I attended Glengorse School from January 1954 until July 1958. Glengorse was a typical prep school, a boarding school with about eighty pupils aged between seven and thirteen. It occupied Telham Court (above), a large country house situated in rolling countryside near Battle in Sussex, built on the hill where William the Conqueror's army camped the night before the Battle of Hastings. The school was a business, owned by the headmaster, Robert Stainton, and his father-in-law.
The pupils were terrified of the headmaster. He was powerfully built with piercing blue eyes beneath bushy eyebrows, and he wielded the cane on any of the small boys who misbehaved. He was a keen sportsman - he had captained the Sussex cricket team - and had flown in Mosquitos in the war. This is a poor picture of him - I recall being very afraid when I asked if I could take a photo - but look at the postures of the pupils.
We had a strict regime, which included being sent to one of the several toilets each morning, and then having to report if our bowels had moved: if they hadn't, an intimidating matron dosed us on syrup of figs - ugh! We slept in large dormitories which were bitterly cold in winter, the food was bland and left us permanently hungry, and the regime required us to participate in sport every day except Sunday - and that was worse because we would go on a group 'walk', either into the country or, if it was wet, in a crocodile along the country roads.
Glengorse's extensive grounds included football, rugby and cricket pitches, and it had a gymnasium in which, along with gymnastics, the main event was the annual boxing competition. Everyone had to take part unless one obtained a note from matron - impossible - and we spent weeks training for it. In the autumn term we played soccer, in the spring term rugby, and in the summer cricket. Every week in summer we were taken to the White Rock swimming pool in Hastings.
In our last year, aged 13, we took the Common Entrance exam. The resulting grade dictated whether we obtained a place at the public school our parents had chosen for us. The school was, therefore, under considerable pressure to ensure that as many of its pupils as possible managed to get in to their first choice school.
Yep. All pretty much as I remember it. (1956 -1961) In retrospect it was a horribly snobbish insitution presided over by Mr. Stainton's class conscious and imperious mother, a Mrs. Appleton. I don't remeber anyone particularly liking this somewhat monstrous woman and she certainly seemed to set the tone for the place. Kindness was not much on offer from anyone but I think Miss Keating, Miss Balfour and Miss Youlle were nice to me.Miss Youlle died in a plane crash on the way to a new life in South Africa and I was terribly sad for a while. But in general Glengorse was a pretty ghastly and loveless place. I spent ten miserable years there and when my parents divorced in my second year the school ganged up on my poor wronged mother who was seen as a foreign whore (she was Brazilian) and when her second husband died I was called into Mr Stainton's office and told that I didn't need to feel sorry for my mother as she was a bad woman and her husband a drunkard. I hardened my heart towards those people, Mr Stainton and Mrs Appleton from that moment on.
ReplyDeleteGood of you to comment, Jonah. I think I was feeling generous when I wrote this post and would agree with the tenor in your comment. It was, as you say, a miserable place - I can't count the number of times I cried myself to sleep, silently. Being sent 'home' to England for 10 months of the year was bad enough. To spend them at Glengorse made it ten times worse. I, too, remember Miss Youill and the sadness when she was killed. I hadn't realise she was on her way to S Africa. Jon
ReplyDeleteI went there from 1955 to 1960,a ghastly school were yiu were bullied by both teachers and older boys. Mr Stainton lived using the slipper and would find any excuse. Tgere was a system of 'satis'cards used to intimidate less clever students,each lead in was marked in a grid and if you accumulated 2 x non satis markings in a week,got beaten.Old Mrs Stainton used to 'supervise' showers and criminal baths post sports, standing there ogling all the baked boys. It was a hateful place and I couldn't wait to leave. The food was ghastly,treats sparce o ky the younger matrons were kubd. Tge gead matron, Miss Foerster,was a bitter old spinster who hated us as.much as we did her. After I left I heard rumours about Mr Corbett,a err bachelor,who gave private tuition to his favourites in his study.
DeleteSo glad it's gone.
Just testing
ReplyDeleteOh dear - you seem to have hated the place even more than I did! My only disagreement with your comments is that I like Mr Corbett, who was kind to me in a world in which, as you say, kindness was in short supply. I still have the little model of a corvette he gave me. Thank you for reminding me of the 'satis' cards, another instrument of coercion. Jon
ReplyDeleteOMG remember the Corbetts and their successors Gordon-Clarke. I had several satis cards. Remember Mrs Dean. The infamous FRAS. Mr Douthwaite is on Facebook
DeleteI was an ex student at glenditz. I remember the Corbetts, the Gordon Clarks, Mrs Dean, Mr Langrish, Mr Douthwaite& definitely Fras(toast cheese& marmalade). I didn’t like my time there. Mr Bennett was a weird guy. I remember his wife& son. Best thing from there was the chocolate crunch& lumpy chocolate custard.
