Blackmore Area Local History

The Gatehouse, Ingatestone

Alan Cristall wrote:

I was delighted see the photographs and narrative by Michael Walden.  I found the photographs fascinating, particularly the one of the schoolroom. It must have been taken some time back in the 1930s under a previous head because, as I recall, there were a number of significant differences in the 1940s. For instance the paper on the walls; I am pretty sure that we had two rows of desks rather than three; there were black-out curtains at the windows during WW2; and by the amount of light coming through the windows on the right it appears that there was still a glass roof on the conservatory whereas by 1940 it had been slated over.

I was a boarder at the school from 1940 until 1948 and my brother, Brian, from 1942. He went on to Chelmsford Grammar School but continued to board at the Gate House and moved with the school to The Hyde by which time I had left. The full-time boarders, as distinct from weekly boarders, were Post Office Boarders, their fees being paid by the Post Office Orphan Homes Benevolent Society - their fathers, former GPO employees, having either died or been killed. 

The Headmaster at the time, known as the Boss, was David Asquith. 

Being a bit of an amateur historian myself I have numerous notes on life at the school during the Second World War and also a photograph of the staff and pupils, together with names, taken in about 1943 or 1944.

I attach another photograph of the building taken in the early 1940s.

Gate House School Photograph

Back Row Left to Right

Brian Smith [DB]; Billy Baker [DB]; Morrison [DB]; Roy Dove [DB]; David Freeman [POB]; John Bull? [DB]; ‘Dekky’ Cross [POB]; ‘Nanger’ Smith [POB]; John Lavender [DB]; Stockton Sen. [DB]; Ralph Bonney [DB]; Ronald Ottey [POB]; Greg Finlay [DB]; Ken Collins [WB]; Alec Collins [later Henderson] [WB]; Peter Townsend [DB]; ‘Tiddler’ Driscoll [POB].

Centre Row Left to Right

John Hutchins [POB]; ‘Ginger’ Whiting [POB]; Gordon Brodie [POB]; Peter Bish [WB]; Ronnie Back [POB]; Alan Cristall [POB]; girl *; Miss Clark [later Mrs Smith] [teacher]; Miss Shorney [matron]; David Asquith [head]; Miss Bond [teacher]; Barbara Slawson [DG]; Michael Slawson [DB]; Alex Gordon [DB]; Leonard Leech [DB]; ‘Basher’ Brooks [DB]; Stockton Jnr. [DB]. 

Front Row Left to Right

Michael Raven [DB]; Alan Rose [POB]; Derek Whiting [POB]; Martin Bacon [DB]; ‘Chips’ Harrison [POB]; Chris Conn [POB]; David Cotton [DB]; Brian Cristall [POB]; John Tyler [WB]; Peter Tyler [WB].

Other boys remembered but not on the photograph:

Teddy Strange [POB]; Grieves [POB]; ‘Derby’ Allen [POB]; Geoffrey Saich [DB]; ‘Punka’ Gates [DB] and ‘Fatty’ Duncan [POB]. 

Teachers remembered but not in the photograph: Mr Hutley; Mr Cook; Mrs Herd.

DB=day boy; DG= day girl; POB=Post Office boarder; WB=weekly boarder.

Notes:  The nameless girl lived at the Red House next door.  Barbara and Michael Slawson were the children of the chemist in Ingatestone High Street.  Michael Raven was the son of the baker in the High Street.

Thank you for the photograph of The Gate House.  The book, ‘Ingatestone and District in old picture postcards’ (published April 1985) shows a similar photograph of the building and garden mentioning that the part of the house facing Station Lane and the railway station was actually the rear and the front (now built over) facing the lake was on the other side.

John Hutchins [Hutch] wrote:

I have recently located your web page regarding Ingatestone, and it certainly brought back memories, as I attended the Gatehouse School, during those dark war years, to be precise 1942 – 1949, and was head boy for the last year or so.  Miss Shorney was indeed the matron and the headmaster was Mr. David Asquith. They are both buried in the churchyard of the Fryening church, having passed away in 1965.   Other teachers as I recall were a Mr. Cook, and a Miss Hussey. I spent many hours practicing the piano and violin under Mr Cook’s eagle eye. The piano was located on the stage of the main classroom shown in one of your pictures. After completing National Service, I emigrated to Canada in 1954.  It is good to be able to contact someone who was involved with the school. Hope the above is of interest.

Alan Cristall wrote:

The school later moved to the Hyde.  It was after my time so it must have been in about 1949 or 1950 – my brother Brian was there at the time. The Hyde burnt down, probably in the early 1960s and, as far as I am aware, David Asquith then retired and the school did not reopen.

I have been reading about the Hyde and am surprised to learn that the fire which completely destroyed it in the early 1960s was started deliberately.  Do you have any further information about this, e.g. why and by whom was it started?

Alan Cristall wrote:

The information about the fire was most interesting. I have discussed this with my brother, Brian, who was at the Gatehouse and the Hyde until about 1952 or 1953 and we are somewhat surprised at Paul Brown’s version of events. Brian of course knew far more about the Hyde than me and he was under the impression that the building burnt down during the school holidays; that it was started by vandals from the village, and it was while David Asquith [DAA] was still alive. 

This is hearsay of course, but Brian was a pupil at Chelmsford Grammar School and continued to board, firstly at the Gatehouse and later at the Hyde, and he heard this story from his old geography master who was friendly with DAA and they would occasionally lunch together.

During Brian’s time at the Hyde, the cook, Mrs Leeks, was a fairly elderly lady whose husband was the handyman.

I imagine that if an individual or individuals were responsible there would have been a court case. I will try to follow that up.

I have taken a look at the more recent books on Ingatestone in my possession.  One titled, ‘Ingatestone and District in old picture postcards’ (published April 1985) describes The Hyde as: “A splendid mansion set in a well-timbered park of two hundred acres. It contained an outstanding collection of antiquities, most of which were donated to Cambridge University.  The Disney family owned the house.  In 1950 it became a school, but fifteen years later was destroyed by fire, thought to have been started by a disgruntled servant.  Only part of the entrance, and a short length of wall remain”. 

Chris Berry wrote:

I attended The Hyde School as a day boy from 1956 to 1959. The Headmaster was David Asquith and I remember Miss Herd who taught the youngest class, Mrs Smith the next class and Mr Asquith the eldest class. But I seem to remember Miss Shorney was in fact 'Miss Shawnee'? Perhaps the memory is clouded? 

I lived in Kelvedon Common which was not that far by car but the only way for me usually was to get a bus into Brentwood and then out again to Ingatestone - quite tedious at that age and on those old country buses! 

The standard of tuition couldn't have been bad because I passed my Eleven-Plus there, went on to Beal Grammar School for boys in South Woodford and then the The Royal Veterinary College London where I graduated in 1971. The demise of The Hyde by fire after such a long history filled me with sadness. The school only carried on for a few years after the death of David Asquith and was terminated by the loss of The Hyde as far as I know. 

I thought you might be interested in a couple of postcard photos of The Hyde, Ingatestone [above],  which at a guess are circa 1939 by the style but not sure.