View source for Lacey Green School Reunion 2000

'''The following people described their time at Lacey Green School in a questionnaire at a school reunion organised by the Local History Group in 2000.'''

'''1913-1922 Constance L Gomme  living at Loosley House Cottage.'''  Walked to school. Head Miss Grey with Miss M Janes & Nance Hawes. Vicar Robson.  12 in class. Left aged 14. No new build. Toilets outside.  Punishment- stand on form or in the corner. No uniform. No meals. No free milk. No trips. Playtime--skipped in the road.

'''Additional information''' ---

'''I remember playing at the gates of [[Grymsdyke]]''' on the grass playing 5 stones.

Running across fields near Turnip End to a pond there.

'''We paddled in [[Nanny Coopers Pond]].'''  Someone told us there were blood suckers in the water, had to run in the fields  to get our feet dry. I seem to remember there was a bit of barbed wire across this pond so we had to think.

'''1 hour & a half for our dinner'''.  When Dr came about once a year I think we had to have our dinner sitting in the girls cloakroom on the stone floor not very comfortable.

'''Then lady came to look through our hair "lice looker"''' we called her.  If you had lice you had a card to take home.  I remember once having a card.  My mother really went mad, as she took such care of my hair, what a disgrace!

'''The boys were horrid.''' used to tie us girls up in our skipping ropes. I hated the boys then.

'''The big boys had gardens in the Bit Field''' and sold their vegs for a few pence.  Girls had to stay in and sew but did not get any money - we thought very unfair. By the way, I think the big boys played up a bit with poor Miss Grey (head teacher).  I remember seeing them come back to school carrying garden forks spades etc.

'''One other thing I remember was scripture exam'''.  Always on a cold November morning, the vicar came from Hampden, he always looked so cold and always had a 'dew-drop' on the end of his nose - made us laugh of course.

Those of us who had a bike rode to Hampden to get eating chestnuts. sometimes lucky sometimes not.

By the way, if you went to Methodist church or Baptist at Loosley Row you did not stand much chance of Bishop's Prize - a prayer book! you might get a prize if you went to church!

Happy days, but very long days when in school

For more about the life of Constance Gomme click [[Fred & Connie Baker]].   Click [[Gomme]] or [[Baker]] for more about these families

-

'''1914-1923 Gladys Ing [[Smalldean Farm]]''' Saunderton.    Head Miss Palmer & Miss Grey with Miss Janes & Miss Hawes. 35 in class. Left at 14. Walked to school. No new build. Toilets outside.  Punishments standing on form & cane. School meals-no. Free milk-no. Trips no. Nature walks yes. Sports-none. Played hopscotch & skipped.

'''Additional information.'''

'''Remember walking from Smalldean''' to school & one day per week walking on to Risborough for cookery lesson & in afternoon walking back from Risborough to Smalldean via Lacey Green

Click [[William and Gladys Luxford]] for more. (William was known by his second name "George")  Click [[Luxford]] for others in this family.

-

'''1915-1924 Nell Rixon 1 Warren Row LG''' now Crown Field Saunderton.  Head Miss Palmer then Miss Grey with Miss Janes & Miss Nancy Hawes. 35 in class. Left at 14. Punishment standing on form for talking. No new build. Toilets outside. School meals-no. Free milk-no. Trips-no. Nature walks-yes. Sports none. Played skipping, hopscotch, dabbers, stand before your playmate.

'''Additional Information. ''' Had to walk to Risborough for cookery once a week – remember stopping at [[Pyrtle Spring]] to fill a bottle to have a drink.

click [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Walter_&_Mary_Ann_Rixon Walter & Mary Ann Rixon] for more about Nell, their daughter and click [[Rixon]] for others in this family

-

1918-1927 Hannah Mary Baker lived at [[Woodway House, Woodway, Loosley Row]].   Head Miss Grey with Miss Hawes & Miss Janes.  Vicar Rev Gee.

-

'''1918-1928 Daphne Bristow  lived  at Ye Olde Cottage LG''', now The Post Office, Bradenham.  Head Miss Kate Grey with Miss Mabel Janes & Miss Nancy Hawes. Vicar Richard Gee.

