The mystery of

the east end school bell

In the January 16 edition of the Observer, I wrote about 'Schooldays Past' with an appeal for photographs and information about the old East End and Monkton Schools. In that article, I included a photograph of our society's president, George Lewis, holding a bell which he believed to have been the bell of Pembroke's East End School. Since the photograph was taken, however, George has been carrying out further enquiries into its origins.

"It would seem," George told me, "that the school in question never had a belfry like those at other schools in the area, such as the demolished Monkton Mixed Junior School and Templeton. An old photograph shows the belfry at Monkton School, which was later removed, while the one at Templeton is still in place."

East End Square - some interesting facts

East End School opened in 1873. It provided education for senior and junior mixed boys and girls and for infants and in 1895 the records show a total of 307 pupils, with 102 seniors and 205 juniors and infants.

"It was built on the site," George informed me, "of an extensive garden owned by a Mr. Hughes. It was bordered by the then Lower Lamphey Lane merging from Kennel Square (now called East End Square) and extending northwards along Powell's Well (now Well Hill).

I am informed by former Mayor of Pembroke, Melanie Phillips, that it was called Kennel Square, because of the kennels situated behind the Royal Oak.

You can still see the gated coach arch which led to a stable yard where the hounds were housed. At one time there were four public houses in this area, listed in Keith Johnson's 'Pubs of Pembroke' as the Three Cups, Red Lion Inn, The Swan, and The Royal Oak, obviously frequented by farming folk visiting the animal markets and fairs held in the direct vicinity.

East End Flyover Company

The school closed in 1970 and was in turn used as a Teachers Centre and an Activities area for creative groups, both adults and children, producing amongst other things, items for festivals, parades, and carnivals.

A scenery and properties, costume and lighting store and workshop occupied one of the outbuildings run by The East End Flyover Drama Company. This company, which is still in existence, produced plays in various venues throughout South Pembrokeshire, the most recent being 'Private Peaceful', a play set in the First World War and presented in Pembroke Dock Market Hall last year.

This scenery store moved to accommodation in Haggar's Ballroom in the early 1990s and thence to Popton Fort, with the Pembroke Boxing Club occupying their old store.

Artists in Pembroke

George, a Pembroke Dock boy, told me how he and his wife Jeanne, both Fine Art graduates, retired to Pembroke in 1991 at the end of their teaching careers.

It proved to be a very busy time, hardly a 'retirement', for they both very quickly became immersed in artistic activities in the area.

George became an established art tutor at the former Coronation Adult Education Centre and was responsible for a large Millennium Mural and a Garrison Badge Mural, each a striking illustration of Pembroke Dock's history and military heritage, and painted by himself and his pupils.

George and Jeanne also produced the amazing Pembroke Murals which trace the history of Pembroke from Stone Age to the early years of the 20th century and which adorn the foyer and staircase of Pembroke Town Hall for all to see.

Haggars

They both also had extensive experience in scenic design and production during their teaching years.

"We contacted Chris Griffiths, the established director of East End Company productions, to offer our services," George continued "and we were welcomed to join the team for a forthcoming production in Haggar's Ballroom of 'A Penny for a Song'.

"This production had a cast of 13 and with a set designed by Warren Heaton. The year was 1992 and this was to be the last public function held in this lovely building.

"It was built during the late Victorian period as a Public Assembly Room with a large ballroom on the first floor catering for daytime tea dances, for flower shows and for musical recitals and receptions of every description.

"It had additional rooms on the third floor for activities such as bridge parties and club gatherings.

"On the ground floor, entered from the Main Street, was later Haggar's Cinema, moving from its original fairground sites to a magical room with two life-size female figures bordering its screen.

"In more recent times, it was to become a nightclub, with the main building converted into flats, a sad loss to the town of what could have become a real heritage centre offering so many opportunities for public activities."

The bell on stage

George and Jeanne put their skills to good use working on a set which depicted the exterior of a country house with a dilapidated timber tower at stage left. On this tower George fixed the bell which he had found in a dusty corner of the East End Scenic workshop and which, he was reliably informed by a veteran of the company, was the former East End School bell.

It eventually found its way to Popton where the new scenic store was housed and from there to George's workshop to be cleaned for a future production. However, it was never used.

Further East End Company Productions

The next East End company production was of 'Diawatha' by Keith Johnson, whom George described as 'a stalwart of the backstage team and the regular stage manager', staged at the Torch Theatre in 1993.

This play already had a great reputation following an early production in the area and was a marvellous story of a Red Indian tribe based in Pembrokeshire with all the possibilities that such a situation could offer.

The set was designed by Warren Heaton and Keith Allen and constructed and painted by a team led by George and Jeanne working in the still unconverted Haggar's ballroom and in the Old Courthouse in Milford.

George and Jeanne carried out a number of further sets with the company, including 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in St. Mary's Church, Pembroke, and 'A Child's Christmas in Wales', 'Cold Comfort Farm', and 'The Dark of the Moon' performed at The Stackpole Centre, with the scenery carried out in what was the Motor Pool at Popton Fort, the former BP base. But more of these and the problems they caused next time ...

And as for the bell, it now has a home in Pembroke Museum, so come along and take a look. And if anyone can shed more light on it, I should be pleased to hear from you!

Contact

If you have any stories, photographs or feedback for this column, please contact me, Linda Asman, on 01646 622428, email [email protected]">[email protected] and visit our website http://www.pembrokeandmonkonhistory.org.uk">www.pembrokeandmonkonhistory.org.uk

Forthcoming Events

Saturday, March 7, at Monkton Priory Church Hall - St. David's Day Lunch between 11 am and 1.30 pm. Choice of homemade soups and crusty bread, homemade desserts, tea and coffee - all for only £3.50. All proceeds to Monkton Priory Church.