T h e JOURNAL o f t h e B r o m le y B o r o u g h L o c a l H is t o r y S o c ie t y
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 0 Pr ic e 6 0 p F ree t o m e m b e r s
T h e p ic t u r e a b o v e is o f B e c k e n h a m , p r io r to 1 9 3 9 . It a p p e a r e d in a w a r t im e film in 1 9 4 1 . Q u e s t io n , w h a t w a s t h e title o f th a t film ?
from the Bill Morton Collection Bromleage December 2000
The inaugural meeting of the Bromley Borough Local History Society was held, on 20th March 1974 at Stockwell College, now the Civic Centre, when over 100 people attended. The first newsletter went out in May, and the first Bromleage was issued in August 1974.
As we go into a new century, the Society’s aim is that anyone with an interest in the history of any part of the Borough can meet to exchange information and to learn more. History is continually being made and at the same time destroyed, buildings are altered or demolished, memories fade and people pass away, records get destroyed or thrown away. We aim, in co-operation with the local history library, museums and other relevant organisations, to make sure at least some of this history is preserved for future generations.
Meetings are held at 7.45 p. m. on the first Tuesday of the month, from October to July, in the Methodist Church Hall, North Street, Bromley (there is parking available, there are good local bus services nearby and facilities for the disabled).
In addition, daytime meetings are held at 2.30 p m on the second Wednesday of January, March, May, July, September and November in the Methodist Church Hall at the corner of Bromley and Bevington Roads, Beckenham. This is on several bus routes and there is a large public car park nearby.
Members receive Bromleage four times a year.
You are welcome to come along to one of our meetings to see if you would like to join. You will be made very welcome and won’t be pressed to join, although non-members are invited to make a donation of £1 towards the costs of the meeting.
However if you wish to join, the subscription rates are £8.50 for an individual, £10 for a husband and wife. Senior Citizens pay a reduced rate of £6 for an individual, £8 for a couple. Members joining after 30th June pay half these rates, but only receive two journals. There is also a charge of 50p per member at the Bromley meetings.
OooooooooooooooooooooooooootH)oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Our next Bromley meetings will be: Tuesday, 2nd January Bromley Common and the Hastings Road Len Smith * Tuesday, 6th February A Visit to Bromley Local Studies library More Treasures from the Local Archives Presented by Simon Finch Please note that this meeting will be held in the Local Studies library at 7.45pm The next Beckenham meetings will be: Wednesday, 10th January The Crystal Palace Sue Holland * Len Smith, our speaker in January is a founder member of the society. Chairman & Membership Sec. Dr A. Allnutt, Woodside, Old Perry Street, Chislehurst, BR7 6PP Hon. Sec: Mrs P. Knowlden, 62 Harvest Bank Road, West Wickham, BR4 9DJ (tel. 020 8462 5002) r Editors: Denise & Paul Rason, 1 South Drive, Orpington, BR6 9NG e-mail [email protected] We are always pleased to receive articles, large or small, for inclusion in the journal. We may not be able to use your article immediately, as we try to maintain a balance between research and reminiscences and articles about different subjects and parts of the borough. Illustrations to accompany the article are always welcome. V J The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of the Society. Each contributor is responsible for the content of their paper. © BBLHS Bromleage December 2000 CONTENTS Ethelbert road - a reply George Hailey 19 Farnborough British Legion 13 Harold ‘Sorbo’ Thorpe (re. schooldays in Beckenham) R on C ox 19 History of St Barnabas Cray - a book and a website Chris Porteous 15 Hovis advert - letter R on C ox 20 Jack Budd’s school days 1918-27 David Johnson 10 Kent County Association of Change Ringers Roll of Honour - w e b site Hazel Basford 9 Letter re Harold Bowden's schooldays in Beckenham Marjorie Heathfield 18 Local Studies Corner Simon Finch 13 Memories of Bromley Common from 1913 N a n cy T ub b 4 & 7 Notes on National & Local Education David Johnson 10 Olive Johnson’s schooldays 1911-20 David Johnson 11 Roman Roads in NW Kent by Paul Waters Book review 14 Schooldays in Bromley 1922-25 Harold Bowden 16 St John’s National School Penge 1881 - Inspectors report Beckenham Journal 12 The Museum at Orpington Melanie Parker 13 Thomas Crapper stain glass window 20 Wartime Hayes by Trevor Woodman Book review 15 WW1 Penge Police Constable's Experiences 20 Editorial Firstly you will find a Renewal subscription form with this Bromleage. Please renew quickly to help our Membership Secretary, but most importantly so that you don’t forget. On page 13 there is a mention of the demise of the Farnborough British Legion after 76 years. If you hear of anything similar do let us know and more importantly suggest to those involved that they deposit the records of the group/society in the ‘In and Around Bromley at the turn of the Local Studies library to prevent them being lost. Century’ is available at meetings, from the Local Studies library, Mister Print at Green Street Green and from the sub-Post Office at Keston. We have a fascinating article starting on page 4 - memories of growing up in Bromley Common With 92 pages, 53 photos and costing only £3, it during the First world War. Does anyone have any information about the incidents mentioned? is a bargain and sells very well when people see or hear about it. And does anyone know what happened to the railings on Chislehurst Common? Was a tree ever planted there? And where exactly was it? However we need some additional outlets. We can offer £1 discount to any shop-keeper or organisation who buys copies for resale. For sale On page 27 of ‘In & Around Bromley’ (the and return, we can only offer 50p per copy. Please Chislehurst chapter) Tony Allnutt reports that in speak to the editors or our Treasurer, Brian 1899 ‘A garden party is held at Foxbury in aid of the Waifs and Strays Society’. Reynolds, if you can help. In 1999, the Bromley Borough Local History Society held our 25th Anniversary celebration It can also be obtained by post from John Clarke there. at 41, Sandiland Crescent, Hayes, Kent BR2 7DP. Cheques payable to BBLHS at £3 plus 50p There is lots more of interest. postage and packing. Why not give a friend a copy for Christmas? We can also provide an attractive poster. Bromleage December 2000 Memories of Bromley Common from 1913 by Nancy Tubb My parents moved from Beckenham to Bromley he did what he ought not to have done in her Common in 1913. My father was now a garden! Now I realise why she got so upset. signalman at Bickley Station. The night we returned from my grandparents Kingston, Dad Sometimes I would go with my Dad on a must have lost the way and it was pitch black, Sunday morning to Orpington Station where he no street lamps, anyway we went such a long used to belong to the St John's Ambulance team. way round and I know I was very tired and They had first aid classes and his team won a wanted ‘a carry’. I was 3 years 4 months. My shield. Each man was presented with a silver mother was carrying my sister, and Dad was egg-stand with four egg cups and spoons on. It giving Syd a pick-a-back, so poor me, who had took pride of place on our dresser. I used to been really spoilt for three months, felt very put think it was wonderful to have boiled egg in a out. silver egg cup. I learned later that it was silver- plated. We had to walk home from Orpington I never really liked living at 22 Balfour Road. I Station via Locks Bottom where dad would buy suppose it was so different from the three me a lemonade and a Brighton biscuit whilst he months spent in the country at Hawkhurst. I had half a pint of ale, and then we walked remember my mother grumbling at me from the across the fields to Balfour Road for dinner. I bedroom window not to touch the pram as I was always very tired when we got home. might upset it. At Nora’s Christening at St Luke's Church she cried. My grandparents The school dentist was at Wharton Road Board Newby were there with my Aunty Dolly, who I School near Bromley North, and I remember liked very much because she was quite young. having gas to have my teeth out. It was a very large school, three stories high and the dentist My next ordeal was going to school. My mother was on the top floor. While I waited my turn I must have been to see the headmistress because used to look at books. That is where I first set the first day I went with an older girl from eyes on Peter Pan and the Never-Never Land. I across the road. She must have been about 12. think my mother must have read some of it to She seemed very old to me. Anyway she took me while I waited but I have always loved that me to school, Addison Road, then went and story. played with her friends. I was only three and a half. It was very frightening. There seemed My father used to take me on his bike to Leaves masses of children. I went in to the babies’ class Green where he would go to a farm to buy and we had to write on sand trays. I loathed it. I potatoes, fruit and vegetables. I was always don't remember coming home but I gradually