Rachel's Memories (part one)  

There were several rather strange ladies who came to look after us at "FRIDHAM". I remember Mrs. Boston, a weak, shy and easily dealt with lady, we all knew how to hoodwink her; I think she probably became very wary of us, and eventually left not able to cope with us, let alone with Mr. Pott. Then came the frightening "lady in black", the dreaded Mrs. Browning who had a daughter at school with us. I seem to remember being very frightened of both her and her daughter. She didn't last long either. She left and, I think, had a cafe in Hunstanton for a short while.

Next came Mrs. Wase who we all now affectionately call Martha. She was a rather large, Very kind lady and so full of fun. She was the nearest any of us had to a Mum away from home and she put up with our antics and us until the end.

In the mornings we would all know whether or not to eat the porridge. We all knew if her cigarette ash had fallen into it! Do you remember, Girls!

There was the time when Elaine Clarke and I hid in the airing cupboard when poor Martha was bathing. Of course we fell out of it in fits of giggles and ran for our lives. I'm sure that we got a really good clip from her for that!

When I arrived at St. Michael's, I can honestly say that, apart from Mr. Pott's booming Voice, I felt quite at ease after having been at several other schools and not stayed at any of them for long. The girls were pleasant and seemed nice to be with and I certainly wasn't homesick. St. Michael's was great fun in term time and in the holidays as well.

Whilst at "Fridham" I became, briefly, a dormitory prefect, we had a "midnight feast" Probably around 10 p.m. and, of course, we got caught. Needless to say I was no longer a prefect!

  The main dormitory bedroom was on the ground floor, a lovely large room with several Windows. The boys occasionally talked to us through the windows late at night. There was an orchard next door from where we pinched apples. We would walk from "Fridham” up through the Village to the Church where we would all pile onto the double-decker, with the boys of course!!

  On Saturday nights we would watch films in the church hall. I don't recall any of the tittles (sic!)   (Told you so. Ed.)     The darkened room will remind many of us, not of what film was on but who we were with. We would go back to "Fridham'1 either on a ‘high' or 'low'. Martha always knew how to deal with both.

I was short and bubbly in those days   (so what changes? Ed.)    And we had so Much fun. We were all in love with the boys of our choice. The only time I can remember being in the least bit interested in anyone else was when we went to "Sherrardwood school': There the boys were different  (Plus a change, plus ca meme chose: Ed) and we flirted outrageously. Once back on the bus we sat with our current boyfriends and came back to earth with a bang.

On one occasion I think Fingers (Mr. Merritt) was driving the bus and he decided to take a short-cut and we got stuck under a bridge, another time St. Michael's hit the news. Oh how we remember those days, our first loves which were never to be forgotten and all the mishaps that made St.Michael's .

I think that I have put pen to paper perhaps long enough. There will be another episode to follow and maybe I will reveal more next time one never knows.

  Rachel Golby (Gunter)