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I'm gwain to tell 'ee my memories of when this was a skule.

But fust my friend says to me "I'm gwain to take you into Records Office in Exeter where they got books all about it." 

Wull when us got there us was told to leave our 'andbags in a little cubicle, an' all us cude take in wi' us was our glasses an' a pencil. 

Us got to desk an' told young lady us wanted Records for Colaton Raleigh Skule.  'Er gived us a form to fill in sayun' who we was an' told us to pick up two pillows each.  

Wull me an' my mate looked at one an' tother an' I said "Scuse me but us aben't cum to stay the nite us don't want Bade an' Breakfast." 

'Er gived me a funny luke an' said, "Not to rest yer 'aides on, it's to rest the books on sos you don't damage 'em, please go to table 23 an' we'ell bring them to you." 

Us cude see why when they comed, all in folders an' tied up wi' tape.  When us opened 'em up us was nearly 'fraid to touch 'em cause they was 'bout 160 yers old. 

The fust pupil on Register was Frederick Pound an' he started skule yer on February 7th 1866. 

In 1895 there was 85 chilern on Register. 

The vicar visited skule every morning for Scripture lessons an' in 1899 when twas Holy Week chilern attended church at 11.30 every mornin' for the whole week instead of Scripture lessons. 

Us didn' 'ave long enough to look at they there records, shall 'ave to go again. 

I was the youngest of five chilern and lived wi' me mum and dad at Quashbrook Cottages.  I 'ad dree sisters an' a brother.  'Ee was the eldest 'ee must 'ave 'ad something to put up un' wi' four of us maidens. 

Us all went to skule yer.  Me brother 'd left 'for I started 'cause 'ee was 15 yers olderm' me an' left skule at fourdeen. 

There was dree class rumes.  Infants was in little rume wat's now the kitchen.  This yer big rume was divided into two wi' a curtain 'cross the middle of un.  One aind 'ad the Head Mistress wi' top class, t'other aind was the middle class.  There must 'ave been 'bout 80 children in the skule then, that was in 1933. 

Governess Burrows was 'aid mistress an' lived in Skule House 'er took top class.  Mrs Gibson took middle class 'er comed from Exmouth an' Miss Greenslade 'ad the infants.  'Er was yer forever until skule closed an' 'er didn' change a bit. 

'Er used to come to skule on 'er bike wot 'ad girt 'igh handle bars an' when twas raining 'erd 'old an umbrella over 'er 'aid wi' one 'and.  Twas a wonder 'er didn' take off when 'twas windy. 

Governess Burrows retired 'for I got to top class and Mrs Tingey took over. 

Infants rume 'ad a coal fire to warm 'em up in winter an' us sat at wooden tables wi' little small wooden chairs. 

Big rume 'ad a girt big black stove wi' a round chimley for smoke to go up. 

Us sat at desks in big rume 2 chilren to each desk an' they 'ad ink wells in 'em.  Twas proper pen an' ink in they days.  No biros. 

I can remember this yer maid 'ad 'er hair done in long plaits an' boy wot was sat behind 'er dipped the 'aind of one in 'ees inkwell.  Wull us all thought twas funny, but 'ee didn't 'cause 'ee didn' get no play time for a week, an' 'ee mother gived 'im a right telling off. 

In winter thick stove was used to warm pasties an' sausage rolls on top of 'un for they chilern wot comed from 'awkerland.  They 'ad to walk to skule an' twas bout 2 miles so they couldn' go 'ome to dinner like us wot lived un village. 

There wadn' no skule buses, no cars an' they didn' even 'ave bikes, in they days, not the chilern.  Fathers did, they 'ad to 'ave 'em to get to work. 

As 'twas a church skule when 'twas saints days us went to church in the morning an' 'ad the rest of the day off, us liked that. 

Vicar comed in in the mornings to take prayers. 'Ees name was Jeremiah Wallace, but us called 'im Sir.  Jus as well wi' a name like that.  Not like today when us calls 'um by their chritian name.  You didn' laugh an' chatter in church in they days.  'Tis much nicer now idn't it, more friendly. 

