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Holditch memories


Holditch Manor School was built by Jane Evans of Forde Abbey Estate for children of the estate workers in 1874 (see photo of plaque below). Before it was a school it is shown on maps as 'Milking Barton'. It was converted from school to private house in 1947 because pupil numbers were falling. Most of the pupils moved to Thorncombe School. The first homeowner ran it as a smallholding.


                                                                      





                                                                                                                                                                                                                     






                                                                    













































Some years ago, the present owners of the former school in Holditch, put together a fascinating exhibition in the one-time schoolroom and cloakroom of the school. Among the many artefacts and exhibits were these photographs, kindly shared with the TVT, and a letter from a former pupil, Donald Hutchings, (now in Stoke-on-Trent), which recalls vividly his early days at the school during the war.

You can read it here

Audio memories of former pupils      Click on the radio  to download

                                                                    these audio memories:





       

        Holditch School 1928

From left to right:

Back row

Walter Denning, Samuel Bartlett, Ted Strudwick, Jack Hardy, John Welch

Middle row

Cecelia Hardy, Peggy Carslake, Muriel Bartlett, Jessie Hoskins, Nellie Cox,  Nellie Loud, Stella Hoskins.

Front row

Fred Giles, Bill Carslake,  Barbara Forsey, Mary Forsey, Evelyn Phippen, Norman Strudwick


Holditch School Harvest Festival

1935, King George Vth’s Jubilee Day at Forde Abbey. Dresses were made out of crepe paper


  Sunday School at Bonny Green with Miss Nelly Carter from Synderford

Plaque giving date of building 1874 and initials JE

Present day  window - see photo above

       Boys’ cloakroom hooks

Above left: : Boys’ cloakroom and teacher’s cottage

Above: Girls’  cloakroom and entrance


Left::  School as converted in 1947

            

     Thorncombe Village Trust - caring for Thorncombe's environment

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