Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
South Harringay School and the Passage from Pemberton Road, c 1910
I love the finials on the Passage entrance. They're still in situ. I'd never noticed then before.
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Comment by Richard Woods on August 4, 2023 at 12:26
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Two memories. Family friends the Doubtfires (yes, really) lived at 96 Pemberton in the 50s/60s so I knew this spot well. And we North Harringay lot used to troop down through the alley to the swimming pool at Mattison Road, where ome day an impish 10 year old in our class ran through the boys changing room showing more than her parents would have approved of. We did laugh!
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By the way, I think the finials may be because there was more of the school on the opposite side of the alley so it was kind of 'incorporated'.
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Comment by John Shulver on August 5, 2023 at 17:22
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Did you get her address Richard ? Don't tell me it was the start of a beautiful friendship and you ended up marrying her...................???
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Problem was that everyone knew her name... and more it seemed!
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Comment by Paul on August 29, 2025 at 8:23
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Like Richard, I learnt to swim at South Harringay and marched down the alleyway from North Harringay. I well remember after a short introduction splashing around with floats, then the momentous event of us all lined up along the side of the pool in preparation for the big challenge, to swim unaided the short distance across and back. Being either clever or a chicken! I made sure to be in the line at the shallow end. One boy couldn't do it and ran out crying, the rest of us made it, and no, I never put my toes down on the bottom, but it was kind of brutal, although it worked. The whole class bar one went home having learnt to swim. Despite the trauma, I at least was very pleased with being able to swim.
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Remember 1958 in the last year at St. Aidans Junior School, Albany Road, our class taken by coach to S. Harringay pool for swimming lessons. I was O.K. at first but then disliked it so I made various excuses not to go. Did the same in the first year at N. Harringay seniors so they gave up on me. Lessons were then dropped anyway but I finally decided to attend the voluntary after-school lessons in the final weeks at N. Harringay (1965) and learnt after 3 lessons!
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Yes I remember the swimming pool when I attended South Harringay juniors. We all had to stand along the edge in the shallow end and when told we all had to jump in. One boy got very enthusiastic and waved his arms as though he was going to dive in and managed to push me in. As I came up for the third time I heard the instructor say don't help her she will get up herself. Another boy was so frightened I was going to drown he pulled me out and got a telling off from the instructor. I have never learnt to swim as I have always been frightened of the water, I wonder why?
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Comment by Harry Carson 20 hours ago
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Re swimming....
The instructor in my time was Mr Seabrook. I was privately amused by his name, both syllables being water related.
I see the finials, still in situ....the right side one standing guard over Mr Crumps caretaker's house.
From the infants' playground I was able sometimes to see my mother, heading to the shops and pulling her wheeled wicker shopping basket/trolley.... seeing her was important to a five year old.... waving to me.
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I was at South Harringay Junior School in the 1950s. Three names come to mind.
Mr Cornell, swimming instuctor - never wore a smile just a black tracksuit with a prominent badge.
Mr Glass and Mr Head. Father and son-in-law caretakers at the school.
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I was there, at South Harringay Primary 1957-64. (For context).
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