Class of 1954 Memories of Box School by Les Dancey November 2014
I have been asked to pen my memories through the 1940s and 50s, so here goes:
This was our last school photo, taken at Box School just before a number of us left in 1954, after which Box became a junior school only. I was fourteen and stood 5' 6" tall. I'm now seventy five and stand 5' 7" tall; not much advancement !
Back Row: Graham (Archie) Moules, Valerie Smith, Les Dancey, Ann Heath, David Butt, Gwen Harding, Terry Rustbridge, Grace Scammel, Howard Crocker, Fay Cleverly, Graham (Buster) Callaway
Middle Row: ?, Pat Miles, Diana Gillam, Margaret Perry, Mr PM Dear (teacher), Mr A Adams (headmaster), June Gover, Maureen Pashley, Brenda Nicholson, Valerie Betteridge
Front Row: Adrian Cook, Roger Sumner, Derek Beeho, Brian (Taffy) Boulton
This is my reminiscences of my classmates and of others from 1954. I hope their lives have been good to them and I would welcome hearing from any of them that remember me.
Nine of us left school at the summer term: Ann Heath, David Butt, Gwen Harding, Grace Scammel, Fay Cleverly, Graham Callaway, Diana Gillam, June Gover and myself. Apart from Adrian Cook and Roger Sumner, others went on to Shurnhold School in Melksham, later called George Spicers. (The Headmaster there was Mr J Lindley.)
Brian Boulton was a first class goalkeeper and I remember him flying through the air to save shots which would have passed most other goalies.
David Butt used to come up with these amazing old cars, like a Jowett Javelin, Armstrong Siddeley and the like (I don't know if he ever had any of them insured) in which we used to go out into the country to various pubs. Others of us like Howard Croker and myself had motorbikes. A load of us went to North Wraxall to a point-to-point and I met a work colleague who knew all the horses intimately and gave us all the winners, including one which was lying fifth on the last lap. Four fell down and he overtook the remaining one. Amazing!
Derek Beeho (now deceased) and I used to go up to the flea pit (cinema) at Thornypits on my motor bike and, as we passed the end of his road I would slow down and he would vault off the back. One night, we had forgotten that I had put some panniers on the back so, when he did his usual trick, his legs were caught in the panniers and he was hanging off the back. Luckily no part of him reached the ground and we managed to untangle him when I stopped.
Archie Moules was a lovely guy. He came first in the high jump in our last Sports day before leaving Box School. Unfortunately I understand that he passed way in January 2015.
We all liked the Friday night dances at Box Highlands, it was the birth of Rock and Roll. The experience that we had can never be replicated. We went from the austerity of the post war years and rationing and everything drab; then suddenly, overnight, the world changed. I used to sing with a band in and around Chippenham, but that's another story.
This was our last school photo, taken at Box School just before a number of us left in 1954, after which Box became a junior school only. I was fourteen and stood 5' 6" tall. I'm now seventy five and stand 5' 7" tall; not much advancement !
Back Row: Graham (Archie) Moules, Valerie Smith, Les Dancey, Ann Heath, David Butt, Gwen Harding, Terry Rustbridge, Grace Scammel, Howard Crocker, Fay Cleverly, Graham (Buster) Callaway
Middle Row: ?, Pat Miles, Diana Gillam, Margaret Perry, Mr PM Dear (teacher), Mr A Adams (headmaster), June Gover, Maureen Pashley, Brenda Nicholson, Valerie Betteridge
Front Row: Adrian Cook, Roger Sumner, Derek Beeho, Brian (Taffy) Boulton
This is my reminiscences of my classmates and of others from 1954. I hope their lives have been good to them and I would welcome hearing from any of them that remember me.
Nine of us left school at the summer term: Ann Heath, David Butt, Gwen Harding, Grace Scammel, Fay Cleverly, Graham Callaway, Diana Gillam, June Gover and myself. Apart from Adrian Cook and Roger Sumner, others went on to Shurnhold School in Melksham, later called George Spicers. (The Headmaster there was Mr J Lindley.)
Brian Boulton was a first class goalkeeper and I remember him flying through the air to save shots which would have passed most other goalies.
David Butt used to come up with these amazing old cars, like a Jowett Javelin, Armstrong Siddeley and the like (I don't know if he ever had any of them insured) in which we used to go out into the country to various pubs. Others of us like Howard Croker and myself had motorbikes. A load of us went to North Wraxall to a point-to-point and I met a work colleague who knew all the horses intimately and gave us all the winners, including one which was lying fifth on the last lap. Four fell down and he overtook the remaining one. Amazing!
Derek Beeho (now deceased) and I used to go up to the flea pit (cinema) at Thornypits on my motor bike and, as we passed the end of his road I would slow down and he would vault off the back. One night, we had forgotten that I had put some panniers on the back so, when he did his usual trick, his legs were caught in the panniers and he was hanging off the back. Luckily no part of him reached the ground and we managed to untangle him when I stopped.
