This image has been coloured from the original. It shows the fallen oak tree and school teacher ‘Daddy’ Whale.
I think its worth recording those present though I cant say which is which. We have – Ivor Carpentor, Emily Cross, Elsie Doble, Ernest Ebsary, Alice Flower, ? Greedy, Reg Hutchings, Gladys Hyman, Harry, Albert and Bill Melhuish, Ted Oakes, Doris Poole, Fred Rowsell, ? Sainsbury, Winnie Shires, Sybil Silk, Vera Sparks, Elsie Warren, Annie and Bessie Wide, Dorothy Wiginton.
A fine collection of forenames seldom used today. All have lived their lives now whether that be long or short. ‘Daddy’ Harry Whale was a master at Trull school for forty years. He died in 1929 aged 84. You may see his tombstone under the old yew tree by the path in Trull churchyard.
Also mentioned are Hugh Stansell Whale, priest died 1912 aged 28 and Emily Mary Whale died 1948 aged 85.
I went to Trull school as a youngster. The school was built in 1875 and enlarged in1876. It is a lot differant now than from my days. In Harry’s time it was basically just the one building with seperate toilet blocks for boys and girls seperated by a high wall.
Adjacent to the school (now a hall and car park) was the village allotments. When approaching dereliction we built huge Nov. 5th bonfires there. Trull heard its biggest ever explosion there when in attempting to fire my dads old iron signal cannon it blew up damaging a house in Mill Lane. I just managed to stop our neigbour from phoning the police. Trull’s new allotment went to Trull Meadow, close to the ancient oak we used to climb as boys.
When during the last storm I heard that the meadow oak had fallen I thought it must be that one. It was a far more recent young oak that had gone. I cannot say where Harry’s oak tree was so there must have been two c 1910.
Trull Meadow is now owned by Trull Meadow Trust having been bought from Queens College. Hopefully they might plant another oak tree for the Queen’s 2022 jubilee.
By Nick Chipchase
One Response
Hello Nick, I was very interested to see this following a visit to Trull on Friday. My name is Stuart Shire an Winnie Shire was my aunt. She lived in Eastbrook Terrace. I attended the school in1951. I think you were there at the same time. Our parents were friends.