God Save the British Empire!
This four country group (Britannia in the middle) was taken at the same time as the main school photograph and almost certainly marks the end of the First World War in 1918. (Originally it was believed to mark the coronation of King George V in June 1911 but Don Whitmore who is in the photograph was born in 1909).
From Left: Leslie Green; Bessie Rogers (as Miss Scotland) Fred Rogers, Britannia (unknown), Donald Whitmore in HMS Lancaster sailor’s uniform; Ivy Cranwell as the Irish lady (Ivy was an excellent primary school teacher by all accounts) and Ernie Flack on the far right.
Front centre: Doris Prior, a teacher, (as Miss Wales). Note the absence of the RFC/RAF in1911.
In the picture below the girls are all costume dressed and the flag bearing lads (Leslie Green and Ernie Flack) also appear in the “Britannia” group above taken at the same time.
Hi I absolutely love this photograph of my Nan Ivy Cranwell! So wonderful to think that she worked in the school where years later I would be taught by Mr and Mrs Nelson. I have followed in her footsteps and have been a teaching assistant in primary schools for 26 years and my daughter is a science teacher in secondary school.
Hello Cherry – thank you for getting in touch and glad you like the photograph. It’s great to hear that the teaching line continued in your family. If you have any more memories of your time at Chrishall School that you would like to record do let us know!