Christie Mulkern
Waterside Infants' School
I started school at Waterside Infants when I was about four years old. A lady called Miss
Geary was the headmistress. I remember her saying, "Come along, Christopher". I replied, "My name's
not Christopher, it's Christie". She never forgot that.
We drew on slates with either chalk or a slate pencil. Art lessons involved drawing in a tray
of silver sand with our fingers. We had no pen, no ink and no paper. We were taught the value
of money with coloured cardboard counters - gold for sovereigns and half-sovereigns, silver for
five shilling pieces, half crowns, florins, shillings, sixpences and threepenny pieces, copper for
pennies, halfpennies and farthings.
On one special occasion, around the beginning of the First World War, we were led out into the
playground to watch a route march of soldiers. The column was so long that as they passed by the
school, we could see it trailing back along Bois Moor Road as far as the Bois Lane railway bridge.
The bridge was clearly in view from the playground at that time.
We used to go on nature walks around the fields in the Trapps Lane area and also over the Moor to
what is now Chesham United football ground. The land was then owned by the Fuller family from Hyde
End and rented out to local butcher, Mr H G Rose, for the grazing of sheep. Due to its shape the area was
aptly named the 'Pig Trough' by locals. Eventually it was levelled out and became the football ground.
Christie Mulkern, 1907-2001
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