Archie Moules was a lovely guy. He came first in the high jump in our last Sports day before leaving Box School. Unfortunately I understand that he passed way in January 2015.
We all liked the Friday night dances at Box Highlands, it was the birth of Rock and Roll. The experience that we had can never be replicated. We went from the austerity of the post war years and rationing and everything drab; then suddenly, overnight, the world changed. I used to sing with a band in and around Chippenham, but that's another story.
Box School
When we were in the first or second classes at school there was an L-shaped slated area in the top corner of the bottom rear playground where us little boys were supposed to pee. We could just about see over the top and we had competitions to see who could do the longest pee and called the girls over to judge.
When I first went to school there was a lovely young teacher but she soon got married and I was a pageboy for her; why I don't know. I remember that I had a blue corduroy suit and she picked me up and kissed me outside the church afterwards. After that we had Mrs Adams, wife of the headmaster, and when she got annoyed with us we had to lay our hands flat on the desk, palms down, and she used to hit them with a metal edged ruler. I remember running away more than once. Both her and her husband were rather strict.
The allotments at the end of the Rec were not there until we had the area for school gardening lessons. (I guess when the school went over to Junior status it was then given for allotments.) I remember that my Dad had two. At school gardening lessons we were issued with wooden clogs with a metal horseshoe-type fitting on the sole. After the lessons we had to make sure that they were free of mud.
One day one of us accidentally chopped a worm in half and so we gave him a funeral, with a cross on top of his grave. We called him Willy the worm. Just a bit of fun.We also had rabbits that we used to keep in a chicken wire run under the canopy of the rear classroom. We used to go foraging for dandelions and other such food for them. At holiday times a volunteer pupil took it home to be looked after. One good place for getting food for the rabbits was at the batters below the railway line however the path along there used to be teeming with snakes, sunning themselves to warm their bodies up.
When we were in the first or second classes at school there was an L-shaped slated area in the top corner of the bottom rear playground where us little boys were supposed to pee. We could just about see over the top and we had competitions to see who could do the longest pee and called the girls over to judge.
When I first went to school there was a lovely young teacher but she soon got married and I was a pageboy for her; why I don't know. I remember that I had a blue corduroy suit and she picked me up and kissed me outside the church afterwards. After that we had Mrs Adams, wife of the headmaster, and when she got annoyed with us we had to lay our hands flat on the desk, palms down, and she used to hit them with a metal edged ruler. I remember running away more than once. Both her and her husband were rather strict.
The allotments at the end of the Rec were not there until we had the area for school gardening lessons. (I guess when the school went over to Junior status it was then given for allotments.) I remember that my Dad had two. At school gardening lessons we were issued with wooden clogs with a metal horseshoe-type fitting on the sole. After the lessons we had to make sure that they were free of mud.
One day one of us accidentally chopped a worm in half and so we gave him a funeral, with a cross on top of his grave. We called him Willy the worm. Just a bit of fun.We also had rabbits that we used to keep in a chicken wire run under the canopy of the rear classroom. We used to go foraging for dandelions and other such food for them. At holiday times a volunteer pupil took it home to be looked after. One good place for getting food for the rabbits was at the batters below the railway line however the path along there used to be teeming with snakes, sunning themselves to warm their bodies up.
Headmaster, Mr Adams
Sometimes, when there was no teacher available, Arthur Adams would take us for maths. It was very easy to lead him off the subject by expressing an interest in something else. One day there was a bad storm with thunder and lightening so we led him onto talking about that. We did not get away from it completely as he explained that the lightening was instantaneous but that the thunder only travelled at the speed of sound and he had us calculating how far away the lightening strike was by counting the seconds between the two.
Invariably the class was in some disruption before the master arrived in the room but the perpetrators jumped back to their seats at the impending arrival of authority. The principal protagonist was Jimmy Orritt who, unfortunately sat on the inside seat, against the wall with me on the outside. This meant that I had to get up to let him in and it was muggins who was not back in his seat when the Master came into view.
One time Taffy Boulton and I were messing about with a mangle which was left out in Ozzy Butt's yard and, somehow Taffy got his fingers in the rollers and took two or three fingernails off. Ouch!! We were banned from letting fireworks off in our break-time at school but Jimmy Orritt was throwing them down into the thick mud where they were excavating the football field. Unfortunately, he held onto one for too long just as Arthur Adams, the headmaster came into view and it went off in his hand. The Headmaster took him to his office and gave him six of the best on the other hand. Ouch!!
We had inter-school sports at Box fields and I remember that the longest race was a half mile because they said that a mile was too far for fourteen year olds, whereas we were used to running the mile at Box School. The shot put also was only eight pounds in weight, whereas we were used to the full twelve pounder and I was surprised to find that I couldn't put it as far as the heavier one. Towards the end of the day I came across a worm which I spontaniously put down Valerie Smith's neck. Unfortunately Arthur Adams was close by and was attracted by Val's screams and promptly told me to report to his office first thing Monday morning, no doubt to receive a caning. After an uncomfortable weekend I did not present myself to him and, thankfully, he had forgotten about the incident.
