Name: Linda Hampson
Email: lindahampson40atgmail.com
Years_at_school: 1957-64
Date: 27 Apr 2016
Time: 10:17:38
The 1957 intake has just had it's 2 yearly reunion, and we saw the post from Janet Gilbert, nee Ettinger. Janet, I tried to contact you at the e-mail address shown but it bounced. Do get in touch, so that we can invite you to the next reunion in London April 28-29, 2018.
Name: Beverley Sommerville nee Lacy
Email: eccentricgardenersatgmail.com
Years_at_school: 1955 to 1962
Date: 16 Mar 2016
Time: 11:26:58
I cant say that I enjoyed my time at Harrow County, it was so authoritarian and I was a rather untidy and disorganised child. Why did we have to walk in lines round the school with prefects stationed at regular points to catch people who were talking? Remember some teachers with horror, they were so strict and terrifying, but loved art with Miss Mappin(?) and games and gym, played in various netball teams. Also loved Mrs Jagger who taught us zoology and Mrs Lewin who was very kind. Have a photo of a netball team with Enid, Grace, Julia, Jennifer, Cherry but cant remember surnames.
Name: Frances Youel nee Johns
Email: fmyouelathotmail.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1954-1960
Date: 14 Feb 2016
Time: 07:24:28
Yes I agree, I do wish there were more details of the history of the school and how it started. I started in IIIB in 1954, and like Liz Roberts (Ring) I found Miss Cook an inspirational teacher, though I have appreciated her far more in later life than during school days. How do people find out about reunions, I wonder? I see references to various reunions but have never heard of them beforehand. 55 years on, how interesting it would be to know more about long lost friends.
Name: Susan M Kendall nee Jordan
Email: smkendallattiscali.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1956 to 1963
Date: 24 Jan 2016
Time: 08:24:36
It would be good to see a proper history of the school and lists of teachers. Great to have a website at last!
Name: Heather Smith
Email: tonyhegatbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1965 to 1969
Date: 21 Jan 2016
Time: 09:48:48
I was delighted to find this site when I googled Harrow County Girls School. I have recently come across the paperwork for a 25th Reunion we had in May 1991 for those who left school in 1969. I wonder how many of you are still in touch. I have mixed memories of school as I arrived at the age of 14 from Ireland and found mid 60's England a very strange place. However, I made some good friends and am still in touch with Helen Coles (now Richmond) and Carolyn Jolly (now Hedges)45 years on. I too am a non-swimmer, despite HCGS best efforts, but it did not put me off living on a boat for many years!
Name: Rosemary James (Edwards)
Email: Rosie at homeinbarry.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1972 - 77
Date: 17 Oct 2015
Time: 23:50:18
I was in the last intake that came into the school in 1972, Mrs Kelly was our form teacher, and we remained the youngest year in the school until those of us who were left were in the upper sixth - by then the second year at Lowlands 6th form college. It was a time of huge change for everyone - but especially for the teachers who had been there for so long. Memories include our class re-enacting the Battle of Hastings in Room 16 with Miss Buckley, using rulers as swords and exercise book as shields, Miss Bryden demonstrating bunny hops in gym (how did she do it?), the horror of flash uniform inspections if you weren't wearing your indoor shoes and the strange juxtaposition of old fashioned grammar school rules and regulations with a swelling mixed sixth form at the height of punk rock. I still have my old summer dress that used to turn inside out at the slightest breeze - my daughter wore for a halloween costume a couple of years ago!
Name: Janet Gilbert (Ettinger)
Email: janetgilbertatbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1957-1963
Date: 15 Oct 2015
Time: 16:56:53
Have no idea what made me google Harrow County - but what a lovely surprise! Amazed that we share so many memories - the PE teacher whom I thought would topple over (anyone who remembers her may well remember why), the brown house shoes, the White house, the old bomb shelter, walking on the right, in silence,in the corridors, those hats. The timid student music teacher in the room at the top of the stairs from the playground - I still feel guilty at how we treated her. As for DMR and her traffic lights - I never got to know her first names, nor those of most the teachers. Three order marks and posture stars - got them all. Stupidly I didn't do A Levels, although got a degree as a very very mature student at Westminster, just up the road next to Northwick Park Hospital. However I did have a wonderful year with Miss Dent - 'it wasn't the cough........' , 'worse things happen at sea', etc. Still type fast. As for the boys - we used to see them on the train back to Preston Park - but kept our hats primly at the top of our heads. I had no problem with short skirts, it was before minis. Still upset that the Latin teacher named me Parva. As for that cottage in the woods, there were always rumours that DMR lived with the PE teacher in a flat near the boys' school. Even in those days we giggled. My close friend was Ruth Shapiro, lost touch after I married my handsome boyfriend in 1966. In my class was a girl who was 'going steady' with a son of Levertons, funeral directors. Wonder whether she married him? I passed my driving test and borrowed a mini a couple of times. Ferried friends to Lacrosse. Certainly remember the changing cubicles after swimming. All in all lovely memories and a great education.
Name: Madeleine Watkins (nee Causbrook)
Email: Mad at watkinshome.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1965 to 1970
Date: 05 Aug 2015
Time: 16:14:29
I remember my years at HCGS as clearly as if I was there last week. Teachers I remember, Mrs Kelly for Maths, Miss Platt for English, Miss Brydon and Miss Hossford for PE, Miss Waterstone? For French. Another teacher whose name I forget for Geography, she went to live in Lebanon. I hated History but now I find it so interesting. I was hopeless at French but now amaze my family how I get us by in French when in France. I seem to be better at French now than I ever was at school! I absolutely adored Mrs Dereham the needlework teacher. She used to moan at us for leaving our Porte manteaux in the aisle for her to trip over. I still have the letter my parents received when I got the place at the school and I have my O Level papers. I remember when Miss Robinson came round the classrooms and we all had to write 'the cow stood in the field'. It was to find out who had written something naughty in the toilets. I loved morning assembly and singing hymns though I am not remotely religious. I hated swimming at West Harrow baths, it was so cold. I hated school dinners so took a packed lunch every day. I remember one homework when we had to learn....The quality of mercy is not strained etc. I was up all night learning it and we were never tested on it. I still can recite it, husband thinks I am crazy! I hated reading Shakespeare. Well actually I am a bookworm but cannot think of one single book we read in English that I liked. Possibly The Secret Garden but that's it really. I'd love to hear from you if you remember me.
Name: Audrey Roux nee Bailey
Email: p.roux193atbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1941 - 1946
Date: 28 Mar 2015
Time: 06:04:15
I started Harrow County School for Girls in September 1941 the same day (as far as I can remember) as Miss Robinson, the Headmistress. A new form, Upper 3rd, had been instigated that year to accommodate girls who had returned from being evacuated and their first year at Grammar School had been interrupted. My form mistress in my final year, 1946, was Miss Irwin, also History Mistress. I still have a very small photograph of my class in that year, taken in front of the front door of the school. I am standing next to Monica Furlong. I have enjoyed a very 'ordinary' but happy life, married for 60 years and raising two daughters, one of whom, Penny Ronnberg, now lives and works in Finland.
Name: Liz Roberts nee Ring
Email: lizj.roberts.1atgmail.com
Years_at_school: 1954 - 1958
Date: 22 Mar 2015
Time: 13:00:29
would love to hear of any reunions for students of these years. Many happy memories of the school, particularly Miss Cook who instilled in me a love of history. I rebelled against studying and left school at 16 but realized my mistake and eventually ended up as deputy head of a primary school. I have been trying to locate Anne Purnell nee Southgate for sometime, does anyone know of her whereabouts?
Name: Elizabeth (Betty) Amor and Barbara Amor
Email: mpjatwaitrose.com
Years_at_school: 1922 - 1938
Date: 07 Nov 2014
Time: 06:25:56
I am writing this entry on behalf of my mother (Betty) and aunt (Barbara). (Both sadly now dead.) Betty was at the school from 1922 to 1929, and Barbara from 1932 to 1938. Harrow County High School (as it then was) frequently featured in their reminiscences of childhood. Both held the famous Miss Husskison in great awe. Barbara told me that she had to pass "Hussky's" house on her walk to school, and used to try to get past without being spotted, so that she did not have to stop and say "Good morning, Miss Husskison!". Both my mother and aunt left behind photograph albums containing snaps of themselves and friends at the school, in those unflattering gym slips. During the twenties, it was very fashionable amongst the girls to wear the gym slip sash as low on the hips as possible - some look as though they are only kept up by will-power. My mother's photos also include shots of the girls performing their Physical Exercises in regimented rows. My mother married Alan Bryson and had two children; she lived in Burnham, Bucks, until the age of 89. My aunt never married; she became a school teacher, and died at Chobham, Surrey, last month, at the age of 93. She was active and played Scrabble up to the last. But she never learnt French, despite (or because of?) Miss Baxter's best efforts - school reports showed that Barbara "does not even try"!
Name: Frances Youel nee Johns
Email: fmyouelathotmail.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1954-60
Date: 27 Aug 2014
Time: 06:58:58
Have just logged on for the first time in ages, having got a new computer some time ago and never caught up on previous contacts. I do remember you, Jenny Norman, regarded as rather a naughty girl I think - didn't you cause a bit of a stir by appearing in a pop magazine (Roxy?) with a couple of your friends? I have read back through so many of the messages which bring memories back. My clearest memories are probably of Miss Dent, who took us for the Secretarial Sixth 1959-60. I think she had been a Wren but she was so scatterbrained and disorganised I couldn't imagine how she got on - but she was very funny and a very good teacher. I used shorthand and typing through all the many jobs I had over the years and Miss Dent would I think have been surprised at how my skills improved! I haven't found any of my friends in these pages - does anyone know anything about Marion Webb, Janet Scott, Jennifer Boman? We all went our different ways but I am still in touch with Beryl Smith (now Brown). Will keep an eye on future messages ...
Name: Jennifer Bainbridge nee Norman
Email: jenny.bainbridgeatraywhite.com
Years_at_school: 1955-1960
Date: 25 Jun 2014
Time: 01:17:21
It was a great school set in beautiful grounds with daffodils and horse chestnut trees. I was a bit of a rebel and collected plenty of order marks and detentions. Headmistress Miss Robinson was rather scary as was our Science teacher (cannot remember her name) but she used to throw chalk across the room at pupils. Names I remember are Susan Capstick, Danuta Wlodarczyk and Stephanie Lyon. I remember posture stars that were earned for good deportment, PE with Miss Brydon including tennis on the grass courts down the road and lacrosse, teachers Miss Norwell, Mrs Rose, Miss Flower and some very ordinary school reports. I have lived in New Zealand since 1963 so have been unable to attend any reunions. I am very excited to have found this website which has brought back many memories.
