A not-so-nervous return to school

4:14pm Monday 15th September 2008

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Fifty years on, former pupils returned to the school they first entered as nervous boys. Claire Hack learns more about how they have developed in the intervening years.

In 1958 they were fresh-faced 11-year-olds beginning their school careers at what was then Sir George Monoux Grammar School for Boys in Walthamstow.

Now the Old Monovians – doctors, businessmen, married, re-married and in one case, living as a woman – have celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first day there with a special visit and tour of the school.

The old boys, now aged 61, returned at the start of term and were taken round by students at what is now a sixth form college to see how things have changed since their day.

Richard Lea, 61, who organised the visit, said: “It was fantastic – we were thrilled just to walk round the school and see how it has developed in 50 years.

“It was a grammar school for boys with 650 pupils and now it’s a sixth form college with 2,000.”

The college is also now co-educational, with 90 per cent of pupils coming from ethnic minority backgrounds where perhaps there were one or two in 1958.

Caning and weekend detention were banned during the 1970s, but it never did the class of 1958 any harm, Mr Lea said.

Now running a chauffeur-driven car company in Lancashire, he is one of the many old boys to have become successful businessmen since leaving the school.

“It was a very good place to be educated and produced on the whole a very successful group of young men,” he said.

“Among our group is the next mayor of Salford and the current chief executive of Cambridge City Council.”

He also spotted a couple of Bentleys parked at the hotel in Old Harlow where the returnees held an evening celebration.

“The quality of the speeches was fantastic as well – the humour and poignancy and the wit illustrated how the school has produced a confident, successful, balanced bunch,” he said.

And although not all the old boys could make it, with some living as far away as Australia and New Zealand, the event drew a gathering of 40 people, including three former teachers.

“The teachers that were present were the physics teacher, the history teacher and the languages teacher,” said Clive Underdown, now managing director of Advantage Performance Training Ltd, in Suffolk, who was in charge of creating the printed programme given out at the event.

“There were a lot of very, very successful people from the year.

“They’ve become valuable people to society, which was the ethos of the school.”

They were also impressed with the welcome they received from Kim Clifford, principal of the college, as well as the students who showed them round.

“The school is inspirational,” said Robert Anderson, a self-employed accountant, also living Suffolk, who first came up with the idea of the Old Monovians’ day and initially contacted the class of 1958.

“The principal and staff put on a wonderful presentation for us – we were all inspired by them and what they’re achieving.”

Sitso Sabblah, current chairman of the student council, said: “It was a wonderful experience meeting the ex-students.

“I’m so proud to be part of Sir George Monoux College’s legacy and share the privileges that were once enjoyed by the class of 1958.”

A cup was presented to the school, to be given to the student who has achieved most either academically or personally in the course of a school year.

Principal Kim Clifford said: “I just think it’s a fantastic event for them and for our students – 1958 met 2008.”