|  Beechholme Memories from before 1950
A collection of memories or stories relating to events, or people who resided at If you recognize a name or would like to add your own memories or story please contact us here You can also order our book Beechholme – A Children's Village. |
| Added to site |
Person at Beechholme |
Period | Details of contribution — Click links to view full stories. |
| March 2012 |
George Horwood |
1916-1925 | Margaret Dyson daughter of George Samuel Horwood sent us memories of his Education for life received at Beechholme in the early 1900s. |
| July 2011 |
Charles Griffiths |
1918-1925 | Charles' daughter Margaret Scott sent us a short history of the Griffiths and the Smiths who were brought up at the Kensington and Chelsea District School in Banstead during WWI. |
| July 2011 |
Isabelle Mountjoy |
1936 |
Lynne Rivenell supplied a notebook about the 1936 trip to the IOW. It includes the names of some forty individuals photographed during the trip including teachers Isabelle Mountjoy and Mr H. Colley. |
| May 2009 |
Elizabeth Chalke |
1937 - 1954 |
Frank Rowsell researching Elizabeth (Beth) Chalk. Do you know of her? If so let us know. |
| Apr 2009 |
Tony Lynham |
late 1940s |
Tony tells us all about his memories of the late 1940 where he remembers another young boy, John Bonnette who wrote to us two years ago. |
| Mar 2009 |
Joy Dawson |
1940s | Joy Bridges nee Dawson tells us about her chickens at Beechholme.. Read her memories here (1940s). |
| Nov 2008 |
Frank Hall |
1940s | Robin Chalmers reports on the death of Frank Hall, describing how they met in the USA. |
| Oct 2008 |
Vera Ida Washington |
1925 - 1935 |
Helen Bowker wrote about her mum Vera Ida Washington who was at Beechholme for ten years between 1925 and 1935. |
| Sep 2008 |
Edward Henry Gent |
1909 - 1921 |
Valerie Kassl (nee Baker) wrote in enquiring about her father Edward Henry Gent . Valerie also describes the process of obtaining his records. |
| Nov 2007 |
Philip Condon |
1936 | (via Peter Eliot) sent a 1936 Group photo . Philip was at Beechholme for a few months that year. |
| Mar 2007 |
John Bonnette |
1939 | John sent his recollections from 1939. He well remembers his visits to the German dentist. He would say "Open your mouth vide Tommy", we were all Tommy to him...." |
| Apr 2005 |
Esther Downs |
1912 | Terry Shoosmith has submitted a super photograph of the school staff taken in 1912. His grandmother, Esther Downs is in the photo. |
George Samuel Horwood and Harry Horwood at Beechholme from c. 1916-1923/24. My father was George Samuel Horwood (George from his grandfather (George Tedder) and from his mother (Georgina); Samuel from his father and grandfather (both Samuel Horwood). Dad's brother was Harry Henley Horwood (Henley from their maternal grandmother's surname). Their gt.gt.grandfather (William Henley) was a Sergeant in the St. Helena Artillery on the Island of St. Helena when Napoleon was imprisoned there.
Dad and Harry were taken into Marlesford Lodge (Hammersmith) on 9th December, 1912 when George was just four years old. Sadly, on 29th January, 1913, their father died from tuberculosis, leaving the family almost destitute. Dad and Harry stayed at Marlesford Lodge until they were transferred to Beechholme in 1916 and 1917 respectively. Although he was away from home as a child for more than ten years, the practical things he learnt at Banstead set him up for life. Our garden was like an allotment - cabbages like footballs, juicy tomatoes. brussel sprouts, onions, lettuces, to name just a few veggies that he grew. The flower patch was like a mini-Chelsea Flower Show. Dad also rented an allotment. To enable us all (mum, dad, my brother and I) to have an annual holiday away at the sea-side, he used to repair neighbours' shoes at a percentage of the cost of the nearest cobbler's shop. He would carry large sides of leather a couple of miles from the shop to his shed in our garden for the repairing of shoes. (The shed he built himself). There is a photo on the web of the cobblers classroom at Banstead. Meals? His dinners were wholesome and tasty, consisting, of course, of his home-grown veggies. We had chickens in the garden, so ate the eggs they laid. Dad used to sew his own buttons on, do the washing ironing and housework, plus a bit of DIY, when mum was at work and all this whilst working shiftwork in a factory. His "education for life" (as I prefer to call it) at Banstead taught him all this. Neighbours used to think us "well-off" because we had an annual holiday, good food and clothes and a clean house - but it was sheer hard work; another thing he learnt at Banstead. I have a photo of dad which was taken just as he returned home from Banstead. Also, I have a framed copy of a typical day at the school, taken from one of the carers' handbooks. A full biography has been included on the website of Marlsford Lodge, now Palingswick House and can be accessed by clicking here. Regards - Margaret Dyson |
