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AOSA ANNUAL REPORT 2001 |
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This Magazine Contents
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Parent leave on Sundays soon became, for Sonia and Bridget, an opportunity to invite other pupils, whose parents were unable to visit school because of distance or circumstance, to their home for a meal. Lifelong friendships were formed between pupils and families as a consequence. Sonia has been a District Secretary for the AOSA for the past 20 years and, like all District Secretaries, is looking for and following up new leads to track down “lost or mislaid” old scholars. After leaving school, Sonia enrolled at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as a trainee nurse. Like so many pupils, the change was a total culture shock. Sonia did, however, make new friends and went on to qualify with flying colours. After qualifying at the R.V.I., Sonia left to marry John Wade, my eldest brother, and went to live at the family farm at Longnewton, Stockton-on-Tees. She and John have three children, Andrew and Philip who are now married with two children each, and carrying on with the family farm, and daughter, Susan, who also has two children, and is following in her mother’s footsteps in the nursing profession. Sonia returned to nursing (Industrial) after her family went to school, eventually moving on to private nursing, and working as a Practice Nurse from 1981 to 1984. In 1984, she started work with the Medical Research Council, where she still is today. Many other members of the family have connections with Ayton School. Each was asked for a light-hearted memory which Ayton brought to mind! Below are the answers. Hazel Wade (Clapham 1925-1931): ‘With Miss Wells, practising in the gym; winning the Victor Ludorum Cup!’ Harland (Harley) Clapham (1926- 1933): ‘Happy days! I went to Ayton School at 8 years of age. On the first Sunday, we went on the “Slave Drive” (Sunday walk), supervised by a member of staff, to Captain Cook’s monument. The second Sunday, again to Captain Cook’s monument, at which point the member of staff said, “Right, you can find your own way back now”? and promptly left. Any children who were late or lost were told off. I also remember bedtime supervised by Junior Duty Staff: after washing, teeth cleaning and getting ready for bed, three beds would be put together with mattresses at right angles to normal. Then a series of wrestling matches would take place, before we were finally sent to bed and “Lights out!”’ The late J.C. (Chris) Curry (1924- 1929): ‘Winter; chilblains on ears, hands and feet; horrible black treacle on bread.’ Bridget Edgerton (Dunn 1954-1960):‘Being caught in ‘top dorm’ listening to Radio Luxembourg under the bed clothes - and the punishment:- dressing gown on, standing outside the bedroom door in the draughty cold corridor as a penance, until allowed back to bed. Throwing cigarettes out of the window onto the village green, through fear of being caught “in possession”.’ William Wade (me) (1953-1958): ‘Having to swim in the “Taddy Tank”? - what would Public Health say today? Even the brick we dived for was painted white, in order to be seen in the green untreated river water!’ Alan Wade (1955-1960): ‘Enjoying the cross-country running; fishing in the Beck.’? Margaret Hall (Wade 1955-1960): ‘Visiting the Old Peoples’ Homes to help with errands and chores and jog old memories!’ Ken Wade (1959-1961): ‘A very happy time; spending my pocket money at Johnson the butcher (were they “Tuppenny ducks”?)’ J. G. (John) Hall (1954-1959): ‘Queuing for supper, trying to be first for a Marmite and dripping (car grease) sandwich - racing to the back of the queue just in case there was another spare; doing woodwork projects, I couldn’t wait for the next lesson.’ Sonia’s own ‘first thoughts’ were, cajoling her father to get back to school first for the start of the Autumn term to pick up “conkers” on the playground; the excitement of the open air theatre performances and roller-skating in break times. We wish Sonia well during her period in office. William Wade (1953-58)
P.S. I understand that, within the AOSA Committee, there are ongoing deliberations about what to do with the archives. Perhaps some OS can point to a charitable organisation or A.N.Other who would sponsor or part-sponsor their collation onto the World Wide Web. Lottery Heritage Fund or Quaker perhaps? Or even Lifelong Learning Project on computer publishing?
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Sonia
came to live in Stockton-on-Tees at the age of two weeks, having been evacuated from central
London during the blitz of 1940. She was adopted by J. F. (Jimmy) and Clara Dunn. Sonia had a
sister, Bridget (1954-1960), at Ayton during the same period. Her father, Jimmy, also served
on the school committee in the 1950s.