In the 1930s I lived across the street from the schoolhouse. In those days it was used by the 'Men's Fellowship' of St Marks Church, I used to see them going in 2 or 3 times a week and always on a Sunday evening after the 6pm Church Service. on the ground floor was a full size snooker table in 1939 it became a full time 'Air Raid Wardens Post' and was staffed 24 hours a day until the end of the war.
At 6pm on Sunday the 3rd of September (the day war started) I fell off the Pillar Box at the corner of Fletcher St and Lever St and cut my brow, a policeman who I trying to avoid picked me up and took me to the Wardens Post, on entering he called out "Here's your first war time casualty" They replied "Don't know why you brought him here, we've only got 6 buckets of Water, 6 buckets of Sand, 6 Stirrup pumps, 6 Tin Helmets, a Hand bell, an Axe, 2 Incendiary Shovels, and a Whistle, take him to the doctors".
Having just turned 6pm the Policeman and the Chief Warden took me to Doctor Thornley's surgery just around the corner in Lever St. There they kept a firm grip on me while he inserted 4 stitches. That's a night I shall always remember.
Brian Grundy Class of 1943