Broom Barns Junior School

Reunion lost class mates

Sean Burton

Hello. I was just wondering if there has ever been a reunion? I was there just for the third and fourth years after moving from Swindon. I somehow got into the football team. That was around 1966. I remember Mr Simpson the games teacher and Mr Glaze the Head at the time. I think my form teacher, while in the third year, was Miss Clark. It’s all a bit blurred. I just wondered where all the kids of that time ended up. My good pal Martin Graying is still local, however the rest seem to have disappeared into the horizon.

 

Sean Burton 

This page was added on 17/03/2016.

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  • Hello Stuart,
    My name is Jennifer Banks ,We sat next to each other in school.you lived with your auntie in Popple Way.I remember you had a brown leather satchel ,inside was the the name Cleo Lane ,my mother is Clementine Langridge .I have never forgotten this and hope your life is fine,We are quite old now but somethings just stick with you ,best wishes Jennifer or Jenny ,nice to be remembered……I think I remember Mr Glaze ,slightly..haha!

    By Jennifer Wilson (19/01/2024)
  • Hi Tony Collman and Bill Platt, my name is Sean Burton. I use to live at 7 Lyndale Stevenage. It was down Walden End, across the road from Broom Barns, I don’t remember you two lads, I used to walk through Bedwell to go to Bedwell secondary School. One of my best friends, Keith Faulkner had Faulkner’s Green Grocers. We’re still great pals to this day. All the shops at Bedwell are still there although changed, the pub the old Game Keeper is still there now called the Poachers, the old Twin Foxes down Rockingham Way is now a block of flats. Alan Taylor was in my class at school also know Kevin Brosnan , Paul Quelch, Vince Cox. I think St Michael’s School. I was in Broom Barns around the same time as you guys I remember watching the World Cup final in 1966. I was 9 years old. I still see a lot of faces around. Do you remember the Hewitts from Denton Road? I remember going into the Game Keeper off license and getting a couple of pennys back on the empty bottles. I remember Geoff Chalcroft from Bedwell Crescent and Steve Moreland from Meadow Way. To be honest not a lot has changed around Bedwell. I remember Andy Payne I see members of his family on occasion. If it’s the same Andy he hasn’t been too well in recent years. Let me know if you guys need any updates regards to the area. I’ll do my best to assist you both. Regards, Sean

    By Sean Burton (22/05/2022)
  • Hello again, Bill.

    Ha! Yes, we were on Stevenage 915 and on a party line with your house, which meant either could listen in on the other. My dad was always complaining that your dad was spying on him!

    I will email you so we don’t totally take over this post with chat, but to answer your queries and point you to a couple of other pages that might be of interest:

    Yes, I remember Margaret very well. She lived at number 16. I’m pretty sure her parents don’t live there now and I’m not sure if they are still alive, but about twenty(?) years ago I met Mrs Mitchell on the street and she told me Margaret had settled very happily in Essex, in Hornchurch, I think.

    I don’t remember Andrew Payne, but I think there was a Guy Payne in my class at Broom Barns who lived on the Monkswood side of the school. Maybe his brother? Maybe he will see your comment?

    Do you remember the Joneses, who lived at number 6? There was a little girl called Elaine. I barely knew her, even though I would see her in the garden, as she was a lot younger than me and also … a girl! Anyway, she has put a comment on this page: Elaine Downs (08/07/2012).

    Yes, Bedwell shops are still there. Use the site’s Search function (top right) to find pages about places you remember, or navigate using the tabs below the masthead. Also, check this page, where there is a link to an American documentary film (half) about Stevenage. Right at the end, there is a shot of our street, and you can even see my old bedroom window as well (I think) as your front door.

    I don’t remember your sister Anne, I’m afraid, nor the incident you mention. Perhaps that’s how I got to know you and Peter?

    Book and skate! Yes! I had completely forgotten about that, but your mention reminds me. However, it’s a very vague memory. I can’t even remember who I did it with, but maybe you and Peter? Did we use to go down Plash Drive doing it? Before I knew you, I had a ‘trolley’ (I think it might be called a cart now?), made with a couple of planks and some old pram wheels and steered with string, which I used to run down Plash Drive with. I don’t think it even had any brakes. I think I used to do it with Michael Heraty, who lived at No. 14 and was maybe a year or so older than me. He was my main early playmate in the street. He had a younger sister, Theresa, maybe about your age.

    By Tony Collman (22/05/2022)
  • Hello again, Tony.

