1939
Role
Report
Miss M Pike
Head Mistress
She Was a Lovely Person – Pat Lloyd
- 1948 school magazine
Miss Pike receives several mentions in Sheila Brook's book,
'Child of the Thirties'.
Every Friday afternoon, at close of school, Miss Pike, the Head Mistress would give a speech from the stage.
Then the houses, Brockley, Cannons, Stanmore and Whitchurch, the one that had the most
house marks, would have the colour of their houses draped on the shield.
House marks were given to the girls that earned them for good work and behaviour.
Lastly, we would sing the Chandos School song.
At the end, the words "Chandos School" were sung twice.
The last time it would be sung softly, like an echo for all the girls that
had left the school, namely the old scholars. - Sheila Bush ('46-'50)
(The words of the school song can be accessed under the 'Documents' page.)
Miss Pike was a wonderful teacher who set very high standards - Irene Grimley
F. Marjorie Hyde
Dep Head, Music
- 1948 school magazine
Very nice but strict – Pat LLoyd
I believe that Miss Hyde and, I think it was her brother, put the words and music to the school song - Kathleen Goshawk ('45)
B.M. Pearce
Miss Pearce was Head Mistress and retired in 1967 (approx). I remember she use to walk very quietly along the corridors clasping behind her a large bunch of keys. – Christine Clayfield
Miss Pearce plaited her hair and then wound the plaits so that they sat over her ears (Cyberman-style) - Linda Beavan ('64)
Mrs Courtney
- Scrapbook
Glauert
- Scrapbook
V.M. Lehrs
- Scrapbook
Lewonski
- Scrapbook
Orledge
- Scrapbook
Miss E G Oyston
Geography
- Scrapbook
- 1948 school magazine
Miss Oyston transferred to Blackwell Secondary School in 1950 as Senior Mistress.
The following reminiscences are from the Blackwell pages of Friends Reunited:
Miss "Edie" Oyston - Assistant Head. Amiable, cud-chewing, pillow-chested Grande Dame.
Always wore an ironic smile at the cavortings of the student body.
Retreated each evening to a bijouette flat off Baker Street. - Barry Lynch (born in '48)
My first day at school
- a very small, shy, introvert - I was dressed in absolute school uniform from head to toe - or so my mother thought.
She had put a bright yellow ribbon in my dead straight shiny black hair.
As I sat amongst the other newcomers cross-legged on the floor, she came to the very edge of the stage
bent over and bellowed "You girl - the one with the yellow ribbon in her hair.
Take it out now and don't wear it again".
I could have died and wished the floor to open up and drag me down to the depth of the dungeons below.
Fortunately I had an older sister at the school at the same time and she explained to Miss Oysten about the mistake our mother had made.
It didn't make much differance to me mind you, I still hated her from that moment on. - Wendy Rowe
I heard that she used to suck/chew her tongue.
She was supposed to have a hole in it - not sure if that was true or not?
It's funny, because looking back, I found her to be OK. - Yvonne Larkins
… a strong disciplinarian but a fairly accomplished teacher - Tony Houlahan
Mrs Oysten (sic) I always quite liked because she assumed we could learn as much as she knew and taught us accordingly. She had a special trick of putting a pile of papers on a desk and then pressing down on it and turning it so it
formed a beautiful spiral shape - Roger Walker
Rossitter
- Scrapbook
Wright
- Scrapbook
1940s
There were 44 teachers on the roll (boys and girls schools) in 1940
Miss Archer
left at end of 1947 for headship of school in the north of England - 1948 school magazine
Austin
- Doreen Griffin (‘50)
Beasley
- 1948 school magazine
Mrs Belham
- 1948 school magazine (Canons House)
Mrs Berlyne
- 1948 school magazine
Mrs Butler
Needlework
- 1948 school magazine
Always wore a navy suite.
I hated her lessons as I am left-handed and she could not work out how I was doing my sewing and kept
sending me back to do it her way, but I must have learnt a lot from her as I made all my daughters clothes
up to high school and my boys clothes up to first school and I still make my own clothes. – Mary Regan ('57)
Miss K A Cochrane (possibly the 'Mrs Vos' see '60s below.)
