Carlane School Class Photograph with Master John Murphy (1932)

Pictured with the Upper Class of Carlane School in 1932 is Master John Murphy, who served as the Principal from 1925 until 1948. Born in Pomeroy in 1894, Murphy was instrumental in uniting the Boy’s and Girl’s sections of Carlane into one modern school, but faced tragedy when his young wife died days after his arrival on 8th January 1925. Alice McCann, a student of Carlane in the early thirties, who is pictured fourth from the left, recalled Murphy and his teaching, 

“Master Murphy was an intelligent man keen on mental arithmetic, and fostered in me a love of poetry. We memorised many poems and had to recite them in class; my favourite was John Gilpin’s famous poem describing an evocative horse-ride from London Town to Ware in celebration of his wedding. I think it must have been rare in those days to study Shakespeare at primary school but it was the norm at Carlane.”

This photograph is a key primary source for children studying the history of going to school. Notice how the children are dressed and what they are (or aren’t) wearing on their feet!