WHEN motorists negotiate the busy roundabout system near St Peter's Church, Ipswich, they are passing through where St Peter's School stood and where thousands of children once went to lessons.

David Kindred

WHEN motorists negotiate the busy roundabout system near St Peter's Church, Ipswich, they are passing through where St Peter's School stood and where thousands of children once went to lessons.

A directory for Ipswich in the early 1920s says the school, between Greyfriars and Commercial Road, was for 320 girls and 130 infants.

The school was referred to in a recent Kindred Spirits when the memories of the late Marjorie Smith were featured. Marjorie started at the school around 1921.

A letter from a remarkable lady, who is now 91, recalls her time at the school and a tragic incident involving her friend.

Mrs D Phillips, of Pimpernel Road, Ipswich, writes: “Reading Marjorie's story about her time at St Peter's School, I recall the time I spent there in 1923.

“Miss Turner was my teacher at the time the photograph was taken. I am in the second row behind the girl in the striped dress. So are two of my closest friends then, but sadly Winnie was killed by a passing lorry as we were running home along Greyfriars Road.

“When my family moved to a new house in the Barrack Estate we were allowed to still go to St Peter's school as long as we took sandwiches. I being the eldest was allowed to go and get a penny worth of chips to share between us.

“Also I went round the docks, unknown to our families and the men on the barges would give me 'tiger nuts' and Lucas for us to share.

“While at St Peter's some of us acted a play called the Water Babies at the Public Hall in Westgate Street, which was destroyed by fire in 1948. I wonder how many of the girls are still around as they must be about my age, 91 years?”

- Does anybody have photographs or memories of St Peter's School, Ipswich? Write to Kindred Spirits at the Evening Star.