DeleteThere was the most enormous amount of control over every aspect of our lives: on Sunday mornings (I think) we had to write home. These letters were read and amended as necessary by Mr Stainton. We also had to learn by heart a verse of the bible which we then had to recite publicly. It was often complete gobbledegook from the old testament. I never understood it but some passages still reverberate.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Sunday writing home. I had to write on an airmail letter form but recall people having their letter torn up because they had said something the teacher who was checking it didn't like. I still have many of my letters as my mother kept them. They are empty of content as I couldn't tell her what was happening or what I was thinking and feeling. I also remember the learning by heart. One of the things one had to recite was the kings and queens of England from 1066, with dates of reign. "William I, 1066-1087, William II 1087-1100...." burnt into my brain.
ReplyDeleteI was there 1965-1970. My strongest memory- waiting quietly for Stainton take a class while some other boys were being boisterous. Stainton strode in, came up to me and in a harsh voice said 'What are you doing?' I truthfully said that I was doing nothing, as in not making a racket like some other boys. His reaction was to tell me that I should be doing something and to send me to his study to be caned. He was a sick, twisted bastard.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was terrified of him, but I do have one very happy memory. We were on a cross-country run with him and the boys had passed through a gate in a barbed-wire fence. Stainton, following, jumped the fence, caught his shorts, and tore them. We did enjoy that!
ReplyDeleteStrange memories some people have.
ReplyDeleteI also went to Glengorse in the late 1940s early 1950s.
Appleton was Head Master when I first arrived, RG took over when he retired. My memories of Glengorse are positive. Yes I did get caned on more than one occasion which was my own fault, I learnt the meaning of respect, I enjoyed the sports days. playing French and English, Soccer and Rugby, though Cricket ws not really my thing, even if RG had captained Sussex Cricket Team and was keen for us to learn and play the game. I have fond memories of receiving parcels from home for my Tuck Box.
RG's daughter Diana used to join us in classes too.
Both my sisters went to Battle Abbey, though not at the same time.
David Dimbleby was there at the same time as I and I recall meeting his father Richard.
We had 3 'Houses' and each house had a Motto, mine was Nil Desperandum, the other two were Labor Omnia Vincit and Cave adsum.
All in all, I believe I benefitted from my time at Glengorse and was a bit sad when I learnt that it had closed and merged with another school.
I enjoyed my time at Glengorse and believe I learnt a lot.
DeleteI had one beating with a Gym shoe which I am sure so deserved.
Generally the Staff were helpful and competent,the location great and generally a nice place.
I was a Hydneye boy..who crossed over. I found Glengorse more modern and up to date and has the advantage of being co-ed. It got me to my senior school. FRAS was a concern! I never liked maths!
DeleteNot so strange really as we all come from different places, have different aptitudes and different ways of dealing with life. I always hated all kinds of sport and I don't think that was very helpful at Glengorse. David Dimbleby was the art master when I was there. About 1958.
ReplyDeleteI was at glengorse from 1945-47 having spent the war years in Australia. Mr Appleton was the head, Mr Stainton his assistant. I remember the Sunday walks with pleasure, but the winter of 46/47 was terrible. We were snowed in for a while.
ReplyDeleteI remember well one lesson I learnt there in the boxing ring. I had come back from Australia better fed than the boys who had been in England throughout the war, and was somewhat larger and sturdier than most and must have started throwing my weight around. One day the sports master - it may have been Stainton - suggested I spar with him as there was no one else in my weight class. Soon after we started he bopped me on the nose, giving me bloody nose and reducing me to tears. There was no apology, just a gentle reminder that I would not always be the biggest boy around. I doubt if it would happen today
Things did not improve particularly through the years. I was there for just one year in the mid-eighties. During that time there was sexual abuse by the then headmaster; as well as the standard draconian system, and utter intolerance of the idea that children could have physical autonomy of any kind, which further enabled his abuse. When the school amalgamated with Battle Abbey, this thankfully came to an end, at least as far I know. Mr Corbett was still there (english, as I recall?). We still had our letters checked, but I managed to sneak in extra letters to let my parents know how miserable I was there.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I'm sorry to hear that things did not improve at Glengorse, even into the 80s. When I look back now I deeply regret that the regime was so unkind to us, even allowing for the attitude and mores of the times. When I went on to public school the abuse was even worse, but there we had more freedom so it was easier to escape. Both establishments, with the facilities they had, could have been such happy, positive places.
