Whilst waiting for a delivery to come through the office to me I went on your website – as I am an old girl! Very old – about to retire!! I came to you when Geoffrey Barrell was headmaster, he seemed to be a big and loud man, but then everyone was bigger than me at that age. He was very smiley! I remember Mr Dove who took us on a holiday down Penzance way. We had rotten weather so came back as pale as we went but he was not to be deterred – 5 mins from arriving back in the station he came round to each of us and pinched our cheeks hard to make us looked windswept and healthy – not something he could get away with now!! There was a lovely elderly gentleman who was a part time Red Cross teacher – he taught us a lot. My first teacher in reception was Miss Johns. Goodness she was terrifying. She wore brogues, thick stockings (with a hankie tucked in the top of them) and tweed suits. Her hair was divided into two, plaited and turned into buns around her ears, she looked like an elderly Princess Leia!! She was built like Ann Widecombe and stomped about when on playground duty – kids scattering to the four corners to get out of her way!!
My second teacher was Mrs Jensen, a total opposite, very motherly lady. At the annual spring concert she taught us to dance round the maypole making many beautiful patterns. However one year a John Wheatcroft (father in the Met) put itchy powder on the ribbons and in our costumes and we spent rehearsals in contortions!! I used to love the Founder’s Day service when we all walked to St Boltoph’s church with many admiring glances from the public – Lord of all Hopefulness was always the first hymn. I also used to love being on the roof playground – probably not allowed now for H&S reasons.
One year we were raising funds for a charity and there was a Woolworths just pas St Boltoph’s. I won a competition to spend 10 mins grabbing things that we could sell at our sale. Miss Niker accompanied me and we had about 3 store staff members help us back with what I had grabbed.
I now feel sorry for Miss Niker as I went on holiday to Italy and saw her on her hotel steps in Venice quietly reading until my dulcet tones were heard from a passing tourist boat “Hello Miss Niker, it’s me, are you having a good holiday?” I expect she was until she heard that!!
Oh memories!!
My second teacher was Mrs Jensen, a total opposite, very motherly lady. At the annual spring concert she taught us to dance round the maypole making many beautiful patterns. However one year a John Wheatcroft (father in the Met) put itchy powder on the ribbons and in our costumes and we spent rehearsals in contortions!! I used to love the Founder’s Day service when we all walked to St Boltoph’s church with many admiring glances from the public – Lord of all Hopefulness was always the first hymn. I also used to love being on the roof playground – probably not allowed now for H&S reasons.
One year we were raising funds for a charity and there was a Woolworths just pas St Boltoph’s. I won a competition to spend 10 mins grabbing things that we could sell at our sale. Miss Niker accompanied me and we had about 3 store staff members help us back with what I had grabbed.
I now feel sorry for Miss Niker as I went on holiday to Italy and saw her on her hotel steps in Venice quietly reading until my dulcet tones were heard from a passing tourist boat “Hello Miss Niker, it’s me, are you having a good holiday?” I expect she was until she heard that!!
Oh memories!!
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