Nostalgic memories of Winnersh's local history

Share your own memories of Winnersh and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying all 6 Memories

Hello, I am Barry Newboult, I attended the RMNS from 1958 to 1962, and was assigned to Frobisher House. I left early to complete my education at Exeter Technical College. I would very much like to reconnect with anyone from the school who wishes to do so. My memories of the school are mixed, at the time I hated being there, but only later did I realise how beneficial my stay there had been, and ...see more
Music at The Forest Grammar School I taught music at 'The Forest' - 1954 - 1964. Thence to New Guinea (which I thought was in Africa! - geography not a strong point). For those who may be interested my website is at http//: www.durquhartjones.id.au Anyone remember our production of 'The Pirates'? I remember the pirate king who was a heavy smoker - a very nice chap whose name was Benson. I remember John Fanning's son David who as a very small boy hit me on the head with a hammer.
The Royal Merchant Navy School As far back as 1827 the Royal Merchant Navy School was established under the name of the Merchant Seaman's Orphan Asylum to provide a home for the destitute offspring of British Merchant Navy Seamen, with a view of assisting and benefiting them when disease, accident or calamity at sea deprived them of their chief support. The school when first established was ...see more
I arrived at Winnersh Halt Railway Station for the first time in 1946, aged 8 years. I had travelled by train from Newcastle upon Tyne with my suitcase and a label pinned to my coat accompanied only by other returning pupils. I was to start an eight year period at Boarding School, then known as Royal Merchant Navy School. The school was run very strictly at this time specifically for ...see more
This fine school {formerly Woodley Hill} was opened in 1957. I was lucky enough to be one of 150 pupils who passed the 11plus {God knows how} and thus was one of the first intake, a real privilege although I didn't realise it at the time. I was cursed with the surname BRIGHT which I hated with a vengeance. I gained the dubious distinction of been given the first detention ever at Forest, ...see more
The building in the background is the Forest Grammar School which would have been newly built at this time - I think it opened in 1957. The headmaster at the time was "Wally" Jackson, who I had the pleasure of meeting rather too often as he wielded his cane for my latest infraction of the rules!