Green Lanes Primary School

By Jean Cross

Photo 1: Class 2 Green Lanes School 1941/1942
Green Lanes Photographer
Photo 2: Class 1 (1951)
Green Lanes School photographer
Photo 3: Class 1 (1951)
Green Lanes Photographer
Photo 4: Class 1 (1951)
Green Lanes School photographer
Photo 5: Class 1
Green Lanes School photographer
Photo 6: Class 8, 1956/57
School photogragher -Courtesy of Hazel Macarthur
Photo 7: Class ??, 1957/58
Uploaded by Miriam Gaskin
Top Left Albert Jackson, Caretaker Mr Neale Bot. Left Mick Perrin, Melvin Jackson, Arthur Jackson, Charlie Perrin
Albert Jackson
Top Left Mrs Neale, Unknown?, Mrs Perrin Mrs Jackson, Miss Barber (Head Cook)
Albert Jackson

Green Lanes School was opened in 1940, the headmaster being Mr.V. W. Brown. It took pupils from the Garden Village, the Birchwood area, Wellfield Road and some from Ellenbrook, whose parents worked both at the de Havilland Aircraft Co. and the Box Factory.

My eldest sister started at the school on about that date. Photo 1 (see right) shows Class 2, 1941/42:

Photo 1: Back  row: Mrs Edwards. Third Row:Left to right  Raymond Skimmins  ?Caswell, Barbara Ashworth, Pam Taylor, June Collins, ? , Mary Devite, Daphne Raymond, ?, Marie Weir, ? , ? , Anita Sprague, John Routledge. Second Row:Left to right ?,  Mollie Cross, Yvonne Walsingham, Janet Baglin, Brenda Partington, ?,  Valerie Partridge, ?,   ?,  Eileen Gent,  Brenda?,, Doreen Wigglesworth. Front Row: left to right ?Caswell, ? , ? , Peter Loades, Billy Fry, ? , Gordon Richards, ? , Bryan Edgecombe,  Ernest Sudders.

I myself was a pupil there from 1951 to 1959. The other pictures on this page were taken, I believe, when I was in Class 1.

Photo 2: Included are John Gaskin, myself in the back row, Peter Nicholls (looking down in second row) and Jackie Clayton (front row)

Photo 3: Back row ?, Jacky Clayton, ? Front row ?, Jean Cross, Peter Nichols

Photo 4: Left to right: Jackie Clayton, Jean Cross and John Gaskin

Photo 5: Left to right Jean Cross,  ?,     ?,     ?

The Headmaster was Mr. V.W. Brown, teachers included Miss Robin Wells, Mrs. Gaskin, Mr Churn (Class 7), Mr.Myers Mrs Flatman (Class 8), Miss Davies. Mrs Whybrow was School Secretary.

The kitchen staff included Mrs Bradshaw and Mrs. Kedge – both of whose daughters were pupils at the school.

Other pupils I remember include Jacky Clayton, John Gaskin, Carolyn Owen, Peter Nicholls, John Whybrow, Yolande Harper, David Hall, Harvey Rutt, Hazel Needham, Raymond Perrin, Shirley ? Jackie Salt, Angela Brown, Rosemary Taylor, Elaine ? Alastair Cameron, Rosemary Partridge, Wendy Snowden, Barbara Ling, twins Michael and Graham Pestle, Ann Hulks, Roger Martin, George Weeks

Photo 6: Back Row L to R: Shirley Sykes, Linda? Hazel Needham, Elaine Johnson, Angela Brown, Linda Pugsley, Maureen Walker, Linda Linton.

Second row: Ann Kedge, Susan Hicks, Helen Deverill, ?, John Hunt, John Gaskin, Graham Pestle,. ?, Raymond Stanley, ?,

Third Row: Carolyn Owen, Penny Rogers, Jean Cross, Jennifer Glassock, ?, Janet Ravenell, Carol Bradwell, Jill Biggs, Penny ?, Pamela Adams.

Front Row: Alan Sinner, Christopher Hitchins, Michael Pestle, Clifford Doggerell, Roger Hinds, ?.

Photo 7: Can you identify anyone in this picture?

This page was added on 18/11/2014.