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July 2011 - The story of the Griffiths and the Smiths from the 1920s, Both my parents and their siblings grew up at the Kensington and Chelsea District School (later Beechholme), in Banstead between 1918 and 1925. On leaving, my father, Charles Griffiths, was apprenticed to a Jewish tailor in the East End of London, having learned the rudiments of the craft in the on-site workshop. My mother, Lilian Smith, went into service with a doctors family in Sutton. Charles who had finished up with his own Gents Outfitters shop and tailoring business in Colchester died in 1998. Lilian had predeceased him in 1992 leaving a beautiful garden which her eldest granddaughter, Catherine, who took over her grandparents' bungalow, maintains as a memorial to them both. Frank Burton Smith served with the B.E.F. and was killed on the Escaut in May 1940. Two of his nieces finally left a wreath in his memory at the Dunkirk memorial on the 70th anniversary in June 2010. His brother Harry was sent, aged thirteen, to British Columbia, Canada where he eventually married and had two daughters. He was reunited with Lily and Charles in 1969 and visits continue between the next two generations regularly. Elsie Helena, Lilian's elder sister, worked in Harley Street most of her life as secretary to a prominent doctor. She retired to Colchester to be near her family and died in 2000. Charles' twin brother married and worked on the south coast as an engine driver. He died in the 1960's. Like most of their generation, neither the Smiths nor the Griffiths talked much about their childhood, but none of them appeared in any way damaged by their experiences. The education they received was obviously good, - my mother passed her '11 plus' but wasn't allowed to take up her place at grammar school. It's a sign of the times that the girls had so few opportunities I suppose. Dad's grounding in tailoring paved the way for his career and he always claimed that although strict, his house mother was always fair. He always recalled how the children marched to school each morning down that long avenue, each cottage group joining in as the line reached them. They were led by the school band, my mother's oldest brother, Harry, at the front playing the drum! We have no photo graphs of the home I'm afraid; we were grown up before we learned of our parents' time at Banstead. By the time I retired my mother had passed away and I determined to try and find out more about my father's early life. He resented being dumped as he saw it, but seemed to have had a much better life than his destitute parents could have given him. He was quick on his feet and played for the home football team. He also ran as part of the school athletics team at Stamford Bridge, winning his heat, for which he was awarded a collar box, and coming third in the final winning an Amida watch! He was less proud of scrumping apples from the orchard and pinching raisins from the food store! It is only since his death that I have traced his parents' death certificates. His father had a nervous breakdown and went into Hanwell mental home as a voluntary patient, which is why he was taken into care no doubt. His mother died of TB the following year, and his father of bronchial pneumonia before Charles left Banstead. My mother's parents story was very similar. I'm proud to think that my parents did so well under the circumstances, and shows that Banstead gave them a good education and enough stability to achieve a successful life. Margaret Scott.
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| Do you remember
Elizabeth (Beth) Chalk?
Frank writes : Hello, I hope you can help me, I am doing some research on my mother Elizabeth Ann Chalke (Chalk) who was a resident at the Beechholme School, Banstead. I believe she was there between approx 1937 to 1954 and was also known as Beth. Frank Rowsell We have already established that Beth started at Beechholme on 15 Feb
1939. Her DOB was 20 Sept 1935. |
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My early days were a constant upheaval. The war years separated me, an orphan, from my Grandmother in London to evacuation in Devon. World warII ended and I was returned to London, In a few months was dispatched to Banstead Residential School. It was the early summer of 1946 and I was eleven years old. On arrival at the cottage of Miss Curtill I was shell shocked by her abruptness and severity. The slightest misdemeanour brought about unnecessary sternness and rebuke from the short stocky woman who possessed a severe expression and angry eyes that stared through thick spectacled lenses. There was very little humour in her cottage for two years of my three year term in the School. She took away two years of my youths happiness. Sad but true. Evening meal or tea was generally two slices of bread and jam with a little cheese, very occasionally there would be soup. We were always hungry. One learned very quickly that where you sat at the table, plus the speed of the hand when reaching for a piece of bread that might be a few thou thicker than another, Made all the difference in the equation for filling one's stomach. Miss Dougliesh the Scottish assistant when in charge fed us a little better and would occasionally make soup when we returned from the football field. Boys of my age were in bed by eight o'clock, lying on their sides whilst in the summer the sun streamed through the large dormitory windows. A toilet bucket was placed on the landing on the 1st floor. Talking was not permitted. In the morning there were jobs to do before breakfast Leaves to be swept up, outside toilets to clean, the yard to sweep, dormitories to tidy, beds to make, and woe betide a child who neglected their duty in any shape or form. We gratefully