SIR JOHN CASS
In this Photo Gallery, I plan a collection of photographs that I have taken of the school over the years. They will not appear in chronological order.
Should any ex-pupils have some photographs of the school and/or themselves with or without classmates, I would be happy to post them here. I am sure other readers would be interested by them.
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Four young ladies on Founder’s Day complete with their red feathers in their berets
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Here is a photograph of Mr. Owen sent by Mrs. Doris Harrison:
According to Mrs. Harrison, this photograph shows Mr. Owen accepting the Rosamund Cup from The Mayor after the team of Country Dancers he coached won. The team won the Cup three years running and the School was allowed to keep it. It was kept in a glass cupboard in the School Hall, however, the Cup is now lost. Mrs. Harrison says that she has tried to find out what happened to it, but sadly, up until now, no one seems to know. Mr. Owen was Mrs Harrison form teacher and he also taught Religious Knowledge and Mathematics in addition to coaching the Country Dance Team.
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The following is a series of photographs sent by Mrs. Doris Harrison:
From left: Sandra Brown, Brenda Grimsby, Christine White, Jackie Smith,
Doris Proctor and Carol Brand
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Doris Proctor and Carol Brand
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Mayday 1959: Brenda Grimsby, Lillian Mc Dermid and Doris Proctor
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May Day 1959
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Gypsy Dance – 1956
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Founders day at Sir John Cass Foundation School
Outside St Boltolphs Church showing Princess Alexandra and Mr. Geoffrey Barrel, Headmaster
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Founders Day at Sir John Cass Foundation School
From Left : Doris Proctor, Pat Lockwood, Lillian McDermid, Sandra Brown,
Kay Stubberfield and Georgina Jones
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Founders day at Sir John Cass Foundation School
Photograph taken on the playground
Left to right: Pat Lockwood, Kay Stubberfield , Doris Proctor, Lillian Mc Dermid,
Georgina Jones and Sandra Brown.
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The Scottish Country Dancing Team for Sir John Cass Foundation School
Competition Winners of the Rosamund Cup held at York Hall, Bethnal Green,
three years running showing the Mayor presenting the Cup to
Mr. Owens who taught the team to dance.
The Cup was kept in the glass cabinet in the School Hall for a number of years,
but is now sadly lost.
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Founders day at Sir John Cass Foundation School
From left: Doris Proctor, Tina?, Lillian Mc Dermid and Joan Brackpool
Back row from left: Brian Hutton and John Rimmington.
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The following two photographs and information were also provided by Mrs. Doris Harrison:
These paintings were from a 17th Century City Merchant’s House whose identity has remained elusive. The house was at 32 Botolph Lane and was demonlished in 1906. It was thought that the house belonged to Sir Christopher Wren, but this can not be substantiated. However, the house dates from 1670. In 1852 the house began to be used as a school and a series of mergers resulted in it becoming part of Sir John Cass Foundation School.
The staircase from the house at 32 Botolph Lane was incorporated into the house belonging to Alderman Sir Charles Wakefield in Hythe while the iron gates of the house were acquired by the Museum of London in 1937.
The painted room was the work of artist Robert Robinson and was fully restored at the beginning of the 20th Century by E.W. Tristram who reconstructed the 33 panels at Sir John Cass Foundation School.
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This photograph shows the Governors of the School looking on in disbelief after it was discovered that the room had been flooded. Fortunately, the room and the paintings were fully restored by 2000.
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Here is a photograph of Kenneth Murray’s class of sometime in the 1950s.
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If you have any memories and/or photographs of your time at Sir John Cass, please share them with us. Send them to me and I will post them here. Many thanks.
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Nostalgic stuff. I too attended Sir John Cass Foundation School and received my middle and senior school education there from 1956 to 1965. In general I remember it and my fellow pupils fondly. Geoffrey Barrel was the Headmaster whilst I attended and particular teachers that I remember were, among others, Mr Spanswick, form teacher of the final junior school class i.e. about 10 years of age, Mr Owen or Owens, a slightly disabled gentleman. I guess he had suffered a stroke or somesuch as he dragged one leg and his arm and hand were fairly useless. He was a retired army officer who told me once that ‘his’ Gurkhas in the First World War collected ears as a tally of enemy killed. He was an absolute gentleman and I had great respect for him and his manners. There was Miss Judeny (believe that name is correct) who stood out as being American or Canadian. She was ex RADA I believe and taught drama and eventually became Deputy Head Mistress. However, I think that the one who probably made the most impact on us all and certainly on myself was Terence Casey, a dynamic, fairly young (I would guess late 20’s) man who I remember as being the only teacher to go on strike when the union that he was a member of called everybody out. This was not the Terence Casey who later became the Teacher’s Union head guy by the way. He used to play football with us in the gym sometimes during the lunch-hour and called us by our first names. He had opinions that he was happy to discuss with us regarding politics and the more serious aspects of life which I think produced a more mature attitude on our voyage into adulthood. His was not bland, tasteless, anodyne fact pushing but interesting and engaging teaching. If a person is lucky they have one such teacher in their school careers. He was mine.
I actually got itchy feet and left school before I took my GCE’s and joined the RAF as an apprentice Telegraphist in 1966. This was just before the senior school moved to join with Red Coat’s school. I am pleased that I never had to do the move. By the way, my trip to school was either Old Street tube via Moorgate to Aldgate tube or a 665 trolleybus to Gardner’s Corner and then the walk up past Aldgate tube to the school.
