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Does anyone remember Dr.O'Shea? He was Head round about 1984 for two or three years and then retired to live in the Isle of Wight where he wrote and published poetry and some autobiographical memories. Sadly he died in February 2022 in Cowes and is now buried in Northwood Cemetery.

I attended Highbury Avenue Junior and Infant school from about 1955-58. It was a lovely time and as I recall the teachers were kind, however I recall punishments on occasions, usually having to hold out a hand that was hit forcefully with a 12 inch wooden ruler, or else a gym shoe to a short-trousered leg - nightmare! Playtimes usually involved buying 'jammie dodger' biscuits for a few old pennies. These were distributed by 'monitors', the biscuits being placed onto the wooden seat of a chair that was likely still warm from use. Change was handled in the old fashioned way without gloves, so we must have developed strong immune systems as a result. Small bottles of warm milk or a bottle of what was claimed to be orange juice were on hand. I recall writing on a piece of slate with chalk, far cry from todays technologies. Teacher scraping nails down the 'blackboard' (we were allowed to call it a blackboard in those days), always resulted in good-natured protests from the children. We eventually graduated to ink in white wells on the top edge of the desk, with simple pens and blotting paper; usually messy. Teaching methods were universally didactic, with us kids copying what teacher had earlier written on the board, though we did have a few sessions of interaction. I recall a school play of the sleeping beauty in which I was the prince. Having cut through the brambles (other pupils) using my rubber knife I was to kiss the sleeping princess, however I had difficulty returning the 'dagger' to its place in my belt so she had to be patient; which I believe she was. There were of course a few giggles. Boys uniform was a green blazer with yellow braid and a skull cap with tiny peak. Happy days.

In the 1911 census I found my ancestor was an inmate (as described by the school who completed the census return) at the school. Little Freda Blanche Steggall was 11 years old and learning needlework, one of 100 children at the school. Freda's father, Octavius, had abandoned the family and gone to South Africa where he passed away in January 1911. I cannot find what happened to Freda's mother, Blanche.

I was at Highbury in the mid 1980s. I didn’t like it much when I was there and looking back realize it wasn’t a very school. Very poor academically. One teacher [Mr B] would throw objects at us, and grab our hair and shake our heads. No one cared to do anything. He had been suspended from other schools. It took me a while to get my life on track after being there, but I eventually got my Masters Degree at 40 (despite my early schooling) and now live in the USA.

My maternal grandmother Florence Marie Roberts (31/10/1896) is listed as an inmate on the 1911 census, I would love to know why? She later moved to Belfast and raised a family single headedly. She died in 1960.

The college is mentioned in Lawrence's The Rainbow ...were the students taught folk songs and morris dancing? I have been reading the novel again after some decades.It is one of the most important novels in our literature....I was astonished, experiencing thr reading of it again as an old man. I forgot about Jude the Obscure! Most impressed by yout site.

Omg i went to this school as i lived in Endless Street Over 55 years ago .miss my school Friends

Remember so many happy times at this school, I too remember Miss Moody but I think the Headmaster was a Mr Davies/Davis. Remember having to stay in school until quite late when a plane from Boscombe Down came down on the prefabs up the road, also the coronation fair held at Victoria Park 1 boy and 1 girl to take part and I was chosen we did a play on the back of a cart, Faust! Happy Days.