Edna Cornish (2)

Edna Cornish - 1928

In the previous post, the school had received a lovely handwritten letter from  91 year-old, ex-pupil Mrs Edna Phillips (nee Cornish).  In response to this letter, one of our Year 6 children, wrote to Mrs Phillips inviting her to attend the School's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations for the Queen.
Although Mrs Phillips was unable to attend, she sent this wonderful reply:  

Dear Amie,
That is a pretty name, I thank you so much for the neatly written letter that you sent me. Afraid my writing is a bit scrawly these days.

It was kind of you to invite me to your coming Jubilee celebrations, I would have loved to have come if  I lived nearer and was a bit more active, but the old legs are a bit wobbly and I need help on long distances, as in cars I tend to get a bit stiffened up. I hope you all have a lovely time. It would be nice if they made ‘Magic Carpets’ like in the old fairy stories.

I have looked on my son’s computer at the pictures of the old school. Everyone looks so happy. I note that you have tables and chairs. We had desks which the boys would bang the lids down and there were inkwells on the top. We, that is the older ones, used pens with nibs and those boys used to snap them off, attach a paper piece to make into darts to throw up to the ceiling. Very naughty.

I see you are year 6 – we had standards – I, II, III, IV, V and I left school at 14. I don’t know how long you have to go at Sandhurst school but I went straight out to work.

What a lovely idea to call the new infant class ‘Ducklings’, sounds fun.

Thanks Again.
Good luck for your future
Sincerely Yours
Edna Phillips (Mrs)

Edna Cornish - 1926

Recently, the school received a wonderful hand written letter from a 91 year old, ex-pupil. The text of the letter is reproduced below.

Edna Cornish - 1928

Dear Head of St Michaels School,

Recently it came to my notice that the school had celebrated 150 years and that your oldest visitor had started in 1932. I started in your school in 1926 (approx). I am now ninety one. This brought back many memories.

The lovely old rocking horse in the infants room. Kind Miss Bunch and her assistants Miss Hinds And Ayers! (I visited Miss Bunch long after I left the school too). Those old toilets that were ‘scary’ because big girls frightened us saying ‘someone is hiding in there’ The cookery room, learning housewifery and cooking. Malted milk drink or malted milk tablets in the infants.

The smell of woodshavings in the carpentry shed. Our little gardens we had. I had some red flowers that didn’t smell very nice. I think they were called LAVETRIA. Sewing the stiff white pillowcases, breaking the needle – sore fingers. We used to go outside and bury the needle behind the cycle shed. Going up those little steps in the churchyard for Ascension Day services in church. Empire Day singing patriotic songs.

Trying to leap frog on the grass outside the school house and I mustn’t forget Mr OLDHAM headmaster, and in the big class where we sang something about ‘a Cornish lad and true’ he would tap me on the head with his book as my name was Cornish! My two younger sisters also went to Sandhurst C of E School, one has passed on and the youngest one is 86.

Happy Days. I did not want to leave.

The last time I visited Sandhurst was 2000 so I expect that I would find many changes?

Good luck to the future years of the school.

Edna Phillips / Cornish

P.S.  I still have books as prizes for Scripture, Cookery and Handwriting (in those days!)

Karen Spence (nee Bird) 1964 - 1970

I am writing to say thank you for all the effort that went into St Michael's birthday open day. I was a pupil from 1964-1970 and my afternoon back at the school brought back many happy memories. Before going to the school I met up and had lunch with two old school friends who I hadn't seen for over 30 years which added to the occasion.

It was lovely to see that the school I remember so fondly is still a "great school" and that it retains a pride in its history. A particular highlight was seeing the films taken by Dr Holmes, I was the child holding the wasp nest, found when the old hall was being demolished before the swimming pool was built and the Queen of Hearts, in the fancy dress competition, my brother was hiding under the Mickey Mouse head.

I thought you might like to hear some of my very happy memories of the school.

When I first joined the school the two infant classrooms were where the staff room and offices are now. There were 4 junior classes, in the current reception classroom, library and Y2 classroom and in a terrapin on the outdoor classroom area. We used to have assembly in the current Reception classroom, there was a stage at one end and it seemed much bigger than it is now. I remember there being a chart on the wall that we had to get stars on by learning our times tables, we got a gold star for the X12. Later we had another terrapin and one of the infant classrooms was used as an art room. Just outside the entrance to your y2 classroom we used to be given a small bottle of milk to drink. In the winter it used to freeze and in the summer it was warm and horrible. I never enjoyed having to drink it.

I can remember many of my teachers' names and the subjects I used to enjoy them teaching me, I particularly remember Mrs Randall who was very strict but used to read Enid Blyton stories to us. Mr Wallace was a great science teacher and Mrs Morton taught me French.

Staff & Parents Netball Team - 1985

Wow, 50 posts already!
All looking rather bedraggled! Either Year 6 gave them a tough match or it rained a lot!

1985 - Staff  & Parents Netball Team vs Year 6
(Named version)

Thanks to David Knott for supplying this photo memory.

Mr Simon Cotterill, Teacher 1998 - 2007

Mr Simon Cotterill

Writing about my memories of the wonderful place that is St. Michael's has quite fittingly taken the form of my preparations for all of those Lakeside evenings of years gone by... I've left it to the very last minute (let's just hope the technology holds out or that a fitness class don't turn up as they did on one instance of a terrible double booking!).  But just as all those years ago it would all come together on the night, I hope that as I sit here on the eve of your 150th birthday I find the words to do justice to just how incredibly privileged I feel to have been a part of such a special place.

In 1998 I stood fresh-faced in front of my very first class of year 6 children, proceeded to pronounce names wrong on the register (sorry Sam - I know you forgave me!), muddled my way through a literacy lesson and hurried to the staff room at break time to recover over a cup of tea, slice of cake (there were always so many cakes – Mrs Thair’s Welsh cakes were a favourite, I do miss them to this day) and plenty of laughter that would lead to friendships to last a lifetime.  That first year was a whirlwind: rugby tournaments ending in runners-up trophies (a familiar theme would emerge, but hey, it gave us something to fill the wonky trophy cabinet that Mr Boulain and myself put up to house the reminders of sporting glories); a lesson observation from Mrs Priestman that would leave us doubled up in laughter for reasons only apparent to us; stapling baubles to the hall ceiling in preparation for Christmas parties; SATS preparation loosely linked to Swallows and Amazons;  the legendary Lakeside; non-stop cricket on a Friday afternoon (was that in the curriculum?); sing-songs with the guitar; leavers services in that most beautiful of churches;  leavers parties that would always end in a victory for the teachers at rounders against the children (due to Mrs Suter’s win-at-all-costs back-stopping!), a good soaking during the waterfight (for the pupils) and drying off in the Duke’s Head afterwards (teachers only).  The list of memories goes on.

Mrs Ann Morton, 1960 - 1990

I was delighted to be invited to contribute my memories to the St. Michael's School 150 blog.

Mrs Ann Morton, 2012

I spent the greater part of my teaching career at St. Michael's School, and both my children were pupils there. My first involvement with the school was a part-time teaching post in the spring of 1960 when I taught 'upper infants' on a Friday afternoon. My daughter Karen was then about six months old and I pushed her there in her high pram (Silver Cross - now on display in the National Trust's Chastleton House, Gloucestershire!) and left her outside the staff room where the headmaster's wife, Mrs Maskell, the school secretary, kept an eye on her. After an interval of several years, during which my son Tim was born and I taught for a while at College Town School, I rejoined St.Michael's and taught alongside Mrs. Randle, widow of the former Headteacher, in the 'upper juniors'. After Mrs Randle retired I continued to teach in the upper school (years 5 & 6). David Knott was appointed headteacher in 1983 when Mr. Maskell retired and, at the same time, his deputy, Stan Burch, moved on and I was fortunate enough to be appointed as deputy head in his place. In 1990 I spent one term as acting-headteacher between David Knott's departure to College Town and the arrival of his replacement, Bill Davies, before I, too, moved on to become the headteacher of a small village school in North Oxfordshire.