DeleteI was at Glengorse and Hydneye, as it became, from 1969-77. Admittedly I was a day boy, but exceptionally happy there. Mr. Corbett was headmaster then, and married and with a son. I am shocked by any suggestion that Mr. Corbett ever abused a pupil sexually or physically. It was Bennett, two headmasters after him, who was convicted for sexual assaults on pupils. In my time the boarders had to write two letters a week home, which were read by a teacher, but they could write as many other letters as they wanted which weren't read.
DeleteYes, I agree that there was never any suggestion of Mr Corbett being in any way unkind or abusive to a pupil. As I wrote in my post 'The Warship', he was exceptionally good to me at I time when I was going through misery. I still have the balsa wood warship he gave me, a symbol, to me, of kindness.
ReplyDeleteMy reply was largely aimed at Odin's hint, "After I left I heard rumours..." Unsubstantiated hints like that can be very damaging to someone's memory and hurtful to their family. Mr. Corbett is long dead and unable to defend himself. It's interesting that he gave you a model of a corvette. My father served on a flower class corvette during the war, but I think neither my father nor Mr. Corbett knew the other had served in the navy.
DeleteI totally take your point, Edward. I have no doubt whatsoever about Mr Corbett's probity. When I wrote this post I had no idea how much pain and anger it would reveal, though perhaps I should have guessed. Jon
DeleteThank you Jon. It sounds like Glengorse was at its best when the Corbetts owned it, from the late '60s to early '80s.
Delete**** This comment was posted Anonymously and I have edited it ****
ReplyDeleteI was at Glengorse 1965-70 . It was known that Mr Stainton left Glengorse when he allegedly ran off with a matron , an 18 or 19 year old Miss Horley as i recall, though I beg to be corrected on that : I think that information came from my deceased parents , but my parents would have not told us this without some foundation .
The jury is out to me on Mr Corbett as a person , although he certainly had his ''favourites''' , like my 2 year older brother who was head boy .
Mr Barker was a good guy , teaching English with great enthusiasm , and Mr Corbett was certainly a good history teacher , with a particular knowledge of World war 2 , not just from personal experience.
I had my doubts about Mr Smith , maths teacher , and Mr Reggio , with the benefit of hindsight.
However the matrons were kind to me , in particular Mrs Dean was charming as I recall ! I believe her husband had died in a car accident - as I asked her once about ''Mr Dean '' , so I felt sorry for her also .
Hydneye prep school amalgamated with Glengorse in 1969 , and Gerald Brodribb, Latin teacher and prolific writer on cricket , became ''co'' headmaster with allegedly equal status as Mr Corbett , although Mr Corbett effectively owned the school .
In general the food was pretty average , and the dormitories cold in winter , with an compulsory boxing competition , which was painful , and by modern standards , sadistic and illegal .
We had to report each morning at 0830 ''if we has been to the toilet properly '' to Mr Corbett , following breakfast etc . This about summed the place up .
A homely atmosphere with trusted attachment figures - our parents - was replaced by strangers , some of whom - almost exclusively single middle aged men , cheaper to house , should not have been there anyway .
Complete trust was placed in these ''teachers'' , who by modern standards , would not be seen as trustworthy .
Hello, all, please forgive the intrusion. Glengorse is once more a school - very different to the one you attended! I am creating a series of lessons around the history of the original school. I wondered whether any of you minded my sharing some of your thoughts on here with our children? I also wondered if anyone could shed any light on the large painting of sports day (?I think) on the main staircase. If any of you are interested in what it looks like now, or are interested in the type of school we are, please have a look at our website ispschool/battle or feel free to email me: amelia.stoner@ispschools.org.uk. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Best wishes. Amelia
ReplyDeleteThe painting was by the artist Hugh Griffith's, about 1954.
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DeleteThe large painting half-way up the main stairs of 'Sports Day' (if it's still there) was painted by the headmaster Robert Stainton. A lot of his paintings were hung all around the dining room as well. I have seen the school you are now - probably the kind of school I should have gone to, but nothing like that was available then. Anyone who has suffered from their time at boarding school should look up, Boarding School Survivors.
DeleteCould you have a look at the bottom right hand corner of the school sports day painting halfway up the main stairs & see if there is a signature there, as it might actually confirm who painted it.
DeleteThanks.
