End of WWI

End of WWI



Announced by a Bell


One of my earliest memories is of a lady, Mrs Watt, walking up to the school excitedly ringing a bell, to let us know the First World War was over - as my father (Bill Harrison) was away with the forces - this was especially good news for us.

I remember our Sunday School Anniversary, when Mr Thomas had us practising for weeks, and on the big day we went to the hall, which had been beautifully decorated with flowers for 3 services, we received our yearly prizes on this day and usually, had a new dress, so we looked forward to it.

Then we had a picnic which we went to in a horse driven lorry. The young ones sitting around, with their legs dangling over the side, and the older ones sitting on kerosene boxes on the lorry. We especially enjoyed the lolly scrambles - we thought they were great fun.

Then there were our special trains to football. We enjoyed the trips away and the singing on the way home - "Ultima, they are the lads in red and black". They were our colours in those days.

The school picnics to Lake Tutchewop, when the whole town shut up shop and we went to the Lake for the day. Lovely if the day was warm, and the Lake was very nice in those days.

We also had lots of balls in the dance season, and our own orchestra Players. I remember were Hilda Tandy, Jessica Martin, Bob Gundlach, Peter Bell, Arthur Lichte, Perce Perris, Bill Perris, Ross Harrison and my apologies to those I just cant remember.

I remember the fun we had in the dramatic Club, practising for the plays we had, and in later years I enjoyed very much the C.W.A. Choir, with Florence Baldwin our first conductress, then Frances Monsborough, and later Pat Fraser.

I also remember a girls' club that met in the well-scrubbed laundry of the local policeman's wife - but we had some good times there.

I remember the stacks of wheat in the railway yards. Also the black-out duststorms, and the mice plagues.