Name: Kathleen Beryl Watson, now Grice
Email: Mcn4482 at aol.com
Years_at_school: 1930-1939
Date: 16 Jun 2014
Time: 16:43:09
I am writing this following a conversation with my mother, now 94, who was recalling her days at Harrow County School. Her strongest memories were of the headmistress, Miss Huskisson , the French teacher, Miss Baxter, and the physical education teacher Miss Spaight, who always called my mother Brenda instead of Beryl. She said that although the school was keeping the students informed about the impending war, the students were really oblivious to the seriousness of the situation. Karen McNicoll
Name: Type your name here
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school:
Date: 16 Jun 2014
Time: 16:23:36
I am writing this following a ci
Name: Ian Gawn
Email: ian.gawnatorange.fr
Years_at_school: 1955-62
Date: 03 Feb 2014
Time: 08:19:25
But that was down at Gayton Road. Just a thought, did any of you see Danuta Wlodarczyk on Antiques Road Show a few months back with her Dad's Polish Air Force and RAF memorabilia. Her parents were by strange coincidence "Hon Grandparents" to my nephews and niece through the Catholic Church at N Harrow. Hello to anyone who might remember a callow youth at HCS - was an item for a couple of years with Anne Maddren, sadly no longer with us.
Name: Miriam Lunn (nee Barnes)
Email: miriam.lunn at yahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1968-1972
Date: 06 Dec 2013
Time: 10:46:52
Mr Allen, music teacher, my lifelong inspiration, sadly died 7 June 2007. Will remember him with gratitude always.
Name: Sally Stark nee Dixcee
Email: sally.stark at sky.com
Years_at_school: 1969-1974
Date: 13 Nov 2013
Time: 12:53:23
Interesting to find this site, inevitably I was originally checking out the HCBS site for old boys after watching one of them on the TV! Many disjointed memories - the most amazing being my Dad at the first parents' evening being wholly embarrassed to find his old form teacher (on whom he had an enormous crush) being my Headmistress - yes Miss Cartman! It seems like such good fun looking back: gerbils escaping in the biology lab and running under the floorboards, letting the pet rats run about the gardens, breaking thermometers to play with the balls of mercury , bunsen burners to twiddle........nothing that would be allowed nowadays. And some fantastic and enthusiastic teachers, who was that fierce classics teacher who gave me a detention for having my top button undone but inspired a lifelong devotion to the greek playwrights and philosophers? And yes, we illicitly poked around the White House looking for the secret tunnel. Simple pleasures that you don't appreciate until they have gone.
Name: Penny King
Email: penny_pingletonatyahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1966- 73
Date: 24 Aug 2013
Time: 14:10:17
scrolling down to 2012 (haven't visited this site for ages) I see someone was asking about a school song. Well I don't remember one as such, but i do remember a kind of tradition (in the first few years I was there anyway) of a sixth former, possibly the head girl, singing an advent carol as a solo, which started 'Wake oh wake for night is flying...' at the xmas carol service each year.Other memories - being informed by Mrs Akast, formerly Miss Silsby, that I hadn't stopped yawning throughout her (A level double geography) lesson; kneeling on the ground to have the length of my skirt measured - up to 6 inches off the ground when kneeling was all we were allowed when I was in the lower years, but times had evidently changed by 1972 as I still have my 6th form school summer dress which scarcely covers my bum. I was generally quite a good girl but I remember being slightly in awe of the slightly maverick girls who didn't seem to mind openly flouting the rules - I remember one Helen Chiese being challenged by Miss Buckley about her very non orthodox 'indoor shoes'and Helen telling her that she was wearing them as she had dropped a record on her foot and injured her toe! of course we all flouted the uniform rules but not when we could be found out. During the compulsory school hat era it was quite normal to take our felt hats off and stuff it into our bags as soon as we had got on the Watford train at Harrow on the Hill station after school.
Name: Norma Phillips (now Higbee)
Email: norma.higbeeathotmail.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1939-45
Date: 07 Aug 2013
Time: 04:40:30
I may be your oldest contributor! As you can see from my dates, I was at Harrow County for the duration of the war, so I have memories of going across the road during air-raids to continue lessons (of sorts!) in the underground shelters. Also, for our 'School Certificate' exams we sat in the corridors - ready for quick evacuation. I only remember the head teacher, Miss Huskisson (much feared!) and Miss Baxter the marvellous French teacher who would not allow one word of English in her classes. I still remember all the French she taught me. I am just back from visiting my brother (now nearly 97!) in Canada - he was at the boys' County School - and we were reminiscing about our school days, which prompted me to see whether there was a relevant website - so glad I found it.
Name: Helen Stead nee Hynds
Email: helenstead45 at gmail.com
Years_at_school: 1957 - 1960
Date: 13 Jul 2013
Time: 20:43:53
Apologies: my previous email address was incomplete. This one is correct! Did any of you ex-HCSG readers travel to school on the Uxbridge line Tube to Harrow on the Hill during those years? My home station was Ruislip Manor. There were a few regulars but I can only remember one name, Angela.
Name: Helen Stead nee Hynds
Email: helenstead at gmail.com
Years_at_school: 1957-1960
Date: 12 Jul 2013
Time: 18:42:37
I loved Harrow County! My fondest memories include the wonderful expansive grounds and magnificent trees. As new girls we were given a tour of the grounds by a knowledegeable teacher who told us what all the different trees were. The copper beech was the most impressive tree of them all. there were also numerous tennis courts and a great practice hitting wall at the bottom courts. I used to spend hours hitting balls up against that wall. I remember playing in a school tournament where I was beaten in the final by a girl who went on to play at Junior Wimbledon. My best friend at school was called Gillian. The headmistress was formidable, short, plump, bespectacled and scary. She once called me to her office because I couldn't stop coughing in assembly. I received a suitable dressing down - goodness knows why I didn't leave the assembly hall to cough outside! I'm very proud of being a former pupil of the school. It's sad that such good institutions had to go.
Name: Miriam Lunn (nee Barnes)
Email: miriam.lunnatyahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1968-1972
Date: 27 Jan 2013
Time: 13:55:53
I was so glad to find this website, I have been searching for friends from schooldays for years. My best friends were Susan Johnson and Linda Pearson, we moved to Kent when I was in UVC, missed everyone so much. Some of the teachers names on here brought back so many memories, Mrs Pledger was my form teacher and maths in 3C, Mrs Dalziel-Latin, Mrs Hughes-English, Miss Riley-Physics, also form teacher in U4C,Miss Buckley-history(she terrified me!),Miss Dent-RE, Mrs Sutton - German, and Mr Allen -music and choir -he inspired me with a lifelong love of music and all things Welsh. I recently bought a clarinet from ebay and am teaching myself to play. I had some of the best days of my life here and think of it often, would love to hear from anyone else from my era or anyone who can help me find lost friends.
Name: Stella Dorsman
Email: stelladorsmanathotmail.com
Years_at_school:
Date: 07 Jan 2013
Time: 22:31:26
I am writing from my home in Canada. I stumbled on this website while searching for information about my mother who died in 1948 at the age of 24. I discovered that she attended the Harrow School because I have in my possession a copy of Jane Eyre which she received for "General Progress" on Nov.16,1939. The name of the headmistress as inscribed in the book is M. Huskissor?? ( handwriting hard to read). The school motto, Nisi Dominus Frustra, is also inscribed in the book. My mother's name was Freda Streather and she lived on Fernbrook Drive in North Harrow.
Name: Pauline Seymour
Email: paseymo at ix.netcom.com
Years_at_school: 1957-1964
Date: 02 Jan 2013
Time: 14:50:08
Actually I didn't like the place much. 160-intake coeducational primary school to 90-intake single sex secondary school was decidedly claustrophobic. There are some memories though - like Mrs Dennis's latin lessons (she was brilliant), being given a toffee by Mrs Dennis on the No 18 bus and eating it in school uniform with a couple of prefects sitting behind who couldn't do anything about it, Miss Minster - a good science teacher with an excellent aim (chalk), Miss Davies setting fire to the physics lab, or at least trying to (if one lot of ether evaporates in an oven, why not try two!!), Miss Tilling - great maths teacher who left after getting pregnant without a licence (not done in those days), Miss Flower who insisted every recipe started off with "collect all ingredients and utensils" - advice never forgotten, sitting outside Miss Robinson's door on more than one occasion, Miss Buckley (the least said about her the better), the utterly boring and completely pointless extra term to sit the Oxbridge exams (at least no-one has to do that nowadays - the only way I survived that was to be permanently plugged in to my tranny and the then new Radio Caroline) and walking out on the last day (17 Dec 1964) without looking back. Actually I've been back once, after it become a tertiary college, to meet a friend who was working there.
Name: Madeleine Howard (Pratt)
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school: 1962 -9 (I think!)
Date: 28 Sep 2012
Time: 03:04:37
Ilid Landry is totally responsible for my career, she was so supportive and encouraging despite the rest of the staff (apart from Enid Mills)being somewhat disapproving of thespians! Many of the previous comments have brought back memories of HCGS - and I've dined out on 'back inspection' stories, can you imagine the headlines today! I spent most of the sixth form at HCBS taking part in many 'Convergence' productions and also being a keen member of the Old Gaytonians, it's a wonder I managed to get any A levels - a fact pointed out in no uncertain terms by Miss Buckley! I've recently met up again with Katie Finch (a delight) and her sister Suzanne, as well as a happy reunion with Sue Pearl. For those of you who remember my very closest friend (I sat next to her at Bridge Junior School when we were 5)Irene Fawkes sadly died after a short illness in April 2012. My memory being somewhat unreliable I depended on her to recount endless HCGS stories, and now that won't happen anymore. Luckily Katie has stepped in to a certain extent, although she's younger. I've kept in touch with a lot of the boys, Richard Salter, Michael Portillo, Michael Woods, Francis Matthews, Stephen Games to name but a few - we're all thriving and none the worse for our time at Harrow!
