I managed to get up to Blacklands Junior School before they knocked it down and built the houses that now stand in its place. I have quite a few memories of my time there, and a few of the teachers have stayed in mind too: Mr. Rabjohn, Miss May, Mrs. Rogers, and Mr. Alexander, with Mr. Hood as Headmaster.

I remember reading my very first book there, King Arthur. I also remember learning to sew with Mrs. Rogers, using a small square of material with pre-punched holes, carefully stitching patterns through it.

It was also at Blacklands that I went swimming for the first time, at the old Maidstone swimming baths. We’d go by coach, and an elderly lady in a black costume would take our lessons, but not before lining us up along the poolside to check everyone’s feet for verruca's! We each had to collect a red basket and get changed in the cubicles around the pool, then hand in our baskets with our clothes inside. In return, we were given a coloured rubber wristband marked with our basket number, a small detail, but one I still remember clearly.

I remember the playground games we used to play, I can distinctly recall the way we would recruit other to play. We would march around the playground, arms over each others shoulders chanting " Who wants a game of Wars" and when numbers were sufficient, we would divide up into groups to see who was the English and who were the Germans, this was often decided by us forming a group, and holding our two fists out and then someone would go through with "one potato, two potato three potato four"....remember? 

And Sports Day in particular stands out in my mind. On one memorable occasion, during a running race, Mr. Alexander started us off with his starting pistol, and I shot into the lead, all set for a win, when my plimsoll flew off mid-run. Without thinking, I went back to put it on again, and of course, by the time I’d done that, the race was lost.

I’m sure we were all divided into “houses” and given coloured sashes to wear. Mine was green, and I think that might have been Elephant House, though I can’t quite remember for certain.