Sometimes, when there was no teacher available, Arthur Adams would take us for maths. It was very easy to lead him off the subject by expressing an interest in something else. One day there was a bad storm with thunder and lightening so we led him onto talking about that. We did not get away from it completely as he explained that the lightening was instantaneous but that the thunder only travelled at the speed of sound and he had us calculating how far away the lightening strike was by counting the seconds between the two.
Invariably the class was in some disruption before the master arrived in the room but the perpetrators jumped back to their seats at the impending arrival of authority. The principal protagonist was Jimmy Orritt who, unfortunately sat on the inside seat, against the wall with me on the outside. This meant that I had to get up to let him in and it was muggins who was not back in his seat when the Master came into view.
One time Taffy Boulton and I were messing about with a mangle which was left out in Ozzy Butt's yard and, somehow Taffy got his fingers in the rollers and took two or three fingernails off. Ouch!! We were banned from letting fireworks off in our break-time at school but Jimmy Orritt was throwing them down into the thick mud where they were excavating the football field. Unfortunately, he held onto one for too long just as Arthur Adams, the headmaster came into view and it went off in his hand. The Headmaster took him to his office and gave him six of the best on the other hand. Ouch!!
We had inter-school sports at Box fields and I remember that the longest race was a half mile because they said that a mile was too far for fourteen year olds, whereas we were used to running the mile at Box School. The shot put also was only eight pounds in weight, whereas we were used to the full twelve pounder and I was surprised to find that I couldn't put it as far as the heavier one. Towards the end of the day I came across a worm which I spontaniously put down Valerie Smith's neck. Unfortunately Arthur Adams was close by and was attracted by Val's screams and promptly told me to report to his office first thing Monday morning, no doubt to receive a caning. After an uncomfortable weekend I did not present myself to him and, thankfully, he had forgotten about the incident.
Other Teachers
Towards the end of our time at Box school we had a new master in the name of Peter Dear and, along with Bertie Swan, were the best masters the school had. He was strict but fair. He would march us out into the front of the class and we had to pull up our trouser leg, put our foot on a chair and he would give us a sound slap with a plimsol on the calf. He would smile and say that it would leave no mark. He was also a good shot with the chalk.
We had very few facilities at Box School and we used to be bussed to Bradford-on-Avon for swimming lessons. The instructor only had one leg but could swim the length of the bath in three strokes. Nigel Stockley was exceptional in that he could only swim just below the surface of the water but not on top. He now lives in Australia and he tells me that he learned to make it to the top when he signed up as a boy entrant in the RAF.
The rails at the side of the bath were held on with some rather dangerous hooks. We swam in two sessions with the non-active group sitting in the balcony. Poor old Derek Beeho was a little late getting in the water and, as he sat down and slid into the water, one of the hooks tore the crutch piece of his costume. In getting out he held his modesty in one hand but, unfortunately one part was still showing.
We also had to be bussed to woodworking lessons at Westwells School, which was a school for the Hungarian immigrants. Our teacher was a Mr Paul Weller. We got on quite well with the Hungarians until the snow came, when we had snowball battles. The recreation area was covered in clinker and they used to include a lump of clinker in their snowballs. Box girls were also on the same bus and carried on to what was then Corsham Regis School for cookery. They were picked up first and when us boys got on the bus some of what they had made was scoffed before we got back to Box.
Towards the end of our time at Box school we had a new master in the name of Peter Dear and, along with Bertie Swan, were the best masters the school had. He was strict but fair. He would march us out into the front of the class and we had to pull up our trouser leg, put our foot on a chair and he would give us a sound slap with a plimsol on the calf. He would smile and say that it would leave no mark. He was also a good shot with the chalk.
We had very few facilities at Box School and we used to be bussed to Bradford-on-Avon for swimming lessons. The instructor only had one leg but could swim the length of the bath in three strokes. Nigel Stockley was exceptional in that he could only swim just below the surface of the water but not on top. He now lives in Australia and he tells me that he learned to make it to the top when he signed up as a boy entrant in the RAF.
The rails at the side of the bath were held on with some rather dangerous hooks. We swam in two sessions with the non-active group sitting in the balcony. Poor old Derek Beeho was a little late getting in the water and, as he sat down and slid into the water, one of the hooks tore the crutch piece of his costume. In getting out he held his modesty in one hand but, unfortunately one part was still showing.
We also had to be bussed to woodworking lessons at Westwells School, which was a school for the Hungarian immigrants. Our teacher was a Mr Paul Weller. We got on quite well with the Hungarians until the snow came, when we had snowball battles. The recreation area was covered in clinker and they used to include a lump of clinker in their snowballs. Box girls were also on the same bus and carried on to what was then Corsham Regis School for cookery. They were picked up first and when us boys got on the bus some of what they had made was scoffed before we got back to Box.