Memories of St. Andrew's
Below are some of the memories that have been sent to St. Andrew's via the alumni page. Any names that you recognise? If you would like to become part of the alumni of St. Andrew's, please complete the form in the alumni section.
Mr M Bolus: 1940-??
Living in southern Spain, in my son's house - enjoying the sun... Be nice to hear from anyone that remembers me!
Mr A Hutchings: 1946-1948
Evening viewing of the Moon with the late Sir Patrick Moore.
Mr D Coles: 1950-1951
I was French master for a year and remember the then Headmaster's son Rodney Maynard trying very hard to get to understand the grammar of the language. It wasn't quite his thing but he worked at it.
Mr D Townley: 1947-1952
My memories of the school were recently revived because I remember Patrick Moore teaching us at St. Andrew's. Who else remembers him?
And his signature Felix the cat?
Mr J Owens: 1948-1952
I attended at the time the school was run by the Maynards who I believe established the school and their daughter Gabrielle and son Rodney were attending the school at the same time as my older brother and I were there. Both my brother and I were good at sport nd got into the first 11's for football hockey and cricket. I captained both Football and Hockey.. I recall the swimming pool being built and learning to swim in freezing water (no such thing as heated pools early post war!).
Dr G Whittington: 1963-1970
I have lived in France for almost 40 years, in large part due to the humanity and inspirational teaching of Mr. Sisley. I have very happy memories of St. Andrew's, and often still dream about playing football on Lower, though in them I tend to miss the goal much more often than in my memories. St. Andrew's gave me a sense of belonging to a community that has nourished me ever since. Since leaving the school and the area I have had no contact with my contemporaries, yet so many of them remain vivid to me, our voices still unbroken, our knees still muddy and our trousers still short.
Mr D Pocock: 1956 - 1971
I was not a pupil rather my mother worked in St. Andrew's and we lived in! The school was a very different place back then. It was for boys only and there were approximately 30 or so boarders. The most exciting thing that I can remember relates to when the Surrey Police captured a man on the run with the aid of a hired helicopter that landed on Lower (the playing field below the swimming pool). The school was my first home and I have so many fond memories...
Mr D Knapp: 1967-1972
A wonderful school and so many good memories that I sent my son to the school with his leaving in July 2011. I was also very fortunate to be a governor for 8 years during the late 1990s and early 2000s. My final association with the school continues as I assist in coaching hockey at St Andrews.. Thankfully the friendly and pastoral atmosphere that I remember as a boy remains as an integral part of the school as does the old science lab (now an art room) !
Mr M Hender: 19?? - 1974
I was a boarder and head boy for my very last term - Michaelmas 1974
Mr C Liebert: 1971-1975
Loved the First Form in 1971. Mrs Saunders and Mrs Mines then moving to 2nd jumping to 4th (bad move ) maths and science with Mr Lea who years later I bumped into in the local pub. French with Mr. Sisley who also got me started on my passion for Archery. Who could forget Col Ronald? I was there during the changeover of Maynards from Walter to Rodney. Spent one week boarding when my parents were away and realised boarding was not for me! Finally I remember that leaving St. Andrew's in Remove to go to Grammar School was not something the school really liked but I did it anyway... Great to see the website all the way from my new home in Sydney Australia.
Mr R Brown: 1972-1976
Stilt-racing for Mauve House. First and Second XI cricket. Being 'on sack' most breaks for leaving clothes around. Saturday detention with Spud (Col. Ronald) and his tales of pig sticking in the Indian Army. Drama and French with M. Sisley. Boys v. Masters hide and seek at end of summer term and the elaborate foxholes we dug to hide in. Freezing cold swimming pool. Rodney Maynard taking over from old Mr Maynard. Going to Harrods to get my uniform. Long Latin grace (agimus tibi gratias... Still remember it off pat). Church on Sundays and singing in the choir. Rodney Maynard reading Bulldog Drummond to us by the fire. I could go on and on.
Lord M Hitchens (of Leitrim): 1972-1976
Being there during the handover from Walsham to Rodney Maynard but also when in the the 6th (form) having my mother (Margaret Hitchens) teaching the Year 1's in the classroom next door. Still remember being taught history by Col. Ronald - an inspiring man - French and Archery by Mr Sisley and Latin by W Maynard and Mr Mehrtens. Mr Lea taught science in his inimitable way but also gave me a lifelong hobby of stamps. A happy time - can't believe I left nearly 40 years ago....!.
Mr C. Anthony Saint: 1972-1977
A collage of many different things - the excitement of Sports Day; cross country running around the sandpit on Horsell Common; the secret world that boarders shared after the day boys had gone home; kindly respect and discipline; the Maynard family and all the staff; school cooking; lots of sport; 1st XI photos with boys staring out proudly; the awe of looking at wooden panels in the dining room with the achievements of former pupils (hope my name is still on one of them somewhere); biscuits handed out by Matron at break time; the uniform - I still have my old green cap.
