Elsie Barnaby, b 1920, her memories of Hapton as told to Joan Lakeland
Education
Whitefield Street – Church of England (now site of Methodist Church).
School doubled up as a Church until St. Margaret’s was built. First sod dug by Mr. Parks, school headmaster 1926.
Mr. Clement Westwell, who lived in Accrington was headmaster after Mr. Parks but before Mr. Frank Parks Jnr., an Oxford graduate.
Old Mr. Parks probably lived in the accommodation provided at the school.
Mr. Westwell taught religious education every morning.
There were 3 teachers: Mr. Westwell – top class
Miss Shoesmith – standards 1, 2 & 3
Miss Hargreaves – 5 – 7 year olds.
Married women had not been allowed to teach.
One room was partitioned to make two classrooms ie pupils could probably hear both lessons.
At the Council School on Manchester Road Mr. Clayton was headmaster. Mr. Westwell taught 3 classes, 32 children all different subjects.
No school dinners – all children went home.
Horlicks was provided for the younger children and was prepared by the older girls.
In 1931/2 the Clean Hands Brigade was launched sponsored by Lifebouy, each morning the children had to show their hands. If their hands were clean the child was awarded a gold star, after collection several gold stars the received a gold badge in the shape of a lifebuoy. Eventually the school was presented with a large mirror in the shape of a lifebuoy.
Mr. Westwell organised lots of musicals and concerts eg H M S Pinafore
Hanna and John Boothman played leading roles
The boys made the scenery, they also had the job of tending the garden. The top class girls took baskets to Shuttleworth Hall for laurel leaves to make the wreaths, with poppies, for Armistice Day.
An example of the school trip would be an outing to The Globe Theatre at Padiham to see “Traders’ Horn”
Swimming: only during the summer months, the children walked to Padiham and with the Council School teacer caught a bus to Gannow baths.
Similarly for six months of the year the girls would walk to Padiham Technical School to be taught laundery and cookery.
Very few went to go to grammar school; Fred and Arthur Westwell, also Elsie Westwell, who went to Oxford and Kathleen Park all attended local grammar schools.
Some who may have passed the entrance exam could not afford to go.
There were no final exams so students left at 14 years old.
Football scouts came looking for young talent (Plymouth Argyle Scouts) for Burnley Football Club.
Ernie Barnaby and Ellis Stuttard were picked for Burnley B Team in 1937.
Mr. Dougal came looking for them after the war, unfortunately Ernie had sustained a permanent knee injury during the war but Ellis went to play for Plymouth.
Methodists: some went to the Council School, some went to Church School.
Catholics: some went to Church School until they were 7 and then walked over the moor to St. John’s.
Mr. Parks later stopped this and Jimmy Quinn was probably the last pupil to do it.
All books were provided – coloured exercise books with mathematical tables on the back.
There were exams every year and the religious exam, held in the morning, was followed by the afternoon off school.
On Fridays the children from the Church School walked up to St. Margaret’s church for a service held by the then vicar, Mr. Rogerson( who had been blinded during the first world war). In winter the vicar went to the school.
Caning was the punishment for school children, but Mr. Westwell never caned the girls, instead they were made to stand in a corner or on a bench during the lesson as a form of humility.
In reality there was not much caning and the children learned most subjects by repetition and the teachers were all well liked.
ENTERTAINMENT
Skipping with strong ropes from Rutters’ fruit shop was played across the main road (no cars then). If the rope was wet it really hurt your legs if caught.
Top and whip (bought at Chadwicks’ ) the thick cotton from the factory was better than the leather.
Checks and bobbers – the bobbers were cream coloured marbles, the checks were square and coloured.
Buck and stick – the stick was a picking stick from the mill, buck was wood and bullet shaped. Flick the buck to make it rise the hit it with the stick. Furthest away wins, measured in strides and jumps.
In winter we made slides on the ice at the back of Manchester Road. Mrs. Ditchfield would put ashes on the slide so the children played nick-knack on her door.
There were also guides, brownies and scouts.
In the school yard: one area for boys, one area for girls, the children played cricket or crust or crumbs ( chasing groups back to the wall).
Collecting flags and cigarette cards
Pricking in books
Kites up Hameldon
For older children there was dancing at the “Con” in Accrington, Nelson Imperial (Imp), Empress Ballroom at Burnley and Butts – Madam Butterworths.
There were cinemas at Padiham, Rosegrove, Accrington and Burnley.
On winter evenings , there was no television but you could listen to the radio, play games with parents or read stories. Children would paint or colour in pictures.
There were occasionally live concerts performed in the village.
A vender would go round the village selling roast chestnuts then black peas or green peas.
3d (old pence) per week to spend was considered very good. Not many toys- made their own fun.
Christmas; Each child would get a new penny, a tangerine and a sweet from school.
Children would hang a stocking on the brass rail at the fire in their kitchen for an apple, an orange, some nuts and a small toy.
Pillow slips were left at the end of their beds for such items as a book(annual) a present from their parents, paints and paint book, Woolworth’s doll (6d) or teddy or golly (all 6d at Woolworth’s).
VILLAGE SHOPS
Machester Road
Dunleavy sweets
Mrs Smith cook shop (also midwife)
Wolstencroft paper shop
Schofield chip shop
Rutter fruit shop
Smith toffee
Davies butcher
Fagan coal man
Mrs Walsh general
Jimmy Hodgen toffee
Thicket wool
Whitefield Steer
Co-op grocer
Co-op butcher
Wolstencroft clogger (spiritualist)
Jaber grocer
Westall
Library
Chadwick papers
Simpson Street
Miss Knox grocer/wool
Church Street
Dan Trayford toffee
Post office
Norton Street
Misses Livesey chip shop
Charlie Heaton clogger
Boothman toffee
Castle Street
Cook shop
Holden sweets
Parkinson sweets, dinners (top shop)
Wordsworth Street
Ingham (corner shop) cooked meats (home cooked)
Hapton Inn area
Clarkson (Burnley Rd corner) ice cream
Clark (Acc. Rd corner) clothes, shoes (tally man
Mrs. Howarth( Lane Ends corner) grocer, bread etc (big shop
