Name

Role(s) photo

Report

Dates in parentheses indicate when the contributor left Chandos

1939

I. Baggs

- Scrapbook

C.T. Besant

Head

- Scrapbook

Peter A. Biggar

Metalwork

Transferred to Downer Grammar in the mid '50s where he was a controversial figure.

Eventually became Head of Canons Middle School (ex-'Camrose') - Roger Winstanley (DGS)

T. Davies

- Scrapbook

L. Fennel

- Scrapbook

J. Harman

- Scrapbook

J. O'Rouke

- Scrapbook

F. Ladds

Music

- Scrapbook

W. Silverwood

PE

- Harold Dummer ('45)

Mrs Wicks

- Scrapbook

1940s

There were 44 teachers on the roll (boys and girls schools) in 1940.

Mr Andrews
'Pop'

- Harold Dummer

Miss Antony

- Harold Dummer

Barker

Handicrafts

He was a Yorkshireman.  One of the crafts he taught us was book-binding.  Decorative book covers could be made by putting paper in a mixture of oil-paint and water. - Michael Crosswell

Remember him well!  Known as 'Crafty Barker' to one and all.  He was a great teacher but you didn't muck him about.  He was already at the school when I arrived in 1947 I think and still there when I left.  I can only recall his classroom being first right at the top of the front stairs (if that makes sense)  I also had the pleasure of placing paper on oil floating on water to achieve the marbled effect that often appeared on the inside of the covers of account books and that sort of thing and incorporated in his bookbinding lessons. - Chris Harrington

- Allan Cox

Mr Carrol

I certainly remember Mr Carol. – Tom Davey ('50); John Hill ('48)

Howard Crawley

Geography, Maths and PE

Howard Crawley served with the 'Chindits' in Burma during the war, for which he was awarded a Victoria Cross and an MBE.  He was a very good teacher and addressed his pupils as: “gentlemen”.

Rather than delivering canings personally, Deputy Head Jones prefered to delegate the task to Mr Crawley.  When Jones would walk in to Mr Crawley's class, whisper in his ear and Mr Crawley would follow him out of the room for five minutes, we knew that another punishment was being administered. - Michael Crosswell ('59)

Mr Crawley's room was next to the divide.  He would threaten pupils displaying bad behaviour with a visit to Miss Jones' (adjacent classroom, Girl's School) class for a dose of needlework.  The legacy of this is that I am now able to perform all the clothing repairs and adjustments in our house. - Terry Mason ('59)

Left in about ’56.  Regularly attends 54 Club meetings.

Naturally known as ‘Creepy’ and we were ‘worms’
Who remembers being made to run around the gym until exhausted? and also when he caned the whole class as the culprit wouldn’t own up.
They don’t make ‘em like that anymore! – William Dearing

Mr Crawley – about the only teacher whose lesson you daren’t mess about in… funnily enough he was my personal favourite. – Albert Weymouth ('57)

A cricket fan, he supported Sussex and, by writing letters to Lords, brought to their attention the Reverend David Sheppard (eventually England's Captain). - Allan Cox

Mrs Fox

I was in Mrs Fox class.  I used to do her shopping for her on Saturday morning earning myself two shillings and sixpence. - Harold Dummer ('45);

- John Hill ('48)

Gumpel or Gumbrell 'Gummy'

Tended the vegetable 'gardens' between the air-raid shelters. - Scrapbook

The teacher in charge of the gardens was a Mr Gumbroll.  In our class were twin boys named 'West' and I very well remember how embarrassed Mr Gumbroll was when one of the twins asked him what 'pregnant' meant. - ? (54 Club)

A.P. Hatchard
'Hatch'

French, Library (literature) '58

Cranium bore ‘the bump of knowledge’.

He could write with two hands at the same time!! – Brian Lens (‘52).

One of his sayings was “You uncouth youth”.
Attended 54 Club; died ’97. - Brian Speight ('58).

He always made a point of mentioning that his initials were there same as those of A P Herbert, of whom he was a great fan and admirer.  I always remember him as Arthur but others seem to think his first name was Alfred.