Us didn' 'ave much rume to play at break time in thick little playground but us didn' all 'ave the same breaktime. Just as well.  Boys would climb the wall into churchyard sometimes.  Woe betide 'um if they was caught. 

Us 'ad two toilets.  Girls was 'droo a door at bottom of big rume.  You went out into a little yard an' the coal 'ouse was there as well. 

Boys toilet was in corner of playground behind galvanize painted brown.  You 'cude always yer water running, but us maidens wadn' allowed in there. 

Yers later when I belonged to Womens Institute us 'ad a competition wat was Drama.  Us 'ad to go to Exmouth, lady showed us in an' said, "this is your dressing room."   Wull when I walked in I said, "Look us 'ave got a foot bath." 

Somebody poked me an' said, "Tis a urinal."  Well they 'ad to splain to me wot that was. 

Then it comed to me, I nawed wat running water was behind thick galvanize the boys 'ad in urinal. 

The dentist used to come with 'ees nurse to look at our teeth.  'Ee used the infants rume, so they 'ad to go in big rume wi' tother classes for a couple of days. 

Us didn' like 'ee I can tell 'ee.  'Ee 'ad big thick glasses you couldn' see 'ees eyes. 

I don't know 'ow 'ee cude see wot 'ee was doing.  There'd be this big chair for 'ee to sit in.  'Eed say, "Open your mouth please."  An' 'ee ad this yer drill wot 'ee 'ad to work wi' 'ees feet to drill 'oles in yer teeth to fill 'em.  (Mind you 'ees fillings never comed out.)  An' you 'ad one injection of cocaine to 'ave one pulled out an' next day yer face would be so swelled up you cudn' see out of yer eyes. 

When you comed out of 'ees rume you'd open yer mouth an' shew the next one waiting to go in what you'd 'ad done.  Blood an' all.  Wat 'orrible little things we were.  The nit nurse used to come an' look in our hair, an' if somebody 'ad a note you'd know they'd got 'em but didn' say nort.

Tis different today my great-granddaughter said, "Granny my friends 'ave all got nits I wish I had." 

Us used to get our eyes tested once a yer.  Sometimes somebody would 'ave to 'ave a pair of they metal glasses wi' sellotape stuck over one eye.  They'd say 'ee had a lazy eye whatever that was. 

Wull me brother and two elder sisters went to skule yer till they was 14 then left an' went out to work. 

About this time us was all gibn a gas mask to wear.  We thought twas funny an' laughed at one another when us 'ad to practise wearing 'em. 

Then in 1939 us yer war was declared an' you cude tell by the looks on mother and fathers' faces they was worried bout it. 

Us 'ad evacuees down yer from Lunnon.  People wat was willin' said they wude take care of em.  Mother said 'er wude 'ave some so us 'ad a brother and sister.  Us liked 'aving em (wull I did most of the time, but sometimes I felt me nose was put out of joint a bit).  They mixed in skule very well, us thought they talked a bit funny like. 

They 'ad a teacher called Miss Steer who comed wi' em, 'er was very nice.  They loved being able to run wild in the country, an' soon found out the best apple trees in the orchards.  There idn't no orchards now is there. 

Now when you was 11 years old you 'ad to go to Budleigh Salterton skule.  So me and my other sister went there.  A little bus runned by Harts from Salterton comed to fetch us.  Us called it the Donkey Cart. 

Twas different from Colaton Raleigh skule where us mostly done the three Rs Reading, Riting and Rithmetic.  Yer us 'ad to do History, Geography, Science, Cooking an' you 'ad different teachers for different subjects.  Us used to go to canteen for skule dinners (fish pie 'orrible). 

I 'ad 'appy days there an' left skule at 14.  I went to work in Salterton as a hairdresser's apprentice.  That means I was gwain to learn 'ow to do peoples 'air.  I was paid two shilling an' sixpence a week.  I 'ad to cycle 'cause the first bus was 10 o'clock.  Not nice when twas pouring wi' rain. 

