Spongate School

Are any of my old school mates, 1951-57, still out there? I was called Sally and I lived in one of the slums in Spon St next to the Woolpack pub, there were only 2 houses left standing and the rag and bonemen lived in the other, their horse and cart was well known in Spon St, the horses name was Ben. Would be great to hear from people who lived in Spon St as well, my family name was Hyett.

Hello Sally I'm not native to Spon End myself. Do you mean one of the yards either side of the Woolpack? if so it's possible I've seen a picture of you as a young girl in several books Anyway. here is a picture of the Woolpack Inn. Sorry about the quality but it was the only one I could find:

What a fantastic picture it's just as I remember it, there's even part of the mens urinal showing on the left of the photo, my house is just out of sight it was higher up between the pub and urinal, Davenports secondhand shop is on the right side of the Woolpack and the greengrocers next to it, when my gran sent me to buy fruit and veg from there if there were any rotten grapes, cherries, sprouts etc, she would pick them out and I would go back to the shop and get them replaced with good ones, really happy memories for me, thank you so much dutchman.

My pleasure Sally The urinal was at one time attached to another pub called the Lamb & Flag which closed around 1905. It became a butchers ('Burley') and then a fishmongers ('Plaistow'). Between that and the Woolpack there was a greengrocers by the name of 'Feast'. Between the two shops was an alleyway which led to Court No 37 where you lived. I assume from official records that both shops and the alleyway in-between were destroyed in the war. The Woolpack remained in business until May 1970 and was still standing, along with the buildings behind it, in 1971. There was no good reason for pulling it down as the land wasn't redeveloped until 1983. Sadly the only part of the original school which still survives is the old infants school and that is no longer in use. I fear it's only a matter of time before the council find an excuse to pull it down

Hi Sally, my nan went to Spongate School, before your time, though, 1930s

I went there in the 60's, my brothers went there and my daughter, my wife is a teacher there.