RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Surrey => Topic started by: Ringrose on Thursday 21 July 11 17:01 BST (UK)
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Anyone who attended Richmond County School For Girlls,Parkshot Richmondwould be interested to read a chapter about the school and it's teachers and discipline in the late 40s and early 50s.The account in this book by Dorothea Whitehorne Part of the Ocean"brought back vivid memories of my time there.The strict Headmistress Margaret Scudamore is mentioned various times.
The book is 500 pages long and tells the story of a post war childhood of a Jewish Family from Germany.
Ringrose
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I was there from 1932 to 1942 and remember Miss Scudamore well.
Jeanne
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My time there was 1955 to 1957 .Scuds as she was know by did keep law and order and onmy time always wore black.
The building is still there but I think now is a place of further education.About 15 years ago at an old girls meeting a few of us went in the building and the old hall still had its plaque of successful girls who got to Cambridge and Oxford.
Ringrose
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I will certainly try to trace the book you mention. It sounds interesting. From your information about an old girls meeting in the past it sounds as though there is an association? Is there a contact or email address? I am still in touch with a friend who started i n the Kindergarten on the same day as me- she would also be interested I'm sure. Thanks for your help.
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There were 2 gettogethers .One about 15 years ago was organised by someone in my year and it was basically the years either side.Anothet was arranged but it was ll girls who were there in the 70s.
I don't know of any organisation.I did not realise it was a kindergarten.I went there at 11 after the 11plus.
Sorry I can be of no help
Ringrose
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Just found your conversation and it brought back lovely memories. I was only there during 1958-59. Do you remember the music teacher who brought her little dog into assembly each day and placed it on the grand piano? And do you also remember Blackies from which we were banned whether or not wearing our hats? I still have my hat in the wardrobe! My daughter finds the thought of wearing divided skirts rather than shorts unbelievable - especially when even they had to be not far above the knees. Thank you for your conversations - I've really enjoyed them.
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Interesting to read your post.You were a few years beyond the time I left so I imagine some of the staff had changed too.I remembervMrs Davies who taught Music.Miss Atkinson who taught Chemistry and we weren't too taken with her,Miss Woodall who again was very strict and taught Latin.Quite liked Miss Wise who was Maths and I think there was a Miss Golding.Every term we had to walk across the gym with a book on our head ....and those awful showers which you couldn't avoid .I was in Swan House ..blue and we wore blue small checked dresses in the Summer.The dresses matched the colour of the house you were in.
Recently I read a book called Part of the Ocean by Dorothy Whitehorne, which tells the story of Dorothy Sinzheimer.Her Jewish family settled in Richmond and it tells of her problems growing up and her life story.One chapter is devoted to The County and she tells stories of the teachers etc.She was taken under the wing of Miss Hartley the History teacher.I certainly brought back memories.
If you would like to send me a personal message with you email I will send you a few pages which might interest you.All the teachers Ive mentioned are there but they might have left by the time you started.
Scuds told my parents I had three options for a career....Secretarial,Nursing or teaching .I chose teaching which thankfully I enjoyed until 20 years ago when I gave up.
Ringrose
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Now in my 80th year, I have been turning out old photos. I was Veronica Devon at school. Forever grateful to Miss Scudamore for giving me a place. I missed the 11 plus exams as I had mumps, so had a test at the school and an interview.
The war had interrupted my education, as had short sightedness and no glasses! so I trailed in the D stream for some time. Richmond was very good to me, and I was very happy there - particularly during the school holidays! The swimming pool next door was much appreciated too.
My family were short of money, and I acted a science technician during the lunch hours and after school. I think I left Richmond in 1954. I went on to train as an occupational therapist, and after marrying and having a family, I retrained as a teacher, working in the Prison Service and hospitals.
We now live in Cornwall, as far south as you can get - overlooking Old Lizard Head. Our children have and are living all over England, and the world. They too benefited to the start in life Richmond gave me. Bring back grammar schools I say, and give other kids a better start in life.
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I do remember you ...have sent you a personal message
Ringrose
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Having just alighted on RootsChat and information about Richmond County I thought I'd try to get in touch although I realise that your site is fairly old. I was at the school from 1953-1958. I lent photographs, together with my remembrances, to Museum of Richmond in 1997. All the teachers named + Scuds were there when I was and I did visit Miss Davis (Music Teacher) in Devon after she'd retired. I was in the choir and several musicals produced by Miss Davis. She was a keen gardener and used a greenhouse by the tennis courts. I played a lot of sport in school teams - rounders, cricket and netball. Dorothy Sinzheimer and I travelled on the same bus to school and I believe she was friendly with Mrs Roper (English Teacher) as she always waved to Mr Roper when the bus passed their home. I was sad to here that Mrs Roper was killed by a falling wall. I do hope that you receive this.
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Ann Kemp, Muriel Roper was my godmother, she taught my mother and then me, and she and I coincidentally left Richmond County on the same day, when she retired and I left school. It was indeed a horrible tragedy when she died, then Robin (her husband) died heartbroken, within the year! Alma Davies and Ruth Smith (who had been head most of the years I was at there) both came to her packed funeral in the Abbey - were you there? Both of those remained in touch with me at Christmas until each died. I took my young daughter to visit Alma near the end of her life, and they got on very well. She still had her twinkly eyes and her warm sense of humour.
Scuds had taught my mother, as had Anne Hartley - who (I think it was), died in a flat fire in Sheen in the 70s .
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I attended between 1970 and when the school closed. My last form teacher was Mrs Murtough the French teacher. The class bought her a 5 year diary for Christmas but she never returned after the holiday having died suddenly of meningitis. She was a great teacher and about the only one who could control our rather spirited form class, for which she was much loved!
There was also the very good and kind maths teacher Mr Osmond and the very strict but excellent Latin teacher, Miss Read.
Someone here mentioned the dreaded showers. One of our class removed the wheel that turned them on and buried it in the field; I dont know whether they ever found it. There was also the prize giving at the Richmond Theatre where someone let off a stink bomb; my best friend Jane Harris! We were definitely the 'naughty' half of our year!
Since it was before emails and Facebook I lost contact with everyone when the school closed. I would especially like to find my 2 best friends there, Jane Harris who moved to Canada and Ruckhshana Buhariwala.