The Salmon

Connie Baker, nee Gomme, remembered The Salmon where Dr Hamilton lived 1918ish

In 1931 Kelly's Directory lists Miss Hamilton as a private resident at Salmon Cottage.

The following is an excerpt from the article 1956 Rita Probert (Autobiography)

In the 1950s here was still a 'class divide'. At The Salmon, Loosley Row lived Mr and Mrs Isdell-Carpenter, they, too, were kindly, but we ‘knew our place’ – they were upper class.   Their daughter Sally was one of the last Debutantes to be presented at Court.     They also had servants, which was very impressive.

Mrs Isdell-Carpenter started a sewing circle, then later thought it would be good to have a club for the older residents of Loosley Row & Lacey Green – thus the 81^st Club was formed.   My mother became a helper and later, when elderly herself, a member.

Ianthe Blake, then Brownrigg living at The Salmon, Loosley Row, described Lacey Green School in a questionnaire at a school reunion organised by Lacey Green History Group

Started school 1966. Family moved away in 1969.

Headmaster was Mr Anthony, other teachers Miss Agnew and Mrs Stansfield. The vicar was The Reverend Horton. Car or walked to school. I had school lunch. The toilets were inside. We played British Bulldog, French skipping and Grandmother's footsteps.

Additional Information. My first teacher used to keep a tin of sweets. If you did something good you would stand on a chair at the front of the class & choose a sweet.

I knocked out my two front teeth falling over in the playground - a traumatic childhood memory.

Hand writing lessons were always a worry to me. We used nibbed ink pens and as I am left-handed I broke a lot of nibs in my time.

My mother would collect me from school in our mini-traveller. I remember the number plate - PPP257D. If I couldn't find the number plate by the end of the line of cars I'd burst into tears and start my walk back to Loosley Row,

I have vivid memories of my first few days at school. The head teacher, Mr Anthony, would have to carry me in kicking and thumping over his shoulder!

This all sounds a bit on the negative side but I have very happy memories of friends and games, especially British Bulldog which the whole school seemed to play at lunch break & very fond memories of my teachers.