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  • Hi there I’m looking for Rosemary Partridge who lived in Racton Rd. around 1959 . I did see her name mentioned by someone in this group. I met her while on holiday with my parents and sister,l always wondered what happed to her. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you ! 😀👍 Jackie Michell nee Gardiner

    By Jackie Mitchell (12/07/2022)
  • Photo 7, front row, second from the right is my brother, Adrian Street.
    I started GL in 1955 and I remember Violet Notley, Susan Hulks, Robert Middleditch, Patricia Harper, Isabel Gregg, David Thomas (who wanted to be Prime Minister when we were in Mrs Flatman’s class), Bobby Binyon, Anthony Cater, Julie Prior, Jackie Kohn (lives near me now), Shirley O’Neill, Alison Smith, Dawn Hargrave, Beryl …, Karen & Michelle Juggins, Sheila Connor, Elsie Huggett (who died while we were there), Michael Benyon, Alistair Cameron, Keith Hewitt, Janet Daw.
    I went to Sandra Connell’s 7th birthday party and spent the whole time outside learning to ride her bike. I could do it by the time the party was over, but was told off for being so rude!
    The teachers I remember, and they were so kind, although Mrs Flatman was scary until you reached the top class, were Mrs Davies, Mrs Merrifeld, Mrs Pamplim, Miss Wells, Miss Coode, Mr Churn and Mr Brown was the headmaster with Mrs Whybrow. Mr Churn sent me to walk round the whole school field because I couldn’t spell the difference and give examples between ‘to’, ‘too’ and ‘two’. I didn’t walk fast! I took a tube of Fruit Gums out of a girl’s drawer in Class 1 at playtime and shared them with my friends. Then I got a smack from Mrs Davies which I didn’t understand, because in our house we had to share our sweets with everyone, so I hadn’t ‘stolen’ them, I’d shared them. Then Mr Brown came in and told me off. I do apologise, belatedly, to whoever they belonged to! Such innocence! I dreaded Mr Gasparin’s violin lessons, I wanted to learn the piano. He taught me for 7 years, even at Hatfield School, entered me for the Grade 1 exam and I still failed!
    I have such great, happy memories of GL, of the nature table in every classroom and in the top class we ‘adopted’ the hedgerow on the pavement side of the school going from the gates to the Box Factory for the whole year and learned about what happened ther over a year – was knowledge that is still there today, and the fabulous school dinners and swinging on the bars in the playground. Ronald Oliver ran round the corner from the bike shed and knocked me over where we were skipping and Miss Wells took me in her Land Rover to the dentist . It was a second tooth, so couldn’t be saved. I do have one class photo which I will post soon.

    By Barbara Gault (23/07/2019)
  • Just remembered another name – Michael Thorpe! i don’t know how I could I have forgotten – I had such a crush on him! I see another person remembers Janina and some of the other names are beginning to sound familiar now I reread them. Seems I spelt the violin teacher’s name incorrectly. Disappointing as spelling was one of the things I could actually do as opposed to subjects like mathematics!

    By Jean Gardner née Hallatt (24/01/2018)
  • Good Day Everyone,

    I attended Green Lanes from my second junior school year until leaving for Hatfield Girls Grammar School as it was known then, in 1966. After two years there we moved to the United States for one year, returned to Hertfordshire for the next year, and then relocated to Bermuda, where I reside today.

    I remember a few names, but as I have attended so many schools it is hard to recall which names belong to which schools for those formative years. Mr. Miller and Miss Wells I do have a recollection of, and I remember Miss Wells had just written a book for children about an elephant. In class one day she let us trace an image of the baby elephant from one of the pages, and I still have that traced drawing!

    The food was good compared to that of the Newtown Primary School which I had attended prior to going to Green Lanes. One of my friends was a girl called Helen Lyon, and I remember taking the bus from St. Albans to where my family had just moved, with a packet of Licorice Allsorts in hand for Helen, hoping to cheer her up as she had broken her arm and it was in a cast. I cannot remember her address but I think it was opposite the deHavilland’s field. Some other pupil’s names which come to mind are Christine Grace, John East, and Paul East, with those two boys not being related.

    Another recollection I have is contributing to the purchase of salt and pepper shakers for one of the teachers at the end of the school year and the conclusion of junior school actually for us, for a female teacher but unfortunately I cannot remember the names of either the student or the teacher. We made our purchase from a little newsagent shop at the end of the lane.