I was at Glengorse from 1965 to 1968. The Headmaster was Mr Stainton and Mrs Appleton was the Owner. Mr Corbett was the Deputy Headmaster and took over when Mr Stainton retired, 1967 or thereabouts. Mt Corbett was a fine, decent man and I have to this day, nothing but respect for him and his kindness to me. My brother attended Glengorse too, and remembers him with similar fondness. Mr Corbett was married by then and Girls were introduced. I cannot understand why some ex pupils wish to trash Mr Corbett’s reputation and urge others who think differently to join me and like minded ‘Old Boys and Girls’ in remembering him more positively. RIP A.G.D. Corbett BA (London)
ReplyDeleteMr Corbett was a very good history teacher, in that he turned events into interesting stories. I remember him as being very kind, & would hug boys when standing by him during lessons. This would just not be allowed now, but at the time thought nothing of, in fact it was the only contact of warmth towards me I ever received at this terrible school! I do remember one master, who's name I forget who used to squeeze boys legs, rather high up. He suddenly left, with rumours around, although at age 7 I wasn't quite sure what it was all about, I'm sure my parents heard nothing about it. Stainton, the headmaster used to go on holidays by himself in Greece & I often wondered quite why that was. I remember him screaming at his wife in front of all the children one day, as she was about to leave in her car.
ReplyDeleteI've been back 3 times now to look round Glengorse & try to come to terms with the traumatic time I had there. Because of the mental & physical abuse, the squashing of any emotion, some people come out of this kind of institution without actually understanding what has been done to them. Sadly they spend the rest of their lives unable to sustain any loving or close relationships, always having to compete & win to make themselves feel of any worth, causing much damage on the way. While I was there a lot of the masters had fought in the last 'world war' & no doubt had suffered mentally as well as physically & were in no condition to be looking after young boys, having suppressedtheir emotions to survive.
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd time I returned I saw Mr Corbett (who had been in the merchant navy during the war) with his wife & young child. arriving in a caravan. I was with a girlfriend & was a little upset he hardly acknowledged me, but maybe he was just too busy. I think he was a good man.
I was at Glengorse 1957-1962. It was indeed a cruel loveless place that must have left many pupils with emotional damage. The headmaster Mr Staunton was a sadist who liked to beat boys for the most minor misdemeanours. Sometimes this was spontaneous, sometimes institutionalised twice a week at lunchtime when you would be brought before him and singled out for “the beats”. Then after lunch you would line up outside his pipe-smoke filled study and the punishment was administered with a hard slipper. He also had a cane on the wall. Staunton rather fancied himself as an artist. Mr Corbett the deputy was less severe, but I don’t remember him as being a kind man. In an art class he was taking (it was not his subject) he seized a painting of a Viking ship that I had just finished and felt rather proud of and ripped it up in front of the class declaring it rubbish… mrs Appleton, Stainton’s mother was a horrible old battle axe with pretensions of grandeur who really ran the school. She presided over the annual compulsory boxing match mopping up the blood with relish. It was unspeakably cruel to the boys not good at boxing (luckily I was)…Of the masters I can’t remember any that were very inspiring, sad bachelors traumatised by war for the most part. There was Mr Speight the French teacher who was a bit weak and cruelly mocked, Mr Cross, English, who was always cross, “Groupie” (maths) who had a kind streak… Miss Frost head matron obviously hated children… We were always hungry… My memories are vivid and I could go on, but all in all it was an awful place and our parents for the most part had no idea of the misery inflicted on their little boys…
ReplyDeleteThis makes painful reading but I recognise much of what I experienced in it. I think many of us bear emotional scars from our time at Glengorse.
ReplyDeleteYes. It all rings horribly true.
ReplyDeleteThe poorly painted daub on the stairs wasn't by Stainton. It appeared while I was there to replace a faded tapestry. I think Stainton was scathing about it as he had artistic pretensions himself.
I don't think Stainton would have allowed a painting in such a prominent position if he had disliked it so. If I remember rightly his initials are in the bottom right hand corner.
DeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteI am the elder daughter f Robert Stainton, was at glengorse from 1945 to 1952 as the only girl and alas though a girl I have to say I experienced a lot of what others have commented on, beatings with what was called a Cambridge slipper, from my own father. About my grandmother, who was a very hard worker, having brought up three sons alone and always knuckling down to making porridge, meals etc when the ferocious cook, who had a ferocious dog, had an epi. While she certainly didn’t suffer fools gladly and could be harsh, she also could be very kind. As for my father running off to Greece with an 18 year old matron that most certainly was not true and did not happen. He had built it for another lady who lived in battle at the time but the relationship ended and my father spent the next 30 years of his retirement dividing the year between six months at oak heads, his house at the edge of the glengorse estate and the house he had built in skopelos Greece.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you have had to read some harsh criticism of some members of your family for events that happened many decades ago, but those memories run deep and all I can do is to hope that those who were so unhappy all those years ago find some relief from sharing them.
DeleteI agree, and in some measure it’s helped me too because this wasn’t just my headmaster, but my father and thus there was double suffering in that regard for a lot of my life. So I understand, but I wanted to correct definite inaccuracies, diana
ReplyDelete