'''Addition Information'''

Once a week the girls went to Risborough to learn cookery in the British School. The Rev. Gee had been a missionary in India and the children were allowed to try on the costumes which he had brought back.  All the children were in the same school room, but the boys sat on one side and the girls on the other. The girls were taught to sew.  I didn’t like gathering and smocking or making a man’s shirt.  The vicar came every week.  We had a half day holiday on Ash Wednesday.

click [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Bristow Bristow] for others in this family and click [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Daphne_Bristow Daphne Bristow] for her life story

-

'''1920-1930 Frances Emma Dormer lived at Hill Court, Westlands Road''', '''Lacey Green'''.   Head Mr Avery with Miss Hawes (Nance).   Vicar- Robson.  No new building.  Toilets outside.  No uniform.  Played hopscotch.

click  [[Fred & Beatrice Dormer]] for more about their daughter Frances    click [[Stallwood]] or [[Dormer]] for others in those families.

-

'''1922-1931 Charlie A J Claydon Kiln Cottages LG'''.  Head Mr Aldridge. No new build. Toilets outside. Left at 14. Punishmet- the cane. Sport-cricket.

'''Addition information'''

Once selected to represent Lacey Green School at a cricket match against Bledlow Ridge School.  The team travelled on foot to and from Bledlow Ridge.  Lacey Green lost the match, my being the highest scorer with 3 runs!  The reason for this crushing defeat I thought was because the fact that Bledlow Ridge fielded a team of older boys!

click [[Claydon]] for others in this family.   Click [[Charlie Claydon]] for more about Charlie.

-

'''1923-1931 Douglas William Brett Well Cottage Church Lane LG'''  Left aged 14. Walked when living LG then bike last 18 months from Naphill. Head Miss Gray then Mr Aldridge with Miss Janes & Miss Jarvis. Vicar Rev Richard Gee then Rev Rev Moreton.    Punishments kept in after school & given lines to write. No uniform, every boy wore short trousers. School trip to Southampon to go over the liner “Berengania”.   Sports mainly football. Played marbles, conkers, collecting cigarette cards. Also see [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/1931_Douglas_Brett_in_Lacey_Green 1931 Douglas Brett in Lacey Green]

-

'''1923- 1932 Winifred Harvey [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Steep_Hill_Cottage Steep Hill Cottage], LR''' now Attridge, 2 [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Greenlands Greenlands] LG.   Head Miss Grey & Mr Aldridge with Miss Janes, Miss Jarvis & Miss Young. Left at 14. Vicar Rev Moreton. No new build. Toilets outside. School meals-no. Free milk-no. Trips – Day trip by train to Southampton to see the Berengaria liner and to North Bucks to see the churches. Sports Rounders & running races. Played skipping & spinning tops'''.'''

'''Additional information –'''

Remember buying halfpenny worth of sweets at Mrs Lacey’s shop.   click [[Arthur (Toey) & Louisa Lacey]]

The sewing class made red blazers to wear to school

The church fete days. We played living whist – dressed as playing cards, we then played the game.  Fancy dress – two lady gardeners at [[Gracefield]] made mine & my sister Kathleen’s dresses.

We once had a school pageant & I was Britannia.  I had to sit up high & wear a helmet while everyone sang Rule Britannia. The teacher made me take off my glasses - Britannia didn’t wear glasses!

I used to take Miss Jarvis’s class for an hour on Friday afternoons while she was away. I was nearly 14 then.

When Miss Grey was at the school we had annual concerts in the [[Village Hall]], we practised long & hard, at school & at home.  Mr [[Fred Floyd]] & Mr Harold Hickman ran a taxi service for the old people & anyone who was unable to walk. They paid 1 shilling & sixpence between them for a car.   click [[Harold & Emily Hickman]] for more about Harold Hickman

I loved my school days & cried when I had to leave.  I went to call for Phyllis Rutland to go for a walk & Mrs Rutland said she saw me come home from school & she had never seen anybody look so miserable.

click [https://laceygreenhistory.com/w/index.php/Harvey Harvey] or [[Attridge]] for others in these families    Also click [[William & Winifred Attridge]] for more about Winifred.  

-

'''1928-1937 Phyllis Stallwood lived at [[Lane Cottage, Loosley Row]]'''   Head Mr Aldridge with Mrs Guerney, Miss Janes & Miss Jarvis, Miss Harding.   Vicar Rev Clarke. Left at 14. Walked to School. No new build. Toilets outside. No uniform. School meals-no, free milk-yes. Trips-no. Sport netball. Played hopscotch, skipping.

