Kirkheaton St Johns’ Infant School, Fields Rise

Memories of Margaret Waddington Aged 86

I first began at the infant school in 1941, and the lessons started at 9am. Dinner was from 12 till 1pm and the school finished at 4pm.

In the afternoon from 2 till 3 we had to have a sleep, all the camp beds were hung up around the room and blankets were used to cover us

We had 15 minutes break for playtime both in the morning and in the afternoon. I always went home for my dinner, because in those days, most mums didn’t work. On cold days we had to help fetch the coke for the boiler. It was tipped nearby and we helped by barrowing it to the school where it was put down the hole into the cellar. The toilets were outside in a block, and in winter it was very cold and dark.

We learnt just the basics, the 3 R`s, and by the time I left to go to the “Big School” {1} aged 7or 8 we could read and write a little. I remember the Gas Mantles in the class room, as one broke we had to fetch another one from the store cupboard. The mantles were made from very flimsy material, and once the gas light was lit they became very brittle. The gas lights were in every room between the arched windows which would be about 5 lights in each room. Just as I was leaving in 1945, the work started on installing the electric lights.

Our Head Mistress was Miss Cossey, and my teachers were, Miss Hanson and Miss Roby who we all liked very much.

Copyright Kirkheaton history group February 2022

{1} Kirkheaton National school, School lane

Tags for this article: