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Page 2 - In Janet's words:
"Some more memoirs. You will be glad to know that I am beginning
to run out of stream!"
MAJOR EVENTS DURING MY YEARS AT KGS.
For me, the 2 school plays in which I was involved were big
events. The first, in 1962 was 'And so ad infinitum'. It was a
play about the insect world. Everyone was an ant in black costume
with another set of stuffed arms attached by buttons to the sides.
They 'operated' by being attached to the wrists by string. But
I was also Otto, a red admiral butterfly. Otto, of course, was
male and I had a Terry Thomas type moustache which itched. Colin
Bond (of cow's stomach fame played the lead part - the tramp).
The second was a much
more adventurous production of a musical version of 'A Christmas
Carol'. This was in 1967. Geoff Dando had the lead of Scrooge.
I played Mrs Cratchett which was the second female lead after
the Spirit of Christmas. It was great and (as previously mentioned)
got me noticed by Miss Baldwin for play reading.
Remember the annual
drag up Kingswood Hill to the church for the September beginning
of year service? After year one I cottoned on to the fact that
if you were in the choir you were allowed to catch the bus up.
I joined the choir.
The changing of the
name was notable I guess. I remember us thinking up our own names
and I seem to remember that Warmwood Scrubs was high on the list.
For anyone who knew Kingsfield Lane it was a tragic name to give
KGS. Kingsfield Lane ran from the Hanham/Longwell Green border
northwards, skirting round behind the playing fields in Greenabank
Road, Hanham and emerging in Mount Hill. It was no more than a
country lane in those days. Now much of it is gone, swallowed
up in the Longwell Green industrial estate. There is a massive
rockery (or bouldery) half way up which is supposed to be a feature.
I was offered half
a day off if I came back for prize giving. This seemed a good
deal but prize giving is mighty boring unless you got a prize,
which I never did.
PERSONAL THINGS (I)
The best way to cheat in a test (never did it in exams) was to write
your info on a long thin piece of paper. Turn back the hem of your
skirt and pin the paper on the inside. The pins would not show through
the double thickness of fabric at the hem. No teacher - especially
male - would ask to look up your skirt but it was fairly useless
for boys!!
We burnt plastic on
one of the stoves in one of the huts one day so we would have
to be evacuated because of the smell. It worked.
I still have the scar
on my knee where I fell and cut it on the corner of the step into
the canteen. My favourites were Kitty Cat Pie and prunes. I never
understood why all boys seemed to deem the custard skin a luxury
whilst all the girls used to remove it as though it was infectious.
I amazed everyone by
being awarded house colours (Fussell). Everyone considered me
too big to do anything athletic, but I could swim reasonably well
and always got in the gala. I did back stroke but in year 2 had
to do the relay as well. I had to take a crash course in diving
because I would not look un-cool by jumping in!
PERSONAL THINGS
(II) (Arnold)
Probably the most amusing thing I ever did was years later
(although I could not look amused).
On our school bus (Warmley,
North Common, Parkwall, Longwell Green, Hanham) we often had a
really miserable, grumpy old bus conductor. Admittedly we all
pushed to get on but he was not adverse to pulling hair etc to
try to keep control. We called him Arnold and he used to break
bits off the hedge and suck the twigs.
Years later when working
for the church in the Hanham/Kingswood/St George areas I was telephoned
by an undertaker to book me for a funeral. After some conversation
with the family and the showing of a photograph, I realised that
the deceased was none other than Arnold. The family explained
that he was called 'Smiler' at the bus depot - this was, of course,
sarcastic nickname although Mrs Arnold didn't seem to know that.
The choice of the family
was to go to Arnos Vale crematorium after a church service. The
crem was ghastly - a true setting for a horror movie. The place
was padlocked when I arrived and only unlocked as the hearse approached.
The crem supervisor wore a pelmet skirt, 8-inch heels and talked
real Bristle. She showed me THE button but explained that it did
not operate the machinery, just lit a light bulb to alert the
men below to go into action. When I pressed it poor Arnold shook
all over, the flowers looked as though they were having a private
earthquake and the noise of the cranking machinery was awful.
And so Arnold went
to his rest …. After a bit of practice it's not too difficult
to smile on the inside whilst looking very serious on the exterior!
PERSONAL THINGS
(III) (Nothing to do with school really)
I grew up in the Blue Bowl at Hanham. When my parents retired
and moved 8 houses up the road the pub was transformed. Then several
years back it was taken over by a pub/restaurant chain that took
its name away and gave it the name of the chain - The Mill House.
Very recently it has again changed ownership and it has been given
back its name - Yeah!
That's Part Two
of my profile - What about yours? - Regards Janet
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