"In my last year they put me again in the wrong class and after a week they moved me up into the top class.  The teacher was Miss Briggs, who was a little plump lady with frizzy hair and walked about like a sergeant major.  Very often we would chant "Briggo's on the war path".  She whacked many a boy with her cane for misbehaving.

Whilst I was in the top class the school adopted a ship and we were all asked to write a letter to a sailor, which I did and I had a reply back.

After Dad died and with Mum having to go out to work I had to stay for school dinner.  We had to go to Lawrence Saunders Baptist church for our dinners which was rather a long way from the school.  I hated the dinners that had pearl barley and lentils in because I didn't like them and we were told we couldn't leave anything.  At times other children took pity on me and sneaked my plate out.  On Fridays we had to stay behind to rearrange the chairs for the Sunday services.  I liked that part because if there were any roast potatoes left we had them as a reward."