IT was interesting to read that the Tadcaster Road College campus, with the exception of Ashfield House, is to be demolished and a new site developed in Sim Balk Lane.

Perhaps a note or two of the early development of the Ashfield House site may be of interest to your readers - and bring back happy memories to those early students.

In April 1946 I won a place on a newly-formed two-year full-time course called The Junior School of Building (JSB) which taught the theory of building and gave practical work in bricklaying, plumbing, joinery and painting and decorating.

This was in the School of Commerce, Clifford Street.

In September 1946 the JSB moved to Ashfield House, its outbuildings and grounds of the house had been converted into classrooms in which the theory, plus general subjects were taught.

The stable blocks had been converted into workshops for bricklaying and plumbing. The workshops for joinery and painting and decorating were in post-war Army huts. The land beyond the house was, then, still a large field.

These same facilities were used for the building trade evening classes of which I attended from September 1948 to May 1953.

TR Peacock,

Oakland Avenue,

Stockton Lane, York.

Updated: 11:57 Monday, September 13, 2004