South Harringay School and the Passage from Pemberton Road, c 1910

Comment by Richard Woods on August 4, 2023 at 12:26

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!

Comment by Richard Woods on August 4, 2023 at 12:28

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'. 

Comment by John Shulver on August 5, 2023 at 17:22

Did you get her address Richard ?   Don't tell me it was the start of a beautiful friendship and you ended up marrying her...................???

Comment by Richard Woods on August 6, 2023 at 16:18

Problem was that everyone knew her name... and more it seemed!

Comment by Paul on August 29, 2025 at 8:23

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.

Comment by Geoffrey Walker 23 hours ago

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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