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Schooldays in Haslemere

Between the 1940s and 1960s, Haslemere had a variety of different schools. Private schools included St Ives, which at this time was a school ran by the Parents’ National Educational Union and as such emphasised the teaching of nature studies and the arts. The Haslemere School on Chestnut Avenue was opened on 22nd April 1900. It was originally designed for some 220 pupils and built by public subscription. There were also smaller schools such as Hillside School, situated for a time on the Petworth Road and run by the formidable Miss Welland, and Shottermill School in Lion Lane. Woolmer Hill, today the only secondary school in Haslemere, was built in the 1950s to satisfy requirements of 1944 Education Act.

Track 20 Cat Story

Credit line: Mitch Mitchell talks about his cat following him to school.

Transcription:

Interviewee: My first day at school I remember because my Mother took me down and the cat followed down and the cat sat on the bank opposite. At lunchtime I come out and went back home because it was just up the road and the cat followed me back and came back with me after lunch and sat there for a while and then I think he decided I was alright and I was going to come home again and cleared off for his own purposes.

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