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Photographed after its closure

I loved my time at Goldstone Junior School, long before the new flats were built on Ellen Street.

We moved into Conway Court in 1968 when the school was still open and took this photo in 1972 (I think!) from our flat in Conway Court after the school had closed.

Do you have any memories of the school you would like to share with us? If you have, please leave a comment below.

Goldstone Junior School
From the private collection of Tony Hagon

Comments about this page

  • It is heartening to see this lovely photo. The James Gray photo collection has a whole selection of photos of this once lovely part of Hove. A scandalous decision to demolish from Sackville Road over to Ethel Street and from the railway down to Clarendon Road was taken in 1960. Over the next nine years, starting with Conway Court, the ten  storey blocks ranged along the north side of Clarendon Road were built. Looking at the collection of photos in the James Gray collection you can see this was no slum area at all. There were some amazing oddities along Conway Street to the north and absolutely beautiful corner entry shopfronts. The wanton destruction of these terraces and the school on Ellen Stret are a lesson to us all. The semi-industrial sheds thrown up in place of the terraced housing behind the Clarendon and Ellen Estate are a lifeless and crime-friendly area now which do not feel safe on a dark winter night. The Cliftonville Pub beside Hove Station used to have its own entrance into public and saloon bars from Conway Street which I once had a glimpse of when the boardings and fencing were briefly removed. A neighbour tells me there were pool (billiard?) tables. The appalling shed-like Rentokil building and its huge empty carpark behind the recycling point replaced the solid substance of this demolished school. I feel quite bitter about the sheer lunacy and wickedness of the decisions taken back in the 1960s. I’ve always wondered if there is a backstory that produced that demolition of an entire chunk of Hove – one involving backroom deals and…..

    By Valerie Paynter, saveHOVE (26/08/2011)
  • Tony, do you have any more pictures of the area around Goldstone School before it was all demolished? I’m also wanting to trace any photos of the Park House, Hove Park Gardens homes on Old Shoreham Road between Hove Park and the Rec, if anyone knows of any.

    By Valerie Paynter, saveHOVE (26/08/2011)
  • Valerie, I have sent the editor another photo of Goldstone Junior school and hope it will be published soon. I visited Ellen Street recently and as you say it is a great shame to see my old school no longer proudly standing there but replaced instead by a car park and some old industrial buildings.

    By Nick Lade (27/08/2011)
  • I am trying to contact any person who was in Mrs Brewer’s class in and around 1958 -1961.

    By Derek Ray (24/11/2011)
  • This brings back memories! I am assuming that the picture is taken from the south west corner of the school? If so, is my memory amiss as my recollection was that the houses continued alongside the school almost back to Sackville Road? I remember the sweet shop, Bullens – I was telling someone only the other day we had this wonderful shop which had boxes of sweets for a farthing, halfpenny, penny etc – what amazing memories! Can anyone help with something that I am keen to try and sort out? It is a recollection of outings – they may have been from Ellen Street and/or Connaught Road Infants school. I have a recollection of going to a place called “Boxers Gardens.” My sister Alison remembers them and thinks it may have been at Hassocks but neither of us has any further information. Can anyone else recall them and if so, have you got any further information on the place?

    By Barbara Lank (24/11/2011)
  • I was a pupil at Goldstone Junior School in Hove and enjoyed my time there.

    By Annetta Croft (05/01/2012)
  • I was at Goldstone from 67-70, and was in Mr Lovatts class, (wonderful man – I remember him getting us to make a huge model of a saxon village as a whole class excercise), then Mr Church and finishing with Kay Henderson in 4a, whom I remember as a rather strict redheaded lady you wouldn’t want to cross. I remember the gradual demolition of the old terraces while I was there, our school lessons accompanied by the sound of the wrecking ball, and the smell of burning lath and plaster. Between 67 and 70 the area turned from a sooty victorian “Coronation Street”, to the brave new world of the Ellen Street flats. Even then I had mixed feelings about it all, despite having lots of lifts to play in! I was a school “bad lad” along with Adrian Ives and Christopher Monk, and we would usually get the blame for any unexplained act of vandalism (often they were right) and end up either getting a dull lecture from Mr Muggeridge, the rather disinterested headmaster, or being ferociously slippered by the terrifying Mr Mitchell, a red-faced Canadian deputy head who, I think, rather hated the 3 of us. Despite all this corporal punishment I dont think it did me any psychological damage, and was just seen as an occupational hazard. The worst thing we ever did was flood out the brand new loos, which had just been built under the arches at the western end of the building. Its hardly surprising that Mr Gale, the poor caretaker couldnt stand the sight of us! I dont know how I managed to pass my 11-plus. The bad lad stuff ended at BH&S Grammar, which was an altogether more daunting establishment, and not to be trifled with! Happy days…. I think.

