Memories Of Wandsworth Building Tech Garratt Lane.
A Memory of Wandsworth.
I was most surprised when my Google search revealed memories from so many years ago.
I went to the Building Tech in Garratt lane when I was 13 in 1949. It was an escape tunnel for me from a Secondary Modern hell hole next to Wormwood Scrubs prison. It was a long daily trolly bus ride for me.
How well I remember Tom Pretty the fiery redheaded Plumbing Teacher who held my hand guiding the welding torch, a skill I have never lost. His co teacher was a Mister Holmes, a much less volatile teacher, they were a great pair. In my last year at the School I went on a two weeks trip to Switzerland - it was a fantastic experience.
I left the School of Headmaster Jake Makin, Mr Snell the Architectural History master, Tug Wilson, Mr Brannan the science master and Mr Clark the maths and athletics coach to join Dent and Hellyer Sanitation - a Holborn plumbing firm. My Wandsworth Training stood me in good stead, capturing a first class City and Guilds final at 18. This meant a position in the drawing office and a further three years night school doing the Ordinary National Certificate at Brixton School of Building and later Willesden Tech.
When I came out of National Service in the RAF I did two more years to gain the Higher National and joined the consulting practice of Donald Rudd and Partners going to their Sydney Australia office in 1960. I have been back to the UK many times over the years. I regret not taking the trip to Wandsworth. I had a lead bossed rampant lion shield hanging in the plumbing workshop for some years and wonder where it resides today?
My life in Australia has been wonderful, consulting for 20 years in my own practice and undertaking the design of the first 1000 bed teaching hospital for a century along with many other fascinating projects. My ties now with the UK are slender, an older sister and some cousins. My Australian family has grown with four children and six grandchildren - quite a few of them have traveled to the UK
David Creasey .
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