NEWSLETTER NUMBER 56 MARCH 2020

YEOMAN’S BRIDGE SCHOOL 1950 - 1986

THE HISTORY OF ASH, ASH VALE, ASH GREEN AND TONGHAM

The Museum is Open 3rd Sunday each month 2 - 4.30pm and Entry is Free

ALSO Extra Openings this year 1st Sunday each month from April - September 2 - 4.30pm

ALSO Village Walks with Alan on Sunday Afternoons - see inside for details

ASH MUSEUM

Ash Museum, Cemetery Chapel, Ash Cemetery, Ash Church Road, Ash, Surrey GU12 6LX

email: enquiries@ashmuseum.org.uk www.ashmuseum.org.uk www.facebook.com/ashmuseum

Yeoman’s Bridge County Secondary School in about 1975. The foundation stone can be seen to the right

of the main door. The stone high up above the window shows the coat of arms Surrey County Council

used 1934-1974. This is now Ash Manor School, and both stones are still there. (71/4/8)

THE TEMPORARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Yeoman’s Bridge Temporary County Secondary School opened 10 January 1950 and this photo was taken

shortly afterwards. Staff standing left to right, Mr EJ Brewer (Headmaster 1950-1966), Miss WI Winter,

Miss I Hawgood (Secretary), Mrs ED Slaney, Mrs I Lawrence, Mrs CP Sylvanus, Mr Harry E Ince, Miss E

Davies (Acting Deputy Head), Mr SC Cooper and Mr RG Pooley.

Miss E Davies, Miss Winfred Winter, Mrs ED Slaney, Mr RG Pooley and Mr SC Cooper were seconded

from Badshot Lea County Primary Mixed School. Mr H Ince was seconded from Godalming Church of

England Primary School. Mrs I Lawrence was a supply teacher.

The older children moved from the existing local schools, and the headmaster of Ash Walsh School

recorded in his log book: “School reopened after the Christmas holiday. 48 children have been

transferred to Yeoman’s Bridge new Temporary Modern Secondary School. 24 boys. 24 girls.”

The school houses were Clive (Red), Gordon (Yellow), Rhodes (Green) and Wolfe (Blue). The school

motto was “Truth and Right”.

The temporary classrooms remained in use and were demolished in 1987. (815/2, 926/45-46)

THE PERMANENT SCHOOL BUILDING

The Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, General Sir Robert Haining KCB DSO JP, laid the foundation stone of the

permanent Yeoman’s Bridge County Secondary School building on Saturday 30 September 1950.

Above, Mr Brewer the headmaster is speaking, and the choir can be seen behind him with Miss Winter

sitting at the piano. They were sheltering inside a marquee and it was raining hard outside.

Below, Sir Robert Haining is in the middle of the picture with Mr Berg of the builders on his right and Mr

Brewer behind them. Reverend Insley can also be seen behind.

Three years later Sir Robert Haining was invited back for the official opening of “Yeoman’s Bridge County

Secondary Mixed School” on 29 September 1953. They assembled in the school hall at 3.15pm.

We have programmes for both events in the museum collection (373/4 and 1216/19). Mr EJ Henry was

chairman of the parish council at both events, and all the teachers are listed for 1953. In 1950 the school

was described as in Tongham Road, and attendees were advised to catch the 20, 20c or 35 bus and alight

at the Greyhound Inn. In 1953 the road name had been changed to Manor Road.

(463/4, 463/2, 158/130)

YEOMAN’S BRIDGE SCHOOL SONG AND HYMN

The School Hymn (above) is the song which most

former pupils remember. This is from a leaflet for

speech day and prize giving in 1955. The School

Song (right) is from the same leaflet. (920/2)

In 1954 a recording was made of the School Song

and we have a vinyl record in the museum

collection. The whole school was singing and Miss

Winifred Winter, the music teacher, was playing

the piano. (920/1)

Most former pupils can’t remember the song in

the recording.

In this picture

Miss Winter is

playing the

piano at the

laying of the

foundation

stone in 1950.

(463/5)

MUSEUM NEWS AND EVENTS

Yeoman’s Bridge School

There will be a small display about Yeoman's Bridge

School in the Cemetery Chapel throughout 2020. It

will include the vinyl record of the School Song and a

copy of "Westward Ho!" given as a school prize in

1954. Original copies of the leaflets printed for the

laying of the foundation stone of the permanent

buildings in 1950 and the official opening of the

permanent buildings in 1953 will be on display.

Extra Openings in 2020

The Museum will open on the 1st Sunday of each

month from April to September 2020 from 2 - 4.30pm.

This is in addition to our usual opening times.

Village Walks with Alan in 2020

Guided walks on Sunday afternoons to view historic

buildings and points of interest. Starting at 2.30pm.

Take about 1 hour. Distance 1.5 miles.

5 April: Ash Street (meet at Ash Museum)

3 May: Ash Green (meet at Ash Museum)

7 June: Guildford Road (meet at Ash Museum)

5 July: Ash Hill / Wharf (meet at Ash Centre)

2 August: Tongham (meet at shops, The Street)

6 September: Ash Vale (meet at Ash Vale station)

Please note that there are steps at the canal to

negotiate on this walk.

Free – Donations to museum funds welcome.

No need to book – just come along!

Call Alan on 01252 315967

Mr Brewer was a teacher at Heathcote School

from 1934 - 1940, and returned as headmaster 8

January 1945. He was appointed headmaster of

Yeoman’s Bridge School in 1950 and retired at the

end of 1966.

Mr JWG Scard was headmaster 1967-1976; and

Mr Angus Selkirk was headmaster 1976-1983.

Yeoman’s Bridge School and Robert Haining

School in Mytchett both closed at the end of the

school year in 1986 due to falling numbers of

places needed, and Ash Manor School opened on

the site of Yeoman’s Bridge School in September.

The last Yeoman’s Bridge School Annual

Certificate Evening took place on 17 November

1986. Mr Alan Jones, the last headmaster, gave

his report; and Mr Robin Keys, the previous

headmaster, came back to present the certificates.

(874/3)

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Saturday 11 July 2020 Ash Parish Fete

Friday 20 November 2020 our museum AGM will

take place at the Ash Centre.

Saturday 28 November 2020 we will be at the

Xmas Fantasia

YEOMAN’S BRIDGE CLOSES

Tongham Football Club, winners of the Surrey Intermediate League First Division 1938-1939.

Back row: AV Sayers (Linesman and Vice-Chairman), R Munt (RH), RD Elkins (RB), JH Vince

(Goalkeeper), WH Osmond (LB), B Burningham (CH), AR Sayers (Hon Sec and Treasurer).

Front row: FM King (Chairman), EE Upperton (OR), LG Vince (IR and Vice-Captain), F Parks (CF),

BC Wattridge (IR), HJ Crocher (OL and Captain), GW Levy (LH). They are probably on the

recreation ground in Poyle Road. The ground was requisitioned by the army during World War

Two, handed back to the owner afterwards, and then given to Tongham Parish Council. (910/35)

TONGHAM FOOTBALL CLUB IN THE 1930S Tongham Football

Club 1934-1935.

Back row: Vic Sayers,

Edgar Connell,

R Blunden, E Smith,

I Digby,

Harold Crawte,

R Sayers, Fred King.

Front row: Les Vince,

D Bailey,

Roy Wattridge,

Reg Curtis, H Rimm.

Cross legged on

ground: J Beckett,

Tich. (910/34)