History of Fawkham CEP School
Fawkham School was founded in 1873. Additions to our school were made in 1904, 1960, 1966, 1994, 2002, 2009 and 2010. A large building programme completed in 2002, was officially opened by Estelle Morris M.P. Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Our learning environment now provides us with four fully resourced classrooms, a hall, a library, a music room, and a new kitchen which opened in 2010, which enables fresh and healthy meals to be cooked on site. In addition to this, we have an outdoor classroom, a playing field, an all weather pitch and extensive woodland and a new wooden gazebo erected in January 2015.
As a school, we are immensely proud of our long and successful history. We are however, never complacent and we continually review our policies in order to keep in line with current changes. It is our prime aim, as much now as in the past, to achieve the highest possible standards in achievement, behaviour and attitude from all our children.
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I Sarah Ellen Howle an ex pupil teacher (provisionally certificated) took charge of Fawkham Mixed school. It is a new school lately built and was formally opened on Monday evening July 14th with a tea to the parents which was given by Mr and Mrs Hohler of Fawham Manor. Admitted 18 girls and 10 boys varying in age from 12 to 3.
- Extract from the school log book dated Tuesday 15th July 1873
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Memories of Fawkham
Barry Lucking
Here are two photographs containing images of my Grandmother who was then named Mabel Crouch. My Grandmother is standing 4th from right, middle row on 1914 photo (left)...
My Grandmother Mabel Florence Crouch (formerly White) born Feb 17th 1902 was adopted when a baby by Edmund & Elizabeth Crouch of Castle Hill, Fawkham ( The Crouch family from Salts Farm, Fawkham).
She married my grandfather Frederick Henry Jarrett from Longfield in 1922, they had 2 daughters, Florence & Violet.
My mother Florence married Sidney Lucking from Southfleet in 1942 and they had one son which is myself Sidney Barry Lucking born 1947.
My Life at School in 1910, by M Kilgour
My sister and I went to the Shortlands Valley School near Bromley, Kent. Being only 5, I began in the Infants Class learning to write “pot hoops and hangers” and numbers written on a slate with a pencil that made a terrible screeching noise – It was too far to walk home at lunch time so we had to take a lunch bag with us and were provided with hot milk in winter time, for which our parents paid 2D a week (Less than 1/2p). When 8 years old we moved to Fawkham Green in Kent and joined the local school – over a mile to walk in all weathers - snow being no excuse for non-attendance – We had a spare pair of stockings and shoes kept in a bag in the cloakroom, also gloves or mittens, which in the very cold weather we were allowed to wear in class. All children over 7 until 14 were taught in the one large class room, heated only by one large fire – In winter those pupils who sat at the back of the class changed places with the ones in front of the fire, so as to warm up a bit. Feet and hands got so very cold and chilblains were very painful.
The day began with attendance registers – then the Lord’s prayer and a hymn “All things bright and beautiful” and “Onward Christian Soldiers” being our favourites. The Creed was the next thing to learn and as we got older the Ten Commandments - We could now put some letters together to make words that all had a meaning to themselves – such as “nouns” , verbs” and “adjectives” and where to put them into a structure to make the right meaning of what you wanted to say. We had words to learn how to spell also times tables to know by heart, spot tests were made up of these in class – any in-attendance and mistakes and you had to write your mistakes on the blackboard in front of the class, or a sharp wrap on the knuckles – things to be avoided as far as possible!!
In the afternoons us girls were taught needle work. Hemming, over sewing button holing, all done on a white cloth with red cotton to show the stitches up. When good enough later on we made our own pinafores and petticoats trimmed with bobbin pillow lace – much prized with great competition amongst us. Knitting kettle holders and it was there that I learned the first embroidery stitches that in later life gave me so many happy hours. Miss Hibbat was a good headmistress and a strict disciplinarian – only passing on a few years ago aged 100. There was one small wash basin with a cold tap, sometimes frozen up in winter and what seemed to be one towel that was always wet! Toilet facilities were a hut up the field with a wooden seat over a sump only to be used in dire need!
But it wasn’t all work! At play times we made the most of it, playing rounders, tag and hop scotch, this being a pattern of 8 squares chalked on the ground where you had to toss a stone or a “peaven” into one of the squares and hop to get it without touching any lines – But skipping was the best, especially is we could persuade 2 older girls to swing the rope for us to jump in unison – 8 or 9 people at once being classed as good. Boys used to go up the field for conkers fights, the winning conker being a great status symbol – Uniform was not insisted upon as remember we were at war (1914-1918). In winter we wore long black woollen stockings and this is where the hated “Liberty bodice” came in as our stockings were looped onto its buttons. Holidays were governed by the soft fruit harvest picking in late June and July – back to school in August and time off again in September for the Hop picking. I used to enjoy this and my story about it was published in the Surrey book of “Living Memories” in 1992.
I visited Fawkham School 2 years ago and was much heartened to find the sturdy flint building in good repair and still being used as class room is just the same – even the place to hang our shoe bags – There was some talk of it being shut down but the villagers themselves saved it. It is now 1995 and I look back to happy old days – Never to be forgotten.
Barbara Rouse
I saw your little request in the Kent messenger for your archive. I chatted to my Dad, Robert Edwin Lee (born 1920) and here are a few of his memories:
I lived at The Forge at Ash with my 2 brother and 2 sisters. My father was the blacksmith. I first went to school at Ash where Miss Polly Wright and Miss Bowler were the teachers.
My parents decided to transfer us to Fawkham school I am not sure why this happened. I believe that several families moved their children at the same time. I cannot remember the dates but I know I left at the Age of 14 in 1934.
My two younger brothers also came to Fawkham school at the same time Herbert and Frank Lee.
We used to walk from the top of West Yoke hill across the fields to Hatchfield Wood and walk down to the school from there.
There were two classes and I went into the top class. The head teacher was Miss Hilbert and the second teacher was Miss Tidy. Miss Hilbert lived along the road from the school.
Lunchtime we played on the open ground up the hill behind the school, there were no meals provided so we took our own lunches. A third of a pint of milk was provided in the morning.
Subjects taught were the basic ones. Reading, writing and arithmetic.
School was from 9am to 4pm and we always had prayers before leaving for home. We took it in turns to choose a hymn and I always chose ‘Immortal invisible’.
There was an open fire in the classroom we wore short trousers all year round.
Other children I remember were Gladys Caller, Bill and Mary Hollands.
The First 100 Years
From Iris and Darrell
The Grand Opening, April 2002
A large building programme of three fully resourced classrooms, a hall with servery, and library was completed in 2002. This was officially opened by Estelle Morris M.P. Secretary of State for Education and Skills, with a blessing by The Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Bishop of Rochester.
Log Book Extracts