I had been born in the Northamptonshire countryside and had attended a private kindergarten and, when that closed, a state school for a short time before moving to London’s Finsbury area (Ironmonger Row police flats, off Old Street, EC1) where my father was a police officer (City Road, Commercial Street and then finally Bethnal Green nick for some years prior to retirement in 1982). I had attended one school in London, close to home, prior to becoming a pupil at Sir John Cass. That however, lasted one day only. It was awful and I was removed by my parents immediately they realised what it was like. I never kept in touch with any of my classmates except one who contacted me some years later from Australia and I still speak to occasionally. This was primarily because I didn’t live near them i.e. most were from Whitechapel or Stepney way whereas I was from Finsbury.
As I am coming up to retirement age this year I remember with fondness my time at Sir John Cass and wish one and all who went there all the very best. Good memories!
Well Michael, I also came from your side, I lived behind Finsbury Square and either walked or used the tube from Moorgate. I moved with the seniors to the new school and left in 1969. It’s strange when I read about Mr Casey, he certainly was a love or hate kind of guy, such mixed stories I hear about him.
Hello there,
I see that Michael Allen posted his message in 2014 and wonder if I could make contact with him? We were in the 1st and 2nd year together, 1961-63, and I found some of his comments to be of great interest. I recall visiting his home, in the police flats if I remember correctly, just north of Old Street. I think Jimmy Symes, Peter Milton and [?] Wiseman also visited that day.
Hello again,
Can you send my contact information on to Michael Allen? Please let me know yes or no.
Many thanks,
Christopher
Mr. Allan: Mr. Christopher Matheson is trying to contact you. Would you be kind enough to send me a reply so that I can send you his email address. Sadly, your original message seen above, has been lost where your email address appeared. Looking forward to hearing from you. Charles
Thanks for leaving a message here. Charles
Does anyone remember Gus Roche (Gershon) maybe then he does remember a lot of the names and says that christine white was his first girlfriend
Michael: Thank you for visiting my website and for sending a comment and sharing your memories. Regards. Charles
I have some interesting photos of Founders Day in the late 50s. It is strange how one teacher can make or break you. I had Mr Owens as my teacher. I did well under him and excelled at English. I decided to stay on to take more exams and Mr Casey arrived. He took six of us for English and made me look an idiot in front of everyone. It happened every time he took us. I eventually stood up to him and he sent me outside. Never in my life had I been sent outside of the class. Mr Owens came along and wanted to report him to the head, who was Mr Barrel. But I said no and decided to leave school and go to work.
So one person loved his teaching and excelled with him and I just lost confidence and left school.
We joined with John Cass in 1969. I remember Mr Owen . Mr Casey was a very good teacher, scary but good.
My friend used to keep in contact with him and Mr Hershman but we haven’t heard from him in a few years.
Many thanks for sharing your comments.
Doris, I remember after moving to the new school in Stepney a woman teacher called Mr Casey a misogynist! As I said in the above comment, I have heard so many differing comments about him. Some admired the man, some thought less of him as you did. I had a couple of run ins with him, but thought him a good teacher.
I guess Casey never married then?
well undoubtably great memories from my school years spent in Cass Aldgate, from the scottish dance team with Mr Owen yes the perfect gentleman mentioned to whom i was known as Blodwen, to angel Gabriel in the Christmas productions in St Botophs with Mr Strevens.Mr Casey yes he got the job done athough i do remember the blackboard rubber flying across the room regularly,at the boys in A 1 .He was strict but gained respect and i did like him.
I do remember in later years the 3b boys giving the french and geography teacher a bad time indeed 3b gave all the teachers a bad time but the likes of Reardon and Plumber great guys.
Year 4 school trip to Switzerland somehow a group of us were locked out of the hotel i definately thought Mr Barrels office was the first port of call on our return.Yes it was but not for the reason i suspected.The years selection for prefects had been made and i was one of them.
Hi I was at Cass, 1951- 62 headmasters. There were 3. Mr Hawes, mr Pearson and the mr Barrell .i thought it a great school still keep
In touch with some friends . Miss Masterton was strict but nice actually all strict. Think mr Casey hated my friends & I
Told us once to jump off the platform at Aldgate East, Could have him up for that now! Still different times then, fond memories
Anyway
i was in miss masterton’s class… about 1960 i think
Hello
Does anyone know if Mr Owens christian name was Oswald Frederic , if so he was my 1st cousin 2x removed and I would love to hear more about him and a photo if possible. For the past 10 years or so I have been researching my family tree and I know that he was a teacher in the City of London and also an officer in the Indian Army , also he married in 1972 . He was born in 1908.
Hi there I do have a photo of Mr Owens if you are still interested
Thank you for sending a photograph of Mr. Owen. Unfortunately I had left the school before he came, but I hope the photograph will bring back memories to those of you that knew him.
Hi Mr Owens was lovely, strict and could throw a book or rubber but a clever man . When you think that he taught us Scottish Country dancing to exhibition standard and we won three times at York hall keeping the cup for the school. All this and he paralysed down one side.
I went to cass between 1960-66 does anyone remember having to move to Coleman street school when our classroom was deemed unsafe. Remember having an underground playground there.
Stephen
I was in Mr Owens class back in 1972.
Remember him well, was a great charcter, although you respected him.
I do not have a photograph, before the age of mobiles.
I do remember that there was a photograph of him in the school magazine.