Name: Anne Sanders (now Couchman)
Email: annecouchmanatvirginmedia.com
Years_at_school: 1957 - 1964
Date: 28 Aug 2012
Time: 14:44:23
My twin sister, Margaret, and I joined the school feeling rather overwhelmed even though our older sister Janet had just left the summer before. (Sadly both sisters are no longer with me). No one believed Margaret and I were twins as we never looked alike. I can remember house shoes, those awful 'bowler' hats, order marks and a detention I received for running up the stairs two at a time (not ladylike, Anne!) I remember lacrosse and that awful swimming pool. I played in the school tennis and netball teams. Teachers - Miss Bryden(!), Mrs Guest, Miss Mardell, Miss Smith, Mrs Smith (who took over as our maths teacher in the upper Vth and promised to get us through our O level - lovely lady), Miss Platt (fierce - but I liked her), Miss Tilling (the fully paid up member of the gestapo type maths teacher), Mrs Gold, Miss Eames - lovely shift dresses and great art teacher, Miss Minster. Miss Robinson and the sherry before Carol Concerts. Miss Flower guding me to a career as a home economics teacher - altho I ended up as Head of Student Services at FE College. Why were we made to feel so inferior even when HCGS only took the top 5% of 11 plus passes? The school was considered a good thing to have on your CV though! I remember Miss Buckley - was she just slightly mad? She came into class once with her suspender belt hanging over the top of her skirt and got really cross about all sorts of things. We had a test one day and the fire bell went so no one completed it and we all got a grade D for our overall term grade!! The school hymn we sang was Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring and then at Christmas the solo was Wake Oh Wake for night is flying - there was always a soloist. I was in the school choir for a while. It has all come flooding back - amazing it was so long ago. Best wishes to all.
Name: Anne Sanders (now Couchman)
Email: annecouchmanatvirginmedia.com
Years_at_school: 1957 - 1964
Date: 28 Aug 2012
Time: 14:36:02
My twin sister, Margaret, and I joined the school feeling rather overwhelmed even though our older sister Janet had just left the summer before. (Sadly both sisters are no longer with me). No one believed Margaret and I were twins as we never looked alike. I can remember house shoes, those awful 'bowler' hats, order marks and a detention I received for running up the stairs two at a time (not ladylike, Anne!) I remember lacrosse and that awful swimming pool. I played in the school tennis and netball teams. Teachers - Miss Bryden(!), Mrs Guest, Miss Mardell, Miss Smith, Mrs Smith (who took over as our maths teacher in the upper Vth and promised to get us through our O level - lovely lady), Miss Platt (fierce - but I liked her), Miss Tilling (the fully paid up member of the gestapo type maths teacher), Mrs Gold, Miss Eames - lovely shift dresses and great art teacher, Miss Minster. Miss Robinson and the sherry before Carol Concerts. Miss Flower guding me to a career as a home economics teacher - altho I ended up as Head of Student Services at FE College. Why were we made to feel so inferior even when HCGS only took the top 5% of 11 plus passes? The school was considered a good thing to have on your CV though! The school hymn we sang was Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring and then at Christmas the solo was Wake Oh Wake for night is flying - there was always a soloist. I was in the school choir for a while. It has all come flooding back - amazing it was so long ago. Best wishes to all.
Name: Anne Sanders (now Couchman)
Email: annecouchmanatvirginmedia.com
Years_at_school: 1957 - 1964
Date: 28 Aug 2012
Time: 14:36:01
My twin sister, Margaret, and I joined the school feeling rather overwhelmed even though our older sister Janet had just left the summer before. (Sadly both sisters are no longer with me). No one believed Margaret and I were twins as we never looked alike. I can remember house shoes, those awful 'bowler' hats, order marks and a detention I received for running up the stairs two at a time (not ladylike, Anne!) I remember lacrosse and that awful swimming pool. I played in the school tennis and netball teams. Teachers - Miss Bryden(!), Mrs Guest, Miss Mardell, Miss Smith, Mrs Smith (who took over as our maths teacher in the upper Vth and promised to get us through our O level - lovely lady), Miss Platt (fierce - but I liked her), Miss Tilling (the fully paid up member of the gestapo type maths teacher), Mrs Gold, Miss Eames - lovely shift dresses and great art teacher, Miss Minster. Miss Robinson and the sherry before Carol Concerts. Miss Flower guding me to a career as a home economics teacher - altho I ended up as Head of Student Services at FE College. Why were we made to feel so inferior even when HCGS only took the top 5% of 11 plus passes? The school was considered a good thing to have on your CV though! The school hymn we sang was Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring and then at Christmas the solo was Wake Oh Wake for night is flying - there was always a soloist. I was in the school choir for a while. It has all come flooding back - amazing it was so long ago. Best wishes to all.
Name: Kate Percival ( nee Finch)
Email: poussinpaintsatyahoodotcodotuk
Years_at_school: 1965-70
Date: 05 Jul 2012
Time: 13:47:13
Love the story of the encounter with Miss Bryden in the New Forest! I recall that there were many rumours of a cottage in the New Forest and which teachers perhaps went there. In my time at the school a wondrous tale was circulating of a girl in the 6th Form who,allegedly, went for a clandestine weekend in a cottage deep in the New Forest with her boyfriend only to discover, upon waking bright and early on the Saturday morning and flinging open the bedroom window, Miss Bryden in the garden of the cottage next door engaged in her early morning exercises. On a more serious note- I'm hoping to get some more pages up on the website later this year and to do so I need your memories and photos- don't imagine for one moment that your reminiscences wouldn't be interesting-they would! I'm hoping to get a feel of how the school was throughout its time-any memories about uniform,staff, classes...all welcome. Especially photos.Thanks. I have some wonderful material from a lady who was at the school 1927-36 and would love some more pre-war memories - also war-time, we were aware of the air-raid shelter in the 60s, but never got to go inside.So, if you or anyone you know was at the school and would like to send material, do please get in touch. Anyone out there who went into the legendary tunnel under the White House? Any photos of the inside of the White House? School Trips? Any uniform items you still have and could photograph? Where is your posture star? Let me know.
Name: Hilary Glaser (Strange)
Email: glaserahatonline.de
Years_at_school: 1967-1974
Date: 02 Jul 2012
Time: 23:49:20
I found on www.friendsreunited.com by chance the photos of UV and Sixth form, with Mrs. Pledger(Maths) Mrs. Smith(Physics) and most of our names, thanks to Angela Shergold (Bower) for those.
Name: Sheila.Hounsell nee Faid
Email: sheila.j.hounsellatvirginmedia.com
Years_at_school: 1956 to 1961
Date: 21 Jun 2012
Time: 04:46:54
I've just been trying to find any information about our school choir who competed at Central Hall and won a silver medal! I was only 3rd year or lower 4th so if anyone remembers any details I would be very interested to hear from them.
Name: Norah Dunn
Email: solarex2atgooglemail.com
Years_at_school: 1953-1959
Date: 14 Jun 2012
Time: 23:05:34
I have only just discovered this website and have read it with great interest. I'm struck by the fact that nobody except those in my form are at all familiar to me (apart from Vanda Blois who always seemed to be winning winning prizes). After living for many years in Greece I bought a cottage in a very small village in the New Forest. On my first walk with the local W.I. a very elderly lady who'd just had a hip operation and had been urged to rest by the others, leapt to her feet with a ringing "Come on Girls" and of course it had to be Miss Bryden. She then told me that Miss Robinson, Miss Kennedy, Miss Mitchell, Miss Buckley and herself all spent their weekends down here when they were teaching at Harrow, and that Miss Robinson's cottage was just by mine in the forest. The thought of them all cavorting round this primeval forest is still an image to conjure with. (and yes girls, I know there's something wrong with that grammar))
Name: Anne Rickwood nee Scrivener
Email: aer174athotmail.com.au
Years_at_school: 1949-56
Date: 28 May 2012
Time: 09:15:43
LVIB 1955 are at present meeting for the yearly reunion. There are ten of us present reminiscing about our time at school, three letters have been received from members unable to attend. We are surprised at how some of us liked some teachers and considered them good teachers whilst others found the opposite. We have now got into discussion about teaching method, class size and Grammar schools. We are all pleased we went to Harrow county Grammar. None of us are now living in Harrow. Two of us live in Australia and one in Canada. If any of our absent friends from this Miss Grant's class of 1955 read this, we would love to hear from you again.
Name: Valerie Palmer (nee Clark)
Email: david.valerie1938atbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1955-1962
Date: 22 Apr 2012
Time: 10:03:48
Pleased at last to find a contact site. Swimming comments hit home - I still can't swim. Many staff names are familiar - Miss Ramsden for German was an inspiration with visits to Germany and it lead me to work there for a number of years. Miss Bore and the order of washing up I still quote from time to time. 50 years since I left, but still strong memories.
Name: Anne Rickwood nee Scrivener
Email: aer174hotmail.com
Years_at_school: 1949 to 1956
Date: 05 Apr 2012
Time: 08:49:03
Very good to find this web site. On May 28,2012 Miss Grant's LVIB 1955 will be holding our 57th Annual Reunion.Regular attendees include Vanda Blois, Beryl Gaythwaite, Margaret Earl,Pauline Wilson,Dorelle Patey, Angela Barber ,Ida Glossop Betty Snow, Margaret Worsfold, Janet Laver, Gillian Edwards, Marjorie Bracey.We always heard from Valerie Pottow but unfortunately she is now too ill to write Cath East, Carol Watt and Heather Hopkins were often with us but each died several years ago. We miss them. We will write more comments after our meeting and I have some photos of school including the long tapestry in the hall which I am happy to send.
Name: Kate Percival
Email: poussinpaintsatyahoodotcodotuk
Years_at_school: 1965-70
Date: 14 Feb 2012
Time: 09:26:44
Ladies,I am the person to whom all Girls School matters are forwarded and I am hoping this year to expand the pages of the website to include more material.This material will come from YOU.So,any memories, photos,documents will be most welcome.Leave a note here in the guest book and I will be in touch.I am hoping to make pages on Staff,Uniform,the Buildings, particular subjects-anything you can recall please! There is something you could all help me with right now (asap would be good!) does anyone recall the school having a particular song or hymn? We had the 'whatsoever things' reading that ended every term, but was there as special song? Possibly one that was sung before my time at the school?
