Slideshow - Crawley nostalgia
ONE was a much-loved workmate who didn’t answer back, survived on a bag of oats and whose only failing was the mess he occasionally left in the street.
The other is huge, noisy and mechanical, cost thousands of pounds to build, buy and keep in good working order and guzzles expensive fuel by the gallon – and it’s pink!
What a difference a century makes!
The first picture in our slideshow comes courtesy of West Sussex Past Pictures and was taken c1912, while the next picture comes courtesy of Crawley Borough Council and was taken c2012.
And while our practical side understands why Pinky is needed when it comes to collecting our rubbish and recycling, our sentimental side would love to see Dobbin clip-clopping his way along the streets once again.
The picture shows the Crawley & Ifield Parochial Committee dust cart, in Princess Road, West Green.
Dobbin looks well groomed and his mane has been plaited.
According to the caption, the two men are Mr Talmey and Bob Soan,
SCHOOL at the turn of the 20th century clearly wasn’t something to smile about, if the next series of photos are anything to go by.
OK, so the internet and computer games were decades away but there must have been something around that could have raised a grin – what about all that joy, fun and seasons in the sun we hear so much about?
Or perhaps it was the restrictive uniforms that were making these youngsters so glum!
These photos come courtesy of West Sussex Past Pictures and show the children of West Green Church of England School in 1900, 1910 and 1912.
The pictures are particularly poignant because you can’t help but wonder how many of the lads would be sent to some foreign field to fight for King and country a few short years later.
The school was situated in Ifield Road and was originally known as the National School.
It was founded by Mrs Sarah Robinson (a local philanthropist and Quaker) and was open to all children, regardless of religious denomination.
It was later closed to children whose parents did not attend church and became known as West Green Church of England School.
The school closed in 1955 and moved to a new building in Ifield.
In the 1900 picture, headmaster Mr Wilton can be seen with a female teacher. He is also in the 1910 picture, which shows the children lined up for an official photo. The boy at the front is holding a slate board which says ‘Crawley 2’.
Does anyone know why three of the boys were wearing medals? And who was the little fellow in the middle? Surely he was far too young to be attending school.
The long-serving Mr Wilton is also standing at the back of the 1912 photo.
In this photo, the classroom desks have been upgraded and the pupils have been separated, with boys on one side and girls on the other.
Are there any old Crawley families out there whose great-grandparents shared stories of their time at West Green Church of England School? Does anyone know why children were not encouraged to smile when a photograph was being taken?
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Crawley
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.