I lived in Crabtree Avenue and attended this school when it first opened.  I remember Mr Ede as headmaster and a lovely Canadian teacher named Miss Radcliffe. Soon after, my parents and I migrated to Melbourne, Australia; I have lived here since.

Whatever happened to Mr Emmons and Mr Kitchen? l always remember the smell of his office - coffee and sure tobacco! I also remember the swimming pool outside Mr Kitchen's class made out of blue plastic. I attendend the infants and junior school. Mrs Cage, the reading teacher, she was scary.

I went to Carden Infants and Carden Juniors until 1960 and then on to Dorothy Stringer Secondary Modern. My favourite teacher was Mr. Goodchild who inspired me to read by reading Famous Five books to us at every spare moment or on wet sports days.
I met my first girlfriend Lynne Harvey in the final Carden year and subsequently Dorothy Stringer. We lost contact after school days finished and never saw or heard from each other again until 2001 through Friends Reunited. We are now living together in Somerset and are blissfully happy sharing our memories of Brighton. My Brother Michael and sisters Anne and Marcia also went to Carden. Mike and Anne went onto Patcham whilst I and Marcia went to Stringer. My eldest Daughter Marianne also attended Carden and Stringer. We all were raised at 67 Crabtree Avenue.

I also remember Mrs Marsh as I was in her class 1 3. Does anyone remember a Miss M.C.Kimon - not quite sure if this is how the name is spelt. My friends were Lesley Hardy, Sandra Farr and Pat Marshell Lesley.  I went to DSS in 1963. I was always being hit with a glass ruler for talking in class. I lived in Fernhurst Crescent.

Yes, I remember Mr Ede for his smile, Mr Mongor for trying to get everyone to sing in Welsh, Mr Wright for saying he was never "wrong," Mr Cheesman for sport and Miss Shoesmith for her Marilyn Monroe wiggle as she led our class down the corridor and Miss Still (or was it Steel?) for marching into the boys loos and dragging you out by your ear even if you were mid-you know what. I also remember digging holes in the embankment to make garages for the Dinkey cars that you ran along the low wall and collecting cigarette cards, swapping them to make sets and winning them from others in a game that was called "Tabs." Other memories include playing fivestones and dashing across the yellow line down the middle of the playground (which divided the boys from the girls) and upsetting the girls' collections of beads that they were swapping from old tobacco tins.

I attended Carden School from 1976-1983, and last year (2006) I launched a website dedicated to the class year 1982/83, and since then have helped to arrange several school reunions. The website is updated regularly with news and photographs. See http://www.carden1983.info for more information.

Boy, does this page ever bring back memories! I lived at 41 Crabtree Avenue and went to Carden School from roughly 1954 to 1958. I remember Mr Cheeseman - he gave me my love of maths and his wife taught me at my previous school (so long ago but I think it was Downs Infant School?). Mr Cheeseman was indeed an inspirational teacher. I must have been one of those girls with a collection of beads in an old tobacco tin - they were my pride and joy.

I have lots of lovely memories from Carden. I loved this school and was very sad when we all left in 1983. I lived at 117 Denton Drive. I have very fond memories of Mr Trott, i used to think he was great and looked forward to his lessons. Thanks to Mark Rogers though have met up with lots of old faces at the reunions and hope to go to lots more.

I went to Carden from 1976 to 1983 and have very fond memories of the school. Mr Nunn was the Headmaster and I always remember sitting in the Hall on that hard floor in assembly listening to classical music chosen by him for that week. I went back there for a tour very recently with some old school friends and can't believe that they still have the same hand basins in the corridors and paintings on the walls. Mr Cartlidge was my favourite teacher, he had great enthusiasm and really encouraged all of us to do well. I especially used to enjoy the times he used to get his guitar out in class and sing songs such as "If I had a Hammer"!  Do they make teachers like that anymore? Probably not!

I left Carden in 1960 but can't remember when I started in the infants. It must have been around 1955. I recall an elderly teacher who when she blew the whistle in the playground her false teeth dropped. Vague memories of Janet and John but I can always picture those false teeth.
I have found memories of Miss James who went to live in the US (Texas, I believe) Miss Still or was it Steel, and of course Mr Mongor, and Mr Cheeseman, my last form teacher. I have a photo of Mr Cheeseman, myself and the friends including Graham Hurford, on the day we left Carden.
Brighton in the 50s and 60s was a great place to grow up, and particularly the freedom to roam over Hollingbury golf course, the giants foot and Stanmer Park. I went on to Dorothy Stringer and then Brighton Technical College before heading north for University and then settling in the West Midlands. I lived at 17 Carden Hill.

The Carden1983 website has recently changed the domain to dot com and is still regularly updated. Visit it at www.carden1983.com.