frightened when we passed ponds for fear he got used to it and made friends. would upset me into them. We had pleasant neighbours at no 24 - Mr. & The people who lived at no 20 Balfour Road Mrs. Maynard. They had a little boy called moved and a family came named Duddy. There Jacky. In those days boys were kept in petticoats was a rockery in our garden. I still see Nora and until they were turned three and they never had Mary Duddy sitting on it. I thought we would their hair cut until they went to school. He was have a concert and charge people money but just like a girl to me with curly hair. Syd who Mum soon put a stop to that! We had to give the lived with us was what they called ‘britched’ money back. When we used to dress up ‘The quite early and he used to go to the barbers with Miles’ would watch us from their back bedroom my Dad to have his hair cut. He had a quiff in window. the front of his hair. My mother used to call it his Easter Feather. She said it was lucky. The war started in 1914. I remember sitting in school and seeing the pictures on the wall of The name of our other next door neighbour I Edith Cavell who was a nurse in Belgium. She cannot now remember but I know we became was shot by the Germans accused of being a bad friends with her as we had a black cat and spy1. Then there was a picture of Lord Kitchener pointing a finger at you saying "Your 4 Bromleage December 2000 Country Needs You". Also the teachers always My father didn’t have to go to war because he seemed to be dressed in black and crying. Then failed the medical. He had had rheumatic fever the big girls used to whisper to us that they had when he was young but he did join the lost someone' during the war. As we walked Chislehurst Volunteers. We used to go and along Chatterton Road we would see quite watch him sometimes doing his drill on young ladies dressed in black with black veils Chislehurst Common. Then a bomb fell on the attached to the back of their hats. I told my common one day so of course we all had to go mother I would like to wear one when I grew and see the crater4 (not a bit like the last war). up. She informed me that they were called widows’ weeds and they wore them because Mr. Maynard was in the Light Infantry and had their husbands had been killed in the war. to look after the horses. They used horses a lot at the beginning of the war until the mechanical I remember the night that Silvertown was tanks had come into use. Mr. Duddy was in the bombed 2 and we looked out of our bedroom Flying Corps so we kids thought he was very window and saw the sky all aglow and my grand in his grey/blue uniform. We thought he mother saying, "all those poor people". The was really wonderful flying those aeroplanes thing I didn't like when I lay in bed at night but afterwards learned he was in the stores during the war was the search light. We had department. Venetian blinds and these lights used to shine all round the room if there was an air raid. My father had to work twelve hour shifts at the There was excitement when one of our guns signal box. Syd and I used to take his dinner to shot down an airship at Cuffley 3 in Essex. That him after mother had cooked it. We carried it in was at the beginning of the war. Later the a little basket, called him when we got to the aeroplanes came. One night during an air raid fence on the bridge that crossed the road, and he over London a German plane was shot down would come and collect it. It was a very great and fell on a house at Valley Road, Shortlands, treat if he took us into the signal box but we got killing everyone living there. As it was on the an even greater thrill if there was an engine on outskirts of Bromley, close to Martin's Hill my the turntable. mother and father took us all to see the damage. I thought it was dreadful. (How we used to walk At Orpington there was a hospital for wounded in those days! I could have only been about five Canadian soldiers very close to the railway and a half.) Later another plane came down in station. There were quite a hundred temporary the Whitehall Recreation Ground and into some huts to house the wounded soldiers. Those huts of the back gardens of Southlands Road but no- are still in use to this day and are now known as one was hurt, only windows broken. Another Orpington Hospital. [demolished 1999. Ed.] day I had taken Syd, and my sister in her pushchair, into the rec. to play and I remember As my father was a St John’s Ambulance man thinking, “We are the only ones here!” and then he might have to go at any time of the night or my mother appeared dressed only in her indoor day to unload the wounded soldiers.3 The trains clothes saying “Why didn't you come home were white with red crosses on them and used to when the warden sounded the warning?” I be shunted on to the line that was beside the couldn't have heard it. I hospital. I remember my father telling us how difficult it was to take the stretchers down the I remember at night that the Duddys, next door bank to the various huts. He said some of them to us, and Mrs. Duddy’s mother and sister all were terribly wounded. We used to see quite a used to come into our house with all their few of them when they were on convalescence children. Mother used to push the kitchen table in their saxe-blue uniform and red ties. into the alcove under the stairs and we children Food must have been very scarce as I remember used to sit there. All the grown-ups sat in a half along Chatterton Road there was a soup kitchen circle round the kitchen range with a small case where we used to go and queue for peas or a bag beside them. I suppose it must have pudding and faggots and a steamed pudding and held all their valuables. we had to take two basins and get the first course in one and the pudding in the other. I can't remember what it was like by the time we 5 Bromleage December 2000 brought it home! Then we used to go to the had my first ride on a round-about and swing. Home and Colonial or Upton's or David Greig's Of course there were lots of rejoicing to see if there was margarine that wasn't everywhere because things had been so very rationed. Luckily my grandmother used to send grim during the war. us rabbits, butter and eggs from time to time. We all used to stand round the kitchen table The following year, after the war had ended, we whilst mother unpacked and if fruit was in celebrated Empire Day on the 24th May. I was season there would be apples, plums or still in the junior part of the school. We had to damsons. It used to come in a wooden box free wear white dresses and red, white and blue hair (OCS) as far as Bickley Station but we had to ribbon. Our parents were invited to come and pay the carter who brought it to the door. hear us all sing and I recited. We were taught that we had a wonderful empire and the sun What else do I remember of the First World never set on it. This is part of the song our class War? sang: I remember that the people who used to work in the munitions factories always had an ochre- ‘Some flags are red and white and blue look about them and mum said it was because of And some are yellow too but the dear, dear flag that we love best the powder that they had to put in the shells and Is the red, the white and the blue. ’ bombs. Also we started to have buses. They were very few and far between and you used to The best part of all was having a half day sit on benches, six either side, with a few more holiday! Miss Grey, our head teacher left to get seats upstairs but there was no cover as all buses married. We were all sorry to loose her. were open top. Women began to be conductors which seemed very strange. Before this they had Nancy Tubb (nee Newby)1 234 always stayed at home or gone 'into service'. My Aunty Dolly went and worked in the Army Pay 1 Edith Cavell. Bom 4th December 1865 near Norwich, Corps and my cousin Kit went into the Norfolk. Executed by firing squad by the Germans in telephone exchange at Brixton. Telephones Brussels on 12th October 1915 for aiding the escape of were just coming into use. British & French soldiers. She was buried in the prison where the execution took place. In 1919 her body was re interred and she now lies near the main door leading into There was a big recruiting drive for soldiers as Norwich Cathedral. things were very grim and we were losing the war. So we went into Bromley Market Square 2 This occurred on 19 January 1917 when about 50 tons of with Mum pushing Nora in her pram where we TNT exploded due to a fire at the munitions and chemical saw this enormous army tank. They told us all works of Brunner Mond at West Silvertown on the river Thames in the East end of London. A large part of the area the wonderful things it could do. was wrecked with over 450 casualties, including 69 killed. I was in school when we were told that the war 3 2nd/3rd September 1916. Lt. William Leefe Robinson of had ended, in the top class of the infants. That the Royal Flying Corps sighted an airship over north night all the people close to us in Balfour Road London which was flying lower than normal, perhaps to had a fireworks party. There was a gunpowder find/sight targets. He engaged the airship with the newly fitted tracer firing machine gun and the airship caught fire, factory close by and we children went round exploded and crashed into fields in Cuffley, Hertfordshire. and bought fireworks (not like today’s) mostly This night time explosion was also seen and reported in the squibs and jumping crackers. When the Peace war dairy of the Canadian Hospital in Orpington. Treaty was signed the Big Wigs of Bromley gave a Peace Party. We had to take a mug with 4 We have a newspaper cutting about the bomb crater on Chislehurst Common, dated February 20th 1920. Under a pink tape or ribbon tied to it. That was our photo of some railings, it says ‘The Chislehurst school colour for the day. We had pink tied Conservators have enclosed, at the request of residents, the round our arm too. We were all to meet on the large hole on the Common where the last German bomb main road opposite St Luke's Church but when fell in England, on Whit Sunday, 1918. It is proposed to plant a tree in the railed enclosure.’ Ed. my mother took me there I wouldn't go as there were masses of children in a long crocodile and 3 The book ‘Orpington, From Saxon times to the Great we had to march to the recreation ground at the War’ produced by the WEA after the First World War, lists bottom of Martin's Hill. However in the evening the members of the Orpington and District Ambulance I did go with Mum, Dad, Nora and Syd. There I Corps during the War and includes Nancy’s father, Horace Newby. 6 Bromleage December 2000 Memories Of Bromley Common - My Home Life Nancy Tubb (nee Newby) After the First World War war my mother and Band played while we all marched in a father joined the Labour Party and so did Mr crocodile to Hayes Church for a short service and Mrs Tubb (my future parents in law). My and then back to the common. I know by the father was chairman of the Bromley branch of time we got home we were all tired as it was a the National Union of Railwaymen and mother good two miles walk back over the fields. belonged to the Co-op Women's Guild. As time went by mother became more and more We used to go for lovely long walks with our interested in politics. We had meetings in our parents. A favourite of mine was over the house and had to go to bed early so that we three railway bridges out to the Tiger’s Head were out of the way. There would also be a at Chislehurst. When we got there Nora, Syd women's meeting in the afternoon and if it and I used to sit outside on the grass with wasn't finished when we arrived home from Mum while Dad went inside and bought us school we would play in the garden, or if it children a lemonade or a ginger beer and Mum was raining, in the shed. When there was a a lemonade shandy. political meeting in the open air we had to go and stand there to help make a crowd - we During the school summer holidays we used to hated it. But we enjoyed it when they had a have a day out at Keston ponds. Nora rode in garden party at Carisbrooke, a house on the pushchair part of the way. Mother had Shooting Common very close to St Luke's packed food and drink for the day in what was Church. There was a field beside the house called a pilgrim basket (I never see any now). where it was held. Mr and Mrs Hodder- It was made of plaited rushes, like a hamper. Williams were Liberals and were very good to About half way there was a sweet shop where the poor of the area around St Luke's Church. we used to spend our penny to help us on the They were book publishers and they are way. A little further on there was a parrot in Hodder and Stoughton the publishers of today. the garden and it used to talk so that was fun Another garden party was held at Green Street getting it to talk to us. After we left there it Green and Ramsay McDonald's daughter came was uphill all the way to Keston and we used to open the fete. There was great excitement to get more than a little tired and fractious. when a General Election was held. We all Anyway all was forgotten when we arrived helped at the headquarters in Bromley at the and were allowed to paddle and fish for United Men's Working Club. A conservative tiddlers. Then it would be dinner time and I always won but there was great excitement must say mother must have got up very early when Labour actually kept its deposit. Before in the morning or went to bed very late the the election Lloyd George came to speak at night before as we always had a lovely feast Raglan Road School. He had been Prime and we had tea there as well. At the keeper's Minister during the war and this was the first cottage a lady used to make a pot of tea for election after it. Stanley Baldwin became the thruppence. Mum supplied the tea and teapot. next one. Enough of politics. I think we children had lemonade or lemon and barley water which mother used to make. One day a man called Mr Deedy knocked on our door. He was to do with The Merry Once when we were at Keston a lady sitting England Society and asked mum if I could be close to our party fell into the pond and had to May Queen. I was about eleven at the time. change her clothes so of course that caused a When mum knew what it was going to cost lot of excitement. Another time when we were she refused and a girl in the next road had the there a boy was swimming and got tangled in honour, so we just wore white dresses and the weeds and drowned. That was very sad walked in the procession. They held the and we weren't even allowed to paddle for a ceremony on Hayes Common. All the May while after that. Queens from the London area came to pay court to the London May Queen. Hayes At the age of 12, I used to shop at the Co-op School danced round the maypole and Hayes butcher for Mum. A nice piece of sirloin of 7 Bromleage December 2000 beef with undercut cost between 5 and 6 only a yellow one and had to wear that. Of shillings and that was always bought on the course I made a fuss but I couldn't persuade bone, not like nowadays. my mother to make me a white dress. I expect she was hard-pressed for cash. In Standard 1, I developed diphtheria and as I was a germ carrier too, I had to go to the We would have an hour's scripture everyday isolation hospital and our house had to be from 9 until 10, followed by an hour of fumigated. Dad couldn’t go to work until the arithmetic, which I loathed, and mental was isolation period was up. I believe I was in worse than awful! I was a dunce at it! It was there for six weeks. I loathed it even though I playtime from 11 o'clock for 15 minutes. Then was sent lovely parcels. We had to lay on our until 12 noon we had more lessons. We had backs for a long time and had a diet of boiled two hours for dinner. In the afternoon we had fish, potatoes and milk puddings nearly every needlework, not a favourite lesson of mine, day. One little girl died and we all thought that learning how to dam and make button-holes it would be our turn next. Once our swabs and as for having to ‘stroke gathers’ - I were negative we went to the convalescence shudder to think about it! part for two weeks. We had to wear the hospital clothes (blue and white striped On a Monday when we used to return from dresses, awful shoes that didn't fit and horrible home after dinner, Chatterton Road would be black stockings and flannel vests that made a hive of industry. Sheep and calves would be you itch. We had a happy time really and were going along to be slaughtered at the butcher's given lots of toys. We could go out of doors if and they would be holding up everything that it was fine but as it was December we had to was in a hurry. The Brewers dray would also wear our dressing gowns for coats. Our be unloading kegs of beer at the Chatterton parents were allowed to see us, but they stood Arms. Drays were horse-drawn and the barrels on one side of the wall whilst we stood on the of beer were rolled off into the cellar. So you other. When I saw Mum, Nora and Syd I cried could imagine us kids, what with the animals because I was so pleased to see them. They going everywhere except straight on, and the had been so good, sending me grapes and dray-man and the horses on the other side of lovely slabs of Nestle's chocolate. The nurses the road, we had a job to get back to school on thought I was a very lucky girl. We were taken time. home by ambulance but in our own clothes thank goodness. It is hard to realise now that we bathed only once a week. There was no bathroom and only When I returned to school we had a new a cold water tap in the kitchen. Mother lit the headmistress and I had a new teacher, and by copper or else put lots of saucepans of water that time they were choosing people to sit the to heat on the kitchen range. Nora and I used test for the scholarship. I used to sit and look to go in one after the other and then Syd. Mum at the roll of honour and hope that one day my and Dad bathed when we were in bed. What a name would be there but that wasn't to be. My lot of work it was. When Dad was on night friends went but I was left behind. As I had duty he used to come home and do the flues lost a lot of schooling I had to stay in standard for my mother on Friday morning. He always 2 for two years but I liked my teacher, she was lit the kitchen fire in the winter so it was warm very kind to me. It was then that I won my for us to get up. I think we sometimes forget only prize - for special effort. how hard people had to work. I used to love singing lessons and poetry. We At about this time they had got interested in also used to go for nature walks in the spring, politics and