In this memoire, Paul describes the school, lunch and teachers. He recalls a time when lightning struck the school grounds,
“because there was a flash and a thunderbolt struck the grassed area next to the netball pitch adjacent to the wooden class rooms and left a small hole where it had struck!'“
In 1959, the Parent Teacher Association wanted to build a swimming pool for the Juniors and a paddling pool for the Infants on the site of the old air raid shelters. It doesn’t look like the proposal was acted upon.
The children of Stanmore have had a couple of occasions to see The Queen whilst in Winchester.
Coronation Pageant Souvenir Programme
June 153
A photo of the Coronation Pageant June 1953 stuck at the back of the programme
The Queen visiting Winchester on 26 July 1955
Pupils from the school also went to see The Queen on 13th April 1979, after presenting Maundy Money in Winchester Cathedral in accordance with the ancient ceremony.
In the late 1950s the school celebrated May Day with a fair. We have tickets and photographs from 1959 and 1957. Were you there - do you remember these events?
The sheep is carved by the Deputy Mayor watched by the Mayoress, The Headmaster, and Mr Evans, the butcher, who was responsible for the barbecue.
Stanmore Mayfair 1957
Radio celebrity “Grace Archer” crowns the May Queen.
This picture appeared in the newspaper in 1956(?) with the headline “Stanmore’s pretty May Queen”
The caption read: “The Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Miss E. M. Barnes, crowns the May Queen after opening Stanmore Fete. The pretty May Queen is Miss Penelope Hudd and her attendants are Ann Mason, Angela Martin, Amanda Trigg and Glenis Sommerbell; and the two pages, Anthony Stride and Richard Bramley.
These photos were dontated by the family of Mrs Molly Cooper after she died. Can you identify the missing names and can you help us date these photos? We know Mr King became Headteacher on 11 September 1950 and Miss Glover retired in July 1968.
Staff photo
Back row - ?, ?, ?, ?, Miss Clarke, Mr Wolloughby, Mr Chipperfield
Front row - Mrs Blake, Miss Glover, Miss Percival, Mr King, Mrs Cooper, Miss Brown, Mrs Green
In this account, Mollie talks about being happy, but that discipline was strict, the curriculum they covered, marching into the hall, school dinners and some of her teachers.
Memories of Stanmore School 1944 - 1948 by Mollie Orwell (now Court)
Rod came to the school between 1949 and 1951. In this detailed account of life at the school he talks about the challenges of spelling, uniform, equipment, being ink monitor, milk monitor or even bell monitor. He talks of occasionally coming to school by bus, teachers throwing board dusters, listening to the wireless, assembly, playtime, nick-names, tricks and getting into trouble!
These are extracts from the Education Committee meetings that relate to Stanmore School. You can see that Mr G. H. Barker (later to become Headteacher of the Senior School) was heavily involved in education in the 1920s.
This commemorative spade, measuring 16.5cm in length is dated Feb 1st 1928 to mark the date that the first turf was turned in the building of Stanmore School.
Stanmore School
The first turf was turned by Alderman Edmeades C.B.E., D.L.
Trowel presented to the Mayor of Winchester to commemorate the Stone Laying ceremony on Stanmore School on 16th May 1928.
“City of Winchester, Stanmore School, May 16th 1928, F. Webb Manley. Mayor”
The New Stanmore Schools, Winchester. Stone-Laying ceremony by the Mayor.
Another "lap " in the direction of providing adequate educational facilities for the district of Stanmore, Winchester, was completed on Wednesday afternoon when the Mayor (Councillor F. Webb Manley), in the presence of a numerous gathering, including the senior children from the elementary schools of the city laid the commemoration stone in a position immediately over the main entrance to the schools. For this purpose it was necessary for those actually taking part to ascend the scaffolding.
The proceedings were presided over by Alderman A. Edmeades, C.B.E., D.L., with whom was the Mayor, the Rev. J. Glass (Vicar of Christ Church), the Rev. P. Luker (Rector of Weeke), the Rev. J. H. B. Mace (Rector of Holy Trinity), the Rev. R. Sirhowy Jones, Mr. B. D. Cancellor and Mr. H. Sawyer (Messrs. Cancellor and Sawyer, architects), Mr J. A. Peart (Director of Education), Mr. Goodall (builder), &c. Those present below included the Mayoress (Mrs. Webb Manley), Councillor Miss Firmstone, Councillor Ludford, Councillor E. B. Holdaway, Dr. P. T. Freeman, the Rev. H. A. Collins, and many others.
Following the singing of a hymn, Alderman Edmeades presented the architects and builders to the Mayor and, his Worship having formally requested to see the plans of the school, these were produced and explained by Mr. Cancellor, who, on behalf of his partner and himself, expressed gratification that the Mayor should have taken such an interest in that, an important piece of work on behalf of the city. The commemorative stone which he would be asked to lay recorded that not only was it laid in the year 1928, but also that the school, was the work of the city itself. The stone occupied position immediately over the main entrance to the schools on the right and let which would be staff rooms, next to which were the cookery and laundry rooms and the woodcarving, &c., and behind them the class rooms. They had asked the Mayor to come not only to lay the stone, but also to complete what he might aptly describe as the most important part of the buildimg.
Mr. SAWYER next presented the Mayor with a trowel wherewith to lay the stone, and, in doing so, said he should like to take the opportunity of saying, on behall of Mr. Cancellor and himself, that they hoped he would treasure the trowel, so that in years to come it might serve as a memento of what he hoped the Mayor would consider to be a not unimportant occasion during his Mayoralty.