Ricky Kelley
Class 1A – 1972
Thanks for your information Ricky , I wrote to the school for some information just before the schools summer holidays , but I have had no reply from them , would seem that manners are not high on their priorities.
Thanks once again
Stephen
Hi did you see my photo of Mr Oswald Owens . He was a special man.
I attended Cass from 1957 to 1970 (My only school). Geoffrey Barrel was my headmaster for this entire period. Terry Casey was my form master from 1965-68 and Owens taught me RE. The latter was definitely ex-Indian army.
I subsequently was lucky enough to go to university and have now retired after a career in the City .
I remember Linda P well.
Andrew Chapman
Hi All…. I attended Sir John Cass from around 1958-1961 as a junior pupil. All I can really remember was that my class teacher for the first year was a Miss Rumble ? (I think) Miss Masterton was the second one for two years. From memory Miss Masterton’s classroom was close to the entrance, Miss Rumble’s was about half way down the hallway, and somewhere near the end was Mr Spanswick’s or “Spanners” as he was known (behind his back of course !) I took my 11+ in 1961 and that was it.
I went to John Cass 1949-1959. Starting in Primary had Miss Johns, seemed to be about 90. remember Miss Brussels telling us the King had died and we had to go in the hall and sing God Save the QUEEN – very odd. Mr Pearson was head then. He was still head when I was in the seniors and we went off to Brunnen in Switzerland .Had a fabulous time . If I remember correctly those who went were Pat Dawson,Kathrine Cowley, Valerie Bevis, Jimmy Tarant, Bruce Campbell, Ann Olsen. I was in S1A with the lovely Mr Phillips (he wore jackets with leather patches on the sleeves) when I came top of the class by a few points beating a boy whose name I have forgotten. Miss Rees was a terror as was Mr Hunt. Mr Boyce could also be. Mr McMahon was ok. Mr Storey was nice. He was young! He also became famous. Think Mr Barrell was head by then. Anyone remember Miss Neale. And Miss Dawson who married in St Botolphs. She wore a black suit.
Hi Margaret Stark,remember you so well, and all the names you just printed off, Iansilverton@aol.com, keep in touch, we’ll have a chat, Cheers Ian
I am grateful to you all for leaving comments here.
If any of you have some photographs of yourselves and your classmates and perhaps of the school, perhaps you would consider letting me have copies to post here.
I am sure that we would all like to see them.
Thanks.
Charles S.P. Jenkins
Hi I have photos but not sure how to post them
I was at John Cass from 1949 to 1954 then onto Northampton Techmical remember \mr \spsnswick and I think the headmaster wa a Mr Pearson?
Great times buit a bloody long time ago
We were in the same class – Mr. Boyce and then Mr. Spanswick with Mr. Hall as headmaster and then Mr. Pearson. I left Northampton Secondary halfway through the second year. Thanks for leaving a comment. Charles
Hi I was at Sir John Cass from 1954 until 1960,finding this site brought back so many memories,I started school in Miss Johns class she was a as round as she was tall,I well remember having to go to sleep at your desk,I don’t think I ever managed too but just made out,we had a raised sand pit which we sometimes played with there was a big rocking horse but nobody ever got to climb on it.
The next class teacher was a young women with bright red lipstick and dark hair,I have forgotten her name,it was because of her I found out that the RE teacher Miss Bussel was not perfect,the young teacher needed a place to lodge and she and my mother met and arranged for her to lodge near my aunt at Forest Hill the teacher was getting married,well I was supposed to join them after school but Miss Bussel picked on me for no reason and kept me behind the whole class was astonished as you did not misbehave in her class so I missed the meeting ,which was the whole reason for keeping me behind.
The next teacher was Miss Materson,it is funny the crazy things you remember,for some reason I knew she lived in St Albans,I enjoyed being in her class,I suppose I should try to name as many class mates as I can,in no particular order,Elizebeth Greenaway,Pamela Greenaway they were not related Linda Fardell Victoria Gallalee she had the most wonderful titian hair,Ian Hageman,Alexander Armstrong,Leslie Bonneman,John Lawrence,Jennifer Ellis,Barry Mainwaring he sat next to me and suffered with a stutter,nobody ever made fun of him because of this,a couple of years ago by accident I found out he had 17 children.
Alex Armstrong was a friend and for a short time we travelled together in a bread delivery van to school,brushing the flour off our uniforms,he was also the person who told me there was no father christmas,he may have been in advance of his years as he sat next to Jennifer Ellis the only boy to sit next to a girl in the class.
Well no school career is always great and my run in with the head master Barrel was one I remember,for some reason I got detention,I was not a naughty child,so it was a rare event to such a extent that I was half way home on the bus before I remembered it, the next day I got six of the best from the headmaster aged about 9.
Well having sat the eleven plus my family and I had to move away,I did not want to go,but the move had to happen,my last day went by in blur it was time to leave that classroom for the last time,when Miss Materson got the class to sing For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,to this day I do not know how I did not cry,so ended my time at Cass .
