Playground, Longlands Primary School, Sidcup

Image: © Roger D Kidd Taken: 3 Aug 2008

In the post-war period this was part of the junior playground, which was separated from the infant area by a six feet high brick wall. We were forbidden to enter the brick structure in the centre of the picture, which had entrances but no doors. I'm not sure whether it was actually part of the wartime air raid shelter facilities, Strangely, we were all scared to go in, and I don't know of any kids (naughty or otherwise!) who did. I recall when the stumps were first painted on that wall. Bats were considered too risky during playtimes, but football-cricket with underarm bowling with a bouncy rubber ball was the easy option. (I learnt spin bowling here and scored one century!!) Kicking into the road was a problem (scoring 4 or 6); permission was needed to retrieve the ball. Left footers like Peter D. could hook it right over the wall into the infants' playground for 6! That was a bigger problem if Mrs T. was on dinner duty. Slinking into her territory was scary. I notice that someone has decided a bench and some flower containers look nice right in the way of the game. Typical. Just like on the other side of this playground where the same fool has placed a large table/bench seat right in front of the targets painted on the wall for throwing balls at. I've met that kind of mentality before among school-teachers of a certain genre.

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