THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — these Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and contain scenes from her home village of Findon,
West Sussex, U.K.    Everyday stories about real people.

THE SCHOOL FIRE

 Copyright Valerie Martin 2006

I was delighted to hear from Joe Neale towards the end of 2006....

 

9th November 2006

Dear Valerie, I lived in Findon all my life until leaving to go to university 2 years ago.

I find your website facinating, being a local history enthusiast myself.

Anyway, i think that your site would benefit from a page about the fire at the school in the early 90's. It's probably the only village event i am old enough to remember you see, i remember being evacuated from the school and taken down to the Gun Inn, and being given crisps from behind the bar while the school was on fire!

I don't remember what year it was, im sure you'll know, but i think i must have only been about 5 or 6 years old at the time.  

Joe Neale, Findon Village, West Sussex. 

 

 

I told Joe that I was not living in Findon at this time and no one had mentioned the fire at the school to me.  I said I would leave it up to Joe to find out more for me.

 

9th November 2006

ok Valerie, i'll dig around and try and find some more details, it was quite a big thing at the time, the school was shut for several months i think, and we all had to get a bus from outside the village hall to a newly built school in Rustington that had room for all the findon kids who didnt have a school!

anyway i'll get back to you...  Joe.

Joe Neale, Findon Village, West Sussex. 

 

 

I soon learned that there was bellowing smoke followed by sirens heard all over Findon on Friday morning, 20th March 1992.   Just over a hundred children between the ages of 5 and 11 were evacuated to a nearby field when a threatening blaze swept through the school.  

A member of staff had initially pressed the fire alarm button — but nothing happened.   There was nothing left but for the teachers to ring old-fashioned hand-bells to raise the alarm.

The children were quickly ushered out of the building in an orderly fashion and their fire drill practice obviously paid off.  Shelter was found temporarily for them at the Gun Inn where they were served orange juice and sang some songs. 

Meanwhile, twenty firefighters from Findon, Worthing and Storrington tackled the fire which was brought under control.   The timber-framed school hall which contained thousands of pounds worth of gym equipment was completely gutted.  It was thought that the fire started in an electrical cupboard in the school hall.

No one was hurt and the children were later picked up by their parents. 

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life around Findon.

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Do let me know of anything you hear about Findon - not too controversial.   Please note that opinions expressed in the Findon Chronicles are not necessarily reflective of my own thoughts.... but sometimes they are!