Brian: Thank you very much for sharing your memories of St. John Cass Foundation School with us. I believe that the young teacher you spoke of was Miss Miller. I remember her very well – she had tight black curly hair and was quite pretty and was very, very nice. I remember the other teachers that you mentioned too, but I was never in their classes – Miss Bussel was strict, I remember that. Miss Materson was not a teacher of mine, but she was quite unkind to me in assembly one day – she slapped me for talking, which I did not do, but she would have none of it. I left in 1954 and so missed you there. Again, thanks for sharing. Regards. Charles (Jenkins)
i went to Sir John Cass at Dukes Place from 1956 – 58 ,then wemt on to Poplar tech. I remember Mr Owens teaching R E and Mr Boyce. Mr Barrel was
the headmaster .i remember George Ferguson who,s father was a beefeater and we all played football in the moat at the Tower Of London one
evening after school . Went on to be offered a lecturers job at 24 and an expert witness to the High Court at 32. Many Thanks to Sir John Cass and
Staff.
Many thanks for your comment.
Has anyone got photos of the original Red Coat School, before it amalgamated with Sir John Cass (pupils) I was at Red Coat from about 1951 -1955 prior to that Green Coat,And St Dunstans our church, If anyone knows pupils from that era ,I would appreciate it, one girl I remember her name was Sheila Cross, I live in Brisbane Queensland Iwan. Morgan
I attended Cass’s from 1961 until 1963, my first and sencond years, and I certainly remember being in 1A and 2A with Michael Allen. I also remember Mr. Owens but cannot recall if he was our regular teacher or someone who sat in with us occasionally. I do recall one day when Owens discussed Lord Stansgate who at that time was attempting to relinquish his title so that he could return the the Commons. He succeeded in his quest in 1963 and retuned the the Commons as Anthony Wedgewoood-Benn and later cut his name down to Tony Benn.
However the main topic, in the above comments which really resonated with me concerned Terence Casey. When I arrived in 1961 I recall being to told to ‘Watch out for Casey’ but he wasn’t an issue for me for I had no dealings with him in my first year. At the end of 1A I was relegated to 2B but after the Christmas exams I returned to 2A where Casey was the form teacher. Very soon after my arrival in 2A it became apparent that I was the target of Casey’s continuing verbal and physical abuse which I had to endure from January until July 1963. By then my mother had me removed, not so much from Cass’s, but from Casey and his hateful behaviour. So, a new school no more Casey and the nightmare was over.
In 1990 I had a brief to write a paper on ‘Fear’ and my memory rushed back the 26 years to Casey. Here’s part of what I wrote in 1990.
‘Upon my arrival in 2A I was allocated a seat in the front row just to Casey’s left and a little out of his arm’s reach. Sadly I was not beyond the reach of his vicious tongue, which was a weapon he was adept at using on defenceles children. Casey was my teacher for English, History, Maths and Sports, which led to my spending a lot of time in his orbit. My performance at his beloved sports was as miserable as my academic studies so I quickly found myself on the receiving end of not only his tongue but also his right arm. One of his delights was to ridicule my work in front of the class and another was to ask me questions he knew I could not answer and then to pull my ear. On one occasion we joined him in the classroom where he was seated at his desk reading. I could see he was reading a report booklet and wondered why he had one at that time of the year. Once we were settled down he told us to listen carefully to what he was going to read. He then proceeded to read out my first year report. I sat there dreading what he had planned for his encore.
When he had finished reading he announced that it was the report of one of the class members and jokingly asked for volunteers to claim it as theirs. When he had no takers he continued in a joking manner soliciting people by name and at this stage they got into the swing of it and started to volunteer themselves. When he got tired of this he quieted them down and looked at me and told me to stand up. He then announced that it was my report and read it out once more. Following another bour of abuse I was told to sit down.’
I wrote nearly four pages but the above are the salient paragraphs. I will add that I am certain that I sat next to Lorraine Ovary [spelling?] for those six months and have no memory of ever speaking to her. But surely that can’t be true.
Thank you for writing. I am horrified that teachers like this were allowed to get away with their abuse.
Charles
Blimey Chris, I must have been in the same class as you but I really don’t recall that. I know he scared me and some of the other classmates. He had an acid tongue at times & used to throw the chalk brush at the board. I was there from 1961 to 1965. I always thought Lorraine Overbury sat next to Evelyn Humphries but maybe Evelyn was moved for whatever reason and you were put there. So sorry to hear your school days at Cass were that horrible.
So sorry Christoper that your time in Mr Casey’s class was so traumatic for you. I was also in that class with you along with Jan Carter. I must say that I also have no recollection of you torturous treatment although I know that he could be very strict and a dab hand with the board rubber, of course those teaching practices would never be tolerated now .
I left Sir John Cass with a strong sense of self worth. I have good reason to thank him for the education I received whilst in his class and look back on those years with fondness.
I can only sympathize as a fellow classmate that you could not say the same.
Jan and Carol I’m sorry to say that I can’t remember you but it appears, from what you’ve written, that you can’t remember me either! However it seems we were in the same class. In the first year my form teacher was a Miss Gavin and it was she who wrote the report that interested Casey so much and which he was so eager to share with the whole class. Casey was a truly despicable person, who also got away with physical abuse for having one’s ears touched by him with the intent to inflict pain, I can assure you, wasn’t pleasurable, so seeing any praise of him rubs me up the wrong way.
Oddly I do vaguely recall the name Evelyn Humphries and perhaps she did sit with Lorraine except for the time I was in 2A. I recall that when I arrived Casey made a point of moving the person next to Lorraine so as to have me very close to him. I wonder why? I’d never spoken to him and had never had any contact with him yet from the first he wanted me in the front row. Perhaps he had read that report before I arrived and had me down for a trouble maker. Shortly after I left the school I destroyed the report card which, by that time, also included Casey’s assessment of me. I bitterly regret having destroyed that card.
