Your first school

[colly0410 1,181]

On my first day at Gotham Infants I blew my nose on the roller towel in the boys bog, they wasn't very pleased. I remember a Mrs Smith & a Mr Naylor there..

[StephenFord 866]

Michael #25 - no it finished like this : "...nine twelves are one hundred and eight, ten twelves are one hundred and twenty, eleven twelves are one hundred and thirty two, twelve twelves are one hundred and forty four."

What is more "...forty pence are three and fourpence, forty eight pence are four shillings, fifty pence are four and twopence, sixty pence are five shillings, seventy pence are five and tenpence, seventy two pence are six shillings..." etc up to ten bob.

[Limey 242]

Will somebody give that boy a calculator?

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Will somebody give that boy a calculator?

You mean pen and paper?

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Lizzie,

being a "Church School" we had the little walk round to Gedling Church for every celebration from Christmas; Harvest Festival, Mothers Day etc.

Yes - ours was a Church school at Leadenham. That meant an extra day's holiday every year on Ascension Day, although we had to go to church first thing. Also, on Ash Wednesday we had the church service but then had to go back to school for the rest of the day.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Northgate Primary and Junior school corner of Egypt Road and Radford Road.

One of the lady teachers sticks in my mind. She used to carry her whistle on a cord round her neck and if needed could whip it off in an instant and crack it round your bare legs. I believe she lived somewhere on Catfoot Lane.

[Commo 1,292]

Shelton Street Infants school. Started at age 5 in 1952, the Headmistress was Miss Wallace, the first class teacher was Mrs Reynolds. Infants school was attended for just 2 years, as I went to Hunto juniors at age 7 before we moved out to Rudd in 1955.

[FLY2 10,108]

Before infants I was sent to a little private school on Radford Blvd. It was at the junction of either Dunlop Ave or Johnson Rd. Today it would be called a pre school Playgroup. However it did me some good as I could read well before four. I can't remember the name of the place though. When I had to go to proper school, I attended Blue Bell Hill Infants, then Berridge Road Juniors due to my parents moving house.

[katyjay 5,090]

I went to Wm Crane infants the day after my 5th birthday. I went in the classroom and the teacher, Miss Maltby, asked if anyone knew me, one girl put up her hand, we played together on Amesbury Circus, and said she knew me, so I sat next to her and shared my Cadbury's chocolate with her. [must have been a bribe from mam to get to to go in!] I remember plimsoll bags hung on my coat peg, tiny toilets, Christmas parties where you took your own plate and bowl, spoon etc, all with your name on sticking plaster, and mam making trifle to take. I was in a play once, The Pied Piper of Hamlin, I remember waiting outside the classroom for my group to join in the play, we were rats, with brown carrier bags on our heads made into rat heads.I also remember the Coronation celebrations, and everyone having their photo taken in groups of 5 or 6 round school desks.

[StephenFord 866]

Interesting Katyjay - I wonder if your Miss Maltby at William Crane was the same as my Miss Maltby at Whitemoor a bit later? Or might they have been two (or more) elderly maiden sisters?

[katyjay 5,090]

I wondered about that too. I started school Dec '51.

[siddha 825]

St Augustines on Woodborough Road in 1953

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

Before infants I was sent to a little private school on Radford Blvd. It was at the junction of either Dunlop Ave or Johnson Rd. Today it would be called a pre school Playgroup. However it did me some good as I could read well before four. I can't remember the name of the place though.

My grandma lived on Dunlop Avenue and I went there many times in the late 50s/early 60s. I don't remember seeing a playgroup type of place at the top of the road, so I reckon yours must have been Johnson Road. (Lenton Blvd by the way, not Radford)

[The Pianoman 1,532]

Interesting Katyjay - I wonder if your Miss Maltby at William Crane was the same as my Miss Maltby at Whitemoor a bit later? Or might they have been two (or more) elderly maiden sisters?

My Mother went to William Crane (She lived on Minver Cresc. anyway). I seem to remember her speaking of a Miss Maltby but it is all a bit vague now. That would be from around 1936 onwards though

[The Pianoman 1,532]

We had moved out to Eastwood by the time I started school so it was Devonshire Drive Infants. That would have been 1962. Three of the teachers at that school are still alive today. Connie Winsor was the baby among them and she is now an occasional customer, Mrs O'Brien the Headmistress is still alive and Miss Musgrove who actually retired while I was in the Juniors at the same school is still alive. She must be over 100 now. Must have been something in the water there, I hope I drank plenty of it. - together with the free milk.

