Ruislip Manor Secondary School (Manor)

Manor School | Eastcote Road Ruislip Manor

Manor School Ruislip
(Opening comments from a Ruislip, Northwood & Eastcote Local History Society publication from 1992)
 
MANOR SENIOR SCHOOL
 
The first mention of the council school to take the older pupils of Ruislip Church School is made in the log book on September 21st 1926 when the Chairman of the Education Committee, Sir Benjamin Gott MA, paid a visit to the new school. The school was officially opened on May 13th 1927 and Mr. Arthur Smith moved from head of the junior school to be head of the senior school. (Mr W.G. Davies succeeded Mr, Smith as head in 1934.)
 
Pupils aged 11 were transferred there apart from those who won places at the county secondary schools. The building also proved useful while the new primary school was being constructed (this opened as BWI in 1931): in 1928 the two upper classes of 87 children were transferred to the senior school during alterations and all children over 9 were moved at midsummer 1930 to the Council School. (Source Ruislip Church School Log Book.)

RUISLIP'S NEW SCHOOL
Mrs F.M. Baker J.P. , C.C.,
Performs Opening Ceremony
 
The new senior school for Ruislip, built at a cost of £14,000, was opened officially on Friday by Mrs. F.M. Baker, J.P., C.C. For some long time the need for further school accommodation has been pressing for the Church Of England school built in 1862, once more than adequate for the requirements of the village, has become insufficient having regard to the development that has taken place. The enlargement of the old Church School was out of the question, the site being too restricted for further buildings, and in deciding to have an additional school to be used by senior scholars the Committee wisely secured land not only sufficient for a building which will meet the growing demands for a number of yours but a playing field of an extensive kind. The site in all covers one and a half acres, is close to the Church School and stands fifty feet or more back from the main Eastcote Road. Access is also given from Manor Way and there will be and entrance in due course from a road to be formed on the east side.
 
Irene Twitchn the first head girl writes about her early school memories.
 
MEMORIES OF MANOR SENIOR SCHOOL
 
Manor Senior School was officially opened in 1927, but is was occupied for at least a year previously by the older scholars from the Ruislip C. of E. (all age) School which was a two roomed building on a site on the west corner of Manor Way and Eastcote Road. This site also contained the head teacher's house - a Mr. Chester, who was appointed in the joint capacity of head master of the school and organist and choirmaster at Mt. Martin's Church. He resigned on November 30th 1925.
 
The new head master was Mr. Arthur T, Smith, who lived in Croft Gardens for many years and long after his retirement. He was well respected and liked by pupils, staff and in the village community.
 
The new school was built on a site further east along Eastcote Road, and had entrances in Eastcote Road and Manor Way. The building consisted of a hall which could be partitioned off into classrooms, flanked at either end by girls' and boy' cloakrooms., and two stair cases leading to an upper floor. At one end of the first flight were the women's staff room and lavatory, and at the opposite end were the men's staffroom, the headmaster's study and a lavatory. The boys' and girls' lavatories were likewise segregated. They were outside the opposite ends of the building, and frozen pipes were a perennial winter problem. A corridor ran the length of the ground floor, and another above the second flight of stairs. Each floor contained three  classrooms. One was used for needlework, and had a few hand operated sewing machines, flat irons, and ironing boards. I think the irons were heated on a gas stove. Another had equipment for leatherwork, but no machinery.
 
The playground at the rear of the school was tarmac surfaced, where the girls played netball, and where drill took place in fine weather. The south part of the site was grassed, and the boys played football on this. They were also encouraged to keep the gardens in front of the school in good order, and to record rainfall from a weather gauge.
 
The pupils were divided into classes by age a change from the old school, where Standards 1 to 7 were reached by ability. I achieved Standard 7 by the age of 9 years. The house system was also introduced, each house being named after a Scott's novel. e.g. Waverley,  Kenilworth and Ivanhoe. We earned housepoints for attendance, punctuality, etc. for team games and on Sports Day. Each house had its boy and girl prefects, and there were monitors for various duties, such as mixing ink and filling the inkwells.