I remember Miss Gavin. I also joined Mr Casey’s class in 2A as I spent the first term in a class in the B stream and was put into his class after the annual tests. My maiden name was Carol Whatman and because there were two other Carols in the class Mr Casey always called me Whatters.
I’ts so strange we have no recollection of each other, although, i think you said you left the school so obviously we had no time to form any mutual memories. I do have some really happy memories of my fellow school mates and am still in touch with a few of them. I left school in 1965 and worked for Lloyd’s of London.
I think it was in 1970 I met Mr Casey again at a blood doner session . Because I didn’t have to return to work he asked me if I wanted to see the new school, Sir John Cass and Redcoats. He gave me a guided tour , a cup of tea and a general chat. I know that story will fill you with repulsion but its a fond memory of mine.
I sincerely hope that you managed to develop some strong happy memories and relationships from the rest of your school years.
Carol i remember you well.I worked at Bethnal green hospital and would see you with a fellow with a beard many times.Stupid as it sounds now i never spoke to you as i thought you would not want to talk to someone you shared a class with.If you remember every time we crossed paths i was with a different girl.I was the only boy with 60 nurses so they all used me when they needed a date.My e mail is above if you want to chat with someone downunder.I found Linda Dove and S.Morgan-neil on the net they both live in America.They never spoke to me in school and did not remember me .Linda wrote once and said Edward Grange lives in Malta.Im not in the position to knock on your door for a cup of sugar as im 12000 miles away.
Hi Ian, I remember your name , lovely you remember me, thank you. I really don’t think it was me you were seeing at the Bethnal Green Hospital because even though I lived in Brick Lane, I worked in the city and didn’t really spend a lot of time in that area also my boyfriend and now hubby didn’t have a beard. Good job you didn’t stop for a chat. After your experience with Mr Casey I’m so glad you’ve made a lovely life for yourself in another country. Hope you had some good memories of your time in that class with us all. I know I have.
Carol – From what you have written it appears that we must have been in the same class for two years. 1A with Gavin, 2B with a woman teacher who I remember as being a very nice person and then 2A with Casey. I find it rather odd that I cannot recall the name of the one teacher, in this trio, who I remember as being ‘nice’.
You are quite correct in presuming that your 1970 memories of Casey filled me with ‘repulsion’, for they certain do. Luckily I hadn’t encountered any teachers like him prior to 2A and I never met anyone even closely displaying his hateful personality after 2A. Therefore my school life, excepting 2A, was quite well-adjusted. I don’t think there was any hatefulness emanating from me whilst in 2A, well not initially, but Casey certainly wanted to crush any feeling of well-being I may have displayed. On the other hand I remember being extremely friendly with Jimmy Symes and Peter Milton during that period, so Casey’s hatefilled behaviour towards didn’t dictate every facet of my life for those rather trying months.
I will add that I would like to run into Casey and have a ‘man to man’ chat rather than the ‘man to child’ encounters he so obviously enjoyed. I remember him as being 10 or 12 years older than us, so he could still be around at 80 or 82 or so and I would very much like to discuss that day with him on a level, adult to adult, playing field. He has to remember it, perhaps as being one of the highlights of his ‘teaching’ career.
Chris Peter milton here.You can find me on facebook living in Melbourne Australia.
Or email me petermilton272@gmail.com.
Anybody else in Caseys class in 1964 would love to hear from you Carol Watman Jim Symes Brian Tyndall My dear friend Dennis Stagg died in 1980 of a brain tumour.
You are so not alone in really hating Mr Casey even today at 73 I still dislike the man so much and would have loved the chance to address him on certain issues and had he been a ‘Good’ teacher well he would have handled situations with an adult mind not the childlike one he had.
How a teacher can affect you so much. If only they knew.
Hi Christopher
I can’t tell you how happy I am to read your story re Casey. I had a bad experience with him which caused me to leave. Almost everything I read is good about him and I wondered what was wrong with me. It affected me so much that at 74 I still feel the hurt he caused me. In fact writing for my children and grandchildren and telling them my experience now. My form teacher was Mr Owens he took us for English and RE. I was due to leave school having got my CPC certificate and Cass decided to try a sixth form they had also hired Casey.
He took us for English. I was top at English especially essays. There were only five or six of us. He would give us a title and we wrote on it handing it in and the next week he would comment. He went around the table to each person saying how well they had done, saying good work etc. Last he came to me and says What was I doing I had no brain I wrote a load of rubbish. I was quiet and very shy even at 15. Next week the same then next week the same. On the forth week I decided to show him and did the very best I could. Even checked all my spelling not my best attribute. Well he came back at me even worse this time he made me look an idiot in front of the others. I stood up and said , ‘Nothing I do will ever please you.’He glared at me and said ‘Apologise ‘ I said no. He told me to go outside of the class. That was a first in my life. I stood in the corridor and Mr Owens came along asked what I was doing there. He knew me well along with Mr Willmore the science teacher. He got very angry and said he was going to report him to the head, Mr Barrel. I said please don’t just leave it. I could not see any good coming out of it. The bell went I collected my coat and left never to return. I started work at the Bank of America. The sad thing was I never said goodbye to the teachers and I never collected my school books which I would have loved to have kept. I know just how you feel and if Casey had been any sort of good teacher he would have sat with me alone and explained what he wanted me to write and how. I certainly had no idea how to please him. Perhaps he prowled on the quiet ones. He certainly treated you very badly and I am sorry for that. I know how terrible it is and it lives with you all your life doesn’t it. Like you I would love to meet him now to ask why he did these things. When did he leave Redcoat and Cass does anyone know? 1961.