- Kathleen Goshawk ('45)
Mrs Croston
- 1948 school magazine
Miss Fowler
- 1948 school magazine
Miss Margaret E. Gerrish
- Scrapbook
- 1948 school magazine (Canons House)
Ran the Science Club with Miss Gooch (see 'Sheila Bush' Archive photos) with whom she shared a house.
- Geraldine Charles ('70)
Miss Irene 'Renee' Grimley (referred to, by her staff, as "Grim")
Music, RI and Headmistress (from late '60s)
Miss Grimley was raised near Bradford. One could guess from her accent that she was originally a Yorkshire lass. - Colin Poyton
Trained at Brighton Teacher Training College. - Roger Morgan
Transferred from Belmont School to Chandos in 1939 to teach 2nd year girls. - Rosemary Facey
She became Head teacher of the Girls' School in '67 and then deputy head (with H.G. "Warren" Jones) of the combined Park High (Mr Bellion was Head).
She expected her staff to set an example - the wearing of make-up especially nail-varnish, the wearing of boots and fraternising (with male staff) were all actively discouraged. But her dictats were sometimes felt too oppressive and ignored by her staff.
If a girl came to school with a wayward fringe she would be sent to Miss Grimley to have a 'Kirby grip' fitted… likewise, if a girl had a trace of nail varnish, she was sent to Miss Grimley for its removal. - Gill Bailey ('63) (Miss Pointing, a teacher at Blackwell, was endowed with similar powers.)
A cheerful soul, with a lot to put up with. - Marilyn Gough ('64)
I was in 4 Art and 5 Art possibly going on to Harrow Art College. But I decided to go into hairdressing instead. At 4 ft 10inches tall, Miss Grimley said "You will never make a hairdresser - you are too short - you will have to stand on an orange box". I proved her wrong. - Sharon x ('65-'71)
The rumour was that Miss Grimley had broken her nose as a result of falling off the stage - Linda Beavan ('65)
She used to play the piano at assembly and when she got off her seat when she finished you could always see her big bloomers. We used to giggle like anything. - Brenda Cooley
In about '67 a form of girls even penned a song about the physical appearance of her nose.
Irene retired in 1973 aged 60 - but attended Old Girl Association Meetings until about 2007. Aged 98 she is frail, but retains her mental accuity.
Miss Jean M. Gooch
Geography
Ran the Science Club with Miss Gerrish (see Sheila Bush's photos). - Sheila Bush and Kathleen Goshawk ('45)
Involved with running the school library in 1958 - School librarian and school library review, Volume 9.
Jean attended Old Girls Association meetings. She remained unmarried and died August 2010 aged 90.
Sorry to hear Miss Gooch has left us, a very nice person. I met her last at the 60th, Chandos School Reunion in 1999. - Rosemary Facey
Miss E Grosstephan
- Kathleen Goshawk ('45) and Scrapbook
Miss Grosstephen who, among other things, taught a sewing class.
This I hated, and would consistently 'forget' to bring my work.
To this day, I cannot look at a flannelette nightgown without thinking of those
dreadful 'run and fell seams' we had to sew.
However, I was punished repeatedly for not presenting my work, this
punishment was to prove one of the greatest joys of my life.
Instead of writing 'lines' 200 times, such as "I must remember to bring my work to class"
etc. Miss Grosstephen made me, and other delinquents, learn psalms, poems and such like.
This was not easy, and we hated it, but to this day I can
still recite 'The Daffodils', other famous poems, bits of Hiawatha,
several lovely psalms, and many passages from Shakespeare.
What incredible foresight this woman had.
I would love her to have known how much her 'punishments' have meant to me for so many years.
We cannot always see where our actions have taken us, nor the benefits they may have given to others. If she is still alive I would love her to know this. - Rosemary Facey née Howard
Miss Hands
- Scrapbook
left summer 1947 - 1948 school magazine
Miss E Humphries
- Scrapbook
- 1948 school magazine
Miss Jones
Miss King
Rumor had it that she married an American - Kathleen Goshawk ('45)
Miss D B Miles/Mrs Fennell
- Kathleen Goshawk ('45), Scrapbook and 1948 school magazine
Joan Adcock née Noyes
Art
- 1948 school magazine (Canons House)
One night, fumbling for the light switch outside the hall, she inadvertently activated the fire bell … the ARP arrived in force and were not amused. - J.A.
