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!!