Jill Sparrow

On my visit to the area this week, I had a wander past the old Player's sites. Paid a visit to St Peter's church. I can remember when this was full of higgledy piggledy graves, overgrown and ivy clad. Now, it's a peaceful green space but, again, littered with rubbish. Clearly, also being used as overnight accommodation. The west door today. And on 25 June 1949. My parents' wedding. 70 years ago.

Sitting on this exact spot, facing the stationery cupboard in Mr Parr's classroom, in spring 1969, I sat my 11+ exam.

The junior entrance as it was in 1969.

Through this door...and it's the original, although painted black in my day...I walked with my mum one cold morning early in 1962. I was just 4 years old. The door led to Miss Smith's office and my mum wanted to put my name down to begin school in the November when I'd be 5. Unfortunately for me, there were vacancies and the following week I was at Berridge...almost a year too soon! In this fireplace, now bricked up, burned a roaring coal fire. And, here, pushed into a corner and covered with dross, is Miss Smith's Victorian desk. I

I shall be wishing the same thing on Sunday, Margie. I still find it hard to see the cards for mothering Sunday and not buy one but there will be a large vase of flowers next to her photo.

The old junior entrance, used in 1969 when I left and still in use today. Berridge is not as spartan as it was in my day. There is now carpet throughout the school and blinds at the windows. Classroom ceilings have been lowered to preserve heat and improve acoustics. However, the one thing we all noticed was the smell of Carbolic soap! There was none...but the smell remains. It must be ingrained in the fabric of the building! The rows of washbasins in the entrance vestibule are gone, replaced with receptionists and log in computer screens!

Yes, it was emotional. I stood outside the Brushfield Street gate earlier in the morning and the memories came gushing back of my mum who passed on 9 years ago. Oddly, I've discovered that my paternal grandmother, the infamous Kate, lived at 131 Brushfield Street when she was a child. She may even have attended Berridge for a time. The house has been demolished but stood almost opposite the school gate.

This is the former tuckshop to which PP is referring, on the corner of Oakland Street and Berridge Road. In my day, it was run by Mr and Mrs Merriman. They were probably in their 50s. They sold general grocery items but also sweets and ices. Penny drinks were a favourite or 3d drinks if you were feeling flush. Lovely people the Merrimans. They emigrated to Australia where their son was already living. Someone else bought the shop but it was never the same. It closed long ago. The windows and doors now bricked up. Who ran it in your day, PP?

I doubt it, Margie. Not until many years later did she tell me about it and she always tried to make school a positive experience.

One good thing was discovering that the outside toilets had been removed. I've written about my very distressing experience at the age of 4 years in the self-flushing toilets in the corner of the infant playground. The playground is now a car park but, in the corner where the loos once stood, I found evidence of their previous existence in these glazed tiles!

This is the classroom where I spent my final year at Berridge. Our teacher was Mr Trevor Williams. In 1968, every classroom had a walk-in stationery cupboard built. All are still there. This one is on the left. We all agreed that there is much more wall display today, all over the school. Personally, I felt it was way over the top. Not a tiny space that wasn't adorned with bright colours and information. Even the classroom doors! I found it confusing and overwhelmingly 'loud' but perhaps today's children thrive on it.

Looking down from the first floor onto the wall that separates the old infant playground from the juniors. The brick piers of the old gate in the wall can be made out. That gate and the steps leading to it were removed in 1968 and the ramp installed. I was surprised to find it is still there.

The Brushfield Street entrance gate and, beyond it, the door to what was my first classroom. The room is now the kitchens and the gate a replacement for the original. As I stood here yesterday, I remembered the feeling of dread as I crossed that threshold every morning with my break time biscuits, wrapped in paper, clutched in my hand. My mother stood at this gate every lunchtime and home time to collect me. Very powerful memories. She passed through this gate herself from 1930, with the same sense of dread, whilst her own mother collected her at lunchtime and home time.

Approaching Berridge from Oakland Street. The old iron railings have been replaced by modern mesh. The school has recently been re-roofed which gave staff the opportunity to venture into the roofspace which is extensive. Berridge was built in 1884.

We took quite a lot between us so will post a few. Also had an early wander round the old streets. Bobbers Mill Road, where I was born. Oakland Street, Berridge Road, Brushfield Street, across Alfreton Road and up Radford Boulevard, Wordsworth Road, Prospect Street, Churchfield Lane and a wander round the exterior of St Peter's Old Radford where my parents were married 70 years ago this June. Both change and familiarity but I was dismayed by the apparent habit of dumping rubbish, especially furniture, outside houses, parking all over the pavements and, generally, the ta

Today was our Berridge visit. Along with PP Terry, David letsavagoo, my old friend Jane and myself, we had a wonderful time. There have been changes to the old place but it still felt very familiar. The highlight, for me, was going into the former infants' Headmistress's office..which is now the caretaker's domain and finding that the fireplace was still there, along with her Victorian desk, now shoved ignominiously into a corner. Took me back to my first visit when I was 4 years old. A blazing fire in the grate, whilst the stern Miss Smith peered at me over her desk and decreed that I should

He's only 21 really...a few times over. Have a wonderful day!

The Capitol? Bottom of Churchfield Lane. Now a church, I believe.

Looks like your moggies prefer mallards to mice, PP!

Yes, I remember it, BK, but don't know anyone who went there. Knew Garden Street very well indeed.

I have three cats of whom the same can be said! Nice life if you can get it!

I know what my paternal grandfather would have said. Unusually, for an Old Contemptible, he never stopped talking about the war. He was not in favour of the armistice either. If he'd had his way, Germany would never have caused any further trouble.

Apparently, I was misinformed. David Juggins attended Bentinck Road school.

Does anyone remember Mrs Platts from Berridge? She never taught me but I was terrified of her. Dark, curly hair and seemed quite old. Often did playground duty. I can see her now standing there with the brass bell, wearing her brown lace up brogues and woollen coat with a shawl collar. She lived in one of the Victorian cottages on Prospect Street, just round from Radford Boulevard. They are still there and rather nice. Years later, my sister, Julie, worked with a lady who was married to Mrs Platts son. She was at Berridge when Julie was there so Julie remembered her. I never thought of Mrs Pla

The Manning Badge was quite uninspiring, simply the letters M and S overlaid in school colours grey red and white. Inside the front cover of the school hymn book, which I still have... someone pinched mine and I had to buy a replacement...is pasted the school hymn. O loving Lord who art forever seeking/Loyal and true disciples of thy will... I can't remember ever singing it but, knowing me, I'd have penned my own version! The pasted in copy makes reference to "Thy free forgiveness in the hour of need" At Manning? You must be joking