One of those lucky souls who had met their calling. - Marilyn Gough
Mrs Adcock (formerly Miss Noyes) was the Art Teacher. The Art room was at the top of the New Block (girls side). Mrs Adcock certainly wore bright colours.
I must have been stimulated creatively by writing essays but also Mrs Adcock's encouragement to develop my strength in Art has helped (originally she felt I was destined for Harrow School of Art, but my father had other ideas). - Geraldine Charles
Mrs Adcock was a brilliant art teacher. – Linda Farrell
Mrs Adcock was still alive in 2008. - Geraldine Charles
Miss L Ridgeway
- Kathleen Goshawk ('45)
Stewart
Miss Stokes
- 1948 school magazine (Stanmore House)
Stuart
- 1948 school magazine (Canons House)
Miss Thomas
started 1947. - 1948 school magazine
Miss Townley
started 1947. - 1948 school magazine
Miss Janet Tyrie
History
Scottish. Started 1948. - 1948 school magazine
Miss Tyrie was so nice that you always felt like doing your best work to please her. History classes were taken by Miss Tyrie in the tower.
One day my Mum came to Chandos. Chance for the 'Mum' to meet Miss Tyrie and to see how our work was progressing.
I took one look at my English exercise book. (We used pens and ink then - I had a job keeping the blots of ink at bay.) First page always looked neat but the rest left something to be desired. I turned around to the girl that sat behind me, Ellen Jones - her writing was always so neat, no blots and chicken scratches like I had. So I asked her if she would lend me her book when my Mum came. She did.
Mum looked at it and was so pleased, (but only for a second). She said, "This isn't your work.
Show me your book".
Well when she saw my book, she went straight up to Miss Tyrie and told her how disgusted she was with the work I was doing.
I felt so awful that Miss Tyrie got told off like that. So after that I put some effort in.
Miss Tyrie was so pleased, that I got a house mark for Brockley. - Sheila Bush ('46-'50)
Passed away in 1985, she was good though. - Marilyn Gough
Miss Vicary
started 1947, left 1948 - 1948 school magazine (Stanmore House)
Miss Whitehead
PE
Started in '47 - 1948 school magazine (Canons House)
After Gym we had showers. I was NOT going to take part in THAT.
You see we all had to get undressed in front of each other and take the showers.
So Miss Whitehead sent me to see Miss Pike.
I had to go with two other girls.
One was called Mary Thomas. I stood facing Miss Pike and told her quite plainly that even if I did lose a mark for Brockley house, I was not going to take those showers.
Miss Whitehead said "We are all the same. What is the matter with you?"
"Well", I said, "if we are all the same why don't YOU take showers along with us too".
I was so angry I didn't know what else to do. So Miss Pike just looked at me and said "It's alright.
Just take a rub down with a towel". Huh. (never did that either).
I wasn't really brave; a lot of other
girls felt this way too and looked so upset about the whole thing.. I wasn't alone you see. - Sheila Bush
Miss Williams
Miss Williams along with Miss Jones looked after the girls rounders team, after the rounders matches against other schools we had lemonade and cakes which was a luxury in them days. – Raymond Griffin (‘53)
1950s
Miss Barker
Sports
Miss 'Clara' Campbell
Geography/History
Miss Campbell was my form teacher for the full 4 years I was there (1952 - 1956). If anyone remembers being in Miss Campbell's class during those years it would be nice to hear from them - due to the fact that we all stayed in her class for the whole of the 4 years that we were there. Most of the other classes moved about to different form teachers after each year. - Christine Richardson ('52-'56)
Mrs Crawley
I remember walking down to the gym which was in the boys' school and being told not to look right or left! and the WHITE LINE in the playground was a sin to put our toes over!! – Patricia Read
Miss Croker
Science
an excellent science teacher. - June Bill ('54)
Mrs Downs (Miss Reid)
Sport
married at a church in Harrow in about '58. - Adrienne Doggett ('61)
Miss Fisher
English language
- Pat White (now 'Shirley') ('59)
Miss Johnson
Biology
- Carol Bosworth ('63)
Miss Jolley
- Gill Bailey ('63)
Mrs Lewis
Needlework
- Christine Baker (nee Richardson)
Mrs Pocock (Miss Jacobs)
Young and very nice; married about ‘53. - Dorothy Williams
Mrs Russell
Needlework
Belgian
E.M. Selby
Head
- Scrapbook
Mrs Skidmore
Geography
- Scrapbook
Mrs Stopper
A tall lady who wore glasses. Based in the huts. Some of us were not too nice to her... she had a hard job with some of us. - June Faux ('56)
I.P. Thomas
(Art & Craft?)
