Croxley Green History - Harvey Road School - Croxley Green History Project

Harvey Road School

When the Metropolitan Railway had established a line to Watford Park in the mid 1920’s and a station at Croxley Green, land became available in the early 1930’s for the construction of a new housing estate close by and a potential site for another school.

The south side of Croxley Green was one of these new developments known then as The Nutfield Estate. This led to new families requiring school places for the infant and junior levels as well as senior places. The two original schools, Yorke Road and Watford Road boys’ were now heavily overcrowded. Education for Croxley Green children had been transferred to the responsibility of the Hertfordshire County Council (HCC). The housing development began to escalate so quickly that in 1938 plans for the Hertfordshire County Council’s site of approximately nine acres were hastened and a school was built with seven ‘temporary’ wooden huts for classrooms. It was at this time that Croxley Green was required to come into line with the County system of having mixed infant/junior/senior schools.

A senior school for older children was also urgently needed and land was purchased from the Durrants Estate for this purpose. Meanwhile, whilst it was under construction boys and girls of senior age, (11yrs and above) shared the wooden temporary huts of Harvey Road, the Old Boys school ( 3 classes) and the Guildhall (2 classes).

Eventually the children transferred to Durrants Secondary Modern School. The current school website can be found here www.harveyroad.herts.sch.uk

Mrs Parrott's Class (Date unknown) Back Row Left to Right Matthew Clark- David Gunn - Philip Brady - Russell Clancy - Matthew Welsh - Michael Wat t- Adam Hart -David Milner Second row from top Christina Butt - Vicki Clark Christina - Scott Nicola Bailey - Lyn Bignall - Natasha Windsor - Sarah Hickson - Melanie Gorman - Lucy Edwards - Samantha Hamblin - Emma Carlin - Samantha Hoad Third row from top Liam Moore - Cindy Porter - David Allen - Camilla Hussain -Mrs Parrott (class teacher) -Jason Drakeford - Justine Mc Nally - Phillip Burge - Russell Stratton- Ian Badcock Front row Helen Pickering - Steve Hanscomb - Mark Thompson - Katy Buckett - Sohail Shar - Lee Doland- Russell Empson - Jonny Ling - John Hubbard

On the 17th April 1939 Harvey Road opened as a Junior Mixed School, just prior to the outbreak of World War II in the September of that year. Miss Cooper became Headmistress having been Headmistress of the Girls’ school in Yorke Road for a number of years.

Due to the higher number of pupils because of the children evacuated from the London schools, Harvey Road became part of a shift pattern which enabled the pupils to receive some form of continuous education within the seven classrooms they provided. By using the classrooms along with various halls available in the village, the children attended 9am-12.30pm one week and 1.30pm – 5pm the following week. It became a routine that as the severity of the war increased, children had to carry their gas masks at all times in case of threatening attacks. Air Raid shelters were also provided in the school grounds.(demolished in 1964)

In May 1943 the first school dinners were taken in the classrooms, 211 in total.

It wasn’t until 1948 that a school canteen and dining room were completed. Unfortunately, due to the aftermath of the war, equipment was not readily available to support the new facility and the numbers requiring a hot meal. Herts County Council overcame this by providing two sandwiches for lunch once a week for the children who stayed to dinner (lunch was then called dinner).

Miss Cooper retired in July 1952 and at this time was still living in the schoolhouse attached to the school in Yorke Road. She continued to live here until she became unwell and passed away in September 1963.

Mr Ernest Ford followed Miss Cooper as Headmaster and soon after in 1956: four additional classrooms and a library were added to the school buildings.. The school motto was decided “Qui s’excuse s’accuse” and the pupils were separated into four ‘Houses’ for the purpose of gaining a competitive spirit in much of the school curriculum including sports.

The ‘Houses’ were identified by the names of people and places associated with the village.

As Croxley Green is surrounded by lakes, rivers and a canal swimming lessons were becoming a high priority for young children and monies were achieved so that a sizeable outdoor pool could be built in the school grounds.

