This photo was taken by Robin Hall and is a composite of the two gate posts to the school. This photo is taken from the website www.geograph.org.uk and is copyright Robin Hall and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
This photo was taken by Robin Hall and is a composite of the two gate posts to the school. This photo is taken from the website www.geograph.org.uk and is copyright Robin Hall and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Copyright Hertfordshire County Council. All rights reserved.
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What happened to JBA Burridge? Until ‘68, he was Headmaster at my school – Doncaster Grammar School…
[Russell, see here. Ed ]
I would just like to add that the reason the left gatepost is newer is because the original was demolished by a cement-mixer during the time I was there (68-73). I assume that this was when the new Art & Craft block behind the main Hall was being built in the early 70s. I remember hearing about it in assembly but I never saw the damage as many of us entered and exited the school via the Grange or the Maltings and not the Main Gates. It was, of course, quickly rebuilt.
I had to wear a cap in the early 1970’s I also recall be on bus coming back from a school trip to France and someone set the seat alight with lighter fuel, we could not get out the back of the bus as the door was locked and had to run past the flames to get out , thus door being locked ment nothing was said . Of course I may have been dreaming! ?as for Mr J Burridge I would defiantly not ever want to dream about him ,but that said Alleyens set me up for life ,alot of good teachers, some bad ( lets say running was not my thing) Mr Wright was the Greatest, he told a story a bout Rasputin that I will never forget .Mr Hammond ( may have spelt his name wrong as dyslexia was not allowed in Alleyens ,I was just thick ) please don’t get me wrong Alleyens was a above average school , and a would not have wanted to have gone to any other school. But best days of my life,no ,now is the best days of my life,and glade I went to Alleyen’s
School motto… Nisi dominus frustra. I was told that when Alleynes was a private school every Tuesday was Latin day. Pupils were required to ONLY use latin for the duration !!!!
I cannot envisage that pupils of the Thomas Alleyne school would wear caps today (as with all modern schools). However in the late 60s, we had to wear them up to the end of the first term of the third form; and such was by edict of ‘Black Bart’ which was the pupils’ nickname for the terrifying headteacher JBA Burridge.
Mounted in the centre of the gates the shield bearing the school crest and motto. (Not shown in the photo.) I suspect the rules have changed since I was at school, but every time anyone passed through the gates it was required to touch the peak of one’s cap in salute to those fallen pupils – do current pupils even wear a cap now? Back then, if you were spotted not acknowledging the mandate, a master or a prefect could issue a 25 minute detention on the spot, as I found out to my cost on a few occasions.