Some other teachers I remember the names of were Mr J C Romer (French) and Mr Nakar{physics) , a Mr Leggat (RI). About 1995 I was passing through Ewell one Sunday and wandered into the school grounds and I would say there had been no change to the buildings since ,1968.
Yes , Mr. Bradbury always insisted that all "O" levels should be taken. I wasn't happy about this , but he was the head , and that was that!
Are you sure the science teacher was not Mr. Nakar? I don't recall the name you mention.
You , I think , went on the Nevasa cruise in ,1967. The ,1966 one did not go to Istanbul. We went to Egypt and Israel instead. But you are quite right about me going around with a cassette recorder. They had only just been invented that year , and I made a tape-slide program of the cruise , which at the time was a novelty! It was this that led me to become involved with audio-visual aids for teachers.
My hands appeared in a filmed (8mm?) demonstration of Newton's Laws of Motion . This was in Mr Nakar's physics class. Trolleys rolling down a ramp with a paper streamer behind that was spotted by solenoid at regular intervals to show the acceleration. It must have been an early audio visual aid for showing to other classes in later years. From Mr Nakar's granddaughter Dec,2004 "i am just writing to inform you that he is still alive, although not so well, at the age of 91 (im sure he was a good teacher as he seemed to get me through my gcse physics!! )"
I would indeed love to have a copy of the fourth form photograph. It will bring back many memories!
I'm trying to think of names of staff at the time. Curiously enough , in those times we never got to know each others' first names! Mrs. Hopkins , of course , Mr. Diamond , Mr. Roberts , and a somewhat eccentric needlework teacher by the name of Miss Guidici. She had the knack of wrecking everything she got her hands on. Mr. Bradbury was very concerned that registers should be impeccable , and if you were late or absent and she did the registers , it would be in the wrong day , week , crossed out here and there - a right mess. Eventually , amongst the staff , the verb to "gudich" became common parlance!
Thanks again for contacting me - I was delighted to hear from you. 4G , actually , was the class I most enjoyed , and had some splendid and very bright people in it.
Mrs. Hopkins was the deputy head. Mr. Diamond was the music specialist , and Mr. Roberts was an English specialist - a rather frightening person (even to fellow teachers!) but a good teacher.
The english teacher would annoy us by repeating the same silly nonsense stories such as the one ending with the line "And that is the end of the gnus" and one about a baker with a "four loafed cleaver" and some nonsense about "its a long way to tip a rari".
Having looked at this photo, the teacher in the middle is definitely Mr Thomas, mad Welshman with a black gown and very bad temper, he taught English and was my form teacher in 5g. The Welsh chemistry master, someone referred to was called Mr Harrhy, and the art master who was in the same new block was a Mr Heaney. The boy who died from a brain haemorrage was called Ian, Stephen or Michael Wright. Mr Day - Biology , Mr Sid Dancer - Geography , Mr Hiscock - Sport / Canoeing , Mr Thoburn (Toby) - Maths teacher in the prefab next to Mr Thomas , Mrs Drew - French as well as 'Jack' Romer ,
Yes it was Mr Nakar ,could you also remind me who Mrs Hopkins ,Mr Diamond and Mr Roberts were. The tape recorder was locked into memory I suppose just becaiuse it was new technology , of the time. I will be photographically copying the form photos as I don't own a scanner - maybe in the next week or so.
I found your web page on serching through for any mention of my old school Danetree Rd. It would appear that we were there at roughly similar times- I was between 1963- ,1968. I have had no luck with any of the school reunion-type sites , but remember some of the names you mention , and would love to see the photos which I can't seem to access. I dont remember leaving the school with any photos at all , but I have vivid memories of some of the teachers , not all good!!! My name was then Christine Williams and my best friends were Helen Biffa( an Aussi!) and Sheila Whittern- both since long forgotten. Do you have any more memories?
Somehow i have never been able to loose a short stubb of pencil from that time in the 60s.
It has been sharpened over the years so much that it only reads "Surrey County " as it is only 1 1/2 inches long now. Although over 30 years now there is still a smell of cedar when sharpening it.
Thank you for the amazing pictures , I recognise so many of the faces. How could one forget Mr Roberts - more than a touch eccentric , and the quietly spoken Mr Smith on his bicycle , its funny the things that stick in the mind! I well remember the confidence of the American boy in the photo which was quite a shock to some of the teachers. I was in the same year but obviously a different form. I cannot remember which.