After a successful period of approximately 23yrs as Head Mr. Ford retired and was succeeded by Mr. Alan Nicholson who was in place during the school’s Golden Jubilee anniversary in 1988 when celebrations included a special reunion of past pupils.

The school was now showing signs of age as well as over crowding once more. A new modern brick school was completed in 1997 the same year Mr. Nicholson retired and Alison Gauntlett became Headmistress. Children had been able to witness the progress of the building construction, an exciting time with all the ‘plant’ working especially for the boys!

At this time the headship changed fairly rapidly as Jane Benn followed in 2002 and Mr N Rowland in 2005. The school’s 75th anniversary in 2014 became a milestone to plan once more a huge celebration.

Front Row: Mary Newby / Janet Wilkinson / ?? / ?? / Rosemary Hedges / Alan Southam / Brian Wilson / Richard Paddick / Stephen Brody
2nd Row: ?? / Barbara Wilson / ?? / Anne Reeves / Miss Giles (teacher) / Doris Lacey / ?? / Sheila Thompkins / Olive Melton / Gladys Wells
3rd Row:
?? / ?? / ?? / ?? / Peter Samuels / ?? / ?? / Frank Standen / ??
Back Row:
?? / ?? / ?? / ?? / ?Hunt / ?? / David Morgan / Brian Thomas /?? / Eric Cameron

Back Row: ?? / David Wallwork / ?? / Christopher Smith / Anthony Smith / ?? / David Rhodes / Fred Noble / ?? / Ken Moore / Alan Humphrey
3rd Row: Alan Blanchard / Robin Holloway /Tony Fitt / Margaret King (names not clear for each child)
2nd Row: Vivienne Murray/ Sheila Flint / Janey Gozney / Avril Palmer/(names not clear for each child)
Front Row: Marilyn Homer / Linda Rickman / (names not clear for each child)

Front Row: Noreen Harmer / ? Williamson / Michael Curtis / Pat Hill / Janet Wilkinson /Mary Newby / ??
Middle Row: ?? / ?? /?? ?? / Eric Cameron / ?? /?? / ?? / Rosemary Hedges / Jennifer Gray / ??
Back Row: Miss Nelson (teacher) ?? / Iris Foreman / ?? / ?? / ?? /Christine ? / David Hunt / ?? / Clifford Element

Front row: Peter Samuels / John Robson / David Morgan / John Roffe / Alan Humphres / Ted Noble / Stephen Brody / Kenneth Moore / Frank Standen
2nd Row: Marjorie Reynold ?? / ?? Sheila Flint / ?? / ?? / Janet Gozney / Marilyn Homer / Lyndall Rickwood / Avril Palmer
3rd Row: Barbara Jones / Vivienne Murray / Margaret King / ?? / Valerie ? / Jennifer Gray / Rosemary Hedges / ?? / Noreen Harmer / Betty Wells / Marion Bushnell
Back Row: Alan Humphries / Terry Jenner / Stephen Brody / Frank Standen / ?? / Gerald Newton / Alan Blanchard / David Rhodes / Robin Holloway / Nigel Robinson / Davis Walbrook

© Harvey Road School 1949-50 Back row ---Can you name these pupils? 3rd row ?? Sheila Richardson Pamela Carr Rosemary Ford ?? Joan Pullen ?? Nina Carter 2nd row ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Mr. Veasey ?? Susan Howard ?? ?? ?? Front row ?? ?? ?? Stanley Smith HenryNoble ?? ?? ??

Back row: David Baker - John Fox - John King - Michael Barnes -Jefferey Davis – Jim Chamberlain – Barry Chester – Ian Weeden
2nd row: Peter ? - Michael Fowler – Roger Stowe – Colin ? - Shirley Priestly – David Fairbaim – Glenda Phipps – Pam Byott-Camilla Lane-Christine Tubb-Richard Smith
Seated Row: -? ? - Pamela Milton- Rosemary Chater-Anne Pattinson-Suzanne Moore-Pamela Alchin- Miss Green-Suzanne Kingman- Jane ? - Elaine Merritt- Janet Window
Kneeling:Christine Bott-Gillian Webster-Wendy Furr-Jean Snell-Madeline Hutchinson-ShirleyJjeffries- Rosemary Galloway- Rita Owen- Pat Simpkins-Angela ?

