Teachers at the Elms
The list of teachers 1925-1950 compiled by the Faringdon History Society can be found here
|
- Latin and Classics - one of the most interesting women working in the School - plenty of anecdotes right there! Gwen Ledger, English
Miss Chapman, French Miss Margaret Yeardley, French Mrs Noel Clarke, French Mrs Healey, Geography Miss Baker, Geography Mrs Longfield Jones, Latin Mrs Hamin, Music Miss Starkey, Music Miss Foreman, History Miss Ruth Hainsworth, Biology Miss Duncan, Domestic Science Miss Sturdy, Science Margaret Clark, French Miss Smalley, Music – Ran two choirs, a junior and a senior choir which entered inter- school music festivals. Girls had to audition to join the choirs. Miss People, Science – (married name Mrs Peaples). Taught Biology and Chemistry to lower and middle school. In 4th year everyone did the Bone Test in Biology and had to name and draw parts of the rabbit. She told us if we passed we could continue to study Biology. Miss Dorothy Margaret Liddiard ( b 23/3/1896), Art – Gentle white-haired artist who obviously appreciated real talent. In the case of the average she would give instructions for improvement but the following week would forget she had made those suggestions and would often tell you to start again! Miss Mary Gwendoline Osborne ( b 27/7/1905), Junior English, Scripture 1944-1966. Lived in Faringdon near the school with Miss Bell.. White hair and cuddly appearance. A friend of Grizel Bell and she helped Miss Bell in organizing events. Retired to Devon? Deputy Head. Miss Alicia Grizel Bell ( b17/7/19) Physical Education & Organizer of Events. Supervisor of bus departures at end of each day. Lived and died in Faringdon after retirement. Must have been the best known teacher to all the girls after the headmistress. A stickler for regulations. At the time of her death Miss Bell had a son living in Australia Miss Franklyn, Sports Deputy to Miss Bell – Arrived at school in late 1950’s after Miss Towns arrived. Miss Pain, 1st Year Form Teacher, based in Sports Pavilion – Ardent charity supporter, who encouraged junior girls to knit squares for blankets to send to folks in need abroad, via Oxfam. She spent hours sewing the squares into blankets in her spare time. She was devastated when she found out that Oxfam were not sending them abroad as she had told the girls, but they were being sold in Oxford’s Oxfam shop. No more blankets were made after that. She was Brown Owl in Faringdon Miss Amy Morton (became Mrs Comley), Latin & 1st Form Teacher – She left during the 1950’s. She had 4 children and died in her 60s Miss Francis ? Breakspeare, Latin and R.E. – Rode a scooter and had an accident and was off sick for a long time. A nervous woman who knew her subjects but could not relax with some of the junior girls who played her up. One of the most interesting women working in the School - plenty of anecdotes right there! She stayed in Faringdon after her retirement. In 2017 she was in Coxwell Hall Nursing Home Miss Garton, French – She taught the senior girls and as a favour, taught 3 of us O level French in the lower sixth in 1960. She taught Philomena A level French, but left suddenly in 1961. Miss Hunter, History – During 1960/61 taught A level History in the Hut. She knew rhymes and slogans to help remember dates. Helped us to focus on facts and cut out waffle. Mrs Miles Davis, Maths Miss Gregory, Geography – Considered to be eccentric, but loved her subject and therefore inspired the interested and kept the attention of the rest. Miss Johnstone, Senior English – All A level classes learnt a lot from her about all sorts of literature as well as the syllabus. She was Irish, had wild thick hair with a nicotine stained lock at the front, and we all knew that she must have been a heavy smoker as she had a husky voice and took breaks when we were all engrossed in our work. She was passionate about Wordsworth and less so about Walter Scott. An unforgettable woman. Miss Young, History – She came after 1961. Miss Johnson, Geography – She also taught Rosemary and Marion and took girls on field trips where she ate packed dates for her lunch. Miss Thomas, Geography Miss Mason, Geography Miss Strang, PE Miss O'Donnell, History, after Miss Hunter Miss Watson, English, French. She later married Norman Fletcher, a Faringdon man. Miss Burdett, mathematics. A gentle shy woman. She didn't stay at The Elms for long.We weren't very nice to her ( 1960s). She had an accident on her scooter. |
1971- 1974
Miss Gatward E E Wood, English Miss N Bint, History B E Weller, Geography A Williamson, French A Pickavance, Mathematics A M Adams, Chemistry J Ball, Physics J Wilkins, Art DB Williams, music JM Chester, PE N Blackford, French GO Hopkins, History M Doak, RK V Grey, Mathematics C Marshall, Biology Cookery, ?? Fetter?? J Greenwood, E Parsons, French BE Newbury, Geography BM Hindle/Hinde, Mathematics A Joinsen, Physics V Hopkins, Art L Hopkins, History, Art SM Wright, Needlework KM Hyndman, Art J Chester, Hockey Mr RG Stewart, French J Howe, Geography S Black, PE 1972-1977
Mrs Angela Banham - English. I hated those lessons. I now have a v respectable English Lit and Lang degree and for the fun of it doing a Masters. But for years I avoided the subject like the plague - very unhappy memories. Miss Blacksford - French Dr Squires - Chemistry Mrs Adams - Physics (sometimes Chemistry) Miss Johnson - Physics (my form teacher who left to have a baby) Miss Harris - History - always smiling Mr Leech - English Mr Stewart - French Madmoiselle Boussin (sp?) French Assistant Miss Pendlebury - History - my favourite teacher Miss Towns - Head Teacher Mrs Greenwood - Maths and Physics another favourite of mine Mrs Davis - Maths and Latin - another favourite Miss Brakespeare Miss Tozer - Biology Mrs Wood - English and Needlework (sometimes) Mrs …. Art Teacher I forget her name (but remember what she looked like - blonde hair short, small, sporty looking person. Miss Doke (sp?) Religious Education and Classics. This woman was terribly bullied by pupils - her life must have been hellish. Miss Doughty - French Mrs Bruce - German Mrs Lovell - German and Latin |