1958 Barry Eaton
I attended Mayfield from 1953 to 1958. My last form master was Mr Scot and our form room was one of the labs on the first floor. Reading all the other blogs and looking at the photos has certainly brought back memories. I was on the 1957 Danbury Camp trip, I remember we cycled to the camp site. Whilst there another camper and I had to be taken to hospital, I think it was by Mr Beaumont, as we had both injured our arms in separate incidents and both ended up in plaster. In the photograph I am second from the right in the middle row and my plastered left arm can be seen.
In particular I remember Mr Saunders, as one the subjects he taught was Technical drawing. It was because of this I initially went into a drawing office and subsequently had a lifetime profession in cosultancy as a design engineer in the building services industry. I never ever saw Mr Saunders smile. Am I right in believing that at some time a sailing dinghy was built at the school as I have a picture in my mind of seeing one in the quadrangle? When I look back, failing the 11 plus and going to Mayfield was probably one of the most significant things in my life.
Hi Barry
I remember Mt Scott great teacher. I spent a year in his class and acted as science monitor. Don’t suppose you rember me but in fairness it was a long time ago. I left Mayfield, wandered around France the joined the Royal Navy. Stayed for thirty-five years and retired at fifty +. I now live in Cyprus.
Anyway all the best, and you are right, although we may not have thought it at the time Mayfield and its education was the best thing that happened to most of us.
Take care, Ron
Hello Barry.
If memory served me right, we were in the same class and in the same Danbury Camp photo. Rumor had it you had a cousin Shirley who was a well known actress at that time, appearing in Carry On films and Goldfinger. Your last sentence are my sentiments as well.
Nice to have you aboard. Peter.
Barry,
The years have flown by but, the memories of yourself and many others remain fresh in my mind. It was sheer curiosity that caused me to see if the School was still operating. Great site and hope we can establish a contact with yourself and any others who attended there many years ago. The School and staff were beyond anything that I could have expected and I owe so much to them all without exception.
Take care,
Ben.
Hi Ben
Glad you found the web site. I found it exactly the same way you did. Is it curiosity or is just age, to look back to those times that have real significance although we don’t realise it at the time. Am I correct in recalling that you had an interest of a career in the police, if so did it materialise? Great hear from you.
Barry
Howdy Barry,
Wonderful to know that there are more of us still around. I spent my life in one uniform or another. What with Army, Police and U.S Deputy Sheriff. A period of over 43 years! Retired now in Virginia and working up a storm gardening and enjoying life. How about you? Take great care. Regards and best wishes, Ben.
Hi Ben
I am trying to get my head round the idea that a former pupil of Mayfield Sec. Boys school became a “Deputy US Sheriff”, congratulations that surely must be the most unusual professional achievement of any former Mayfield pupil. Like you I am now retired, and live in the South West in Cornwall and have done since 1975. I think most people of our class of 1958 would only find the site like we did, lets hope there are others equally curious. Reading through all the other blogs and comments etc. I certainly recognise various names and faces, even after 56 years.
Keep in touch, Regards Barry
Hi Barry,
I was in that same class 5E(L) and remember Mr. Scot, the Danbury Camps, “Dick” Fry, and I think I remember the 1957 Danbury Camp. I believe the other person who broke his arm was Jim (James) Butler. I’ve only recently discovered this site and it brings back many memories.
Hope you are keeping well.
Best regards
Mike Kneller
Hi Mike
Glad you have found Mayfield Memories great to here from another 1958 5E(L) class member. Are you in the photo of the 1957 Danbury Camp. I think you are correct in identifying John Hillier in the class of ’58 photo. I was not sure when I first saw this photo. I am afraid after all these years I find putting faces to names rather taxing.
Regards
Barry Eaton
Hi Barry
Great to hear from you. It’s been a long time since any of us have met. I think that I am in the 1957 camp photo – on “Dick” Fry’s right (Peter Hoye is on his left).
I remember, as a young teenager you, John Hillier and Peter Hoye coming to Mayfield Boys around 1953-4 about the same time as John Prigg, Ben Bentley, myself and a few others, who’s names I can’t now remember, came up from Goodmayes Juniors and we all seemed to get on well together. We all ended up taking the “Extended Course” (which was a fairly new idea in those days) and studied for RSA exams. This was good for us boys because we would have left school earlier without much in the way of qualifications.
I know what you mean about remembering people – I recognise faces but can’t always put a name to them.
Where are you living these days? I am in Maldon (Essex) where the salt comes from.
Very best regards
Mike (K).
