Reference
AU10/89/1
Title
Notes made by Annie Page for Andrew Underwood on the subject of Ampthill schools:
- notes that the period under discussion was 53 years before, i.e. 1903;
- the headmaster of the Wesleyan school was named Russell [Kelly's Directory for 1903 and 1906 shows the master's name as George Warner] and was tall and thin who had a dog named Rover; he was very popular as "Wolf" at playtimes and allowed play in the Alameda "as far as the third seat"; iron gates were at the entrance to the Alameda "Did the Duke of Bedford steal them one night?";
- singing at the school was very good, particularly the anthem "What are these that are arrayed in white robes";
- the school had only one room with infants in a small inside room, the writer and her sister could remember no boys but "we were young & not interested";
- on market days the children used to hare down Woburn Hill "for sheer devilment" during play time;
- another teacher [Ellen Cowper] was a lady "who seemed very old to us, then" also the Infants teacher;
- desks held four or six children and forms had no backs, the children sitting with backs "like ramrods caused by folding arms behind"
Date free text
1956
Production date
From: 1903 To: 1956
Level of description
item