Memories of visiting the library

[Stuart.C 491]

9 out of 10 Phil,, it will have been planned in Victoria's time.
Designed by a Local Architect.

 

1921 photo

 

[philmayfield 6,140]

William Herbert Higginbotton was the architect I discover. I’d not heard of him but he did design an impressive number of local buildings. The library, I recollect, was in red sandstone but already blackened with pollution when I attended. To the rear were the local public baths and swimming pool. We used to walk there from Arno Vale school for swimming lessons and I attended a swimming cub on Monday evenings.

[Stuart.C 491]

Same here Phil.
I went to Arno Vale and was also in the swimming club for a while.
What was amusing / annoying when we walked from Arno Vale to the baths we walked past my house on Arnot Hill, but when we'd finished swimming I had to walk back to Arno Vale past my house, then walk back home again.
Tried a few times with different teachers but no one would let me drop off at home.

 

[philmayfield 6,140]

Can we have an Arno Vale group to compete with ‘were you at Berridge?’ You, me and Margie so far!

[MargieH 7,600]

It probably wouldn’t work because, unlike some other schools, we didn’t have group photos to remind us of our classmates!

[philmayfield 6,140]

Welcome to our small but potentially growing group!

[philmayfield 6,140]

I’ll give you some teachers:

Mrs Lockwood (Old Ma Lockwood) Nasty old biddy.

Mrs Hatter

Miss Lee

Mr Tilley

Mr Turner (cold be violent with a ruler but I got sixpence on two occasions, for knowing the Five Towns and the Cinque Ports)

Mr Brace (Headmaster)

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

36 minutes ago, MargieH said:

It probably wouldn’t work because, unlike some other schools, we didn’t have group photos to remind us of our classmates!

Are you sure you didn't, Margie?  The number of people who went to Berridge who tell me that no photos were taken during their time there is quite staggering but...the photos do exist as is proved when other people post them. Usually, those who say there were no photos taken are actually on them but have no recollection of the photographer visiting.

 

There are small group photos but there is a class photo as well.

[MargieH 7,600]

There was a Miss/Mrs Smith in the top infants class who let the top three children in the class do weaving on a small loom…… and no, it wasn’t the equivalent of sitting at the back doing raffia  

I’ve still got the scarf I made.   I don’t think it would be allowed these days to show such favour to certain children and not to others.   

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

My top infants teacher was Miss Hilda N Smith. I've mentioned her previously but she isn't the same Miss Smith Margie knew. She was at Berridge for her entire teaching career, I believe. She was a hard case but come Friday afternoons, those who had worked hard could bring something from home to play with or work with in the reading corner.  My best friend and I brought our knitting!!  We used to knit and natter like a couple of old biddies.

 

Those who hadn't worked hard were given maths to do. Anyone who rebelled got the slipper!

[MargieH 7,600]

@Jill Sparrow  During my time at Arno Vale, there were definitely no group photos taken at all - only individual ones.   Perhaps because it was not that long after the war?  Not much money around?

 

[philmayfield 6,140]

We had a couple of chaps in our village, many years ago, who called themselves St. Anne’s Studios. They travelled all over the country taking individual child portraits in schools. They were developed back home in a garage.  At Mellish we only had group photographs of sport teams and the wide  panoramic ones of the whole school.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

There are many panoramic Manning photos, including one taken in 1968 the year before I arrived.  During the whole of my time there, only one photo was taken in the fifth from and there were no further panoramic photos. Not that I'd want one. I desire absolutely no reminders of that place.

[Stuart.C 491]

The only group photo I have from Arno Vale is 3rd place in the 3 legged race.
The first group / panoramic photo I had was the first year at Arnold High in 1962.

 

[MargieH 7,600]

At CLW, I had 2 Panoramic photos taken, also one class photo (3rd year) and one netball team photo.

[LizzieM 9,510]

I have just one photo taken at Kingswell Juniors, it’s girls only in the top class, I seem to remember it was a day the boys were taken to a football match at Wembley. There were no individual photos taken.  At CLW there were no class photos and only one panoramic photo while I was there, in 1964.  I have 3 or 4 photos that were in the Evening Post or Nottingham Guardian, all sports related …… I used to run in those days!  

[The Engineer 614]

Back to the topic of visiting libraries...

 

I went to the new library this morning.  I was impressed.  Light, airy, spacious, not particularly noisy (the children's area is out of the way on the ground floor).  Local studies area (1st floor) was good; lots of resources.  Still have all the old newspapers on microfilm rolls and things like electoral registers on microfiche.  Microfilm/fiche scanners attached to PCs so you control it from an app.  You can then download images to a USB stick or email to yourself.

Maps are in a back room and available to view on request (though it seems they don't have a catalogue of maps).

Access to Find My Past (County libraries have Ancestry if you need resources from both).

 

Computers all over the place plus space to sit with your own device. Free WiFi provided by GovWifi (I failed to get connected on this occasion though my account has worked previously at other libraries).  For anyone new to GovWifi, it says text "Go" to 07537 417 417 to receive a unique username and password.

 

Self-serve print services.

 

Oh, and they have books that you can borrow.

 

 

[Cliff Ton 10,467]

40 minutes ago, The Engineer said:

I went to the new library this morning. 

 

And you can also go on guided tours. I'm booked on one next week.

[Brew 5,419]

Was it busy? how many user were there?

[The Engineer 614]

@Brew  It was quite busy (understandable; opening day) but thankfully not noisy.  They've done a good job on the acoustics and soft furnishings.  Hard to say how many 'users' (as opposed to 'visitors').  It will no doubt calm down to more usual footfall.

[Cliff Ton 10,467]

It's a pretty impressive place. Words like 'Light' and 'Airy' spring to mind. Absolutely none of your stuffy, dark corners in old buildings.

 

And more computers and other tech than in several branches of Currys.