School Days

I went to Tweeddale from the age of about 4 to 11 then I went to Gaynesford High School, I attended the nursery, primary & junior schools at Tweeddale, that would have been from about 1966 to 1973. I have a lot of memories of the school, mostly mischievous). I remember my first day of primary school before the starting bell for us to all go in. A boy named Anthony Sweeting took a dislike to me for some reason, can't remember how but we started fighting each other, we both ended up with a black eye each & a blood nose. The bell went & we just stopped & went into class, a teacher stopped us as we went in & asked us what happened, we both said nothing happened, the teacher persevered, we said we were just playing, nothing more came of it from the teacher. Later at play time we came face to face, we looked at each other for a moment, then we just started laughing. We later spoke about that day often & remained friends never arguing or fighting with each other again. After Tweeddale we went separate ways, me to Gaynesford & Anthony to Carshalton Boys (we lived at opposite ends of the estate). We did run into each other occasionally after that, our lives had gone in different directions but the respect was still there. Those sort of friendships are like no others, the one's you have as a child. I have lots of other memories of Tweeddale, like I said mostly mischievous, but what better age is there to be mischievous, that age where the world & the future is too big to worry about, where stress is a word in the dictionary). I live in Australia now, I migrated over when I was 24, I'm married with 3 gorgeous daughters.

I have never forgotten a bizarre incident which occurred when I was a first-year "mixed infant" at Tweeddale School. It would have been in the mid-1940s. The headmistress then was Miss Payne, a remote figure who I remember drifting about the school in an elegant dark blue dress. Our form teacher was Miss Cross, and she seemed to have been unduly influenced by her name, for she showed little patience with children. School and family life were much less child-centered then than they have since become. Parents had more authority, school discipline was stricter, and teachers' authority was unquestioned. Teaching was one of the few professions open to women, and not all of them would have had a vocation for it. One Friday Miss Cross, perhaps feeling more irritable than usual, warned the class that when we arrived on Monday morning there would be a witch waiting for us in the classroom. I was frightened all weekend until my mother said that she would take me right into the classroom to make sure that there was no witch. Monday morning came, and I can still recall the sound of raised voices which came towards us as we walked down the corridor. In the classrooom we found a crowd of angry mothers who had all been coping with frightened children over the weekend. Miss Payne was sent for. I know nothing about the outcome of the incident, for my memory stops there.

I attended Tweedale School from 1947. My teacher was Miss Woods and the headmaster was Mr.Small. I stayed at the same school until I left in 1957. I had a great time there - very caring and it still holds me in good stead. I lived at Tavistock Walk. Hope somebody remembers me.

It is nice to hear Mr Bunker's voice after all these years. He taught me history at what, at that time, was called Carshalton High School for Boys, sited at the end of Winchcombe Road. Others have said that the education they received at their schools was not very good, but looking back, I think at our school, at that time, it was pretty decent.

I loved School - Glastonbury Rd Girls was great - I remember the walk up to the canteen - not so bad unless it was raining of course! Afterwards we made our own way back and used to go into the local shops and get some sweets etc. There was a dance when the boys 'next door' were invited...we dressed up and put lipstick on and Midnight in Paris perfume. Then we sat on one side of the hall and the boys sat opposite! not a lot of dancing til the teachers managed to get some boys to ask the girls for a dance.

I went to Malmesbury school from infants to junior. Had some good times but not all of it, some of the teachers were not quite right, being hit over the back of your hand because you did  not get your sums right, how was that going to help. Another teacher used to throw the black board rubber ( why?). I some times think when you get older you look back and think life was better, no, do not think so. When I moved away I made sure my guys went to a good school had a good life and kept away from council house kids as we were known.

i have  many memories of the area  i went to Tweeddale school  and Welbeck and Gaynesford  school.

I am in the Gaynesford picture 1961    fourth from right  middle row next to Ray Rice.  Also pictured Ronald Jones, David Parrot, Gary Deal, Brian Morris, Steven Rock, Linda Penman and Sharon Roberts, seems like yesterday.

I remember some other pupils names,  such as Stephen  Edwards and Robin King. I lived at 103 Buckhurst Avenue

 I also remember Alan Wheeler and   Raymond Hand and the prefabs in Willow road.  Colin Parrot and me used to play football in Dale Park. Does anyone remember me,  Peter  Hill.