Memories of Chater School and Cassiobury Park in Watford (From Watford Observer)

Memories of Chater School and Cassiobury Park in Watford

9:53am Friday 22nd January 2010 in

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Memories of Watford are the subject of a letter from Colin Sillwood, from Vicarage Road, Bovingdon.

He wrote: “I see that you have been asking readers for any memories of Chater School, Cassiobury Park and the High Street fire station, so I'll see what I can do.

“I was born in 1942 and lived my early years sharing my grandparents' house in Kensington Avenue during World War Two. Then starting around the corner in the infants at Chater School in Harwoods Road in, I believe, 1946.

“My first teacher was Miss James, and the headmistress was Miss Wallace, a domineering figure. I also remember Miss Offord, Mrs Green, Mrs Cooper and Mrs Maddox. Winters were mostly severe in those days and snow fights and sliding on ice were highlights then.

“I can remember a lot of children's names who were in my class, such as Linda Copeland, whose parents owned a shoe shop in Durban Road East, Yvonne Rawlings, Colin Sawford, Roger Spiking and many more, including the twins, Eric and John Wise, who presented an identification problem to some teachers, as did the girls, the Cherry twins, whose named I don't remember.

“As infants, we did not get to use ink for writing, everything was done in pencil, and the desks had fixed tops so nothing could be concealed inside. The paper which we drew on was grey and coarse textured, I imagine this was due to the austerity years immediately following the war.

“After two years in the infants, boys and girls were separated.

“The girls went to the 'big girls' school across the playground downstairs, and the boys went upstairs in the same building, but the entrance was in Southsea Avenue.

“I remember the playground seemed to be bigger than that on the girls' side, but we had to contend with outside toilets, which were always draughty and in the depths of winter were absolutely freezing.

“Mr Norman Keeble was the headmaster then.

“The teachers were Mrs Hill, who took the first two years and also art subjects; Mr Coleman, who was my teacher for two years; Mr Watson; Mr Cunningham; Mr Hazel and Mr Cooper, whose wife was a teacher in the infants and whose daughter Mary had been in my class.

“One year, we received a visit from a travelling theatre group called the Mummers, who put on a wonderful performance for us in Regency-style costumes. I was completely enthralled by the leading lady, only to have a suspicion afterwards that the part had been played by a man.

“I received a very sound primary education at Chater School. Discipline was good and I remember Mrs Hill was quite innovative in her lessons.

“One of her projects consisted of each pupil bringing an item of plain white china to paint with special enamels, which, when completed, she took home to be fired in her oven, returning them to the pupils a week or so later.

“A very dedicated lady. I must also mention the caretaker, whose job it was to keep all the buildings clean and tidy. He was Mr Thorogood.

“I could probably name most of the boys that had been with me in those days, such as David Brewster, Geoffrey Morris, Tony Fisher, Keith Turnbull and so on. Some of these passed their 11 plus exam and went on to grammar school.

“While others less fortunate went to 'Vics' as it was called by us then, Victoria Boys School in Addiscombe Road.

“In 1947, my father, who had recently been 'demobbed' from the army, got a job as a driver for a firm called Cakebread Robey. They were a builders merchants in Watford High Street and accommodation in the flat above the shop went with the job.

“From there, it was only a couple of hundred yards to the fire station, which was situated on the south side of the road alongside a slip road, which led up to a car park on one side, and a government building on the other, where I can remember going to collect my free orange juice and cod liver oil.

“I think the fire station was able to accommodate two engines, which were Leyland built, with lots of brass, one being slightly bigger than the other and having ladder assemblies with large wooden cartwheels, while the smaller had ladders that had to be carried from appliance to the fire.

“The ambulance service had a building just around the corner in Upton Road, where their vehicles were housed, and also provided rear access to the fire station.

“I can remember an exhibition was held in a small hall there one year, where a model racing car display was on show, internal combustion powered then, not electric. This could have been to coincide with the Festival of Britain in 1951.

“From my home in the High Street, it was only about half a mile to the top entrance of Cassiobury Park, an outstanding feature being those gates, which are, sadly, no longer there.

I would pass them every day on my way home, particularly during the conker season.

“One of my interests was flying model aircraft, and Cassiobury Park was the ideal spot then, and when I also gained an interest in fishing, I would take regular trips down to the River Gade to while away an afternoon.

“There used to be a nursery school on the right hand side, just inside the park entrance in Cassiobury Park Avenue. I think this would have been in the late 1940s to early 1950s. Continuing along that path led you up to the bandstand where one could sit and enjoy silver bands at weekends.

“Another regular welcome sight along the pathway was Mr Grillo and his ice cream wagon, nothing else has ever matched the flavour of Grillos' ice cream for me, and he had regular pitches, both in the old market and in the High Street parade during the summer months.

“Parades and carnivals used to be a regular feature of the Watford year, with processions forming up in the Harebreaks and winding their way down St Albans Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road and up the High Street, with all the traffic stopped by the police, then turning down Rickmansworth Road, finally entering Cassiobury Park through those wonderful gates. These parades were usually led by the North Watford Scouts band who were a magnificent sight to behold.

“Fairgrounds would usually accompany these events, being set up in the area below the bowling green and down to where the car park is. For a few years, we had the additional entertainment of motorcycle grasstrack racing, but sadly that is no more.

“As I grew up, I was fortunate to get a job with the Sun Printers in Whippendell Road, and soon developed a routine of daily walks in the park during our dinner breaks, along with my group of colleagues. This was continued through the decades until the demise of photogravure printing in the 1980s, when I moved to the 'Mirror' at the other end of town in the old Odhams building.”