The form master in this photo I am sure was Mr Thomas, not Roberts. Regards Chris Worner
I have come across the Epsom website before and was quite excited to see a picture of the house I used to live in in Ewell Village. Such a long time ago ,but it feels like yesterday!
I don't remember an American boy in these pictures could you enlighten me. I remember the woodwork teacher but not his name. He cycled from some distance ,Ashtead I think it was smoking a pipe that smelt disgusting ;I often cycled home someway behind him and you could smell the smoke trail although not see him it was such a lingering smell. Also in his class there was , permenantly simmering ,a sort of 2 pan rice cooker for keeping the rendered down fish/horse bone glue molten that had a unique smell , not unpleasant surprisingly.
I picked this up an item of random memories of ECSS from a google search. It looks as though I was in the same year as you but in a 'A'. I remember many of the items and teachers etc. Interesting that after all these years the technology exists to casually communicate with old aquaintances , although I don't remember you I'm afraid. Fred Sparrow was the woodwork teacher , I still live in Ewell and I used to occassionally see him around Epsom with stacks of wood over his shoulder.
On relooking through the class list of yours I clearly remember Pippa Knapton who was one of identical twins , they were split up I think and her sister was in a different class. I dont know the person whose email you copied , but I was trying to remember how many classes there were in each year , was it just 2?
I don't remember him at all ,he was wearing a prefect's badge so he must have been there some time. Mr Blore the sadist of a sports master put me off organised sports for life. I was always told to stand around in football goals on a windswept field in some of the worst winters. On the other hand lunch times you would often see us playing "on-the-shoulders" piggy-back fighting. An incredibly dangerous pastime for anyone falling from my shoulders but as far as i remember there was not even a sprained finger at any time. Over the years i have referred to this activity and no one else has played it or heard of it and i've never passed a school field with anyone playing it. I don't remember if we had a name for it. Could you verify having witnessed it ?
[ Confirmed - seem to recall you being the 'horse' ! (from Jonathan Barter)]
I remember the art teacher was totally smitten with Valerie Rose in these pictures ,whether anything more than that i don't know.
The American I mentioned is in your second photo , top row 2nd from left. He stands out in my memory particularly and although I recognise most of the boys faces , I probably knew most of the girls much better. I haven't got a clue about woodwork , but I definately remember the needlework teacher , I spent many lessons re-doing a seam of stitching to eventually acheive the required standard , and spent what seemed like two years making a pretty bog standard pinny! She was replaced by a much younger model who I remember made a wonderful display all around the walls of the needlework room , only to take it all down one day later after a visit by the school inspectors!
I clearly remember Miss Guidici - I had the misfortune to be the one in our class she took a distinct dislike to - on one occasion I had to remove (and ruin) the bias binding that I had carefully sewn in because she had not specifically instructed me to do so. A more humiliating memory was when I lost a sewing needle and had to write an essay for her on the Care of a Needle!
I have no recollection of Mr Leggat but do remember a youngish science teacher who was always complaining about a new PE teacher , and then married her shortly before I left. Gave us quite a lot to gossip about! Its very annoying not having total recall(or any at all)on the names but I do have some old photos about the place ( I was in quite a few sports teams ,gymnastics ,netball athletics+ some sailing )I'll dig them out of the roof or wherever they've been for the last 30 yrs and see if they throw up any more names. It's quite amazing what's been dragged out of my memory since seing your photos. Any more from you?
I don't remember a school magazine at all , these 2 photos are the only physical remnants i have from that time. One dramatic event i sort of recall. Probably 3rd or 4th year. One lunch time there was a kick about on the tarmac. One of the boys fell over ,not concussed or anything. The next day he died of a brain haemorhage or some such. I don't remember his name or anything about him. I have mentioned Mr Blore. There was mutual dislike between us. One of my group put it to him that if he allowed us ,on games periods ,we would cycle around the district which would get us out of his presence. This was mutually agreeable but me and my mates just cycled to the local cafe and set there for a couple of hours
The chemistry master in the BBC /Please Sir /John Alderton series at that time was also Welsh. Danetree Welsh chemistry teacher could have easily blown my head off. He had prepared a gas jar of hydrogen from acid acting on zinc metal. I was the one in the class with the deepest voice and had to inhale this hydrogen and then recite "Jack and Jill went up the hill etc" to show the effect of change of pitch of voice. The slightest static spark from clothing etc and my time would have been up. As i remember the art class was in the new block nearest the main school on the side looking out on the fields and chemistry was also at that end of the new block but on the side at the edge of the school site.
