I
lived on Ancona
Road and attended the Infant and Primary School at Conway.
(In this picture of Conways School Class of 1950, I am the
fourth boy from the left in the back row). I can recall
the caretaker ringing the school bell every morning. In the
Infants we were given a spoonful of malt every morning, as we
went in.
In the Primary School we had to do
Country Dancing. On the days we had P.E. (Physical Education)
if you had no plimsoles to wear during the P.E. you had to go
to a cupboard in the hall and hope to find a pair that fitted
you.
At Christmas time we were taken around
to the church next to the school, in Hector Street, for a Carol
Service. (This church is now a Roman Catholic church)
I can't recall all the teachers names, but the few I can are:
Mrs Moore, who was in the Infants, Miss Baker and Mrs Barnaby;
Mr Mockridge, who was the football master, who later became
Headmaster of Alexander McLeod School in Abbey Wood; Mr Lovatt,
who always wore a three piece suit and had a pencil moustache;
Mr Jenkins, who was in charge of the school band; and Mr Bull,
the Headmaster.
I went to East Plumstead Baptist Church
for Sunday School, the old church on the corner of Griffin and
Brewery Roads, and then later I went there to Cubs (14th Woolwich
group). In those days we used to march to Woolwich through the
streets on the annual St George's Day Parade.
On leaving Conway School I then attended
Wickham
Lane Secondary Modern School for Boys. I remember the annual
cross-country races which we ran through Bostall
Woods. We were put into 'Houses,' each house had a different
colour. The house names were, Abbey, King, and School. I was
in Abbey. Some of the schoolteachers I recall are, Mr Whitworth,
who took Religious Instruction, Mr Hough, Bookcraft & Gardening,
Mr War, History, Mr Armound, Woodwork, Mr Bennet, Metal Work
and Mr Waites, Music.
I
remember when my dad took me to see the last tram. We stood
on the Plumstead rail bridge as the very last tram rattled past
us. It was all lit up (sad day). They were good, those old trams.