Denham Court

A Memory of Denham.

I was also in Denham Court for about a year in 1960. I remember Mr Hill. I actually enjoyed my time there. My dad had died and my Mum was in hospital for a long time. Coming from South London, I found the freedom and grounds of the place really exciting. I remember some kids ran away, getting onto barges on the canal to get to London. I do recall that we were disliked by the shopkeepers in Denham Village, possibly due to thieving. We did have to work hard, particularly polishing the lino on the dormitory floors with wax and a huge, heavy bumper. Saturday was our day out when we were allowed to go to Uxbridge. I went to school in West Drayton, and got a lot of stick from the kids there because of being in Denham Court. I used to hate coming back from school in the winter, walking up the long drive from the church, in the dark, hearing noises from the animals in the fields either side. Made me walk a bit quicker. God help any boy who didn`t change his boots in the boot room by the stable yard door. Mr Hill would ensure you had some extra jobs to do. I don`t remember any girls there though. I do have Denham Court to thank for making me able to stand on my own two feet, as I was a bit of a mouse when I went in there. I went back there a couple of years ago, and apart from being a golf club, the building looks still very much the same.