Tag Archives: School

Delia Whitehead: War years at Yarmouth School

There was a large brick building across the playground that was used as an air raid shelter. When the siren went off, the drill was to stand up, pick up your gas mask and then a little mat that was hung on a hook. It was sort of felt on one side and rubber stuff on the other. This was to sit on, as the seat in the brick building was very cold. We then marched to the shelter and sang silly songs, said our times-tables and listened to stories until the all-clear.

Another rather frightening thing I remember. One day, a big black van came to the school and we had to go and sit in it, about six children at a time, with our gas masks on. This was for them to test that they were working all right. They did not explain to us that it was nothing that would harm us. One young boy got so frightened that he was sick down his gas mask and had to be taken home.

One bit we did like was every so often, a lady used to arrive dressed in a green dress and a broad-rimmed green hat. I think she was from the Women’s Voluntary Service. We were given a piece of stiff paper that, with help, had to be made into a cone shape. Then the lady filled it with chocolate powder, folded the top over and we were supposed to take it home but the teacher turned a blind eye to the fact that many fingers were licked and poked down into the chocolate powder, to say nothing of the odd tongue. Not a great deal of the powder reached home, I might add!

Then there was the school war effort. One of the things done was that every so often, we were asked to bring a bag or tin dish to school, and we went to an area that is now the old train line path, to pick wild rose hips. These were to be made into rose hip syrup. But I don’t know which was worse, the insects that bit us or the boys! They would break the rose hips open to get the itching powder out and put it down the girls’ backs when the teacher was not looking. But the hips that did not drop on the ground or get put down people’s backs finally were taken back to school and weighed.

A few evacuees came to live in Yarmouth during the war years. I made friends with one little girl the day she arrived and we have been friends to this day.
Delia Whitehead nee Hunt b 1934

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade

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Yarmouth’s Townfolk, Thorley residents and visitors alike braved the wind and weather and congregated on the Green ready for the Judging and the Parade.

The afternoon weather worsened from overcast, miserable and blustery, to heavy rain, so everyone who came deserved an award, especially those who stayed the full course.

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, Yarmouth School entry

Yarmouth School and Pre School sent messages to children, parents and supporters by jungle drums ( and texts) calling all cavemen and dinosaurs to join their float. Result: Yarmouth School Roxs! and won the David Dockrell Cup and Best in parade. Well done!

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, School Cavemen and PTFA cavewoman Tanya Letchford.

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, Pre School Cavemen

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, Pre School Cavewomen and Denise the Sabre Toothed Tiger.

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, School Cavemen win David Dockrell Cup

Carnival 2013: Saturday August 17th Parade, School Cavemen and a few Cowleys win the David Dockrell Cup

We’ve won! Great team work from Yarmouth School and Pre School, children, parents and PTFA. Kizzy Cowley and Claire Bennett, both parents of children at Yarmouth School, and members of PTFA, co ordinated the entry with Tanya Letchford and Sarah Howell of PTFA.

Viking Isaacs arrived early, but fights broke out amongst their own numbers, so happily the town was not plundered on this occasion. They didn’t seem to use their oars very enthusiastically – perhaps their energy had been taken up in Decorated Dinghies and Harbour Sports.

Carnival 2013 Vikings

Carnival 2013: Parade Mallyshag

The Carnival’s own Mallyshag received an unexpected visit from a rather larger Millishag, looking, we’re told, for Love ( GSOH, own sets of boots, good supply of cabbages required).

leCarnival 2013: Parade MallyshCarnival 2013: Parade, Millishag

Carnival 2013: Parade Millishag led by Pete Scott

Carnival 2013: Parade Carnival 2013: Parade, Millishag

Carnival 2013 : Parade, Millishag in action, feet belonging to Scott family, Margaret Scott, Rebecca ‘Mastermind’ Blake, Hannah Blake, Katie Franks, with Jean Tiffin and Marion Stevens.

The visiting Milli was awarded the prize for Best Group on Foot ( feet?) and Mally and Milli were seen keeping company, so we await with interest next year’s developments.

Carnival 2013 : Parade Peckham Wimbledon tennis

Together at last; Mallyshag and visiting Millishag set off in the rain to tour the town.

