Friern Barnet and Finchley Photo Archive

when I started school at St John's in 1939, the teachers who took the first two classes were Miss Howard and Miss Smith, could they be the teachers in the picture?

Miss Howard was there when I started school in 1946. Also remember Miss Scholey who always had digestive biscuits with her 11's. Mrs Diver taught history and elecution.

Miss Diver features large in my memory of primary school - I learned to do joined up writing, sound the beginnings and endings of my words [so that I could be understood by someone not coming from Friern Barnet] - Miss Howard was there, too and Miss Scoley rings a bell - if she was the head teacher. I remember Miss Howard fainting in morning assembly - no breakfast, went out in a rush and the weather was cold, I gathered by earwigging the caring attendant teachers. The Lord's Prayer was never uttered in such harmony on that morning. As I was born in 1943, I imagine that I started at school in 1948 following my older brother, Gilbert. I'm so pleased to find that the school still exists. I wonder if the child barrier positioned outside the school next to the road is still there - we were not allowed to do our acrobatics on it [but we did]. We sometimes used the scout hut next door - memories of Commonwealth Day, sitting cross legged on its floor with the wireless going, broadcasting from all over the pink coloured nations. And playing Fairies and Witches in the raised playground at the back of the school. I have lived in a few places in the UK now settled in Cheshire and every so often have come across someone who had memories of the school - and particularly Miss Diver! Dianne Crees [nee Leaver].

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