School Life

This picture must have been taken in approx. 1954 at Winchcombe Road School. I recognise many people including my older sister and friends my age who I played with. I lived in Winchcombe Road and there are several local families shown,the Brennans, Pulford, Nixons and several others.

My Granny Evie MacDougall was the dinner lady at Winchcombe Road School and she ironed all the cloaks and trains for the May Queens and Princesses each year, when Miss Purfield was the headmistress. My mother, Thelma, was the May Queen one year and as Miss Purfield placed the crown of forget-me-nots and King Cups on Mum's head she just murmured sweetly, "Remember, there's never a crown without a cross." Mum is in her eighties now, but she said last week: 'What a profound thing to entrust to a seven year old's young mind!'. Mum went on to teach at Glastonbury Road Infants school, putting the little ones to sleep for their afternoon nap. When she left, on her last day, she checked the school was empty, and everybody had gone home, then she brought her bicycle indoors and cycled round the whole school on it, down every corridor and hallway, like a lap of honour, and out through the front doors whooping with happiness to be out and away for the summer, never to return!