Riddlesdown

I went to Riddlesdown from 1971 until 76, I remember Mr Hay very well, he definitely didn't get the respect he deserved. Mr Ridley was the science teacher who terrified everyone, Would love a reunion and meet up with fellow pupils

I went to riddlesdown school from 1960 to *65 , I remember mr hay well as the RI teacher, I’ve been trying to remember the other teachers names , I liked mr Humphrey’s the art teacher I seem to remember he was close to miss Francis , but I don’t know what she taught , Their was mr Kitchen the metalwork teacher I’m surprised I can pull even those names out of the mist , Mr McKay the headmaster and that’s about all , I can see the faces but the names aren’t there , in my first year there was a disabled boy in my class who compared to the help they get today really had to struggle , he wasn’t even given a de ask at the front , he had to leave his wheelchair at the front of the class and and struggle to reach his desk , And he had to put up with his fair share of stupid remarks from certain kids , He’s always stuck in my mind , his name was Sören sund it was such an unusual name it stuck in my mind . Now I’m writing this a lot is coming back , but it’s more personal memory’s of little interest to anyone , PS I’ve just remembered mr Martin the PE teacher who gave me and Philip Owen a really nasty whack with a rope in the gymnasium , I’ve no idea what it was for but we had a nasty red mark for a week , imagine doing that to a 13 year old today but we just brushed it off ,

I was at Riddlesdown School from 1959 till about 1968. Remember well Mr. Thompson metalwork, Gloria Bailey, French, Mr Hay, History, Mr Kitchener, science, Mr Turnbull , Geography, Jack Martin, P.E. Miss Fox, Dep Head.
Walked or cycled over common each day to and from school. Happy Days as I recall.
David Jones

I lived in Kenley on the other side of the valley and went to Riddlesdown School. We used to bike very quickly down Hayes Lane to the village and bought "stales" for a penny (1d) from the bakery near the station. It was a slow muddy (white chalky mud) climb pushing our bikes up the footpaths to Honister Heights and the school. We had to clean our muddy shoes every morning before school. I was keen on cross country running and remember well the course. We used to run down the bit of concrete road (which played havoc with running spikes) to the hump and gap in the hedge and on to the downs. The course took us on paths which ran besides the steam railway track whose tunnel emerged on the downs from Riddlesdown station. The finish was at the end of the long straight bridleway which ran along side the school's southern boundary fence.