- Scrapbook
Mrs Ward
Literature
Mrs Ward was short and very dumpy … one day we all sat and watched her walking towards a black spot in the ice going into the new building and we were all willing her to slip - and she did. - Carol Bosworth ('63)
1960s
Mrs Andrews
Music
I have two main memories of Mrs Andrews - she was a lovely singer and we were allowed to choose a pop song to sing each week, the one I particularly remember was Cilla Black's "You're My World". - Audrey Blair ('67)
Miss Bellamy
Miss Norma Chambers (Mrs Barclay)
English
Married Albert Barclay, from Chandos Boys, in '68. - Norma Chambers
Miss Chambers would stand at a classroom window if Albert was passing, and shout messages to him. - Jane Gates (Sturman)
Miss Dart
English
- Geraldine Charles
Mrs Davies
a saint who transferred me to doing double Art in my last two years!! - Geraldine Charles
Mrs Day
- Geraldine Charles
Miss A Drinkall
PE
Fabulous and talented PE teacher – she was the best! – Anna Girdwood
Miss Drinkwater was young - just out of college. - Carol Diggins or Jane Gates (I forget who)
Mrs Eaves
English
- Geraldine Charles
Miss Moira Fleming
PE
Does anyone remember this cruise on the Nevasa to the Med.
Miss Fleming, P.E. teacher, was on this one. - Patricia Braid
I recall PE lessons with Miss Flemming.
Unfortunately I was not very good at PE. - Audrey Blair
Mr D J Harding
Biology
What about the school cruises with Mr & Mrs Harding (Biology teacher).
– Karen Ridley
he took us on the school cruise on the Nevasa … he was a lovely teacher and made my days at Chandos very happy. – Gwendoline Barnes
Biology was one of my best subjects.
I always came first or second in the end of year exam which meant I sat at the back of the lab (the lower you came the closer to the front you sat!).
It was in his class that I first began to learn about Evolution - a subject that set me on the route
to obtaining degrees in Biological Sciences and later in Modern Taxonomy. - Geraldine Charles
Mrs L M Harding (his wife) acted as technician. - Geraldine Charles ('70)
Hislop
History
Mrs Holmes
Maths
A really great teacher, who made learning maths fun, she was good for a laugh, but very strict with it. She had problems with her hips. – Carol Bond
She was a lovely teacher and would always help us. - Susan Clarke (Shippey) ('67)
Miss Houghton
Domestic Science
- Geraldine Charles
Mrs Houston
Based in the huts. - Al Barclay
Mrs E Jones
Geography
A case of “say it, don’t spray it” – i.e. she spat her words an awful lot. - Mn
She wore her hair back in a sausage shape bun and I remember her large handbags and high-heel
shoes. - Cristine Clayfield
Always used to wear blue or purple clothes! Never any other colour! She was always to be found in the "new building". – Jeanette Piddock
Jeanette may be confusing Mrs Jones with Mrs Adcock. Mrs Jones had a classroom on the ground floor, main building, next to swing doors to the boys school. She was also Deputy Head and was never based in the new building while I was there (1965-1970)… and she dressed smartly.
Mrs Jones was normally the Form Teacher for the Fifth year academic class (5AG ?) except when I moved into fifth form (5 Academic) when Miss Tyrie was Form Teacher.
She must have become Deputy Head when Miss Grimley became Head ('67).
She had a rather odd sort columnar hair style.
After the bell sounded for lesson changes she seemed to mysteriously appear
in the vicinity of what was known as "Room 1 Door" (the exit to the playground
which was visible from outside the Geography Room) to check that no one was
sneaking in that way.