In addition to the 3 Rs (lots of spelling bees, poetry, tables and mental arithmetic) subjects taught were: geography (especially of the British Empire), history (of England, of course), music (singing), art (drawing still life), general knowledge (no science labs), housewifery (mostly needlework), physical exercise (marching and arm exercises, including toe touching) country dancing which was very popular, and leatherwork. I was in the leatherwork class, being hopeless at needlework. We punched, thonged, tooled, and stained leather bookmarks, place mats, purses and handbags, some of which were purchased by local worthies such as Councillor Mrs. Smedley of Church Avenue. Craft blocks and the present hall were built much later.
 
School uniform was encouraged, but could not be enforced. The girls wore box pleat navy blue gym slips and white blouses, and the boys short navy trousers, and white shirts. We all had school ties, and a badge to sew on to the blazer, which incorporated a yellow and blue design. Presumably there were also school caps and hatband.
 
My friend Connie Warner was much in demand to play the piano for assembly, singing, and country dancing, though we did have a few records for the more difficult pieces, played on a hand wound portable gramophone. Connie and I were encouraged to stay on an extra year after the fourth form, and we were allowed to study on our own in the hall (there being no member of staff available for a fifth form). We were provided with special books to teach ourselves algebra, geometry and French. We also taught slow readers.
 
The support staff included Miss Smith (no relation, but deputy to the Headmaster) Mrs. Minett, and a young man teacher, Mr. E. Welch who was every girl's pin-up. The school caretaker was Mr. F. C. Silver who remained school keeper into the Secondary School era.
 
Poetry and drama were my great loves, and the school play was the ultimate excitement. Vera Weatherley was a ready-made Alice in Wonderland, as she had long flaxen hair. Her brother Eric was Bob Cratchit with Ken Lacey as Scrooge, and I was Mrs. Cratchit, in 'A Christmas Carol', while the first head boy, Bill Bunce, was Bottom in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Prowess in sport was limited, but one boy, Bill Pendry, was picked as a member of the Middlesex County Football Team. Was it because the headmaster had been a Chelsea man? My memories of Manor Senior School are mostly happy ones, and my duties as head girl were so light I can hardly remember them. I was allowed to make tea in the men's staff room for Mr. Smith and
Mr. Welch (the women teachers made their own tea).
 
I was supposed to keep an eye on the girls' behaviour at playtime, and I helped with the County Library, first opened in the school premises. I have no recollection of the official opening.

The following ex-pupils were consulted to share and confirm our memories of that first year at Manor Senior School. Bill Bunce of Bury Street, Eric Weatherley now in West Drayton, and his sisters Vera (now Malley) and Edie (now Vaughan) both living in Northdown close, Dora Moore (now Norris) of Brickwall Lane, and my sister Ruby (now Figg) of Field End Road, who was one of the first pupils to go on to the newly-opened Bishopshalt School.

Manor School/-

Manor School From Google Earth
Once Manor Senior School 

Then in 1978 is switched to Bishop Ramsey Church of England School and operated from two sites, one in Eastcote Road (The old Manor school) where the younger pupils went and the newer one in Warrender Way/ Hume Way (near Highgrove Swimming Pool) for the more senior pupils.

More recently the whole school moved to the site in Warrander Way/Hume Way and the old Manor School has now been demolished and houses built there....expensive ones!

RUISLIP MANOR MODERN SECONDARY SCHOOL (1926 to 1977)
Access Eastcote Road, Ruislip.

BISHOP RAMSEY LOWER C of E SCHOOL 1977 - 2009
Access Eastcote Road, Ruislip.

BISHOP RAMSEY UPPER  C of E SCHOOL 1977 - 2009
Access Hume Way / Warrender Way.

From 2009 the whole school has been located on Hume Way / Warrender Way.

Manor School/-

Ronnie Wood at Manor School
There was a message board for this school on the web site but it was little used. Some of the posts on there are below.

I was at Manor School between 1971 and 1975. Mr Miller was the Headmaster and Mr Russell was the Deputy Headmaster. Malcolm Jamieson was the P.E / Games teacher. Brian Probert the Geography teacher and also helped with the Rugby team. Mr Masters was the Metalwork teacher. Mr Morris taught Maths. Miss Barrigan taught English and Miss Tyler taught Pottery. Perhaps someone else may be able to fill in the names of all the other teachers at that time.