    That was a pretty quick response. I didn’t realize you were in Stevenage as early as you said. It may be that I only became aware of you when we were first connected to the telephone exchange. We shared a line (a party line) with your family. I still remember the old number – Stevenage 914. I think you must you must have been 2 years above me at school because we left Stevenage in 1965 when I was in 3rd year and you had already started high school. By the way, I think I actually still have a photo of you just near my house. I will search for it and let you know.

    If you have my email address you may stay in touch privately if you wish, that would be fine. I would love to hear from any of the other people I knew. Do you remember Margaret Mitchell, or Andrew Payne. Margaret Lived a few doors around the corner from you and Andrew lived on the other side of Broom Barns.

    There used to be shops on Bedwell Crescent as I remember. I was wondering if they were still there? I used to trek up there every Sunday to get newspapers and cigarettes for dad. (A 9 or 10 year old certainly wouldn’t be able to buy cigarettes these days).

    Do you remember my sister Anne? She remembers both you and your brother, Danny. She laughed when recounting a story about you throwing stones at myself and Peter. When you were confronted by Anne as to why, you apparently said ‘Because they annoy me’. She had a good chuckle about that as you were so young at the time. I don’t remember the occasion.

    The links to the picture you sent were great – thank you for that. Well, hope to hear from you or anyone from Stevenage that I knew.

    Did you ever do the book and skate thing?

    By Bill Platt (21/05/2022)
  • Hello, Bill. Good to hear back. Yes, I still live in Stevenage (or rather, I returned here at the turn of the century). In fact I’m an editor of this website! As such, I have access to your email address and if you indicate with another comment here that you give permission, I will write to you privately.

    To answer your questions, no, Geoff had no beef with me as far as I’m aware, but I’d lived away for years and we hadn’t crossed paths really for a very long time, so he probably just thought it might be embarrassing? Dunno.

    The Canyon became an adventure playground and then a scout hut was built there, which is still there, as well as a climbing tower used by the scouts, I think. Someone should really add a page about it to the site!

    You can see photos of the Duck Pond (officially Town Centre Gardens) here and here. It’s changed a lot since you used to fish there!

    The church, which was St George’s, is now St George’s and St Andrew’s (since they knocked down St Andrew’s on Bedwell Crescent at the top of Cutty’s Lane to build flats). Stevenage Museum is housed in the undercroft with entrance from the rear and hasn’t taken over the whole building as you suggest.

    I lived in Stevenage from the first and was about three when we moved to Broom Walk as the first occupants of No.4, in April 1957. My mum lived there until 2005, when she had a massive stroke and had to go into nursing care. She died in 2016. Jean Dowse was in the same nursing home (different house) for some of that time and I sometimes used to see Julie, Geoff’s sister, when she was visiting.

    Mr Bassnet: yes, very scary! Also very inspirational for kids with talents for art or music (unlike me!). Anyone who went to Broom Barns while he was there must remember him. I’m surprised more people haven’t mentioned him.

    Don’t remember trying to hypnotize you, but you’re probably right as my big brother had a book about it and would try it out on his friends, so I probably had a go, too. Don’t think it can have worked or I’m sure I would have remembered it.

    By Tony Collman (18/05/2022)
  • Hello Tony Collman. Wow, was I surprised to see your post! You got most things right as far as I remember. I must admit I don’t remember anything about a club but I do remember collecting Corgi cars. Do you still live in the area? I previously mentioned I revisited Stevenage in 1989 – in fact I actually saw you. I was visiting Geoffrey Dowse and his mother at the time (he lived next door to you at no. 2 Broom Walk) I wanted to say hello but Geoffrey was reluctant to go outside – Was there some sort of history between you two? He never said. I would love to make another trip and revisit the town. Some of the places mentioned in other posts have brought back some vivid and more fond memories, for instance Monks Woods – we use to go to a place we called “The Canyon” it was like a huge crater in the middle of the woods. And of course, fishing in the duck pond. I would love to hear more about town and the changes that have taken place, especially about the demise of the school. I understand that the church at the bottom of Cuttys Lane has been converted to a museum. I remember the Queen coming to Stevenage to open it. (That may have been even been before you arrived). The museum in the old town was also a favourite haunt as well as attempting to get conkers from nearby Chestnut trees.

    Mr Bassnet was the name of the teacher I was trying to remember. He was a pretty scary guy. I remember Peter Willie, he was a good friend. Do you remember the time you tried to hypnotise me? – all very funny now.