I haven't dug into my archives yet but I know I have a copy of The Swan magazine , should be of interest if the mice haven't got there first. Each day I remember more , the art teacher asked me to pose in my leotard , I refused , but he did sketch me one lunch time in school uniform , scary! I remember Valery Rose fairly well and I still have my prefects badge somewhere , though I can't remember any magical powers it gave me. Did you recall the chemistry teacher I mentioned? He had a strong Welsh accent and his classroom was on the other extreme of the site to the prefabs in the picture.I spent many an hour staring out of the prefab windows , even now Shakespeare and that mad English teacher waving his arms around in his full black gown , are inseparable in my mind. The other prefab was inhabited by a series of maths teachers I remember.
From my loft this morning I finally unearthed not 1, as I suspected, but no less than FIVE copies of 'The SWAN', 'The magazine of Ewell County Secondary School' priced at 2/6, namely '64, '65, '66, '68 and '69. The last one is particularly illuminating as I remember the last years more clearly and much of the contents relates to the more senior members of the school. There are many pictures of various sports teams, with Mr Blore featuring in most of the football ones! There is also a very large and clear picture of ' some of the boys who helped in making a film on Newton's laws of motion' , N Cook, R.Clark, S.Donovan, M. Pearson. There is a group picture of the school prefects in each book. I appear in the 69 book and I think you are in the 68. The class structure was that there were two grammar streams taking GCEs called G and P and the other classes, A and B took CSE. I was in 4P and 5P. I note you excelled by getting 9 GCEs. There is a wealth of info in the books, numerous names of teachers etc. Let me know if theres anything particular you want me to dig out. The American? chap I mentioned was head boy 69- Don Bartholomew.
I'm still searching for my copy of 'The Swan'. I don't know if you remember it but I think the last year that we were at Dantree Rd was the first issue of the school magazine. It was a fairly insignificant little booklet but it would be invaluable for jogging my memory as it contained quite a few lists of names. I dont remember the fighting on shoulders you describe. I spent most of my lunch times and after school at various sporty type clubs. I can clearly remember the science and art classes as you describe the other side of the assembly hall and main playground , and the prehistoric outside loos. Happy days!! I think it was Valerie Rose who managed to sew through her finger on the electric sewing machine. She was carted off to hospital with the needle impaled very neatly. Its generally the dramatic events that have stuck in my mind and its certainly had a lasting effect in that I have always been extremely careful when sewing ever since.
That maths teacher unremembered name drove a brown/yellow Fiat of the type that became the bodyshell of the infamous E German Trabbant car. I remembered some disgusting canteen meal they kept serving. Called fish mournais or something like that it consisted of something like mashed whiting in water with added bones. But i could not remember where the canteen was. This is how i remember the geography of the buildings. The main ground and first floor classrooms was to the SE along Danetree Rd. In the centre was the quad in the first photo. To the SW was the main hall ,the NW boys changing rooms ,gymnasium ,girls changing room with that new block continuing off to the NWon the SW edge of the site. with chemistry and art nearest the main site and typing and needlework farthest. Then on the NE next to the quad was the headmasters and admin and on the outside Woodwork and Physics classrooms. Off this side was concrete panelled and corrugated asbestos cement roofed prefabs then the timber prefabs of English ,maths ,technical drawing and the music prefab that i think it was one of our number burnt down one night. All that was left was 9 brick pillars and the iron frame of the piano poking out of a few inches of ashes. One recollection about these wooden prefabs also a lesson in physics (Tacoma narrows bridge, London millenium wobbly bridge etc). It only took 2 people in a class either side of the room to get the whole building resonating driving to distraction the teacher because once resonating it took very little input to keep it going unnoticeable by the teacher. You put each of the front legs of the chair you were sitting at on the front of each of your shoes. Then started vibrating your legs up and down with the right frequency until the whole floor started resonating. To be undetectable it needed one person on each side of the room.
