Happy days in the 1950s

Stanmer Secondary Modern School
Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton and Hove

A wonder new school

I attended Stanmer School in the 1950s. I specially remember that they had the police do bike inspections for safety, and mine did not pass. I think it has affected the rest of my life, as I still remember the shame I felt at the time. As far as I know Stanmer School was one of the first secondary moderns, a wonder new school at the time. The head master Mr Williams would set the curriculum of what we learnt, none of this government setting standards as now.

Wonderful engineering shop

The school had a wonderful engineering shop run by Louie, and I built a working steam engine under his guidance. Danny Rawsthorn the Art teacher was great; I still love art now. There was a religious knowledge teacher who stood at the back of the class when we had to write something down. If we talked he would bash us on the top of the head with a bible. I think I still have several bumps even now; talk about ramming religion in to our brains.

Do you have any Stanmer School memories to share? Please leave a comment below

A school romance?

We used to spy on the girl’s PE teacher and the boy’s PE teacher as every dinner time they would spend together in the girls gym. We were sure they were up to something, not that we ever caught them. Saturday mornings I got a job delivering groceries for the shop on the corner at Higher Bevendean and got two and six, big money in them days. They were very happy days.

Comments about this page

  • I think you mean Ken Box and Miss Turnidge. Isabel and I remember well as Miss Moore was there also.

    By Christine Mcnamara (20/05/2016)
  • Then there was Belairs-Cox, the music teacher. Mr Fitch, who taught science. We had real fun in the science room, but learnt a lot.

    By Derek Bryant (02/06/2016)
  • Well Andrew and Christine, a certain Kenneth J Box and Elizabeth Turnnidge were married in Brighton in 1957!

    By Alan Hobden (05/06/2016)
  • Does anyone remember the fascinating leaping walk that dear Mr Fitch used to keep us entertained with? Silvia Daws run in with Mrs Hodge? and the lovely timid Miss Moss? who valiantly tried to divert our attention to learning!

    By Tony Stevens (30/12/2017)
  • Does anyone remember a poem that was on a poster at the back of a class:   Stanmer County Secondary School, is a factory to passers by, And near our School is a chimney tall that reaches to the sky, Our School has won many trophies, the second year choir the cup, When we lost we lost in a sporting way and cheered our rival that have won. 

    I have probably not got this exactly as it was, anyone remember this?

     

    By Christina Shaheen, nee Smith (08/07/2018)
  • I joined in 1951 which I think was the first year the school opened, does anyone remember Mr Whitehead who I think married miss Moss,I would love to get in touch with anyone who was in that first year, Mr Wills was a great PE teacher and I do remember miss Belare-cox, music teacher, and mrs White I can’t remember what she taught?

    By Brian Batchelor (12/05/2020)
  • Aubrey Whitehead taught us Spanish, and was replaced by Jack Toogood.

    By Alan Morgan (29/05/2020)
  • I started in 1951 in the first year. I was in Fleming house, red, and wore a tassel on my beret. I was taught Spanish by Mr Whitehead and history by Mr Baldry, who would throw chalk at you if you were not paying attention. When King George 6th died it was the first time the main hall was used for the headmaster to break the news. Mr Neesham was the music teacher. The houses were red Fleming, yellow Britton, grren Hepworth and blue Trevelian.

    By Brenda Ettridge (29/05/2020)
  • Danny Rawsthorn was my art teacher, not that I was any good at it but he was very nice.Extremely extrovert. He later did a couple of portraits of me which still hang on my living room wall. It was a lovely school with every new facility.I enjoyed playing in the netball team. I remember Sylvia Dawes because she stuck up for me when I experienced bullying.I did not stay on the extra year because of it which was a shame.Remember the Mikado with Patrick Flood in the lead? My Spanish teacher was mr Toogood who I thought was really dishy.He took the class to London to see the great dancer “ Antonio”. Mr Hobley was always throwing chalk at us. For a while Danny Rawsthorn did an ex student get together at the school.I was there about 1954-1958. Some of my friends were Christine McNamara, Maureen Baker, Sandra Messina and Janet Earl. I wonder what happened to us all.

    By Isabel Lee (25/01/2021)
  • Wow! How lovely to find this site and all your memories have bought so many back to me of my time at Stanmer. I was there from 1952 to 1956. I remember all those lovely teachers. Mr. Wills taught Geography and Maths. Diana Bellairs-Cox music which I loved particularly. I was in The Mikado (in the chorus) and knew Alan Morgan who played KoKo. I have been in touch with Tony Stephens by email over the last year or so. I am in the process of writing my life story at the moment. Have just finished writing about my Infant/Junior school in Coombe Road and just about to start on my time at Stanmer. My friends at the time were Pat Burke. Pat Tredgett and Sandra Sturgess. Would love to hear from anyone who was there at the same time and who maybe knew me.

    By Barbara Thorne (nee Leuty) (12/07/2021)

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