Introduction

My first sighting of Wandsworth School was on a beautiful summer's day in 1953 when my parents took me there for an interview. I had just been for a similar interview at the Emanuel School after which I told my parents that I did not want to go to that school. It was gloomy and depressing with a headmaster to whom I took an instant dislike. Luckily for me my parents held the same view so although I was accepted for the Emanuel School we rejected it. I don't think that the powers that be were too pleased.

Having got off the No. 39 bus we walked down Southerland Grove and the view of the playing fields with white hurdles lined up gradually opened up before us and the School itself came into sight. The walk up the drive and the School itself were impressive but not intimidating. Along with a number of other would-be pupils and their parents we were seated in the Hall and HRK gave an introduction to the School saying how it was expanding and then rushed away to a planning meeting. Mr. Fenn took over along with Mr. Clode and we were taken for a tour of the School. I can recall Mr. Fenn telling us that the boys learned a lot in their early years in the School but that the greatest benefit was achieved in the two years in the 6th. Form for those who stayed on. I recalled this 7 years later when I left the 6th. Form and he was right. I learned a lot in those 2 years and not just about the subjects I was studying. As a prefect I learned a lot about responsibility and discipline while as Captain of the Chess Team I learned about organising events and the people involved. These were lessons which served me well in later life.

As my parents and I went home after the interview they asked me if I liked the School. The answer was an unqualified yes. The whole place had a friendly atmosphere while the masters in their gowns gave the place a feeling of tradition and permanence.

I joined the School on 7 September 1953 and I suspect that everyone who attended for interview that year was accepted to support the expansion. There were 5 forms in the first year that year with 152 pupils. The forms were labelled A to E and I was in Form 1B. Thus started 7 years of enjoyable learning.

After I left the School I hoped to join the Old Boys and use the facilites at Claygate. I remember various collections to build these facilities and I had played cricket there and knew them to be excellent but before I became an Old Boy the place burned down and was not rebuilt. After that I lost touch with the School and was too busy living life to think much about it until I drove down Southerland Grove in 1998 to find the whole place boarded and shut up. It came as quite a shock - the place "of tradition and permanence" was no more.

A little while ago I came across Jim Carpenter's excellent web site for Wandsworth School and have been following the recent happenings as reported there. Long ago I had to come to terms with the loss of the School's on-site playing fields and the loss of the impressive view of the School from the front drive gates. Although I was never overfond of the new concrete buildings they too were a part of my history so it was with sadness that I saw that they had been demolished. I was however very pleased to see that the old School building is being saved even if it is to be converted to flats.

Jim's site set me thinking (not easy any more!) so I decided to add the history which I possesed to the pool of knowledge in the hope of continuing the feeling of "tradition and permanence".

John Joiner

Wandsworth School 1953 to 1960