Name: Lynda Brockbank
Email: lillyg at dircon.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1955-1961
Date: 10 Feb 2012
Time: 10:42:50
I remember the carol concert rehearsals with the orchestra playing 'Master's in this Hall' and being told to make sure our hair was clean on the night because the stage lights shining on all the straight partings would give a good impression to the parents. I also remember one or two third formers sitting back on their heels in prayers (the sixth form had benches) and Miss Robinson asking them to report to her room after assembly to explain why they were too tired to 'kneel up'. Then there were Miss Cook's post assemby current affairs talks on the far east (Laos). She had a long wooden pointer and a blackboard on an easle on which she had drawn maps in coloured chalks. I hadn't the faintest idea of what and where she was talking about but I somehow got the message that it was very important and that I should pay attention. I think I remember it being annouced that Danuta was going on to study engineering and being told that we could achieve anything we wanted if we applied ourselves.
Name: Valerie Dickson (nee Benton)
Email: valandpete.dickson btinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1953-1958
Date: 28 Jan 2012
Time: 03:23:53
Well, these comments have certainly brought back some memories. Like a lot of others, Miss Bore's 'order for washing up' still sticks in my mind, although it's a bit difficult with a dishwasher. Miss Robinson, Miss Minster, a breed of teacher long since gone. I still have a school photo showing all the staff; my children just can't believe how they look! I am now living in Turkey but am still grateful for the solid education I received at HCGS although I wasn't so appreciative at the time!
Name: Carol Turnham for Joan F. Vernon, mother
Email: brookfarm.fisheryatbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 11937? to 1944
Date: 13 Jan 2012
Time: 03:41:14
Wondering whether anyone can remember my mother Joan Frances Vernon b.1926 who lived in North Wembley and attended Harrow County up to matriculation?
Name: Hazel Williamson nee Santon
Email: hazel at coppermine,freeserve.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1967 - 1972
Date: 02 Jan 2012
Time: 14:00:35
My favourite thing about Harrow County was the people - well the other pupils. I never did get used to the strict rules and so often found myself in trouble for something or other and ended up dropping out before finishing my 'A' levels. I am proud that I went to this school and do think that it did eventually teach me to be a lot more organised than I would have been otherwise. Yes, I also had a lot of problems with Miss Buckley about my uniform and being caught without my hat on. One thing that I do remember was Mrs Dent saying 'Be sure that your sins will find you out'. I loved the netball, lacrosse, badminton, tennis, table tennis and gym but like a lot of the comments, I hated going swimming in the freezing pool and having to get dressed when still not dry. Anyway, to any of my old teachers that gave up on me, you'll be pleased to know that I have encouraged my four children to work hard at school and all four of them went to grammar school and the oldest two boys are both at Cambridge. The eldest boy is studying Maths at Trinity College and our second son is studying veterinary medicine at Fitzwilliam College and so I must have done something right.
Name: Linda Briggs
Email: linda at buxtonbooks.com
Years_at_school: 1962-69
Date: 21 Dec 2011
Time: 11:30:52
Some of my favourite memories of schooldays are connected Sixth Form Society and Convergence. We had an interesting variety of speakers at the former including David Frost, Hugh Dykes (then our local MP) and Robert Morley. The fine actor John Stride also came to speak - - can't recall whether that was at Sixth Form Society or Convergence! Convergence visits to the theatre included the musicals Hair and Canterbury Tales. Other high spots were the field trips for biology and geography A Levels in Broadstairs and Swanage respectively. Miss Harding who taught us zoology was fun and the younger of our geography teachers, Janet Akarst(sp?) kindly entertained us in her flat in West Hampstead when the exams were over.
Name: Heather Davis nee Patrick
Email: heather565atyahoo.com
Years_at_school: 1967 to 1974
Date: 19 Dec 2011
Time: 08:29:43
I remember making water bombs in L4A and throwing them at each other. Eating crisps in french lessons and crocheting mats with Miss Wild at the front. I remember skipping often ropeless during break and lunchtime. I remember reading round the class in German lessons with Miss Shipman and trying to make each other laugh. Sitting outside for a whole afternoon following a bomb hoax. Also having to run 3 times round the netball courts to warm up before PE and hating lacrosse. The cruise on SS Nevasa was brilliant. Now I have taught for 30 years (Maths) I've been on the other side of the desk and see it differently but no school I have worked in has been like HCGS with its order marks - I was the first in the form to get one for forgetting my needlework! When my mother died I found the apron I made then amongst her things! Now Maths Advisor for Cornwall so moved west but not over the ocean!
Name: Linda Briggs
Email: linda at buxtonbooks.com
Years_at_school: 1962-69
Date: 17 Dec 2011
Time: 11:39:42
It must be several years since I'd last looked at Jeff's phenomenal site, and was very pleased to find this section yesterday evening. I attended one reunion at the school by which time it was a tertiary college. Had the pleasure of meeting quite a few of my contemporaries (including Lindsey Hunt, Rosemary Sanders, Marjorie Barrow. One of my best friends, Sue Phillips (now Axtell) took ourselves on a tour of the old place. Had to miss a subsequent reunion because of another engagement. I regret never having seen Mrs Landry after leaving, and thanking her again. As others have written, she was an inspirational teacher, and not only because of her love of literature and drama. Her approach to education was far broader. I well remember in 1967 very shortly before our O Levels, she came in for our lesson and announced that it was far more important to discuss the war in Israel than do any more work on Julius Caesar. She strongly advised against anyone going from school, straight to college or uni and then straight back to teach in school because she believed that it was important to see more of the world than life in an education establishment. She also warned us not to go and do an English degree with the expectation of then landing a good job in publishing. Only last week I was telling a friend about how she had taken a group of us to see a wonderful RSC production of The Relapse at the Aldwych - a Saturday matinee in November 1967. Like us she admired the performances, but she was a little worried that she might receive complaints from parents if they heard about the portrayal of Coupler, a homosexual - gay wasn't the word used back then! She was also one of the teachers who accompanied a party of us to Stratford for a few days the following summer. Those outings resulted in me making many more theatre visits from then onwards. I hope that this section will draw lots of memories from other "old girls". I've just added a message about it with a hyperlink on Friends Reunited.
Name: Sandra Harris
Email: sandra.m.shawatbtopenworld.com
Years_at_school: 1964 - 71
Date: 09 Dec 2011
Time: 09:02:21
Finding your site has been a real trip down memory lane. I well remember English lessons with Mrs Landry including Richard II and some of the poems mentioned in the obit on the home page. I also remember Dianne Abbott who was in the next year after me. I had the pleasure of meeting her before she was an MP at a TUC conference when we were representing our different Unions. We agreed that some of the staff including the head Miss Robinson would have turned in their graves had they known the path we had taken. I still have copies of the HCGS magazine from my time there including prose pieces and poems by Gilliam Spraggs It is therefore no surprise that she has continued to develop a career as a poet. Keep up the good work, Sandra
Name: Doreen Causer (nee Bailey)
Email: doreen.causer at bigpond.com
Years_at_school: 1943-1948
Date: 28 Nov 2011
Time: 03:20:39
My brother - an old Gaytonian - told me about their centenary dinner which he attended. This sent me to the web to look for information about my school. I have been reading the guest book entries and although can find none from my contemporaries, some of the later students mention teachers I remember - Miss Bunting and Miss Bore, third form teachers who looked after the newcomers so ably, Miss Irwin who taught history, Miss Minster.... but no mention of the Classics teacher, Miss Forester who had a fine classical brain. Nearly 70 years on, I am still in awe of her scholarship. I left after Vth form and went to work in the London Office of the AMP (Australian Mutual Provident Society). This was the start of a fairly long convoluted journey which brought me to Sydney in 1964 as an assisted migrant on a two-year working holiday. 40+ years on I am still in Australia, although now resident in Brisbane. I am widowed with two adult children and four grandchildren. I visited UK quite regularly in the last 20 years and always fitted in a trip to Harrow. As I approach my 80th birthday my health is declining so I am afraid my travelling days are over. However I shall be very interested to see if my comments stir any memories.
Name: Hilary O'Doherty
Email: hilaryodoherty at eircom dot net
Years_at_school: not at school
Date: 10 Nov 2011
Time: 02:41:00
Hello - like one of the other guests I was not at the school but came across a book I bought years ago in a secondhand bookshop in Notting Hill - Spenser's Faery Queene Book II. It was from your School and was lent out to the following girls in the 1930's - Barbara Kiener (Autumn 32), Betty Beechey (Spring 33), Freda Titus (Summer 33), E. Felmingham (Autumn 36), Joan Knight (Spring 37) and Marjorie Gibbons (Summer 37). Best wishes to Josephine Cutting Gow who may remember some of these girls!
Name: Jo Wainwright Laster
Email: jolaster aol.com
Years_at_school: 1950-55
Date: 04 Nov 2011
Time: 13:41:54
I was at HCGS a month ago. It is now a Junior College. I had to pass through a security guard, metal security gates and noticed security cameras. They let me thru, maybe because of my age!! I could hardly recognize the place but the "new wing" is still there as are the old (then new) wooden floors. The hall has gone and with it the old photos and tapestries. Most importantly Miss Robinson's room is now a nail salon! The girls are now at the old boy's school and when they are dismissed in the afternoon there are a couple of policemen standing outside to make sure all goes well. The traffic outside the old girl's school is intense and the outrageous parking fees!! heavens we all commuted on our bicycles. Jo Laster California
Name: penny king
Email: penny_pingletonatyahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1966-173
Date: 20 Sep 2011
Time: 04:30:33
Re Susan Long's comments, I think you must have been there round the same time as me as you jogged my memory on quite a few things... eg the furry bits on Miss Bryden's toes! and the lime green short dance dress she wore... The tiny pretty woman who taught dance was maybe Mrs Beattie? who started off as Miss (Hosford? that doesn't sound quite right, but it was something like that. You are so right about the horrible thick John Lewis sox. Although I never had any, my mum deemed them unecessary as you could get cheaper long brown sox from littlewoods. Ditto my handknitted cardigan. As for the air raid shelters I remember we incorporated them into the set for an outdoor performance of Toad of Toad Hall which involved all the ferrets, weasels and stoats appearing over the top of them and running down the front chanting 'Down with Toad' great fun at rehearsals but I think it rained on the day and we had to do it all in the hall and gym area. I think it was part of Miss Robinson's leaving do.