Over the years memories blur but I have I have tried to pick out some of the happier moments from my time at St.Michael's, not in chronological order.

There was great excitement when the swimming pool was being built by an amazing team of parents. The old wooden dining hall was converted into changing rooms and it was busy after school, weekends and holidays with rotas of staff and parents to supervise. I particularly enjoyed summer lunchtimes in and by the pool, sunbathing and swimming, a staff privilege which set us up for the afternoons.

Part of the old dining hall was used to house an electric kiln which allowed the children to experience the whole story of pottery from the raw clay to finished glazed items. A special project with clay involved every child in the school modelling their own face on a tile which was glazed and fired. The complete collection of tiles was assembled into a mozaic lining the walls of the porch facing the terrapin.

More memories from David Knott, Headteacher 1983 - 1990

Mr David Knott, Headteacher 1983 - 1990

I had the privilege of being Headteacher at St Michael’s from August 1984 to July 1989.  I took over from Mr Stan Maskell who retired after some twenty six years in post, ably assisted by his wife, Mrs  Beryl Maskell who was the all-knowing secretary (and some would say, the power behind the throne)!

Being a relatively young head was I was somewhat apprehensive, especially as I was expected to maintain the unbeaten football record established by Mr Maskell!  In fact, a good proportion of my interview concerned the football team and how I would manage it!  Fear not, I bought some soccer boots, a whistle and a track-suit, I read a manual and I gave it a go!  Believe it or not we even won a few matches!  St Michael’s footballing fortunes changed for the better though, when we appointed a relatively young and enthusiastic teacher from Newcastle (Mr McLeod) who knew a lot more about football than I did.  I am sure that the long-serving staff and probably a number of the parents were apprehensive at having a new boy leading the school.  Computers? Science in the curriculum? residential outdoor education courses? a monthly newsletter? demolishing a rickety old (and very unsafe) stage?  Whatever next  .  .  .  ?

I have many fond memories of my time at St Michael’s.  It had a unique sense of community which quickly made me feel very welcome.  The children were a delight to work and it was a joy to come to school each morning.  The parents were most supportive.  Indeed, the PTA, although a force to be reckoned with, mobilised the school community and raised a huge amount of money.  They never said ‘No’ to a request.

Mrs Carol Cole 1974 - 1990

Mrs Cole - 1981

I started teaching at St Michael's in 1974 first as a part time music teacher and then as a full time infant teacher. I have many fond memories of the school, teachers,and most of all the students that I taught over the years and am looking forward to coming back on Friday to help celebrate 150 years with you!

One of the memories that stick in my mind was teaching the maypole. Stan Maskell the headteacher at the time walked into the staff room with a round dirty brown object and asked if anyone knew what it was-it'd been found in the loft. Eventually we worked out it was the top of a maypole and one of the other teachers- Doris Cox- said her 95 year old mum could remember dancing around the maypole at St Michael's in the 1880's!

I volunteered to teach maypole dancing and by that summer we were performing at the Queen's Silver Jubilee at Sandhurst Rec. We continued performing until 1990 when I retired.Perhaps there will be maypole dancing at the 150th celebration!

See you Friday,

Carol

Mr Rick Catton 1997 - 2001

Mr Rick Catton - 1997

I joined the school in January 1997. It was my second teaching job, and very different from my first school. I was appointed by Mr Davies. His comment about your Ofsted report made me smile, because it reminded me that he forgot to mention to me that the school would be receiving a visit from the inspectors in the second week of term after I joined. I’m pleased to report that after a frantic weekend of preparation, the inspection passed off well, and we were all able to return to normality.