Mr H Rees: 1972-1978
A great school with totally dedicated (if not slightly eccentric) staff and their inspiration has come with me through life. . . My passion for French and drama was inspired by Mr Sicily; my passion for English by Colonel Ronald (Spud) - whose endless ditties are still in my brain today. . . I was sorry to hear of the death of Rodney Maynard and am sorry that I was unable to attend his memorial Service. A caring and inspirational man.
Mr J McLeod: 1974-1979
I came to St Andrew’s in 1974 and caught the last few terms of “old Mr Maynard” as head. Then Mr Rodney Maynard took over. I remember old Mr Maynard looking very old to my 9 year old self and young Mr Maynard looking much younger. The staff I remember were Mr Lea, and Mr Sisley. We used to have a perpetual game of “stick in the mud” every break on the lower field... I remember everyone having to score the First XI cricket matches as we watched. I got a detention because mine were always very untidy and wrong. After that I distinctly remember thinking “I’ll show them” and I then used to go down with a book to rest on, ruler and rubber and I did really neat ones (which must have been accurate). I ended up as becoming official First XI scorer. It was the only way I was going to get anywhere near a school team as my games report once read “...shows considerable enthusiasm but little natural ability”!
Mr T Dalton: 1976-1981
I have many memories and would appreciate the opportunity to reconnect with some of my old school mates.
Mr A Canning: 1977-1981
I have many wonderful vivid memories of my time at St. Andrew's. I had my first piano lessons at St. Andrew's and since all boarders at that time had to go to church every Sunday morning at St Mary's Horsell my interest in music soon focused on the organ. There was no organ teacher at St. Andrew's and after my endless nagging my parents eventually agreed to arrange private lessons for me out of school. The late Rodney Maynard kindly approved this and even let me skip football so that I could pop down to St Mary's to practice on the organ. After St. Andrew's came Ardingly College The Royal Academy of Music an organ scholarship at Westminster Abbey and then Uppsala Cathedral in Sweden. When I'm not at home in Uppsala I'm somewhere else in the world often with my family doing what I love playing organ concerts. All this started at St. Andrew's and I am very grateful and very proud to have been a pupil there.
Mr J Jenkins: 1977-1982
I wanted to say what a strong impact the ethos and teaching I received at St. Andrew's had on my life and I feel Rodney Maynard had a huge amount to do with that and I thank him for that.. . I was in the same class as his son Jon-Mark and Diana was a few years below.
Mr R Creswell: 1977-1983
Where else could you learn to race on stilts and meet Seb Coe on sports day?! An amazing school full of terrific teachers - Mr Sisley, Mr Sutcliffe, Mrs Hitchins, Mr Spencer, Mr Kitchingman and of course RW Maynard - an inspirational headmaster. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and was very proud to be Head Boy.
Mr J Harrisson: 1977-1984
Mr Maynard (Headmaster who taught maths and very good at cricket) Mr Lea (science) Mr Sisley the French teacher (also ran the high jump), Mr Spencer (taught Latin and Greek also ran the long jump) among many others. There was one other teacher Mr Kitchingman who taught history. He was also house master of Diamonds when I was the house captain. I have often wondered what happened to him after I left.
Mr I Adams: 1979-1985
Some highly memorable teachers mostly for good reasons as below... Mr Stubbs taught me football for my last three years - I'll never forget his charismatic approach. Mr Kitchingman - a great and unique character who sparked a lot of academic interest in me. Mr Leighton - Deputy Head and Geography teacher - inspired in me a lifelong interest in all things ourdoorsy geographical and geological. Mr Sisley (French) - characterful and quirky but you'd never forget him. Great fun with a dry wit. And the two outstanding teachers surely were: Mr Smythe (English) - inspired my life-long love of poetry. Mr Spencer (Latin) - taught me how to think and how to motivate and discipline myself - superb and inspiring. Does anyone know where any of them are now? Lastly there was Rodney Maynard who I hear has now passed away - he always instilled a good degree of awe while in his presence! He left before my final year but he taught me a huge amount about cricket and discipline - I had a lot of respect for him and how he ran the school. Great memories all round. As a new visitor to this page it would be wonderful to hear from other contemporaries about their own memories.
Mr C Spencer: 1980-1985
I particularly remember and value the teaching of Mr. Sisley. In later life I lived and worked in Paris for 4 years and things would have been so much harder without the superb grounding in the French language that Sisley gave us all. However since he had taught us essentially wartime French I raised some giggles on occasion when I used a form of words so outdated that people said they vaguely remembered their great grand-mother using!
Mrs J Dicker (nee Leighton): 1983-1988
My time at St. Andrew's is best summed up by being a girl in an all boys school because both my parents worked at the school. My father Anthony Leighton was Deputy Head and my mother taught in the Pre-Prep.
