Broxbourne Secondary Modern School

Broxbourne

By Paula Lachanudis

Courtesy of David Dent

Broxbourne Secondary Modern School

The almost completed buildings of Broxbourne Secondary Modern School, which was situated to the west of the Grammar School. It was officially opened on the 22nd October 1959 by Councillor C.D.B Williams, Chairman of Hoddesdon U.D.C.

This page was added on 25/01/2010.

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  • Does anyone remember a School ski trip to Austria in 1968.
    From recollection it was quite a rowdy affair !
    I remember one of the girls who went was called Marina, she lived in Stanstead Abbots, where i lived.
    I remember the bus we were in climbing ever higher to the ski resort we stayed in, the bends were very tight & I remember thinking that we might slip off the edge of the road !!!
    I was, needless to say, hopeless at skiing – like all sports, having at that time undiagnosed asthma. I did get a little further than the nursery slopes, but in my true ungainly manner whilst ‘skiing’ down I got one foot caught under a tree root, sprained an ankle & came home bandaged up.
    Those were the days & the memories.

    By E Jane Happs (24/07/2023)
  • Great days at this school,
    Names mentioned Steve Boden (great at the mile) Mark I am sure was high jump champion, I think Mark Phillips was in the same year as Steve. Tony Pearson went on to play rugby for Hertford along with several others.
    Teachers Ms Stevens was history Fib was deputy head (not a bad block) think he got an MBE or similar. Peter Ruffles was Mayor of Hertford and still going. I was at school from from 1964 with my best mate Dave Beard, Pat Haylock also in our year is now an author so school can’t have been all that bad.

    By Andrew Tate (14/02/2023)
  • I have a panoramic photograph of the whole school dated 1962. Names I remember (I am 74 this year) are: Stephen Boden, Kevin Hart, Ian Strasman, Alan Macfarlane, David Burrell, David Binden, ? Scrivens, maybe Terence Bridgman, Roger Conway. I traveled all the way from St Margarets on the bus and you can imagine how the Hoddesdon Sec Mod school boys took to my cherry red uniform and hat – many times my mum had to buy new hats as they would be thrown out of the window on the upper deck of the bus. Was there a teacher who had a name Shadrack of something similar?

    By David Banks (05/01/2023)
  • Hi Jill Watkins, i remember your father very well i was at the school from 1954 till 1959 at the new school.
    I remember Lionel Fiddaman well too both very good teachers to me
    Id love to hear from you about them?

    By Brian Bethell (21/12/2022)
  • I remember Mr Richards telling us about his trip to New York and the view from the top.of the Empire State Building. Never imagined back then I would stand there myself one day. We called Mr Fidderman “Fid” and Miss Stevens “Def” (lifted from the inscription around the old penny “Fid Def”, meaning Defender of the Faith).

    By Gavin Girling (20/11/2022)
  • I left Baas Hill early 1961.
    Does anyone remember Stan Terry?

    By Stan Terry (16/07/2022)
  • I went to Baas Hill from 1961 and still in contact with a few pupils . I went on the trip to Igles in Austria with Paul Bourdeaux and Mike Winterton who was my athletics coach . I remember most of the teachers and many of the pupils together with happy memories of my time at the school. 21/10/2021

    By Stephen Boden (21/10/2021)
  • Posting on behalf of Jeff Ruffell:

    Is there anybody out there who would like to have a catch up and reminisce over Baas Hill School

    1959-1963?

    By Marion Hill (13/07/2021)
  • Does anyone know where Susan Francis is ?

    By Theresa Williams (06/02/2021)
  • My father was the Woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing teacher – Harry George Ilett.
    He died in his 50s. My mother, Margaret Ilett, taught there when It was a Secondary Modern on the banks of the New River, together with the JMI school associated with it. Mr Fiddaman was his friend. I also knew Miss Stephens/Stevens.
    My sister Margaret and I attended the JMI and my mother transferred there. Mrs Grist also taught at the secondaary school. The Misses Cox were head teacher and assistant teacher at the JMI. Kingfishers nested on the New River and provided our school emblem.