I don't remember the name of the history teacher but we did European History from the French Revolution to the start of the 1914-18 war. One Easter we were set a project to mock-up a front page of a newspaper with news of the Battle of Waterloo. I spent hours and hours researching and even copying exactly the masthead on the top of the front page of The Daily Telegraph but only got 7 out of 10. Peter Hancock in our class was useless at spelling. He did little more than a banner headline of one word for a tabloid. Even so he misspelt that word. He wrote SCHATTERED instead of SCATTERED but scored 10 out of 10. Apparently there was a General Schatter or some such on the opposing side not that Peter Hancock knew this it was just serendipity. Life isn't fair.
I went to Dantree Road a while before you, I left in ,1966. Robert Leggat was my form master, 4A that year. I have tried to find your site but can not. Robert said that you show some photos and mention some teachers that were there. Perhaps you can put a name to one that I have been trying to remember. He was a small man and taught music in one of the huts near the dining hall, and science. Can you help please? Hi again Nigel, thanks very much for the address, it is the one that I wanted. Have been in contact with a couple of 'old' friends and we could not remember the names of some teachers but this page has reminded me. I would love to hear from anyone else that remembers me or my older brother Paul or my younger sister Kathryn. Do you add to the pages at all? It certainly turns the clock back doesn't it?
I happened on the recollections of Daintree Rd School by chance, as I also attended ECSS, albeit at a later time, (70-75). I was in the last intake into the third year from the Ruxley Lane site and only studied at Daintree Rd for the autumn term 1972 before we were decanted back to Ruxley Lane once the new blocks there were ready for use. Many of the teachers mentioned on your page were still at Daintree in my time. Mr Nakar, against all obstacles I put in his way got me thru' my physics exams, including trying to short-circuit the physics lab electrical system, for which I got a severe b****cking from Mr Bradbury, who retired once the merger onto the Ruxley Site was completed. The woodwork teacher with the smelly pipe and bike who rode i n from Ashtead was Mr Sparrow. Mr Blore retired during my short time at Daintree Rd by which time he wasn't that bothered what we did as long as we got our sport kit on and did our own thing, which usually meant finding a quiet spot and smoking ourselves to death until we were due back for the next lesson. Mr Thomas retired about the same time, and my abiding memory of him is, during a sports day at King George playing fields when I was canoodling with my first girlfriend, being yelled at and told to 'put the girl down and cheer your house, boy!' Despite the above memories . Tim Cole
Hi, Nigel. Saw your site about the 'old school'. Brought back many memories. My name is Lynda Jardine and I left Danetree in '66. I am still in contact with Barbara Segar. Regards, Lynda.
I was in your year but another form I think. My form for the year you have the photos for was 4 alpha and the form master was George Wenham, distinguishable by his fairly big nose and the fact that he ran the vending machines and you could sell him cups you collected in the quad for free drinks. Be grateful for the scout pic as i was a PL in 7th Epsom group so might well be in it.
I remember your house on the corner, a huge place. I was friendly with Trevor Hill at number 59 Temple Road. I took a year or more out of Danetree to go to Sheephatch School in Farnham, it was run by the county council and we boarded there for £40 a term. As it was co-ed it proved to be an interesting experience, puberty in a co-ed boarding school! Returned to Danetree at age 14 and went into Wenhams class then I think.
Interesting and encouraging that we both find ourselves working in things that to some extent reflect our childhood interests (I remember, for example, building a mechanical computer from Meccano & cotton reels!). It could so easily have been different - you realise that in these times our sometimes wild behaviour at school would probably have been far more extreme and meant a spell in a young offenders institution and the slippery slope to who knows where.
As regards recollections, would you like (i) the attempt to remove a brick from the Chem Lab wall, (ii) the screws we removed from the desks, {chairs,perhaps 30 in each chair,doors etc until the school seemed to be on the point of collapsing in on itself. The point of our mischief was to remove enough screws to be able to count them in gross at the end of the week but leave enough for things to stay together. But after weeks of this activity doors were being held by just 2 screws and chairs similarly weakened too much.} (iii) the Jack Romer traps, (iv) the vandalism in the local park, or what? - there's so many, that even partial recall is enough. This is what I was going on about... had it not been for the threat (and reality) of the cane,... I have absolutely no contact with anyone from Danetree. I kept in touch with Markam Neves for a few years, but we went down different paths and lost contact.
