Audrey Speight, nee Barrett – School Days 1933

“My school days started in 1933 at the new Guiseley Modern School on Oxford Road, Guiseley.
I can remember the names of some of the staff from so long ago, Miss Watkinson, Miss Bird and Miss Jarvis.
One of the memories from those days is of the very small toilets which I didn’t like to use, so I used to rush home from Oxford Road to Hawkhill Avenue, where my mother used to leave the door open for me.
I left Guiseley School when I was eight starting school in Yeadon, leaving behind a modern school for an old school, Yeadon South View, where boys and girls were segregated, I can still remember the Headteacher Miss Simnett.
I passed my 11plus exam to go Aireborough Grammar School, the Second World War broke out just as I started, my life altered that day.
We moved from a new Council House, the first to be built in Guiseley to a weavers cottage in Moor View Yeadon with cellars.
My Mother wouldn’t move until the cellars were blocked off.
I liked the school, but we soon started to loose the young men teachers to go to war.
All the retired ladies came back to school to teach, they had a tough time only the old men stayed on.
Before long they drained the swimming pool at Aireborough Grammar, I had learned to swim before it was drained.
I hated the cold showers, but you could not dodge them as the lady teachers really made sure you had your shower.
Being slim and small I really disliked sport, I managed to dodge Hockey, all the girls were so much bigger than me.
I managed Net Ball.
The tennis racquets were too big and heavy for me no light weight ones in those days.
We were taught to cook and sew.
I remember being scared to death of one teacher, Miss Legg!”