My last year at school was in Mr Hatchard's class and I can still picture him with his two pairs of glasses.  I have never forgotten the things he taught us such as a respect for the English language and its ability to enable us create some outrageous puns. - Alan Bond ('59)

Latterly, lived in a bunglow in Ruislip. - Al Barclay

Humphries

- Thomas Davey ('49)

H.G.W. Jones 'Jonah' ('Warren' to colleagues)

Deputy head Maths/English '58

… always wore a suit with a hanky tucked up the jacket sleeve. - Maxwell Allen ('61)

He seemed to snort rather than breathe.  His trouser turn-ups touched the ground at the heel.

Called-up to serve in navy on Dec 30th 1941.  Deputy Head from 1958 to 1972 when he retired. - Scrapbook.

He saw his military service in the boiler-room of a naval vessel and reported to pupils that all boiler-room crew were issued with extra salt to mitigate the effects of profuse sweating. - Allan Cox.

Spent a number of times waiting for him outside his office on the first floor when he was Deputy Headmaster - after having been sent there for his discipline with his favourite cane.  Now look back with fond memories.  Did me no harm and made me a better person. - Delfryn Jones ('65)

When in the 6th form he treated you as a young adult not a schoolboy - not nearly as forbidding as earlier and with something of a sense of humour (or is that the fondness of time changing things?).  I do remember one particular lesson when, after some discussion, he said something like "I am old enough to be all your fathers" to which somebody replied "you must have had a very fast bike". - Charles Drakeford ('59-'65)

Ray Kendall, ('Killer' to colleagues)

Geography '58

Had an imposing, if quiet, 'presence’.  A black sphere (representing planet Earth) hung above his desk from a chain – but I never saw it used.

He was a bit grim generally although he was always OK to me.  He had fits of anger.  I remember vividly how he threw a wooden blackboard rubber at a lad in the class called John Milway because the poor chap didn't know the answer to something! - Chris Knightley

His daughter, Gill, taught at the Girls' School.  She married and became Mrs Wingham. - Albert Barclay

Mr Llewelyn

- Scrapbook

Mr Maine

- Thomas Davey (‘49)

Mrs Markham

Music

My recollection was that Mrs Markham taught music.  She formed a choir from our class which included virtually everyone and we rehearsed & sang a number of songs for the Parents evening.  'Green Grow the Rushes Oh' and 'In Hans Old Mill there lived three cats' were two. But she also taught us all about the different types of instruments and introduced us to many pieces of classical music and their composers. I recall her explaining the story behind Danse Macabre & The Sorcerer's Apprentice as she was playing the music to us..  She was one of my favourite teachers. - Chris Harrington

One morning on my way to school I had a sack full of books (collected for the Book Recovery Programme) that contained several copies of Health and Efficiency.  Me and my mates were huddled looking at the nude women contained therein, when a female voice boomed out “good morning Dummer" it was a teacher named Mrs. Markham, she saw what we were looking at, smiled and went on her way to school. - Harold Dummer ('45)

J.D. Marshall

- Terry Feuillade (‘50)

Mr Mortimore

- Graham Ward (‘52)

Readycliffe

- Scrapbook and Brian Lens

Mr Redding

Music

- Gerald Read (‘51)

Rees/Reece
'Taffy the Boffin’

Science

- Scrapbook

Roberts

Music

… excellent teacher and motivator - Jim Tyrell (‘48)

Mrs Smith

Science

the only woman teacher at the time - Brian Lens

Thursting
‘Big T’

- Scrapbook

accompanied trip to St Mary's Bay Camp in '51

W. Wood
'Willy Woodbine'

- Scrapbook

1950s

Mr Albury

- Albert Weymouth ('57)

x Aldous

'58

John Ashwell

Metalwork

Wilcox's sidekick. - Al Barclay

Mr Brunswick

Gym

I was an athletic youth.  Once, when I was hanging upside-down from the wall-bars, Mr Brunswick ordered me off and told me to get down on all-fours.  He then executed a perfect handstand on my back. - Mike Crosswell. ('59)

