Going to school – 1941 style
by Anne Kirby
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When I was 7 years old my mile long journey to school in Saltley, Birmingham, was by bus or tram - 3 stops, followed by a walk of some 500 yards. In those days young children made their own way to school – no mums in tow. The terminus for the No. 8 tram was one stop down the road at the Pelham Arms and it went along its shiny tracks into the Centre of Birmingham. Mother would give me one penny for the fare and I would stand between the bus and tram stops and dive to the stop for the bus or tram, whichever came first. I liked the tram best and used to go upstairs for the short 3-stop ride.
The only catastrophe I remember was the day I was climbing the metal stairs of the tram when it jolted and I banged my shin against the stair tread. The result was a nasty painful cut which took a long time to heal. (I still have the scar). The conductress was not sympathetic.....it was my fault for going up the stairs.
In those days we didn’t have school lunches and I returned home during the hour’s break at noon, so I made this journey 4 times a day. Sometimes I saved the fare and took a short cut along the back roads, buying a lump of swede or toffee apple to chew on the way.