Dad was chairman of the NUR summer and autumn which was much better branch at Bromley. Then the Labour Party was than class work! Our drill and dancing classes formed in Bromley and at the first meeting of were held in the Church Hall. At the end of the Bromley Common branch they met my the year we would give a concert so that our future parents in law, Mr and Mrs Tubb. They parents could see what we had been doing. had Mrs Tubb’s mother, Mrs Stevens living The girls had to wear white dresses but I had with them at the time and she used to mind 8 Bromleage December 2000 their children, Thomas, Eric and Cyril. Cyril the shop they made curtains, loose covers and was about two, Thomas was between eight and cushion covers. nine and Eric was between six and seven. Syd Crockett had gone to live with his aunt at The stables in Elliot Road also housed a Brierley Hill on the outskirts of Birmingham. printing works run by a Mr Humphrey. He used to do printing for the Labour party and I used to love to go round there with my mum when she wanted printing done. It was so very interesting seeing the printing press and how the words were composited together. They formed in Bromley the Labour Party League of Youth. As both our mums and dads were members of the Labour Party they thought it was a good idea for us to join. I remember we used to go for rambles and we did plays when they had socials at Raglan Road school. We used to have the rehearsals for the plays in Mr Tubb’s loft workshop. Nancy Tubb (nee Newby) Submitted by Rosemary Mitchell (nee Tubb) The Kent County Association of Change Ringers ROLL OF HONOUR Hazel Basford, the KCACR Librarian, has done a lot of research into the lives and deaths of KCACR Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Hayes Lane. ringers during the First World War. Leavers Group July 1929. This section of the KCACR webpage at Thomas George Tubb is on the extreme right of the http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/fwcml middle row. The schoolmaster and his wife are at the /homepage.htm front. His initials were STL as written on the original. is a tribute to those ringers .... Well, we got very friendly with the Tubb BROMLEY, SS PETER & PAUL family and Mr Tubb was just trying to start his Eric George Filtness work as an upholsterer making loose covers Bombardier, 390th Battery, and curtains too. It was not long after the first Royal Field Artillery world war and work was very hard to come Killed in Action in Palestine 13th July 1918 by. When he left the munitions factory he did Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel gardening for a time and Mrs Lazenby, who he was working for, wanted some curtains altered Alfred Henry James and some carpets taken up. She was so pleased Private, 1st Battalion, with his work that she recommended him to Royal West Kent Regiment her friends and that was how Thomas Tubb Died of wounds in France 9th April 1917 and Son started, in the shed in the back garden Arras Memorial of 45 Victoria Road, Bromley. (The Lazenbys are now connected with Crosse and CHISLEHURST, ST NICHOLAS Blackwell.) From there the Tubb's business John Henry Mitcham moved to the loft of a redundant stable in Lance Corporal, 2nd/7th Battalion, Elliot Road, and as it progressed they moved The London Regiment to 131 Southlands Road. In the loft over the Died of accidental injuries in France old stables they upholstered furniture and in 7th April 1917 Mailly Wood Cemetery 9 Bromleage December 2000 Notes on National and Local Education systems. Examples from Beckenham and Penge. The world’s richest nineteenth century country was as shown in the last issue of this magazine. Olive content not to provide any Nationally funded Johnson was fortunate that her parents could secondary education. By the Act of 1870, local support her at the Beckenham Art [secondary] Education Boards were to provide ‘Board Schools’ school. in localities where churches had not already made sufficient provision. This ‘Elementary’ education Mr Budd’s education story shows the conditions in surprisingly lasted to after World War II and his school days 1918 to 1927, where a distinct educated the majority of this country’s people. It junior stage was started in 1924 in Beckenham. The was exceptional in many areas for children to stay Penge schools were mainly reorganised into having at school after the compulsory school leaving age. a junior 7-11 year stage in August 1930. Penge St This was raised to 14 years in 1918. John's Church of England School continued the old system until 1937. Other parts of this London Education of about 90% of children continued to be Borough may not have made this step until later and ‘Elementary’ up to the implementation of the 1944 I would be glad to know of examples. Education Act. The school leaving age was only raised from 14 to 15 years in 1947. This was the Other examples of the early part of the twentieth first step in applying the 1944 Education Act and century will be given later, including my ending the description for schools as ‘Elementary’. headmaster's view of my class, viz. “I'll tell you where you boys will end . On the end of a rope on The Olive Johnson example was set in a school the gallows, that is where you will end!” where there was no Junior School stage. She went from the Infants at about 7 years straight to the He was thwarted in his prediction. They abolished girls’ school where she would leave at 14 years. the death sentence. Some secondary education was available to a few David R Johnson Thursday 5th Oct. 2000 Oral history interview. Mr & Mrs Jack Budd with David Johnson. MR BUDDS SCHOOL DAYS 1918-27 were broken limbs at times. The boys’ school occupied the remainder of the ground floor My School was Alexandra, under Beckenham with the entrance nearest to Green Lane. UDC. The infants’ school was only one level and I clearly remember one incident in my first detached from the main building. It provided term. A great moment. We were allowed to a more cosy atmosphere with the playground watched the flag hoisted on the TA Drill Hall directly outside the two infants’ rooms. The opposite, it was, Monday 11th November two rooms had old-fashioned open fireplaces 1918, Armistice Day and all the soldiers came which were reminders of home. The class marching out of the barrack's gates. Little did I rooms in the school had rows of weak electric think that this end of the ‘War to end all Wars’ lamps fed by Beckenham’s own power station was not as it was named then. I would one day which I think only produced low power, 50 be a soldier, but that's an interesting story I watts or something. will tell you another time. I moved across to the boys’ school in 1920 at All children from 5 to 14 years were housed in 7 years. I thought that this was the last time the same large, mostly two storey, building. the girls would share the same room. I am not There were three marked entrances to the too clear about the date, 1922 I think, we school ‘Infants’, ‘Girls’ and ‘Boys’. The boys found ourselves in mixed classes again for a and girls were mixed in the Infants school short time. which was on the ground floor. The girls’ [Reorganisation was in 19241 discovered later. Mr school was on the upper floor and their Budd agreed that seemed correct. DRJ] entrance was under the tower where they climbed the stone slippery stairs daily. There The Council had seemingly reorganised the schools so that a Junior Mixed school was 10 Bromleage December 2000 created. In that same year [1924] all senior any gym apparatus. We had no gardening. The girls, 11 years and above, were moved to the only sports field we ever used in all my school newly created Churchfields Senior Girls years, was about five games of football, down School. Boys were then segregated to at Churchfields recreation ground. Mind we Alexandra, also at the 11 years of age point. I had swimming every week down at the baths was at the newly created Alexandra Senior in summer. Elementary Boys School from 1924 to 1927. We did not have a cub or scout troop at school Wembley Exhibition and I could not join the church group because In 1924 we had our only school trip. It was to my parents could not afford a uniform. The the Wembley Exhibition and we were same reasoning applied to school uniform for transported there by one of Rayner's two a Grammar or Technical school. We would charabancs with tiered seats and a canopy to have had difficulty to afford it if I had passed keep out the rain. the examination. I think the masters wanted me to go to the Art School. I was good at They did not forget to give the stick ! woodwork and was given the best bits of wood Mr Millet managed to give the stick in nearly for my work. I also was a good illustrator, all lessons. Ill tell you his best effort was Technical drawing sort of thing. Dad did not when I moved up to his class when he gave us want me go to the Tech. He would say “The an arithmetic test. There were about forty boys PO is for you. It is a safe job and you can and he judged that twenty-one, including bring money in at 14 years.” myself, who later made a living using arithmetic to an exacting level, had failed. So Mr Maclean was the Alexandra woodwork he lined us all up for caning. I remember one teacher. At the introduction to his class he nervous boy who kept dodging about. His would say, “I will show you how to use each hope was in vain. Millet said "Since you tool safely. You will abide by my rules on all dodged about you will get two strokes". occasions. If you cut yourself I will give you the cane on that hand”. And he did blood and Millet had a style of giving the cane that was a all. I never got that anyway. bit of an act, perhaps to build up fear. He would twirl the stick above his head in a We had some good young teachers in my last circular motion about three times, as though year. I think one was Mr Streeter. Also in this winding as much force as possible into the year, during my last term, we started to have stroke. Then it would whistle down on to the teachers in on specialist subjects. For example victim’s hand. I started to learn shorthand. So instead of one teacher trying to teach every subject from 7 to The one form teacher took us for all lessons. 