I attended Ewell Boys School in the Late Fifties ,early sixties and went on to Danetree Rd School. I chummed around with Clive Sparrow, Michael White who I have been unable to contact since coming to Canada in 1967. These are some of the names I remember---- Norman Griffiths,Janet Pearson, Rixcky Kidwell, Richard Lacey, the Hope girl Twins Ron Golssmith, Robert Stringer, and many from the list on your postings You might remember that I was Involved in professional Theatre in London where I [played the boy Kurt In The Sound Of Music in 1965. I would behappy if you had any old pictures at school or knew where i could contact some of the mentioned. I remember Mr Bradbury at Danetree as well as that old bag MGudicice? Mr. Diamond, Mrs Yardsley. Mr. Roma, Mr. Hiscock, Mr. Bloor, Mr Heaney, Mrs Hopkins,.
I came across your Danetree Rd website, which is fascinating. Thanks for setting this off.
I was at Danetree Rd from 1959 to 1966, first year in 1A, then in 2P to 5P, and then two years in the new 6th form. I have some photos of classes and people that may be of interest. Some memories are below.
Mr Dancer beating and kicking hell out of a lippy 15 year old who said “we’re not in the Army now” one time too many. Mr Dancer had lived through a Japanese prisoner of war camp. We liked Mr Dancer but not the lippy boy, so kept our mouths shut and eyes averted……
The few 6th formers sometimes had music playing in their hut while they studied. Mr Thomas roared through one day, shouting we were all doomed and dismal failures. He was wrong. Though underneath the bluster, black gown and red cheeks he was quite a decent teacher.
Didn’t Mr Thomas call most people “Big Bomber”…, such as “Shut the door, Big Bomber…!”
The jam tart pudding with (imitation) cream, served in a big aluminium tin, was particularly tasty…
In my first few weeks I remember being lambasted by Mr Blore for missing football trials. He put names on a notice board but then never told anyone to look at the board. I never did get to trial….
The chemistry lab was a new hut near the playground. After an afternoon lesson Mr Harrhy forgot to cool the hot charcoal down after an experiment, and it spent the night smouldering its way right through the brand new custom built wooden work stations…
In the middle of a school play performance, a young woman teacher did an emergency sewing up of tights (split in a delicate spot) of the male lead boy…with him in them. I was ever so jealous…
The kindness of Mr Roberts, a seriously good teacher. Does anyone know if he is still alive, and where?
Didn’t Mrs Guidici take the Jewish children while the rest of the school had assembly?
I have photos of a trip to St Omer in France. Some of us sneaked off and bought wine, which tasted like the cheapest vinegar…and probably was. It was years before I tried again...
Cycling home through the thick fog…or trying to see the 468 bus coming. At a very vague sex education lesson (part of R.I.?) one November, one girl wore two Remembrance poppies in “significant” positions, which made the teacher very embarrassed...
Mr Romer’s dishevelled suit was always covered everywhere in chalk. I seem to remember he had a great aim with the duster.
The school blazer’s had light blue piping. At least we could walk home without wearing our caps, unlike the local public and grammar schools. Are uniforms of a sort still worn?
I recall a residential weekend away for senior pupils, mainly to discuss "relationship" issues. This of course meant sex, and a phase we came up with (and repeated endlessly) was "going the whole hog". We thought this hilarious, till we bored everyone rigid...
Your web site prompted me to go and look in the loft for old phots and school memorabilia. I have the 5G photo with Mr Thomas as our form master, but not the 4G one. The hut next to ours housed 5P - their form master was 'Toby' Thoburn . He was a little man who also strode around in a black. He taught maths and I always found him frightening because he had a sharp disciplinarian air about him. I also have a Speech Day 1968 programme that lists the academic achievements of our year. I note that Philippa Knapton got 11 O levels - no surprises there, and you achieved a creditable 9 passes. I subsequently went on to pass 3 A levels at Sutton Grammar School.
I have loads of memories, some of which are reproduced below. I am sure that further contact with old schoolfriends would prompt more memories and I attach my e-mail address so that others can contact me. Perhaps you could add the following to the web site:
I remember the (on the shoulders) piggy back fights that you refer to. These took place on the school playing field near to the tennis courts. You were always a 'horse' because of your size and usually had Jonathon Barter as rider. I was also a horse with Dick Lacey as rider. You were always the pair to beat, because you were so much bigger than the rest of us.
