Christine "Kris" Saunders (nee Withey)
Memories of Croxley from the 1950s
Memories of Croxley from the 1950s
(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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This was Coronation Day (or very near) 1953 when I lived in Fuller way. I can't recall where we started the procession, but this is coming down Repton Way and turning left into Fuller way, (my mum took the photo) than alone to Rugby Way where we had a street party. The little boy in the photo with me is Rodney Anderson who lived at 35 Fuller way. He was quite an ill child with frequent asthma attacks and was often in Guys hospital. His younger sister was Stephanie.
My earliest memories of living in Croxley begin around 1949, when I was about 3 years old.
In Fuller way, where, as an only child, I lived with my parents, opposite the 'tin church' where I went to Sunday school. I remember really enjoying this, but being cross about having to wear a hat, and my Sunday best clothes.
My house had a longish garden, where my father grew vegetables, and it backed onto allotments.
We had milk delivered daily by the co-op, and the milkman's horse was called Daisy.
I remember the house being very cold upstairs in winter, a coal fire in the living room, and a smelly paraffin heater in the bathroom, going to bed with a hot water bottle and wearing a knitted hat in bed because it was so cold.
We were renting the house from Sun Printers for 30/- shillings a week, my father was a lithographic planner/layout artist which was a skilled well-paid job (after a seven-year apprenticeship!!)
In 1957, we moved to Kenilworth Drive, and bought our much loved house for £2,950….a lot of money then!!
School memories.
I always loved school, from my 1st day at York Road infants’ school, right up to leaving Rickmansworth Grammar school aged 18, and going on to Teacher training college in Reading.
York Road is strong in my memory.
My first teacher at York Road was Mrs Graver, who I recall being kind and motherly. She read us many stories, 'My naughty little sister' series being one of my favourites. Also, the very non-PC 'Little Black Sambo' books! We played a lot with bricks, jigsaws and building toys, and every afternoon put came all the little camp beds for the children to have an after-lunch nap!
Other teachers were Mrs Smith, Miss de Wolfe and the very, initially scary, Miss Walker, who I thought must be at least 100!
She was an excellent teacher, was very strict (but fair) and taught us to sew, and knit along with making sure we knew our times tables.
She read The Jungle Book to us, and I was fascinated by the stories.
In our classrooms, we had huge coal fires with large fire guards roaring away. Very hot sitting by them, and frequently with wet socks or coats etc hanging on them, steaming away. (no HSE then…..) and the crate of dinky bottles
(⅓ pt) of milk which we drank with straws at playtime. I hated that, but there wasn’t an option!!
Harvey Road was my primary school. I loved it immensely. We were in classes of 46, and no TAs then: I remember we were streamed into general ability.
Connie Rosen, Michael's mother, was my first teacher. I loved and feared her! She was an incredibly talented teacher, full of energy, enthusiasm and kindness. She taught us about the Saxons, Mount Everest, nature study, and we had spelling tests weekly!
The second primary year was spent at the new Grammar school at the top of Scots Hill. I think my year group born 46/47 was massive, and we were at least three classes of 40+ children.
We had a part of the new building just for us, and our own playground away from the secondary age children. I recall playing Cavaliers and Roundheads in the playground (nothing so common as cowboys and Indians!!!!)
my teacher was John Vesey, a Croxley man, a nice teacher who made interesting lessons.
There was a teacher called Edward Tidder at Harvey Road who really loved ballet, and twice he took a group of us to Covent Garden, where we saw Coppelia, a marvellous chance for 10-year-olds to see a splendid theatre and ballet.
(I cannot miss out Mrs Gladys Fenton who was a lovely Welsh teacher, and who ran a choir on a Monday evening at the Croxley Co-op Hall.
Along with several friends, I attended this wonderful choir where we sang in parts, and entered music festivals, winning several trophies. This lovely lady asked if I’d like to enter the solo singing competitions…. I know now she was responsible for my long-lived love of choral and small choir singing., I won £1 and a trophy in my 1st competition when I was 11. So thrilled!
I went on to sing in choirs, and when I taught in London, I auditioned for the New Philharmonia Chorus, and was able to experience singing in many concerts at the Festival Hall, Fairfield Hall, and even flying to Madrid to sing in the Royal Theatre,)
In Fuller way, where, as an only child, I lived with my parents, opposite the 'tin church' where I went to Sunday school. I remember really enjoying this, but being cross about having to wear a hat, and my Sunday best clothes.
My house had a longish garden, where my father grew vegetables, and it backed onto allotments.
We had milk delivered daily by the co-op, and the milkman's horse was called Daisy.
I remember the house being very cold upstairs in winter, a coal fire in the living room, and a smelly paraffin heater in the bathroom, going to bed with a hot water bottle and wearing a knitted hat in bed because it was so cold.
We were renting the house from Sun Printers for 30/- shillings a week, my father was a lithographic planner/layout artist which was a skilled well-paid job (after a seven-year apprenticeship!!)
In 1957, we moved to Kenilworth Drive, and bought our much loved house for £2,950….a lot of money then!!
School memories.
I always loved school, from my 1st day at York Road infants’ school, right up to leaving Rickmansworth Grammar school aged 18, and going on to Teacher training college in Reading.
York Road is strong in my memory.
My first teacher at York Road was Mrs Graver, who I recall being kind and motherly. She read us many stories, 'My naughty little sister' series being one of my favourites. Also, the very non-PC 'Little Black Sambo' books! We played a lot with bricks, jigsaws and building toys, and every afternoon put came all the little camp beds for the children to have an after-lunch nap!
Other teachers were Mrs Smith, Miss de Wolfe and the very, initially scary, Miss Walker, who I thought must be at least 100!
