From the School Magazine 1960-61
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Mabel Johnson was the first Head Girl of CCHS. She trained at St Katherine’s College, Tottenham, and then taught at Canterbury Road - now St George’s School - until her retirement in 1958. Here are her memories of the school from the very early days.
When I was asked to write an account of the beginnings of the Colchester Secondary School for Girls, I started to cast my mind back over the years. I realised the many changes which have taken place in school life and I found myself making comparisons with schooldays then and now.
At first the School was housed in the Albert School of Art and Science, in the premises now occupied by the Rep (now, in 2020, the Co-operative Bank). We shared the building with pupil teachers and art students. (In 1912 the school moved to the newly-built North Hill site.) There were two long, large rooms downstairs - one occupied by the Art School. At the far end was another room called the Apse, which is now the back-stage (of the Rep Theatre). In the Apse we had our Art lessons. Upstairs were the Laboratory, Staff Room and a large galleried classroom, where we also had morning assembly. Additional accommodation was provided in St Peter’s Parish Rooms and to reach these we made a journey through the churchyard. Here, there were folding desks and I well remember one collapsing in front of me when the teacher banged heavily upon it to press a point home!
In the early days there were about ninety girls in the School and they came from the surrounding district, including the Clacton and Harwich areas. Miss M Collins BA was Headmistress and she had a full -time staff of four and two part-time Art teachers. We had no school uniform, but after a time straw sailor hats trimmed with a hat band of navy blue and silver - the school colours - were introduced. We were always expected to wear gloves in the street. We played Tennis and Netball on the ground now occupied by the Gilberd School (now the 6th Form College) and in our time a large orchard still flourished there. Whilst four girls were playing on the only tennis court, the rest of us walked among the trees or rested in their shade!
One of the highlights of my school days was the first Christmas Party, which was held in the Masonic Hall, Abbeygate Street. In the evening each form contributed an item to the concert and our effort was four National Songs. For these we were attired in English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish costumes.
During the summer Miss Collins invited us to a Hay Party, at Hadley’s Farm, in Ipswich Road, where she lived. We romped in the hay and afterwards had a sumptuous tea. Another notable occasion was the performance in the Moot Hall of scenes from “Twelfth Night”, which was attended by many important local people.
Whilst the accommodation and amenities of our school days were not to be compared with those of today, we had one advantage which will commend itself to my readers. The school was in its infancy - our classes were small - and my form never exceed twelve pupils!
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