    By Jill Watkins (Ilett) (19/01/2021)
  • I was wondering if anybody remembers a school skiing trip to Austria ? Not sure of the exact year 1961 /1962 1963?
    Would love to see if anybody remembers where it was in Austria and any other information

    By DAWN EVANS (21/08/2020)
  • I taught at the school from 1963-1965.
    Geography was my subject, and PE . I introduced baseball.
    Did an external degree whilst working there.
    Went on to Nottingham to become a Barrister 1968-1991.
    Then a judge in Staffordshire and London 1991-2008.
    Now retired 81 years old.
    Remember Bywater, Fiddaman, Vause , Bordeaux, (art) Winterton ,Torrance, Ilyet who died, Miss Stevens,,
    Amongst pupils Geoffrey Ansell , Steve Truckle, David Binder, Mark and Steven Boden . And Paul Dancy.whose mother was a part time teacher.
    Some of these were in a party of 15 boys I took to the Soviet Union in 1965. Moscow , Leningrad. What a priceless adventure. Quite unique.

    By Graham Richards (07/04/2020)
  • I also remember our woodwork teacher . His name was Harry Illett, not sure if that is the correct spelling. Great teacher, Fidd as we all called him(behind his back) to science and Miss Hill was my form teacher who married and became Mrs Manette( again could be wrong spelling. I can honestly say I was in love with her!!

    Martin Whippy

    By Martin Whippy (25/03/2020)
  • I went to Baas Hill Secondary School from 1965 and also The Broxbourne School when it became a comprehensive school having joined with The Broxbourne Grammer School in 1969? and where I continued until leaving 1971. I now live near Christchurch and would like to share memories of the two schools with anyone interested. Teachers Bywaters, Fiddaman, Miss Stevens, Miss Newman, Clive Ward, Peter Ruffles and many others that my brain cells may reveal with a jolt. I also appeared in the celebrated school photograph featured in the book by Mr Dent (one of the few pupils in the back row wearing a black blazer on a warm day!)

    By Stephen Elkins (06/10/2019)
  • I also attended Bass Hill, early 60’s and remembered the people’s names which have been mentioned, certainly makes you wonder what and where you school friends are now! .
    I am now settled in Peterborough for the last 45years.,and was wondering if ever there may be a reunion, would be good to go.
    From Pat Hall re ORFORD

    By Patricia Hall ne ORFORD (31/08/2019)
  • I attended Baas Hill school in the early 60’s and have lots of good memories. Mr Bywaters, Miss Stevens and Miss Torrants. I had a best friend called Susan Speirs, I often wondered what happened to her and others I was friends with. I now live in Bournemouth

    By Susan Bridges (24/08/2019)
  • Russell
    I have read your comments on the school we attended and would love to get in touch with you and catch up on old times if you would like to .
    Please contact Hertfordshire Archives who can put you in touch with me.
    Looking forward to reminiscing
    Best wishes
    Jeff Ruffell

    By Dawn Evans (20/05/2018)
  • I attended Baas Hill SMS 1965 to 1967 . Headmaster was R W “Billy” Bywater. Reflecting on my experiences many years later…I made some good fiends and enjoyed the extra curricular activities. However, the education, standards and culture were poor compared with my previous school in Devon. I believe matters improved considerably when it became a Comprehensive

    By C A Mason (16/09/2017)
  • Good and bad memories of Baas Hill from 1960 – 1964, headmaster Mr. Bywater and Mr. Fiddermen, I always remember our woodwork teacher I think his name was something like Mr idle or something like that, a really nice man, I had really good friends there like Warwick McCredie who was unfortunately killed in Marbella in a road accident in 2007 always my best friend from 1960.

    By Russell Smith (01/05/2017)