Autobiographical
Ruth was born in the 1950s at Mill farm. Her father was John Daniels and she has a brother Julian. She has jotted down some of her childhood memories.
Methodist Chapel in Lower Street I959
Sitting around a fuel heater in the middle of the room (in winter) listening to stories from the bible. Receiving a stamp every time you attended with a biblical scene and a stamp book to collect them in.
School in the 1950s
Miss Stone (Infant teacher) taking her class onto the common, in the afternoon to read a story. All the children sat on the grass in the sunshine listening, there were lots of noisy geese in the hollow, it was a very open space at that time.
Knitting squares with thick cotton wool to be used as blackboard cleaners (to remove chalk).
We were allowed to play on the common opposite the school after lunch. The school bell would ring when we had to return. There was just enough time to go to Blooms shop-I remember buying I penny(1d) packet of broken crisps in a greaseproof bag, full to the brim! Walking to the shop there was a black wooden house set back from the road (not far from the shop), I had been told there was a witch living there and always ran past as quickly as I could, just in case!
The school had a outside toilet block it was a piece of wood with a round hole cut in the middle-no flush- cold in the winter. We had cane hoola-hoops to play with.
In the winter there was a large fireplace in the older children’s class (Mr Hares) piled high with coals. Boys were caned across their knuckles, standing in front of the whole class.
I remember Mr Hislop starting teaching to the middle class children, nobody liked him-he was so strict-luckily, I missed him as I went into Mr Hares class as he started.
Also the optician coming to the school to give all the children an eye test.
Christmas dinner in the canteen. Hoping to find a sixpence wrapped in greaseproof paper in the Christmas pudding -I never did.
Mrs Hare (the headmasters wife) taught country /Scottish dancing, she played the piano to our dancing-we danced at Antingham Rectory for some event.
Brownies was held at the rectory. Mrs Tilney would come down to Lower Street to pick us up after school in her car. We were in our (Brownies) uniforms all day.
Mr Key the auctioneer lived at Cross Keys. He had a big trampoline in a barn that we were allowed to play on if we asked. He would take the trampoline to the Rectory for the annual fete, held in the grounds every year.