went to an outside school but on returning to the Residential school in the evening you would find yourself darning your socks before tea. They would be examined by the finger probing Miss C, and if you were in her bad books she would cause more holes to repair and any hopes of going to the sports field would be dashed. A child named Robinson, a small skinny lad kept running away but was returned by the Police. He actually went for a knife one evening and threatened Miss C with it. He finally placed it down after some persuasion but it served to confirm that not all of the children were happy by any means. I actually sleep walked into the pantry one night. I awoke to her shouting and threatening me with all manner of abuse. I was obviously confused and for a punishment was made to stand in the downstairs passageway for several hours for a couple of nights afterwards, staring at a picture on the wall of a Welsh valley. I recall one day after a snow fall she took us for a walk. A snowball was thrown and that was followed by an assault which would have put the Allies at Normandy to shame. She fell over in the snow and received a snow pummelling I doubt she ever forgot. Older boys were given more respect and slightly better treatment but I suppose that's acceptable to a degree. Miss C would stand in the bathroom and stare at us washing and bathing. Her eyes were everywhere but then so were naked little boys who were very aware that it did not seem appropriate when you're approaching 14 years of age for an adult woman to be in your midst. Then came a wonderful change for some of us. Those that had reached 14 years of age were transferred to another cottage across the Avenue. It was a joyous occasion for we were now in the hands of dear Miss Coates. She proved to be completely the opposite to Miss Curtill. (I'm uncertain about the spelling of her name) and gave us a wonderful feeling of freedom. She would sit in the kitchen in Rendal and rock with laughter as we all strived to amuse her. She was lovely and her assistant Mrs Husan was equally so. We pushed Miss Coates up Boxhill on one outing and would do anything for her. Three of us (including a boy named Eric Law) climbed down a drainpipe one night. We ventured to the girls end of the school and conducted a kiss chase game in the sports meadow. The girls also escaped from their dormitory. However on our return up the lane at the rear of the Admin block we were apprehended by Mr Raynor. At 8am the next morning his cane delivered six of the best onto our unprotected bottoms. Miss Coates hardly said a word bless her.
One evening the Banstead scout troop came to entertain us. I recall taking an opportunity to sing at the piano for the school. The song was Have I told you lately that I love you. a Bing Crosby song. I wonder if anyone remembers that evening in early 1949. When our hearts were light. There were a few people who were involved in strange activities of an intimate nature and no doubt they know who they are, but generally speaking with the exception of one or two people in authority who cast dark shadows, the Residential school known to many as Beechholme later, in the forties was better than many private schools. We had a band, a swimming pool, two sports fields, a cricket pitch, a church, and healthy Banstead downs air. We had summer fete days and sports days. We even had ballroom dancing lessons where boys were taught how to invite a girl for a dance. That final year we also went to camp at Walton on Naze. (If you're reading this Valerie, do you recall creeping into my tent in the middle of the night, just for the hell of it. It was 2am and I thought you were really daring). Mr Raynor asked me before leaving the school "What are you hoping to do Lynham?" "I want to go to sea sir." I replied. "Jolly good, he said beaming, "a life in the Royal Navy, excellent idea." "No sir," I replied, "the Merchant navy." I recall he studied me for moment with disappointment spreading over his face. "Not very good at all." he muttered. "Close the door when you leave." I've been in three walks of life where discipline is paramount, including the Merchant Navy, the Parachute Regt and the London Fire Brigade. The grounding I had at Banstead Residential School, certainly in the final year, was very sound and stood me in good stead for all three. I learned a poem: Vitae Lampada by Sir Henry Newbolt (The lamp of life) I hope there is someone out there who can recall the meaningful words. I certainly can. If you wish to contact me please do via this webmaster link. Tony Lynham
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I am an old scholar from Beechholme, born in 1935. I remember Mrs Lloyd the Matron and also Mrs. Hoare. When I first arrived at Beechholme I lived in cottage 9 where my cottage mother was Mrs. Weir. On getting older I moved to cottage 6, where my cottage mother was Miss Sunderland who was a lovely lady. I moved onto to Roedean, sleeping in cubicles. We had pillow fights and midnight feasts. One girl couldn`t join in as her toe cracked. Her name was Violet Bunyon. I remember one day when I collected my pocket money and went to Sutton market with a friend. I bought two little yellow chicks for a shilling; we didn`t tell the cottage mother. I put them by the side of the black lead boiler to keep them warm; I remember it well as I cleaned it many times.