Wull I be gwain to jump a few years now.  I met an' married my Jack who was a marine stationed at Dalditch Camp.  You can't imagine a big camp up there wi' a cinema, cook house an' all these yer huts for 'em to live in can 'ee. 

Us ad dree chilern, two maidens and a boy an' they went to skule yer but of course it 'ad changed a lot.  Infants rume was now the kitchen an' they cude 'ave skule dinners. 

There was 'bout 37 chilern in the skule then. 

Big rume was now divided by a sliding partition wi' glass in the top an' there was just 2 classes.  'Ead teacher was Mrs Newsom 'er was up one 'aind an' yer you've guessed, down tother aind was Miss Greenslade. 

The top of thick glass partition was painted wi' emulsion.  It seems miss rubbed a little patch off so's 'er cude see when 'aid teacher 'ad visitors an' who they was.  Little toads painted it over and enjoyed watching 'er face when 'er cudn't see nort. 

'Er cudn' say nort cude 'er.  (I only yerd this recently).  They still 'ad their visits from the nit nurse an' the dentist.  Only a lot of us 'ad our memories of 'ee an' took 'em to our own dentist an' of course they still 'ad their eyes tested. 

The Rev Pigatt was now the vicar an' 'ee lived at Place Court we 'ees wive.  They used to 'ave garden parties down there, an' 'ee used to 'ave film shows for the chilern.  Charlie Chaplin and cartoons which they loved. 

Most things wot went on in village was 'eld at Village Institute.  Up the hill opposite the pub an' joined onto 'n was Mens' Club where they had a billiard table, pool table and they played darts. 

The W.I. an' the Parish Council both 'eld their monthly meetings there.  They 'ad the Flower Show there an' they 'ad Dutch Auctions, where Frank Wheaton (Margaret's father) would sell everything.  'Ed pick up a 'andful of clothes.  Shirts, jumpers an' praps a bra an' 'old it up.  'Ed say who'll start me off at a shillin' an' go down in price till they 'ad it for 'bout tuppence.  Twas good fun but poor ole Frank didn' ave much voice at aind of it. 

They 'ad Whist Drives an' dances an' all the parties was 'eld there. The W.I. 'eld their Christmas party there wi' a supper for members an' their partners.  Then they'd 'ave gaimes.  One was musical laps.  Where fellers sat on chairs, women walked round 'em while music played.  Then when music stopped fellers 'ad to grab a lady to sit on their laps.  I think they quite liked it, fellers that is. 

Praps Focus Club cude try it at their party. 

We 'ad a fancy dress competition in the gardens at the Otter to celebrate Festival of Britain.  I dressed my dree up an' when us was walking up the road this yer fuller comed over to us and said, cude 'ee take a photo of 'em.  So 'ee did.  I didn't know who 'ee was.  Anyway us 'ad a nice day an' I think all the chilern was gived a prize. 

Bout six months later a bloke comed to my door an' 'anded me a photo.  Twas thick fuller wat took the picture of 'em un their fancy dress. 

'Ee shook my 'and an' said all proper like.  "I'm Burgess Attwood, an' I live with my wife Dorothy at Melody Shepherds Lane.  We had been to look at the property that day."  I said, "Welcome I 'opes you'll be very 'appy yer wi' us."  I soon got to know 'em 'cause I used to go to peoples 'ouses and do a bit of hair cutting an' they'd yerd 'bout me an' asked if I'd do theirs. 

It seems 'ee 'ad bin quite poorly an' 'ad to give up work.  'Ees doctor told 'un it might suit 'un to go down south to liven, where it was a bit warmer.  Wull it did 'cause 'ee lived to be 84, wat a recommendation. 

'Ee became very interested in the village an' local affairs an' twadn' long for us 'ad 'um on the Parish Council.  Then 'ee became Chairman an office 'ee 'eld for 11 yers.  'Ees wive took on the job of clerk.  Very efficient they was too.  'Ee become our representative on St Thomas R.D.C. an' later on East Devon District Council. 

Well in 1957 came a sad time for us all.  The skules attendance 'ad dropped to 14 pupils an' it was decided wi'out objection it 'ad to close. 

