Broadwas Index
I went to Broadwas School in 1954 when I was 5 years old. Miss Thomas was head teacher and Miss Daniel was also a teacher there. Across the road was Broadwas garage which was owned and run by my uncle Frank Jones and his wife Amy Jones. The garage originally had petrol pumps where you had to wind a handle to force the petrol from the underground tanks into the cars petrol tank. My uncle went in to partnership with Les Green and most of what you see there today would have belonged to him and his family after my uncle and aunt retired and went to live in Worcester. When they were there the bank was a steep one from the entrance to the vicarage right up to imposing black and white timbered house, which was later demolished and a new one built on that spot. As the years went by this bank was removed to make a larger flatter area where the new ESSO pumps were positioned and this allowed for a new entrance to the large garage where repairs and MOT's were done. My uncle also had a coach and used to use this for trips and school runs. Aunty Amy always used to collect me of the Midland Red bus which I used for getting me from my home in Knightwick to the school every day. As I grew older I used to spend time with my cousins Roger and Julie Ganderton who lived at the top of Stoney-Ley, their mother was a cousin of my mum's. We all used to go off together around the village with our friends Billy Barry, Maureen, Marion and David Pierce and others who we all went to school with. They were great times, as are all those years that we all very often remiss on. Years passed and we had a new teacher Mr. Hammant and then came the 11 Plus which we all used to have to take in those days. I finished up going to the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Bromyard and my cousin Julie Ganderton and Robin Chater who's dad and mum John and Joan Chater owned the Royal Oak also came there with me. David Lane who is in some of the photos was older and he and Peter Friend had all ready been at the Grammar for one year.
I have to say over the years we all caused trouble in one way or another for the peacekeeper of Broadwas!! Jim Hesketh, who was the village constable and used to ride around the countryside on his three speed bicycle. We always had our ears peeled for the tick tick it made and vanished in to thin air before he got any where near us. Unfortunately some times we weren't quick enough and in those days you often had his boot up the rear end!! but worse after a quick telling off for the misdemeanor and being sent home he would then visit your parents, ouch!!
We all used to use the village hall and Rev. Oliver Davies used to keep an eye on us all and make sure we were behaving ourselves. The village hall had become dilapidated and we all wanted a new one, and so we all got together and started running beetle drives, whist drives and any thing else we could think of to raise money towards the new one that stands there today.
Many of our friends, neighbors and relations have been buried at Broadwas Church and even now when I meet the Gandertons' (to have a meal at the Royal Oak) they will go there first to lay flowers at their parents and family's graves.
Broadwas school is now a much larger one with children coming to it from many parts of the county (not just the local villages). In May 2011 A re-union of many of the children who had been to the school in the past was arranged and we all met up at the Broadwas Village Hall. It was a great day and some of us even remembered who we were (but that was probably because we had stickers with our names on!!) We were all lucky enough to have the school opened up especially for us and we were shown around by the Head Master, Mark Allen. I think, like others there, that when we entered the old building which was where we all originally were schooled that it seemed so much smaller than it did when we had attended it so many years ago. Now it is much larger with lots of new buildings and a state of the art computing room too. The original play ground we all used to use was now buildings and the old orchard behind the school was now the new play area.
Well I hope that if you are viewing this and some of the photos that it will bring back some happy memories for you.
Philip Holland
©peh