Fisherton Manor middle school, the last of an era.
“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.”
This is my first post, so I thought I'd start with a school I went to in Salisbury at the age of 10-14. Behind this building is another building of similar build which was referred to as Hibuary first school, both properties were once connected.
The building which once dominated the skyline from Wilton Road is no longer standing and now covered by an housing estate owned by Wimpy homes. Lots of these old style schools are now vanishing into the past and their like will never been seen again. The school has seen much history and housed many evacuee's during the war, many generations of feet have passed along it's now silent and empty corridors. If you listen hard, you can still hear their echo's of laughter. The door (in the picture on the left) under the window was once the games store room. Apparently it was supposed to have been haunted.
This page is in memory to all those fellow pupils, and a bit of a journey down memory lane for me.
The building which once dominated the skyline from Wilton Road is no longer standing and now covered by an housing estate owned by Wimpy homes. Lots of these old style schools are now vanishing into the past and their like will never been seen again. The school has seen much history and housed many evacuee's during the war, many generations of feet have passed along it's now silent and empty corridors. If you listen hard, you can still hear their echo's of laughter. The door (in the picture on the left) under the window was once the games store room. Apparently it was supposed to have been haunted.
This page is in memory to all those fellow pupils, and a bit of a journey down memory lane for me.
In 1924 the building was built on a two acre site at the edge of what was called Fisherton Anger. Many historical events were happening during the year of 1924, things like:
- The first BBC broadcast from Plymouth (station)
- First broadcast by King George V, opening the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium.
- George Mallory and Andrew Irvine are last seen "going strong for the top" of Mount Everest by teammate Noel Odell at 12:50 PM. The two mountaineers are never seen alive again.
This old bell tower fell silent in the sixties. You don't get them like that now. Not sure if the bell was still inside the casing. It must have once been heard right across the area.
During the war the air raid shelters were situated here. The science block used to be here and two more classrooms, they were only wooden buildings. The flats in the background have been there since the 1950's, wont be long before Wimpy homes have their eyes on that as well.
There's now a court building on this area. A path used to lead down to what we called the playing field, to the right of it was the red gra, it used to be covered in red grain (hence the name) but in this shot it's been tarmacked over. Many games of hockey were played on that. Our games teacher if I remember rightly was called Ms Hughes. Our last school photo was taken here in front of T4 which was the third year class rooms. Mr Hindly had T1, while Mrs Mackenzie had T2, T3 was Mr Hooper.
There's now a court building on this area. A path used to lead down to what we called the playing field, to the right of it was the red gra, it used to be covered in red grain (hence the name) but in this shot it's been tarmacked over. Many games of hockey were played on that. Our games teacher if I remember rightly was called Ms Hughes. Our last school photo was taken here in front of T4 which was the third year class rooms. Mr Hindly had T1, while Mrs Mackenzie had T2, T3 was Mr Hooper.
The reception and headmasters office was here, the green doors are original, and would have been here during the war, so I hope they were saved before demolition. The headmaster during my time was called Mr Cutter, and the deputy head was Mr Underwood.
This is the first year block. The two doors at the end were the toilets, originally they were in a shed outside. Weird things happened here like the toilets used to flush by themselves. I was told during the 50's that the water used to freeze during the bad winters, and they would get told they had a day off school; must have pleased them to no end I doubt. The library was on the left of the two doors, only a small room. Here we had music lessons with Ms Rollo who played the piano, I also now remember the 'Tim and the stump people', these reading books are now defunct and are collectors items.
This was Mr Tustins room (C2), Mrs Wilcox was next door at C1 and Ms Watford at C3. I am having a hard time remembering all the names. classrooms are much more bigger now and lighter these days, unlike the classrooms like you see here which were smaller.
This was C4, ran by an iron rod by Mrs Norris who taught cooking. The orb you see I believe is the ghost of a child because it's blue, adult ghosts are white. It wasn't caused by dust spectacles, the orb is blue which brings me to suspect its the spirit of a child, a boy from the 30-40's. Orbs or seen before a spirit manifestation.
We used to watch TV documentaries in here about drugs, this is where I also had my first lesson about the birds and the bee's.
We used to watch TV documentaries in here about drugs, this is where I also had my first lesson about the birds and the bee's.
The changing room for girls was where the discussion of bras first came up. I wasn't keen on this room because it was cold and smelly.
The showers.
The boys changing room window wasn't covered properly so all the girls could see the boys entering the shower, har har!
These banisters are unique as you don't get them like this anymore, I hope these were saved. I also fell down these stairs causing me to bust both ankle's.
This flooring is unusual and I haven't seen it anywhere since, it used to be waxed once a month with a spinning thing the cleaners had. Known as "parquet flooring" its rare to find this now,
These are original glass bricks, then someone stupidly decided to paint over them!
This is where the dining room would have been during the war. I didn't like the place as I believe it was haunted. I had to clean the arts pots after a lesson and always felt I was being watched. Also heard invisible people walking about.
Ms Hughe's as well as teaching games, also taught art. We also had mini assemblys in here ran by Mr Hindly.
Ms Hughe's as well as teaching games, also taught art. We also had mini assemblys in here ran by Mr Hindly.
This was known as the common room and at the time of this shot, the room was as black as pitch so much so I couldn't see my hand in front of my face; so basically I was shooting blind. Here we had our dining room and many disco's. We used to wait outside the door for dinner and when we did eventually get in most of the food was gone which resulted in many complaints. My mum said it happened when she was there (in the old art room) during the 50's.
The shot from the kitchen shows how dark the common room was. Diet wasn't an issue during my school days and a lot of it was horrifyingly stodgy.
Here's a Roman (or should I say Viking) blast from the past. It's an Asterix magazine and you cannot get them anymore, apart from this one which has been saved and sent to the museum of childhood at Salisbury museum. All the boys used to read it.
The old assembly hall, many a Christmas party and meetings were held here; including when the Playhouse came over to give us a sample of a production. The tinsel on the ceiling is left over from the farewell party, but I can still hear the echo of parties past. We also had our games classes in here, and parents evenings.
Old school ropes on the frame. I'm hoping these were unhooked and placed in the new school.
This is a netball, when we had a lesson called games these were issued for us to practice with. Ms Hughes used to tell us off for trying to use them as footballs.
The last reminder of an age we'll never see the like of again. no one uses chalk on boards anymore as boards are now white and markers are used. One day even that'll change and holographic boards will come in and lasers will be used instead of markers.
Old as the hills, this is where your teacher sat. The object on the end is a pencil sharpener, it had a lever on you turned while inside the wood was shaved off.
These gates are long gone now, probably gone for scrap. My parents waited for me once here after school to walk back to the new house. So this is a last farewell to a school we'll never see the like of again. The council cut down the tree that was on the right hand side. A lot of people were were still alive when I attended this school are now gone into the light. I still remember Micheal Burlow the boy who got ran over, it was the first death I'd ever experienced in my life.
It's very important to reserve the past for future generations, if we don't then we have nothing to show out future generations.
It's very important to reserve the past for future generations, if we don't then we have nothing to show out future generations.