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NEWS....
ORA Centenary Dinner photographs
now available (many more to follow)
A selection are also available on the Old Roan Association Facebook page
VERY SAD NEWS - Alf
Knott died yesterday 10th March 2011
Recent updates to the picture galleries include
School Sports & School Trips!
Can you help - Did you
know a red haired Audrey evacuated to Wales....?
VICTORY over
proposed school move
.....AND
REVIEWS
Revisiting the Roan School – and Beating the
Bounds
Evacuation
Diary of Brian Thomas - September 1939
An Update on the Greenwich Peninsula Situation (10th February 2009)
As reported in the Mercury
Newspaper on 18th February 2010
In November (2009), the governors of
John Roan School turned down plans to move to the peninsula from
its two sites, a listed building in Maze Hill and one in nearby
Westcombe Park.
For more than two years, parents and
former pupils campaigned against the move.
Concerns were expressed over pupils’
travelling times, the fact the site wouldn’t be big enough for 1,600
pupils and plans to locate its main play area to the roof of the
five-storey building.
The governing body of John
Roan announced last November it was exploring the possibility of
refurbishing the school on its existing sites.
_________________________________
It is now planned that the Maze Hill site
will be refurbished with the Westcombe Park site being demolished and
rebuilt in stages so as to allow continued use throughout.
Back to the Headlines
Revisiting the Roan School – and Beating the
Bounds
On 15th
July 2006 I retraced my 1950’s steps from Blackheath station across
the Heath. It was a dry, warm, bright morning (it wasn’t always like
that!) and the Heath did not appear to have changed over that time (but
I did notice the 53 bus, going towards London, now went along Shooters
Hill Road rather than the park wall)!
The “dips” retain their
contours but somehow the gorse bushes did not seem quite so threatening
as they did 50 years ago – all very tidy and managed.
On to the school
building and first fairly distant impressions suggested that little had
changed – the distinctive front entrance and bell-tower are immediately
recognisable.
Inside the railings the
Memorial garden was a sad sight. A long, hot, dry period combined with
recent use as a recreational area had made the fine lawns that I
recollected into a largely barren, brown area.
Inside, however, the
entrance hall looked good. The hall itself is still impressive – no more
House shields, of course, and the Exhibitioner board stops at 1978. The
hall is suffering as maintenance budgets are held down in anticipation
of an early move to a new site and building.
The ground floor
classrooms are much as a recollect them save that the teaching aids are
more sophisticated – and, whereas there were typically, as I recollect,
about thirty-five desks with slope tops (complete with inkwells) and
storage for books, there are now about twenty-five tables.
The staff room is where
it always was – but more tidy than it used to be: no gowns hanging from
hooks and absolutely no pungent pong of exotic pipe tobaccos!
Upstairs, the library
area is open, light and airy consistent with the modern style – less
dominated by wooden shelving. Otherwise, classrooms are recognisable as
such although my impression was of many rooms set aside for
administration. I wondered how long the lift had been in place.
Save for the easily
explicable slight feeling of neglect in some areas, the collective
impact of the changes I noted seemed a fair reflection of the general
social policy, technology and managerial changes over the intervening
years – as well as educational thinking.
I was glad I went along.
In the afternoon, having
walked down through the park and marvelled at the skyline dominated now
by the Canary Wharf towers at one level and the Dome at another, we met
outside the “Mitre” to “Beat the Bounds” under the guidance of Neal
Haslam. This was to be a walk involving John Roan related sites in
Greenwich – but not the Crooms Hill connection.
In Roan Street we saw
the wall tablet recognising the foundation by Mr. John Roan in 1677 of a
Grey Coat School who – “By his will dated 16th March 1643
devised certain estates the rents whereof were directed to be applied to
the education and clothing of the poor townsborn children of the parish
of Greenwich”
St. Alphege Church was
the next stop – associations with John Roan abound although it is
difficult to be precise about many of them. The Benefaction Boards on
the East wall recognise John Roan and his bequest.
The old school in
Eastney Street still stands in remarkably good condition and is used as
offices. Our guide speculated on the existence of a “time capsule”
buried beneath the main staircase – how to get at that, we wondered?
This was a fascinating
little trip into history – effectively a John Roan trail!
Ron Clatworthy. Sept. 2006
The Magazine editor
learnt later that Ron wrote this piece as a penance for taking his
younger brother, Ian, to the “Yacht” on Greenwich waterfront after
“Beating the Bounds” where he encouraged him to drink 8 pints of Adnams
Broadside thus delaying his socialising at the Club as part of the Old
Roan Club 50th Celebrations.
Why not visit the 50th
Celebrations Picture Gallery for pictures of both the school visit and
Beating the Bounds
(beating the bounds to be added shortly)
Back to the Headlines
We have received
a rather vague request for help from somebody
researching Evacuee's that were transported at the start World War II
"I am currently researching into Evacuee's that were transported at the
start of the Second World War, to the town of Ammanford in
Carmarthenshire, South Wales.
In particular to a young girl/lady of course today, by the name of
Audrey.
She was taken in by my Grandparents a Herbert and Dorothy Gwynfryn-Evans,
into their home at 'Gwynfryn' in College Street, Ammanford. My
Grandfather owned the Opticians/Chemist at the Arcade buildings and
owned the property.
Sadly they have long passed away, but my father recently brought the
matter up, and I thought that in having a strong interest in Geneealogy
I'd take the matter up as he is himself eighty next year and would be a
great surprise for him.
At the time of the outbreak of the war, he was at Christ College, Brecon
and remembers this Audrey who had Red Hair! Not much to go on I am
afraid, but she was at your Roan School for Girls.
I would be very interested to know if you have any records of those sent
to Ammanford and if there are records as to where the pupils went to
stay with at the time and hopefully I may with a little luck trace this
mystery girl Audrey with Red hair!
Whilst thanking you for you attention on this matter, I look forward to
hearing from you."
Unfortunately, there are no known records of evacuee's
and there were, in fact, nearly 50 girls who attended the girls school
with the name of Audrey, a large
percentage of which would have been there during the time evacuations
took place - so if anybody out there can help please contact us and we
shall pass on any information that we are able. Back to the Headlines
VERY SAD NEWS - Alf Knott died
yesterday 10th March 2011
The
Association are very sorry to let you know that Alf Knott died
yesterday, 10th March 2011
sadly just 15 Days after his wife, Beryl who had also died
recently, on 23rd February.
Alf was a
pupil at Roan 1943-47 leaving as captain of the School, captain of Blake
House, joint-captain of athletics,
football and athletic colours and was awarded the Roan Exhibition prize.
He returned as a member of staff in 1954 retiring as a deputy head in
1984.
Both he and Beryl took an active parts in the Old Roan Dramatic
Society (now the Roan Theatre Company)
and was president of the Old Roan Association 1989/90.
He would
be known to thousands who passed through the School.
The
funeral will be at Eltham Crematorium (Falconwood)
on 28th March at 10:00 a.m. and is open to all who wish to attend.
His sons,
Paul (1972-78) and Christopher, would like to have some idea of numbers
of Old Roans attending. If you are likely to be going could you
please notify our Secretary?
RIP Alf & Beryl Knott
Back to the Headlines
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