'On the train my sister wouldn't speak to me as there was great animosity between children of the Council schools, and those of fee-paying schools.'

An account of a young girl's days at Davison Girl's School, as told by Evelyn Farrant (nee Lisher), then living in Lancing.

'When I was seven I went to Davison Girl's School in Worthing. It was a Church of England School attached to St Paul's in Chapel Road, with the pupil's entrance in North Street. The school was built of flint.

In the summer we went swimming, which necessitated walking to the baths in Heene Road, undressing in large cubicles - about ten girls to each one. On my insistence I now left off my wool combinations which my mother made me wear, being a little old fashioned I thought as other girls were no longer wearing them. They were a great embarrassment to me.

For Domestic Science we walked to a building in Richmond Road where we learned to do cleaning (making our own polish), washing clothes, making starch and ironing. We worked on both coal ranges and gas cookers. All this was good sound advice to prepare a girl for homemaking. Many of the things, although most outdated by the time I married, I never forgot, such as the order in which I should iron a shirt.

In about 1927 vast modernisation and enlargement of the school took place and some classes had to meet in a church hall in Gordon Road. I was in one of the classes that had to make this move. I remember this hall, mainly because it was so cold, with only one back boiler in the centre, and unless one was in its near vicinity we froze in the winter. I remember we had to jump and shake our hands to keep warm. My mother knitted some mitts for me to wear in the class.

I travelled to school by train from Lancing, walking down Railway Approach and Chapel Road to the school. This journey was undertaken again mid-day when I went home for my meal. There was just time to eat, then turn around and journey back. Many were the times I fell and grazed my knees as I rushed up and down the steps to the north platform to catch my train. Trains in those days were absolutely reliable, never a minute late nor cancelled.

My school friends at this time were Natalie Ford and Doris Cooper. I remember going to tea with Natalie and I think it was my first encounter with a handicapped child. I felt great pity for Natalie's sister who was confined to a bed chair, unable even to sit up.

The three of us fought to be at the top of the class and my parents were given to understand that I stood a good chance of winning a scholarship to the Girls High School, which my sister had attended since she was seven. My parents decided they would not transfer me as planned, but wait for me to sit this scholarship examination.

Nearing the time of the scholarship examination there was an outbreak of smallpox in North Street. Children not already vaccinated were duly 'scratched'. This had very severe effects on me. I remember feeling so ill I hardly knew how to make the journey to Worthing and when my mother took my temperature it was 104°, and straight to bed for me. My father came in and all that concerned him was that I'd left 2/6d on the train. (I'd received this money for a bunch of flowers, which I'd taken to school for a teacher)

I was away from school for over a month and almost immediately after I returned we took High School examinations. My two friends received places, but I didn't. It was usual for only about six places to be given from all the Council schools of the area. My parents considered paying the fees, but I didn't want to go to the same school as my sister. Because of my persistence they enquired about other schools, even a Methodist Boarding School - at my request, (I think I'd been reading too many Angela Brazil books) but they thought all too expensive.

Around this time we moved house. (This may have been the reason for my father shelving extra expense.) We were being plagued with rats at the old house, so a new four bedroomed house was built at the side of the existing one. My father was very proud of this £1000 house, and we were all very excited at having a bathroom. We also had running hot water from the kitchen coal boiler and gaslights in the bedrooms. (We'd only had candles to go to bed with before).

Staying at Davison's School I lost any keenness for academic work and became very keen on dramatics, usually taking the part of the heroine. In my imaginations I was going to be an actress. The plays were put on at the Connaught Hall, where Connaught Theatre is now. My teacher wrote after I left Davison saying she would like me to come back as she missed me taking the lead part.

My friend during the last two or three years was Odette Bibby. Her father was a violinist at the Rivoli Cinema. She had a sister, Pauline, and we often went to each other's homes for tea.

I remember going to my first film whilst at Davisons - 'Ben Hur'. I sometimes went to a film with Odette as her father received free passes, but without the knowledge of my parents who disapproved of the cinema. It was a great treat to go to tea with Odette's family. I did so enjoy the Shiphams paste sandwiches.

At home we had to eat one piece of plain bread and butter before having any jam, which was always homemade by my mother. We would finish up the fruitcake commenced on Sunday and there would be rock cakes. For special occasions only, pate was served, often made by my mother, by pounding in a china bowl with a china pestle. As a great treat we would be given 6d to go to Mitchell's Cake Shop on South Street for assorted cakes at 7 for 6d. How I loved the privilege of choosing these cakes, my favourite being a round marshmallow covered with chocolate.

My life with my parents was very rigid and routine. We would go to Worthing, shopping, when my father didn't have cricket to play, or football to watch. We would have tea at Mitchell's Café in the Arcade or Khongs Café in South Street. I remember the smell of the coffee beans as we entered Kongs. In the small entrance coffee beans were ground and my mother would buy some for Sundays, or when we had company. Otherwise it was always Camp.

We always went to Worthing by train in term time as we had our season tickets. It was quite a long walk down to the train. When my mother's leg was bad, (she often had leg ulcers) she would go by bus and meet us.

In 1930 I remember feeling very sad when Odette left Davison's and went to live with her Grandmother in Caversham, Reading, as her parents marriage had broken up. We had been very devoted friends and kept up a regular correspondence.

During the strike there were no trains or buses, so both my sister and I would walk to school. I don't remember walking with my sister, I think she must had taken a different route as her school was North of the railway line. I remember walking along the seafront with my cousin, May, who I was supposed to look after. We would take a lift on anything that offered a ride and it was rare that we didn't manage something.'

How wonderful it must have been in those days to be able to 'hitchhike' without any worry for your safety.