In 1974 the Warrender Way (Highgrove) building was declared unsafe and was condemned, due to its construction from the now infamous Hi-Alumina cement. We were playing sports at the time and were told to collect our clothes and go straight and not re-enter the school building. After a disruptive remainder of term at Bury St youth centre, our final year was spent between the Manor Way (Eastcote Rd.) site and in the Protacabins in the schoolyard at Highgrove.

Some of my old friends and contemporaries were: Roy Prosser; Paul Alum; Steve Hook; Daryl Turney; Keith Gladstone; Raymond McCarthy; Dean Ingledew; Simon Lane; Peter Courtice; Peter Brown; Timothy Simms; Chris Eddington; Andrew Dancer?; Wendy Bowyer, Debbie Cunningham; Brynette Tagg; Lyndsey Brown; Kim Wheeler; Deborah Banfield; Gina Richards; Sheila White; Alison Cornwell.

Where are you all now? I know where some of you are from looking at the above website. However, it would be great if more of you could write in and share some memories.

Martyn Mahy

Manor School/-

Manor School Carol Service
Picture : Manor Senior School at a carol concert in St Paul's Church  Ruislip Manor dated 1947 - click to enlarge


You have found me !! Brynette Tagg Harding ( Now Married ) and living in Lanzarote Canary Islands. I recognised most of the Names !!!!

Brynette Tagg 

I recognise some of those names. Deane Ingledew, Keith Gladstone, Simon Lane, Peter Brown (&Kevin Brown but no relation), Tim Simms, most of the girls but definitely Sheila White.

Don't remember the classes at Bury Street but remember the times at the youth centre.

Tony Painter
I attended Manor from 1962 to 1966. My first year was at Victoria Hall, then 2 years at the main school with the remainder at Highgrove. Teachers I remember are Mr (Holy Joe) Cox, Mr Worthington, Mr Sear, Mr Sabin, Mr Clayfield, Mrs Smallworth (Miss Wren), Mr Higgins. Pupils and friends Pat Hill, Clive Pike, David Fairnington, Roberta Solari, Betty Sutton, Angela Pulman, Tony Lingley, Chris Williams, Michelle Adler. I left when I was 15 and went to work at James Blue Butchers in Ruislip High Street. We moved to Harefield and then when I was 18 I left for Australia. I have had no one to reminisce with in all that time so if anyone shares these memories would they please let me know. E mail addresses or snail mail addresses would be great. Hope to hear from somebody.

Michael (Mick) Brazier
 I was a student at the Manor in 1949/50. Some of the kids names I remember are Michael Hawkins, Ashley Clarke, Dennis Dewly, John Linton, Eilene Warren, Blondie Silver, Marrion Silver,Emlyn Morris, Pete McGiffie, Ted Sewell. The teachers I remember were, Miss Commyn, Miss Mingard, Mr Harris, he took us for geography, his weapon was the blackboard ruler across both hands. Mr Ritchards took P.T. He favoured a cut down cricket bat on our backsides. Mr Evans, sports, he used a P.T. slipper to good effect. Mr Bomford was a man to watch out for, he had a long reach. Dear old "Holy Joe" Cox took us for music lessons, a nice cushy class that, one could nod off. If he caught us skiving it was the ruler edgeways on the knuckles. Last but not least was "Joe Dago" Davies the head master. Ah happy days. All the best to all you old codgers out there, cheerio from down under.

Michael F. Brown 

Manor School/-

Manor School Class 4a 1950
Picture : Manor School Class 4a with Mr Davidge as the teacher, 1950.

One of my fave teachers was Mr Sabin, who never let us use "Nice" or "Lovely" in our essays. He once stormed into class, black cloak flying behind him, grabbed a piece of chalk and spelt out on the board the letters D A N N A M A N N A, which most of you will recognise as being the place we all went to get chips at lunch time. ("Down the Manor", in case you haven't got it yet!). He then gave us a lecture for an hour about how we were killing the English language. What a great teacher - both Nice and Lovely!!!