Name: Susan Long
Email: britinatl22atgmail.com
Years_at_school: 7
Date: 17 Sep 2011
Time: 17:30:31
Assembly with hymns! Being allowed to play "My sweet Lord", George Harrison, when my form conducted assembly. Miss Buckley THROWING the waste bin out of the room and down the coridor because someone had left orange peel in it! Fishbourne to see the Roman mosaics, climbing all over Stonehenge. Running to swimming to freeze in the frigid waters at Charles Crescent baths. Running up and around the hill when the weather was too snowy and icy for games. Tuck shop, mint Aeros. Vacuum flask with hot Bovril in the winter and "iced coffee" (Camp coffee essence in cold milk) in the summer. So sophisticated! Miss Bryden and her assets! Running to the playing fields in an aertex top and games skirt that blew open!Cradling a wooden lacrosse stick as we ran or a wooden tennis racket. Netball! Gym, dance in black leotards with Mrs ?. very pretty, tiny woman. John Lewis, Oxford St. to buy uniform. Wearing my blazer year round to be "cool"! My mother's comments about the school gab and duffel coat that were wasted! The bomb shelters, chestnut trees, blue science overal with my name embroidered on it that we also wore for art. Making an orangey coloured apron and elasticated headband in sewing class with grey contrast trim and embroidery, that was worn in cookery class. Victoria sandwich, scraping the flour etc. up with a palette knife before cleaning the work surface. (Which I still do 40 plus years later!)A great education that I didn't appreciate at the time. Mrs. Carroll, form mistress...being told she was dead, crying. Mrs Smith, maths.Mrs Barnett biology and black boots. So many memories
Name: Josephine Ida Cutting
Email: Email Josephine care of strada dot gow at xtra dot co dot nz
Years_at_school: 1929 to 1936
Date: 12 Sep 2011
Time: 02:09:08
I am a very old Harrow County School old girl (still alive) and my son is submitting this as I do not "do the internet". I was born in 1918; I lived in Northwood, Middlesex before moving to North Harrow, near Pinner. I left school in 1936; worked at Lloyds Bank in the City of London for 6 years; married a New Zealand RNZVR in 1942 and moved to New Zealand in 1943. I still live in New Zealand where I raised 5 children. My memories of school include The Head Mistress, Mary Huskisson. I held her in enormous respect. My favourite teacher was Brenda Speaight. Brenda taught me how to swim and at 93 I still swim 5 days a week! The School Uniform...a specially tailored uniform made by the tailors for Harrow School. It was an incongruous colour scheme consisting of a navy blue gym tunic with pleats to the shoulder-line and a brown velour hat with a rose coloured hat band. I recall it was dreamed up by the lady founder of the school. I loved every minute of my 5 years at HCSG and still remember the bitter tears I shared when my parents took me away to accept a vacancy at Lloyds Bank. I used to play hockey which I really enjoyed because when I was a reserve, being on the side-line, I could watch the Harrow School boys play rugby. Right now, I am enjoying watching England playing in the Rugby World Cup here in New Zealand. Hopefully New Zealand will win! I have fond memories of Margaret Butcher who was my closest friend. Josephine Gow (nee Cutting)
Name: Sue Ellison (Chalkley)
Email: sue.ellison at gmail.com
Years_at_school: 1965-1967
Date: 06 Aug 2011
Time: 11:02:21
I don't know what made me click on to this website, but am so glad I did! Reading Fiona Santon's memories made me giggle, especially the dreaded order marks meted out for the most trifling of crimes. I started in 3 Aleph and seem to recall a month's amnesty re order marks when we first started and then we could receive them. They were expunged after so many weeks, but woe betide anyone who received 3 within a month. Fiona, Christine Hobbs and I received 5,3 and 4 respectively within a week! I was so mesmerized by Miss Robinson's office that I couldn't remember what my crimes had been in the first place. I left after LIVC to further my education in Walsall (it's a long story) but remember so many happy-and strange memories of HCGS, plus many unanswered questions. Who believed those awful long brown socks would look good with the equally awful thick navy skirts? Who'd've thought that the waistbands of said skirts would roll up so many times after assemblies under the purse belts? What were those furry things on Miss Brydon's toes? Why did school end at 3.55 p.m.? Why was my Latin name that of a urinary tract infection (candida)? I remember the camaraderie among the netball team, plus the fact that we were very good; not being allowed to go up the stairs two at a time; paper bags in skirt pockets in case the lunch was inedible; dinner disks; a 'tuppeny half' got me to and from school every day; back inspections; still being able to write upside down-a must for prep; dividing the class in half to sing the Monkees' Alternate Title; paper and polystyrene battles. I am now near the end of my teaching career-36 years in an inner city Liverpool school and the days in Harrow seem a lifetime away, yet I look back fondly at HCGS and the people there. Hello to anyone whose memory includes me!
Name: katey smyth
Email: katey.smythatsky.co.uk
Years_at_school:
Date: 29 May 2011
Time: 13:46:18
i was not at your school, however, i am curious because i have a book which appears to have been awarded as a prize to a girl at Harrow County Girls School back in 1923! it would just be nice to know if anyone recognises either of the names....the book was Jane Eyre and as i said it was a prize awarded to Jessie Ballim or Ballum (hard to tell with the writing) and it was awarded to her for General Progress and the Headmistress was Huskisson and the date on it says jan 24th 1923. my mother gave the book to me back in 1983 and ive had it ever since...just found it again going thru some old stuff..anyway, be interesting to know if anyone recognises the names.
Name: Judith Makoff
Email: Judith at makoff.plus.com
Years_at_school:
Date: 10 Apr 2011
Time: 16:51:02
Hello! I didn't go to this school - I went to Pinner County. However I am trying to trace someone who was called Caroline Saunders. Not sure of the years but suspect it was 63-71. She then went to Homerton College Cambridge, as did I. If anyone has contact details I would be most grateful as another Homerton student would also like to make contact with her. My maiden name was Grunewald. I hope you can help. Regards Judith Makoff
Name: Judith Streeter
Email: jwhickeratbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1956 to 1963
Date: 02 Apr 2011
Time: 13:38:09
Today my sister Mary Streeter and I went on a nostalgic visit to the school. Although it has changed beyond recognition, so many memories came back just by walking through the corridors. There is now no hall. Panelling and boards are gone. The receptionist kindly gave us carte blanche to visit wherever we wished that was open. Do any ex pupils remember walking to the boy's school for lunch? Such a chance for freedom. One day we explored an empty, rundown house en route. Of course we were reported and ended up waiting by the traffic lights outside Miss Robinson's door.
Name: Anne Armstrong (nee Dixon)
Email: stephen.anne31atbtopenworld.com
Years_at_school: 1967-74
Date: 25 Mar 2011
Time: 06:35:46
Thank you so much for setting this up. It brings back so many memories: mine include house shoes and hats; being sent home when the boiler broke; trips to Woburn, to see "Oliver!" (at Leicester Square, I think)and several to the Institut Francais; also remember a performance by the staff of the 12 days of Christmas which was quite a laugh at the time. I'm now teaching in Cheshire and would love to hear news of others from my time at HCGS.
Name: Mavis Fisher
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid Mafshr_1atNETZERO.COM
Years_at_school: 1950-1953
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Time: 16:22:43
How about a trip down memory lane? Dreams? Dorothy Robinson still today. The square white scar by her mouth. The cigarette ashes spilled on her stomach. The slip showing under her skirt. Our science teacher, Ms. Minster? Yes. What she said so many years ago still resonants with me today. She was also the Religion teacher. She said she coudld believe them both. I can't. But as she was a spinster, I appreciated her total integrity with teaching us sex knowledge. This info was still up-to-date many years later and is only now being surpassed. Ms. Buckley? Don't know why you say she was a good teacher. She told us told us to "turn to page --" and she read the paper. Worst teacher ever. Ms. Bore. Don't remember her name but do remember the order to wash the dishes: Glass, silver, etc. Still do it today. Also: if you spelled frying pan, you lost a point, or was it frying-pan? Stupidity. Have few memories of class members. Dorothy Rimmer, who moved to Cheshire. She and I were labeled by staff as "The terrible two". Don't know why. Pres. Robinson, at an awards ceremony, on looking through a list of recipents of swimming medals, didn't see Dorothy's name, so left my name out. There was another mistress, grey-haired, taught math and geography. Very nice lady. Gave me an A for maps of Canada and Africa. She understood when I was undergoing problems at home. She should have been our principal. I remember "Haybag" Hazel, Avis who sat in front of me; a gal who was a kayaker in the Olympics along with her brother. Okay, I've lived a long time now and in so many places so just glad to remember a small part. Anyone else out there who could jog my memory? Anyone remember Brian Holden? He was a HCGB student at a dance studio in 1954. He had an older brother Michael. I can go on.
Name: Mavis Fisher
Email: MaFshr_1atNetzero.com
Years_at_school: 1950-1954
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Time: 14:20:25
So glad to see a website. Am now living in the U.S. and last visited Harrow Girls' about 5 years ago. Was surprised, and happy, to see it had become a co-ed college. I emigrated to Canada in 1957 and later to the U.S. in 1963. Many years later, after living in Montreal, San Francisco and Miami, I applied to Harvard U., not for admittance as a student but for a job! Pretty easy for me, as I can type! I had the enjoyment of being a secretary for the Applied Math department and worked with 4 professors a couple of years older than myself, and loved the environment, so similar to being back home! Was rather surprised to find Shakespeare being quoted commonly. In fact, it seems Harvard has more knowledge of Olde England than we had in the '50s. Rather grateful to find that, when I applied, Harvard checked out my background and found I had been a student at the No. 1 rated high school in Harrow, Middlesex for girls.
