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Late Night, Early Evening (365: 169)
Late Night, Early Evening (365: 169). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
In Bob and Ann’s garden (365: 168)
In Bob and Ann’s garden (365: 168). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Hormead Church of England Infant and Junior School
Hormead Church of England School This was my school from age 4½ to 11.
When I joined this was the only building – The school was extended in 1964/’65. Originally there was a huge divider that could be pulled across to split the room in two.
The heating was provided by pot-bellied coal stoves. I still remember the disgusting taste of school milk defrosted for too long by the stoves. I also remember sitting on those steps knitting a jumper for my teddy bear…
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Saint Nicholas’ Church, Great Hormead
Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. My first visit to my childhood village in around 30 years.
For some reason, the door was locked. Being an ex-choir boy I remembered alternate ways to get in, and I was surprised to find that they weren’t secured. There were signs of construction, it’ll be interesting to see what they are doing. Maybe the construction was why it was locked. The door was unlocked when we visited in 2008 and 2014.
Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Stained Glass Window. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Inside Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Inside Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Inside Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
I used to sit on the right behind the organist – probably at her insistence so she could keep an eye on me! Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Saint Nicholas Church, Great Hormead. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.I was not prepared for seeing graves of people I knew, including my Sister’s Godmother. I can’t say how moving it was to just sit and think here.
Just a few of the departed
Sheila Scripps was my sister’s Godmother. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Bertie George. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Albert Abrams – I walked to school most days for four years with his daughter Elisabeth. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Margaret Cranville. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.Sheila Scripps was my sister’s Godmother. Her and her husband, Roy, were family friends. I last saw Roy – from a distance – in 2008. I was parked outside St. Nicholas conducting a telephone interview, and he went by, presumably to visit and tend her grave. Roy’s family contacted me sometime in 2009 to find out the fate of my parents. They, of course, were long dead by then.
Rumor had it that Bertie George was German. He certainly had an accent and was prone to highly comical outbursts and fits of temper. For five years or so he and his wife drove the coaches that took us to school. My memories include pushing the coach across a stubble field when Bertie got it stuck turning it around because our route was blocked by an accident. Another was his yelling at the top of his voice, “Who wrote ‘shit’ on my coach!?” Happy days.
I walked the three-quarters of a mile to catch the school bus most days for four years with Albert Abrams’ daughter, Elisabeth Abrams. Four years was a long time back then. I’ve no idea of what she did after she left school. I do know that the orchard that was alongside their house is now long gone.
If my memory is correct, Margaret Cranville was one of my Junior school dinner ladies, and the church organist.
I was so pleased to be able to ‘phone Ginger from here, and let her hear the church bells. I then took her on a walk down to my Junior school.
The View North West from the Lane. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
The View North West from the Lane. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
I spotted this fella in the field on my way to the church. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
I spotted this fella in the field on my way to the church. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Hadham Hall School
I joined the Hadham Hall School in September 1967. The large set of windows on the left belonged to my first classroom. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I’ve not visited my senior school since I left in July 1972
Needless to say, it’s changed. The school closed on Friday 20 July 1990, just a month short of 17 years ago (post written June 22, 2007). It’s now a very up-market housing development. All of the older buildings seem to have survived pretty well. The same cannot be said for all the more modern purpose-built classroom blocks which have disappeared. Including, according to Google Earth, the large swimming pool, which opened the year I left.
It was a great environment to grow up in. The Tudor hall and buildings. The walled gardens, the large sports fields, and ponds – a young man’s dream! Because agricultural science was taught there were also a few farming machines around to be admired from afar; only the borders got to play with them.
Looking back at these pictures, the thing that amazes me the most is how, twice a day, a dozen or more large motor coaches passed through the gatehouse arch with nary a scratch.
Links:
Update – September 2022. Former pupil and journalist, Hollie Ryder contacted me for permission to use the above picture in an article in Bishop’s Stortford Independent — Hadham Hall: Exhibition at South Mill Arts marks 70th anniversary of former secondary school at Little Hadham.
Some pictures from my school days
Hadham Hall School – Form 5T. Last day of school, July 21st. 1972. Form teacher Jack Doyle – crouching, center. Copyright © 1972 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. 
Hadham Hall School – 5T July 1972 – Relaxing after ‘O’ Levels. 
Hadham Hall School, October 1968. From original scanned images provided by Jeremy Andrews. Originator unknown -
Bed and breakfast (365: 167)
Bed and breakfast — The Plough Inn, Wangford, Southwold, Suffolk. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Note
Future Gary says, display and computer technology, especially on the road, wasn’t quite as good back in 2007, and I obviously missed the fact that the original image I used (below) was blurred. I’ll resist the temptation to use AI to fix it and substitute the image above.
Bed and breakfast (365: 167) — The Plough Inn, Wangford, Southwold, Suffolk. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Internet Café (365: 166)
Internet Café (365: 166) — Another day, another Internet cafe. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Birthday Dinner (365: 165)
Birthday Dinner (365: 165). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved I searched high and low for an Indian restaurant, and in the end, I settled for what turned out to be a very nice and spicy Thai meal. Of course, within ten minutes the next morning, I found an Indian restaurant – it is a shame none of the locals I spoke to knew about it.
Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex.
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Martello Tower D
Martello Tower D – one of several Martello towers on the east coast of England. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved one of several Martello towers on the east coast of England. They were constructed to defend the country against invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte and his armies. In total, 103 Martello towers were built between 1804 and 1812, 74 were built between 1804 and 1808 along the Kent and Sussex coast from Folkestone to Seaford, and 29 along the east coast between Point Clear near St Osyth and Aldeburgh from 1809 to 1812. The south coast towers were numbered 1 – 74 and the east coast towers were lettered A – Z. Three other east coast towers are known as AA, BB and CC. (Wikipedia).
This is Tower D – source: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1016553 (I’m citing the source because the information is currently wrong on Wikipedia)
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Rock ‘n ripples
Rock ‘n ripples. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved Seen on the beach near Martello Tower D, north of Jaywick.
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Groyne
Groyne. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved No need to say anything else…
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Travelling (365: 164)
Travelling (365: 164) — Off on the road for a few days. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Balance (365: 163)
Balance (365: 163). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Aftermath (365: 162)
Aftermath (365: 162). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Denouement (365: 161)
Denouement (365: 161). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. This morning I told Elaine I wanted a divorce.
After the shouting and the tears, I was finally on my own. I mopped up the drink spilled and splattered on the walls when the cup was thrown, and I sat; stunned. Stunned at the reaction, and stunned that I had actually done the thing I’d wanted to do for years, and never until now had the courage or resourcefulness to do.
It is strange when I feel the need to take a picture. This was one of those times.
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Good Morning… (365: 160)
Good Morning… (365: 160) — And it is Friday! 05:55:55 Waking up in the garden. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
While I’m waiting (365: 159)
While I’m waiting (365: 159). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Domestic chores (365: 158)
Domestic chores (365: 158) — I need to practice more… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Flickr Light (365: 157)
Flickr Light (365: 157) — Last minute picture by Flickr light. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Dreaming (365: 156)
Dreaming (365: 156) — On my bed in the garden, winding down ready for sleep. Just daydreaming. Ten second exposure, lit by oil lamps. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
