1980s

Stanmore Headteacher Retires

The retiring Headmaster of Stanmore County Primary School, Mr. Ron Hammond, pictured with the hi-fi centre presented to him on Friday. Also in the picture are Mr. Ralph Dulson (Mid-Hants Area Education Officer), Mrs. Mary Broadway (Chairman of the S…

The retiring Headmaster of Stanmore County Primary School, Mr. Ron Hammond, pictured with the hi-fi centre presented to him on Friday. Also in the picture are Mr. Ralph Dulson (Mid-Hants Area Education Officer), Mrs. Mary Broadway (Chairman of the School Governors) and Mrs. Maureen Hammond (right)

Mr. Ronald Hammond, Headmaster of Stanmore County Primary School, Winchester, retired after 33 years of teaching service. He is a Hampshire man, born and educated in Portsmouth, where his father taught from 1901, retiring as Head of St. Mary’s School, Portsmouth in 1941.

Mr. Hammond trained at King Alfred’s College shortly before the outbreak of war, and during the war he served with The Royal Hampshire Regiment and The Royal Fusiliers in Italy and Jugoslavia.

He has taught in Hampshire since 1947, first at Hardley Secondary School, then Abbotswood Junior School, and at Colbury Primary School as Deputy Head. He was appointed to the Headship of Overton Primary School in 1960 and to that of Stanmore Junior School in 1967. In 1974 Mr. Hammond was appointed Head of Stanmore Primary School which was formed when the Junior and Infant Schools combined. This is at present the largest Primary School in the Mid_Hampshire area.

Mr. Hammond was a former President of the Central Hampshire Branch of the National Association of Head Teachers. He has had a life-long interest in sport, especially cricket and soccer, both as player and a teacher, and has also been a former Chairman of the Winchester and District Primary Schools Association.

Mr. Hammond’s commitment and devotion to Stanmore Primary School has been very great and under his guidance the school has played an important part in the life of the local community.

On Friday evening he was presented with parting gifts at the school.

The Harris family connection

Planting trees to celebrate 50 years of Harris’ at Stanmore School - 1983Adults (from the right): Mary Beck, Alec Beck, Roger Harris, Anne Grace (neé Harris), Jean Harris (neé Gregory) with the children and teachers at Stanmore School

Planting trees to celebrate 50 years of Harris’ at Stanmore School - 1983

Adults (from the right): Mary Beck, Alec Beck, Roger Harris, Anne Grace (neé Harris), Jean Harris (neé Gregory) with the children and teachers at Stanmore School

Thank you for organising the Stanmore School 90th Anniversary celebration and tea party on 19th July. I came along with my Dad (Peter aged 87), my brother (Andrew aged 57), my Aunt (Anne aged 79) and my Uncle (Roger aged 76) and we all thoroughly enjoyed seeing the school, looking at the fascinating displays and catching up with past and present staff and pupils.

I seem to remember you mentioning the possibility of putting together some sort of commemorative booklet and inviting us al to provide photos and anecdotes for it. So here you go…

We are the Harris family. My grandmother, Gertrude (born in 1899) married William Harris. They lived in Stuart Crescent, Stanmore and had 8 children:

  • (Edith) Mary - Born 1923 - Started at Stanmore School when it was built

  • Harold - Born 1925 - Started at Stanmore School in 1930/31

  • Len - Born 1927 - Started at Stanmore School in 1933

  • Peter - Born 1932 - Started at Stanmore School in 1937

  • Bryan - Born in 1934 - Started at Stanmore School in 1940

  • Anne - Born 1940 - Started at Stanmore School in 1945

  • Roger and Trevor (twins) - Board 1943 - Started at Stanmore School in 1948

Mary married Alec Beck, they moved to Cromwell Road and had two boys:

  • Alan Beck - Born 1947 - Started at Stanmore School in 1952

  • Malcolm Beck - Born 1950 - Started at Stanmore School in 1955

Peter married Jean Gregory, who also grew up in Stuart Crescent and they had 3 children:

  • Jean Harris nee Gregory - Born 1931 - Started at Stanmore School in 1937

  • Stephen Gregory (Jean’s brother) - Born 1948 - Started at Stanmore School in 1953

Peter and Jean’s children:

  • Sally - Born 1961 - Started at Stanmore School in 1966

  • Andrew - Born 1962 - Started at Stanmore School in 1967

  • Gillian (me) - Born 1971 - Started at Stanmore School 1976

I left Stanmore School in 1983 and during a family gather in the summer of that year we got chatting about Stanmore generally and about the school. We worked out that there had been a member of our family at the school for at least 50 years, from Mary starting when it was built, through until I left in 1987. Although there are a few gaps where nobody in the family was a pupil, Gertrude and Mary were lunchtime staff for a number of years once their youngest children had started school. My mum Jean also did two stints as a dinner lady, one once Andrew had started school and she ent back again once I’d started school.

I’m sure our family is not unique. I went to Stanmore School with a few children who were from similar large, Stanmore families. For whatever reason, we decided to mark our association with the school by planting some trees at the school in the autumn of 1983. At the tim, they were where the playground met the field not he junior side of the school. When we visited the school for the anniversary we found what we think are those same trees. I have enclosed copies of the photos taken in 1983 (50 years of Harris’ at the school) and on 19th July this year [2019] at the 90th Anniversary.

Gill Gilbert (nee Harris)

Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the schoolFrom left to right: Roger (76), Anne (79), Gill (47), Peter (87)

Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the school

From left to right: Roger (76), Anne (79), Gill (47), Peter (87)

Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the schoolFrom left to right: Andrew (57), Roger (76), Anne (79), Peter (87)

Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the school

From left to right: Andrew (57), Roger (76), Anne (79), Peter (87)

Memories of Stanmore - Helen Dade

I attended Stanmore School between 1984 and 1991 following on from my older brother and sister. Those were some of the best years of my childhood and I have some fond memories. I now live in Wales but would have happily sent my daughter to the school had I have stayed in Winchester. She went to my partner's old school which was over 100 years old and was unfortunately closed due to the council preferring newer schools. I am so pleased that Stanmore hasn't seen the same fate.


My Nan lived opposite Stanmore school in Drummond close and of course Mrs Cole saw me across the road safely each day. The teachers I remember are Mrs Lewis, Mrs Clarke, Mrs Baxter, Mrs Fox, Miss Charnley, Mr Smith, Miss Hurley and Miss Swift. I remember Mr Gunner reading us stories in assembly from his big book and I used to love playing in the maze in the infant playground. It is fabulous to see memories from the past on your history pages and I was so excited to see Mrs Clarke's old photos where I recognised alot of familiar faces!

Miss Jean Clark photo archive

Miss Clark taught at the school for 26 years and retired in 1988. 

She has kindly donated these photos to the school to add to our archives. 

Were you taught by Jean? Do you recognise yourself or anyone else in the photos?