    Mr. Gasparian, the Polish peripatetic violin teacher, held lessons in a second floor classroom. He also taught at Newtown Primary School and he was the reason my parents decided to move me to Green Lanes. I had started lessons with Mr. Gasparian and he told my parents I would get an extra lesson each week because he taught at Green Lanes more days out if the week. It proved to be a good move as I preferred everything about the school and enjoyed my violin lessons. The star of our classes was a girl who was also from Poland, called Janina Straletska (sp?). She was very talented and was his favourite!
    Helen Lyon used to play the violin too.

    I am so glad I stumbled upon this site whilst searching for HGGS which is now school of a different name. If anyone remembers some of the people I have mentioned or others who would have been at the school around the same time, it would be great to hear from them. My name now is Jean Gardner but then it was Jean Hallatt, and. my father taught at the Burleigh Secondary Modern School, located in a different area of Hatfield. One of our teachers used to take us on nature walks through little country lanes around the school which was very enjoyable. Those were the days, hey?

    By Jean Gardner née Hallatt (24/01/2018)
  • I went to Green Lanes from 1946 until ’48. I remember Mr Brown. I think I was number 617 and recall Enid Martin, Patricia Vaughan, Michael Hall (who became a fireman) and Robin Loads. I lived with my mum and maternal grandparents at 29 Holme Road. From there we moved around the County as my Dad was a policeman living in Hitchin, Letchworth, Essendon and Hertford. From there I entered the RAF as an apprentice and worked on Comets, Canberras and finally Lightnings. My grandfather worked at De Havillands and gave me my love of aircraft which I still have today.

    By Ken Pegden (11/01/2018)
  • Hi
    My name is Jennifer Hunt (Bagnall). I was at Green Lanes from 1956 until 1962. Does anyone have any photos of the school or classes from then or indeed is anyone on here who remembers me?
    How lovely to find photos of the old school.

    By Jennifer Hunt (30/08/2017)
  • Oh, what memories this page brings back. I went to Green Lanes Primary School from 1955 to 1961. Looking at all the photos it is amazing how many people I remember. My brother, Alan Skinner is in Photo 6 – bottom left. He was a bit older than me but I knew all his friends. I remember I hadn’t been going to school very long when Sandra O’Connell didn’t want to walk home on her own so I went with her to her house without telling my mum. In those days we walked home without being collected by our parents. I got into deep trouble about that. I remember Mr. Brown, Mrs. Flatman, Mr. Churn, Robin Wells. Robin used to drive to school in her land rover – she had a riding school over at Digswell and I was in complete awe of her because I was horse mad. Robert Middleditch died in a car accident. He was friends with my friend Isabel Greig, who lived next door to me at 35 Green Lanes. I still pass the school from time to time and think about those lovely days. I especially remember delivering the tea tray to Mr. Brown at break time and sometimes he would let me have the biscuits. They were home made and delicious.

    By Christine Newman (nee Skinner) (29/07/2017)
  • Re Miriam Gaskins photo 6 Class 8 1957/8
    Deciphering as best I can my childish pencilled pupil list on the back of my copy of the photo :-
    From left to right – top row:- Shirley Sykes, Linda Pollard, Hazel Needham, Elaine Johnson, Angela Brown, Linda Pugsley (me), Maureen Walker, Linda Linton, Pamela Pullinger.
    2nd row:- Ann Kedge, Susan Hicks, Helen Deverel, Diane Punter, John Hunt, John Gaskin (any relation to Miriam?), Graham Pestle, John Richards, Raymond Stanley.
    3rd Row:- Carolyn Owen, Penny Rogers, Jean Cross, Jennifer Glasock?, Janet Ravenall, Carol Bradwell, Jill Biggs, Penny Watson, Pamela Adams
    4th Row:- Alan Skinner, Christopher Hitchins, Michael Pestle, Clifford Doggrell, Roger Hinones?, last one name missing. Appologies for spelling mistakes. Some of the writing is very faded now.

    By Linda Pugsley (as I was then having reverted to my maiden name on divorce) (09/04/2017)
  • I am in Photo 6 Class 8 1957/58 top row 4th from the right. I have this photo and have the names of all my class mates written on the back of the photo if any one is interested.

    By Linda Pugsley (as I was then having reverted to my maiden name on divorce) (08/04/2017)
  • I was at Green Lanes from when we moved up from Cornwall in 1963 until I went to Hatfield school in College Lane in 1967.  My Dad and Mum both worked at De Havillands.  We lived at 28 Green Lanes, and I worked in Fred Titmus’s newsagents and sweet shop as a paper boy for some years.

