Burleigh School 1951

Mr Clark's class

Burleigh School was the first pre-fabricated school to be built.

This class was the first class that went to Burleigh School. We were previously at the British School. We went to the British School in the morning, at lunch time we went to Burleigh school – we were the only class there with our teacher, Miss Bryant. ther was a thunderstorm in the afternoon. There were huge floor to ceiling windows in the school and we were frightened and we were comforted in the cloakroom where there were smaller windows by the painters and Miss Bryant. She was a lovely lady.

Burleigh School
This page was added on 20/05/2010.

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  • I went to Burleigh Schol with my twin brother and older sister.
    Mr Walker was the Headmaster, a very odious little man!. He was a man who would never accept he was wrong. I remember he had several public confrontations with parents.
    I was in Mrs Hickman’s class 1st and 4th years. She was an old style teacher. Very disciplined but also a very good teacher. Mrs Bungay and Mr Biggs. Mrs Bungay was an alcoholic and would be supported by her fellow teachers during assembly. We once found her unconscious in the stock cupboard with an empty vodka bottle!. She was a nice teacher but sadly she had these problems. Her colleagues covered for her. Mr Biggs was a horrible man.

    There were many teachers who had served in the forces during WW2. One, Mr Cuthbertson, had flown Lancasters as a bomb aimer and i will always recall the assembly they did explaining the difference between War Films and the reality of war. A very brave man indeed.
    Mrs Storey, the dinner lady ,was in fact quite a nice lady, I don’t think she disliked children particularly.
    All in all i did enjoy my time at Burleigh.

    By Andy S (11/06/2022)
  • Jim, Do you rember me, Mike Surridge at the grammar?
    I was so jealous of your lotus cortina!

    By Michael Surridge (21/01/2021)
  • I was at Burleigh from 1958-64. My teachers were Mrs Garment, Miss Drew, Miss Holdstock, Mrs Gerty, Mrs Tyler and Miss Childs. I remember the name Miss Day but not the person. I also remember a very unpleasant midday supervisor ( as you call them now) called Mrs Storey who seemed to hate children. I also remember a lunchtime dish called Pease Pudding which was absolutely vile. Apart from that I had a great time, but my move to Cheshunt Grammar was not good. Awful school.

    By Mark Edwards (08/11/2020)
  • Re. Letter from Barry Cross. I was at Burleigh school from 1955 till 1959. I knew your brother Murray quite well. We both applied for a job at John Mowlem nr. Welham Green . About August time 1959 we both jumped on our bikes & cycled to the Mowlem depot for our job interviews . After the meetings Murray did not seem too keen about working there so did not take any more action . I did go ahead & served a 5 year apprenticeship which was a most thorough & enjoyable 5 years for me. I can’t add much more at the moment but can recall Murray being a good athlete ! Although Burleigh was a good school all I wanted to do was leave & go out to work

    best wishes Barry Nick Simms .

    By Barry Nick Simms (25/08/2020)
  • My Brother Murray William Cross was at Burleigh Secondary Modern School, Hatfield. From his 11th birthday in 1955, until I think his 15th birthday in 1959. He came there from Green Lanes Primary School Hatfield.
    As his brother I don’t know anything about his schooling at Burleigh, and I would dearly love to know of it from anyone his school mates etc.

    By Barry Cross (29/06/2020)
  • I went to Burleigh in about 1954, leaving in 1960. I do remember Edwin Rideout. My first teacher was Mrs Fletcher. I took a photo of all my final year in 1960 with teacher Mrs Hickman which I still have somewhere. I will try to find it. I also took a photo of my friend Kenneth Barltrop

    By Bob Williams (05/08/2019)
  • As retired schoolteachers, Winnie and Elsie Bryant lived at Beecholm, 140 High Street, Cheshunt. My father later built a flat for them next door at No. 142, The Orchards, which my parents also owned. Kind, lovely people, they both were.

    By Paul Zieleniewski (25/11/2018)
  • I was at Burleigh too, maybe about 1954 to 1959. I remember those tall windows — and the day a window cleaner fell into one of them and was badly hurt. I remember our school assembly every day. We thought we were so clever saying in unison, Good morning Miss Day, good morning creatures. But I think we were serious during the Lord’s Prayer saying Give us Miss Day our daily bread, because of the rusk we were given at recess. I lvoed Miss McKeon, my first teacher. Miss Drew, the following year, had to be much stricter, now we were older.

    By Edwin Ridout (26/05/2017)
  • I went to this lovely school as a nursery child. in 1951 when I was 3. I remember the climbing rope tent and the pigs next door over the wall. I had a swan on my bed that we had a nap on after lunch, Sometimes outside and they would carry the bed inside if you was still asleep still laying on it.I have a school photo taken here and a Christmas party photo. I loved this school, I went to Gews corner when I was 5. I loved this school too. I then went onto Cheshunt Grammer where I m sorry to say I was very unhappy there,

    By Laura Savage nee Cornhill (04/01/2017)
  • I joined Burleigh School in January 1950 coming from Grosvenor Private school at the age of 7 and I was placed in Miss McKeon (I believe) then the next year 1951-52 with Mr Clarke (who lived in Marina Gardens a turning off Blindmans Lane, right opposite the school.
    The following year our teacher was Miss Chalkley and for our final year we had Miss Childs. I was so happy going to this school and managed to pass the 11+ going to Cheshunt Grammar School. (don’t know how) I am in regularly in touch with Sylvia Ling who sat next to me for at least two years. Best times of my life. Football Cricket and general learning things in a happy place.

    By Malcolm Salter (21/09/2016)
  • I must have started at Burleigh in Jan. 1950, a year after you Jim, and remember Miss Bryant as a very nice teacher.
    I think Miss Childs taught me for English a bit later, she told us of a new excellent show just opened in London and if we got the chance to go and see it, “The Mousetrap.” It’s still running!
    I have a ‘photo of myself and a Patrick Raven lined up for the three legged race in the school sports. The school caretaker, whose name escapes me is also in the picture I have.
    I was sent to the head of school one day for being a naughty boy and was punished, quite deservedly! I am sure it was Miss Day.

    By Colin Sutton (21/08/2016)
  • I was at Burleigh from 1959 to 1965, first under Miss Day, then Mr Oldacre. My classes were taught by Mrs Garment, Miss Drew, Mrs Mckeown, Miss Gerty (I think that’s the spelling), Mr Cuthbert, Mrs Hickman and Miss Child. I also remember Miss Bryant and Miss Tyler, though they never taught me.

    By Nicholas Blatchley (08/02/2012)
  • i joined Burliegh infant school in 1960-61 when i was 5 it was a very well run school and had a friendly touch to it … i remember Mr Cuthbert he was our football and cricket coach .. i also remember miss Childs and miss May . if i remember there was a portacabin with 2 classrooms in, opposite the infants classrooms 1, 2,and 3 and miss childs used to teach there.I wish there were more on this Page it would be so nice to see more photos and stories.

    By Brian Cook (03/02/2012)
  • I, too, remember Miss Bryant as being a lovely lady. Burleigh School was my first school and I must have started school in 1949, in Miss Drew’s class. We joined Miss Bryant two years later. In the top left hand corner of the picture above, you can see the bungalow where Mr Clark lived. The houses, to the right, must be those in Prospect Road and the classroom, in the top right hand corner, was that of Miss Childs who taught my sister Joyce, who also transferred from The British School. I was in Miss Childs class from 1954-55.

    By Jim Miles (06/02/2011)