Name: Mary Powell, nee Gillespy
Email: marypowellat nbnatterjack,co.uk
Years_at_school: 1949-53
Date: 24 Sep 2010
Time: 13:25:27
Most interested to find there is now some information and a website for HCGS. I attended the school for 5 years but never attained the illustrious priviledge of being allowed to use the sixth form garden. I left school after O levels and got a job having been told I was not clever enough to become a doctor, and had to be 18 to become a nurse. The school had become non fee paying only a couple of years earlier. The headmistress was Miss Bishop. There was only one married teacher on the staff. I remember teachers we irreverently called Fanny Bore, Katie Hoare, Minnie Minster (a very tall science teacher), Miss Smith who told us she had never been interested in getting married, and Miss Hamer who taught RI. Many of the teachers lost their young men in the 1st world war. I started in form 3B with Miss Bore as form teacher. We were taught to dance the Polka and Greek dancing Isadora Duncan style. As a girl's school we were fortunate to have science laboratories. In exploring a usually locked biology room one day we discovered a lot of specimens in jars including several human foetus's in increasing states of development though our lessons in human growth and development never extended beyond line diagrams of the human body. I would like to know more about the origins of the school founded I believe in 1914. Portraits of Queen Mary who visited the school in its early days and Miss Mary Huskisson the first headmistress were in the dark main entrance hall, dark because the fromt door was always locke. We entered the school by the front door on our first day and I seem to remember on our last. School uniform was very strict and we received detention if caught not wearing our school berets when wearing school uniform and yes the square necked blouse always tore at the corners and the richer girls could be identified by how often they were replaced. I played netball, lacrosse and tennis. I never managed to climb the ropes hung from the gym ceiling and my vaulting was by courtesy of being halled over the box by helpers. We learnt to swim in the Harrow County School for Boys pool but were barred from associating with boys. 6th form girls were taught ballroom dancing with boys from the HCSB who came up to Lowlands Road for the lessons but the boys were always from a year younger than the girls as what self respecting girl would be interested in a boy a year younger. Personal attention was for those whose parents made regular contact with the school. Mine didn't as my mother felt she was talked down to on her first and only visit. School reports were for me a nightmare as the school's policy of poniting out where pupils could do better and never gave any praise in writing. Consequently for me every end of term report resulted in severe censure from my father and in floods of tears for me. My cries of "Dad but I can't be that bad, my name was read out in Assembly as being on the Golden List" was met by " I only take notice of what is written here" Having said that my time at Harrow County gave me my standards and despite my family's belief that it gave me airs and graces, stood me in good stead and I was able to return to higher education when my children were old enough and gained a qualification that gave me a full time career and I was sorry to find on visiting the area that it had closed.
Name: penny king
Email: penny_pingletonatyahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1966-1973
Date: 22 Jul 2010
Time: 14:19:11
I so enjoyed looking at this site.It jogged my memory reading about miss buckley lurking in the 'Kays' as we used to call it in the 6th form.. Miss Bryden walking into Harrow shopping centre in a scarlet tracksuit long before the days when trackies were normal dress in public...I did anything to get out of double latin with miss riley on a monday morning but english lessons with Mrs Hughes were a revelation and, like the woman who wrote the tribute to Mrs Landry, I always wanted to thank her but she must have passed away long ago. In her A level class we would discuss our set books with her while knitting skinny jumpers; she was totally cool with this. Miss Heather enabled me to work my way from absolutely useless and afraid of maths, to competent enough to get an A for my o level; a testimony to good teaching. I have mainly happy memories of that school; it seemed old fashioned, but we were taught to think for ourselves and to be independant girls and women.I felt safe there - a great contrast after my primary school. The smell of the floor polish after the school holidays...the old biology lab, the funny old classrooms at the front with the platform for the teachers to stand on; and the glorious winter day when we got sent home because the old boiler(coalfired?) had broken and there was no heating. And of course 6th form society when we hobnobbed with the boys after tarting ourselves up in our own clothes, and had tea and a guest speaker after which the little crowd of assorted boys and girls of which I was a part would nip off up 'the hill' and spend the rest of the evening together in one of the old pubs brfore walking down to harrow on the hill station at closing time to catch the last train or bus home...
Name: Jenny Holtby nee Burroughs
Email: jenny.holtbyathotmail.com
Years_at_school: 1970-1977
Date: 16 Jun 2010
Time: 14:13:04
Oh what a lovely surprise to discover fond memories of school. I am still proud to have been a Harrow County Girl! Good old Miss Cartman (Mrs Ryan)I was so scared of her back then but her standards stay with me to this day. I often wonder what became of everyone. I left and "emigrated" to Yorkshire never to return except on visits to family. Such happy memories but where is everyone? I sometimes wonder if I would still see people if I lived locally but maybe it wouldn't be any different. Susan Peach was my best friend - what happened to her and Jean Davies who also went to Pinner Wood Primary School with me. Oh for the days when we ogled the boys from the Harrow County Boys School as they swung on the swings in the park whilst we were confined to the netball courts! And Miss Bryden for PE - how scary was that! Miss Westcott if you are still around please forgive me for making your life hell - it was nothing personal! Mrs Isaacs taught me the most useful skills which have ensured that I have never been out of work and I am much admired for my typing skills even now. If I can be half the teacher that they were then I will consider I have done a good job. Happy Days indeed!
Name: steve in crazy hipsters
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school: 1967 boys school dance
Date: 16 May 2010
Time: 20:33:21
dear blonde person in purple trouser suit, i walked you home after said dance, had helluva long walk home. hope lifes treated you well. steve
Name: Sandra Hunt (nee Griffith)
Email: shuntatmoose.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1964-1971
Date: 09 May 2010
Time: 12:13:48
Reading this has brought back memories of English with Mrs Landry and Gillian Spraggs discussing Shakespeare at a level I was never quite able to attain and a feeling that English just wasn't my strong subject. If only I had realised at the time what I was comparing myself with! Maths was definitely my forte. Would love to hear from other members who started in IIIB in 1964.
Name: Lynn Rosenberg [email protected]
Email: Lynn Linsell
Years_at_school: 7
Date: 03 May 2010
Time: 06:24:11
My favourite teacher was Mrs Isaac. She was an enthusiastic, supportive, warm and witty woman.Having been disappointed to find that she would not be at our school reunion I wrote to her (in the mid '90s)to be surprised to find that she knew exactly who I was, sharing the comments that she had made about me from her class notes that she still kept. She was keen to know how others from our form had done so that she could compare her predictions. Her comments were not confined to educational progress and showed much insight. We kept in contact until she died, I greatly enjoyed reading her letters and sharing our family news over those few years.
Name: Grace Embrey
Email: graceatgasserembrey.ch
Years_at_school: 1955 - 1961
Date: 27 Mar 2010
Time: 16:16:29
Having written in the guestbook, I have since made contact with several old classmates, to my great surprise. I live in Switzerland, so my contact with England has been restricted to family for the last 45 years. This year I was unable to attend the class reunion, but next year I will make a very special effort to be there. I think that the website is a great idea, especially for people like me who live abroad. I am looking forward to meeting all my old classmates. Maybe a few will visit me here in Switzerland. Now, that would be nice
Name: Susan Lawler nee Sykes
Email: syleelaw at Hotmail.com
Years_at_school: 1951-1958
Date: 10 Mar 2010
Time: 14:47:52
Miss Robinson was headmistress. She encouraged girls to chose the arts rather than science, which was unfortunate for those of us who favoured science. That department was grossly under-funded. How sad that in later years the un-enlightened removed from what had once been a great school two important features - the beautiful horse-chestnut trees and the honours boards. The latter celebrated the fact that girls from homes without money could make their way into academia by their own excellence and hard work, helped by dedicated teachers.All the teachers ware graduates, many denied marriage by the losses of two world wars.
Name: Frances Youel nee Johns
Email: youel at iolfree.ie
Years_at_school: 1954-60
Date: 06 Mar 2010
Time: 06:14:25
Thank you Suzanne Thompson for your comments, which prompt many memories in my mind. I also still remember Miss Bore's washing up (glass, silver, knives ..) and can also go through the whole register from my form, from Jocelyn Aldridge to Rosalind Woodyear. Funny how things lurk at the back of your memory for so long. I was glad to have joined the school after the uniform was changed to shirts, ties and pleated skirts - I only knew one girl who still wore the old tunics and square-necked blouses, though I seem to remember the picture panel in the Hall showed girls in that uniform with thick black stockings. Did that include girls shown playing cricket or am I imagining it? We had netball, lacrosse (hated it), rounders (I was useless), and tennis which I did like, also gym. We were supposed to run all the way to the swimming pool but never managed it and only had a very short time in the pool, which was often very cold.
Name: JANICE PATCHETT
Email: Janpennell44ataol.com
Years_at_school: 1956-1960
Date: 05 Mar 2010
Time: 04:08:36
would love to hear from anyone as have no contacts at all
Name: Suzanne Thompson (nee Hawes)
Email: Sphinx9441 at hotmail.com
Years_at_school: 1950 - 1955
Date: 02 Mar 2010
Time: 17:25:28
I have just sent an email to Anne Shepherd,having seen her name in here! We were good friends (well I thought so anyway) back in the 1950s!!! Miss Robinson was Head while I was there...and I remember Shirley King as School Captain, and Christine Reid as School Games Captain. We had Miss Haymer (spelling?) for R.E., and Miss Faulkner (who got married in about 1954 I think)for music. I thought Miss Buckley (History) was wonderful, and she inspired in me a life long interest in History. Miss Morrell for Latin, I don't think I made it past the third year of that subject....Miss Bore for Needlework and 'Domestic Science'. (I still have 'the order for washing up' in my head at times.....) Only one other school played Lacrosse (Heathfield), and I didn't really like the game, although I liked most sport most of the time. We had to walk down to the playing fields.....it seemed miles at times....and there was barely time for a game to get started.Also the bumpy grass tennis courts were down there.... Jumping down the steps from the upper to lower playgrounds was a dangerous passtime. I expect it would be roped off now....I don't recall anyone ever breaking a leg or arm, but we were tougher in those days. We had to walk to the Boys school twice a week for lunch (unless we were the lucky ones who's parents let them bring packed lunches) due to the lack of space in our school kitchens and Hall. We also walked there for our 'swimming' (in season) though later we went to Harrow Municipal pool. I think we had Miss Rose for Biology...and Miss Fisher for English lit and language. Miss Grimley for Maths. I wonder how many of them are still alive? I thought they were ancient back then, but maybe they were only 10 or 20 years older than I was. We had to wear those frumpy 'house shoes' in school.....and those awful tunic things with square necked white blouses until we made it to the lowerVth! We had a lovely Art mistress, but I cannot remember her name...it may have been Miss Newton.
Name: Frances Youel nee Johns
Email: youel at iolfree.ie
Years_at_school: 1954-60
Date: 21 Feb 2010
Time: 07:54:00
Delighted to see so many new messages since my last visit, many 'ringing a bell' with me (remember those bells which ruled our lives?). I remember so many members of staff, and am sorry to recognise now what an unrewarding pupil I was to most of them ... I started in IIIB in September 1954 with Miss Bore, who had been at the school since 1926 and taught a very old-fashioned form of domestic science. Miss Dent took the secretarial sixth, and our year started in a tiny cramped room off the music room, where Janet Scott played The Teddy Bears' Picnic and Amy Schofield played boogie woogie. We moved into the top of the new building, just completed on what had been a tennis court till then. We thumped away on our typewriters to 'Blaze Away' played on the wind up gramophone. When Miss Dent tried to play Miss Buckley's LP of Salad Days it was not a success, and I think Miss Buckley was a bit annoyed. Who remembers Werner Fischer, who braved our all-female environment 1958-9 as German assistant? Miss Bryden, PE, went to America for a year and we had in exchange Miss Bean from Texas, who taught us Hawaiian, tap and square dancing. Miss Grimley, Mrs Robinson, Miss Cook, Miss Morrell, Miss Ramsden (who took us on an exchange trip to Germany) and many others. Poor Mrs Lewin, who couldn't keep us in order - we weren't kind.
