Francis John Parsons - Raleigh House. 1954 - 1963
I have recently stumbled across a couple of Quarterly Shorehamer Magazines (Spring 1960 & Summer '62), but also as I slowly digitise my several thousand colour slides dating from 1960 I have found a few photos taken a year or so after I left school. I attach these lest they be of interest. The earlier one (rather gloomy) was taken during the (2nd) hard winter, on January 13th '64 and looking southwards along Pond Road with the school chapel on the left. It was, as you no doubt know, an old flint built barn which was converted to its "new" use.
The core of the Headmasters residence was an earlier farmhouse and probably dated to around the late 18th century and having been beautified, when the school gained it, with Georgian windows which made it look grander! A great loss historically and architecturally when it was demolished. The pond was at some point filled in, after the times when the farmhouse was surrounded by fields set on the north edge of the town. I suspect Pond Road was then new and cut through what had been the farmyard!
The other 2 photos on a sunny day were taken Autumn '65, and to the left of the photo of the main frontage (and nearer) can be seen the corner of Northover, which remains to this day. Just through the front door (not seen here) and to the right was the room where we took music lessons given by Mr. Marsh. The window looked out over Pond Rd, but we sat with our backs to it, it was NOT permitted to be distracted, in fact it was most unwise to be seen to be distracted!
Seen in the photo of the front, the main school entrance (to the Hall) is just to be seen behind the tree, and the large window above is Mr.Bruder's Office. Just out of sight on the very right was the Prefect's garden. I have also scanned a photo of the Chapel taken from one of my old Shorehamer Magazines.
I hope these few views many be of some interest. I have a couple of sketches (somewhere) dating to my school days of the buildings viewed from the playground, when I can put my hands on these I will scan and send them, you never know, they may be valuable and irreplaceable (not!). One thing I have just noticed in the snowy Chapel photo is the figure of a chap wearing a blue jersey.
Frank Parsons
8th February 2018
