Shirley Black Nee Parker

  Memories of Roxeth Manor/Eastcote Lane Girls School
I started School when I was five years old in the Infants Imade friends with a girl her name was Yvonne Gooding she lived in Tregenna Ave at no 74, we stayed friends right up until we left school at the age of 15, In the infants we loved our teacher Miss Courtney and there was an American  boy in my class he was always trying to hold my hand or he would wait outside the school gate for me  he did frighten me and I use to hide from him, We use to get a bottle of milk every day mid morning we did not have to pay for it every one was expected to drink it  if we did not want it we use to give it to one of our friends to drink without the teacher seeing us exchange bottles ,our uniform was navy blue gymslip.                                                     

We had a  interval school photo  taken  every year,  we also had the dentist lady come to the school we all use to worry as we lined up out side the room waiting for your turn if she handed you a piece of paper you know their was some work to be done and you was to take it home for your parents to make an appointment with the school dentist or your own I remember having gas to have a tooth out ,, we also had a medical  we would have  to strip down to our under wear the doctor would do our weight and height  it was all very frightening  we also  had the nit lady come every few months to look for flea’s it was most abasing if you was found to have then the children was very crawl and would make fun ,, before moving up to the Juniors we would get an eye test to see if we needed glasses it was all new experience's for us all And moving up to the juniors we felt grown up and ready to learn we was given books and pencils and we had a desk-with a lid that lifted up and the class was always being told off for banging the lids down  we also had home work witch had to handed in at the end of the week there was detentions for a lot of children who did not get it done we staying in after school, had swimming  once a week at Harrow swimming baths we had to have our money for the bus I never did.. learn to swim,,  when the teacher was not looking Yvonne and some others and myself  would tip toe down the steps while the others would be jumping in  ,,one of my regrets, I loved the smell of school dinners  we use to have 8 on a table two servers at the end they would dish the food out and pass it down any left over in the dishes would be put in the middle of the table so you could help your self if you wanted more we had teachers walking round the dinner hall  to see you all behaved at the table and you had to wait till all had finished then you was let out to play I the dinners cost about 2/6 for the week. the dinners were very good one of my favourites was chocolate sponge pudding with chocolate sauce and sausage pie it came in a big dish and very thick  P,E was Rounders on the field or if raining apparatus in the hall jumping onto a spring board over a horse a letter from your parents was always needed to get out of the class and if you forgot your PE kit you was still made to do it ,before moving up to the seniors every one had an exam to see what class you would be put into and hope you would still be with the friends you had made during your time in the juniors  some went to other schools.

©Shirley Black 2010                                                              Shirley kindley sent me these cuttings that her Brother Peter Parker gave her.
Her Family lived in Rosebury Avenue South Harrow.