Memories of Gillian Abel - Growing up in Ludham

Memories of Gillian Abel.

I attended Ludham Primary School at approximately four and a half years of age.

The head teacher was Mr. Arthur Bird. We received free school milk and if there was any over we would form a circle and swivel the milk Bootle round. When the top of the bottle pointed to one of the children, that person had the extra one.

I remember in the top class when it was dinnertime, you would either be a helper or a monitor and this meant serving the younger children their dinners. The sweets in particular I remember. You could have a tiny, small, large or extra large portion. This meant when it was semolina and melting moments I could have as extra large portion because it was my favourite.

We had to tidy the plates away and fold down the tables and stack the forms. One day we had had chips for dinner. I was taking the form back and slipped on a chip on the floor. My form went through one of the partition windows, which divided the hall in half. It was no ordinary partition. It had beautifulEdwardian ladies painted on the glass and I had broken one. For some time later, I had still left my mark. There was a piece of brown card covering the hole.

At weekends we would go and play over Latchmoor. It was a very big field with lots of space to run about. It is now Latchmoor Park with lots of houses. I used to ride my little bike up and down dirt track slopes – it was great fun.

Out side “Jaspers” which was then gents hairdressers (now the “Cats Whiskers”) was a very big conifer tree. We used to have great fun seeing how many conkers we could get.

Where Ludham Garage petrol pumps are was a large wooden house. My Aunt Lotty and Uncle Albert lived in it and I can just remember going inside.

At the old doctor’s surgery where medicines were made up for you, they would be placed on a shelf and you just helped yourself to the one with your name on it.