A loud boom of "Er.. those Girls.. !" would send anyone attempting to
come in that way scuttling back into the playground to enter via cloakrooms (the correct way in). - Geraldine Charles
Miss Gill Kendall
- Scrapbook
Ray Kendall's (Chandos Boys' staff) daughter. When she married she became 'Mrs Wingham'. - Al Barclay
Mrs M May
Needlework advisor
- Scrapbook
Mr McEvoy/Avoy
He was a new teacher to Chandos and we use to give him hell,
and he use to get so angry that he use to throw the chalk at people.
We also use to take the mickey out of him because he never ironed his shirts.
He was always with Miss Drinkall and caused a lot of playground chatter. – Diane Baker
He was a good teacher and the most memorable occassion was when he arranged for The Johnson's
(an Irish folk group who were in the charts at the time) to entertain us.
It was a fantastic concert and Mr. MacCavoy joined in and played the tin whistle. – Christine Clayfield
We usually had Miss Tyrie for history but when she was ill for a period of time we had Mr McEvoy. -
Geraldine Charles
Mr Cliff G.H. Morgan, 'Taffy'
Maths
A maths teacher from the Boys School, he was borrowed to teach girls CSE Maths. - Geraldine Charles
Miss O’ Carroll
Maths
Judy Owen
Occupied the lower hut.
Mrs Parsons
Mathematics
I think she was a fill-in teacher or something. We only got her in the final year of school and she was brilliant. The other Maths teachers – do you know I cannot remember ANY of them, because they were SO appalling! – Marilyn Gough
Miss Piper/ Mrs Gonzales
PT, Sport
replaced Mrs Downs. - Adrienne Willsher ('61)
Mrs Sambrook
French and Maths
A closet Nazi if you ask me! – Marilyn Gough
She was French teacher when I joined and was also my Form Teacher (Form 1AG).
She retired at the end of school year (1965/66). - Geraldine Charles
Mrs Sawyer
Needlework
Occupied the then 'New Block'. - Al Barclay.
- Geraldine Charles
Miss Beryl Sedgewick
Geography/English
Taught me Maths in my first year (1965/66) and also treble recorder. I think she must have left after my first year. I think that Miss Grimley taught descant recorders. - Geraldine Charles.
Mr Ken Shorey
Maths and Guitar
He taught both us and the boys guitar. - Hilary Harding née Goodland.
Mrs Linda Stonebreaker
English
started in '67, left in '69. - Linda Stonebreaker.
"Linda Stonebreaker was the best English teacher I have ever met". - Irene Grimley
Mrs Stonebreaker was American (ironically). She was hired to ease the shortage of teachers at the school.
Mrs Stredder
Needlework
Mrs Streader taught us needlework. We had to make a gym slip (a thick navy wrap-around skirt with our initials embroidered in the corner in red silk. Then we had to make an apron and matching band for our head (white cotton with royal blue spots) for our domestic science lessons. – Christine Clayfield
Mrs Sheila Voss (Miss Cochran)
In the huts… a lovely lady and a good teacher who was always very supportive of her students - even if they had no talent at all. - Linda Phillips
I always thought she was quite an attractive teacher compared to the rest. - Brenda Cooley
1970s
Mrs Brewer
Cookery
- Suzanne Barnett
C.A.B.
Art
- Scrapbook
B.C.
History
- Scrapbook
Mrs Cunningham
French
- Suzanne Barnett
S.K. Currie
- Scrapbook
Mrs Day
Choir
I remember the music evenings and Mrs Day - the choir was amazing: "Oklahoma here we come… " - Hilary Harding née Goodland ('66-'71).
S.F.
Music
- Scrapbook
Mrs Iggulden
English
Irish accent. Produced school’s production of Macbeth.
Mr A (P) Kimber
French
He joined in my second year (1966/67) from Blackwell and replaced Mrs Sambrook as French Teacher. He was also, in that first year, my form teacher (form 2AG). - Geraldine Charles
When Mr Kimber lost his temper he would go bright red. The redness would creep along the parting of his hair. He gave me an 'E' in French. - Sharon ('66-'71)
Mrs McGregor
Mrs Wingham (Miss Kendal)
Miss Kendal who later married and became Mrs Wingham (not sure of her married name) was worthy of a mention. I liked her. – Linda Farrell.