High Road School Youth Centre in the 1950/60s.

By Ann Rugg

The High Road School supported a very active youth club in the late 50s early 60s and it was very well attended. My particular interest was in the pottery class run by Mr G Minikin who was the school art teacher at the time. I was always keen on pottery and it gave me the opportunity to do a little more than thumb and coil pots which was what we did in the classroom. His enthusiasm was infectious and we were soon to be quite proficient on the new electric wheels. The old treadle ones were still in use but electric was much easier. Mr Minikin took us off one day to dig our own clay (out on the side of the field I believe) and we came back and passed it through the pug mill to make an acceptable clay to ‘pot’ with. When I was to be married in 1963 Mr Minikin gave me a large pot that he had made with the Laindon clay and until recently it had been a lamp base in our lounge. Not a lamp any more it has been relegated to the conservatory and I have enclosed two photos of it. On the lower edge of the border in one shot  there is a M etched on it and further round LAINDON is also on it shown on the 2nd shot, so it is a truly local pot and holds very fond memories for me.

You can just make out the M (click on image to enlarge- use browser return to get back to article)

Ann Rugg

'LAINDON' is clearly visible (click on image to enlarge- use browser return to get back to article)

Ann Rugg

There were lots of activities on at the centre and I had a camping trip to East Mersea youth camp where we sailed for the weekend. I have quite a lot of photos of that weekend if any of you were also there and would like to see. Another trip was walking and youth hostelling in Devon. The name of the teacher that organised it escapes me but I do remember Jackie Nightingale and a June being among the gang. We went to Plymouth and then walked daily around that part of Devon that finished at Dartmouth I think. Remember being cut off by the tide at Bigbury bay and having to climb upwards into a garden at the top to walk back to the hostel and one day we all hitched a ride on a lorry to save having to walk!! Think that was the day that we arrived early at Salcombe and spending too long on the beach got sun burnt legs!! The bonus was going in for a cream tea and then finding it was some thing like 2/6d each and with not much spending money between us we had a good old giggle juggling the pennies till we had enough for the bill. Then lo and behold the waitress returned and gave us it all back to us as some kind gentleman and his wife had taken pity on us and paid for us all. I would have loved to have known who they were as I am sure we left still giggling and not really being as thankful to them as we should have been.

Another big part of going to the youth centre was that the Langdon Players used to use the hall there for their rehearsals and in the refreshment canteen (run by Mrs Moore I think) I became friendly with John Rugg and we all know where that led!!! 50 years this year since our wedding. I did join the players for a couple of productions but only aspired to Assistant Stage Manager. I always was best at behind the scenes activities and fought shy of anything that required you to be on the stage when the curtain was up.