Cherry

Metalwork

I remember I hit a piece of perspex with a mallet on a sandbag in Mr cherry's metalwork lesson. bit's flew everywhere, one pice hit the blackboard next to his head.  He sent me to Wilcox out came the two foot metal rule. OUCH!!!! - Dave Wheeldon

Crombie

accompanied trip to St Mary's Bay Camp in '51

Dennis Franklin

a Yorkshireman - Allan Cox

Dennis was also organist and choirmaster at St Lawrence's Church, Canons Park where I was a choirboy and greatly influenced my adolescence. - Maxwell Allen ('61)

J. Franklin

Music '58

- Brian Lens

J. Green

'58

Goodie

MR & MRS GOODIE used to ride to school on a black motorbike - all having a row in the classroom 58/59. – Stuart Crabb

Geoffrey Goodman
'Ben'

Stan Jefferies knocked his teeth out - Thomas Davey ('50)

He lived in South Harrow - Colin Tomkins

accompanied trip to St Mary's Bay Camp in '51

This staff member was allegedly perverted.  Eventually he paid too much attention to a 'Nipper' Green - who stood-out as he was the only boy in our year ('53-'58) still in short trousers.  Nipper's parents complained and Mr Goodman was dismissed. - Anon.

H. Gordon

Head

accompanied trip to St Mary's Bay Camp in '51

Hinxman

Woodwork

He encouraged me to do woodwork but I only did it for a couple of years because I wanted to get on and make something - rather than continually practising making dovetail joints.  Carpentry is now my trade.

He left in '55 or '56 when he looked about 60 years of age - but then all teachers did when you were at school. - Allan Cox ('59)

Cliff G.H. Morgan 'Taffy'/'Pin-head' (Tagged "Wass-ers" - see second 'report' - by his colleagues.)

Maths '58

He was very keen that the kids should understand maths and not just be able to do it.  This was a very good trait in my opinion.  He was a Welsh chap and hence nicknamed 'Taffy'. - Chris Knightley

Spent a third of class-time teaching maths, spent a third of the time berating us for being useless and the remainder relating anecdotes from times when things were “so much better”.  If he couldn't recall the name of something he would simply refer to it by the term “wass nim” ('what's its name'). - Colin Poyton ('65)

Eventually he also taught Maths to the girls too (to overcome a staff-shortage).

Glyn R. Morgan

Gym '58

After I left school I took up playing the trombone in a band based in Edgware and we ran into Glyn Morgan, who was a fine trumpet player - Alan Bond ('59)

Played trumpet with the school's silver band.  His favourite tune was 'Midnight in Moscow' - Del Jones ('65)

Paranoid about pupils damaging the polished wooden floor of the gym.

He was a keen disciplinarian, keen to 'cane' boys for having dirty i.e. not pure white, plimsoles.  If he was in a bad mood he'd make all the class undress, have a cold shower, get dressed and then repeat this one or more times. - Chris Knightley

F. Oliver

'58

- Scrapbook

Alfred Ososki

Music

at Chandos in '55 or '56 - Alan Bond ('59)

I was in his music class in 1958.  For our benefit, he wrote his own words to Carmen Toreador:

Hearts that are daring, valiant and free
Never dismayed, courage displayed
Armed with light of truth, ever unafraid
Daring and brave as can beeeee
For it shall come our way
And man will see
The Final Vic - tor - y   (e&oe - it was 50+ years ago!)

Wasted on me, I couldn't sing to save my life!  I remember him going through the whole class 'cause someone was "flat", it was me!  He would to go ballistic at the slightest provocation. - Richard Tann ('60)

Vic Parry

'58

- Scrapbook

Stan Parry

Woodwork '58

- Scrapbook

He cycled to school on a racing bike. - Terry Mason

M. Philps

A.H. Roberts

Maths, Assistant Headmaster

A.H. Roberts left in '56 or '57 to be Headmaster of a school in Finchley.

