an aircraft spotter and cycling to Heathrow every day during the school holidays. Oh what wonderful days.