Two young gentleman, ‘Fred Perry’ and ‘Andy Murray’, with lady umpire, braved a three hour motor-borne tennis match. Rain did not stop play. We challenge any professionals to play with such panache under such conditions! We salute your stamina, and ball control, chaps.

Carnival 2013 : Parade, Pan and Hook

The retiring ‘Spirit of Yarmouth Carnival’, Carl Ingram, appeared as Captain Hook with brother Ryan as Peter Pan to celebrate Yarmouth’s literary heritage ( New book last Year, ‘History of Yarmouth’ ; new book this year, ‘Yarmouth and Thorley Voices’ available from Holdings. BUY ONE if you haven’t already!) Maybe Hook’s remarkable wig kept him warm and dry – he stayed the whole course.

Carnival 2013 : Parade Team GB

Sporting achievements were celebrated – Team GB in its entirety, from Dame Ellen, through gymnast Tweddle to a cycling hero who was banished from riding on the float and had to pedal his way. Red, white and blue did their best to cheer up the afternoon.

Carnival 2013 : Parade, Harry, Pippa and the baby buoy

There were more red, white and blue celebrations as Prince Harry and Aunty Pippa put in a surprise appearance celebrating the birth of a little buoy ( love it), courtesy of Yarmouth Sailing Club.

Carnival 2013: Parade, Pearl

Not quite carried out to sea, one little Pearl appeared in a scallop shell, thoughtfully wrapped against the rain.

Carnival 2013: Parade, horses

From over the river came the White Horses – an annual tradition, with a good number of riders from Hill Farm.

And yes, the Fire Engine can get round the corner without damage to Harwoods, Harveys, ( Mills really) or spectators. Great demonstration, Crew!

To all who took part, in any way, you’re all winners, just rather wet ones this year.

Carnival 2013 : Road formation dance team

Carnival 2013 :Pat Lester in action

Carnival 2013: Vectis Corps of Drums ready. Peter and Serena Cottrell contributed to the costs of the bands.

Carnival 2013: Yarmouth School’s winning entry, led by Deanna Turnbull of PTFA, wet but undaunted.

Carnival 2013, Izzy Taylor and Team GB, wet and going home.

Carnival 2013 Pre School Little Stars leaders, Denise and Sadie still dry and happy.

Carnival 2013 Yarmouth School, Moses Cowley, dinosaur with club: double trouble.

The Carnival parade was sponsored by Yarmouth Spice, to whom many thanks, and to their patrons who were generous when the collecting buckets were rattled at them.

Pete Smith :School, Maypole 1950s

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Maypole at Yarmouth School 1950s

For several years when I was at Yarmouth school in the 1950’s we had a Maypole dancing team that used to practise in the boys’ play ground during school time. There were many combinations of weaving in and out of each other round the Maypole which gave nice patterns to the ribbons. Whilst you were dancing you weren’t really aware of the pattern forming above you as you were concentrating on the actual dancing in and out, around each other to avoid getting the ribbons tangled up or falling over each other…. all hazards of Maypole dancing! It was only when you stopped dancing that you could see the pattern that you had made. That was the easy bit.

We then had a short break of a few minutes to catch our breath then we had to dance round in the opposite direction to unwind the pattern and eventually end up as we had started, with no pattern and straight ribbons. I’m not entirely sure why we spent so many hours practising as the only public performance that I can recall was either up The Mount in the years when they held a summer garden fete, or over the bridge at a house called, I believe, ‘Cracknells’ when they took over the summer fete after the Mount. In both cases there were dignitaries present such as May O’ Connor who I think was the head of IWCC Education, and the IW Lord Lieutenant, so the dancing had to be spot on or else!

Peter Smith b 1946

Pat Burt: Swimming 1930s

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Sandhard with huts and Bridge House

Our headteacher, Miss Martin she was then, would take us swimming at Love Shore, the whole class. She had a roller towel to help you to learn to swim. You lay in the water through the towel, with it round your middle and she held you up while you paddled. It was a good method!

