A pupil in the 1940s

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In durance

In 1947-1949 I was in ‘durance vile’ (for those of you not familiar with the term it means a long prison sentence) at Hollingbury Court, a private school for boys. The location of Hollingbury Court was in Ditchling Road where the road meets Surrenden Road, opposite the Hollingbury golf course.

Did you attend Hollingbury Court? Share your memories by posting a comment below

Built in 1890s

The building which comprised the main part of the school was formerly a gothic mansion built sometime in the 1890s by Sigismund Charles Witting a wealthy merchant. The estate was sold in 1926 and it was turned into a school in 1928 when a long western extension was added.

Names I remember

I was in Lady Margaret house. Boys I remember are: Etheridge, Walmsley, Arnold brothers (2), Garment, David Small, Geoff Nicholson (my cousin), Khan brothers (2), Farr twins, John Barber, John Brimms, Griffiths, Day.  Prefects: Chandler, Gibbs. Masters: Perkins, Jenkins,  Anstruther, Mr. Robertson and the Head of course, Osborne Morgan. Not forgetting the delectable assistant matron, Miss Hind.

Comments about this page

  • Good to know the ‘electric train’ service and trolley bus would get you to the dorm on time!

    By Stefan Bremner-Morris (03/04/2015)
  • My “prison term” at Hollingbury Court School was from 1950-1953. I remember the Khan brothers and the Farr twins, and John Bellamy and of course Mr. Robertson who was the head teacher. I would be very interested in contacting anyone else who was there during that period. 

    By Alan Angele (23/09/2015)
  • For those interested, there is an active group of students who attended Hollingbury on Facebook. It is a wonderful place to share memories, photographs and  reminisences … which of course will lead to reviews of one’s own experience however clouded in the mists of time.
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/hollingburycourt/

    By James Forster (15/10/2015)
  • I was there between 1953/60 if my memory is correct. There were the Masri brothers, the Green brothers, Simon Scrutton, and Gavin Galliford.  Fond memories.

    By Richard Midda (28/09/2016)
  • I was at Hollingbury Court School from 1948 to 1953. Mr Morgan was headmaster, Mr Robertson number two. Anyone there at that time could contact me on stageone@email.com

    By Paul Day (20/11/2016)
  • Contact me anytime on my email:  stageone@email.com

    By Paul Day (17/06/2017)
  • My childhood at Hollingbury Court School from 1959-1962 was a very happy one. I remember Mr Chadwick the French teacher, who I believe emigrated to the USA with his family.

    Then there was Mr Sabine who took us for football, maths and arts. I believe he lived in Cornwall and was a great painter himself.

    I looked forward to playing football. I received my colours for goalkeeping both in football and hockey, and for wicket keeping in cricket .

    If any one remembers me I would be very happy to revive friendship. Please do contact me.

    By Bernard Andonian (03/02/2018)
  • I was there from 1957 to 1962 in Lady Mags so both Brighton and Warninglid locations. I remember Robertson (Mr and Mrs), Sabine (history), Martin (English), Chadwick (maths), Lt. Col. Dixon-Smith (geography). Boys like Chris MacAdie, Tony Davey, the Elliott, Green, Weil and Knox brothers, Richard Midda, and many more. I still have a lot of photos if anyone would like to see them. Please contact me. Mike Hardman.

    By Mike Hardman (21/02/2018)
  • Hello Mike Hardman. I Remember you indeed. Yes we were in Lady Margaret House. It would be good to catch up. After the Robertsons their sons didn’t really have much interest running the school. I went back to see the place at Warninglid in about 1976 . Robertson was still around but it had become a . mixed school by thenYou can contact me at bandonian7@gmail.com

    By Bernard Andonian (17/03/2018)
  • Have discovered that a paternal aunt’s husband, Maurice Hayward, was at the school in 1937 aged 11. He has Hollingbury Court listed as his address on an outward bound ship’s manifest (P&O’s Mooltan) to Bombay on 23 July 1937, no doubt to see his parents as he was born in India in 1926.

    By Suzanne Bosworth (28/12/2019)
  • I was a pupil at Hollingbury Court School from 1957 to 1962, so I attended at both the original Hollingbury, Brighton site as well as at Colwood House, Warninglid.

    I do indeed remember many of the names mentioned in the foregoing comments and I do certainly remember James Forster, Richard Midda, Bernard Andonian and Mike Hardman, who have contributed comments above.

    I am still remotely in touch with James Forster, through the “Hollingbury Court Survivors” page in Facebook (which was started by Simon Price)

    By Gerald Kitiyakara (05/06/2020)
  • Simon Scrutton lives in France and we try and talk occasionally. We had a bite to eat several years ago and nothing had changed. It was quite lovely. I remember several of the names on this page and hope you are all well and have a healthy new year. Whatever happened to the Masri brother and the Khan family? Does anyone know ? Richard Midda.

    By Richard Midda (22/12/2022)

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