Audrey Syner (Fellows)
What do the ragged School memories mean to me?
It started at a very early age when we had to go to Sunday school “no questions asked”. I think most of the children in ‘Two Gates’ went every Sunday morning, whether it was to cleanse our souls or to give our mothers a rest. It was a lovely time to be young. We didn’t have a great deal so chapel was relied on for our annual trip every year. I know we saw the sea for the first time thanks to the “chapel”, which wouldn’t have been possible otherwise; one lovely memory.
Then there was the Christmas Club, which our parents paid into every year and paid for our presents and goodies on Christmas morning plus the party we had at Christmas. One thing that brings back special memories for me was the ringing of the chapel bell early Christmas morning. That’s when the celebrations started, simple but so special.
Then the next important event for us children was the Anniversary. What an event, to get us all seated on the platform where we wanted to sit. Tears and tantrums. Who we wanted to sit by and then came poems. Who said what and who sang the solo? But, I do remember that the little chapel was full to bursting and the joy of seeing our mother and father, because dad always came to the morning service. That was the icing on the cake.
I also remember when the war ended and we had the biggest bonfire over the road from the chapel, which was then a piece of waste ground. All the food was done at the chapel and again the bell rang out.
My memories as a child are so important. As children we had only ourselves, the people around us and were all in the same situation, not a lot of money or luxuries but the chapel bought our community together.
