My Meath School Memories

A Memory of Ottershaw.

I was a 9 year old boarder at the Meath School for a year in 1981/1982. In those days the school was a state specialist convalescence school for respiratory diseases. I remember my time in Ottershaw fondly. Each week we'd all walk in a group to the nice sweet shop in the village so that we could spend our I think 30p pocket money. The shop attendant was so patient with each of us as we uh'med and ah'ed over each half penny sweet decision. Some pupils were so good at saving their 30ps that they could at some point afford a metal torch and batteries from the village. I remember my parents coming to visit me once and I asked that we go up to the village so that I could persuade them to buy me a small toy boat I had had my eye on for an eternity. They bought it for me and I still have it. The school were amazing in looking after us and schooling us. I only had 8 colleagues as the school was closing that specialist area down. We had the best of old fashioned school dinners. I remember that the rhubarb came from the garden. Mr Thomas the head master, the other senior teacher whose name I cannot remember but wish I could (drove a Ford Capri and originally came from Melton Mowbray) Stella, matron, among others. All such good solid people. I remember some of my colleagues' names Amon Braga, Neil Steenson, Thomas, Jonathan, Russell Fincham, Gavin. Happy memories. Anthony

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Added 26 January 2017

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Hi Anthony I also boarded at Meath school in 1966 I was there for a year have got many fond memories of my fellow boarders in my day mr Thompson was the headmaster and mr Holmes deputy also a miss Fallon used to teach there

By robertpatterson572 on Tue Oct 24th 2017, at 9:47 pm

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Hi, I boarded at Meath School between 1967-1972. Mr Thomas was Headmaster, Mr Holmes was Deputy Head, he organised the many shows we put on for parents. I remember playing a dancing girl and a fairy (well it was an all boys school, so we had to improvise!) built many camps in the woods. Marmalade visited to open the wooden Victorian slide. It didn’t last long though as it would give you splinters as you slid (or did not) slide down. It was dismantled and we made a tree house out of the wood. Mr Holmes taught me to swim and I succeeded in being awarded my Bronze badge. I still have a wooden table I made under his supervision in the woodwork shop. Annual trip to Earls Court? to see the Royal Tournament. Played football for the school, both goalkeeper and centre forward (still a West Ham supporter to this day)
Good and sad times over the 5 years, certainly helped my education though. Slept in Brabazon and Maitland dormitories, never made it to Veralum dormitory. Love to hear from anyone who boarded there in that period. Nigel Bray

By Nigel Bray on Thu Jan 7th 2021, at 10:17 pm

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wow, this is amazing. I was another dancing girl in that very same school play. I remember the slide, I also remember the fear we had for mr holmes if you were called to the office for any wrong doing. I learnt to swim in the school swimming pool, I made it to Veralum, Many happy memories.

Nigel do you remember we created a village in the woods with loads of different dens, i thnk the currency was some kind of sweets I remember there was one that was a place to get a meal lol

By Chirstopher Jennings on Sun Jan 24th 2021, at 7:10 pm

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