14 years, we could now learn at a deeper level. There was not a gym at the school. For However, this short period was not enough to exercises, in Millet's class, we would be allow me to use or retain any shorthand drilled in a most repetitive way. Much like knowledge. soldiers being marched about. I did not see Jack Budd Olive Sylvia Johnson. Bom 12th December 1906. Talking on 19.11.2000 about her school days 1911-1920. HAPPIEST DAYS (The Headmaster of the Alexandra Schools, under Beckenham UDC, lived in a provided house; 82 I started school at Alexandra Infants and went Parish Lane, London S E 20.) up to what we called the ‘Big Girls School’ at about eight years and stayed there until I was School days are the happiest days of your life. over fourteen. The Infants School entrance We had a little playground to ourselves in the was at the Headmasters House. Infants. 11 Bromleage December 2000 Happiest days cont. many with bare feet and fathers’ cut downs. In the Big Girls school we had cooking. The My Dad said to Mum “You would think that cooking teacher did not shout or cane us like the mothers of the boys would at least hem the some other teachers. We even had wet base of the short trousers so that they did not dishcloth fights and she did not seem to mind. look ragged.” “Come on Jack Johnson, boxing World Champion, the teacher used to say.” We did I went to the Art school later and Mr enjoy those classes. Schofield, the Head was most helpful and skilled. Ivy Mills and I one day in a cooking lesson Olive Johnson took more rhubarb than we were allowed. You (There is a record of the Insubordination caning by should have seen the colour of the pies we the Headmistress. D R Johnson) then cooked. Purple they were, we did laugh and the teacher laughed too. St John’s National School, Penge from The We did have drill, where we used clubs and Beckenham Journal Aug 1st 1881. did exercises, learnt geography and history. The following are the reports of H.M. Inspector on The art, dressmaking and cookery were my these schools, which have over 1000 children on favourite lessons. the books, for the past year. The thin class teacher used to give the cane Boys’ School. too often. One day Ivy Mills and I copied the The Boys’ School more than maintains its high spellings from another girl who we thought position. The elementary work is throughout, with would have got them all correct, she had not, rare exceptions, very satisfactory; Geography and and we two were found out. So we were caned Grammar highly creditable; Physical Geography, for cheating and the girl with the wrong Animal Physiology, and Mechanics, but especially spellings was not punished. the last named subject, all answered very well; Literature, good; French taught more efficiently and with far more satisfactory results than elsewhere; It was going to the Head Mistress that was Singing, as usual, much above the average; worse and this happened once to me. I had a homework, very carefully attended to; and the tone sort of scholarship at the Art school for one of the school is so high, and good habits inculcated day a week. One day I went there and the Art as successfully as ever. School was closed. I went home to practice art and went in the next day to Alexandra where Girls’ School the Head asked where I was the previous day The Girls have passed, as usual, a highly since the Art school was closed. “Yes” I said satisfactory examination in all the elementary subjects. The failures are very few, while the “and you did not tell me”. quality of the work generally is much above the common. Grammar is remarkably well answered. That was sufficient, what do they call it? Needlework strictly follows the directions of the “Insubordination”. Yes that's it. I was upset at Third Schedule, and is throughout much better than the cane from her and cried. My father was what is ordinarily to be seen. The samples worked down the next day and said to the Head. for examination are many of them highly creditable. “Don't you touch my girl again. If she needs The school is organised and the children are correction that is for me to do”. I don't think classified in the best manner, and the order they ever caned me after that. maintained is excellent. (I showed Olive the picture on the front of the Infants’ School Simon Finch book ‘Beckenham and West Wickham \ DRJ.) The Infants have done their work, as usual, very satisfactorily, especially the writing, throughout all They were probably all dressed up because the classes. The order is good; the needlework they knew the photographer was going to be above the average; marching and singing up to the there. We girls with our dress making classes average. The school fully maintains its place as one were normally reasonably well turned out. The of the best Infants’ School in the district. boys ‘Big School’ though seemed to have Submitted by Loraine Budge of Local Studies 12 Bromleage December 2000 Local Studies Corner The Museum at Orpington Not much to report as our 1000 years As we approach the end of 2000 it's exhibition has taken up all our time. worth looking back over the year. It We hope that the timelines at least will started well with about 4,000 visitors to be retained and made available to our Simply Dinosaurs exhibition. Since anyone who wants a brief introduction then we've had a number of to the area but for copyright reasons successful exhibitions and it's been we can’t show the full exhibition particularly nice to welcome local anywhere else. groups, such as BBLHS, to stage their own exhibitions at the Museum. As well as a lot of gluing, cutting and typing for the exhibition, Sally has We hope they'll be something of started an audit of the archives to interest for everybody next year too. make sure we have what we are Our exhibition ‘Winter Scenes’ runs supposed to and what work is needed until January 24th followed by a to list our new acquisitions. Recently display of portraits, both pictures and she has been investigating a large sculptures, until March 15th. Both deposit formerly the property of C A exhibitions will be a chance to see part Richards (1886-1981), an auctioneer of our extensive fine art collection of Hammelton Road, Bromley. If you which isn't normally on show. Pride of have any information about Mr place in the portraits exhibition will go Richards, Sally would be interested to to two pastels of the Hall sisters, Emily hear from you. and Ellen, of Ravenswood, West Wickham, by Canevari. These were The results of this work should start to produced in Rome in the 1860s and become visible during the next year, have just returned from conservation. when we also hope to relaunch our publications programme. First to Don't forget Orpington Photographic appear, hopefully in the early summer, Society's annual display at the is likely to be Wyn Parkinson’s revised Museum in March. We are hoping to history of Mottingham which she first organise a special events day with produced in 1977 and has long been them on Saturday March 24th to tie in out of print. The new edition will be with National Science Week. Look out more comprehensive with a modern for details in the local press and your attractive design. We hope this will be local library nearer the time. the first of many interesting local titles. Finally the recent spate of articles on By the time you read this we should be education prompts me to ask whether fully staffed again. Susan Drew is any of you have any items from your replacing Zoe Wetherell. Like Zoe, schooldays which you would be willing Susan is local and comes to us with to donate to the Museum. We have a museum experience. small collection of schooling items and would like to expand this. It would be Simon Finch useful for our own work in schools where pupils study what schools used The End of an Era to be like "in the old days". Farnborough British Legion Anyway A Happy Christmas to all and was formed in 1924. Unfortunately the branch we look forward to seeing you in the had to be wound up in September 2000, due to new year - and the new millennium. lack of local support. (If you don't know why next year is the Let us hope the records of the branch will be beginning of the new millennium, and not 2000, saved and perhaps deposited in the Local come in and see Alan!) Studies library for safe keeping. Ed. Melanie Parker, Assistant Curator 13 Don’t forget to renew your subscription! Bromleage December 2000 BOOK REVIEW Roman Roads in NW Kent capped