    At GL, my Headmaster was Mr Brown, with Mrs. Flatman as form teacher, and also Miss Wells, who was the graddaughter of HG Wells

    By Mike Trewhella (13/04/2016)
  • I was born 5/5/48, and went to Green Lanes Primary School from just before my 5th birthday in 1953 until my 11th birthday in 1959. My family were living in Longmead, Hatfield. Dad worked at De Havillands Aircraft factory. Are there any school photos from those days?

    By Barry Cross (22/03/2016)
  • Of course I remember you, Rod. Would love to hear from you! Fond memories of Uncle Ern and Aunty Ginger.

    By Linda Rose (06/03/2016)
  • Hello Linda, you might not remember me. I was talking to uncle Tony on the phone and you were mentioned, so I took the liberty to message you; hope you don’t mind. Hope you message back.

             Roderick Denmar

    By Roderick Denmark (03/03/2016)
  • I remember so many people from Green Lanes,. I have always loved my food, and loved the “mash” we used to get for seconds.

    I remember making smelly glue with Mr Brown. He told me it was made from horse’s hooves.

    Linda says she remembers John Middleditch. I am not sure but think he was killed in a car accident.

    I remember Alan Parsons, Valerie Skelton who sadly died so very young, Jeremy Sowerby who emigrated to Australia.

    I remember going swimming to Stanborough, hated the dress I was wearing and told them it had got lost. So they gave me some other clothes to wear but alas, my mum went to the pool and found “the dress”.  Changed my name to Vicki when i started work as everyone thought I was 90 when they heard the name Violet

    By Violet Notley now Vicki shepherd (25/02/2016)
  • Jackie, I have two photos of classes at G.L. And can match your face to name in one of them. I remember the name Sheila Watt but not the other two. I’m new to this game but I will get one of my friends to show me how to post the photos asap. We lived in Birchwood Close and later I went to Onslow. I remember lots of names and places from the site and will try and add to some of them. Linda Rose  (Paxton)

     

    By Linda Rose née Paxton (07/02/2016)
  • Jackie, I have two photos of classes at G.L. And can match your face to name in one of them. I remember the name Sheila Watt but not the other two. I’m new to this game but I will get one of my friends to show me how to post the photos asap. We lived in Birchwood Close and later I went to Onslow. I remember lots of names and places from the site and will try and add to some of them. Linda Rose  (Paxton)

     

    By Linda Rose née Paxton (07/02/2016)
  • Jackie, I have two photos of classes at G.L. And can match your face to name in one of them. I remember the name Sheila Watt but not the other two. I’m new to this game but I will get one of my friends to show me how to post the photos asap. We lived in Birchwood Close and later I went to Onslow. I remember lots of names and places from the site and will try and add to some of them. Linda Rose  (Paxton)

     

    By Linda Rose née Paxton (07/02/2016)
  • I remember you Linda!  I was Jackie Hussey and also went to GL from 58-64.  I think we might have been in the same class for a while?  I was best friends with Sheila Watt.  I remember Susan Newman, Violet Notley from our neighbourhood and many more.  It was Mrs Merryfield who was my favourite teacher.  She had a daughter who was older than us and went to the school too.  I remember most of the teachers.  Miss Davis (Davies) who took the Class 1 for years and gave us a good grounding in the three Rs!  Lovely school!

    By Jackie Hussey Poulouktsi (05/02/2016)
  • I was at Green Lanes from 1959 to 1964 and remember Mr. Marshall stopping the traffic on the Great North Road with his ‘lollipop’ and the opening of the underpass. Mr. Brown was the headmaster. Teachers I recall are Mrs. Flatman, Miss Davis, Mr. Miller, Miss Welles (who was H.G.Welles granddaughter) and Mr. Gasparin who taught violin. I think there was a Miss Merryfield but I’m not sure.    I was Tinkerbell in a school play, on the school netball team and recall going in a bus to the pool at Stanborough to swim. I can still remember quite a lot of classmates.  Jimmy Binyon, Piers Myers, David Green, David Sugden, Linda Rock and Barbara M who both came from Ellenbrook, Jackie White, Janina Straletzka, Marion Dando, Marie O’Niell, Carol Greaves, Geoffrey White, John Middleditch, Christopher House, Robet Lust and Trevor Smith whose Dad had a garage in Smallford. The school was next to the corrugated cardboard factory, which I suppose is long gone.         Linda Rose née Paxton

     

     

    By Linda Rose (01/02/2016)