His technique for teaching mathematics was fantastic.  Although I did the engineering course (practical activities), for the last 6 weeks of my fifth form Mr Roberts taught me Calculus.  He managed to teach me the subject in 6 weeks - which was unheard of at the time.  When, in the 6th form, I was again taught the subject - but by Morgan - I couldn't understand it.

Mr Roberts was a strict disciplinarian.  One day, following a little bit of a disruption in class, he decided to take one boy outside to cane him - but not in front of the class.  When he returned, another boy - and I remember his name: 'Barry Bennett' - was smiling.  Mr Roberts asked him what he was laughing at and without thinking he answered “that is a nice cane you have there” ... “I'll show you how nice my cane is” came the inevitable reposte.  That innocuous answer earned Barry three 'stripings'.

All the above were contributed by Allan Cox.

Mr Rose

Art

He taught Art… poor sod. – Albert Weymouth ('57)

F. Sell

'58

Mrs Smith

- Brian Lens

Mr Thomas

Maths

I used to live in Belmont Lane and I remember the girls nicking the football when it went over the dividing line in the playground.  I also got the cane of Mr Thomas the maths teacher for talking, and had to go down to Mr Wilcox in Metalwork to pick a cane from his vast selection before returning upstairs to get wacked with it! Although I found Mr Wilcox strict I always found him fair. – Ray Ralph

E. Warburton

'58

- Scrapbook

Len Webb

Tech drawing '58

Neat-and-tidy by trade and by nature.  Frequently wore a carnation in his lapel.

I was mechanically inclined by nature.  Mr Willcox and Mr Webb helped steer me on a path to an apprenticeship, which I served with the Metal Box Co. in Borehamwood.

This enabled me to travel the world while making a living.  I ended up in the USA in '79 and have made this my permanent home.

I never went back to thank them and would like to take this opportunity to do so.  They cetainly taught me the meaning of "Learn To Live" - Steve Field ('68)

Had a booming voice.  Died (from cancer) soon after leaving Chandos. - Albert Barclay

Kenneth W. Whiting
'Fish-face'

Headmaster '58

Summer atire:  one of his more misguided edicts to pupils was that the collar of open-neck shirts had to be worn outside the jacket collar.  Accompanying this was his equally ridiculous notion that shirt-sleeves, if rolled-up, had to be rolled-up to above the elbow.  His view's on sartorial elegance were hardly conventional were they? - CP

Mr Whiting lived at Pinner Road and then retired to Tankerton, near Herne Bay.  His retirement gift was a pair of binoculars (with which to look-out across the Thames Estuary).

Cliff George Wilcox

Metalwork '58

He was a keen disciplinarian, rather too keen to 'cane' boys with a steel ruler for "forgetting your apron" or using a file the wrong way!  He was very aware of safety (great these days) and insisted that lads didn't wear a tie or have long hair in his classes in case either got caught in a turning lathe … very nasty.  We all had to make a poker using the furnace - very exciting. - Chris Knightley ('66)

We made a cold chisel and possibly a coat-hook in his class.

"Right round the bench" and "Up to the line and no further"… terrified me until I was 13.
… the smell of oily swarf in the workshop… had an assistant called 'Parker'. - John Collett

He replaced Bob Allen as one of Chandos' two supervising staff members (Albert Barclay was the other) on the third Educational Cruise onwards. - Al Barclay

Howard Williams

? '58

He attended the 60th Anniversary reunion

Les Wright 'Holy Joe'

Wickerwork, RI? '58

- Scrapbook; transferred to Downer in mid '60s

1960s

Bob Allen

Left in '67.

Went on the first two Educational Cruises.

Lived up Richmond Hill. - Al Barclay

Graham E. Baker

French, sport '58

Taught at Chandos ’57-’81. Wonderful dry sense of humour; rode to school on a Velocette/‘Ariel’, wore gauntlets and peaked-style crash helmet; often roamed the school coridoors in black track-suit bottoms.  Distributed french magazine: "Chez Nous".  Arranged french gal pen-pals for all the class.