to the south with clay-with-flints. It did by Paul Waters seem to me that the valley side was probably artificially terraced in places along the (Published by P.E. Waters and Associates, 105 proposed route. If so, this would have been Highland Road, Bromley BR1 4AA, 1999, 28pp., quite a big job and may have needed Roman ISBN 0-9489040-6-2) organisation. Of course, other periods such as It is nice to see the publication of a booklet the late neolithic were capable of large works, about possible, previously unknown, Roman too. Thus it seems uncertain whether this was roads in the Borough.' More so is it to be indeed a road running SSW along the valley welcomed because the suggested routes are side; its period of construction, if parts of the based, as they should be, on a very line are in fact artificial, is also uncertain. My considerable amount of detailed fieldwork and own view, for what it is worth, is that a route close local observation. The accepted Roman approximately along the suggested line was roads in our area are of course Watling Street probably in use in Roman times. The modern (running roughly along the A2), and the roads hereabouts all lie on the gravel floors of London - Lewes road which runs from London the dry valleys. SSE to Lewes by way of West Wickham. Dr. The other suggested Waters road, running Waters now suggests in his booklet that from West Wickham to Orpington, runs south another Roman route exists, starting from of the line of the western part of a road from Crayford, running along the east side of the West Wickham (identified as Noviomagus) to Cray, and ending by joining the Lewes road at Springhead (Vagniacae) which was put Tatsfield. He also suggests that his proposed forward by Brian Philp in a recent article (Lost road and the London - Lewes road were Roman town discovered at West Wickham, further connected by a shorter road joining Kent Archaeological Review 141, Autumn West Wickham and Orpington. 2000, pp. 2-4). What are apparently short In order to review a booklet like this one, stretches of this road have been found by ideally one should walk the whole of the excavation at Fordcroft near Orpington, and at proposed routes, where not under housing or Springhead. Also, there should be mentioned otherwise inaccessible. I must admit to not an article by Michael Meekums (Archives of doing all this; it would take about two years the Orpington & District Archaeological spare time! However, I have been to inspect Society, 21(4), November 1999, pp. 60-65) in the most promising parts of the proposed which he advocates the likelihood of an Crayford - Tatsfield route, and am fairly ancient, perhaps Roman, minor road from familiar with much of the area traversed. Ruxley to Green Street Green, but following a route near the river and to the west of the Most people envisage a Roman road as being Waters route, and then veering west to very straight and having a wide, deeply Holwood. metalled, cambered surface with two side ditches; an easily detected structure. While this Thus it seems that questions about the layout is so for main roads designed for rapid transit of the road system in Roman times are being of military units, it is not necessarily so for very actively pursued at present. Those minor roads. A minor road may follow the interested would do well to obtain Dr. Water’s contours, it may be surfaced with local nicely produced and interestingly written materials if at all, and needs no ditches if on booklet, follow some of the routes on the well-draining soil. A study of field, parish, or ground, and form their own opinion. county boundaries, which the road may follow, Alan Hart may offer some help but cannot be conclusive in itself. LATEST NEWS. I received this morning, an Addenda et East and north of Downe, Dr. Waters’ route Corrigenda for the above book. Dr Waters passes through the High Elms estate and Cuckoo Wood, running on a long shelf on the details ‘a lot of information that has been passed to me by readers which reinforces side of the dry valley. This is a chalk ridge, and modifies my conclusions.’ ED. 14 Bromleage December 2000 BOOK REVIEWS WARTIME HAYES. There is a great deal of local information by Trevor Woodman packed between the 156 pages of this well produced book with a nice selection of 30 It is always pleasing to see a member of the photographs. Most importantly it has been society in print, recording an important period well indexed. in our national history and the way it impacted on the local history scene. This is a great read and I believe a standard for other works on local history. Trevor Woodman has brought together a full range of local research material to recount Paperback. ISBN 0 9524056 0 1. Written and those dark days of W.W.II when these islands published by Trevor Woodman and available from him at 19 Hayes Hill Road, Hayes, Bromley, Kent feared the worse, an invasion, and prayed for BR2 7HH at a very reasonable price of £6 plus 85p deliverance from the demon Nazi across the for p & p. Please make cheques payable to T C channel. He has discovered much about the Woodman. growth of a small country village into a vastly PR. populated urban town not many miles from the centre of London. Although the old way of life The History of St Barnabas Cray was lost during this period, many by Rev George Day. organisations were formed to foster or retain a ‘village’ atmosphere, and as Trevor remarks, There are few books about the development of locally it is still the ‘village’. As a researcher, the estate at St Paul’s Cray, which came about he has drawn together snippets of information in 1949 after the London County Council showing how these organisations assisted in decided to acquire a site of 495 acres for this phase and then went on to assist, or housing despite opposition from the became the nucleus of, the war time groups Chislehurst-Sidcup U.D.C. This development that were so necessary to the functioning of was to house people who came from inner the ‘village’ up to and during the war. For this London. A degree of far sightedness by the war was the first to greatly involve the home Diocese of Rochester, began a new church for population and this is recounted in the daily the residents at a time when there were no accounts of the people. The tragedies as well shops, churches, schools or other community as some of the lighthearted moments are facilities in the area which had been mostly noted. The loss of life of two children in fields and trees before the development took Hayes Lane, Mary Stoner aged 8 and Harry place. Bruck, a 7 year old Austrian Jewish refugee in a bombing raid, and the loss of local lad The Rev George Day has written a history of Michael Brooker, 10 years of age, lost on the that event and the building of St Barnabas SS City of Benares, a ship full of evacuees Cray where he is the vicar now. It coincides which was sunk in September 1940.1 liked the with a celebration of the 50 years the church quote of the evacuee boy asking his parents to has existed, starting as a hut in 1950. The book send a large piece of shrapnel, as he knew a was given free to any who wished to have a boy who would give sixpence. copy at their celebration on Sunday 8th October 2000, when the church was packed Trevor not only chronicles the military with past and present members who were involvement in Hayes but names many of the provided with lunch after the morning service. local people involved in war work such as AFS members. He also mentions traders and It also tells how the money was raised to build householders caught up in the war. These are the church by the “St. Barnabas Builders” and always of interest to local history researchers, the events year by year to the present day. to see in print the ordinary and everyday folk Copies of the book can be obtained by writing carrying on as usual. He carries on the to the Vicar at the vicarage, Rushet Road, St recording after the war to the perhaps equally Paul’s Cray. The church also has a web site: difficult times of reconstruction and the www.st-barnabas-crav.org.uk rebuilding of a community after six long years Chris Porteous of war. 15 Bromleage December 2000 Schooldays in Bromley 1922-25 Harold Bowden When we moved to No. 10 Pembroke Road in feeling of loyalty or interest in the outcome of 1922 on my thirteenth birthday, it seemed the these unreal activities. obvious thing to transfer to the County Grammar school in Hayes Lane and this In the spring term there was cross-country entailed an interview with the Headmaster, Mr running. From this there was no escape on Reginald Airey, a much more impressive man grounds of incompetence and I had to do the than Mr Watts of the Beckenham school, with course. I found it exhausting, especially if I whom I had never had an interview. I said that had to walk home afterwards because the I was interested in science (I was still in my bicycle was out of action. I was not averse to H.G.Wells period) and then the Head asked; physical exertion but lacked the motivation. “do you like games?” Had I been briefed by What I enjoyed was a long walk to get someone at the school I should have replied: “I somewhere pleasant with family or friend at a regret that I have not so far had the rate which allowed conversation; or a cycle opportunity but I am looking forward very ride in order to get to