Kim Taylor made special reference to his‘ real wit and kindness’ in his Speech Day address that year.
Ma Woods left the post office on the death of her husband in 1937, but under a succession of owners, including the memorable Ma Thornton in the 1940s, it has continued to serve tuck to Sevenoaks pupils. Since the early 1990s it has been run by Mr Patel – hence‘ Mr P’ s’. Charles Rodmell( OS 1992) was certain that‘ all the major food groups are covered in there( chocolate, sweets AND crisps)’.
In the 1900s, Mr P’ s and Budgens were also the sources of more forbidden substances: cigarettes. Older OS will remember Mrs Higgs-Walker calling from School House windows and charging a‘ Boy!’ with fetching her daily cigarettes from the tuck shop, a place she also frequented in person on a regular basis for‘ any bits of gossip today?’( OS Newsletter 1990).
Whichever tuck shop they frequented, alumni of all generations remember their visits as some of the fondest memories of their time at school, and as a source of comfort and friendliness. Perhaps Cyril Bailey summed it up best long after leaving school:‘ I wonder whether such a simple friend as [ Mother Eames ] at the shop still exists – a great loss to the school and the town if she does not.’
One cherished memory of the Old Post Office is the tradition of pupils signing their names on its ceiling, a feature since as early as Ma Woods’ s time. Some names are there today, albeit from more recent generations, after several necessary repaintings.
Sally Robbins, Archivist
MID-CENTURY MEMORIES OF THE TUCK SHOP
In my day( the 1940s and 50s), the tuck shop was run by Ma Thornton who was a lovely lady, so kind and so good to us all. I cannot believe she ran a small confectionery shop with a Post Office and a telephone kiosk in the back right corner in that little lowceilinged shop. Lining up at the counter with adults popping in to get served ahead of us sweet-toothed, perpetually hungry boys was an exercise in patience.
Confectionary was rationed in those days, and we could leave our whole page of monthly coupons with Ma Thornton. She would tear off the coupons as you bought what you could afford, or bought on tick, but above all she would let you start the next month if you had used up the current month, which was a never-ending battle. I did write my name on the ceiling before I left school, but it probably went to the tuck shop ceiling in the sky a long time ago.
My other vivid recollection is of Ernie Groves( Housemaster of Johnsons) popping in to buy cigarettes and looking around to see if anyone was doing anything wrong, particularly using the telephone kiosk to phone their girlfriend or family, because telephoning was only allowed with permission.
I remember the stories about Bert Budgen and the hole in the shop counter which if you put money down too soon would disappear. We always likened him to Fagin from Oliver Twist.
You really couldn’ t buy much with the regulation pocket money of a shilling per week for a stamp( to write home) and maybe a chocolate bar of sorts or a bag of crisps. A lot of explanation was required if you were found with more than a shilling, except if you had withdrawn extra money from your boarding house account which was filled termly by family. It was administered by the second housemaster who was available every Monday in the house library for withdrawals.
Bob Wise( OS 1953)
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