I grew up in Hollingbury from the age of three so Carden was my school from 1951. I also fondly remember Mr Kitchen. He was my teacher in my last year there, and it was for the first time I felt I was addressed personally and cared for, if I didn't understand something he had been teaching. He made it clear we could approach him when not clear. This gave me the courage to admit I lost the plot and he would call me to his desk where he would go over again the sums and give me time to think better. Hence that was the first time I got anywhere with maths. I also remember Mr. Eade, he was a very nice man. Later having departed to Dorothy Stringer I found myself back at Carden when in around '60-61 a pop night was created for us jivers in the canteen area of the school every Friday evening. There was only Coca-cola drink but lots of great records to dance the evening away to. Anyone remember it? The dance club first started in the downstairs Sunday school area of the little church on Lyminster Avenue, and then it moved to Carden where we had much more space to jive.

I used to play football on the Carden School playing fields in the 50s. The thread refers to Patcham County Secondary School. I attended this school from 1949 to 1953. The headmaster was Mr Budleigh. Miss West was the music teacher. I fondly remember girl friends Sally B, Caroline S and Pauline W .... and Angela. Best regards.

Wow what pages of memories. I was at Carden School from 1955-1961. My four brothers and one sister all attended the school before me as I was the youngest. I lived at 63 Crabtree Avenue. Now semi-retired in the Welsh valleys enjoying my grandchildren.

I remember Bingo in Carden School on Friday nights in the 1950s. I think it raised money for the Scouts. In the 60s I taught in the Sunday School in Lyminster Avenue that Sandra mentioned.

I started in the infants in 1964, the head teacher was Miss Bell. She used to play a gramaphone recording of Greensleeves as we walked into assembly. Our form teacher was Miss Newman, who taught us to read using the flash card system. I still get a thrill if a see a single word printed on an oblong of white card. I don't remember the teacher for my next year but I was taught by Mrs West the year before going up to the juniors. I remember the mysterious store rooms under the class rooms on the corridor where Mr Crossman the caretaker kept all the old desks and chairs. I remember being taken outside to see an eclipse of the sun and we all had to bring an old photographic negative in to view it through. And yes, I remember that blue plastic 'swimming pool' and being taken up to Patcham Fawcett to swim in their real one! I left for Varndean Girls in 1971.

I am in year 5 at Carden now and nearly in year 6.
I am sad to say that we no longer have Mrs Corbet but have a wonderful new head teacher called Miss Scott.
When I started in reception, I enjoyed it so much and I still do now. In reception I had Miss Valdus. In year 1 I had Mr Hammond (my favourite teacher) and in year 2 I had him again! In year 3 I had Mr Weldon. In year 4 I had a new teacher called Miss Day and now in year 5 I have Miss Selwood.
Next year I am hoping for Mr Hammond or Mr Weldon.
I will defenitly will Miss Carden a lot when I leave!

Hi Anne, Re your comments 20/4/09. I'd be very interested to know if you have a sister called Elizabeth? I hope you don't mind my enquiry.

I too went to Carden School when it first opened in 1947 and remember Mr Ede, and my favourite Mr. Wright, and Mrs Aldous (who never did teach me to sew anything other than a dirndl skirt!). Hollingbury was a lovely new housing estate and quite safe to play or walk to the Giant's Foot or Stanmer Woods. Does anybody remember the Youth Club held at the school in 1954? Where we jived to Elvis Presley's "I want to be your Teddy Bear"? and I had a crush on a lad called Bobby Bray from Denton Drive!

Dear Mark Rogers, my Number # 1 cousin. Would you please open the Carden site back up please? Sincerely, Cousin Eddie, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.  Thanks Mark.

I went to Carden School for just a few weeks, we lived in the last house in Denton Drive (had a huge corner garden). All I remember about it was afternoon naps and then 'welfare' orange juice. We then moved to Dale Avenue and I was transfered to Patcham Infants. The only times I returned to Carden School was to visit the dreadful school dentist there.

I went to Carden school (infants and juniors) and now I take my children there everyday. The school hasn't really changed ;still get the ebiejebies when walking by the toilets from all the stories that were told as a kid. One thing that has changed though is they no longer have all the plants on the window sills; used to get out of lessons to do the watering lol. I still live in Hollingbury and just waiting for my oldest to leave Carden and join high school and a few years time my youngest will be in there too.... hey poppy xx if anyone does remember me - be nice to get in touch x

I was at Carden from 1959 to 1965. I was wondering if anyone remembers the uniform. I'm sure I can recall a green blazer with a badge showing the County Oak. Put me out of my misery someone!

I was at Carden from about 1958 until my family emmigrated to Australia in 1964. I think I had Mrs Marsh as class teacher in year three. She was very strict, and I remember a boy being sent to our classroom for her to cane. I have very fond memories of this school, and can faintly remember there was a uniform, but as far as I can remember it was compulsory. It was a green blazer with the country oak badge on the pocket.