somewhere new. When much to taking part now.” Instead I feebly sports day arrived I had an idea that I would be replied: “Not much”. I knew at once that the good at jumping, but without any coaching or Head had lost interest in me. “We all play encouragement the spark did not develop. games here,” he said and informed me that I Only in my last year, when we were free should be placed in Bispham’s House. between exams, did I discover with my friend Wells the joys of tennis; but of course, not There were I think six houses named after being a team game it was despised and masters who had left, except for School house swimming was also ignored. which was the Head’s. As he allocated each boy to a house on arrival it was clear that The teaching was thorough but stodgy as was School house had been seeded with all the typical of the time. We were always conscious most likely lads and was always expected to that an exam was looming and end of term win. Naturally I had been placed in the house reports were detailed with classwork and exam at the bottom of the league. There was very positions for parental comment. I had assumed little coaching by a master but names appeared till now that I would always be in the top four on a noticeboard and it was made clear that in any test but I started to slip downwards and your attendance had the sanction of Divine I realised that the momentum from my Law. This entailed returning to school on precociousness was now exhausted and I Wednesday or Saturday afternoon, which at should have to work. Homework became a Beckenham I had looked upon as my own burden if it involved a lot of writing at which I time. It was the soccer season but I never got was slow. History was the worst; do children the hang of it. The confused situation on the still have to explain the causes of the War of field, made worse by the fact that I had left off the Spanish Succession? I have learnt far more my glasses for safety, bore no resemblance to history since, because it was exciting but there the diagram on the board showing forwards, it was just a grind. Modern history finished halfbacks and backs in neat rows and if the with Queen Victoria so we never considered ball came my way, I thought the idea was to the causes of the Great War; that would have either kick it or run with it in the direction of been too political. I remember only two school the goal but there was always some loudmouth outings, one to the Empire Exhibition at yelling “pass” (to him of course). Cricket in its Wembley and one to the G.E.C. lamp factory, season was no better and it did not take long also at Wembley. The latter may have for it to be accepted that I was hopeless at influenced my choice of engineering when I games. However we rabbits (and I was not the prepared to leave, which found the careers only one) were required to come and cheer on master at a loss. I could tell from his tone that our team. As these ‘houses’ consisted of boys I was thought to be wasting my good scattered throughout the school who never net education and letting the school down. as a group I could not raise the slightest 16 Bromleage December 2000 There was little opportunity for anyone of exactly the things I needed to know in my artistic bent, which did not bother me as I had working life. no talent of that kind but the only chance to sing was in the French class where we learnt An incident occurred which illuminated Mr. the Marseillaise, Frere Jaques, Sur le Pont Stead’s character: in reaching for a flask from d’Avignon and Aupres de ma Blonde. I was a high shelf he let it slip and it threatened to rather surprised by this one, but I supposed smash on the composition floor. However he being French it was acceptable. We also learnt managed to intercept it with his foot from one of La Fontaine’s fables which I have which it bounced a few inches to the floor found extremely useful for polishing up my intact. There were genuine cries from the class accent. What a pity, after all the hours we of “that was jolly good, Sir”, “Why, didn't it spent on French, we were all tongue-tied when break Sir?”. One would expect any master in first trying to find our way in France. I hope this situation to have milked this rare sign of that now children learn to speak and admiration but he seemed to be irritated by our understand spoken French first. finding the event remarkable. “Of course it didn't break, effectively it fell only two In the English class too we learned poetry by inches” he growled; thus quickly putting a heart for which I am extremely grateful. Many stop to any risk of becoming popular. people say they were put off Shakespeare for life at school but I loved him from the start, As I was celebrating with others who had done especially Macbeth. I have added to my well in our final Oxford Senior Local Exam, stored repertoire ever since and can entertain Mr. Stead appeared. Glaring at me ferociously myself for an hour or so if forced to wait or he said “You should have done better”. I was unable to sleep at night. We also learnt more heartened by this than any grammar and I found the sort of exercises we congratulation for it showed that he had faith were given very enjoyable, like logical in my potential. puzzles. The school had a Scout Troop which looked The Physics Master, Mr Stead was an unlikely terribly smart and efficient when I saw it looking man for a school teacher. He could paraded. Although the 6th, to which I have had a bit part in a Western film without belonged, was breaking up I could not makeup or change of costume as the man understand how any boy would want to join a leaning on a rail who misdirects the posse by school troop led by a master and I finally saying “He went thataway”. He was said to joined the 15th with my friend Wells. The drink and was never known to smile or make “corps” however was another matter. The any remark not strictly germane to the subject. status of this body was never clear but it must However he was our form master and we felt have had some official basis to obtain the that he took the brunt of the Head's scorn for uniforms and rifles. The Commanding Officer science. Seeing him returning, grimmer than was Major Halt, one of the staff, and the Head ever, when we knew he had been seeing the occasionally turned up in uniform to inspect Head, I suspected that he was expected to give us. It was evidently his objective to get every us pep talks and that he had refused. The single boy into the corps and I am sure that if Physics lab. was in a separate building and one said “No”, one would have been must have been a recent addition well summoned to the presence to say why. We equipped with mysterious items which I were required once a week to come to school wanted explained, but Mr. Stead would not be in the uniform that the soldiers of the recent diverted into the wonders of nature; we were war had fought and died in. “The war to end to be instructed in the laws of gravity, War” had been over five years, the League of pressure, temperature, and the transition Nations had given us hope that we could get between solids, liquids and gases and it all on with our lives without playing soldiers. We turned out to be perfectly simple and obvious. did not believe that square bashing on the I did not altogether believe this but Mr. Stead's School playground was a serious help to the practical system worked and these were defence of the country but was the indulgence 17 Bromleage December 2000 of an elderly man and an ex-army officer in a Youth Movement with its unthinking loyalty fantasy of the past. to the clan and the leader and its ignorance of alternative ideas. Soon after I left a group of One morning at assembly the Head announced prefects broke up a communist Sunday school. that Murphy had agreed, in spite of his pacifist Whether the Head knew about it or not, it may principles to join the “corps”. It was obvious have been the reason for his retirement. that he expected this to be greeted with cheers Harold Bowden but there was dead silence. If only I had had the courage to shout “shame” I believe Correction. In Mr Bowden’s previous article in the everyone would have joined in. Murphy was a October edition, p.8 should have read ‘Rink’ cinema, not ^ Rank. The cinema had previously been a skating rink. Ed very senior man with an awesome reputation for intellect, said to be studying oriental languages, but what we were thinking about Dear Paul and Denise was what he would look like in uniform, for his six feet of height was disguised by a body What a joy to read Harold Bowden’s ‘Schooldays like a bolster tied up with string surmounted in Beckenham’. At last my recollection of the penny by an enormous head, already losing most of 2nd class open air swimming bath has been its hair, that tended to roll about. Indeed, when confirmed. The pool was complete with a water chute and a small springboard and of course Mr he appeared on parade wearing what was no Austin. If my memory is correct there were 2 doubt the largest available, but still attendants who removed leaves & debris from the inadequate, cap on that noble head, I could water and who also recorded the temperature on a have wept. blackboard at the entrance ‘kiosk’. There were also ‘slipper baths’ for people without bathrooms where Drama is now considered an essential part of I think soap and