Last Sunday saw a very successful St Philip’s Marsh Open Day. Ex-residents of the ‘Island’ (so called because of its location between the Feeder Canal and the River Avon) wanted to celebrate 50 years since the last member of the community moved out of the area. The celebration included walking tours, double decker bus tours, exhibition and video footage of what once was a thriving community. The School was open for tours and refreshments and saw hundreds of people pass through its doors. Many of the visitors had attended the School as pupils and had wonderful tales to tell.
Glynis Peters (nee Rees), lived in Park Street, Totterdown. She started in 1958 with her brother and sister. She can remember rows of beds where children had to rest after lunch and having cheese flan for dinner. She still has connections with the School as her children came here and her grandson, Reuben, has just started.
Mr Lynn Morgan, lived “just round the corner”. He came here from 1942 to 1945 and he could remember having to drink his milk even if it had curdled!
Christine Howard (nee Stone) could remember the coat pegs with pictures of animals. She could also remember having compulsory sleeps on camp beds after lunch and the beds being brought outside when it was sunny.
Mike Cottle could remember having a swimming pool in the garden (the current car park) and burning his feet on the tarmac as he ran to get in.
Click here to see some of the photos of the day.