I think the chemistry lab/art block must have been built when we were in 2G because we were the first year to have Mr Harrhy as our form master in that block. Mr Harrhy had a two tone (maroon and ligh grey) Ford Anglia 1200 and he lived not far from my parents house in Cheam.
Mr Harry once gave me detention consisting of writing a 1000 lines "Clothes maketh the man". It made not the slightest difference: I was scruffy then and scruffy now.
I used to take two buses from Cheam to school. The 470 ran to Ewell Village where I changed to a 468 to Danetree Road. I often met Bob Howard and Richard Hastings in Ewell village. We did some fairly risky things on the buses such as jumping off the rear of the bus platform as they were passing the traffic lights and turning the corner at the Spring in Ewell. Clare Mann who was in the G form a year lower than us took the same buses as me to school. I remember as a 13 year old going out riding on my bicycle with her one weekend as she lived quite close to me.
I remember our cycle ride too and the risky leaps from the bus as it reached Ewell ! Haven't we got long memories!
From the third year onwards I always cycled to school. I recall that Jon Barter got a brand new green Holdsworth racing bike in the fifth year. For at least two years I rode a bike where the front forks had been bent so badly backwards after I crashed into a parked car that I had to turn them back to front so that the front wheel did not touch the cycle frame.
I recall that Jon Barter and you used to wind 'Jack' Romer up something rotten. On one occasion when Jack was writing on the blackboard with his back to us, someone started to chuck a piece of cake around the classroom. Jack was a big, disshevelled, but very kind man and I don't think he could cope with boys disrupting his class. On another occasion someone started to sing 'dum de dum' and this was repeated elsewhere in the class whenever Jack turned his back. It drove him to distraction and he started to storm up and down the aisles between the desks trying to frighten the culprits into owning up. But this just made it all the funnier and more dangerous/challenging to see a teacher lose control. I remember that the girls in the class were not too impressed with boys practical jokes. They used to tell us to 'grow up'.
I remember the day that JFK was assassinated in the USA because we had an American history teacher at the time. When we went to his class for history the next morning, he had a small 'stars and stripes' on his desk and he looked very sad.
Do you remember the school canteen? There were two sittings each day. We went into the canteen nearest the cycle sheds for the first 2 years and then graduated to the ones opening onto the school playing field. We used to queue in a less than ordely fashion outside the canteen and then make a dash for the 8 person tables nearest to the canteen servery. This is because the dinner ladies used to bring the food dishes to these tables first. The two people sitting on the side of the table nearest to the servery were responsible for dishing out the food and passing it round the table. They also collected up the first course plates and collected the pudding' course from the servery. I used to like school dinners - particularly butterscotch tart and custard. The boys seldom sat at the same table as the girls. Only honesty and peer pressure ensured that everyone got equal shares. We used to say grace: 'For what we are about to receive may the lord make us truly grateful'. After dinner we rushed out onto the playing field to play piggy back fights or football.
Our form master Mr Thomas, doubled as our english teacher. As well as awful teeth, he also had a very red face. To test our nerves and get our attention, he sometimes ran his fingernails down the blackboard which made an awful screeching sound that sets your teeth on edge.
The speech day in 1968 was probably in November and I missed what would have been in our lifetimes the most impressive Leonid meteor shower being stuck in a boring hall of speeches and presentations. Jack Romer on first entering the class would throw his battered brief case the width of the class to the floor on the other side. I made up a bike that in bottom gear it seemed you could climb a vertical wall . The hub of a Sturmey Archer small front deraileur chainwheel and huge rear cog so in bottom gear you were pedalling like mad but advancing less than walking pace. I remember regularly knocking at the rear of the canteen kitchens after meals and being given a tray of any remaining (undispensed that is) pudding to share out between us - probably the Jack Romer cake.