When I first joined St Michael’s, I taught Year 3 in the classroom outside. I seem to recall that we often tried to have a story at the end of the day, or a sing with the guitar. Sometimes the end of the day might have been brought forward a little, so that we could get an extra chapter in, or learn another verse…

Over the next few years, I moved from Year 3, to Year 4, and finished up in Year 5.
On two occasions, that meant that the poor unfortunates in my class had to put up with me for two years – sorry about that! I do remember the tremendous generosity of one set of parents. Having taught their children for two years, I was presented on the last day of term with a small package from the whole class. They knew me well, and my love of all things four-wheeled, because inside was a voucher for a day’s racing at Thruxton. I still have the photographs of me emerging from a single-seater with an enormous grin plastered across my face.

I’ve enjoyed reading the posts from some very familiar faces, and it was odd to find myself on some of the staff photographs. I thought it was terribly rude of Mrs Priestman to suggest that Mr Cotterill and I were usually at the centre of any goings-on in the staffroom, although in all fairness, we did seem to do a lot of laughing during my time at the school, and I always felt part of a very special team during those years. Many’s the time Mr Cotterill, Mr Boulain and myself would meet in the staffroom on a Monday morning and bemoan the weekend performances of Derby County, Southampton FC and Ipswich Town!

There are so many memories of time at St Michael’s, a good many of them involving the kindness, generosity and warmth of everyone at the school. However, for me it was always the Christmases that were special. St Michael’s is so lucky to have such a wonderful church to attend, and I recall very clearly several of our Christmas concerts and carol services.

One year we decided to move the carol service from its traditional afternoon slot to an evening. Coming back to church for the service, and sharing a celebration of Christmas with the children, parents and staff was wonderful. On another occasion, the church floor was undergoing restoration, so we decided to hold the service in the dining hall. Having sent the children home at half past three, the staff worked madly to decorate the hall with greenery (supplied by one of the parents), gold and silver spray and hundreds of tea-lights. There has never been such a magical dining hall as there was on that December evening.

I could go on and on, but that’s probably enough for now. I’ll close by wishing the school, and its current staff and children every success. To those who are unfortunate enough to remember me, my deepest apologies for whatever I may have done. (How long did my face stay in the bin..?)

I shall always remember St Michael’s and my time there with great fondness, and like many other people, find that your school still has a special place in my heart. Enjoy your celebrations, and here’s to the next 150!

Mr Bill Davies 1990-1996

Dear St Michael's

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 150th YEAR

Mr Davies - 1996

Many thanks for your letter and kind invitation to attend the 150 year celebration tea on the 9th of March.

Sadly I am unable to attend the tea but send everyone at St Michael's my sincere good wishes on this special anniversary.

I remember my time as Headteacher there with great fondness. The children, parents governors and staff were very kind to me. Together, we developed and improved a school which I am proud to be associated with.

St Michael's was a super community to work with!

The office and teaching staff I during my time at the school were delightful professionals. They were all dedicated to meeting the needs of the children and providing families with the education service they deserved.

The PTA was a particular highlight of my headship organising superb themed summer fairs and Christmas Bazzars. Parents also gave up their time to refurbish the building during my headship. Together, staff parents and children all worked hard to raise funds to improve the school. It is evident that those improvements continue.

I have just read the last OfSTED inspection report for your school. It is very impressive. Congratulations to you all for sustaining the success of St Michael's.

Kindest regards to you all.

Bill Davies
Former Headteacher of St Michael's C of E Primary School 1990-1996
Now - Head of Leadership and Professional Learning at Babcock International

Mr Stuart McLeod 1984 - 1988

Miss Alice De Cort and the Pupils of Year 4

Dear Alice,

Thank you so much for inviting me to your 150th Anniversary Celebration on 9th March. Sadly I am unable to come as I have invited all of the parents of our school to visit us that afternoon to see our Rights Respecting work. I would have loved to be with you all because your school has a very special place in my heart.

I taught Years 5 and 6 at St Michael’s between 1984 and 1988. I changed my cupboard door in Year 6 into a Tardis and got a flashing blue light from Bracknell Police so we could make it look like a real Tardis. When we studied history we could go back in time with our own Tardis. It was also my job in those days to manage the swimming pool, something that was not too pleasant, particularly the boys’ changing room! On Tuesday evenings I stayed very late at school so I could lock up after the Brownies and on Sunday mornings I also came to school because the church used the hall for coffee after church. I had many many happy memories. Unfortunately, I cannot access your blogspot on the website because our filter in school doesn’t allow us to, mad isn’t it!