    By Mark Thompson (23/05/2012)
  • I lived for the first 5 years of my life at 64 Ellen Street, then the council compulsory purchased it, knocked it down and built the Ellen and Clarendon Flats. Does anyone remember the public baths nearby?

    By Liz Wakefield (30/06/2012)
  • My father attended Ellen Road School from 1896-1904. When did it become Goldstone School?

    By Stella Pett Fryer (08/07/2012)
  • Thank you Mark Thompson for bringing back so many memories of my time at Goldstone Junior School. I also have fond memories of Mr Lovatt (Lovett?). He would take us all swimming and I remember him taking the lead with his towel rolled up under his arm and leading us down Sackville Road to the baths (King Alfred). I also remember Mr Church, Kay Henderson, Mr Gale, Mr Muggeridge and Mr Mitchell who also gave me a good slippering in front of the whole class for simply giving a wrong answer! I also remember Adrian Ives who was always inventing things and I remember he would (if asked) make you a light that consisted of a small battery inside a round tobacco tin with a bulb protruding from it. I also remember Christopher Monk. Bullens, the sweet shop is a fond memory too, we all used to pile in there and spend our halfpennies etc on their lovely sweets – I remember Bazooka Joe bubble gum was a favourite!

    By Nick Harvey (27/09/2012)
  • I went to Goldstone Junior School from 1957 to 1961. My brother Trevor and I lived at 108 Ellen Street. This was bang opposite the boys’ entrance, so how the hell I was late for school so often I will never know. I remember Mr Lovett who had a bubble car and I don’t think I ever saw him in anything but short sleeves, even in the depths of the 1962/63 winter. Since I lived opposite I was given this enormous pot of daffodils to take home for the holidays. I got to my front door before the laws of gravity took over and I dropped the bloody thing. Every year thereafter we had a fantastic display of daffodils in our front garden! I remember Mr Mitchell (he taught my Mum) but he always seemed to me to be a kindly man particularly compared to Mr Spain with his penchant for whacking boys with a rolled up newspaper and Mr Wallace who could terrify Dracula. Mrs Howell (?) also springs to mind. I clearly remember Bullens but does anyone remember the name of the cake shop? Barbara, the place you were thinking of is on Ockley Lane, between Burgess Hill and Hassocks. I’d forgotten it’s name though. I work near there and the first time I drove down that road I remembered the place. After all those years. Strange thing, the mind

    By Tony Carr (06/10/2012)
  • I vividly remember being in Mr Spain’s class in 1962. He had a swear box which any child who swore had to pay money into. At the end of each term the money was shared out to the whole class. This was great for those who (like me) never swore, as we got a payout. he also played impromptu cricket matches at the front of the class with children who had finished their work while the rest of us finished off. I also remember the yo-yo biscuits.

    By Pauline Doidge (nee Kelly) (02/01/2013)
  • I went to Goldstone ’57 to ’61. Lived in Conway Street which backed onto the playground, remember the streets getting demolished.  A few memories I have are all pretty good: the old rag and bone man shop where we used to sell old newspapers to him, the laundry opposite my house, the wood yard, the Salvation Army, and of course the sweet shop – 1 penny arrow bars, black jacks, tiger nuts – the list goes on.

    By John Broadbery (22/07/2013)
  • I attended Ellen St. from 1954 – 1957 and reading other people’s comments have brought back many good memories. Mr. Mitchell was great, Mrs. Canneaux? who taught music – a very sweet lady, Mr. Wallace and his scripture classes where we sat three to a desk, hoping against hope that we wouldn’t be called upon to answer a question. Visits with the school nurse to check for head lice and the invisible line through the playground to separate the boys from the girls. My memory is a bit fuzzy about Bullens – I definitely remember the shop but was it the one in Sackville Rd. or Ellen St.? I remember a shop just east of the school where we bought iced lollies and we would hope that we got one with a stick that gave us a free lolly. I particularly liked the bright turquoise ones which left quite a stain on your tongue!