    By Bill Platt (14/05/2022)
  • Hi just seen a comment from Karon [Lydford, formerly] Lancaster wow I remember Karon, I still live around the area of Broom Barns brings back great memories of a time when nothing seemed to matter other than being a kid and having a great time, those were really the days 😎

    By Sean Burton (22/02/2022)
  • I was there for one year after moving from London in 1958. I used to sit next to Stuart Langridge, who was Cleo Laine‘s son. My form teacher was Mr Bassnet and the head was Mr Luck. Other names I remember are John Casey, Keith Wick, Eve Riley, Dianne Abbot, Jimmy Crossin and Mary Boyle.

    By john jackson (21/02/2022)
  • My Mum and Dad moved to Stevenage from London in December 56 when I was nearly 2. I spent infants and Juniors at Broom Barns and teachers in juniors I remember were Mrs Dallas, Mr Simpson and then the great Mr Bassnett in 4th year. I remember he called everyone by their surname, but he was an excellent teacher. The football team has been mentioned but I played Netball and Rounders for the school. My brother Bob (Robert) Coleshill was a year behind me. We both then went to Heathcote where I left and started my first job at BAC at the age of 15 and half. Mum and dad lived in Buckthorn Avenue until Dec 19 and I have lived in Wales since 1978.

    By Elaine Godsall (Coleshill) (25/04/2021)
  • Hello, Bill Platt. I remember you. I lived at no.4 and used to play with you and a little boy called Peter Willey. I think we had a lot of fun together, although I can’t really remember many details. I’d forgotten your family emigrated and I don’t really remember it happening. Can’t remember what happened to Peter either, but I only remember playing with him along with you. I think we may have started a club of some sort. I was keen on Corgi model cars at the time and had joined the owners’ club, which might have been the stimulus for wanting to create a club.

    I remember being scared of your dad and that he travelled abroad a lot and collected chess sets on his travels and had all the James Bond books.

    I thought I remembered you being about the same age as me but judging by the dates you mention, I must have been a year or two older.

    By Tony Collman (11/07/2020)
  • Hi there…My name is Karon, I spent all my school years at Broom Barnes from early 60’s to 1968..then onto Barclay Secondary Modern…I remember you Sean Burton…mostly from the Barclay days…My family also migrated to Australia in 1969…my last name was Lancaster, my nickname was Bomber…go figure..lol our house was no3 Garden Walk…I loved my life in UK…but have never been back…always wanted to but too busy raising a family etc, life flies far too fast. I also remember Martin who lived on the corner of a cul de sac where we all used to play games on the green there….I loved playing in the trees at the Duck pond and parks…really loved going to Monks wood for botany walks with the class…playing in the dell at the top of my street…dancing at the Mecca on Sat mornings while wearing quite scary makeup of my mums…who had no idea!…ahahhaha…spent many days at the swimming pool and hanging around the shops….My mum Pauline Lancaster used to work at the Esso garage in the old town owned by Peter Harper?…great years spent at the playing fields and doing country dancing at the fairs…a much simpler life…those really were the days my friend…

    By Karon Lydford (23/05/2019)
  • Hey Mr Ron Whittle you were in my class at Broom Barns if you ever see this post contact me through this site. I live in Aston would be great to catch up and take a walk down memory lane or anyone else who shared our class at that time , Sean Burton

    By Sean Burton (01/03/2018)
  • Hey I remember that name Ron Whittle I’m sure you were in my class at Broom Barns not 100% , Martin Grayling was also in my class I live in Aston so local , would be good to catch up have great memories of that time

    By Sean Burton (30/09/2017)
  • Mr Glaze was still head when I left Broom Barnes in 1974. I have it in mind that he was married to the head of the infants school. I seem to recall that her maiden name was Morgan, but I could well be mistaken about that.

    By Clive Lewis (25/04/2017)
  • I attended Broom Barnes Junior school from 1963 to 1965. (And BB infants prior to that) I certainly remember Mr. Glaze as headmaster.
    I had Mr. Simpson in 3rd year, Mrs. Dallas in 2nd year and Miss. Robinson in 1st year. I don’t really remember the other teachers – I was trying to remember the name of the teacher who took the 4th years, he used to teach in the old wooden building. My family moved to Australia at the end of ’65 and I last visited Stevenage in 1989. I was quite surprised to see then that the old school was gone not to mention Creaseys garage that used to be next door. I used to live on Broom Walk so school was just round the corner for me. I have very fond memories of the old school and Stevenage itself
    My name is Bill Platt. I wonder if anybody remembers me.

    By Bill Platt (14/03/2017)
  • I was at Broom Barnes around 1965. Mr Glaze was still head then. I am still living in Stevenage and would be happy to hear from any schoolmates from those times.

    By Ron Whittle (14/08/2016)