She was an excellent teacher, was very strict (but fair) and taught us to sew, and knit along with making sure we knew our times tables.
She read The Jungle Book to us, and I was fascinated by the stories.
In our classrooms, we had huge coal fires with large fire guards roaring away. Very hot sitting by them, and frequently with wet socks or coats etc hanging on them, steaming away. (no HSE then…..) and the crate of dinky bottles
(⅓ pt) of milk which we drank with straws at playtime. I hated that, but there wasn’t an option!!
Harvey Road was my primary school. I loved it immensely. We were in classes of 46, and no TAs then: I remember we were streamed into general ability.
Connie Rosen, Michael's mother, was my first teacher. I loved and feared her! She was an incredibly talented teacher, full of energy, enthusiasm and kindness. She taught us about the Saxons, Mount Everest, nature study, and we had spelling tests weekly!
The second primary year was spent at the new Grammar school at the top of Scots Hill. I think my year group born 46/47 was massive, and we were at least three classes of 40+ children.
We had a part of the new building just for us, and our own playground away from the secondary age children. I recall playing Cavaliers and Roundheads in the playground (nothing so common as cowboys and Indians!!!!)
my teacher was John Vesey, a Croxley man, a nice teacher who made interesting lessons.
There was a teacher called Edward Tidder at Harvey Road who really loved ballet, and twice he took a group of us to Covent Garden, where we saw Coppelia, a marvellous chance for 10-year-olds to see a splendid theatre and ballet.
(I cannot miss out Mrs Gladys Fenton who was a lovely Welsh teacher, and who ran a choir on a Monday evening at the Croxley Co-op Hall.
Along with several friends, I attended this wonderful choir where we sang in parts, and entered music festivals, winning several trophies. This lovely lady asked if I’d like to enter the solo singing competitions…. I know now she was responsible for my long-lived love of choral and small choir singing., I won £1 and a trophy in my 1st competition when I was 11. So thrilled!
I went on to sing in choirs, and when I taught in London, I auditioned for the New Philharmonia Chorus, and was able to experience singing in many concerts at the Festival Hall, Fairfield Hall, and even flying to Madrid to sing in the Royal Theatre,)
(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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Back to the subject, Harvey Road, 4th year (6 in today’s schools)
Miss Green, a simply marvellous woman who was inspirational. I was never bored in her class; she taught every subject with confidence and kindness.
The 11+ was very much a part of the year, and I cannot recall any worries or concern about the exam papers.
Handwriting was a very important part of my primary education.
We learned italic, a beautiful style of writing, and we had to use Osmiroid pens, with a broad nib. I seem to recall that Mr Ford, the Headteacher, taught several of the writing lessons., Displays of writing formed regular displays on the walls!
Out of school activities I attended and loved included piano lessons, with Mrs Andrews, who lived in Links Way.
I also was in the Brownies, (and later, Girl Guides), and remember camping at Chipperfield in ancient bell tents, the ground carpeted with slugs overnight…..
I also went to ballet lessons at The Warner School of dance which was in All Saints church hall, and for a time to tap dancing lessons too!
My friends Angela, Maggie and Jennifer also attended, plus several other classmates. We enjoyed performing at lots of shows around Hertfordshire, as well as in green church hall.,
Miss Green, a simply marvellous woman who was inspirational. I was never bored in her class; she taught every subject with confidence and kindness.
The 11+ was very much a part of the year, and I cannot recall any worries or concern about the exam papers.
Handwriting was a very important part of my primary education.
We learned italic, a beautiful style of writing, and we had to use Osmiroid pens, with a broad nib. I seem to recall that Mr Ford, the Headteacher, taught several of the writing lessons., Displays of writing formed regular displays on the walls!
Out of school activities I attended and loved included piano lessons, with Mrs Andrews, who lived in Links Way.
I also was in the Brownies, (and later, Girl Guides), and remember camping at Chipperfield in ancient bell tents, the ground carpeted with slugs overnight…..
I also went to ballet lessons at The Warner School of dance which was in All Saints church hall, and for a time to tap dancing lessons too!
My friends Angela, Maggie and Jennifer also attended, plus several other classmates. We enjoyed performing at lots of shows around Hertfordshire, as well as in green church hall.,
(© Kris Saunders)
In Croxley, opposite the station, was a row of shops, and also a smallish library. My father used to walk there with me every Saturday (my mother wasn’t bookish, she preferred Woman’s Own, or She magazine) but dad and I loved books. I was allowed four books each week, and in that library, I discovered Biggles, Jennings & Derbyshire, Orlando the marmalade cat, and Babar the elephant. Also, the Red Fairy book, ditto Blue, Purple, yellow etc, books with the MOST wonderful full-length stories which I’d never heard, including Greek. Myths and legends, and Norse mythology.
And then, the Narnia books by C S Lewis arrived, which obsessed me all my life (still reread them), AND Moomintroll, which became my other Must Reads. (still love them)
That library was SO important to me in my childhood, I cannot stress how much. Books were expensive, I received them as Christmas and birthday gifts, but going to a bookshop to buy a book was not realistic then.
And then, the Narnia books by C S Lewis arrived, which obsessed me all my life (still reread them), AND Moomintroll, which became my other Must Reads. (still love them)
That library was SO important to me in my childhood, I cannot stress how much. Books were expensive, I received them as Christmas and birthday gifts, but going to a bookshop to buy a book was not realistic then.
(© Kris Saunders)
(© Kris Saunders)
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(© Kris Saunders)
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I lived in Kenilworth Drive, these were taken between 1965 - 1968. 1967 was my 21st birthday, and the young man is my neighbour Trevor Denton , still a friend. The guitar was bought in Spain for me, and I still use it! My parents are here too. Sadly my beloved dad, George, died in 1971.
