Kingsley School For Girls, Horley

Hi Francis

I went to Kingsley circa 1963 to 1966, maiden name was Kennett. This has certainly sparked up memories for me and the mischief I used to get up to.
I remember quite a few of the girls. If you would like some photos, I'll go through my album and could email them across to you. I was devasted when I visited Horley about 8 years ago to find the school had burnt down, even though at the end of every term we used to sing the relevant, which I can't remember the words. Wow such memories. Elaine

Hi, I went to Kingsley School I think around 1965-66 with my older sister. I remember we couldn't use the main stairs we had to use probably the stairs used originally by the servants. Meals were in the Refectory which was a huge medieval type room with long polished wooden benches.We had a Matron named Rebecca Trudgett, what a wonderful name. She was somewhat grumpy but kind, I understand now why she was grumpy as she used to wear wrist supports as she must have been in terrible pain with arthritis. I remember sitting doing painting by numbers on a Sunday while the headmistress read a story. There was a frieze of the Bayeux Tapestry going around the upper part of the wall. I also remember having a certain amount of freedom of movement and playing with the frogspawn in the pond that was in a wood. I also remember playing in an old car probably 1930's that was behind the tithe barn used for Guides and Brownies. The car smelt awful the inside was collapsing and the red leather seats were mouldy but it was fun. I remember getting dressed up for church and having white gloves in a box with tissue paper and thought them a thing of beauty. In the winter we wore a heavy navy wool coat and a sort of bowler hat with the school badge and ribbon on, and in the summer we wore a navy gaberdine coat and a straw boater, loved it. I understand about being unhappy, I remember going into the loo in the night and looking out of the window over the roofs and wishing I could fly away. Do you remember the little cat flap type fire escape doors at the bottom of the wall in all the rooms. I remember being in a class that had maybe 3 children the room looked like an old scullery in the summer the teacher would open the door and I could look out at the mossy paving and listen to the birds. We were learning to write properly, we were taught calligraphy and used coloured ink for the first letter of a paragraph that was always big and curly. We had to leave after 2 years as we were told the school was closing down, and had to go to the hated RSDS (Royal Soldiers Daughters School) in Hampstead.

Hi there ! I was quite excited to find this page as I was revisiting my past via google this morning ! I was also a boarder at Kingsley, remember Miss Trudgett very well, Miss Edwards , the big shrubbery where I also hid when I was unhappy and the fire escape new girls' dare !!!! We must have all been there around the same time. I went from about 1962-64 I think. I'd come from Hong Kong and never seen TV before. We were allowed to watch Top of the Pops on a Sunday and I saw the Beatles for the first time ! Do any of you still live in the area. I moved to Reigate 4 years ago . Do ant of you remember Janet Hampton. My name then was Lynn Jackson.
Lynn

I am 65 now and went there at the tender age of 7...58 years ago...1961!
My time was not a happy one and I did the dare yo try and be noticed.
Anyway, if ANYONE has any photos, I now enjoy the memories.
Thanks.

Hi, I remember Janet Hampton and your name seems familiar. I think we were in the same class. Sue Sheppard

Hi, I was there 1961-1965 (not as a boarder thankfully!) I made some good friends but didn't like the teachers much (except dear Miss Stradling who tried in vain to teach me maths). Am hoping to go back their one day to see if anything remains. I know they built a housing estate there soon after I left but hope the old tithe barn and the enormous oak tree (which we were told had been there since 1066) remain. The school did have wonderful grounds, including the enormous laurel bush where we used to go to discuss our obsessions, sex and ghosts (!). Also the pond we used to illegally skate on in the Winter. Is anyone still in touch with Margaret Birch? Her friend Barbara would love to hear from her. Sue Sheppard

I still visit Horley as my dad still lived there till last year when he sadly passed away. I was a day scollar from 1961 - 1966. My sister went for a walk yesterday and the old oak tree still stands. Also Matrons house. I remember Miss Edwards and loved her dearly along with Miss willet. Best wishes Julia Henderson.

I have very happy memories of Kingsley. I wasn't a particularly good scholar and was a bit of a dreamer. I loved the school and made many friends. Poor miss stradling had a terrible time trying to teach me any maths, I remember that if we could just get her on the subject of native Americans we could forget the maths altogether. Everyone input class seemed to get along my particular group of friends were Sue Sheppard, Linda Shanks, Margaret Birch , Barbara Lamprell and a few more besides. Sarah Sisley.

I remember you.

I attended the junior part of the school (Form 1) 1963-64 at the age of 5. My name was Felicity Hayton. My teacher was Miss Coulter who I think was Australian. My mother taught Biology In the senior school for that year, and my younger sister Jackie attended Kindergarten. Her teacher was Miss Smith; and Miss Smalley played the piano for our assembly, and “music & movement” classes.
I feel I had a good education there, learning multiplication tables up to 12x, and Italic writing at the tender age of 5! It was tough!
A long story but I only attended on Tuesdays and Fridays so I didn’t really make any friends. Names I remember are: Alison Guthrie, Alison Chell, Stephanie ? (one of 2 identical twins), Mary Winter, Katherine Jardine, Judy King, Linda Barncycle.
In my sister’s class was Sally Avery.
I need to find my photos of the school, the grounds, the teachers, and Mr Adams the caretaker/gardener.

I was a boarder with my sister Jean 1966/67 to date of amalgamation with convent in East Grinstead. Loved swinging from the ropes in the barn, hot chocolate after fire practice in the early hours of the mornings, putting on stage productions, making dens in the laurels by the pond..... endless good memories. Miss Bagwagga and Miss Oliver are teachers I remember and Mrs Curtis and Mrs Tcheroff (spelling).
Remember the summer fetes on the front lawn and remember them actually making a film of the school - would love to get a hold of a that - I think Rachel Gamblin who was in the same year as my sister would know about that.....
I remember Lorraine and Adele Hall and will wrack my brains for more names, now that I’ve started thinking of them....
Would love to hear from old girls..
Pat Scott

The school was evacuated to tintagel during ww2 my mother was a local who joined them and after the went back with them to Harley to finish her education her name was Shirley Roseveare she is now 90

I was there from about 1958 to 1966 and I remember Miss Stradling very well. She would always forget about maths on the very last day of term and talk about Native Americans. I was Dianne Carpenter then.

I went to Kingsley School as a boarder with my sister Rocheen, from about 1968-1970,
Aged 12-14. My last name at that time was Claydon. I remember an Alison Bodilly, who was also a boarder and Gaynor Ponder - who was either a weekday boarder or a day student. I remember Sunday afternoons, when we were given any letters that had arrived for us and had to write a letter to our parents.

I’d
Love to see any photos anyone has of the school

I was there with my sister Rocheen from
about 1968 to 1970.

I remember the refectory -
Loved the food on Sunday tea time and still
Eat some off
Concoctions that we tried out then!
Remember Agnetha / who ate very different food to us all

Hi, I was a day girl at Kingsley from 1960 to 1967. I was Sara Woolger then and my great friends were Melanie Howick and Jane Lister who I am still in touch with. Annabel Quilter was also part of ‘the gang’ but we lost touch in our teens…… does anyone know or remember her?
My sister Patricia was also there (4 years older) and was a great friend of Janet Hampton.
I loved the school and have happy memories. Miss Willet was an amazing teacher although quite scary…. even on school trips we had to ‘work’ on the coach there and back! The school and grounds were beautiful and I have photos of us standing against the huge oak tree in the playing fields.
Sara Ireland