1937 STARTING SCHOOL   I started school at Crescent Road Infant School aged 5 in 1937.  By this time we were living at 19 WarleyWood Crescent, one of the Hospital houses, so it would be OK to walk to school. I don't remember much about those early days, but I remember a teacher called Mrs Joslin, and the Headmistress was Miss Yull.  What I do remember is that there was a plaque on the outside of the school with the caption 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' The Bible Proverbs 9 verse 10.  The school is still there, and is now a day nursery, so the plaque is still there for all to read!

I then progressed up the road to Junction Road, where I attended South Weald Council Mixed School, later Junction Road.  My first report in Summer 1940 was from Miss Grundy.  She said 'John is intelligent and well-advanced in most subjects for his age; but his handwriting is very poor.'  She was right about the handwriting!