St Johns School

I was at St John's school from 1960 to 1962 and I used to remember the long walk to church every Sunday. I had some good times there and bad times.the teachers who was there Mr barsby headmaster. Mr howlett vicar. Mr burton woodwork.mr Harris,Mr hodgkinson all ways smoking a pipe,Mr underwood. It would be great if some one was there the same time as me I know it's been over 50years but worth a shot. Ray Vincent.

My name is Peter Georgou and I am a history teacher at The Gateway School in Tiffield. I am with a student carrying out a history project on the area and previous schools which were on the site.

We would love to speak to you both, and possibly arrange a meeting to hear your stories.

our contact number is: 01604 878977

email: petergeorgou@thegateway.northants.sch.uk

My 2 years at Tiffield had lots of ups and downs but I have always remembered it with affection. The Sunday morning walks to the church, walk down to the canal on a Sunday afternoon., the little tuck shop. Would I like to spend a couple of weeks back there - most definitely.
I finished up in the carpentry section with Mr Burton he had hands the size of dinner plates. He gave me enough 2's enabling me to go to the cinema in Towcester many times. Still have the box I made in the woodwork class.
Raymond Nolan 1959/1961

Yeah! I too remember the place I was in Hesketh Curbishley the house master with a couple of lumpy daughters. Barsby headmaster his Mrs was the one the boys lusted after... Rubber Lips Emerson .. he didn’t like me nor me him... then the was the creepy Chaplain who I’m sure used to get off on one giving the kids a “blue nose” Especially the Jones brothers. A few boys names I remember Little William Hanvey,Graham Ellison F.L. and Paul Crossley..... everybody new Paul!! ...Underwood didn’t he take football? Another master was it Chopper Bacon?
I remember that place well we were one of the 1st kids to move into the new school from the previous Victorian dump.
I guess there are not that many kids left from you that era now the ones that are must be well into their 70s
Good on you boys Mike W..👍

I was there from 1967 to 1969 I was in Founders House

I was in the founders unit between 1995-1997 House master was called Bill Davies it was a children's home /remand Centre for under 15s it was also mixed gender back then there were boys and girls living in the four different units i can remember founders heskest and wake can't remember the 4th units name the school head there was Chris Chapman his nickname was jip

i was there 1977 1980 i remember some of the staff mr burton woodwork , mr chapman painting mr cooper and mr penn gardens mr west metal work mr coursebrooke building i was in founders some of the staff was rev johnson church great man , mr scott house master , mr manning mrs dot coursebrooke and wendy she was little lady cook when i 1st got there mrs hankins was my teacher she was lovely , mr moore sports , and mr jim hall who played football cobblers and peterborough mr harris he was head of school , , just a few names i do no a couple more ,,, well it wud be nice to chatt to poeple who remembers me , iwas there for 3 years did abit while i was there my name Sean rowlands looking forward to hear back from ya i most say 99 % of my time there was great

I was there around 1971 for round 15 months
I stayed in Hesketh House Mr Shepard (Crusty) was our House Master
I started of in the classroom, progressed to kitchen boy (if you can call that a progression)
then went in for the painting & decorating shop with Mr Chapman, but after about a week in the he had an accident in Hesketh House changing one of those hugr long windows (they were opaque) about 8 - 10 feet high about a foot wide there were about 6 or 7 of these glass panals, anyway he [Mr Chapman] was either refitting one or replacing it and it slipped and slashed his arm, the blood was everywhere he was rush to hospital, we were told that he had lost around 5-6 pints of blood and that he nearly died, and so the paint shop was closed down for what seemed like months, I ended up in catering which was the best job in the school as you got to eat the food you cooked for the staff and visitors hmmm!!!, just before Mr Chapman returned I got a working out job on a farm just the other side of tiffield working for a great guy call John Huckaby at Manor Farm, my name is Michael Morgan or Micky Morgan if any one remembers me

Robarts House, when I was the it was run by Mr Lake (stumpy Lake) he was short in stature.