I also remember that we used to go to Epsom Downs Derby Day to the fair. I am really looking forward to reading the book on Beechholme and have enclosed two photographs. I now live in Southend in Essex. Joyce Bridges. ( Maiden name DAWSON) Do you recognise anyone in the photos? Do you remember Joy or the
chickens? What happened to Violet Bunyon? Write
inand tell us. | ||||
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| October 2008
- Memories from Helen Bowker about her mum, Vera Ida Washington.
My name is Helen Bowker and my mum was at the school from 1925 until 1935 but she never knew who her mum and dad were. I only have her dad's name and I have been trying to find out anything I can about her although she has died now. I feel it is part of me also. My mum's name was Vera Ida Washington and the superintendent at that time was a C L G Raynor. I do have all her papers from the school but it is any contacts who may still be alive who knew her that I am trying to trace or any photo's that there may be with her on. I have looked through all the papers I have from the school and they are quiet vague. She appears to have gone to the school's hospital a few times and it then says returned to cottage. The address it gives is Fir Tree Road and most paperwork is signed by C L G Raynor as either headmaster and then superintendent. My mum did not say much about the school when she was alive as she was only five when she went in. She talked about a cottage and they all had chores to do. I am sorry I cannot tell you more but my mum only spoke about an aunt who was Alice Barrett who could have been her real mum, fetching her in and out of the home or one of Alice's other two sisters was her real mum. I do know that Alice Barrett was her aunt (or her mum) at 41 Fletcher Rd, Acton Green, Chiswick and her maiden name was Barnhouse which was my mothers mum's name as I have the birth certificate. The only thing is her mothers name is down as Ida Barnhouse and there was not an Ida in the family, only Alice, Elizabeth and Eliza so one has to be my mothers mum. A bit complicated I think.... Thank you. Anything that might crop up with your help would be great.
NOTE FROM THE WEBMASTER - Helen's mum is listed on a register of admissions we have which shows basic details as follows: DOB 17/12/19. Left the school to go "to trade" on the 28 March 1934 and presumably returned, to leave again on the 10 Oct 1935 to go into service. If you have any more information that could help Helen find out more about her mum please mail the webmaster. | |||
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| October 2008
- Enquiry from Valerie Kassl about her father Edward Henry Gent/Baker.
I am trying to find where my father was placed after he and his younger brother were removed from their family home in Chelsea somewhere around 1907 or thereafter. I understand that some indigent children from the Chelsea area were placed at Beechholme and was wondering if you could possibly check the old admissions register. My father died in 1955 when I was seventeen and he rarely spoke of his childhood, but did say that he was in a home in the South of England and his younger brother was placed somewhere in the North. My father: Edward Henry Gent born 24 Feb 1905 (GRO 1905 Mar Chelsea/1a/407). Although he was registered as Edward Henry Gent, he was always known as Edward Henry Baker (his mother's maiden name). My father's brother: Levi Arthur Gent born 10 Jun 1906 (GRO 1907 Mar Chelsea/1a/412). I looked into various sites on the web regarding Beechholme School - all very interesting but nothing (as far as I can see) pertaining to the period 1909 to 1921 (the time that my Dad and uncle were there) and I would like to know about the school and its residents. I was wondering if you know of any other folk whose parents were at Beechholme between 1909 and 1921, there should be quite a lot still around (I am 71 and still healthy and well). I would really like to hear from others whose parents were there at that time - maybe they knew my Dad and uncle - you never know. Any information you can supply will be very much appreciated. Thank
you. NOTE FROM THE WEBMASTER - The register we have covers
a few years from 1933 onwards so we were unable to help Valerie directly
however if you know anything about Beechholme between about 1910 and 1920
please mail
the webmaster. Valerie describes the process of recovering her father's records:
First I contacted the London Metropolitan Archives online with a short
e-mail giving my name and address and relationship to whom I was looking
for with Subject Line: Beechholme school, Banstead. I gave details of who
I was researching - name, date and place of birth, last know location,
etc.
I also received a reply from The City of London enquiries service. It
was a very straight forward process and the cost was about £30 - well
worth it.
I received a report giving some general information on Beechholme as
well as my father's details - it took about 5-6 weeks to get the report. I
suggest that anyone interested should first contact the London
Metropolitan Archives.
Lewis Wood, the BHRG webmaster has helpfully set up direct links below.
These will open up a new blank e mail correctly addressed to the right
place with a subject heading of "Beechholme Residential School records
enquiry - ".
Good luck with your search.