© Harvey Road School Choir c1952 Back row from left ?? ?? ?? Paul de Luca ?? ?? ?? Terry Rodger ?? Christopher Milton ?? Ian le Vacont ?? ?? ?? David Pope Henry Noble 1st Row down Freddy Gomm Wilfred Knight ?? ?? Nina Carter ?? ?? Pamela Galley ?? ?? ?? ?? Peter Shrubsole ?? ?? 2nd Row down Brenda Jacks Greta ? ?? Shirley Pritchard Jennifer Childs ?? Mrs Fenton ?? Marion Fox Joan Pullen Pat Williams Susan Howard ?? Mary Gittings Front Row Janet Nicholls ?? ?? ?? ?? Peta Golding Sheila Smith Margaret Symonds ?? ?? ?? ?? Please contact us if you can supply any of the missing names.

c1955/6 The school had a pet rabbit called ‘Harvey’. Featured from left to right Keith Paddick, Peter Wilson, David Penny, Barry Hoband.Peter and Barry’s family would take it in turn to look after Harvey at the weekend.

© Harvey Road Football Team 1951 Back row: ?? ?? Teacher? ?? Middle Row: ?? David Pope ?? Terry Rodger Front row: ?? ?? ?? Wilfred Knight ?? Please contact us if you can recognise any of the missing names?

Front row from the left: Mrs Fenton, Mr. Routly, Miss Cooper (Headmistress) Mr Fennick unknown Back row: Miss Hedges, unknown Mrs Watson unknown

Front row left to right: Mr Nicholson, Mrs Phillips (secretary) Miss Hedges, Mr Ford (Headmaster) Miss Green, Mrs Warner
Back row: Mrs Litwinczuk, Mr Nickerson, Miss Creighton,
Mrs McCall, unknown (caretaker) Miss Batchelor, Mrs Leech, unknown, Miss Grover (school assistant)

Front row from left: Mrs Phillips (secretary) Mrs Warner Mr Nicholson Mr Ford (Headmaster) Miss Green Miss Hedges Miss Batchelor
Back row: Mrs Litwinczuk Miss Crieghton Mrs Leech unknown Mrs Grover unknown Miss Grover (school assistant)

Harvey Road 1987 Class Head teacher Alan Nicholson & Class teacher Mrs Parrott
Back row Left to Right Alan Nicholson - Simon Classy - David Graham - Russell Decking - Robert Fredickson - Peter Watt - Anthony Hewston - Philip Moore - Martin Hanscomb - Neville Strattin - Simon McFall - Kevin Mullany Second row from top Michelle Slade - Russell Carpenter - Jens Mc Nally - Paul Culmer - Michael Curtis - Peter Burge - Nigel Brady - Brian Slinn - Ross Thompson Third row from top Caroline Burge - Marie Hubbard - Helen Toms- Emma Fabb -Tina Colborne - Mrs Peggy Parrott (class teacher) - Jill McNiven - Haley Merchant - Carol Young - Caroline Facer - Clare Davis Front row Ruth Edwards - Karen McMurray - Emma Hunt - Amanda Wilson - Amanda Pickering - Clare Henderson - Clare Endersey - Stephen Fletcher

Harvey Road Football Team 1987 Back Row Mike Lovatt - Jens McNally - Michael Curtis - Phillip Moore - Simon McFall - Ian Cater -Terence Cloute
Middle Row David Vincent - Martin Hanscomb - Anthony Hewston - Nigel Brady -Simon Classey - Robin Vaughan Front Row

The following are the Head Teachers that have been in position since the school opened.
Miss L. E. Cooper 1938 - 1952
Mr E. V. Ford 1952 - 1975
Mr A. Nicholson 1975 - 1997
Alison Gauntlett 1997 - 2002
Jane Benn 2002 - 2005
Mr N. Rowlands 2005 - Present