Christopher, your mention of Jimmy Symmes brings back another lovely memory. My dad died in 1967 when I was 17, as i’d mentioned I left school when I was 15. I’d formed a lovely friendship with Jimmy and his friend Colin Smith, you may remember him. One Sunday afternoon not long after losing dad they both popped round to give me their condolences and see how I was. Even though I hadn’t seen them since leaving and unfortunately have never seen them again but I really hope they realized how much that meant to me. It’s such a shame that you couldn’t have met up with Mr Casey as you mentioned and got it all off your chest over a pint. I remember he mentioned having an occasional pint with Warren Bentley and Eddie Grange but undoubtedly your conversation would have been a lot deeper but hopefully your would have had closure. .Did you stay on at Cass but just moved to another class or did you leave Cass to complete your secondary education at another school . Either way you obviously thrived after that disastrous year you had in 2A.
Carol Jean Graves was another name from my school days.My time with Casey was the same as Chris.When i left in 1965 i went and held out my hand to say goodbye.He refused to take it and said to a 15 year old child”Milton you are a dolt.You will never make a mark on this world and a dolt you will be until you die get out of my classroom”.I became a Cardiac Tech.saving lives in hospitals from london to Melbourne Australia .So up your Casey.
Peter so pleased he was wrong what a disgusting man.
Hello Carol,
The name Colin Smith does ring a bell with me but only a faint one. A friendly drink with Casey, no I don’t think that could ever happen unless he got down on his knees and begged forgiveness for his hateful, degrading and truly disgusting behaviour towards me. I wonder what his mental problem was, for he clearly had one.
No, I escaped from Cass’s (about the only way I can describe it) at the end of the second year and moved to a school in Islington. A comprehensive which was, I am glad to say, free of any of that religious hypocrisy which was preached every day at Cass’s while, at the same time, Casey was allowed to act, to say the least, in a most un-Christian manner.
Peter’s message only showed itself as I posted my prior message. However, I will add that I found Peter’s comments about Casey very interesting.
Hi Chris, I also find Peters comments very interesting, How can a group of kids, same age, same class, same teacher have such vastly different experiences and memory’s. I can obviously never begin to defend the treatment that you both received from someone whom I respected and contributed so much to my early years. Still it seems that Peter and yourself managed to have such great working lives and now enjoying a relaxing retirement. good on you. I cant believe that we are now 70 year old , considered elderly to some and still here chatting about our school days. Good on us.
Carol i respected Casey because he could control a class but it was the respect he showed to half the class and took it out on the rest.You never went to the gym with him when he made the boys run in a circle as he kicked an old leather football at them.He had a nice side and a cruel side.I wonder if he is still alive and reading these comments.Well im locked down here bored stiff and just found this site.I posted my email i do hope someone writes im not really as bad as Casey said i cant be i have been married to the same woman since 1973.Where did the time go?
Wish Casey could read this there are many adults who would like to chat to him now so he can explain himself.
Hello Doris (Harrison nee Proctor),
Yes, it would be good to confront Casey. I see you are 3 years older than me so that indicates that he was displaying he’s hateful character to your class too. After all those years of schooling Casey is the only teacher I really ‘remember’ but, as I’m certain you will agree, for all the wrong reason. A truly frightening person who should never have been put in charge of children. I hope that no one even vaguely like him is allowed to operated within the school system today. I also hope that someone, if he’s still alive, has made him aware of these messages.
That would make us feel great wouldn’t it. Christopher.
I can’t tell you how it made me feel to read your email not because you suffered I really wish you had not. But because I have thought something was wrong with me. Take care
There is a picture of the man on the Sir John Cass primary School site if you feel the need to see his face again.
Doris, I’ve just noticed your comment at the primary school website. But I cannot see anything there referring to the past. I would like to see ‘that’ face again. Can you tell how to find it?
Mr Casey was my form teacher 77-82. He was so strict, but he could not tame me… ha ha.. I learned a lot in his class even though I left my homework on the bus loads of times… ( he used to say “you don’t get a bus, you walk to school..”) I was not vulnerable.. I think bullies smell vulnerability and act upon it. I am so sad to read the experiences of pupils who quite frankly suffered abuse from him. He chucked me out of his O level English class and I was put in Miss Shanes GCE class… I left school without any exams on my 16th birthday (jan 82) When I was 17, I bumped into Mr Casey he told me off.. he said what a waste.. you was smart. I made it my business to bump into him again when I was 18… I had attended poplar adult institution and got my English O level.. I also have fond memories of Mr Bearman in the art room.. If you were bunking off, his back stairs were the place to go… if he saw you he would let you come in the art room and make tea and toast.. (proper nice teacher) Mr Smith was super scary I kept out of his radar… Did not actually witness any wrong doing but Mr Webber gave me a creepy feeling he was a bit too nice… Mr Grey the design technology teacher was a favourite of mine except for the pipe he used to smoke during class it used to make me so hungry… Plas Enion well what can I say.. Mr Roberts a legend and absolute bastard… Mr Spencer was science teacher at cass went to wales.. and miss wilson who would get us fags from the shop…. happy days ha ha ha … Wouldn’t wanna be at any other school… Big respect to the survivors that we all are..
