Bedminster / Bedminster Down schools

[Glug glug]

Thank you for your swift and interesting response.Yes I remember Miss Lovell the headmistress but can't remember the dogs. I also remember walking across a kind of gangway to reach where the older children were (I was only 6 when we moved and I went to Victoria Park). I remember the older children doing plays at Christmas. I also remember large  orange circular gas heaters hanging from the ceiling and dreadful outside toilets. Miss Etheridge was my Infant teacher. In the nursery class I remember a little slide and also a seesaw with canvas seats. I remember Nelly the elephant always seemed to be playing on the radio. I suppose it must have been in the top 20. I felt very sad when I visited several years ago and found that the site is now a car park. I would love to see a photo of what the school used to look like. I used to walk from the Chessels each day before we moved to Knowle. We walked along what my mum always called 'back lanes'.

[MJMM]

I have got some information somewhere, and did find some on-line ages ago. I'll have a look.

Whilst I was there, the staff were
Miss Lewis (Nursery)
Miss Etheridge
Miss Harris
and Mr Phillips.

Miss Etheridge married the Curate who was at St Johns, and moved to Fishponds.
Miss Harris was still teaching when I met her on a Teaching Visit to The School in the Garden, Henbury, a Special school. I was 22 at the time.  She recognised me and she looked exactly the same!
Mr. Phillips ran the Bristol Schools Football League, I don't know why, we never had a team!

There were Air Raid Shelters in the cellars.  You could see the tops of them if you looked down from the playground. The "Bridge" went over the gap. We all thought it scary!

I had a memorable encounter with the toilet wall that was at the end of the playground.  I ran into in during a race, was knocked out cols, and was walked home by the Dinner Ladies and Miss Lovell i think.  I was in bed for 2 weeks.

I loved the school, and felt very sad when I had heard it had closed. Miss Etheridge taught me music through the recorder, and I still play today, but it is the Clarinet now. I have to thank her for a lot!

[double-trouble]

Further to my original request for info . regarding the early Cheddar Grove School at Bedminster Down many years ago , I have been told that the original building was burnt down before it opened . It was then rebuilt and opened c .1930 ??
Any handed down local knowledge , paper info . on this would be of obvious interest as still chasing information .
I did contact the school a few years ago but had no reply .
Regards .