At last a place to record and share your memories of these schools. No sign up required. If you want to contact me, use this address: radical_solutions(at)hotmail(dot)com
Memories of the Girls' School in the 1950's [+]
Please share your memories of your time at the Girls' School in the 1950s
I went to Temple Colston from 1957 to 1959. The headmistress Was B.O Draper and one of my teachers was Ms Mattock and Miss Willcox. Fond memories of the school.
I also was at school during those years. We had Miss Edwards for first year, I think she left and went to Canada. Then Miss Willcox for 2nd year and then AGAIN for 4th year because the 4th year (& French teacher), Mrs Michaelski left, so "Wilkie" was moved in to her classroom & we had her again, which we didn't appreciate. Mrs Mattock was 3rd year; she was the Geography teacher (& for swimming at The Mayors Paddock swimming baths). We seemed to learn nothing but African geography. I thought we were all so well informed about Africa and now - hardly any country in the African continent is the same!! If we were getting fed-up with the Geography lesson, we could distract Mrs M very easily by asking her a question about swimming. She loved it; we could spin it out for most of the lesson if enough of us wanted to! Lots of: "Miss, I can't go swimming this week, because. . . " Mrs M would get quite dismissive of all the excuses, but, it served the purpose of not doing any geography - it could well be why I have to get an Atlas out, to look up most countries whereabouts when they're mentioned on the News - because I didn't learn anything much back then & also the reason we were stuck on Africa for so long!! I would like someone to tell me, if they can remember, where was our classroom when we were second year pupils? There were four classes upstairs; 1A, 1B, 3A & not sure about the classroom that was entered first, from the outside fire escape staircase, that may have been 3B? Downstairs, as fourth year's, we were in the last classroom, by Miss Draper's office, in the Hall. There was a classroom where we did Needlework, also entered from the Hall. (I don't know who that teacher was, nor which class used that room, was that 4B? ).I can account for 6 classrooms and if there was an "A" and "B" class, right through the four years, then I don't know where those 2A & 2B classrooms were. The Staffroom was on the opposite side of the Hall. There was a Library, entered from the "Tower" end of the building, then the "Science & Biology" room and also a "Domestic Science" room, where we plastered everything with pastry (except the cooking containers!). I remember in the Winter, we could pay 1d towards having our third of a pint bottle of milk, added to a saucepan, heated up with cocoa and have a lovely hot drink, instead of a cold bottle of milk. There was a lot of skipping done during break-time. We all seemed to be able to acquire a length of rope, which we brought in daily. I used to love skipping, reciting the silly little rhymes in time with each skip. We also had a long "communal" rope. We would take it in turns to turn the rope while girls queued up to do various ritual jumps until they were tripped up and had to take their turn in turning the rope for everyone. It was quite easy to get out of rope turning, by just leaning back, slightly and shortening the length of the rope a little, the girl doing the skipping would always be tripped up! What a rotten thing to do!! :-) :-) I have sent in two photographs of us lot, I hope they make it there ok. I'm not a wonder with the computer, but I'll give it a go. (poor old Colston, I loved Colston Day when we were each given, a still warm, huge bun, in a paper bag to celebrate. I could just eat one now, yummy). Best wishes. C.M.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your memories of your time at the school, I'm sure they will be of great interest to other ex. pupils. No images received so far but will keep an eye out and publish them on receipt.
I went to Temple Colston from 1957 to 1959. The headmistress Was B.O Draper and one of my teachers was Ms Mattock and Miss Willcox. Fond memories of the school.
ReplyDeleteI also was at school during those years. We had Miss Edwards for first year, I think she left and went to Canada. Then Miss Willcox for 2nd year and then AGAIN for 4th year because the 4th year (& French teacher), Mrs Michaelski left, so "Wilkie" was moved in to her classroom & we had her again, which we didn't appreciate. Mrs Mattock was 3rd year; she was the Geography teacher (& for swimming at The Mayors Paddock swimming baths). We seemed to learn nothing but African geography. I thought we were all so well informed about Africa and now - hardly any country in the African continent is the same!! If we were getting fed-up with the Geography lesson, we could distract Mrs M very easily by asking her a question about swimming. She loved it; we could spin it out for most of the lesson if enough of us wanted to! Lots of: "Miss, I can't go swimming this week, because. . . " Mrs M would get quite dismissive of all the excuses, but, it served the purpose of not doing any geography - it could well be why I have to get an Atlas out, to look up most countries whereabouts when they're mentioned on the News - because I didn't learn anything much back then & also the reason we were stuck on Africa for so long!!
DeleteI would like someone to tell me, if they can remember, where was our classroom when we were second year pupils?
There were four classes upstairs; 1A, 1B, 3A & not sure about the classroom that was entered first, from the outside fire escape staircase, that may have been 3B?
Downstairs, as fourth year's, we were in the last classroom, by Miss Draper's office, in the Hall. There was a classroom where we did Needlework, also entered from the Hall. (I don't know who that teacher was, nor which class used that room, was that 4B? ).I can account for 6 classrooms and if there was an "A" and "B" class, right through the four years, then I don't know where those 2A & 2B classrooms were.
The Staffroom was on the opposite side of the Hall.
There was a Library, entered from the "Tower" end of the building, then the "Science & Biology" room and also a "Domestic Science" room, where we plastered everything with pastry (except the cooking containers!).
I remember in the Winter, we could pay 1d towards having our third of a pint bottle of milk, added to a saucepan, heated up with cocoa and have a lovely hot drink, instead of a cold bottle of milk.
There was a lot of skipping done during break-time. We all seemed to be able to acquire a length of rope, which we brought in daily. I used to love skipping, reciting the silly little rhymes in time with each skip. We also had a long "communal" rope. We would take it in turns to turn the rope while girls queued up to do various ritual jumps until they were tripped up and had to take their turn in turning the rope for everyone. It was quite easy to get out of rope turning, by just leaning back, slightly and shortening the length of the rope a little, the girl doing the skipping would always be tripped up! What a rotten thing to do!! :-) :-)
I have sent in two photographs of us lot, I hope they make it there ok. I'm not a wonder with the computer, but I'll give it a go.
(poor old Colston, I loved Colston Day when we were each given, a still warm, huge bun, in a paper bag to celebrate. I could just eat one now, yummy).
Best wishes. C.M.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your memories of your time at the school, I'm sure they will be of great interest to other ex. pupils. No images received so far but will keep an eye out and publish them on receipt.
Delete