A BOOK telling the history of a Suffolk primary school as it prepares to celebrate 100 years has been published.Memories of Woodbridge Primary School documents the changes from March 1909, when it opened in New Street, until March 2007.

A BOOK telling the history of a Suffolk primary school as it prepares to celebrate 100 years has been published.

Memories of Woodbridge Primary School documents the changes from March 1909, when it opened in New Street, until March 2007.

The school then moved to a site in Pytches Road where pupils and staff have new buildings. The old site is being developed for housing although the main school building will be retained and refurbished to provide a new library for the town.

In 1909, when the school opened it was said to be the ''largest elementary school' in Suffolk. It opened at a cost of £6,300 which was comparable to £3.5million in 2007.

The log books reveal closures due to outbreaks of whooping cough and scarlet fever and subjects which included a laundry class teaching children how to iron collars and make starch.

In the First World War a temporary Red Cross hospital was housed in a classroom and during the Second World War the school housed evacuees from London, while air raid shelters were built in the playground.

The pictures and memories in the book were compiled by Lynda Bradford, David Keeble and Sarah Webb.

More than 600 former pupils, staff and friends attended a reunion last year which provided memories for the book. The book is on sale at Browsers, Thoroughfare, Woodbridge.