Val
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Contact from
John Bonnette received March 2007  I and my two sisters came to Beechholme in 1939 on the death of our mother. Then it was known as The Banstead Residential School. On arrival we were separated, I to the infants' section, my sisters to the girls' section. I was evacuated twice, once to Reigate Surrey and once to Helston in Cornwall. My sisters and I were billeted at different addresses in Reigate. My sisters stayed in Reigate and I returned to Beechholme and stayed until I was fourteen years old. I still remember the layout of the school. You came through the main gate and immediately on the left was the head master's house, with a big yew tree in the garden. The headmaster was Mr Rayner and I had the cane off him a few times. To the right was a staff house. You then came to a T junction. In front was the administration building, to the right and left was The Avenue which was lined on both sides with cottages. Why they were called cottages I don't know, as they each housed two large dormitories, a bathroom that held I think four baths and as many wash basins. Also on the ground floor, was the house mothers' room, and a large kitchen. At the back of each cottage was the WC and an outhouse, there was no inside WC. At night, a bucket was housed between the two dormitories, for the use of the boys. The boys were all housed in cottages to the right of the administration building, each cottage called A, B and C and so on up to K which was the senior boys with A being the youngest. As you grew older so you moved up The Avenue. Prior to leaving I was in Rendal which was on the other side of the road to K cottage. There were two house mothers to each cottage, I can remember the ones in K were Miss Kirtell who ruled with a rod of iron and a Miss Doulgleash, who was a bit nicer. In Rendal I think it was a Miss Coates, but I'm not sure. Down the girls' end which was left at administration building, the cottages were the same as the boys'on the right. Following on from the administration building was the school where Miss Tibbs used to slap my legs with a ruler as I wasn't much of a scholar. Then Cottages on both sides till you got to the bottom. Rodean, the senior girls building, was the last. Opposite that was the infirmary. I remember the dentist would visit the infirmary;I think he was German. He would say "Open your mouth vide Tommy", we were all Tommy to him. The worst part was sitting waiting for your turn and hearing the the boy in front yelling, and knowing you were next. Beyond the infirmary was a large field used for sports day and other events. I was in the brass band. The band room was at the far end of the boys section alongside of the gymnasium. I remember band practice was three nights a week, and you had to go. I wonder if there are any old boys left out there who will remember me. I'm seventy three years old now so I suppose its a bit much to ask. Still ya never know. 
NOTE FROM THE WEBMASTER - Well John, your wish is our command, and within 24hrs, our friend in Aussie land, Peter Eliot, supplied us with this picture of the brass band taken in 1947,originally sent in by Vincent Phillips. Thank you Peter. John is the second boy from the right in the front row. The man two to the left of John is none other that Mr Rayner himself. Don't forget to visit Peter's web site which has many more Beechholme Photos. |
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APRIL 2005 - Terry Shoosmith says, " I'm afraid I don't
know the date of the postcard, but the photograph (below) is dated
1912 and my maternal grandmother is second from the left in the second row
up. At that time she was Mrs Esther Downs, born 1877, a widow with a
daughter of 5 or 6 years of age (my mother, born in July 1906). | |
 Beechholme staff photograph dated 1912. "The family were originally from the Woolwich/Plumstead area of South East London, where my grandmother had served as a ward maid on one or more of the hospital ships moored in the Thames near Deptford during the smallpox epidemic of the late 1890s and early 1900s. During that time, she met my grandfather, Henry Downs, ex-Royal Navy, who was a piermaster with the same organisation, i.e., the Metropolitan Asylums Board. They were married in 1902 but he died in January 1906, six months before my mother was born. As far as I know, my mother would have received much of her education at "The Schools". Later she worked at Dixon & Co, an estate agents in Sutton - right opposite the station - and at some point met my father, whose family home was "Whitgift", Grange Road, Sutton (now a block of flats, I believe." | ||
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When he was eighteen Charles went to an Open Day at Banstead and met Lilian's brother Frank, in Army cadet uniform. From him he obtained Lilian's address. Charles probably remembered Lily because the Headmaster made him dance with her at his first social evening at the home. She was very shy but must have made an impression on him as when he had earned enough pennies he went into Sutton and bought her a box of chocolates from Woolworths. They were both eleven years old at the time! Now eighteen, he wrote to her and they arranged to meet under the clock at London Bridge station on her Sunday half day off. This arrangement went on until Charles finished his apprenticeship and, being out of work, in 1929 went to Colchester to live with his married sister. Lil, as she was called by the family, followed him when he found work, and they eventually married in 1934. They celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1984 with their two daughters and five grandchildren.