I went Ewell Boys School as mentioned elsewhere known as the Eggs, Bacon and Sausage School in West Street, Ewell. The Headmaster then was a well known Ewell figure, Mr Jones. From there I went Ewell County Secondary School or as it was better known Danetree Road School in 1942. The headmaster was Mr King who lived in the little house next to the school. My was Form 4b and our form teacher was Miss Fields who taught Art. Reading other peoples memories of the 1960's I too was taught basket weaving by Miss Grudici, Gardening by Miss Sciver, Remember this was wartime and Dig for Victory was all the rage at the time. Mr Paine took P.E. and Mrs Hopkins English. I made friends with a classmate Roy Godfrey and our friendship has lasted since then until today. At the time I went to Danetree it was way ahead of its time because some of the bright kids who slipped through the scholarship net (the 11 plus of its day before multi choice and tick boxes) went into the A Stream to sit for Junior Oxford or Cambridge exams, and many passed Matriculation. This was before people even at Grammar Schools thought about university. That required passing Higher Schools. I went on from Danetree to Kingston Junior Technical School in 1944, right at the time of the buzz bombs and we had one at the bottom of our garden in Green Lanes West Ewell on 13 June 1944. As fate will have it my cousin Miss V. Rich taught PE at Danetree in the 1960's, but see no mention of her. I also know a David Harrhy who taught there who seems to have quite a number of mentions which I find interesting learning what his pupils thought of him.
I found you web site and it was fantastic for all the little memories, it is surprising what you forget but with a little reminder they come flooding back. I have the 1967-68 photo but not the 1966-67 one. It would be great if you could email me a copy. What are my memories - I can remember chasing after Jonathon Barter because he took my ball in the play ground, we got into a fight and I ended up with a black eye. I used to love Jack Roma as a teacher and can also remember him walking into class and throwing his briefcase into the corner of the room. Detention with him was OK, I would get there early and he would tear up lots of paper and throw on the floor for me to pick up and that was my detention. I also remember the time Mr Thoburn (Toby) caught me copying my maths homework from Christine London's book. He made me stand in front of the class and say I had been cheating - he set me double the amount for homework. At least I could do it after that. Also in Toby's class one day Jonathon Barter was putting bits of paper in the electric fire and creating a terrible burning smell. Has Jonathon changed at all or is he still full of mischief?
I was the Physics Lab Technician approx. 1968-72 (garden shed in playground). I worked with Mr Nakar the physics teacher. My main memory is cutting the end from a live mains cable in front of a class and landing on my back - to much raucous laughter.
The following is a list of people contacting a school chums site with their year of leaving Danetree Rd School for years 1961 to ,1970 ;1966 to 1970 updated November 2001,1967, 1968, 1969 updated in November 2002. I see a joker has added a leaver for year 1900.
1961 John Barnes
1961 Michael Boyles
1961 Doreen Hudson
1961 Marilyn Lattimer
1961 Michael Noble (NOBBY)
1961 Jean Peddie
1961 Anthony Tate
1962 Peter Conway
1962 Alan Hart
1962 Graham Mead
1962 William Muscutt
1962 Lesley Wiggan
1963 Allan Brown
1963 Janet Chalker
1963 Derek Gosling
1963 Alan Harris
1963 Graham Stokes
1963 Gillian Wood
1963 Paul Worger
1964 Jean Baulcomb
1964 Richard Catt
1964 Mike Chantry
1964 Linda Lee
1964 Lesley Owen
1964 Pamela Treneer
1964 Paul Vlaeminck
1965 John Richer (Sid)
1966 Lindy Ash
1966 Janet Bradley