School is now boarded up and waiting for development into something or other.

[Radford Boy 26]

Radford Boulevard Infant School.

I remember Miss Lowe, (my first teacher), Mrs Fox, and Mrs Clayton.

Went from there to Forster St Junior School.

[FLY2 10,108]

Re #38. Cliff Ton, it would be late 40's when I attended the Lenton Blvd establishment. I will have a drive by this week and see if I can locate it.

[Riddo 47]

Elms Infants 1955-58. My first day I remember going over to a sand pit that stood on four legs like a table, except it was more of a large red metal "trough". I don't remember the teacher saying I should do it, and the kids already there told me to clear off! My mum was a bit of a reader, so, like some others have said, I could read before I went to school. As a result, me and one or two others got access to the Beatrix Potter books that were kept in the Headmistress's room - only once a week though.

Outside, on the way up from Cranmer Street, was a large grassy area and off to the side near the top was what we called the "humps and hollows" where the ground was uneven and you could roll down the banks. There were some large tractor tyres in the playground for us lads to muck around on, and some metal bars that the girls used to turn somersaults over.

At some point we must have had music lessons and I learnt to play "Here we go 'round the mulberry bush" on a set of tubular bells - eat your heart out Oldfield! Another thing I remember clearly was the "Dinner Money Run" to the Midland(?) Bank on Mansfield Road, somewhere near where the Poacher is now. Three or four of us, accompanied by a teacher, walked down Elm Avenue with a canvas bag rattling with the dinner money takings every Monday morning. I also remember being able to buy Cheese Biscuits at break time. They looked like an oval Ritz cracker, but were salted with a very cheesy taste, and we'd get something like 4 for 1d.

I was up that way a few weeks ago and it's all boarded up now, another one gone!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

My first school was Glenbrook infants. As we lived bang across the road, my mum only took me on the first day, I found my own way there after that. She used to laugh about my first day. She took me to the playground and told me to go into school when the whistle went. So she was surprised to see me walk in the back door at about ten past nine. I said to her, ' When the whistle went, I told a little boy to tell the teacher, thank you very much but I want to go home now' And then just cleared off home. My mum had to take me back and I was OK after that. Can you imagine if that happened now? There would be a major enquiry.

Funny thing but as far as I know, my first infant teacher is still alive. A very old lady now.

[Blacks Head Boy 7]

I started at Westdale lane infants in 1972. The school had 2 sets of wooden huts, one for infants and one for 1st year juniors. I stayed at Westdale until 1976 then moved to the newly built Haddon Primary on Haddon Close. Mr Murphy was the headmaster there and he was a firm but fair bloke.Went back to visit the school on its 25th anniversary and was given a guided tour by the headmistress, which was brilliant.

[Rob.L 1,088]

Another Westdale Infants lad, started in 1961 and moved next door to the Juniors later.

In those days, the only heating in the wooden huts was a coal fire in the corner. Combining that with the boys toilets being across the playground, and open to the elements, my main memory is of being permanently cold - especially during the winter of 1963.

[Bilboro-lad 294]

I was Glenbrook Infants too. My first teacher was a Mrs Brown. Very nice lady. I didn't cry on the first day as I had a mate to share the distress. Loads did though. There was a red cardboard train just outside the class door and we played in that while the mardy boggers were pacified. Oh and there was a male teacher Mr Saunders. I know that he was alive a year or so ago.

[tomlinson 879]

William Crane infants from around 1948. I remember a Miss Mitchell and the curiously named Miss Killer. Empire Day looms large in my memory for some reason, afternoon naps and Christmas parties, food supplied by mum. We also had an event where we took a card with our christian name on it and everyone with the same name lined up behind the holder; a position to be fought for.

[piggy and babs 544]

i went to netherfield infants ashwell st from 1956 to 1959 then on to the junior school next door till 1962 then went to station rd carlton girls school till 1966

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Ayup Bilbora lad. We made that cardboard train at the suggestion of Miss Gill the head mistress. I remember Mrs Brown too. Mr Saunders was my teacher in the juniors. Nice bloke. I heard he was still alive too.