    By Wendy Ward (05/08/2013)
  • Reading many of the former pupils’ past experiences at Ellen Road Junior School has unlock many wonderful memories. I attended from 1954-1957. I can remember the headmaster Sidney Smith, also Mr Wallace who always looked stern, but I was fortunate to have Miss Wallace (not related to Mr Wallace) in the 2nd and 4th year. She was like a mother to the whole class. I can also remember some of the class, namely Mark Powell, Derry Fisher, Bruce Hood, Malcolm McNair, Judith Smith, Majorie Hutchingson, Diane Atkinson and Susan Gray. I do remember the sweet shop and ice lollies and hoping to get a free one. I can recall taking part in a show/ display just off Sackville Road. Sorry I cannot remember the name but I think it begins with B. It’s great people can still think of the happy times there, even though most of us are in our late 60s.

    By Gordon Burtenshaw (24/03/2014)
  • Having spent my early days living in Poets Corner many moons ago, Ellen Street was my school. In answer to Tony’s  question the cake shop on the corner near Bullens was called Holders. I know this as my Nan used to send us up on a Saturday early to buy Fleed cakes – they were lovely and soon sold out, hence going early. I can remember Mr Gale the caretaker – he was very nice. I was friends with his daughter Rosemary . A teacher I remember most was Miss Clothier – she was very nice  because not liking milk she brought some Bournvita to put in my milk therefore I drank it and enjoyed it. I have never forgotten her .

    By Julie Clark (26/03/2014)
  • I was at Goldstone until 1968 when I moved on to Davigdor, also now sadly demolished.  In those days I was Ann Ritchie, and my brothers, Ian and Neil, and I all lived at the old Fire Station in Hove Street.  I vaguely remember Mr Moss.  I remember walking to school one winter in very deep snow.

    By Ann Sellers (27/05/2014)
  • I was at Ellen St school in 1940. Mr Sidney Smith was headmaster then. As a senior I then went to Connaught Road. There was a danger of the gas holder being bombed so they moved us all to Davigdor school in the infants side.

    By Bob Fines (30/05/2014)
  • I arrived at Ellen St in 1947-48 from Holland Road infants, and it was then East Hove Junior Mixed, if I am right. Sidney Smith was the headmaster then and some of the teachers I remember were Mr Rawson, Miss Abbot and Mrs Canneaux. One thing I do remember was that if you got caught doing something naughty and had to go to ” Smithy” you had to stand outside his office. The wall was painted green. While you were standing there some of the other kids, as they walked past, would stand in front of you, lick the first two fingers on each hand and then fall towards you with arms and fingers outstretched, so that their fingers hit the wall either side of your head. That was a good luck “charm” to stop you getting the cane, and I have to say it worked for me every time. Another thing I remember was buying Horlicks tablets from the sweet shop for a halfpenny. I liked that school, far superior to the Brighton Building School where I next moved on to in 1953, with a close friend Keith Stewart. Sadly he passed away ten years ago but the memories of Ellen St live on.  

    By John Davis (21/03/2015)
  • I remember ‘old Goldstone School’ as I used to call it. I loved that school. I started there earlier, 1970s. I remember Mr Muggeridge the headmaster and I seem to recall that he had a lazy eye. Miss Henderson, the teacher with the red hair, seemed nice. Mr Lovatte was my form teacher who also taught us Biology and in our classroom was a tank where he kept slow worms. I remember the days he took the class swimming to the King Alfred with his towel rolled under his arm. He had a beard too – a lovely teacher, very helpful! Also the playground was separated by a metal fence – one side for girls, the other for boys. And we had to keep an orderly line when walking up the stairs and not run – they used to have prefects watching us at the top of the stairs.
    I remember Bullens sweet shop too – always bought penny sweets in there. Happy days. I was sad when they got rid of that school. I ended up going to Goldstone Junior in Elm Drive, a newly built open plan school. Preferred the old Goldstone Junior School 🙂

    By Kim Hopkins (Beverley ) (01/04/2015)
  • I was also at this school and was in my final year before it was knocked down in1974. I remember it being 99 years old when they demolished it. We used to play stool ball in the separated playground, as mentioned above one side for boys and girls, before all going into the same classroom together, seems strange now. I remember the caretakers had a little dog they used to bring into work. Mr Muggeridge did have a lazy eye, in assembly when he used to shout out ‘ You behave’ we never knew who he was looking at! There was also a wooden stage or staggered classroom for Geography lessons . Fond memories of childhood there and a grand Victorian building.