The Mayor, having thanked the architects for their gift, proceeded to lay the stone, and, having applied the spirit level declared the stone to be well and truly laid.
Addressing the gathering, the MAYOR said he had just declared the commemorative stone to be well and truly laid, and he thought it might be regarded as a sign or seal of the superstructure which had already been raised upon foundations strongly and carefully completed. They could already judge of the size of the school, which was simply but severely practicably planned and designed specifically for the furthering of that essential factor demanded by civilisation, viz., education. It was only by education that a civilised people could live, rule, and be ruled in harmony, in comfort, and in enjoyment. Education was such a vast subject that he would not now enter into it. The stone had the city arms indelibly carved upon it, as they would see, and he trusted that it would be the emblem and badge for all the activities of that splendid, institution, which was the pioneer in the South of England of open-air schools, so desirable for the health of their boys and girls and so beneficial to those who were of weaker health. The city arms would also remind people that they were citizens of an illustrious city that they were vitally concerned in civic problems, and must know something of the duties of which later on they would themselves be called upon to bear a part. They must educate the young child into a knowledge of his or her city, and into the performance of his or her duty. There was no motto for the city, as mottoes did not exist when Winchester was founded; but he should like to suggest a motto for that school, and that was "Truth and sincerity in work and in play." There they had closed, comfortable rooms for bad weather, and light and airy shelters for fine weather. There would be a system of heating the room from the ceiling. That had proved most effective and successful in other places. There were to be 10 classrooms, which would accommodate 460 children, of whom two thirds were waiting on the present registers of Stanmore School. There was room to expand as and when necessary, and the school could, if required, be divided into two long wings, one for infants and children under 11, and the other for children over 11. There were several rooms, including one for medical inspection, another for art and science lessons, and also two centres, respectively for cookery and laundry for girls and wood-carving and modelling for boys. Between the two large wings would be an open court, giving the buildings dignity and quietude. Besides facilities for mental and spiritual training, they would have a large playing field, in which the development of the growing body might he helped by their having physical exercises and sports. They all realised that every child born into this world was of a triple nature physical, mental, and spiritual and nothing could be successfully accomplished on one of those planes which did not take into consideration the other two. To each of those planes the Director of Education had given, earnest study. He realised their duty to the child not merely by instructing him, but by training the body, mind, and character into all-finished whole. His policy was that such should obtain a knowledge of his own ability and of the field of opportunity open to him. They must remember that in a child there was not merely the body to bring up and not merely the child, but the man, and the aim of his department was to give attention to their development physically, mentally, and spiritually. He (the Mayor) could only say in conclusion that might that school, which they hoped would be opened in January next, be a centre of activity, life, and vigour and a source of real benefit to thousands of children who would pass through its doors (applause).
The Doxology having been sung, the proceedings were brought to a conclusion with the Blessing, offered by the Rev. P. Luker.
The commemoration stone is of Portland stone, and weighs nearly 4cwt. The carving of the city arms was the work of Mr. A. Beck, of Winchester.
The ceremonial trowel came back into the school’s possession in 1996 after the school received this letter offering to sell it to us.
This photo of the girls games class at Stanmore Secondary School, was published in the newspaper by Jean Ward, née Shawyer, who was 70 at the time and wanted to get in touch with her old classmates.
Girls games class at Stanmore Secondary School, Winchester in 1938
This image is taken from the site of Stanmore School before the school was built. You can see the church of St Cross, St Catherine’s Hill and the railway line. There is no date on the photo, but it must have been pre-1928 as that is when the school was built.
Distant view of St. Cross, Winchester - pre 1928 from the land that Stanmore School was built on.
On February 4th 1928, the Morning Post heralded the start of the building of the school which was to commence on 6th February 1928.
Work will be begun on Monday on the building of a school for the Stanmore Housing Estate of the City of Winchester. It is to cost more that £20,000.
The school is to be of the latest type, for the whole country has been scoured to ensure that it shall embody the best and most modern systems of heating and ventilation. It will provide education for nearly 500 boys and girls.
But the building of the school has a special significance, for it will complete the model tow on Stanmore, built in its entirety by the City within the last five years as its contribution to the solution of the nation’s housing problem.
Reprinted from the “MORNING POST” February 4th 1928
TOWN BUILT BY A CITY - Stanmore Estate at Winchester - MODEL FOR EUROPE
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?
On 14 July 1989, the school celebrated the 60th Jubilee. The school planted a tree in Cromwell Road near one planted by the Prince of Wales back in 1923. Pupils dressed up in clothes from different decades and had a day of celebrations.
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Cromwell Crescent - Tree planting
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Mrs McInnis and her 1940’s class
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Meeting the Mayor of Winchester at the tree planting ceremony
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Year 6 1920’s Speakeasy Sketch
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Country Dancing on the school field
Stanmore Jubilee Day, 14 July 1989
Mrs Mary Broadway, Chair of Governors with the Mayor of Winchester planting a memorial tree
The Jubilee tree - 30 years later
May 2019
In September 2014 Mrs Margaret Cole MBE retired as the school’s lollipop lady at the age of 84. She started her role in 1970 and received her MBE for a range of community services in the Queens Honours List in June 1999. During her time at the school she guided thousands of pupils back and forward on her crossing patrol without serious incident.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my 40 years. I had a lovely tea party and we had the most beautiful cake… I’ll miss just walking up and down Stanmore Lane and seeing my little darlings. They have been fantastic and the little ones in push chairs always try to hold my hand. I’ve absolutely enjoyed it.”
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