Skegness Magazine

Skegness Infant School celebrated its 100th birthday today, 13th March 2008, by holding a school reunion to which the Mayor and Mayoress of Skegness were invited.

Teachers and pupils of the school, past and present, gathered in the school hall reminiscing over old photos and books on display.

The picture below shows Ann Bray nee Rust, Maureen Derbyshire nee Peltell and Eileen Wathall nee Cross, who were pupils at the Skegness Infant School in 1971, 1947 and 1949 respectively.

Here are some of the old school log books and photos which were on display.

Mrs Wendy Cowpe has been a governor at the Skegness Infant School for around twenty years. She very kindly showed us the first ever school log book.

Here is the first entries in the Skegness Infant School log book. The first entry is dated 29th October 1907 and reads: “I commenced duties this morning as head mistress of the New Council Infants’ School. Children at present in temporary premises. Number on books – 109, number present 88. Signed A Scrimshire”.

It seem that the school was plagued with Whooping Cough and Measles when it first opened, as many of the entries record heavy abscences due to these illnesses. There was some confusion as to how ‘whooping’ was spelt!

A visit from the Rev Disney was also recorded on 6th November, 1907.

Click on the photo left to see a page from the 1949 Skegness Infant School log book.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Skegness, Coun Ken Milner and Mrs Deborah Milner, pictured below, expressed great interest in the old school books and photos.

For the special occassion, the school put on an excellent display of Victorian and Edwardian memorabilia, and staff and children alike were dressed in Edwardian costume.

We found some children taking a step back in time sitting at an old Victorian school desk and writing on old slates with chalk, under the close supervision of School Teacher, Nancy, as in the old days…

Skegness Infant School and Jolly Fisherman’s 100th Birthday Celebrations