York school's Victorian rocking horses restored to former glory

22 November 2022

News image — Pupils launched a fundraising campaign in March to raise £2,100 for the repairs after the wooden toys were discovered

Fishergate Primary School Pupils pictured with the renovated rocking horses — Pupils launched a fundraising campaign in March to raise £2,100 for the repairs after the wooden toys were discovered

Two Victorian rocking horses discovered in a primary school's basement have been restored to their former glory after a fundraising campaign.

Fishergate School in York launched Operation Rocking Horse in March to raise £2,100 for the repairs after the wooden toys were found.

The discovery came after an old photo of pupils sitting on one of the horses was sent to the school.

Teacher Josh Burnell said the children were delighted with the outcome.

Fishergate Primary School Old photograph showing one of the rocking horses being ridden by pupils — The discovery came after this old photo of children sitting on one of the horses was sent to the school

Mr Burnell said: "When we lifted up the blanket in front of the whole school you should have seen their faces - it was like 1,000 Christmas Days condensed into one."

Describing the poor condition of the rocking horses when they were found, Mr Burnell said it was "a weird hodge-podge situation".

Fishergate Primary School One of the horses being repaired — The repairs to the rocking horses were carried out by local specialists

He told BBC Radio York they had been repaired so many times over the decades that they were patchy, with different colours and ears broken off.

"They were looking a bit sorry for themselves, to be honest with you, but [now] they look like they could be brand new rocking horses," he said.

Fishergate Primary School Pupils pictured with one of the renovated rocking horses — The school has re-instated a tradition where a pupil can ride one of the rocking horses on their birthday

The repairs were carried out after pupils launched a fundraising appeal, with the Fangfoss Rocking Horse Shop renovating the two neglected rocking horses for the price of one.

Mr Burnell said the school had now re-established a tradition dating back over 100 years where a child could ask to ride one of the horses on their birthday.

"Historically, that's the way it always worked. So, on your birthday you can have a go," he said.

Fishergate Primary School Child riding one of the horses in the 1950s — A school photo shows one of the rocking horses being used in a classroom in the 1950s

Mr Burnell said the school was also hosting an event on 27 November at "15:30 sharp" for the public and former pupils to see and share their memories of the horses.

He said there had been a lot of interest in the project, including from someone who was at the school more than 50 years ago.