SIBFORD’S HALLS OF MEMORY
an ageing thespian remembers
Sibford’s previous school halls and how meaningful they were in the progress and history of Sibford School as well as to individuals like myself, writes Mike Finch.
T
The first school hall/gymnasium was sited in the original school in the Sibford Ferris Manor House (now converted into smart apartments). The hall was housed inside the wall facing the entrance to Holly House and was created out of an open sided barn. The ‘Old Gym’ is affectionately remembered by pupils who were at the school between 1892 and 1953. It was abandoned in September 1953 when a new hall/gymnasium was built at the Hill … now known as the Oliver Studio. The Old Gym was largely funded by donations from old scholars and the gymnastic equipment
he exciting refurbishment of Sibford’s main hall, currently in progress, evokes memories of
installed was ‘state of the art’ and included climbing frames, ropes and vaulting boxes. It was heated by an iron coke stove, which I recall vividly … one day we were playing a favourite PE game called ‘shipwreck’ where you had to hop from one bench to another dotted around the floor, playing a kind of ‘tag’ game. I managed to slip and head butt the stove finishing up in the Sanatorium … I still have the scar to prove it! On entering the Old Gym you turned left into the hall under a gallery which was accessed via a wooden stair-ladder … present health and safety officials would have a fit! The gallery itself was just plain boarding for seats with no comfortable chairs and it tiered upwards for about five levels to the ceiling. Unlike other Quaker establishments, the gallery was used by boys only (in similar Quaker institutions it was the ladies who were obliged to sit in the gallery). At exciting moments during concerts the boys would
stamp their feet in unison making a thunderous and alarming noise – how the gallery survived into the 1950s is a miracle.
The Old Gym was
only 14 metres (45 feet) long (to the back of the stage) and was 5.5 metres (18 feet) wide – long and narrow. The stage was quite high, about 1.25 metres (4 feet), and was quite well equipped with dark blue proscenium curtains and grey tabs. At the back of the stage a set of wooden steps dropped down into
‘State of the art’ gymnastic equipment was installed included climbing frames, ropes and vaulting boxes.
cont next page The Sibfordian / 47
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