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The Teaching staff was Mr. John Ray, The Headmaster, and Messrs. Keep, Miranda
Fewcock, and the pupil-teacher Mr. White, who later became a Headmaster in Gosport.
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Boys who brought sandwiches for their dinner sat in the porch to eat them.
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A Mr. Joliffe used to come and lecture us on “Alcohol and the Human Body”. We had to write an essay and if you passed, you received a Certificate.
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On Ascension Day, we went into the Church for a service, then we
had the day off. On Empire Day, May 24th, the whole school assembled in the Girls’ Playground, the Union Jack was raised up the flagpole and we all sang “Land of Hope and Glory”, and the national anthem.
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Mr. Ray, the Headmaster, was Choirmaster of the Church. All boys, who
had nice singing voices, went into the choir. That meant practising 2 or 3 nights after school, and an evening practice with the men. We received 6d. for singing at a wedding, were
expected to give our services for a funeral.
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Our games after school, Marbles. There was not much
traffic in our day, we made a hole in the road, and “ucked” our marbles in it. Boys had iron hoops with a crook to run with. The
girls had wooden hoops which they hit with a stick. Cigarette cards were very plentiful and we used to save up sets and swap one for another. Conkers were very much in evidence in the Autumn.
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After Peace was declared in 1918 all the children were given a tea and
presented with a mug, with the pictures of King George V and Queen Mary. We assembled at school and marched through the streets to Gosport Park. We had a wonderful time.
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I was one of the choir boys who sang at the laying of the foundation stone of
the present Gosport War Memorial Hospital, by Field Marshall Earl Haig. It was a tremendous thrill seeing one of the War Heroes in the flesh.
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Forton, in those days was a quiet little place. Naturally the R.M.L.I.
being stationed in Forton Barracks were very much to the fore as the majority of the men who lived in the streets around the church.
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The school children had much to occupy them on Saturday mornings. They
had to run errands, clean knives and forks, (no stainless steel then!) and polish shoes ready for Sundays. The great event of Saturday came in the afternoon with a visit to the Criterion Cinema to see
silent films of Charlie Chaplin, Tom Mix, Pearl White, etc. the admission fee was one old penny.
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The Misses Hammond’s little sweet shop was well patronised. Her
stickjaw toffee was famous. For a halfpenny you could get a variety of sweets and for a farthing, liquorice laces.
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Mr. Bucket, the Blacksmith, had his forge in St. John’s Square, and we
spent many happy times watching him shoe horses and doing various jobs.
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Mr. Diment, the Butcher, had his slaughter house opposite. On Mondays we
saw all the animals being driven from Fareham Market. I remember seeing the Crossways road being built. We had to ask the workmen questions and answer in school next day.
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The Tramcars used to run through Forton to Fareham, and also railway
trains. We used to watch the Red Cross train through with the wounded from the war to go to Haslar.
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I can well remember seeing the German airship which came over during the First
World War. Everyone was very excited and frightened. Little did we realise that in a matter of twenty-five years terrible destruction would have taken place.
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I hope my memories of school days in Forton will be of interest. I had a
very happy time and am greatly indebted to my former teachers for the help and knowledge they gave me. I still think of my old school with great pride and affection.
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NEXT PAGE - Chapter 8
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