Thank you for visiting my website. Charles Jenkins.
I was at Case 1976-82. When I was there for a time there were TWO Mr Casey’s who taught English. There was a cool younger teacher who was in a band and once played at a school disco and a fierce older one we called THE Mr Casey. I was never in his class. I was largely doing CSE’s except for French O level with Mademoiselle Roux. Who remembers Mmlle Roux? She had long reddish hair and took over from Mr Howarth. I was glad to leave Sir John Cass They had very low expectations of most pupils. Clever girls were discouraged from having any academic aspirations. You were just expected to work as a clerical assistant or secretary until you got married or get a job in a supermarket or factory. Escaping the crushing defeatist environment that permeated much of the teaching as soon as I could was one of the best things I ever did.
Hello Doris,
I replied to your message but I guess it didn’t get through. I looked at the primary school website but I counld not locate the photo of Casey. Can you point out where it is on the site?
Thank,
Christopher
Thanks to Mrs. Doris Harrison, there are now a series of photographs uploaded to this Gallery. If any readers also have photographs of their time at Sir John Cass Foundation School, please consider sending me copies for uploading here. Thanks.
I remember Mr. Owen , he was avery good shot at thowing a book at a boy who i think was asleep.I only stayed at Sie John Cass for 2 years but i remember it fondly. I took the technical exam and left at 13 to go to Poplar Technical College. Whilst i was there a Mr Kenchon came over from
America . He wanted us boys to show him how to play cricket at Victoria Park, we did . we told him no to stand between the two batsmen, but
he did. the next ball knocked him out . we waited and waited for him to awaken, we were very worried.
I owe the school a thankyou .i became a lecturer in automobile enginreering and expert witness in the court of appeal
Tony: Thank you for leaving a comment on my website. Charles
I attended Sir John Cass Primary School between 1952-59 and upon stumbling across this platform brought back those halcyon days.
Reading some of the teacher’s names brought vivid flashbacks to the fore, treasured moments when during a lunch time break on the school roof playground when a pupil excitedly ran out onto the roof proclaiming “We’ve just beaten the world air speed record” and all the kids whooped and screamed with great joy!
If memory serves my form teachers were Miss Bussels/Miller(very attractive) and Masterson. The only pupil names that I can remember were Benny Orwell, Janet Bush, Susan Friend and my first love Marion Ludaman, I’m sure I have a class form photo somewhere which I will endeavour to track down.
I can still taste the sulphur on the back of my throat from those smoggy “pea souper” days, the horse and carts on Bishopsgate and how could one forget the rationing? It’s an irony of life that one was so rich…when one had so little! It would be good to reaquaint…if only I could remember the names.
Kenneth: Thanks for visiting my site and for leaving your comment. I am also grateful to you for sending your class photograph. It is most appreciated. Regards. Charles
Thank you very much for visiting my site and for sending a comment. Charles Jenkins
How are my old friends from 1956 keeping ,i remember George Furguson, John Rimmington ,Kaye Stubberfield and Veronica Spencer all in my
class,just to mention a few, great years ,fond memories.
I was at Sir John Cass from 65 to 67 and Mr Owens taught me English, he read excerpts from the war of the worlds, and because I enthusiastically asked questions about H G Wells he called me back after class and gave me his copy of the selected works of HG Wells, he started me off on a path of loving to read and explore, he lived not far from me in the Barbican. I remember the older kids climbing up the tower and flying the skull and crossbones at end of term, feeling so grown up when we were promoted from lower playground to the roof. Happy days
Thanks for visiting my website.
I attended John Cass from 1955 to 1965. I started in Miss Johns class then went to Miss Davis class. I was also in Mr Spanswick’s class. Entering the Seniors I was in Miss Gavin’s Class then Mr Casey. I remember Carol Whatman Carol Issacs (I was the third Carol in the class – Carol Peck. I did Scottish dancing with Mr Owens went on a trip to Heathrow airport can’t remember the reason but Mr Owens was there. Have some photos of that trip. Also went to Switzerland . Lots of happy memories and remember quite a few members of the class . Linda Roper Eddie Grange Colin Smith and many more. Thank you for sharing memories.
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Thank you very much for visiting my website.
If you have any photographs of your class, please send them to me and I will upload them to the site.
Regards.
Charles
Attended ’58-62, long time ago! All I remember is a Miss Mott,or perhaps it was spelled Motte?
Motte? The only student’s name remembered is a Tony Aslet, – Asllet, or Azlett?
We were given the Polio sugar cube,I remember most of the layout,the upstairs gym & if right I’m right the playground was downstairs at the back of the building. I can see the classrooms off the downstairs corridor.
9The Headmaster’ s office was to the left of the main entry,( can’t recall his name ).Next to his office was stairs to the upper floor.
Hi is there anyone on here that was in 1st year in 1972 and in Tower
annlinda61@gmail.com
Hi Jessica
I was in Tower 1A in 1972…. I didn’t know anyone as all my old primary school girls went to other secondary schools!
