Elmwood School/ Mullards
I was checking the street views on Google Earth and for fun eventually found myself checking out HACKBRIDGE for which I have very mixed feelings. Like another of your writers I used to wait by the factory gates of Mullards for my mother Jean (Emma Jane). She had worked there since post war and moved to Pascalls sweets (Mitcham) around 1956. Having passed my 13+ with flying colours...mostly A's and B+'s (I still have all my Gorringe Park School reports) I "won" a place at Elmwood School and "studied" there from 1953 to 1956. Sad to report it proved to be the saddest period of my early life and from loving school I slid to positively loathing every day of it. Apart from the sport and school dinners being about half a mile away I particularly remember the Head Master John(?) Stacey. A figure that "lives" with me to this day some 55 years later. Our mutual contempt of each other certainly affected school work and I particularly remember him NOT allowing me to take GCE English Language for my finals...quote " not wasting school time on you" or somesuch. I subsequently took it some 4 months after leaving school and had great pleasure forwarding details of my 92% pass mark. He never replied. I notice the school no longer exists ?? That's all I have to say about that . The Grange still holds special memories and in my collection of photos there are several of me as a todler playing with my parents. I now live in Lanzarote (close on 30 years) and am fortunate to have friends nearby for 6 months and 6 months living in Wallington (easy to drop in on). Following my trip down memory lane I am resolved to make the effort to visit Hackbridge and The Grange before the year is out. Quite amazingly there were several Hackbridge features on Google Earth I could even now recall easily including of course the Station, pond/lake and pub (Robin Hood?).
Memories Links
See more memories of Hackbridge
Add a Memory for another place
Tips & Ideas
How does Hackbridge feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of Hackbridge?
How has Hackbridge changed over the years?
Share memories about your local community, its history and people.
Comments
5 comments have been shared so far in response to the memory "Elmwood School/ Mullards".
Why not get involved and post your comments using the comment form below.
Comments
RE: RE: Elmwood School/ Mullards
Yes, it was Mr Stacey, and the headmistress who I can see clearly now as she caned me enough times on the hand was I think Miss Peirmain?
Comment from Janis Read on Thursday, 12th May 2011.
RE: RE: Elmwood School/ Mullards
I was in the GCE 13+ stream at Elmwood from 1950 to 52 so just missed you but found some of the teachers OK. I remember particularly happy memories of Reggie Evans the English teacher and I am sorry that that went wrong for you but I totally and utterly support your comments about Stacey the plumped up jumped up Headmaster who floated around all day in his ludicrous big black flowing gown looking like Will Hay. I think he thought he was head of Eton or some such. I remember we all had to stand up if he came into the classroom. He was a sour faced 2nd rater who had been dumped on us but many of us succeeded despite that.
Comment from Norman Gardner on Monday, 13th June 2011.
RE: RE: Elmwood School/ Mullards
Ah yes, Stacey who swept around in his gown. I remember Mr Evans the English teacher who taught us precis, analys, clauses etc. Things that are unheard of today. Mr Gower and Barwell the maths teachers. Nellie Perman the headmistress. What an old cow she was! miss Zimmerman taught French and Dolly Halford needlework. Mr Wood was woodwork and technical drawing for the boys. Mr Pawlsey for Science in the hut. Mrs Grey for domestic science. I cannot rememer the art teacher only that you never went in the cupboard alone! The dinner hut was about 1/4 mile walk from the school on the playing fields that is now a housing estate. The line in the playground to seperate the boys from the girls, seperate staircases and God help you if you were caught outside the wrong toilets!! Next to Elmwood was Marconi and across the road Southdown laundry now houses. Elmwood may have been a Secondary Modern but we had the equivalent of todays grammar school teaching. It had the highest GCE and RSA passes in the boroughs secondary schools High View (now gone) and Stanley Park now a super duper school) along with Welbeck, Winchcombe on St Helier estate had bad names so we didn't do too bad! I was there from 1962-66 in the R classes.
Comment from Charlotte Norman on Saturday, 12th November 2011.
RE: RE: Elmwood School/ Mullards
In an idle moment I returned to my original piece published above. In truth although I recognise the script I had totally forgotten the entry ... Senior moments multiply exponentially these days... I would like to thank Janice, Norman and Charlotte for comments posted since Sept 2010 and take particular gratification in the like views of the seemingly infamous headmaster Mr Stacy. No doubt long departed this world and whenever that was "not a day too soon". My mother...who would have rightly been regarded a "a little excentric"...nevertheless had an excellent education, winning a scholarship when, back in the "twenties" ONE per school year was granted. When "Stacey" threatened to expell me because I had breached a school rule (crossing into The Grange at lunch break) I recall my mother literally cutting him to shreds with her tongue AND reducing that bully to a babbling idiot. I also recall the art teacher who was as much a "lech" with boys as girls. Strangely I recall visiting his beautiful home in Wimbledon.... accompanied naturally. Despite my best efforts I cannot recall his name with certainty. Was it Mr Jerome? I do however remember ALL of the names listed by contributors above....all with affection, EVEN Mr Gower who could be quite formidable.
Comment from Lawrence Wood on Thursday, 9th February 2012.
RE: RE: Elmwood School/ Mullards
Lawerence, yes it was Mr Jerome the art teacher! He also took us for RE. He was a leacherous man but an interesting teacher who taught us heraldry. Elmwoods school badge was part of Carew Manors crest of arms. I suspect that Stacey may have been a teacher before the War and may have had his teaching career cut short by it. I think that he and Mr Evans, who also had a gown but never wore it, must have had degrees from university.
Comment from Charlotte Norman on Thursday, 12th April 2012.