THE BIG BANG (1940's)  
By Audrey Netherway (Nee Palmer)

Piesse Brook School was built on the side of a hill with not enough flat space for a cricket pitch. Therefore the crossroads below the school became the cricket pitch and playground. Luckily for us the local tradesmen (baker, butcher, wood merchant) knew of our predicament and sounded their horns with great gusto, as they approached. If we were not quick enough to pull up our wickets they would be plucked out of the ground by these friendly tradesmen and dropped a distance up the road.

The pupils – approximately 12 to 14 in total, with seldom more than two to a class, were a varied lot. While some thrived on school, others tolerated it and still others schemed to rid themselves of school – teacher and all!

The plan was hatched – a stick of gelignite, taken from its place in the rafters of a shed – then no more school and no more teacher.

Evidently all was going to schedule until someone spilt the beans. Mothers were summoned to the school. It was quite a distance for them to walk – no transport in those days – and the weather was warm. One mother in particular, of rather ample proportions and not used to walking for much distance, kept losing her slippers and was obliged to stop every now and then to mop her brow with her apron, but eventually the school was reached.

The frustration and agitation as, unable to speak English, she tried to put her point across. “K-Boom, K-Boom”. She uttered while gesticulating wildly with her hands, and then realising that her son was translating the events to suit himself – a fact borne out by one of the other pupils. Finally a truce was drawn and soon everything was back to normal.

We will never know if it would have been “The Big Bang” or whether it was just school boys’ bravado.

Article:           By Audrey Netherway (Nee Palmer)

Copyright : Gordon Freegard  2008 - 2023