His Gallic ‘tache’ was still evident at the reunion in 1999 – but pure white. - Colin Poyton

He had a sidecar attached to his Ariel.  He sometimes removed its body but left its chassis connected.  The reduction in weight meant that that the cornering characteristics of the combination deteriorated.  He inadvertently managed to 'lift' its wheel a few times during left-hand turns.

In the mid '60s, he drove a pale blue Mini.

Died July 4th 2010 aged 84. - Albert Barclay

Albert James Barclay

English and Art

Previously at Whitefriars.

Started in about '61, based in one of the huts.

I liked him despite him being very pro-Tory.  I remember an English lesson where we had to review all the daily newspapers … he kept insisting that The Telegraph was the best and that it gave the most balanced view … oh, and he hated hippies … drove a Triumph Vitesse and married one of the teachers (Miss Norma Chambers) from the girl's school. - John Collett ('71)

Leslie W. Budd 'Bummer'/'Wally’

General science '58

It is believed that Mr Budd had been a radio operator flying in a Boulton-Paul 'Defiant' during the war.

He claimed to have an '0'-gauge model railway track running round the inside of his home.  He brought a couple of beautifully detailed carriages, which he had made himself, into school for pupils to admire.

Although he was not believed to have been married, he was thought to be living with a "son".

His nickname may have derived from his unnerving penchant for standing at the entrance to the showers and patting boys on their bottoms as they passed him to enter the tiled shower-corridor. - Anon.

Even his colleagues thought of him as a bit "creepy".

Although I had no direct experience, Mr Budd's proclivities were surrounded by innuendo and allegation.

He claimed to enjoy swimming beneath the splayed legs of a line of boys, preferring to face upwards, and that narrowing his eyes (reducing the ‘aperture’) improved his view!

He explained how to make a pin-hole camera, which two of us managed to accomplish at home.  The following week he provided us with glass photographic plates about 2” by 2½” which we exposed using our primitive devices and then successfully developed.  Died late '80s. - Colin Poyton ('65)

Preferred 1st and 2nd year boys to older boys (say no more)… he ran a radio club at lunchtimes for 'first years' only… oh dear.

Walter Mitty character with an unlimited variety of special talents and claims to fame… could apparently hold his breath for 10 minutes and even claimed to have helped Marconi discover the radio… an amazing feat considering Marconi discovered 'radio' in 1895 in Italy - (but it must be true if you said so Sir).

Wore a green tracksuit and drove an old Hillman something. - John Collett ('73)

He was my Form Master in 1959.  To concur with the other stories, I can remember him telling our class that he was in charge of a wireless transmitter located on top of one of the Pyramids, and he had to climb up every day to check it out. Mmmm.... I believed it at the time!
I think I made a pin-hole camera under his direction too. - Richard Tann

Burgess

Metalwork

- Nigel Woy

A. Carr

Woodwork

We sawed a point on a piece of wood to make a rudimentary boat; book-ends, a dovetail joint.  Once, during woodwork, a boy cut himself on a chisel – another pupil promptly fainted at the sight of the blood. - Colin Poyton

Joe Carr

Maltese - Al Barclay

Chandler

Woodwork

- Nigel Woy

Cyril Clough

Physics '58

- Scrapbook
A 'Friend' of the '54 Club.

Eric W. Cornick

Music '58

… little legs … - Nigel Woy

A cheerful chappie.  Played the Compton Organ (salvaged from the Odean, Wealdstone – latterly sold), during assembly.

Died about 1990.  A newspaper report described his death as " ... in tragic circumstances". - Al Barclay

Arthur Coulton

A Colonel - AB

Malcolm Crapp

Music

Started at Chandos in ’60.  Composed and arranged music for school productions. - Scrapbook

Malcolm Crapp was my form Teacher 61-63.  Many did not like him but I always found him to be fair and treated all boys equally. - Del Jones ('65)

Sometimes accompanied the 'recorder group' on piano.

