It's that time of year again when schools in the UK break up for the long summer holidays and the dreaded (for some) school reports come home for parent scrutiny!
I came across my mum's report the other day from Woden Avenue Junior School, Wednesfield, Nr Wolverhampton, dated July 1946.
Her reading, writing and spelling were assessed as being very good, as was composition. She apparently had been slow at first in needlework but now good progress was being made and under history, the remark said "neat drawings."
But in the Arithmetic column, the teacher had written, Pat's weak subject, not enough confidence in herself. No - she never did like maths!
However the general comments were that she'd worked steadily throughout the year and made a marked improvement.
I don't have a school report for my paternal grandfather Ernest George Shelley, but I do have a wonderful school photograph, taken probably around 1908. My father believed that the school was in Tettenhall Wood and could have been one of the schools founded by local benefactors. I really should dig a bit deeper and see what else I can find out!
Anyway, here is the proud chap below in his very becoming uniform - though those collars look a bit stiff! He's in the middle - 5th from the left on the 3rd row. He looks a bit fed up, doesn't he? Bless...
Oh, that’s lovely to have! Yes, someone else’s perspective can be a real insight, particularly if it’s about someone you didn’t know. My aunt wrote a sentence or two about each of the older relatives she’d known to accompany their photos. I thought what a great idea it was. We take our personal memories for granted and they need recording too, don’t they, or how will anyone know about them? It’s valuable information!
Lovely to have both of those images, Wendy. I have two references written for Dad by employers and one by his headmaster. Lovely insight into his character and beliefs.