I spent a happy time there in the infants and senior school.
We moved house and I changed to Rockcliffe School. This was built before the First World War and was a lovely building. It is still in use today. Only a road divided it from the cliffs and the sea. I spent a happy time there in the infants and senior school.
I had very few close friends at school but got on very well with those in different classes. My mother was a widow, so I always used to go straight home to have tea with her and my young sister.
Later at Park School, I did make friends with a girl in the next street called Phyllis Pigg. As my name was Stonehouse, we had a common bond. We were about twelve and we walked down to school together only to be taunted by two girls. I won’t mention their names as I see one of them now and again. Phyllis and I had a dreadful time getting to and from school with them shouting “Piggy and Stoney” after us. Instead of being able to go over the railway footbridge at Monkseaton and down Percy Avenue we tried all ways to avoid them, Hillheads Road, Marine Avenue and down back lanes. Looking back, we should have told our parents and Miss Walker, the Headmistress.