View Towards Eaton Gate - Eaton House School

c1965
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Around 1961 - at the age of seven, I started to attend Eaton House School at 3-5 Eaton Gate. The houses are on the left hand side of the photo - and can be identified by the large white porches [The stone variety - not the cars!]. I was there until 1966. The more junior section was in No. 5. My first teacher there was Miss Wyckham. My next class was taken by a Miss Buckley. The senior section was in No 3. The first class - at age 9 was called Upper Shell. The Principal was a lovely lady called Mrs Ingham. I also remember a headmaster called Mr Twinberrow, who was a commissioned officer from WW1. He was a maths teacher and I remember him caning me. Didn't do me any harm at all. The cane was also administered by Mr Ingham, the Principal's husband.

We used to go for long walks in pairs/crocodiles - holding hands when younger. The uniform was a dark green blazer with bright red lapels, and a red maltese cross on the breast pocket. We had caps which were red and green. I can remember that school assemblies were held in a large room on the 1st floor of No.3. This room could also be adapted for boxing as there were big metal eyes in the walls through which the boxing ring ropes were passed. I've never boxed again since that time!

We created a scout troop which was called 61st Westminster. Our Scout master was a younger male teacher and he single-handedly helped us to win a trophy at a Westminster Scouts athletics event held at the TA barracks on the Kings Road on the other side of Sloane Square in about 1965.

From the age of about 9 or 10, I vividly remember walking to Sloane Square tube station to go home to Hampstead. I think that I went to High Street Kensington from where I took a No. 28 bus which went through Kilburn and up Quex Road.

An occasional treat was to be taken by my mother for tea at Peter Jones (John Lewis) in Sloane Square. Many of the other boys at Eaton House School were foreign, and the multi-cultural mix was a big advantage and a good start in life. WE used to do our sports at Richmond Athletics Ground - but if he grounds were too wet or frozen we'd have to do cross-country runs along the tow path and near the Pagoda.

At Eaton House School there was a great couple by the name of Evans who were resepectively caretaker and cook. I also recall that there must have been a pub in a side turning between Sloane Square and Eaton Gate - a turning on the left? Was it called The Antelope?

Hopefully someone else will see this memory and add their own recollections.