1966 Val Camp (tent)
1966 John Churchward
1966 Mary Davies
1966 Linda Gilman
1966 Norman Groves
1966 Peter Hale
1966 Andrew Hitt
1966 Martin Hodgson
1966 Lynda Jardine
1966 Paul Rendell
1966 John Richer (Sid)
1966 Graham Riddle (jim)
1966 Roger Scott
1966 Barbara Segar - (Contact through Lynda Jardine)
1966 Alan Smyth
1966 Garry Taylor
1966 Nicole Thorpe
1966 Kathryn Treadaway
1966 Stephanie Vlaeminck
1966 Alan Waters
1966 Rosemary Wilby
1966 Chris Wraight
1967 Helen Bardsley
1967 Peter Bayly
1967 Dorothy Bleasdale
1967 Linda Blythe
1967 Anthony Box
1967 Trevor Braun
1967 Marion Brooks (Maz)
1967 Brian Cosgrave
1967 Malcolm Critchley
1967 Martin Dixon
1967 Stephen Fraser
1967 Laura Freeman
1967 Norman Griffiths
1967 Peter Hall
1967 Richard Hastings (Conk / Battler)
1967 Valerie Hilton
1967 Jo Hitt
1967 Frank Hodgson
1967 Michael Ingram
1967 Hazel Johnson
1967 Robert Leggat
1967 Sheila Lynn
1967 Sheila MacKenzie
1967 Wendy McClelland
1967 Pam Mills
1967 Jolyon Minchin (Jon)
1967 Julia Mould
1967 Neil Nash
1967 Raymond Pitchell
1967 John Powley (Contact through Adele Holder)
1967 Robert Pyke
1967 Stephanie Reeve
1967 Jill Roberts
1967 Linda Scott
1967 Helen Turner
1967 Graham White
1967 Rosemary Wilby
1967 June Withers
1967 Peter Wood
1968 Mike Alexander
1968 Kevin Allen
1968 Mick Austin
1968 Tony Ayres
1968 Bailey Bailey
1968 Peter Barton
1968 Christine Benewith
1968 Roy Bills
1968 Keith Birch
1968 Linda Blenkinsop
1968 Colin Braithwaite
1968 John Bush (Contact through Sarah Bush)
1968 John Caiger
1968 Marion Canning (Maz)
1968 Caroline Car
1968 Jan Clutterbuck
1968 Nigel Cook
1968 Janet Crook
1968 William (billy) Dench
1968 Jackie Don
1968 Julie Fair
1968 Elizabeth (Liz) Griffiths
1968 Christopher Hanson-Kahn
1968 Carol Hobbs
1968 Steve Jay
1968 Sue Jay
1968 David Kettle-White
1968 Philippa Knapton
1968 Katherine Knight
1968 Richard Langrish
1968 Dave Lewsey
1968 Richard Manley
1968 Sally Markwick
1968 Sandra Morrison
1968 Neil Nash
1968 Terry Neale
1968 Kevin Offer (Horse)
1968 Sandy Phillips
1968 Colin Pickwick
1968 Lynda Redwood
1968 Doug Smith
1968 Jane Smyth
1968 Chris Stott
1968 Robert Taylor
1968 Sally Thomson
1968 Anne Treadaway
1968 Rachel Tye
1968 Duncan White
1968 Tim White
1968 Christine Williams
1968 Eric Williams
1968 Adrian Winslade
1968 Gordon Woodley
1969 Michael Austin (Mick)
1969 Tony Bull
1969 Lesley Chapman
1969 Joy Cope
1969 Judith Crawshaw
1969 Albert Day
1969 Edward Dearlove (ted)
1969 Stephen Diacon
1969 Sheena Gallacher
1969 Elizabeth Gallaher
1969 Diane Harris
1969 Philip Harris
1969 Roger Hawkins
1969 Marilyn Hayward
1969 Linda Horne
1969 John Hudson
1969 David Innes
1969 Stephanie Jackson
1969 Jane Knapton
1969 Maureen Leverington
1969 Frances Manley
1969 Shirley Mason
1969 Peter Myers
1969 Cristoph Paula
1969 Valerie Pettit
1969 Hazel Plant
1969 John Powley (Contact through Adele Holder)
1969 Valerie Radwell
1969 Gaye Roberts
1969 John Robinson
1969 Colin Skilton (Skilts)
1969 Lynn Sursham
1969 Hilary Tinworth
1969 Susan Trodd
1969 Steve White
1969 Chris Worner
1969 Ian Worsfold
1969 Sue Worsfold
1969 Michael Wright
1970 Kay Barlow
1970 Grahame Bath
1970 Linda Chandler
1970 Graeme Clark
1970 Michael Fraser (fraz)
1970 Henry Michael Greenslade
1970 Keith Hazell
1970 Phil Hetherington
1970 Sharon Kerr
1970 Martin Pearson
1970 Jon Pyke (Jonathan)
1970 Janette Ray
1970 Ladas Taylor
1970 Shirley Weeks
1970 Ian Wright
Another site to visit is Epsom and Ewell Buttetin Board
or
Epsom and Ewell Buttetin Board
for some earlier names of the 1950s who went to Danetree From a newpaper archive
Alan Lewis known as George Lewis.,Anne Peach ,Mary Lee Bell (may now be Dean), Anthony Butt, Nicholas Chandler, Jeremy Green, Elizabeth Mumford, David Newell, Maryann Short (may be Williams), Jacqueline Spinks, Sally Upward and Michael Weller, Susan Yates