towels were ‘extra ’. I lived at 209 education but the only productions in my time Blandford Road - a house with a bathroom - even there were old-fashioned comedies designed though water had to be heated in the copper in the for a star actor, so they were not group scullery and carried up the stairs, so I have no activities but merely the Head's chance to personal knowledge of the actual baths. show his skill in production. One year it was As for me, I knew the Box family who lived in The Private Secretary and the next Grumpy. Beckenham Road (a couple of houses the The star part in this was given to Stamp who Beckenham side of the Ravenscroft Road turning) not only had a suitably elderly appearance but having gone to school with Betty who eventually happened to be the son of a prominent citizen, became well known in the ‘Film World’ as did Sir Josiah Stamp the economist, later Baron Muriel and Sydney who produced and directed Stamp of Shortlands. Box-office hits. The Head's undoubted ability for holding his I remember the annual Bromley Festivals and the captive audience of boys was displayed at its one-act plays for which Muriel and Sydney were famous. finest at Easter when he related the whole story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection with One other unimportant memory is of 2 guns on the special stress on the agony of the Crucifixion. big lawn opposite the lake in Kelsey Park - relics of I bitterly resented this manipulation of our the 1914-18 War. (Some people remember one.) emotions which was no help in solving my problem as to why among all the thousands I was born in 1916 and have lived in Beckenham upon thousands of man tortured to death all my life - though not in the same house. I went to through History, this one was special. Churchfields Road Infants School, later to Bromley Road Junior Mixed, where I won a scholarship to the Beckenham County School for girls in Lennard I left school at sixteen with relief. I had no Road - where the famous Miss Fox was prospect of going to University and in any headmistress and who will I am sure be case I should not have wanted to stay there remembered by all who attended the school during for another two years. I detested the Head's her head-ship. ideal of a suburban public school. The system could have slipped unchanged into the Hitler Yours sincerely Marjory Heath field. 18 Bromleage December 2000 LETTERS PAGE Dear Denise Dear Editors Re the October edition and the query from The ‘new master with a strong Yorkshire Murray Miles in Canada. accent’ to whom Harold Bowden referred (‘Schooldays in Beckenham 1916-1922’ According to Horsburgh - all three roads Bromleage, October 2000) was, without doubt, Ravensbourne, Ringers & Ethelbert were built Harold “Sorbo” Thorpe. in the late 1800s. I have directories for 1894 & 98. Neither refers to Claremont but there are a He taught me at the other end of his career. He few houses there. Even the latest directories - had remained an excellent teacher; lively, 1956 the last, showed a few houses plus innovative and sometimes very funny. But he offices. had one blind spot. I have a ‘Bromley in the Front Line’ by Lewis By my time Beckenham County School was in Blake - none of the roads were hit, but of Penge High Street and Sorbo’s upstairs course in April 1941 many buildings went classroom was opposite the King’s Hall including the parish church. Cinema. Daily, at about 10.20, the front doors would open and a woman would come out As to Ethelbert Road - on the right from the with bucket and scrubbing brush and would High Street was built in the 1930s a leasehold start to wash the steps. We would watch out for her and nudge each other when she cul de sac of flats - Ethelbert Close. Also a appeared because we knew what would building initially used for the Revenue. Further down was a large piece of land sold to follow. the Council for £1 by the ‘Marks’ family. A As soon as Sorbo spotted her he would covenant that no building should be erected - abandon his dissertation on the Imperfect of always for wildlife, trees etc. Then at the the Subjunctive or on the peculiarities of some bottom of the hill - tennis courts - all joined on irregular verb and would launch into a vitriolic to the Library gardens at the lowest part. attack on Jewish cinema owners who exploited this and similar poor, downtrodden On the left - offices - solicitors etc. In fact women. very few buildings He would be unstoppable on the subject for Ravensbourne Road was different. Four flats several minutes. Familiar with the theme, we on the left - facing the Gaumont cinema would remain still until the storm passed. We fronting the High Street - the organ inside found the performance quite entertaining and a could almost be heard outside. The flats had pleasant break from the hard grind of the railway at the rear. Then a piece of land. translation or recitation of past participles. Doctors had their surgery in the High Street I'm sure it had no influence on us, but it was between the Odeon and the shops. Their somewhat tactless as we had several Jewish building had ‘bays’ on each floor. When the refugees from Germany and Austria in the Council changed the Broadway into the High school. Street, rather than demolition they arranged for the ground floor bay to be cut away - Characteristically, whereas the other ageing pedestrians could walk under the other bays. members of staff loyally stayed on until the War But then the doctors built a new surgery on the ended and the younger teachers returned, Sorbo took his retirement when it was due, in 1941. The land in Ravensbourne Road. It is still there! school magazine, THE BECCEHAMLAN, There was also a footpath with a cottage in it - commented: “with typical modesty, he did not you could pass over the railway onto the allow the school to convey their thanks”. allotments. The allotments were built on. Ron Cox George Hailey Sanderstead 9 November 2000 19 Bromleage December 2000 WW1 METRO. CONSTABLE'S Dear Editors Regarding the advertisement for HOV1S bread that EXPERIENCES. featured in local railway carriages pre-war (letter from Chris Timms, BROMLEAGE October 2000), Mr. Fosdick, of Beckenham Road, has my recollection is that the header codes received the following letter from Private H. represented: Hayes, Orpington, Victoria, Isleworth Barker, of the Grenadier Guards, a Constable and Sanderstead. of the Metropolitan Police (P), who is in hospital at Cambridge: - The fact that an advertisement is remembered at all seventy years on is a great tribute to the copywriter. “At last I find time to drop you a line, not this Two others come to mind. Many buses and time from ‘Somewhere in France,’ but in dear magazines carried a silhouette of Greta Garbo old England. Am very lucky to he here, or 1 having a drink, with the slogan “Greta Colday with rather think so myself after my thrilling a cup of Ovaltine”. experience . . . I got flattened out by one of Also, on the down side of West Wickham station those aerial torpedo bombs, which were flying there was a large poster that referred to the Miller in every direction about our lines, but I thank General Hospital at Greenwich. It read: "The ill in God I only got what we call slightly knocked, Miller need your sillier". For the benefit of although in 21 different places about my body, Sassenachs, there was an asterisk against “siller” but none very serious, as I am able to sit up. I and a footnote explaining that a siller was a Scottish might tell you I happened to be asleep at the sixpence. Ron Cox (Dr) time I received my lot, as it was about 4.30 Sanderstead, lffh November 2000 p.m., and we had been letting the Germans have a little bit of our way all night long. We rushed them and gained possession of three The Daily Telegraph of Tuesday October 31st rather important points from where they were 2000 reported that the village church of St. Lawrence’s in Hatfield, near Doncaster in able to throw hand grenades nearly into the Yorkshire, has commemorated Thomas Crapper, trench where I was situated. So next day, to the Victorian inventor of the flush lavatory, in a get a bit of their own back, they bombarded us £40,000 stained glass window. The darkened with whizbangs and aerial torpedoes, but we escaped very luckily under the circumstances, there not being many casualties. But, my word, what a rude awakening for me to find myself hurled into the bottom of the trench and lumps of chalk and sandbags flying in all directions, besides articles of kit, which I did not wait for once I was dug out by some of my mates. 1 made my way to the dressing-station. Give my kindest regards...... to the boys at our little house on the comer if you should happen to see them.” The little corner house P.C. Barker refers to is the Penge Police station. P.C. Barker went right through the Boer War with the Grenadier Guards, and rejoined the Army last spring. He has been in France for silhouette of a lavatory is included in the 10 ft by seven months. (Local newspaper WW1.) 20 ft window, together with other images including a coal mine, an airfield and a school, in celebration of local achievements in the last 1000 years. Merry ChrUtvna^ Thomas Crapper was born nearby in Thorne in 1836 and lived there for 12 years before moving to London. He is buried in Elmers End cemetery. 20 Time to renew your subscription!