Margaret and I first went to The Limes, a small private school owned by Miss (Mrs?) Lee, and run in a largish house in College Road. In the junior class ,we were taught by Miss Handley. I cannot remember if Barbara ever went there butwhen Margaret and I left, Barbara went to the State Junior School nearly opposite on the other side of the road. We walked to school each day, often picking up Diana Norman, the gunsmith's younger daughter, and Barbara Bridges, the ironmongers daughter, on the way. The school was pretty ineffective, although the only report I have (at age 5) said that I was making progress with reading, I did not read properly until after I got to the College. I do remember playing with plastercine, Tony Harvey having to wear white gloves because of his eczema and I have a vivid memory of his cousin Martin bringing in an enormous apple, at least twice the size of the largest grown in our garden, as a present for Miss Handley. The ineffectiveness was realised when Margaret went to the Mills Grammar School and I went to the College and this was the reason for Barbara going to the Junior School.
I went to Framlingham College in the Summer Term 1945 at the age of 7years and 7 months. I went mid-year as a result of a tip off from the headmaster, Mr Kirkman, that the starting age was about to be raised to 10 in September. For the next three years I was the second youngest in the school. I either bicycled to school or was given a lift there with father and walked home. Father was the school doctor - I have his original contract, he was paid a guinea (£1.05) per boy per term and half a guinea for each member of staff not covered by any other scheme. He held a surgery in sick bay every morning at 8 o'clock on the premise that those pretending to be ill would at most only miss morning chapel and hence would not consider it worth while. He had to be home for his morning surgery by nine o'clock.
Overall, I have happy memories of the College - I spent 10 terms in the junior house at Framlingham. The Housemaster, "Timber" Hull, nicknamed after his wooden leg was firm but fair and I did reasonably well in class with Mrs Podd and then Miss Brownsword. Miss Brownsword had the most immaculate copper plate handwriting which she attempted to teach to all of us. We were not allowed fountain pens and had to use steel nibbed dip pens. The style did not suit me and nor the pens and I have had very poor handwriting to this day. My spidery writing together with numerous blots and crossings out certainly did not gain me any favour with Miss Brownsword. Sport was compulsory on six afternoons a week - in winter afternoon lessons began after tea so that games could take place in daylight. There was little choice, in winter we played endless games of soccer, in spring it was hockey and in the Summer cricket. I enjoyed the winter sport as although not very good at either game,I one did at least take part. However, I hated the interminable games of cricket. Each game lasted about 3 afternoons. As I could neither bowl straight, hit a ball or catch one, I was usually relegated to some position where I could do least damage and was bored stiff. Particularly galling were Saturday afternoon's when sailing might have been an option had I been excused cricket.
In September 1948, when I was 10, the Junior School moved to Brandeston Hall, purchased as a memorial to Old Framlinghamians who had died in the war. Poor "Timber" , a bachelor, was sidelined as it was felt essential to have a married headmaster. His successor, Mr David Kittermaster, was an outstanding success and a breath of fresh air. To avoid travelling, I became a boarder and had a most enjoyable 3 years. I did very well in maths, badly in Latin and French (to my Housemaster's despair - he taught both and reasonably in other subjects. Father attended Brandeston sickbay three times a week but I rarely saw him. Whilst School Rules were strictly enforced, they were sensible and we were given a great deal of latitude. The school had extensive grounds, some wooded, and had a river flowing along one boundary.
Particular memories include the time some boys were playing by the pond near the classrooms and the managed to pull out a case of what they thought was ginger beer. However, on removal of the first stopper, the bottle started to smoke - it was quickly reported to the staff . Fortunately no one was injured as the case turned out to contain phosphorus bombs stored by the Home Guard during the war. It subsequently turned out that the army knew they were there and sent along a bomb disposal squad who recovered several more cases from the pond and we were allowed to watch as the threw them on to an old concrete hut base to set them off.
There was a very large field between the school and the river. This was allowed to grow and then was cut for hay - we had great fun playing in the cut hay while it was drying - building hideaways and so on.