'''Additional Information''' 

Remember school concerts organised by Mrs Guerney at the [[Village Hall]]. Fetes in the Vicarage garden. Dancing round the maypole. A pupil about to receive the cane from Miss Harding took the cane from her hand, broke it across his knee and remarked that she would do no more damage with that today.

click [[Stallwood]] for others in this family

-

'''1933-1939 John Harris.'''    Head Mrs Guerney with Miss Janes & Miss Jarvis.  No new build. Toilets Outside.  Own clothes, never wore long trousers.  No school trips. Sports football.

'''Additional Information'''

Our father, (Reginald Harris) was one of the [[Village Policemen]] from about 1930 until we moved in Jan. 1939.   In Lacey Green we lived in [[Graham Cottages]], the "top side" was rented from Mrs Dell for a Police House.  (click [[William Saunders & Bethia Janes]] for more of Mrs Dell) There are now new houses on the site.   My twin sister Margaret & I were born in Princes Risborough, & our younger brother (Dick) at Lacey Green.

'''Miss Jarvis''' called me out to the front of the class to help demonstrate the tensile strength of paper & she nearly lost balance.   Mrs Guerney was known to go to buy some cherries to help us with our arithmetic.

'''I remember walking to Great Hampden''' through the woods to play Gt. Hampden School at football - in a field on the corner where Mr Brown had his blacksmith's shop.

'''I remember Maurice Saunder's father''' building new outside toilets and Maurice & I getting in his way.   click [[William John & Florence Saunders]] for the father of Maurice.

-

'''1933-39 Margaret Ann Harris [[Graham Cottages]] LG.'''   Head Mrs Guerney with Miss Jarvis & Miss Janes. No new build Toilets outside. Cane for boys only.  Clothes home made by mother. Free milk-yes. Sports rounders & races.

'''Additional information'''  I remember Lacey Green village with great affection and have happy memories of our time there.  I enjoyed my time in the infants class and was probably a busy chatter-box.

'''Miss Jarvis''' '''was a happy smiling teacher''' and took great pains to make lessons fun.  Sums seem to consist of beautifully chalked blue birds drawn on the blackboard and were either added to or rubbed out to make addition or subtraction fun.  I don't remember if she drew rabbits for multiplication!

'''Life with Miss Janes was somewhat different'''.  I feel she didn't like children and her teaching ability was limited.   She showed favouritism which made me feel uncomfortable.  Destructive criticism was her stock-in-trade --- poor little Stella Macroe.

'''One happy period''' during that time was when a young supply teacher took over for a while.   Suddenly the class seemed to glow and I remember the joy learning and reciting "The Isle of Innisfree".   Sadly he couldn't stay long and back came "Norah Batty!"

'''I remember very little about Mrs Guerney'''.   I suppose we left before going into her class.

'''I''' '''wonder how many remember the school dentist'''.   Mrs Guerney's office/stock room was used I still recall the dusty surroundings and the smell of old books. The Harris twins (me & my brother John) had toothbrushes, but still had more treatment than others. Some ho didn't have a toothbrush needed no fillings.  Our mother was in Barts having a major operation, but oh how I needed a cuddle. Thank goodness dentistry has advanced since then.

'''I remember Mrs Wathen, a school governor''' who came to the school where the children were waiting in anticipation for a present. Such was the disappointment especially where the big boys were concerned when we were handed a lovely white Huckaback towel to hang on our pegs.  Our mothers usual resorted to a "cats lick" and the old saying "a peck of dirt never hurt anyone"!

'''One of the older boys slipped''' while trying to climb the spiked railings near the stile.   It was a harrowing sight and we smaller ones were ushered away from the scene.   I don't know the outcome, but he was very brave waiting to be rescued.

'''For some time I was picked to use the loom'''.  I can't remember which teacher set it up, but I would happily weave scarves all day given half a chance.  Goodness only knows who bought them.  They might even have been for the church or school sale, but they were real quality stuff.

'''It is fascinating to think''' the enclosed photos can be of some use to children in the future - if nothing else they can have a good laugh.  so much has happened in my lifetime - some good - some bad.  We hadn't split the atom - had WW2 etc. etc then - - on the plus side we were free to roam the fields and lanes, have home-made toast and dripping in the winter and eagerly await the "Stop me and buy one" ice cream man who trundled his way up to Lacey Green on his tricycle in the summer.