The Minister of Education approved the closure.  Mr Bevan 'aid Master at Newton Poppleford skule collected all the books and things. 

We seed in that there Records office there was £42.2.0 in the bank £5.8.10 was owing from the Ministry of Education.  Making a total of £47.10.10.  I expect Newton skule 'ad to 'ave that. 

When the skule closed on 26th July 1957, the last pupil on the register was David Williams. 

The chilern then went to Newton Poppleford skule. 

They 'ad a season ticket to travel on Devon General Bus.  Us parents supported 'em over there at events, skule sports an' such like.  When they was 11 they went to Sidmouth skule. 

Now all our activities really centred round Village Institute an' life went on much as before.  The poor ole skule got in an awful state. 

Then in the 1960s us was dealt another blow. 

The dear old Institute was weared out and getting beyond repair an' finally closed on 13th Nov 1965.  They called a meeting for all the village folks an' it was decided to pull um down an' start a rebuilding fund. 

The Village Hall Committee met regularly at the Otter Inn, not a bad place to meet was it. 

In 1970 the Church found that maintaining the old skule was too much of a burden for the Parochial Church Council an' the building wude 'ave to be sold. 

They called an A.G.M. of the Village Hall an' everybody agreed that they wat was in power go'aid an' see if they cude buy um. 

In the aind 'twas all agreed an' thanks to donations from villagers past an' present, some grants from Devon County Council and the old St Thomas R.D.C. the old skule became the Freehold Property of Colaton Raleigh Charity and Foundation.  The price agreed was £2,150 that was in 1973.

They then went to work doing repairs an' decoratin 'un.  The stage was brought down from the old Institute and fitted, it looked quite posh. 

It was officially opened in Nov 1975 with Burgess Attwood an' my brother Gordon pulling the curtains. 

The old skule now became Colaton Raleigh Village Hall where everything took place.  With Burgess Attwood always interested in all that went on for many yers.  Then 'ees health wadn' too good an' sadly 'ee passed away in 1989 aged 84 years. 

The doctors in Lunnon was right when they told 'um to come down yer to live wadn' 'um. 

'Ees wive Dorothy lived to be 91 an' was 14 years wi' out 'er Burge.  She spent the last 3 years in Links Pinewood Nursing Home at Salterton where she was well cared for an' the staff loved 'er. 

She passed away on the 23rd January 2003.  'Er was always very careful wi' 'er money an' I always 'ad to account for every penny when I went shopping for 'er.  If something comed to 50p, erd say, "what 10 shillings, I'm not paying that."  But 'er did. 

When comed to settle 'er affairs the solicitor called me in an' 'ee says, "I think you'll be surprised."   

Well I've never bin so dumbstruck in all me live.  £353,829.49 pence left to Colaton Raleigh Village Hall.  Ee said, "You can't say nort yet till they yers official like."  Wull that was the 'ardest secret I've ever 'ad to keep in me live I can tell 'ee. 

The whole village was surprised an' delighted when they yerd about it. 

Wull after a lot of discussion with Averil Kellett 'cause me and 'er was executors an' thick their solicitor, an' a lot of 'elp from Michaela Manning an' Brian Turnbull who us 'ave got to say a big thank you to, us got it all sorted out. 

After a public exhibition in the Village Hall organised by Tim Pink showing what cude be done, the public voted by over 90 per cent to do up our 'all. 

Now after many 'aid 'aches an' a lot of 'ard work by our Village Hall Committee an' of course Bagwells the Builders we 'ave to say a big thank you to em all. 

You can all see for yerselves the results of that Wonderful Legacy. 

Thank you Burgess an' Dorothy Attwood.  You would be so proud if you cude see it. 

Wull they 'ave avent 'em 'cause they'm looking down on us all as we comes in from that lovely photo beside their plaques. 

Oral history written as spoken by Peggy Halpin © 2010 

With thanks to Caroline Allen for doing the typing.

 

Sources:

Records Office, Exeter. To check names.

106 CR-G-00004 Education Dialect any