St James School Orange Hill Rd Burnt Oak
A Memory of Burnt Oak.
My memory of the area is based on my secondary school days here at the St James Catholic School, I think it was in Orange Hill Rd? I lived in Wembley during the war years and started school at St Josephs Primary in Wembley Hill. In 1951 at age 11, I started at St James in Burnt Oak.
I remember I had to catch 3 buses, not sure about the first one but I know that the 140 and the 52 busses were involved. I remember the large brick wall at the front of the school and the entrance way. Memories of the shopping area like Toni's ice cream shop and Rosins bakers, also the Gaumont, later to become a bingo hall.
Probably my biggest memory is of Sister Catherine, the head of school, it was a convent school run by Dominican nuns who stood no nonsense at all! Sister Catherine ,or "Kate"as she was known, was a formidable figure feared by everyone!! She was apparently a very clever woman and consulted by Cabinet ministers and the like.
I remember the time when James Hanratty was accused of murder, he was an ex pupil at the school, and "KATE"announced it at a morning assembly, you could hear several pins drop! She was not happy!!
I was at the school until 1955 and would love to hear from anyone who was there at the same time.
Brian Telfer, now living in Queensland, Australia.
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Sister Catherine was gaga and enjoyed strapping boys at every opportunity. I got out as soon as I could to go to Art College. I became a Quaker, as I so detested the way that Catholics treated their children.
It was the Essoldo cinema by the Coop store that went over to bingo. The Gaumont became an Odeon and was demolished to make way for a freezer food shop. The Ritz in Station Road survived the longest and was only demolished because Canon Cinemas had sold the freehold. It was a very popular cinema and could be open now if it were owned by cinema people.
My time at St. James was one of the worst times of my life. It was frightening, cruel, sadistic, dirty and insanitary...
Art School hippies were much nicer.
Ellen Whelan......p.s. never heard of any child abuse there!!!
my father was educated by the Christian Brothers in India and converted to the Catholic faith and in his belief it was the only school for his children and likewise the faith even though his parents were Anglican and Orthodox. As a fair complexioned individual I w had endless trouble to convince my other school mates I was not Indian.
My ancestry is very complicated and likewise my DNA. I was a naturalised British Subject just like I am now a Citizen of Australia where I have lived since '69 baring 2 plus years when I went on a one way ticket to Vancouver, Canada only to return to Queensland as they call it The Sunshine State. The Commonwealth Games are taking place at Our Gold Coast April 2018. I have travelled exactly round the globe and seen much and now in retirement can only think back and wonder what happened to all my class mates that I never kept in touch with.
My time was 1958 at st Thomas and then on to st James till 1962.
I don't think many people would believe many of what went on.
I for one assisted in building a classroom at st James with others and that was when we Had building lessons.
At st Thomas's I used to make lemon juice and sell that and biscuits from
A pram at playtime and at the end of the week Mr Quin would take all but 2shillings that we shared.
At the end of term Mr Quinn allowed 2 boys from our class to strap him on stage
in front of the whole school, we also asked Mr Kilrane but he declined.
I wonder if anyone remembers these happenings.
Who remembers the chip shop down Deansbrook and the tobacconist who sold
us 1 or 2 fags.
Cole Curran
Peter Armstrong..........Perth Western Australia
Peter McCarthy (Grandson of John McCarthy) now in swindon England
I remember all my friends were what I call today the London Irish Mafia, the Priors, Heafeys, O'Briens, O'Donoghues, Flynns, Hickeys & Barretts to name a few.
I played in the school football teams for both schools during my tenure there and have fond memories. I do remember well the day James Hanratty was hung, there was total silence that morning at the school and we stood in silence for a few minutes.
I now reside in Sydney Australia since 1969 and have been back many times, so sad to see on my journeys both Schools are no longer there especially St. Thomas' which had fantastic grounds and good buildings.
Regards Ray Fanning