Note: If anyone can help correct errors or add photos, information or anecdotes to this page, I will be most grateful.
Cressey's School was founded by a Miss Cresswell and was located in Allendale Road, Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, England. At present I know nothing about its origins, but the school was active in the early 1950s and closed when Miss Cresswell retired around 1960. I myself attended the school from around 1951 (when aged 4) to 1954 when I transferred to Hill Brow Boy's Preparatory School in the nearby village of Brent Knoll.
The school was called a kindergarten, but differed from the later genre by catering for children up to 7 years of age and preparing them for entry into "prep" school through teaching to a curriculum in a formal classroom environment.
The school was located near the Western end and on the Northern side of Allandale Road, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, there being just one dwelling between it and the sand-dunes forming the South-Eastern boundary of the Bristol Channel.
The school was housed in a two-story brick house, the upper floor of which formed Miss Cresswell's living quarters, with the entire lower floor used by the school. This consisted of two classrooms: Miss Cresswell's junior class facing south towards the road, and Miss Kurl's senior class facing north. In addition, children ate lunch in a separate dining room on the northern side adjoining a small kitchen area.
The school had just two teachers: Miss Cresswell ("Cressey") and Miss Kurl. Both were spinsters of later-middle-age in the early-1950s (at the time of my own attendance). Cressey looked after the junior children (ages around 4 to 5 years), and Miss Kurl taught the older children aged 6 and 7. Being a very shy child, new to school regimen, Cressey’s class offered a comforting introduction to the ways of schooling. Miss Kurl on the other hand, appeared positively terrifying in her demands and strictness, and I dreaded the day that I would graduate to her class. I slowly discovered that out of the classroom, both were kindly souls and that Miss Kurl was an especially gifted teacher.
The school had space for no more than about 30 pupils - a mixture of boys and girls - with about 15 in each class. Teaching was to a formal (but probably unregulated) curriculum which included the three Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic) to which great prominence was given. Pencils were used for writing, the novelty of ink pens having to await the Prep School environment. Cressey’s daily class routine included listening to radio programs like “Music while we Work” and children’s nursery rhymes (or perhaps she sang these to us or played them on a gramophone).
I seem to remember learning "times tables" by rote, and learning all about the coinage of the day through pictures that were printed in the "maths" book. I suspect I'm wrong in recalling learning how to add and subtract, multiply and divide amounts in pounds, shillings and pence, since this now seems rather advanced for a 6 or 7 year old.
In addition the curriculum included geography, from which I learned the names of the world's continents and oceans, and music of which the most exciting part was being given a drum to beat. Miss Kurl also took elocution lessons, but these may have been extra-curricula, because I don't recall receiving them even though I would have benefited from them.
Perhaps everyone's memory of food during childhood is equally
rose-coloured, but despite the unmatched cooking abilities of my mother, the
lunches at Cressey's had a flavour that I have never forgotten and have never
experienced since. My favourites were a stew (with carrots!), and best of all
mashed potatoes with cauliflower-cheese. Strawberries and ice-cream were major
treats (especially so, since post-war rationing did not completely end until
1954). Mealtime pleasures were (I think) circumscribed by a "no-talking"
rule and probably by etiquette rules that I no longer remember (nor use!)
I attended the school with my sister (Daphne) who was two years senior to me. Some days we were driven to school by our mother or (more rarely) father, but most days we went by bus. During our time at Cressey's we lived at Churchland Farm in Bason Bridge, just over 5 miles from the school, and catching the bus meant a ¼ mile walk along the railway track to the Bason Bridge railway station and then on to the Bason Bridge garage outside which a green Bristol Tramways No 160 double-decker would stop to pick up, delivering us 15 or 20 minutes later to its terminus at the end of the Burnham Esplanade, from where we would have to walk a further ¼ mile or more along the beach to reach the steps that led up to the end of Allandale Road.
Returning home after school - probably around 4:00pm (since I don't recall having to walk along the beach in the dark on winter evenings) - we would have to walk back along the beach and wait for the bus for perhaps 20 or even 30 minutes, allowing time to play in the sand. On one famous occasion (presumably after my sister had left Cressey's) I played too long and missed the bus. Quite unperturbed, I put on my satchel and walked - all the way through Highbridge and across the A38 trunk road before my mother appeared in the car and picked me up about a mile from home. I couldn't understand what she was in a panic about because I was quite content walking home. (How times have changed.)
There was an alternative bus service from the Esplanade bus terminal - the No. 201 bus which Miss Kurl caught home to Pawlett (I recall) each afternoon. Like the 160, it went to Bridgwater and perhaps beyond, however the 201 took the more direct route along the A38 while the 160 took the B3141 through East Huntspill and Woolavington. Thus in the event that we missed the 160 service, we had the option of catching the 201 and getting off at Highbridge and walking the two miles home from there. I recall doing this on one terrifying occasion when I found myself jammed in by standing passengers and unable to ring the bell for the stop, let alone get to the exit. Some kindly passenger must have seen my tears and stopped the bus for me. How I got home after that, I don't recall.
Each morning pupils were allowed a half-hour(?) playtime. Most mornings this involved the short walk to the beach where we were allowed to play as we pleased –m building castles or whatever. I don’t think the idea of going into the water ever crossed our minds. At any rate, I don’t recall any paranoia about it – though perhaps there were warnings about the dangers of quick-sands. I recall lengthy walks along the beach which were more controlled and therefore much less fun, and suspect that these took place in the afternoons. How we avoided getting ourselves covered in mud, I don’t recall, but perhaps the beach was cleaner in those days than it became in later years.
I guess that all pupils at the school were all from upper-middle class families whose parents could afford to pay fees. I’m sure that most went on to enjoy a "privileged" education at (privately-run) "prep" and "public" schools. By and large, it was a happy school where I can recall no bullying or nastiness amongst the children. My sister has kept in contact with two close friends from Cressey days. I have kept in touch with one (and have been in irregular contact with another living near Perth, Australia).
I guess I would have left the school in March or April 1954 since I recall starting at Hill Brow School the summer term of that year. I quickly lost touch with Cressey's until a reunion event was held around 1960 which (I believe) marked the retirement of Cressey and the closure of the school. A photo taken of that even appears below - one version un-edited, the other with the names of those attending as remembered by my sister.
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