My happiest memory would be that of getting married in St Michael’s Church and half of the school came along too, that was great fun, although I didn’t feel too well that day because I had one or two lemonades the night before.

Mr McLeod & Mr Knott in the stocks - July 1986

We celebrated the school’s 125th Anniversary in 1987. We had a Victorian Day and I am sure there are still photos around of that day. I produced a booklet for the occasion. I wonder if there are any copies of them still around? It was really good fun because I got to meet lots of former pupils. One lady I met on a Sunday afternoon at school had just arrived on a visit from Switzerland. She had been evacuated from London in the Second World War. She told me how scared she felt when the air raids were taking place upstairs in the school house where she lived after school hours.

Mr David Knott, Headteacher 1983 - 1990

Dear  Katie (Year 5),

Thank you so much for your very kind invitation to attend the celebrations on the 9th March.

Unfortunately I am unable to attend as I live in Thailand which is about 9,600km away. I shall be thinking of you all as you celebrate the 150th anniversary of your  very fine school.

Mr Knott - 1987

As you may know I was the Headteacher of St Michael’s almost 30 years ago, from 1983 to 1990.
We had a similar celebration in 1987 when the school became 125 years old. We had a street party, all dressed up in Victorian clothing, put on an exhibition and a pageant and made a souvenir booklet for pupils, parents and staff to keep as a memento. We also buried a ‘time capsule’ behind the Y5 classroom. I do hope you have managed to locate it and explore its contents. A lot will have changed in the 25 years since it was buried.

I have had a good click around your blog and found it very interesting. There were a few names I recognise. I will try and fins some time next week to add something myself. I have found a couple of photos I can scan (they didn’t have digital cameras then!).

Mr Knott - 2012

I am now the Principal of the Primary School at Bangkok Patana School – the British School in Thailand. The school is very different to St Michael’s. The Primary School has 1,150 pupils (8 classes in each year group) and we have children from 62 countries around the world. Have a look a our web-site www.patana.ac.th and perhaps read some of our student blogs.

I have very happy memories of my 6 years at St Michael’s and remember it being a very happy and caring place. I was very proud to be it’s Headteacher.

Have a wonderful celebration on 9th March. I will be thinking of you!

Please let me know how the celebrations went and pass my best wishes on to anyone who was around when I was there.

Best wishes

David Knott

Evelyn Hulbert 1957 - 1964

St. Michaels C of E School - I attended this school from around 1957/8 until July 1964. I was there at the time of the 100th Anniversary in 1962.

I remember the school was very traditional and the buildings all had high windows. Somehow I still managed to gaze out of them, up at the sky, and daydream. I did fairly well in most subjects, so managed not to get into trouble too often, but I do remember some children being punished with the ruler across the hand, or even the cane. As far as I can remember, my greatest transgression was to write a declaration of love on the outside wall, and the punishment was merely to remove it using a scrubbing brush and pail of water!

I do remember being late for assembly fairly often, but luckily I was less likely to be told off for this than my two older brothers, Ralph and Stephen. We used to walk the mile or so to school from the other side of the village, going along some pleasant pathways and leafy hedgerows filled with a variety of flora and fauna. With the changing seasons there was always some new and fascinating sight that would absorb our attention, or maybe just a friendly cat wanting a fuss.
For me it was a lovely, gentle school, with nature walks on sunny days, when we would collect various nuts and seeds, leaves and bark, and other specimens to display on the nature table. At other times, we would be allocated a patch of Mr. Maskell’s garden to grow some vegetables from seed.

In each of the classrooms there was a ‘Tortoise’ stove, stoked up in the winter months with coke and coal. Damp clothes often adorned the large fire guards, and the free school milk, in one third of a pint glass bottles, would be brought close to the fire to thaw out, after the ice had made the silver foil tops rise above the cream, exposing it so that the birds could have a share if it was left out long enough. The smell of the warm milk is something I’ll never forget! I had to grab mine whilst still cold, and somehow managed to force the paper straw down far enough to sip the freezing liquid.