He also played harpsichord. - Al Barclay

His fellow members of staff would sometimes suggest that he change his name - but he quipped that he had considered "John" or "Tony" but decided against them.  He eventually changed his surname to "Charlton". - Al Barclay.

Peter Gordon
'Blue beard'

History and recorder group

Started at Chandos in ’59.
Frenetic, board-writer.  Eventually resorted to ‘Gestetner’ed hand-outs (pink or pale blue colour – had a lovely smell of spirits).  Played flute and was probably Jewish (he absented himself from 'assembly').

He bought a new Ford Anglia which was fitted with "new fangled" seat belts.  For his first journey 'fastened-in' (to school) he couldn't unfasten the buckle on arrival.  He eventually had to return to the dealership to be freed. - Albert Barclay

Became a School Inspector.

Jack Franklin

- Albert Barclay

Brian Harrison

Art and Bandmaster '58

Played trombone in the 'silver' band - Delfryn Jones

Brian Lee

History

very nervous with shakey hands, drove a black MGB with a brown soft top. - John Collett ('73)

Mr Jim Lougher (Lowry)

Art

He was a nice chap who, sadly, was killed in a road accident (in about '62 - I believe). - Chris Knightley ('66)

I replaced him (in '61). - Al Barclay

Terry Morgan

- Albert Barclay

Keith G. Snell

PE '58

Mr Snell was my form teacher, and he was always telling us lads that his brother was the New Zealand running champ. I still don't know the truth. – Bill Sells

His idea of sporting development was to play the same group of 22 boys in class football each week while the other 8-10 or so were left to mess about with a ball on the side.  Athletics was mostly about going off for cross-country run, while the teachers hung around at the school. - Chris Knightley ('66)

I really liked Mr Snell - he was hard but fair.  Mr Snell had a great sense of humour.  I didn't realise how much I really liked him until I left school.  I went back to a couple of youth events at the school on my motorbike... saw him there and he spoke to me like a friend not a ex teacher. - Robin Hanley

I think Mr Snell was a West Ham supporter and he would run the older boys football teams.  I also recall we won the Harrow School Football Cup beating another school 2-1 at Whitchurch Playing Fields.  I scored the winning goal and still have the winners medal. - Kevin Stratford

Andy Walsh

Geography '58

- Scrapbook

Lived in Bushey.
I once 'de-coked' his car engine for him - Albert Barclay

Vogler

Maths

- Nigel Woy

1970s

John Rumble

Acting Head '87

R. R. Bellion

Head '87

drove a yellow MGC GT - John Collett

Had an 'eye for the ladies'.

Alan Davter

Bought a purple track suit about the same time that Budd bought his green one. - John Collett ('73)

Taught at Aylward School during ‘60s – a popular teacher.  Married Maureen, 16 years his junior.

Last seen at Graham Baker's funeral July 2010. - Albert Barclay

Greenwood

Music – woodwind

Ken Shorey

Maths

came to the school in about 1969 - probably mid-twenties at the time.  Based in one of the huts (Barclay in the other).  Started Guitar Club which included some girls from the girls school (radical stuff), they performed an astounding rendition of “Feelin Groovy” at one of the “Evening of Music” things that we all had to sit through and the parents were invited to.
Active Christian and probably still involved with the Church in Stanmore. - John Collett '73)

Leslie Tucker

Music '87

drove a white MK1 Cortina GT and had a large white gym shoe that he kept for wacking boys. - John Collett ('73)

Mr Tucker (music) used to grab a small piece of skin on your upper arm and twist and twist until you owned up or apologised for something.  Try doing that to kids today and see what happens. – Paul Sherreard

Mr Trigg

We used to take the register down to the secretary in turn every monday with all the half crowns in a tin.  He asked me two mondays on the trot, I refused, he hit me round the face, I threw the tin at him, half crowns went everywhere!!.next stop Mr Bellion for the cain, ouch again. – Dave Wheeldon

Mr Willet

Geography

- Graham Austin ('74)

(D. Burston)

Parent Assoc.