St Nicholas School

Hello, I too was at St Nicholas’ School in the 50s. If I recall correctly, it was from about ’54 to ’58. I remember Miss L Garrard (the nice one) and Miss T Garrard (perhaps not so nice). I remember Mr Daveney – and he always seemed to be in a Blazer, white shirt with cravat and slacks – and his MG!! I was at the school when the outdoor swimming pool opened. There was also the piano teacher who was so sweet and fed any of us who were pupils biscuits. My piano playing didn’t go very well but the biscuits were good.

I met one of the girls who been at the school much later in my life – Christine Davies – but since then no-one else. But some of the names I remember are:
Peter Blangy (spelling of surname is suspect) – he was my best chum.
Paul Henderson – the son (or nephew?) of Piano Joe Henderson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_%22Mr_Piano%22_Henderson. Of course, Petula Clark was mentioned by Paul but at that age I didn’t twig to who she was.
I also remember an African boy called Nee Dodo (not joking) – a lovely guy who was good at football. Actually, football consisted of lots of small boys charging around the field chasing the ball, with Mr Daveney trying to get us into playing as a team!

I loved my time at the school and was very sad to leave.

Anyone remember or know of the folk I mentioned above? Or remember me?

I do have some photos of the school but as we’re moving house, they’ll be in storage for a bit.

Best wishes

Andrew Macdonald
07802 460789

I'm in shock to come across this as I too have been researching to no avail about St Nicolas and I do hope that there are some girls who remember me and my sister Pauline who attended from 1952-56. The school was actually our home during this time due to circumstances plus some French pupils too. My memories are the beautiful walks, up Box hill, the stepping stones and then along the Mole River. The Headmistress tyrant Mrs T Garrard who put me on the freezing stairs for talking after lights out and forgot about me. Sewing classes whilst listening to classic literature on the radio, a daring midnight swim, gathering hazel nuts off the ground in the Lane on the way to church on Sundays. Girls I remember, not sure of surname

if any of the girls (or boys) wish to contact me jmfrank@mweb.co.za as I wish to write a book on these memories of a short term school, St Nicolas, now the famous Box Hill school thx Jean Franklin (nee Hassall)

I managed to make contact with Angela Mills now living in Costa Brava.. Jean Franklin (nee Hassall)

I loved St Nicholas. I was 7 and my brother 4 when we first attended the school and I remember Miss Garrard as the head wise and kind and her sister Miss T Garrard as the disciplinarian. We actually spent some holidays here too because our parents were away. Then came the change to Box Hill School and Mr Roy McComish and his colleagues acquiring and renaming the school. I object to the note found on google that McComish and Co acquired an ailing school of just 17 students in Mickleham! St Nicholas was coeducational with pupils aged approx 4 to 18 and catered largely to pparents overseas in diplomatic service or other international postings whose children were educated here.

I was at St Nicholas from about 1953 to 1959, when I left for the Dorking Grammar school. I remember Miss L. Garrard who was a kindly headmistress, Miss T. Gerrard who was a bit fierce, and taught us Religious Instruction - and I particularly remember Mrs O'Donnell, who had a great positive influence on my learning. I remember sewing in the library whilst listening to the Trumpet Voluntary on the school radio BBC programme. And tapioca... aargh. I was a day girl so only boarded occasionally when my parents were away. Great memories!