At lunch time we all washed with carbolic soap, then queued up for our dinner, cooked and served by Mrs. Cripps and her assistant, Mrs. Grainger. We had to eat at least a bit of everything, and the teachers would walk around amongst us to make quite sure we did! Most of the food was not bad, and we could ask for a ‘small’ cabbage or sago pudding for example.

The dinner hall was also used for school medicals which everyone dreaded. I don’t think there was any heating in there either.

At break times we would walk around, chat with other children, play skipping games or hopscotch, or maybe go on the apparatus.

Physical education was a regular feature of the school timetable and we might have ball games or athletic activities, gym, or country dancing. I loved our outings on the coach in summer to visit the Blue Pool in Camberley for an outdoor swimming lesson once a week.

In my final year at St. Michael’s, I was in Mrs. Randall’s class. She was pretty strict and it took a while for me not to be nervous of her, but eventually I became quite fond of her. I think she was an excellent teacher, able to bring out the best in her pupils. I’ll always remember her wonderfully expressive story reading. She encouraged us to close our eyes and rest our heads on our arms, so we could relax and really listen, getting transported to some other place.....

Now all these years have passed and I'm living in Portugal...but this opportunity to remember so much has been a blessing! All the Best to St. Michael's on the 150th Anniversary.

Evelyn Hulbert

Catherine Holmes 1969 - 1975

My auntie, Catherine Holmes, remembers going to St. Michaels. She started in 1969. There were two infant classes: year 1 and year 2. The year 1 teacher was called Mrs Quinault and the year 2 teacher was called Mrs Nash. The year 1 classroom was heated by a coal fired stove. It had railings around it, on which you could dry your paintings.

Here is also a photo of her -on the right- on her first day at school with her big sister, Juliet.

Catherine Holmes with elder sister, Juliet - 1969

Auntie Catherine (now Wilkins) still lives locally and sings in the church choir.

Grace Potts, Year 3

Mrs Lynne Gorst 1971-75

Mrs Lynne Thomson, who was at that time Mrs Gorst, taught Year 1 at the school from 1971 to 1975 and then returned part-time from about 1980 - 84.

Here are some of her photo memories.

St Michael's Staff - March 1974
(Named Version)

Mrs Gorst's Year 1 in the playground - 1972

Mrs Gorst with children at Marwell Zoo - Early 1970s

Mrs Nash with children at Marwell Zoo - Early 1970s

Mr Maskell with Mrs Gorst's Year 1 - Early 1970s

St Michael's as it looked in the early 1970s

Mrs Shirley Gaines 1988 - Present Day

Mrs Gaines -1999

I first became involved with St Michael's in June 1988 on our return from Holland. Sarah (my eldest daughter) started school in Year 1 with Mrs Carol Cole. When Hannah (youngest daughter) started school in January 1990, I returned to teaching and am still  supply teaching there after all these years!!

Both girls and I have very happy memories of St Michael's. The same caring and nurturing atmosphere is still there and the children leave well-rounded and polite.

Years later, it still pleases me that former St Michael's pupils always say "Hello" and chat about what they are doing now. Others will say, "Didn't you teach at St Michael's? I remember you reading Funny Bones stories!"

There are so many memories and stories - too many to mention after such a long involvement! One stands out though - I was teaching rounders in the playground with Year 4 (Joe Williams' year) when I walked backwards and fell into the pile of tyres and lay like a stranded beetle unable to get out! Meanwhile the class rolled around the playground laughing, unable to help!

I ran the Netball club for several years and they were very successful and managed to win games and trophies. When I taught Year 5 full-time, we won the Kwik Kricket tournament - that was absolutely brilliant!

I was lucky enough to go on many school trips. Cammie Evans once asked if I ever managed to do any teaching!

I went to Lakeside and Ufton Court - great fun but not much sleep!

I still come in to teach, still getting pleasure from being involved with the school - wonder when I'll stop!

