Georgeham C of E Primary School 1868 >

With amazing history spanning 150 years and the possibility of having upwards of 2000 children come through the school, we thought it about time to share some history and memories about the school!

If you’d like to share an old photo, or send us a memory about your time here, please do get in touch!

 

Bernard Howe – 1942

I came over during the war in 1942 and stayed in Railway Cottages, although they were actually Railway Carriages!  They were owned by a man, I think named ‘Perry.’

We used to catch the school bus at Croyde. It towed a trailer on which was mounted an inflatable gas tank to provide the fuel for the bus engine.   Quite often, it would run out of fuel before the school was reached and all the kids would have to get out and help to push the bus the last few hundred yards!

Julia Williams – (1934)

My mum went to Georgeham from 1928 to 1934, and even in her old age she recalled a memory of a boy named Kelland who sat behind her and dipped her plaits in the inkwell.  Her mother was so angry that she marched down to school the next day and made him apologise in front of everyone!

Tony Fletcher 1936 – 1941

Sports Day was held in a field near School and were all dressed in whites. Unfortunately cows had just vacated field so a number of messy accidents occurred.

In 1940 there was very heavy snowfall.  It was a long walk from Down End but I kept going, imagining I was Scott of the Antarctic. I finally arrived to find school locked up, so I knocked on the Headmistress’ front door.  She told me in abrupt terms that the school was closed and to go home. So I trudged home. There were no telephones or bus service then.

All the Children of our age were Confirmed at school by the Bishop of Exeter.  At the time Brylcreem was very popular by us young gentleman. So much so that one off the Bishop’s Assistants had to provide the Bishop with a handkerchief to wipe his hands after blessing each boy.

Graduation from slate and slate pencils, to ink, meant we needed Ink monitors to mix the ink from powder. Also inkwell monitors to fill the inkwells.  Horrible little boys would secretly dip girls pigtails in the inkwell behind the girl!

Edit: Tony moved to Australia, became a ship’s Captain and a professor at University.  He wanted to give something back to school, so whilst on holiday back here in the 70’s, he gifted a trophy that we award to a year 6 child every year.

Mike Meadows – 1946

I attended the school around 1946-8. My family were re-housed from Buckinghamshire after the war and we were given accommodation by Mr. & Mrs. H Clarke (distant relative) in North Buckland.

We would walk daily from home to school – 1.3 miles each way and in winter it was difficult.

I do remember Miss Cann. She owned a Morris 8 Series E car. She lived next door to the school.  I don’t think we lived at Buckland for long. The memory fades unfortunately.  After leaving Buckland, I would be sent to Devon for the summer, as I had my cousin Ian Clarke there.

I have lived in Australia since 1969 and I took my wife back to see where I lived. We stayed at an old farm in Buckland – Denham House, which used to be owned by Mr. Tony Barnes – now a B&B

The Rock Inn was run by “Uncle George” who I believe also owned some homes in Georgeham. One of these was next door to the school on the road to Putsborough.  Mr. & Mrs. Clarke bought this place and I used to visit as an adult.

Suzanne Mitchell – 1950s

Oh, lovely memories. It was my first school and I was staying with my grandparents – Eileen and Patrick Crummey, in Georgeham. I started in 1955/6 and stayed for a couple of years before we moved on, as my father was in the Royal Navy.  I remember so clearly walking down the hill to school, past the Post Office, playing in the stream…..collecting milk for my grandma from the dairy on the way home. What a wonderful way to start my education!

Amanda Dolton – 1960s

My brother & myself both went to this wonderful school, Many years later both of my daughters went there too. I always liked that we had milk in glass bottles at break. Also I remember Miss Eastey would cane naughty children!

Debbie Baddick – Early 1970s

All I can say about my time at Georgeham Primary School would be that they were simply the best days of my life and I didn’t want to leave! (in 1973). I have far too many memories to share but have remained friends ever since with many I met there. A wonderful time, wonderful place and wonderful people. I will never forget my time there.

