School Days

A Memory of West Norwood.

I remember my first day at Crown Lane Primary School, Crown Point, West Norwood. My mum walked me to school and we all went in with the other children, most of whom I knew from our estate. My mum gave me threepence for my dinner money and a biscuit in a brown paper bag for our milk break. I remember her telling me to be good and that she would see me later. At about 11 o'clock the milk monitor brought us in little bottles of milk with straws in, it was lukewarm, but I thought it was great. My mum never had to walk me to school again as all the children from my estate (Fernlodge) walked together and it was safe to let your five-year-olds do that then. Our headmaster was Mr Osbourne and we loved him. My favorite teacher was Miss Kerner, I thought she was so pretty. They were happy days for me.