Pauline Ritchens (nee Louden)
Hello, just came across this site after searching for a certain Mr Richardson (can’t recall first name).. 1982-1986 History teacher. Great memories of Plas Einion
Many names remembered. Mr Barrel, Mr Dove, Mr Spanswick, Miss John’s (who wore her haif in plaited ,”earphones”) Mrs Jensen, Miss Niker, Miss Masterto
n she always seemed to have pot of fish glue warming in the classroom. Remember hoping to Penzance on holiday with Mr Dove. Red Cross classes with Mr Owens (the loveliest man). Pupils I remember Sharon Roper John Wheatctoft father policeman in the Met, twins brothers Brown, Su Moore, Janet Cottle Jean Hilton my best friend, Eddie Grange and his brothers, Reg Betteridge, Michael Miles, Mark Fisher, Carla van der Vaart
Ms Saunders: Thank you very much for your memories. Charles Jenkins
What lovely memories, I attended Sir John Cass from 1952
-1958. In fact that is me in the bottom left hand corner of Kenneth
Murray’s class photo. I am amazed at how many names I could remember
from that photo. Teachers, Johns, Masterton, Brussels, Spanswick,
in fact his daughter Marilyn was in the same class. Day trip on the
small cruiser Daffodil from Tower to Southend. Week in Penzance
that was great fun. Dinner lady who insisted you ate your cabbage
I still have nightmares about her! Overall a great experience.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi like andrew chapman I started my school days in 1957.and left when I g was 15. having only 1.yr at the new school in Stepney.Started work in 1967 for the P.L.A. for thirteen years.the next 30. years I worked as a telephone engineer. with B.T. now like andrew Iam retired. Class mates and friends michael.black, michael.clarke, jimmy longbonne. robbert clarke. and of course Andrew chapman. as for tony aslet I Know the family moved to Australia.and heard he died in late 20, early 30, Teachers Miss johns (she scared me). Mr. Spanswick. (good teacher) Mr owens.(good man,Great teacher). dodged a few black-boared rubbers from him. Mr Casey. did`t have a lot to do with him thank god. Hated the man.But overall, some good school memories .john mason.
Hi like andrew chapman i started my school days in 1957. and left when i was 15 having only one year at the new school in stepney started work for the p.l.a. in 1967 .for thirteen years.the next 30 i was a telephone engineer with b.t. now like andrew iam retired Class mates and friends. michael black,michael clarke jimmy longboone robbert clarke and of course andrew. tony aslet. the family moved to australia herd he died in his 20/30 Teachers miss johns ( she scared me) mr. spanswick.(good teacher). mr owens. (great man,good teacher.)dodged a few black-board rubbers from him. mr caesy did`t have a lot to do with him thank god only games. hated the man. but overall had some good school memories. john mason
John: Thank you for sharing some of your memories. Charles
The photo you have of “The Governors in the boardroom’ is wrong. It’s actually a picture of a group of ex-pupils who met up in the early 2000’s for a chat and a tour around the school. The pupils all left school in the mid 60’s.
Thanks for your comment. I will do my best to address the issue.
I was at Sir John Cass from 1980 to 1985. I was in Mint Guild. Mrs Lewis was my form tutor, she taught typewriting on the fourth floor. I had Terry Casey as my English teacher for the whole time I was there. However he may have acted in his younger years as a teacher, he certainly wasn’t like that in his latter years. He obviously mellowed. He was an inspiring teacher, fair but strict. I remember once he was retaking us with a story and he jumped into an empty desk at the front of the class and he watch promptly fell off his wrist onto the floor. He was encouraging and supportive. I even corresponded with him after I left mainly Christmas cards. He was approachable and always had time for us students.Mr Webber was deputy head as well as teaching RE. I also corresponded with him after I left, Mr Webber even came to my wedding. Mr Funnell was the music Teacher, his wife went to school with my aunt. The kids nicknamed him “Funky Funnell” goodness knows why! He was also a vicar and conducted the services before school, he later went back to being a full time vicar in the Church near Mare Street. Mr Sansom was my Geography teacher and Mr Richardson was my History Teacher. I was in class L, the year I started at Cass there was a high number of children achieving high marks in their exams at the end of Primary so they had to create a second class alongside Class R and thete was friendly rivalry between our two classes. As with all schools there were good days and bad days. Some of my favourite memories are of the residential field trips to Plas Einion, absolutely loved that place. I was lucky enough to go there five times, in the first year, third year, for my Geography and biology options in the fourth year and was invited back for a holiday no lessons. If you misbehave there you were sent to sleep in either the boot room or the showers! Sandwich choices for the packed lunch was jam or peanut butter – eurgh to this day I cannot eat either filling. Breakfast and dinner was food of champions and made up for the disgusting sandwiches.Sadly the school sold Plas Einion many years ago and it has now been converted into flats.
I attended Cass from 1963 to 1970 and had mostly fond memories of the 2 schools. There were some caring and talented teachers including Miss Hughes, Mr Jude, Mr Hershman, Mr Owens, Miss Paliakos. I have no fond memories of Mr. Casey. The teacher who inspired me most was Mrs Carol Amies who taught art. She is now Carol Klein the famous TV Gardeners World presenter. In her recent book ‘Hortobiography’ she writes about her time at Cass. I was lucky enough to be head boy for two consecutive years and also boy beadle of Mint Guild. I particularly remember Andrew Chapman who attained brilliant A level results, John Lee. Michael ‘Sam’ Black, Luigi Beschizza, Jimmy Long Bourne Rachel Greenshields (head g
Pauline Taylor (apologies) Trevor T-Bone who left school and worked in our science lab. Lots of stories to come. Oh…. wasn’t Linda Pownell known as Jimi ?
Michael: I am glad that you found my website. Charles