MEECHING JUNIOR SCHOOL TEACHERS

The teacher 2nd left may have been a Mr King, an art teacher of that time.

Does anyone remember Mr Weston? He taught the 3rd year in 1957/58. The class made up a story about a fictional town, it's own language and song and Mr Weston recorded us on his reel to reel tape recorder. We were a successful entry in a competition. I remember we were treated afterwards to a party and fireworks in his garden in Peacehaven.

I remember Mr. Weston, Marie; and the sound-play and firework party. I'm not so sure that's him in the picture, though. I seem to remember him being a far stockier built man.

The teacher in the white suit is Mr King, who was good at art. I remember Mr Collins, (next to Mr King), pointing out that all paintings supervised by Mr. King were easily recognisable, due to all objects within the painting being outlined with a thin black line. Does that stir any memories?

The teacher 3rd from left is Mr. Burt, nickname (JAB) taken from his initials I think.

Quite correct, John. He was still teaching in the mid 60's, as I can remember him standing in at Southdown School. Andy-Editor.

I remember Mr Weston. He gave me the "slipper" twice!

Does anybody remember who the science teacher at Hillcrest was in the late 50's, he had a Velocette water-cooled motorcycle? I always wanted one of those bikes.

The science teacher at that time would have been "Harry Spice" he rode that Bike from Polegate every day.

Hi Terry, the science teacher with that motorcycle you described was I believe a Mr Spice, a very quiet speaking man.

Thanks William and Colin, I always enjoyed his lessons. I loved his bike, there is usually one of those at the Cuckoo Fair at Laughton and it always reminds me of him. That was a bit of journey every day then. Whenever I come to Newhaven from Hastings I take the route across the marshes-Pevensey and Polegate bypasses-A27 turn off at Beddingham and sweep round the bends by the old cement works and onto Tarring Neville and South Heighton. Then I  circumnavigate Denton before going into Newhaven,a real nostalgia trip. But the junctions at the end of the Drove always confuse me. I will have to come more often and get used to them.

I transferred from the Infants School to Meeching Junior School in the late 50s, and having spent my first year in Miss Wheatley's class, was taught by three of the four teachers in this picture: first by John (JAB) Burt, then John King and finally Fred Cole. JAB was probably my favourite. He had periods of absence during my year in his class, and was usually replaced by Mr Hewitson. Fred Cole was a keen footballer and thus very popular with most of the boys in his class. He later became a teacher of religious studies at a secondary school in Brighton, and later still was Chair of Governors of Denton Primary School. Other teachers at the Junior school during my time there included Miss Yvonne Collins (no relation, I think), the aforementioned Mr John Weston, Mrs Caister, Miss Chapman, and I think Mr Star. The Headteacher was, of course, Miss Wadeson. I was never in Stan Collins' class (the fourth teacher in the picture) but he was another teacher I liked. Some years later he was one of those who founded an amateur theatre group in Newhaven with Peter Lilley, who later became Headteacher of Chyngton School in Seaford.

To clarify, the teachers in the photo are, from left to right: John King, Stan Collins, John Burt and Fred Cole. Incidentally, since motorcycles have been mentioned, Mr Weston was also a motorcyclist. When he arrived at the school he had a solo machine (red, I think). I remember this because one afternoon he gave me (then aged about 10), a lift on the back from the school to the recreation ground for a sports lesson: other pupils were taken down in other teachers' cars. Perfectly normal and acceptable in those days but, I suspect, less so today! I cannot remember why we were driven down on that day, because normally we walked. Later, just before I left the school, Mr Weston replaced his old bike with a big, gold BSA with a double adult sidecar. I secretly hoped to get a ride in that, but I never did!

I was at Meeching School from 1955 to 1959, and knew these teachers well. Mr Collins haunted my nightmares and his bun-sporting wife taught there too. Mr Weston's tapes.... one was a day in the life of a mediavel town.. the other a pretend school trip to Switzerland. They were for a BBC competition in which we came 2nd one year and won the next.. Cyril Fletcher presented the award. With Mr King we made chess sets out of cork, I can still smell the dreadful glue... there was a Mr Parker ex army PE type for a while.... Miss Wheatley who caned with split rulers... she told me when I died I would go to hell for sure... Mrs Wadeson was inspired by Great Expectations and would read from it lost in the role of Mrs Haversham... classmates included John Sharwood, Chris Lisk, Doreen Winder and Jacqueline Atkinson.

Does anyone remember a science teacher Mr Denyer known as "popeye" due to his bulging eyes,who rode a yellow and grey Lambretta scooter.

I remember the recording we were the winners - Cyril Fletcher visited the school to make a presentation.  I have the newspaper cutting - myself, Jacqueline Atkinson and I believe Christopher Chapman are in the photo. We went to Mr Weston's house for the fireworks and party.  I also was often given a lift home on his motorbike - how things have changed!

I remember Alan Denyer well.  He taught science and maths and was such an excellent teacher.  He made his lessons interesting and tested us weekly on what we had learned.  At one point, our class was a whole maths book ahead of the Grammar School in Lewes - thanks to Mr Denyer.

I remember Miss Wheatley lived in a lovely bungalow just down Fort Road.  Lunchtimes my friends and I would hang around outside her garden gate and the 'lucky' pupils would get a lift back to school in her car.  What a privilege that was.

However I do remember Miss Wheatley was my first teacher in the Junior School and I was frightened to death of her.  I can remember lining up with the other children at the front of the class to go to her desk to have my sums marked.  Miss Wheatley thought I had made some errors and started rolling up my sleeve to smack me - but then realised that I had got my sums right and simply rolled my sleeve back down.  I went to hell and back in that moment.

I have the happiest memories of the children at Meeching Junior School. My very best greetings to you all. I was so particularly proud of the excellent choir and the tape groups.
It was good to find this website with memories of old friends. I have some interesting photographs which I would be happy to post but unfortunately I don't know how to do it. They include various outings, scenes at home and in the school, and memories of the tape competitions. You must all be younger than I am for obvious reasons so if anyone would like me to send them to them and then for them to publish them it would be a very good thing.

 Thank you for your comments John.

I have sent an email to you regarding the photos we look forward to seeing them on the website. 

John - Editor

Wonder if recordings of the winning tapes exist?

Mr King was gorgeous.....