Shirley Jackson
My name is Carol(Burge) Harrison. I went to Manor for a secretarial course for - I believe - a 4 year term. My friends were Robina Hickman, Pauline Moody, Christine. We were all in love with Robin Ives. I wonder where these people are today? This was during the years 1955-58 approx. Would love to hear from somebody who remembered me.

Claire Harrison (Burge)
(Victoria Hall) Anyone remember the Christmas party we had that year, my mum bought me a red dress with white fir round the collar and cuffs ugh!!! I was in 1a2 with Miss Foss. That was when I first met the crowd from Whiteheath. I am still in touch with my good friend Anita Lavender. Anyone know what happened to the old building last time I saw it it was a nursery school or something?

Christine Dodd
Hello there everybody, I started here in 1943/4 aged 11/12 and stated until late 1945 before I went on to Acton Technical.

Whilst here the Head was Mr Davies, I only had to visit him twice. The other teachers were Miss Jones, Mrs Endacott, Mrs Shaw, Mr Smith, Mr Richards, Mr Davidge, Mr Fry, Mr Cox. There was also a large round teacher from South Africa, who took us for Civics, a tall thin "funny" female who was deputy head, and the girl's sports teacher who ran & jumped every where. The memorable ones were "Holy Joe Cox" and his lantern show. He used to pray whilst sawing & chiseling, he took us for woodwork, and showed slides on the crucifix and psalms, he was not the most popular. Mr Richards who was a right "You know what", he took us for sport and hit some kids with a cricket bat and used to flog us with the rope of a medicine ball, we were told that he originally came from Borstal, no further comment. Mr Davidge who was ex army and was to be feared, but a good science teacher. Mr Smith, a real character known as old Bastinado, the name of the old chinese torture he liked to inflict on the wrongdoers. He took us for Music and used to thump out all the Gilbert & Sullivan music, - we had our own words! Mrs Shaw was a nice old nanny type, lived by all and I was told lived to be way over ninety. Mrs Jones was one of those funny ones, she loved girls but didn't like boys. I never worked her out until I left and grew up.

The students that I remember were Colin Featherstone, David Fallis, Brian Beckwith, David Coppin, Dennis Heydeman, John Collett, Keith Adams, Lou Callis, Pauline Saunders, Jean Christopher, Jean Richards, and I think Joyce Marshall.

That's about it, I await all your thoughts, let's awake those old memories.

David Mayne (now dec'd)

My brother has mentioned Mr. Davidge, nicknamed Davidge the Savage, I believe. I shall have to question him about the other names to see if he remembers any. He was there after you, about 1952 for two years and then he, also, went to Acton Tech.

Tricia Campbell

I was 14 when I left Ruislip Manor Modern Secondary, I remember very well the music teacher Mr. Smith, he would get so angry with us for mucking about his bald head would turn red and he would make us do theory until we behaved. I thought the civic teacher was from India his name was Dr Khan Khan, he had a hollow bamboo stick that he wielded whenever anyone was not behaving, we used to get him to tell us about his boyhood in wherever he was from in order to get out of doing civics. he was also something to do with the youth club.

Pam Palmer

I left in 1948. Teachers I remember were Mrs Basson (Needlework) Mrs Horne/Golding (Cookery) Mrs James (Singing) and Miss Davies (PT). Miss Drake, Mr Courtney (Geography).

Classmates were: Christine Hardingham, Shirley Jacklin, Shirley Robinson, Renee Carlton, Josephine Paul, Lavender McClure, Valerie Valentine, Pamela Adams, Joyce Walsingham, Marion Newland, Muriel and Jean Bannister, Shirley Loader - Mary Morrell and Mary Rutt, and Ann Varty. I could go on and on - would be great to hear from any of them!

Sylvia Baker (nee Gentry)
I was there from 1963-66 same year as Les Newman, Geoff Wood, David Wakefield. Philip Empson, Maxwell Weaver, John Hirst, Robert Howe, Nick White, Derek Chaplin, Clinton Nurse, Carol’s Bell, Bezwick,& Church, Wendy Robertson, Judy Bowman. Etc.

There was a year reunion some years ago but I missed it because I didn’t find out till after so was wondering if anyone was organising anything for the 50 year anniversary.

Best wishes to all including those I haven’t named.

David Brocklehurst