Hi Mike
Peter Hoye, John Hillier and I went to Mayfield in 1953. There were others but I don’t think they stayed for a 5th year. If I remember correctly our first year teacher was Mr Hussain, form 1 alpha. Were we all in in the same classes up to 1958.
I see from your blog you have been in contact with Ben I still can not get over the fact that Mayfield produced a Deputy Sheriff. I don’t know whether he told you that we are in contact with one another and that I live in Cornwall and have done since 1972.
The day I left school in 1958 was the last time I saw anyone from our class apart from John Hillier as we lived around the corner from one another in Chadwell Heath.
I was interested to read your blog and see the photo, I take it this was sometime after we had left Mayfield. I am sorry, but I cannot put any names to the others in you photo.
Regards Barry
Hi Barry,
Yes, I think I took the photo around 1961/2. Peter Hoye had gone to New Zealand in 1960 (he would have been in the photo otherwise) – and I think the occasion was the “Ambassadors” leaving Mayfield Girls School (where we had been meeting on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons since we left Mayfield Boys’) for Roding Lane Free Church in Redbridge.
I recollect Mr Hussain was our 1st year form master who also took us for “English”. After that my classes were: 2b Mr. Braham, 3b Mr. Braham, 4E(L)a Scottish teacher whose name I don’t remember and 5E(L)Mr. Scott. I can’t remember if you were in all of those classes. Certainly 1 alpha and certainly 4E(L) and (5E(L).
I agree with you, the most surprising thing and something we would never in a million years expect – US Sheriff Ben Bentley.
Best regards
Mike.
Hi Barry
Good to hear about your life.yes you are correct I used to live in Norbury Gardens,and I believe you lived at 76 Blackbush.when I first got married our first house was in Blackbush no 23. I used to spend hours round your house creating Pen and Ink Drawings. Do you remember Geoffrey Langridge he was partially sited but was absolutely brilliant at Pen and Ink Drawings.like you not passing the 11 plus was god sent to me after Mayfield I obtained an Engineering Apprenticeship with Plessey Ilford and spent the rest of my life in Manufacturing finalising with Magiglo decorative fires where I was a partner.
Mayfield Boys gave me a sound education .Do you remember Mr Cutting our Science Teacher,I remember the Metal Work Shop .I never went to the Danbury camp but I remember Mr Beaumont wasn’t he our Maths Teacher. The Art Room was good remember the sign above the door ,Time and Tide waits for no man.I remember going to Germany on a school trip to Heildeberge.
I have very fond memories of Mayfield as it never done me any harm and taught me a lot even though I only achieved RSAs .I am now living in Whitstable having moved here 40 + years ago with a company called Bell Punch. I remember Peter Hoye I recognise several people in the Photo but cannot put a name to them. Must be an aged thing.
Best Regards
John Hillier
Glad you remember me John, as you have certainly rung a bell in my memory. Yes it is an age thing that has now bought so many of us “old Mayfield mates” together once again. The more I read these Memories, the more those 1950’s years come back to us all.
I have been corresponding with Mike Kneller for some years now but I have also been in touch with an old chum from Primary school days. Roger Hill lived in Primrose Ave, Goodmayes as I did, with several lads from that area. If you go to “Guests on the Mayfield site and look up Roger Hill, you will find he and I sharing what life was all about for us 9 year old kids. Worth taking a look.
Your sentiments of Mayfield and of the others are my sentiments too. Anyone going to a secondary school in those days was not expected to rise above becoming a road sweeper, let alone an engineer. I’m happy that I was able to gain not only the five RSA subjects but one GCE as well. That enabled me to get an apprenticeship as a Fitter, with an affiliate company of the Unilever Corporation, at Silvertown next to the Tate and lyle sugar refinery. Two years later my mother decided to follow her two brothers and families to the new world “Downunder”. In New Zealand I was fortunate to resume my apprenticeship and subsequently finished my time as an indentured Fitter / Machinist. In the mid sixties I was called up to do compulsory military service in the Royal signals corps where I gained a weapon classification of “marksman !st class. My father who died in 1957, was a British Empire champion with the .22 rifle, in 1935. A “chip off the old block” as they say. In 1969 I moved to Australia, married, had a family and gained a second trade as a licensed plumber. Not bad for an old Mayfield secondary boy. By the way, I was a Chadwell Heath primary kid as well
Keep this chatter going as I intend to keep looking and reading an sharing as long as we all keep going.
Sadly our old friend, Barry Eaton, passed away after an unfortunate illness in early 2024. He is already greatly missed.