Janet Fouli: Memories of WGC

Janet Fouli, nee Wyatt, now living in Tunisia

School Days

I was born in 1945, and lived at 50 Parkway, next to St Francis Church for 5 years or so. Then I went to school at Templewood: at first, Mr Dickinson used to take a few from my area in his taxi — the local equivalent of “bussing”! But soon, my parents moved to Coneydale. My teachers at Templewood were Miss June Rowe and Miss Dora Pearl. There was a large class and we were taught by Miss Harrison in the dining room. This was the transition from Infants to Juniors.  My junior teachers were Mr. Gwyn Thomas, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Brian Lucas. In the Spring of the last year, after the 11+ exam, our class spent a week at Cuffley Camp, which was wonderful.

My sisters started out at Templewood, but then transferred to Applecroft. One sister went to St Albans Girls Grammar School, (the HCC provided a bus for the girls from WGC)  and the other went to Sir Fred’s. I wanted to go to boarding school, and I went to Christ’s Hospital which was then in Hertford (the boys school was in Horsham, Sussex, and we never saw them!).

My sisters and I had piano lessons from Dorothy Hesse, who lived in the next road at no. 17. She was an inspiring teacher and a lovely person.

Brownie’s Walks

In Welwyn Garden City we used to go for walks in “the woods” which were just up the road from Coneydale, beyond Templewood. We were Brownies, and met at Sherrardswood School. Our Brown Owl was Miss Pearson. The Brownies also went to the woods often. It was perfectly safe.

Coronation Day

At the Coronation Jubilee in 1953, I joined the procession on my bicycle. It was an old one, painted pale blue, and my parents and I decorated it with sweet peas from our garden. My mother had made me a Coronation dress with a procession going round the hem.