Mrs Joan Searle 1928 - 1935

(This memory was written in 1987 as part of the school's 125th celebrations.)

I started school in the spring of 1928. Miss Bunch was our teacher, a much loved lady. She was a very kind but firm person. I remember on her birthday we had a little party with chocolate biscuits and lemonade. One boy Jackie guessed it was her birthday and brought her a pretty pink vase with a fluted top.

On Empire Day Betty Hughes was dressed as Britannia, she sat on a little chair on top of a table. The rest of us were buttercups and daisies dressed in crepe paper costumes and we danced and sang around Betty.
During my time in the infants someone in Australia predicted that the world would end on a certain day. I remember all  that day during playtimes jumping up and down the steps by the churchyard gate keeping an eye on the churchyard. With the mind of a six year old, I expected all the people to rise from the graves all wearing their best clothes and start talking to each other. I was so relieved to wake up the next morning and find that my little world was still  complete. On leaving Miss Bunch to go into the big school  she gave each one of us a book. I still have mine and I treasure it.

Next stop was Miss Kingston's, a rather frail lady but very  nice. I was given a penny for spelling CHRYSANTHEMUM  correctly, and I also won a round box of coloured pencils  for being top of the class.
On to Miss Cullam's, Standard 3-4. Miss Cullam always wore beautiful fair isle jumpers in the winter, and she would sit on the edge of the iron guard that surrounded the old tortoise stove. Very discreetly she would pull her hanky from her knicker leg, very delicately wipe her nose and just as discreetly return it to its hiding place. One day during a sewing lesson she said to one girl "Violet, go and wash  your face it is dirty". "Oh no miss, please that ain't dirt  that's me mostosh". Giggles all round and Miss Cullam when  she was lost for an answer simply banged her ruler on the  desk and said "On with your work girls, on with your work".  How I hated those pieces of coarse white material that we  had to practice seams and buttonholes on using bright red  cotton so that our stitches could be seen.

The next class was standard 5-6-7 and we were taught by Mr. Oldham the headmaster. Both boys and girls had an afternoon gardening. The boys grew vegetables and the girls flowers. This came to an end for the girls while I was in this class, but the boys continued to grow vegetables taking them home at the right time for the pot. The boys also had woodwork lessons on Friday afternoons, and we had cookery once a week.

Drawing was one of my favourite lessons. One day I had misbehaved and I was sent into the middle room which was empty for some reason. I drew a single red poppy and when I went back to Mr. Oldham at the end of the lesson he said "why are you naughty when you do such wonderful work ?' Oh dear, I could have died of shame. Even after all these years whenever I have reason to feel guilty or a little ashamed of anything said or done I can see his face and hear his voice just as if it were yesterday.

Thanks for the memories, St. Michael's.

Henry Churchyard 1929 - 1937

Henry Churchyard - 1936

My name is Henry Churchyard, known in Sandhurst as Sonny Churchyard. In 1929 I came to St. Michael’s School as a 5 year old Infant. Miss Bunch was the Infants teacher; on the first day at school I swore and Miss Bunch took me into the kitchen and washed my mouth out with a mug of soapy water; I never swore again!

After Infants I went to the next class where Miss Kingston was teacher and then on to Miss Culum’s class and then on to the Headmaster’s class. Mr George Oldham, Headmaster, always carried a cane which he used very frequently! If we misbehaved in class we got 4 strokes on the hand and occasionally 6 strokes on the backside.

In the winter we had combustion stoves in the classrooms, which burnt coke. The coalman got the coke from the gasworks. Coke was made from the coal which was heated and the gas extracted leaving coke (not like the coke you buy in cans to drink). We always had a big bowl of water on the stove, boiling away. We brought old newspapers in and tore them into strips, gum Arabic was added and we made papier mache objects.

Our playground was rolled gravel and when we were playing someone would shout “There’s a car coming up the hill!” We all rushed to the fence to see the car because we only saw a car about once a day.

Every year on March 8th, Empire Day, we would get the May Pole out and hoist the Union Jack and sing patriotic songs. Every morning at assembly we said prayers and sing 2 verses of a hymn.

