b'F R O M T H E B E G I N N I N Gfood shops where the boys buy their lunches, other rations andcontraband. In the twenties, the Misses McGrath had their lollyshop in Alison Road, opposite the Church and next door to thebarber shop, and this became the school tuck shop. At the sametime, just down from the corner in Belmore Road, was Natolis fruitshop, where in summer a boy could buy a piece of water melon fora halfpenny or a larger piece for a penny.However,moreimportantmatterswerediscussedintheBilliard Saloon above the fruit shop. This was a meeting place forthe jockeys and strappers who worked at the track and the stablesnearby. The eagerness of the talk and the thrill of the track actedlike a magnet for some of the boys and they would come here topick up a few tips before going down to the Racecourse.Peters Shoe Shop, after which Peters Corner was named andwhich was very small, moved from the corner opposite the Churchto right next to the tram stop in Belmore Road. The corner site wasthen bought by Mr. Enright, who demolished the shop and built abig new chemist shop below, with offices above. He also tried tochange the name to Enrights Corner, but without success. In the 1950s, the favourite store was Beryl Phillips Cake andSweet Shop in Alison Road. There, on Mondays, you could buy atea cake as big as a dinner plate for one penny. In 1964, the boys had a party to celebrate the schools fiftiethbirthday. A lunch of fish and chips was provided by Mrs.Kittos, aparent, who owned a fish shop in Belmore Road.In his School Report for 1952, Bill Nimmo said,It is good for a school and its members to develop the habit of givingto any worthy charitable cause, to remember others less fortunatethan themselves.To this end, various charities, such as the Red Cross Homes forChildren, the Crippled Childrens Society and the Sun Toy Fund,have been adopted over the years. The boys would raise money byorganising a competition or a stall at the annual Pet Show, or by hold-ing an event, such as a Picture Show (using Mr. Boyces projector), orby volunteering to help in the street on special Collection Days.3 4'