Thanks Ann for confirming my memory of the green blazer and badge. You must have been a year above me. I remember Mrs Sadler in the Infants School and Mr Cheeseman and Miss Funnell in the Juniors. How about the Janet and John reading scheme - and keeping tadpoles and newts in a tank at the back of the classroom on the Nature Table. The nearby shops yielded many treasures too; stale cakes and broken biscuits from the bakers and rabbits feet from the butchers - there was a craze for these for a while and we used to carry them around as a good luck charm!

Hi Ann Pederson, did you have a sister called Margaret and live in Carden Hill? Would love to contact Margaret again.

I started at Carden Hill Infants in the early 1950s and then to Carden Hill Juniors in the mid to late 50s, and from 1964 to Dorothy Stringer.

I remember being in the infants in the early '50s and I remember in the afternoons we all used to have a sleep in the green cots; does anybody remember that?

I am currently at Carden Primary  and  am in year six. My teacher is Ms Stavley and she is a very nice teacher like all the rest of the teachers. When I leave to go to Patcham High, I will miss Carden a lot as I have been there for eight years. I really don't want to leave Carden.

I went to Carden Infants & Juniors before going to Patcham Fawcett in August 1980, lived at Birchgrove Crescent, Carden Hill and Midhurst Rise (across from Carden Parade shops). A lot of my family also went to the school - Nicola Weller, Daren and Adrian Cross as well as my lil bruvs Stuart & Ian. Great memories. Remember playing in the sandpit before starting full time school. Remember Mr Nunn and my 4th year form tutor Mr Fulleylove, my other teachers from Carden Juniors were Miss Waghorn, Mrs Firmer and Mrs Allen (or as we called her Old Granny Allen) - also remember Mr Kitchener retiring and doing a speech in the assembley hall. Facebook has helped me track down a couple of school mates recently.

I went to Carden and left in 1978. I was reading down the page trying to remember the names of other teachers - Mr Kitchener, Mr Tatum and Mr Nunn I could recall, then I read Steve's post and yes Mr Fulleylove, Miss Waghorn and Mrs Allen I remember well, also Mr Crockett or some thing like that. We lived in Fernhurst Crescent and my mum is still there. Oh the memories.

I attended Carden School from about 1959/60 and have many memories of the teachers including Mrs Allen, Mrs Marsh, Mr Cheeseman and Mr Emmons who I was a little scared of to say the least. I remember play times in the playground, and playing marbles and conkers but playing football was my first love. My circle of friends I remember were Nicholas Butler, John Glass, Kevin Ruffel, John Nix and Graham Mitchel. I still have a photo of them sitting on the steps (that are still there now) leading up to the top field. Happy days.

I was a pupil of Carden School in the first year it was opened. I believe that was 1948. It was, I believe the first new school built by the Labour Government after the war. Mr Chuter Ede was, I believe, the Minister of Education and opened the school. I was only there a year before moving on to Varndean Boys' School. I have lived in Portland, Oregon, USA, since 1964.

Hi all. I and my siblings (one of whom is the aforementioned Nicholas Butler) all attended this school in the 1950s/1960s. Like most of you, I have very happy memories of my time there. Lyn Chandler/Evelyn Butler

Hi all, wow what a sight. I was at Carden from I think about 1957. Mrs Marsh- what a cow! She would poke me in the chest with the pointed end of a bic pen and leave marks on me. I was so frightened of her. I got her for three of my four years in junior school. Miss Funnell was my other teacher- she had a beard. Not happy days for me. I lived in Rotherfield Cres no 6, with my four sisters and one brother. My nam'e was Dorathea Smickler then. I dont know if anyone remembers me?

I was at Carden from 1948-1953. Several years ago I provided this site with a piece about my first school at the Long Barn, Patcham and the Carden class photo with Miss Shoesmith and Mr Ede ended up there. If you want to see it, click here. I can still put a name to every one on it, but it's not that I have a good memory, even then I had the sense to write their names on the back.

I attended both infants and juniors at Carden between 1953-1960 and have fond memories. I remember Mr Cheesman as a great teacher especially on the football field. Was Mrs Marsh previously Miss Hambleton ? If so I remember having a crush on her. I lived in Elstead Crescent at the time and Hollingbury was a great place to grow up.

