Andrew Court

Maidstone I remember it well:
Eastborough Primary, I remember Vinters Girl used to share the buildings in Union Street,now the site is housing although the new building is of the same style as the original school and the school railings and steps still exist.

I recall the toilet block in the playground and the hopscotch marked out on the tarmac. I remember two teachers, Mr (wacker) Wells, he used to deal out punishment with a wooden ruler smartly across yer shivering outstretched hand.
He also luvved to sit the girls on his lap at his desk and help them with their work.. I also recall Mr Bettle, who introduced us to 'songwriting', I wonder how many other classes learnt to write the same song! It went, Mr Bettle comes to school in his motor car, then he teaches girls and boys how to do their work......ha He drove a VW Beetle,a green one I think.

I remember walking to school from Headley street via a run down area waiting to be demolished, Carey Street. There was three sweet shops en route to school! Watsons, Wades and another which I recal being a Wavy Line type of shop?
Watsons was later converted to a flat I beleive and Mrs Wades also returned to a house,her shop had a very distinctive smell to it! It was like stuck in a time warp. Nice old lady though..

I can recall swimming lessons at the old victorian baths too,not sure if it was during my first year at Vinters or last at Eastborough, I do remember just how strong the chlorine was though and the basket for your clothes, getting splashed as you waited for your red wristband when you handed in your basket of clothes and the doors which enabled you to see the girls dropping nikkers to the floor and hopping about putting on their costumes,lol.

I remember the forceful stream of water jetting into the pool from the heating plant. Eastborough later moved along to the site vacated by Vinters Boys at Huntsmans Lane about 1/4 mile away. I left Eastborough and moved along the rd to Vinters Boys, the school was shortly to move to the brand new site at Vinters Park.
I do however recall the science lab in the 'horsa' ex WW2 Nissan huts,the musty smell of gas in the lab. Alf Reid the Head was about to retire, he had a scarey reputation and looked the part.
The school moved along the rd to its new buildings, musty smells repalced by fresh paint smells! State of the art facilities including a huge library set out on stilts with the 6th form common room below. A new headmaser, who drove a brand new xj12 jaguar, another teacher who drove a Hillman Hunter GT in a mustard yellow colour and wore a tweed sports jacket.
A Physics teacher who drove a big old rover (Mr Williams aka Tank).He was a big man,jolly but so strict,he would throw the heavy wooden/felt blackboard eraser at you if he caught u messing about! Good teacher though,real character.
Miss Boyd taught history,always well dressed and the only female teacher I can recall. There was often the local road safety officer inspecting our bikes (another Mr Williams?)He would be waiting in the mornings as you placed your bike in its rack to inspect it and it was my mission to ensure mine was faultless.
The metalwork shop was interesting to me and I still have the tea caddy spoon and the toast rack we made there. I remember how we watched the girls from nearby Vinters Girls go by on crosscountry runs too.
The Girls Tech was on our doorstep,indeed we could see them in their grounds,idling away the lunchbreaks in the summer sun. I recall each year had its own year room where we gathered for registration and lunch,there were lockers outside each year room but we never left anything of value in them as they were not very secure.
I also recall I was always late back from lunch on a Tuesday,the new top ten was announced and the new number one single was not known until about 12-55, we were due back at 12-50! I just had to be the first to hear Slade were straight in at number one again! I remember sitting the CSE exams in the school hall and my last day at Vinters was a relief...I was off to an exciting aprenticship as a mechanic. love to hear from anyone who can recall these years.

Blimey that was a long one