At the end of a long drive, lined with trees on one side and with an
oval-shaped lawn on the left, the first sight I caught of The Paston
School was the red-brick School House, which housed the
Headmaster’s Study through the Secretary’s office, and was home to
the boarders. As a day boy, gaining a scholarship through passing the
eleven-plus exam, I began my studies there in the September of 1952,
and there I was to remain until the summer of 1957, when I left to attend
a graphic design course at the Norwich School of Art.

“On one occasion, in Woodwork, I began to feel rather unwell so I
was sent outside for some fresh air. Along came the Headmaster’s
wife, Mrs Marshall, who, despite my vociferous protests, insisted I’d
been misbehaving and took me to see the Head who, although
brandishing the cane, gave me the benefit of the doubt and sent me
home. I felt better the minute I got out of the gates!”

On the large oval lawn it was the tradition during the summer, when I
was there, to hold the finals of the Tennis Tournament, with all us boys
sitting on the hallowed turf around the perimeter to watch – how we
yearned for a swift conclusion to the match so we could get off to catch
an early train home!

“At the right-hand side of the School House was the Nelson Room,
home to many priceless artifacts relating to our most illustrious ‘old
boy’, Horatio Nelson. During the winter months, one of the windows
would be opened and Mrs Marshall (Fanny!), the Head’s wife, sold
sizzling-hot sausages in chunks of bread to us boys – no doubt the
forerunner to the hot-dog, so popular today!”

On the top floor of the School House was the boarders’ dormitory, at
one time home to Horatio Nelson who spent three years at the Paston
School before embarking on a career with the Royal Navy. The back of
the building faced onto the School Yard where the there was an Art
Room, Woodwork Room, Assembly Hall (used as a canteen at
lunchtimes) and the toilet block.

“The toilets were situated behind the canteen kitchens, extremely
smelly and to be avoided except in the case of dire emergency, and
that was only the canteen and kitchens!”

At the bottom end of the yard was a large purpose-built brick shed
known as the Armoury and home to the Combined Cadet Force’s
collection of .22 and .303 rifles, Bren guns and all the ammunition, live
and blank. There was also an assortment of other firearms of earlier
vintage, such as Winchester underlever rifles. Everything was kept well
chained up and windows barred as, at that time, there was a
considerable threat from the IRA.

“Some lunchtimes old Ted, the armourer, who was also the School
Field groundsman, would allow us boys to ‘have a look’ at the
various weapons in the Armoury, and it was there that I was to
draw my cadet’s uniform – one size seemed to fit all!”

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