It was wonderful living in the High Street, just opposite the lane down to Love Shore. On a hot day, you’d change, then run over the road and down to Love Shore. If we went for a picnic tho’, we’d go over the bridge to Sandhard.
Pat Burt nee Adams 1929

Nick Chandler, Serena Dias de Deus: WWII school 1940s

The war was on when I started school, and if the siren went off to signal an air raid we had to pick up a small mat which was on a hook at the side of our infant school tables and then form a line, and quietly file out to the air raid shelter in the boys playground, where we sat and sang songs like “One man went to Mow”. Serena Hunt b 1939

There was a great big air raid shelter in the boys playground next to the houses, by the school garden, that ran from the toilet block, right the way down to the wall. It was a huge air raid shelter. You used to go to school with your gas mask, and on the edge of your desk there was a little tiny mat hanging there. The siren went, you grabbed your gas mask and mat and marched across to the shelter. Nick Chandler b 1937

Mary Lord: WWII, school, rations 1940s

Mr. Burt, outside Burts Station Rd

I remember having to take the gas mask to school every day, and hang it on the back of my chair.
My best friends at that time were evacuees, but we weren’t especially aware of the war, even though my dad was working in a shipyard in Cowes.
We were always hungry, we used to eat the acorns from the trees in the playground. We didn’t eat very many because they took so long to peel. We were sent out to pick blackberries, and rosehips for vitamin c to supplement the food. It must have been along the railway line, and there were still trains, but I don’t remember any warnings or worries. The boys didn’t do much picking, just opened up the rosehips and put the seeds down people’s necks as itching powder.
I remember getting occasional packets of chocolate powder which was supposed to be for making hot chocolate, but my mother used to let me sit on the doorstep and dip my finger in the powder, the nearest we got to sweets, although later we did have a 2oz ration from Mr. Burt’s shop. Mr Burt’s shop
Mary Lord b 1936

Phil Kelsey: Free Time, Yarmouth Football

When Yarmouth played West Wight they used to have a couple of hundred, they come down from Freshwater. They used to have to pay to go in then if it was a cup tie. I can remember Dad was always on the gate. He was on the committee. When he finished work he used to go up there marking it out. But oh yes, there used to be some grand scraps between Yarmouth and West Wight.

Football at the Rec pre WWII

The older school kids used to go up there during the winter once a week. We just used the whole pitch, plodding up and down. Anybody who had a football was well in. You’d see two or three go up after school kicking about, shooting in goal, you know, one in goal, and having a tussle. I mean you never see them now. These days, of course there’s not so many children of that age in the town as there used to be.
Phil Kelsey b 1920

Sue Russell: School days

I went to Yarmouth Primary School which was just over the road from our house and have many happy memories of being there. We had two teachers; one Miss Ella Chambers, and Mrs Vera Barton who was also the headteacher and lived at the back of the school. The school was much smaller in those days with two classrooms, now it’s double the size.

The toilets were across the playground and had a large gap under the door. We thought they were very creepy. We also used to have milk every day which I didn’t like much.
Log re milk

I do remember that when you had been very naughty you were sent to Mrs Barton for the cane, which I didn’t have very often but Serena, or ‘Squeak’ as she was called, did! We didn’t mind as we deserved it. Squeak was my best friend and we did everything together.
Sue Russell

Rod Corbett: A short first day at school

My first day at school didn’t last very long. There was an old Nissen hut in the playground, probably left over from where the Army had had a gun on the refuse tip next door. There was a table in it, so I climbed on with another boy who was starting school with me. I gave him a shove and knocked him off, and he howled – he was always a bit of a ‘boohoo’. Anyway, I thought, ‘I’d better not stay here’, so I ran home to Gran ( my great grandmother who lived in Field Cottages).
Rod Corbett b 1943

Betty Coates Evans: Schools days

When I went to Yarmouth School we had two classrooms with coal-burning stoves, and outside toilets.

Most of the children lived locally although a few came from Thorley.

We were used to the high tides in the winter. The sea came over the wall and half the playground flooded and you couldn’t use the toilets.

The land at the back of the school, now the car park, was an open rubbish dump. There were always flies in the summer.
Betty Coates Evans nee Lock b 1938