Sunny Mackenzie-Shapland’s Grampy- 1969

A school trip to Dunkery Beacon on Exmoor
A new black and white TV being brought in for the moon landing in 1969
Being ‘Milk Monitor’ which meant putting all the straws through the foil tops in small glass bottles

Sarah Sexon – 1970s

Mr Cruse was my favourite teacher, I remember fondly the broom dance (I still remember the steps now) and performing it at the Devon County Show! I remember Miss Jones reading us Gobbolino the Witches Cat every afternoon before home time. We had school dinners in Fred’s Room, Mrs Healey would let you have a small portion if you weren’t keen!  Aunty Betty was our lovely dinner lady. The cold swimming pool! Being a mermaid in a school play, singing Apusskidu!

I remember PE in the village Hall, girls changed behind the piano and boys on the stage! And the indoor loos being put in! The dentist caravan coming in the summer. Walking home along the lanes to Putsborough.

Alistair Hale – 1970s

Miss Jones making us queue up by the steps of the outside pool, and then each of us one at a time slowly inching our bodies into the frozen water to be told, “You dont know how lucky you are!!!!”  Then being instructed to get our shoulders under the water. I can still feel the shudder go through me now and that was 40 years ago! I loved my time there, and I made lifetime friendships that I still cherish today. Miss Jones you are forgiven.

Cerys Kingdon – 1970’s

Mr Edwards playing accordion in the Christmas concerts in church.
After the Summer Fete, crawling on our hands and knees checking the field for rubbish.
The high bar on the old climbing frame.
The ‘Big room’ not being so big.
Mr Wiltshire eating polos in class.
Peter Bater being super fast in sports day.
Amazing Christmas plays.

Getting the chance to be in BBC’s ‘eats for treats’ with Jane Asher.

Steve Hernaman – 1987 – 1994

  • Running jump to touch the school date on the front wall.
  • The nature area – walking on water!
  • Footy on a slope!
  • The bloomin’ Maypole and Broom Dance!
  • Detention at dinnertime in the library!
  • In the class with the infamous roof!
  • Being fastest at Sports’ Day (against a load of girls!)
  • Scared of having to read out in horrific school play – always had to be an elf!
  • Never forget Mrs. Harding – everyone loved her!
  • Walking home to Pickwell with Mum, tempting me home with chocolate eclairs on a stick!
  • Sponsored walks from Putsborough to Woolacombe every year.
Jonathan Archer – 1980s

Mrs Harper, my favourite teacher, doing the school plays. No matter what part you played, you pretty much always needed a pair of tights of some colour and had some sort of decorative cardboard stapled to your plimsolls!

Josh Shapland  late 1980s

A freezing cold swimming pool that was full of dead flies!
During a storm, the roof blew off Class 2!
Being a Shepherd for the nativity play and having to wear a tea-towel on my head!

Tash Summerville – 1988-1992

Swimming pool where the MUGA is now. Having rounders and then cooling off in the pool (hygiene!?) that was so shallow you could pull yourself along on your knees. Having to get changed in the wooden sheds.

Getting a climbing frame camel (that had a slide) delivered when Dave Edwards was head and writing about why a camel was in Georgeham. Camel lay on its side for 2 years and was then taken away……never being played with! Taking it in turns to sit in Dave Edwards’ jeep that he drove onto the field regularly!

Lunch in Fred’s Room (class 4 was called that). It was named after a hamster that lived there in the 1960s apparently.

School hall being called the ‘big room’ and having a class at either end, separated only by a low paper tray… sometimes hard to concentrate with 2 teachers teaching different things!

Rio Dorbin (1997-2004)

Making ‘special books’ (still have them) these things bought about a dissertation level of stress/commitment with Hessian, Pritt Stick and sugar paper hysteria but oh so lovely.

Standing on a chair in the hall with everyone singing Happy Birthday followed by Mrs Tamlyn giving you your age number of Smarties!  Mrs Ash’s school dinners were always crowd pleasers… mash potato served from an ice cream scoop.