I was there around that time as well. I remember Mr and Mrs braband he was the maintenance man. I worked with him whilst there. I was in Wake to start with and then in founders after wake closed then went back when I was coming up to leave. I remember the staff you have mentioned and remember putting on 2 plays there with Vic. Do you remember when Bill Ownens visited the school?. It would be great to share some more memories

I was there around that time as well. I remember Mr and Mrs braband he was the maintenance man. I worked with him whilst there. I was in Wake to start with and then in founders after wake closed then went back when I was coming up to leave. I remember the staff you have mentioned and remember putting on 2 plays there with Vic. Do you remember when Bill Ownens visited the school?. It would be great to share some more memories

Woofy And The Bungalow.

A Memory of Tiffield.

I was in Founders house 1962 - 64. Mr Gentry (Duck Billed Platypus) was housemaster and Twiggy his wife (thin as a lathe she was). I decided to get into bricklaying and ended up with Mr Cliffe as our building teacher (Woofy) was his nickname. It was a toss up between Woodwork with Mr Burton (Beanie) Tall as a beanpole. I became quite good at the bricklaying and as a result was employed by Mr Cliffe assisting him to built his bungalow down in the village (Tiffield). Had many good memories and many more triggered by the previous posts from others. I had forgotten about the chaplain (Blue Nose) . Would like to hear from anyone also there at same time. Dick Healey, John Meeson, Taber, Robinson where are you guys now?
With thanks to Philip Kellett for this memory of Tiffield
Added 30 June 2022

I was here 1986-1990
I was sent here as i was placed in care when i was 12
I was the youngest and smallest in there
As I remember I started on robarts unit then got moved to founders when it changed to a secure unit
There was daily abuse off staff especially Ian Taylor Bob mossop and Bob Lane oh and another bob don't remember surname
I know 90% of the kids I was in there with are no longer with us having been so fucked by these people who were supposed to care either through overdoses or suicide 💔
Read this
A former social worker described as a 'sexual predator' was jailed for 15 years yesterday for a catalogue of abuse against five teenage girls in his care at a council-run children's home.

Former residential social worker Ian Taylor was convicted on unanimous verdicts at Northampton Crown Court today of ten charges including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child.

He had previously admitted three charges of indecent assault against two other girls at the centre.
Taylor, now 38, raped two teenage girls staying at the St John's Centre in Tiffield, near Towcester, Northamptonshire, and indecently assaulted another resident during his time at the Northants County Council-run children's home between 1985 and 1990.

Taylor began a relationship with a sixth girl after she left the home and had a daughter with her whom he has never seen. He was not charged in connection with this girl.
Taylor, formerly of Walgrave, Northants, was also convicted of raping and indecently assaulting a girl aged between ten and 11 in a period of abuse beginning in 1983.

Sentencing the married father to 15 years in prison, Judge Patrick Eccles QC called Taylor a sexual predator among vulnerable young girls at the centre and said he had 'used sex to make them feel appreciated'.

Judge Eccles passed sentences totalling five-and-a-half years for the charges of indecent assault and gross indecency and 15 years, to run concurrently, for the seven rape convictions.

He said: 'At the children's home at Tiffield, each of your victims had been placed there in the care of the local authority so they could be safe.

'Unhappily for them, as a result of your character it was a place of moral danger. You were unable to control your sexual appetite and had sexual intercourse with the girls time and time again regardless whether they consented or not.'

Taylor, it was said, would pressure the girls at the home, who were all aged between 14 and 15, into having sex with him and would threaten them with violence.
He would take them out in his car claiming to be running errands but would actually drive to secluded areas where he would rape the girls.

He would also, the court heard, pluck girls at random from the sleeping quarters and take them to the staff room where he would have sex with them.

The head of Northamptonshire Police child protection unit, Detective Inspector Chris Few, said: 'We are satisfied with the sentence passed today. Over a number of years, Taylor abused the position of trust he held at the St John's Centre in Tiffield.'
Enough said

Hi i was in founders from around 80 to 83,it was the only mixed unit at the time,, had some good times there, made some good friends,, Dani McCauley, plus a few others, Bill Davies was my key worker,,i was in the gardens department,, Brian Sharp, Tony Penn, also remember Tom Moore,, would be good to hear from anyone who knew me,, sorry I'm Derek Saunders,,

Anybody remember a mr Foreman? Lived there on the grounds with his family I believe in the 70's?

i saw england win the 1966 world cup in founders house work in the green houses

ANY PICTURES OF THE SCOOL FROM THE 60 LIKE THE HOUSES