Page 131 - Through a glass brightly

I remember a dangerous habit I had of rushing to hold the pole at the 107 bus entry as soon as it passed my penultimate stop, so that I could ride through the village as if it were a triumphal entry! The conductors never seemed to care! Imagine if anyone tried to do that now.. though their construction is so different, it would be impossible anyway. I still have dreams about catching buses in East Barnet, but interestingly ( to me!) journeys in the other direction, which I hardly ever did.
Wearing of hats. I once had to come back to school, I forget why- forgotten something important? Anyway, I had been home and came back w/o my beret though still in school uniform. Why didn’t I change? I forget how old I was, quite young, I suspect. Miss Bryan saw me just outside the school and demanded to know why I wasn’t wearing my beret. When I explained, she said I should have worn it as I was in the rest of my uniform! Logical, I suppose..My brother went to the boys’ grammar too, but as he was a lot younger, I don’t remember him having to wear his cap all the time.
I remember Pauline Duffy vey well. She joined us in Lower 1VE and became friends with Janet Hallam and they sat near me so I knew her quite well. She was lively and amusing but I don't know what became of her. Does anyone else have any info? I recall that during one spell at least of very snowy weather, Pauline and others who lived in that direction ( Maggie Westley was from Brookman’s Park, so you were with her) all came in by train and had to walk from New Barnet, I think, and arrived at school very late. Coming by train seemed quite adventurous to me at the time!
End of 5his morning’s memories. Happy Midsummer’s Day to all,
From Glenda at 11.42
Well! What have I started! I was just beginning to think that the emails had rather dribbled out when Ruth sent me her biography. (Thank you Ruth and Ann and hint, hint to everyone else!) She was worried it might have been a) too long; b) not racy enough; and c) not have enough personal stuff! (It was none of these things - it’s excellent - it’s been most illuminating reading everyone’s life story since we all left school.) But Ruth happened to mention that perhaps she should have added how she was often late for school because she lived in the Medway and it was only a few minutes away. And I wrote back and said why didn’t she put that in an email and we might have an interesting discussion about how we all got to school - and it’s just taken off! We could write a book just about getting to school.
I came from Borehamwood and I noticed that Val T. commented ages back what a disadvantage it was to have to go for the bus so soon after school finished. We seemed to miss most of the mischief (but I managed some of my own nevertheless). I used to come from Borehamwood by Green Line bus and I think it was the 302 or the 301. I have a vague memory that it was the 301 coming to Barnet and the 302 going home. Fortunately, both of them went down Furzehill Road where I lived. I do remember it was quite nippy waiting for the bus on cold winter mornings.
Somewhere along the road there was a pub – someone will remember – and this had a hanging sign which was more-or-less at my sight level when I sat upstairs on the bus. The sign read:
I’ve remembered that 60 years!
This gate hangs well and hinders non - refresh and pay and travel on.
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