Mr B Fell: Jan-June 1985 (gap year teacher)
I arrived at St. Andrew's in January 1985 aged 20 for a second ‘gap’; year before returning to Cambridge that September to complete my degree. It was a difficult time in my life having come close to crashing out of university altogether. The first person I met was Jason Beattie another ‘gappie’; who was due to start at Birmingham that September. We remain firm friends all these years later. Accommodation for me was in the gardener's house (is that what it was?) downstairs from Dick Kitchingman (History) and another colleague (Latin - I forget his name) both of them classic bachelor prep school masters of the old school variety and in their way great mentors.. . Jason and I were given a wide range of duties as the principal groundsmen theatre set builders junior games coaches Latin and Geography teachers boarding tutors and general factotums. We had a great time not without plenty of incidents and overall it gave me a fantastic and memorable experience. My memories of St. Andrew's were certainly part of the reason I decided (eventually) to get around to a career in teaching.
Mr J Bell: 1983-1990
I am grateful for many happy school memories. Above all are those relating to my friends, not getting caught and one teacher in particular - John "Boffin" Spencer.
Mr S Stokes: 1985 - 1990
Like so many other others here it seems, enjoyed my time at St. Andrew's hugely. Fond memories of Mr Kitchingman, Mr Spencer, Mr Lea, the Maynards and indeed Andrew Keith and his family - who was headmaster for a period in the mid 80's. Of the younger teachers Mr Praetorius and Mr Christie standout. Stilt racing, climbing the Beech Tree and making dens in Boarder's Wood!
Mr G Vicary: 1990-1992
While I attended school it was an all boy's boarding school - when did that change? I remember being allowed to bring sweets at the beginning of each term that would be rationed to students each weekend over the course of the term.
Mr C Brown: 1991-1995
I do remember the dining hall, art classes and picking out biscuits after lunch. I was in a class with Andrew, Simon, Charles, Peter, George, Ian and Charlie as well as Takuzua. It would be nice to get in touch with all of them again! I'm on Facebook as Craig Brown Aramaki!
Mr D Salt: 19??-2003
When I attended St. Andrew's I loved everything about it especially the games sessions we had every afternoon. Making many friends there. Also when we were on first break we would all line up in a queue and each get handed a few biscuits.
Mr S Egan: 1995-2003
The naming of Rollo's Tree + all the other fantastic memories that I have at St.A
Mr S Mabota: 2005-2007
I have fond memories learning maths with Mr Perks geography with Mr Lewis. I had the best tutor Mr Dungey! And I'll always remember the great summer fairs at the school.
Mr B Stokes: 1997-2007
One of my fondest memories of St. Andrew's was Maths with Mr Perks and PE with Mr McLaren. Also I remember getting to the IAPS national swimming finals at Millfield with Mr Dungey! But there were so many good memories!
Mr D Sinden: 2008-2010
I sincerely believe I owe my academic successes to the excellent teaching I had in the humanities at St. Andrew's at a very formative stage in my life, particularly under Mr Spooner, Mr Hammond and Mr Murphy.
Mr J Chandler: 2004-2010
My fondest memories at St. Andrew's include playing King Darius in the year 4 play ‘Daniel’, being heavily involved in the music department with Mrs Hodges, Geography with Mr Lewis, Science with Mrs Barns-Graham and all aspects of sport and PE with Mr McLaren.
Mr J Chessun: 2001-2011
Quite simply how could anyone forget the teachers. I am sure that everyone who went to St. Andrew's during these years would agree how fortunate we were to be taught by such a talented personable and iconic group of teachers. . . Almost a decade on a group of our Class of 2011 still keep in very regular contact. We owe it to St Andrew's and particularly to our teachers in helping form us into the young adults that we are today.
Miss J Golder: 2007-2011
My best memories are making great friends. We only had 9 girls in our year including me and my twin sister and we all got on really well. One of my best memories is also PGL. It was great fun!!
Mr T Horn: 2001-2011
One of my memories that stands out is when me and Oliver won the Cranleigh tennis tournament toegether!
Miss E Rathbone: 2007-2011
Year 4 piggy-back race, fantastic friends and cheerful atmosphere...
Miss A Cribb: 2002-2012
Christmas carol concerts with Mrs. Hodges... She never failed to lift all spirits. Having clubs win the merit cup for the first time in 20 years for my last ever speech day and seeing how happy Mrs. Guilfoyle was... and so many other memories.
Mr L Buchanan: 2005-2014
I loved the incredible friendship I had with every single person in my year group. It was my best school experience and I am still friends with many people I met at St. Andrew's. The teachers were amazing with Mr. Brown's hilariously decorated classroom and theatrical English lessons. I also loved having piano lessons with Mrs. Stern and extra supportive lessons with Mrs. Logie and Mr. Davis who really helped me achieve academically. I really can't thank the teachers enough.