Name: Sheila.Hounsell nee Faid
Email: sheila.j.hounsellatvirginmedia.com
Years_at_school: 1959/1962
Date: 13 Feb 2010
Time: 03:04:15
So pleased to have found this site without joining some "contact me now"site. .Iam looking for someone who might have a copy of an old school photo from the dates I was there.I revisited the school in 2004 but was totally disorientated and very emotional as I was completely lost in the first minute I stepped inside.
Name: Fiona Stuart
Email: fionastuart33atyahoo.com
Years_at_school: 1959-64
Date: 12 Feb 2010
Time: 16:46:55
Wish we'd had a bus to go to the swimming baths! I remember having to run over the hill for the privilege of getting into freezing water. I frequently claimed to be having my period to get out of it -- they didn't dare check!
Name: Anne Moore (nee Shephard)
Email: annesew at gmail.com
Years_at_school: 1950-1955
Date: 25 Jan 2010
Time: 15:17:27
Do any records exist of who attended HCGS? Would love to make contact with old (and I do mean "old") school chums. Anne Now living in the Texas Hill Country, USA
Name: Alison R. Welsh nee Miller
Email: melinyddatbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1952-57
Date: 20 Jan 2010
Time: 11:36:30
Pleased to see that you have a website. I left HCGS after 'O' levels. Subsequently I qualified as a radiographer, worked at the Royal Free Hospital then moved to Northants where I worked until my retirement in 1989 ( I had had enough of the National Health Service!) Along the way I picked up a degree from the Open University and got married. Now my husband and I live a semi-rural life with dogs. I think that I spent most of my time at Harrow in the 'B' form(Latin and Science) - teachers that I remember - Miss Robinson(head) Miss Buckley, Miss Morrell, Miss Grant, Mrs Yelland, Mrs. West, Miss Mitchell,Miss Minster 6ft. 2ins,Mrs Frazer-Nash.
Name: Hilary Glaser nee Strange
Email: GLASERAHatt-online.de
Years_at_school: 1967-1974
Date: 22 Dec 2009
Time: 07:25:35
Nice to see Angela Bower has contributed. See how the four winds scattered us around the world.
Name: Sandra Abram Nee Garland
Email: the_admiral_2atHotmail.com
Years_at_school: 1971 - 1976
Date: 13 Dec 2009
Time: 12:58:34
I'm glad I found it. I have fond memories too.
Name: Angela Bower (now Shergold)
Email: angela.shergoldatozemail.com.au
Years_at_school: 1967-1974
Date: 25 Nov 2009
Time: 21:43:27
What a great idea this is. Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me..the quiet giggly one in the C form. I now live in Australia, near Sydney, and have 5 children.
Name: Philip Smith
Email: Phil.tardis45 'at' blueyonder.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1962-1969 HCSB
Date: 05 Nov 2009
Time: 02:20:02
I was at HCSB at a great time! In 1967-9 we had joint Sixth Form Society meetings with HCSG. I was an immature late developer and had few social contacts in Harrow except through school. One of my (Rugby team!) friends Derek Laidlaw went out with a girl at HCGS Lyndsay Hunt and I got to know a few girls through her. I used to help the girls (Peter Kingsbury's sister was one, I seem to remember) with the washing up in the canteen after the (sometimes boring) Friday meetings and then we used to pop in to the Marquis of Granby for a pint after all had gone home. I would 'oggle' the girls in their (very short) skirts. Some would change out of school uniform before the Friday night social opportunity. My first proper girlfriend (Jenny Crump, whose brothers were at HCGS) was there. The relationship didn't last long, as she was (of course) the same age as me but more mature and sensible about relationships. There were other contacts-plays and meetings at HCSG which had only really begun then. Many students came to HCSG and HCSB form some miles away, so social contact out of school seemed very limited! I went off to University and lost contact with Harrow after working in Bristol and Devon, and my parents moved away. Wonder where they are now?
Name: Liz Ray
Email: liz at lizray.com
Years_at_school: 1963 - 66
Date: 02 Oct 2009
Time: 06:56:16
I have great memories of HCGS, although I only spent 3 years there before having to move on to a Forces school in Bahrain. So many teachers with huge personalities... Sad to see I missed a reunion, and would love to hear if there are any other plans... Was particularly friends with Marion Baker, Doreen Bryan, Maggot Etherington, Susan Thomas, Valerie Monk and Mischa Migut. I think it was Susan that I bunked off with one day to see David McCallum arrive at the airport! Caught up with Maggot recently, but would love to hear if anyone is in touch with any of the others.
Name: Liz Ray
Email: liz at lizray.com
Years_at_school: 1963 - 66
Date: 02 Oct 2009
Time: 06:54:53
I have great memories of HCGS, although I only spent 3 years there before having to move on to a Forces school in Bahrain. So many teachers with huge personalities... Sad to see I missed a reunion, and would love to hear if there are any other plans... Was particularly friends with Marion Baker, Doreen Bryan, Maggot Etherington, Susan Thomas, Valerie Monk and Mischa Migut. I think it was Susan that I bunked off with one day to see David McCallum arrive at the airport! Caught up with Maggot recently, but would love to hear if anyone is in touch with any of the others.
Name: mark montaldo
Email: mmontaldoatboyesturner.com
Years_at_school: 1968-1974
Date: 16 Sep 2009
Time: 03:43:06
My name is Mark Montaldo and I work for Boyes Turner Solicitors. I am acting for the family of Elaine Reily who was a pupil at this school between 1968 - 1974. Elaine Reily sadly passed away after becoming exposed to asbestos. It is Elaine's family belief that she was exposed to the asbestos whilst attending Harrow County School for Girls. Between 1968 and 1974 asbestos was often used in fire doors, lagged pipes and window sills. Often pupils would play on large exposed pipes without realising the potential dangers that this caused. I am trying to contact former pupils who either knew Elaine or who can give a description of the school. Any information that anyone has could be extremely useful. If you can be of assistance could you please contact me either at [email protected] or 0118 952 7124. I appreciate your help in this matter Regards Mark Montaldo
Name: Rosemary Broome-Bingham (nee Broome)
Email: broomebingham_rosemary at emc.com
Years_at_school: 1959-1966
Date: 03 Sep 2009
Time: 07:35:59
Thank you for creating this web site. After my degree in Biochemistry, I worked for Ferranti in software technical publications. I now work as a software designer specializing in UI and usability) and live in Boston, MA, USA.
Name: Sue Adams (nee Trudgian)
Email: adamsesat talktalk.net
Years_at_school: 1957-1959
Date: 01 Sep 2009
Time: 14:28:49
Have been wondering for some time if the school ever had reunions ? Now I see there was one in May 2008 and what a jolly photo ! Particular friends whom I'm still in touch with are Sue Ryan (nee Patrick) and Wendy Whyte (nee Fox) (she married Tom Whyte, head boy at the Boys' School). I'd love to make contact again with either Erica Yeomans or Sue Hibberdine.
Name: Grace Gasser-Embrey
Email: graceatgasserembrey.ch'
Years_at_school: 1955 - 1961
Date: 27 Aug 2009
Time: 14:43:12
I was just browsing when I found this site. I have lived in Switzerland since 1967 and have had no contact with former classmates. I would really like to hear from any of you - Danuta Wlodarczyk, Susan Capstick, Diane Barnes, Linda Cole, Valerie Swales etc. I look forward to loads of mails. Thanks
Name: HILARY STRANGE now GLASER in Germany
Email: GLASERAHatt-online.de
Years_at_school: 1967-1974
Date: 09 Aug 2009
Time: 12:19:52
Hello it's me again.Just read the comment from Sue nee Hodgson, we were in the same class. Amazing how you remember names. Thanks to Jeffrey Maynard for the idea about getting this going.
Name: Hilary Strange now Glaser (in Germany)
Email: GLASERAHatt-online.de
Years_at_school: 1967-1974
Date: 09 Aug 2009
Time: 05:46:08
I remember Illid Landry exactly as she is described by Leslie Hutber. Rather "way out" for the time, but such an enthusiasm; I feel she was "in love" with her subject. Have recently met another old girl here in Germany (Susan Parker had a sister Deborah) who was at HCGS a year or two before me. Keep up the good work. Greetings
Name: Joan Rhoades (nee Melson)
Email: joanrhoadesatbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1944 - 1950
Date: 28 Jul 2009
Time: 02:13:54
I would love to contact any of the C form and in particular the other members of our eight - Chris Barham, Rosemary Duke, Audrey Poole, Hazel Garnham, Eileen Benton, Eileen Nash and Joan Lear. I have lived in Harrow since leaving school, married an Old Gaytonian (now widowed), have four children (two older girls went to HCGS - Carole now Thompson and Barbara now Ward) and have seven grandchildren.
Name: Alison Goodall (nee Court)
Email: ahg5 at le.ac.uk
Years_at_school: 1961-1968
Date: 18 Jul 2009
Time: 08:09:08
I have fond memories of HCSFG and was pleased to see two names from my year on the web site (Rachel Goldberg and Gillian Hughes) but sad to hear of the death of Anne Maddren who was a sixth former when I started at the school. Many of the comments bring back names of teachers who inspired and truly educated us. I particularly remember the school plays (I had bit parts in The Rivals and Twelfth Night), and the surprise we had when Miss Robinson took charge of the direction of the Rivals and showed us how to do it, urging us to "give it more oomph". Also some memorable concerts, especially Dido and Aeneas, Berlioz' Childhood of Christ, and a performance of Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem with Harrow School that was attended by his widow, Ursula. After leaving the school I studied Biology at London University then went into a career in medical research; for many years at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London and lately at the University of Leicester where I have a Chair in the Medical School. I would not have done this without HCSFG. Oh, and by the way the tunnel remembered by Marylyn Western was not just a rumour; there was a cellar under the 6th formers' kitchen in the White House that ended in an earthed up wall.
