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Merrivale Nursery School was housed in a building located on Clifton Boulevard on a plot of land at its junction with Science Road. The former school building can just be seen in this 2012 photograph poking its gable end above the bushes and trees that grew around the edge of its grounds. |
This photograph of the nursery building was taken in 1989. In the background off to the left is the Queens Medical Centre. |
The nursery building was originally constructed as a sports pavilion just before the Second World War. The sports club didn't come back after the war was over and instead the premises were converted for use as a nursery unit run by Nottingham Education Department. This colour photograph of the building was taken in 2004. |
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Our second colour photograph was taken by David Lally in 2012 some time after the nursery had closed and the building was awaiting demolition. The original version of David Lally's photograph can be seen by clicking here. |
The same view as in our 2012 view but taken in 2018. It shows part of the Ningbo Friendship Bridge built to carry the trams over Clifton Boulevard and out along the periphery of the university campus and along University Boulevard to Beeston and beyond. |
Julia Pearl - Perth, Western Australia
My older brother and I attended Merrivale about 1958-59. Our teachers were Miss Marian Roberts and Miss Hill. My mother would leave us, presumably, about 8.30 am and collect us at home time. I don't recall having lunch there but do remember being there later in the afternoon for story time; maybe we had alternate morning then afternoon sessions. When we arrived we would hang our coat on a designated hook. We all knew which our hook was by its accompanying picture at the side. Mine was a teapot.
I remember playing on the back veranda where the prickly straw mats were kept. Indoors was the Wendy house and lots of toys.
We were given cod liver oil before snack time; I liked the taste but my brother hated it. Afterwards we would have a cup of milk and some 'rusks'. These were chunky pieces of white bread slowly baked in the oven. I can still remember that taste today.
At Outdoor Time we played on tricycles and other large equipment. One day I was driving and Julie Shelton, my next door neighbour from Warwick St, was standing on the back bar while I pedalled. Her foot got caught between that bar and another and she screamed. I felt so bad that I was responsible for causing her injury.
We could do painting and other activities though I don't think we were made to complete anything and as far as I know were never assessed or tested.
Miss Roberts and Miss Hill had separate rooms for story time. It was a very restful time of the day and I loved it. I remember a small room with an ornamental owl on a shelf where we had the story.
There were several toilets at the Nursery and tiny washbasins to the left of the main entrance.
I knew Mrs Bradshaw the Nursery cleaner. During the school holidays in 1968 when I was thirteen my brother and I would help her clean the place for 50p each. We always scrubbed the floors and swept the veranda. We competed to see who could scrub the floor the best - with a scrubbing brush on our hand and knees.
Fond memories indeed!
Let us know your memories of Merrivale Nursery School
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