Hallo Dotty, I remember you but you probably won't remember me. I went to Dorothy Stringer School with your sister Susan. We were not in the same class but we were buddies for about a year. I used to walk up the road from my house, 59 Rotherfield Crescent, to your house, 60 Rotherfield, (which has been miss printed here as number 6), to meet Susan to go to scool. She and I would have been about 14 at the time. I remember Susan helped me get my first Saturday job in Black's clothing shop in Western Road just close to Debenhams. Susan worked in one of their shops, also in Western Road, and managed to get me an interview at the other one. It wasn't really legal to take Saturday work before you were 15 but they didn't ask my age so I didn't tell. Collecting Susan for school often meant knocking the door loud enough to wake her up but then while she busied around getting ready I prepared toast and Marmite for the two of us. A favourite with us both. I remember your Mother and Annette and vaguely your brother. Plus a young todler, Helena, whom I have recently made contact with through this site. Thursday evenings I would come up to your house to listen to Luxemburg Radio top ten hits. Then we would jive around your lounge uniterupted for half an hour. Don't know where the rest of you all were. Steering clear I imagine!!! I hope Susan is well and if you have contact soon please send her my best regards. Many thanks, Sandra.

Like Ian McKechnie, I attended Carden School when it first opened in 1948. I well remember the 'new' smell throughout and strangely, the yellow tiles in all the corridors. My teacher was Mr Winters, a kindly, elderly man (for a teacher.) A strange coincidence, Ian- I also went to Varndean and also ended up in Portland, Oregon, USA. I now live in Newberg, 25 miles down the road. I would like to contact you but you are not in the phone book. My E-Mail address is with the website & my tel.# is 503-538-4344.

I went to Carden School from 1965 and lived straight across the road in 12, County Oak Avenue. I loved the school and I still love that house. I can remember it like it was yesterday. I left England with family and came to Australia in 1974. I would love to be able to contact Marion Ogle who lived in Denton Drive. I am in contact with lots of people but have not been in contact with Marion. I love Brighton so much even though I haven't been there for over 30 years. You can take the girl out of Brighton but you can't take Brighton out of the girl.

My children and granchildren all went to Carden Infants and Juniors Schools. I have seen a lot of changes in the 44years that I went up and down picking up my family. jJnet who works in the nursery seems to have been there for ever. She has seen two of my childnnren and four of my grandchildren through the school. I think Janet must be thelongest standing person to have worked at Carden. No computers in the class rooms when she started there and I think she was a pupil herself as a child living in Birchgrove Crescent.Well done Janet for all you have done for the children of hHllingbury who have attend ed cCrden while you have been there. I know you are in your last year and I bet there's a lot of stories you could put on this site about Carden. kathleencatt@yahoo.co.uk

I went to Carden School from about 1975-198., I remember doing cross country running around those massive playing fields. I lived in Birchgrove Crescent. I can't remember many of my teachers, but I know I was in Mr Fulleylove's class in the 4th year. I also remember doing the school plays. I was the narrater for Alice in wonderland and in the choir for Charlie & the Chocolate factory. Would love to see any photos of the school at this time.

I went to both Carden infants and juniors and had Miss James as my first teacher. Miss James married a Canadian I think whose name was something like Zacharychuk.I  still have the letter Miss James sent me from 7 Sennybridge Rd, Camp Shilo, Manitoba and a post card of the Queen Mary on which she sailed to the USA. I managed to contact her in the 70s by writing to the above address and by some miricle got a lovely letter from her in reply also asking about Lyn Cash. Her original letter is dated April 29th, 6pm, 1955 NewYork.

I went to Carden from 1963-1970 remembering "Eggy" Emmens headmaster and Miss Tregenzer! Great mates where Den Woolmer, Dane Thacker, Pete Haines, Tony Vaughan, Steve Parsons, Paul Laurie, Freddie Allum, Caroline Pentecost, Janet Stone, Debbie White and Sandra Elms. Can we go back to the great times of our lives?

To Jennie B. Your message of 2.5.2010 first seen today 29.7.2010. Yes we lived in Carden Hill and one of my sisters is Margaret. If you would like to correspond with Margaret please give me an email address so she can write.

Hated the school and most of the other kids that went there. Was badly bullied and the teachers did not know what dyslexia was They just put you down as being thick.

I was speaking to a friend and she told me that Janet is still at Carden school; she has lived in Hollingbury most, if not all, of her life. I bet she could tell a tale or two about Hollingbury and Carden school. Well done Janet for all years you have put in to help teach our children. You have seen eight of my family through the school!

My wife taught at Carden for 18 years and still has 'old' pupils coming up to her in B'ton to say hello - even though she left in 1985 after many happy years there. Incidentally whatever they say we shall always call it 'The Palace' Pier!

Both my sons went to Carden as did/do my grandchildren. Mr Peter Cartlidge was a great teacher but sadly recently died.

I started at this school in 1969/70 in the infants, I then went to the juniors in 1972/73 and then to Patcham Fawcett hHgh school for boys in 1977 - 1981... I have tried locating pictures of Patcham Fawcett but don't seem to find any on the internet. Never mind they were really good times - well except for the cane, slipper, belt, blackboard rubber and the massive dictionary around the back of the head! Kids are treated like royalities these days! (I now sound like my parents). Have fun everyone and hello to all you that remembers little Raymond Allen.