Name: Marilyn Western
Email: marilynmaceyatmsn.com
Years_at_school: 1965-71
Date: 09 Jul 2009
Time: 08:29:47
I remember the dummy windows in the White House being a point of interest when I was a "third" and stories of the cellar leading to a tunnel which went up to St Mary's! (Those stories of tunnels up the hill from all sorts of unlikley places in Harrow still abound). I remember Gill Spraggs reading Sappho, Miss Mills playing tennis in bare feet at lunchtime, Mrs Landry being electrifying and terrifying at the same time when portraying a character from a play or book. And Mrs Hughes treating us like young women rather than big children in A level English. Miss Dent saying "Ooh baggage in the aisle , move it before someone trips" and Mrs Carroll bravely coping with her terminal illness. Miss Dennis moving me to tears by singing "Stay sweet as you are" to us on her retirement. And much more - so many days of memories good and bad but at this safe distance its mostly the good ones and hearing Wake o Wake at Christmas brings a lump to my throat. I see the settle from the entrance hall with the old motto on it very regularly at Harrow Museum in the Tithe Barn at Headstone Manor. There are quite a few artefacts from the school in storage there. Maybe we could organise a small temporary exhibition there, as some other schools have done?
Name: Mary Morris (nee Marshman
Email: morris.major at bigpond.com
Years_at_school: 1973-1977
Date: 05 Jun 2009
Time: 01:56:31
I fondly remember my time at HCSG and would love to get intouch with any former classmates. I moved to Australia in 1977, and have lived there since.I have been married 27 years and have 2 children.
Name: Pauline Winsor (nee Leftley)
Email: winsorep at aol.com
Years_at_school: 1955-60
Date: 20 May 2009
Time: 11:32:26
I work as an exam invigilator at our local High School near Great Yarmouth and cannot help comparing the present day schooling with our education at Harrow. I am so grateful for a terrific education and a great time at Harrow. Was in the 'B' class all the way through and we were certainly the worse behaved in our year and must have driven our teachers mad! My best friends were Mary Phillips with whom I am still in touch and Ann Bushe (who tragically died aged 22). Unfortunately as we all lived so far apart (I lived in Ruislip Manor) friendships were not that easy, but I would be delighted to chat to anyone of my era to compare notes. Many thanks to those who have started up this site.
Name: Janis (Hatherly)
Email: janis.normanatvirgin.net
Years_at_school: 1961 - 6
Date: 04 May 2009
Time: 09:17:28
Still in regular touch with 4 other classmates - someone wondered if HCGSG had a motto - hence internet search which bought me here. Who rode on a double decker to swimming baths ? We ran across Lowlands Road, across the church fields, down the alley to Roxbourne Avenue and across the main road to Charles Crescent for the priviledge of being pushed into the freezing water - lessons began 1st May. Hallo to anyone else who remembers.
Name: Sue Humphry (wasSusan Fettes
Email: suehumphryattalktalk.net
Years_at_school: 1952-1957
Date: 16 Mar 2009
Time: 08:59:58
I remember my days at Harrow with much affection. In our Lower IVth year we managed to get rid of what must have been the original uniform - square necked blouses (which tore in the corners) with square necked, shapeless gymslips. The change into shirt blouses, navy skirts and ties and a purse belt were very enthusiastically received. Navy berets in the winter and later in summer as well - the old panamas vanished. Going down to the sports ground for lacrosse first lesson and crunching in the icey puddles. Seeing the Queen go by in her car on a visit as we were coming back from sports - red and sticky - us, not the Queen. Wonderful members of staff - Miss Fisher, Miss Buckley, Miss Faulkner. Would be good to hear from any of my contemporaries - I married in 1960 and moved to Hampshire, where I have been ever since. Three children, four grandchildren, divorced, and now living with my partner, a barrister.
Name: Rosalind Java (nee Lederman)
Email: Rosjava at yahoo.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1955 - 1960
Date: 14 Mar 2009
Time: 03:26:08
I live locally to Harrow once again - was in Kent for 10 years and Sussex for four. Visited the hill recently, remembering how we were made to walk up there when it was too cold for games. The paths were frozen and so slippery (I was such a wimp). Its still a nice place to be, though it seems so much smaller now - unsurprisingly.
Name: Lilian Cheshire (nee Skinner)
Email: ruislip63atbtinternet.com
Years_at_school: 1945-1950
Date: 09 Mar 2009
Time: 02:32:10
Looking for members of the "A" class. Only in contact with Rosemary, nee Easter
Name: Ian Gawn
Email: ian.gawnatorange.fr
Years_at_school: 1955-62 (down the road!)
Date: 24 Feb 2009
Time: 06:06:20
Changed e-mail address, not least because we have moved to France (Vendee. Any one of that era around. Heard from Danuta Wlodarczyk 2 or 3 years ago, and heard from her that, sadly, Anne Maddren had died some years previously. Regards to anyone out there who remembers me Ian Gawn
Name: Frances Youel nee Johns
Email: youelatiolfree.ie
Years_at_school: 1954-60
Date: 21 Feb 2009
Time: 06:23:44
Have googled the school name a number of times trying to find a website for ex alumnae. I would love to know what happened to some of my classmates as I am now in touch with only one. Also I am particularly interested in the history of the founding of the school. Anyone want to get in touch??
Name: Pamela Dibble (now Cook)
Email: Pamhornswatfordataol.com
Years_at_school: 1965-1970
Date: 18 Feb 2009
Time: 02:11:29
Would love to hear from some of my old cronies - was part of the group that rolled the skirts up to bottom height and flirted with the telegram boys over the fence - until caught and suspended (unfortunately wa always taken back!) Happy days x
Name: Margaret Wye
Email: jojihardingatsupanet.com
Years_at_school: 1946-1951
Date: 11 Feb 2009
Time: 02:35:26
Please that someone has set up this site, memories of school dinners, a member of staff at the head of each table, drying up in the very small kitchen, walking down to the swimming pool at the boy's school and to the playing fields the otherside of Lowlands road. Doing Domestic Science not brainy enough for Latin.
Name: Sue Booys
Email: suebooysatgooglemail.com
Years_at_school: 67-74
Date: 04 Feb 2009
Time: 08:33:10
Was Sue Hodgson Good to see that someone is doing this - I attended a reunion in about 1984 but have heard nothing since then. Strangely enough I ended up living next door to a very much older old girl and recently ahd the privilege of conducting a 50th Wedding Anniversary service for her and her husband an Old Boy of HCBS - we read Whatsoever things....... does anyone else rmember the painting all along the school hall wall - separated by a generation or two we both did!!
Name: Susan Suddaby, nee Capstick
Email: suesuddabyathotmail.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1955-1961
Date: 26 Jan 2009
Time: 13:11:11
Just found this site and rading memories. In my day we had to run to the pool, a long way, not go by bus!
Name: Richard Worsfold
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school:
Date: 28 Nov 2008
Time: 07:05:39
My sister, Margaret Eldridge, who was at Harrow County from 1949 to 1956 was recently awarded the Order of Australia. For many years she has been working with refugees within Australia, particularly the Hmong people,many of whom were transplanted to Tasmania following the Vietnamese war. Margaret who has four children and seven grandchildren,lives in Hobart.
Name: Gillian Hughes
Email: g.hughes3atblueyonder.co.uk
Years_at_school: 1961 -1968
Date: 24 Nov 2008
Time: 08:36:04
I would like to know about any reunions etc involving girls from my era. I feel sad that I have never received any information about reunions held in the past.
Name: Lesley Stagg (nee Coppack)
Email: lesleystagg at gmail.com
Years_at_school: 1965 to 1972
Date: 04 Sep 2008
Time: 05:25:52
I was delighted to see this facility set up on the HCBS website. However, I was surprised to see myself listed as a not-so-famous person and wonder where that info came from! It is now several years since I left Colombia (an amazing country, recommended despite the bad press and occasional moments of tension)and I am now in Dubai (and recently got my doctorate too I am proud to mention) as a school principal and am chair of the heads' committee for international school heads. Those of you who remember me as one of the more alternative, slightly anarchic girls (who always had an excuse for no homework to turn in and lived in the art room and library when not chasing boys) will doubtless be surprised by my passion for education! If I were to be asked which teacher influenced my life it would be Mrs Landry and I'd love to hear from her.
Name: Ian Gawn
Email: ian,ashgroveattesco.net
Years_at_school: The "other" school - 1955-62
Date: 23 Jun 2008
Time: 07:12:08
Hi to anyone who remembers me. I have only come across one Girls School contact in recent years, Danuta Wlodarczyk, and that from a curious link, a friendship between her parents and my brother's family in N Harrow. Sadly, it was Danuta who told me of Anne Maddren's untimely and early death (we were an "item" for a couple of years in the 6th form). That of course ignores the fact them my Mother was a Girls School pupil in I guess around 1922-28ish. Since HCS I have had a chequered carrer in the RAF (flying), aircraft industry, local government, (and the TA), back in the RAF and qualifying as a chartered management accountant at 50, then Secretary of the UK's biggest yacht club, at Lymington, from which I have just finally retired. Best regards Ian Gawn
Name: Michael Schwartz
Email: still the same
Years_at_school: 1965-1972 (the boys school, that is)
Date: 06 Jun 2008
Time: 08:18:01
A welcome addition (in the face of very real national competition). I suppose this must constitute another example of Convergence... Kindest regards Michael.
Name: Katie Finch
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school: 1965-1971
Date: 28 May 2008
Time: 09:21:33
Right, here we are, long overdue, time all you ladies came out of the woodwork and recorded the Girls school before it finally disappears. The girls are long gone and soon, it is rumoured, the school building will be altered for ever when the college moves next door to a new build.Luxury flats ( I'm keen to view the show flat when it is ready...) will replace the classrooms and bookcorners, their corridors haunted by the gentle slap and shuffle of house shoe on parquet...dig out those old school magazines and posture stars, scan and send them to the website, add comments to the guestbook, write up your memories and send them in, re-live the thrill of spotting the ( young male) lab assistant,the horror of being caught leaving school without a school hat by Miss Buckley,the wonder of why you were only allowed to eat in school uniform if accompanied by a parent or guardian, the mystery of what exactly a liberty bodice was and the sheer delight of huge hot radiators.
Name: test test
Email: Write word 'at' in full to avoid spam,eg 'Name at abc.co.uk'
Years_at_school: 123
Date: 27 May 2008
Time: 21:00:21
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