The playing field was opposite the school. It was the glebe belonging to the Rectory. We played football, cricket, games etc. Every summer we had a free trip by train to the seaside: Littlehampton or Bognor, and at Christmas a free party and presents for all.

We didn’t have free milk until into the 1930s and no school meals. Most of us went home for lunch, but those that lived further afield brought sandwiches which they ate in the cycle shed. Not many children had cycles.

The girls did cookery on Wednesday afternoons, the boys did carpentry on Friday afternoons. When we were 13 years old the Headmaster said we could have Wednesdays off school if we went to learn Bell-ringing at the church. Mr Moth of Little Sandhurst was the Foreman Bellringer. I used to ring number 4 bell every Sunday before service and then went to get dressed for the choir.

This lovely school was built in 1862, by Squire Walters of Bearwood. He was a big landowner in Crowthorne and Sandhurst. The figurine above the front door of the stork dropping stones into a pitcher was from Squire Walters Coat-of-Arms.

The Malone Family 1963 - 2012

Mrs Erica Malone 1963 - 2012

Mrs Erica Malone

Ever since 1963 St Michaels has been a running theme throughout my life. I started as a pupil, my two boys went to school there, and for the past 17 years I have been a teaching assistant in the reception class.

After moving from London in 1963 I joined St Michael's. At the time Mr Maskell was the Headmaster and I still remember having fun in the playground and painting in art class. I can also recall vividly the huge classroom heater protected by a fireguard and sitting at my desk which were in rows.

In 1987 St Michael's reappeared in my life when my eldest son, Bradley, started in reception. Three years later my youngest son, Travis, also joined the school. They always had such big smiles on their faces when they returned from class trips to London, Lakeside and Ufton Court. Parents' evening were not so fun!

After being a parent helper for many years, I joined the school as a permanent reception teaching assistant. Over the past 17 years I have seen over 400 children pass through the class and have loved seeing them develop and grow.

Bradley Malone: 1987 - 1993

My first year at St Michael's fell on the 125th anniversary and as part of the event we buried a time capsule in the school garden. I cannot remember what we put in the capsule and the area has now been built on so we may never find out. I can also remember spending a lot of time sitting outside the head teachers office!

Travis & Bradley Malone 1992

Travis Malone: 1990 - 1996

My first memory of St Michael's School was when I was in Reception and didn't want to go in one day. My mum tricked me into going and all my memories since then are positive! I had a lot of fun at primary school including - playing stuck in the mud, identifying water boatmen and other insects in the school pond and singing assembly songs with unforgettable lyrics (e.g. from the tiny ant...to the elephant…).

Mr. Stanley Maskell, Headmaster 1957 - 1983

(This memory was written in 1987 as part of the school's 125th celebrations.)

Mr Stanley Maskell - 1975

St. Michael's School in 1957 was still very much a village school. The same in outward appearance as it must have been when it was built in 1862.

Surrounded by ancient elm trees, oaks and firs - probably part of the Windsor Forest which covered this corner of Berkshire many years ago, they provided a home for a large rookery, crows, starlings, pigeons, squirrels and many other birds and wild creatures.

The huge elm trees on the south and west boundaries were destroyed by the elm tree disease which swept the country and the oaks were felled when the new hall was built.

There are some trees still in the south east corner of the grounds but the skyline is no longer dominated by the huge trees and dense bushes of thirty years ago.

In the red brick building now used as the infant area, was the main school, with its church-like porch, high windows and peaked roof. The bell tower perched on top like a spire, with a wind vane that had rusted solid over the years, pointing eternally south-west no matter from which direction the wind blew.

This building housed the two junior classes, 7-9 years and 9-11 years and the senior group of 11-14 year old boys and girls.

The larger classroom entered by the main porch was used for this older group in charge of the headmaster.

It was also used as assembly hall and music room, and a 'grand piano' rather dominated one end of this space. This piano was probably presented to the school by one, of the several wealthy families living in Sandhurst at this time.