Memories of the Wight and Wagstaffe School, Harbury

Thornicroft's Bakers cart, c. 1940s
Image courtesy of Harbury Heritage group

In 1913 Mr Thornicroft went to the Wagstaffe School aged three and a half. He left at the age of seven, when he went to the Wight School. At this time the children only went when their mothers would take them.

Miss Bird taught there for 50 years. She started as a pupil teacher at the age of 16 right up till she was 65, and in that time she taught three generations. In her room were two classes. The babies were in one part and the older children in the other. In the school three teachers taught, Miss Johnson, Miss Bird, and Miss Scarlett. Miss Bird taught threading beads and tying shoelaces to the babies, then the babies moved up and were taught by Miss Scarlet and after that they were taught letters by Miss Johnson who was head teacher at that time.

Wight School

At the age of seven they went to the Wight School and did ordinary lessons, maths, English, etc. Mr Dickens was the head teacher there then. In this school there were open fires which the children used to sit around in the winter, but in the summer time the children used to sit out in the playground to eat their lunch.

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