Haywards Heath Born & Bred

I also attended Haywards Heath Grammar School between 1961-1967. Teachers included Mr Hardy, (a very tall New Zealander!) Mr Chubb, Mr Wilkins, Mr Bishop, Miss Richardson, Miss Hammond-Lucy, Miss Walker, The headmaster was Mr Wynter, I especially remember Speech day when all the teachers wore the fur on their gowns appropriate to their subject, So impressive! remember cross-country runs in cold weather, playing netball, stoolball and hockey, and being fortunate to have the swimming pool.So lucky to have a great playing field. Also remember the summer fetes, and struggling on the train from Burgess Hill with my mum's old crockery for the crockery smashing stall! Annette Langley

I remember all those Grammar School teachers; do you remember Mr. Dutton, the Art teacher (my favourite subject), & Mrs. Barnes, who taught Cookery and needlework! I still live in Haywards Heath, and have many memories of school!

I remember mrs barnes as a very elegant woman she took something called civics I think.she was very well spoken and quite well off lived in west common I think.I was bemused to see she was a labour councillor for bentswood in the 80s!I have very happy memories of the sixth form college...we were the first year of coed sixth form 1976 and the teachers including Mr wynter and bishop made great play of the .fact we were 11plus failures and there we were preparing for university.I got the impression despite being a grammar school they weren't great fans of the 11plus!I also remember how dilapidated the buildings and equipment was compared to oathall where I had come from.I remember talking to Mr bishop about this and he hinted that each year they declined budget funds in favour of the secondary moderns which paid for the superior sports facilities oathall had such as its climbing wall and brilliant gym!good memories indeed!jason went

I can remember some of my contempories going to the grammar school in 1970 to do their A levels as Oathall didn't do them. I was at St Wilfrids from 1959 to 64. Mr Witten was the head, Mr Smith, Mrs Langham, Miss Tillman, Miss Barnes, Mr Spiers, Mr Sargeant, Mr Jackson, Miss Brown are the teachers I can remember.

My name is John Cobby. Having spent the fist two years of my secondary education at Haywards Heath Secondary School, I attended Haywards Heath Grammar School from 1958-1963 as one of its original students. From 1962-1963, Jane Orsler and I were appointed as head girl and boy by Mr Wynter (Headmaster). Some of my favourite teachers, in alphabetical order) were Mr Bagley (Mathematics), Mr Fisher (Physics), Mr Jarvis (original Headmaster), Mr Miles (German), Mr Oxley (History/Politics), Ms Smith (English), and Mr Smith (Physical Education - not related to Ms Smith). I was a member of the soccer, cricket, and cross-country teams. Since emigrating to Canada in 1969, I have enjoyed a career as industrial pharmacist in Toronto and academic professor in Nebraska (USA), Halifax, and Toronto. My family has enjoyed visiting the grammar school on occasions when we make numerous visits to England. I remember the train rides from Burgess Hill. I still have my School Report Books (1958-1963) and copies of the "Haywardian" (1960-1964).

All fond memories for another HHGS boy 66-70 before being transported to Van Diemens Land.Now back in UK and catching up with Old Haywardians such as Chris Cook, Dave Reeves and Johnny White.
It would cause Mel Ingman much mirth to know that I too became a Geography teacher (or as he used to refer to himself ' a pre-eminent Geographer!), and to kow that I now live close to his old home town ,Barnsley!

Hi, my name is Chris Draper, I was born and lived in Kents Road for 23 years and remember a lot of stuff from that era. My father worked at St. Francis hospital and all the kids and I, who's parents also worked there thought we were invincible? How time changes ones perception of life over the years!

Hello, I am Barbara Freeman (nee Brown) and I, too, attended Haywards Heath Grammar school from its inception in1958, having attended Haywards Heath Secondary school in 1957 while the new grammar school was being built. I left in 1961 to emigrate to Australia with my family. I remember most of the teachers mentioned in other comments, and also still have my report cards (dark green covers to match the school uniform). I was in the athletics team and was part of the girls' relay team with Jane Orsler and Barbara Ripley. And yes, I travelled by train daily from Wivelsfield Station (confusing, because it was a long way from Wiveslfield ...). Such memories!

It is good to see that there are still a few survivors left from the traumatic years of 1957/8 when the Grammar Grubs, clearly identifiable in their brand new school uniforms survived the social experiment that was caused by a delayed completion of the new HHGS or just bad programming at the Dept of Education. Either way memorable years for all concerned,,,and character building I am sure!
I too have spent most of the intervening years in various parts of the world, but I find that I am now returning annually to the old country to visit that places so familiar in my youth, I have managed to catch up with Bill Swallow who was with us in those early years, but sadly there are a few of my old school mates who are no longer with us, I will be back in the UK in July and August 2019, so let me know if you are going to be in Sussex at that time, I would welcome the opportunity to catch up,

I went to Warden Park School 1966-71 then transferred to Haywards Heath Grammar School 1971-73 - Nicholas Dunn-Coleman - bookbinder, Hove

Hi Nicholas, I'm sure you will remember me from Clarke's Stationers in South Road - I'm still there! I remember your Father and his William Russell Flint pictures when I worked at Picturesque in Sussex Road.

Greetings John Cobby - from Vancouver, Canada, where I have lived since 1969, originally to study for my MBA. I was in the first form in 1958, when you
would have been a second or third former. My fellow first formers included
John Seward and our paths probably only crossed, when I played above my age group, on the football team. I believe I was a year or two above your brother, Peter.

I have a clear memory of a brief chat we had, in which you lamented the fact
that Fred Smith, when asked, had advised the Sussex GS’s football selection
group, that Keith Goodman might have an edge over you, at the wing-half
position - does that ring a bell? How strange are the remembered snippets of
our lives.

Best wishes - John Lockyer

I attended Haywards Heath Grammar School from September 1957. It was housed at Scrase Bridge Secondary for the first year, and then moved to Harlands in 1958, where I was one of the first pupils in form 2A. Mr Jarvis was the headmaster, and Miss Walker the Deputy. I received a good education there, but the school had no history, and the ambience/atmosphere was quite bland. Had Mr Bishop for English, Mr Stone for Maths, Miss Walker for French, Miss Hammond-Lucy for Latin, Mr Wilkins for RE, and others for remaining subjects, history, geography, biology (Ugh) and Mr Miles for German. Left after "O" levels at the age of 16, was offered several local jobs in various professions, but ended up in London in insurance broking. That lasted for 50 years, and have now retired in Essex. It was a happy life all in all, but Covid has wiped that out, now (Christmas 2021).

Dave Reeves here, for those at HHGS between ‘65 and ‘72 we are having a reunion at the Bent Arms in Lindfield on Saturday 13th July 2024, lunch to cocoa, do not need to have been in our year, just come along and introduce yourselves.