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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 27 Teachers at Shottermill School

Credit line: Alan Perry talks about his teachers at Shottermill School.

Transcription:

Interviewee: Shottermill was where my interest in wildlife was developed, Mr. Oldham, he was very keen on wildlife, and I remember winning a prize for Autumn Berries and getting a Ladybird book, which I’ve still got somewhere. So that was very happy memories there. I remember Mr. Didritchson(?), who used to read to us, and that always inspired me to read as well. He was a wonderful teacher. And then there was Mrs. Spooner, who used to throw inkwells at me, just didn’t like me. But I sold Mrs. Spooner’s house much later on in life and I never mentioned the fact again to her.

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