Reader's Question: Where Was The Manor School Dining Hall?

Anne writes:

I adore your blog and love The Arbury effect! The area is pumped full of history from the ancient folk of Arbury Camp to today, and reading about it all makes me feel good as I live on the North Arbury Estate. It's a buzz! I'm interested in the old Manor School. I once met a woman who told me she was part of the first intake at the Manor Girls' School in 1959. She gave me lots of details that I didn't write down (I should of done), and I remember something about the dining hall being in the old main building. In my 1980's days at the school (when it was mixed) it was in what we called The New Block.

Hi, Anne!

Thank you - we're very glad you like the blog. Andy of the Arbury Archivists interviewed Mrs Johnson (Firman), original headmistress of the Manor Girls' School and deputy head of the co-ed school, in 1983. We will be featuring full details at some point, but she recalled that the dining hall was in what became the main admin corridor in the early 1970s. The corridor housed the school office, pupils' welfare office, senior staff offices, staff room, etc. We've marked some details on the 1982 shot of the school above.

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