    By Maria (10/07/2015)
  • I remember Goldstone Junior School as I taught there for a year (Mrs Brown) in 1973-74. Lovely kids in my class including one Rebecca Askew who suddenly popped up in a show at Manchester Library theatre about ten years ago as part of an organisation called The Shout, who were brilliant, creative musicians and performers. Mr Muggeridge was an excellent headmaster (and, I think, a Humanist) but retired while I was there and was replaced by a younger model. One of my other pupils was called Suhaela, and after I had used ‘Lord of the Rings’ in storytelling time, would write in nothing but Runes. Frankie Potter was a very bright girl – what happened to you all?

    By Lynne P (13/11/2017)
  • I went to Ellen Street School in the early 1950s until 1955. We lived a fair distance from the school so was given money for the bus, but I usually walked and spent the money on sweets in Bullen’s. My favourites were sherbet fountains, lemonade powder and gob stoppers, all excellent for rotting teeth. I only had one encounter with headmaster Mr Smith when the whole class was marched off to his office. We lined up on the stairs awaiting our turn. I don’t remember our offence, maybe our teacher Mr Wallace just got fed up with us being rowdy. One playground pastime I remember was making holes in the soft red bricks of the walls with a penny. Then we used the brick dust mixed with a bit of spit to polish the penny. The bus conductors used to look very suspiciously at the shiny coins when we offered them.

    By John Bradley (16/11/2017)
  • I was at Goldstone from 1965 to 1969. I remember Ann Ritchie and her flat at the fire station. I also went onto Davigdor Secondary Modern in Sept 1969 and was there until 1974. I was in the B stream all the way through school but can remember a few lessons with Mr Spain, who usually taught 4a. 

    By Vanessa Coombs (07/12/2017)
  • An evocative photo, was there from 1966 – 1970. 

    By Anthony Arundell (06/01/2018)
  • I was at Goldstone from 1972 to 1974 when it closed and went to Somerhill after that. I remember the name Frankie Potter. As I recall, I was in Lewes Castle – the others were Bodiam, Pevensey but I can’t remember the 4th one.

    By Giles Allsop (16/02/2018)
  • 1970ish…I was also at Goldstone and think I was in same class as Kim Beverly! (as mentioned above). We were buddies and used to be partnered for swimming and PE. We both hated the school showers!
    Mr Lovett had a short greying beard which he was always stroking, he loved nature and there was always a table smothered with horse chestnuts and fir cones… I recall a very elderly man, (he seemed that to me) who was the music teacher and I remember us sitting on the dusty Hall floor singing something about Bessie was a black cat!
    I went with Kim to Elm Drive and then Neville Secondary. I actually remember lots of my classmates…would be great to know what everyone’s up to.
    I’m a Grandma and would you believe, a teacher!
    IVANA (nee Pantoock)

    By Ivana Levy (27/08/2020)
  • In a similar page, about the Knoll School I mixed up Ellington Street with Ellen street, but seeing your Photo, I noticed this building was the same one which I visited as a child during WW2. In those days, it was called a junior school . We children were told off, for making our pennies bright, by rubbing them on the red bricks of the building. The Bullen sweet shop was by the number 5 bus stop nearby, where I got out after coming down from the last stop at the top of Appelsham Ave. My worst memory of those times, was being the only one to have an accident during a road safety week.

    By Kenneth Ingle (07/03/2022)
  • Following the latest comment by Kenneth together with others on this thread as well as on other pages which relate to Goldstone Junior school I hope I can get clarification and confirmation about the sweet shop Bullens. Some have clearly a memory of this shop being on the West side of the school in the area of Sackville Road. Others have stated Bullens was on the East side of the school along Ellen Street on the first corner junction of Goldstone Street after coming out of the school. The latter is my memory of a sweet shop as this was the direction I went at the end of the day towards Goldstone Villas but was it called Bullens?

    By Nick Lade (08/03/2022)
  • I lived in Conway Street and walked south down Conway Place to Bullens the sweet shop. It was next to Holders the bakers which was on the corner of Ellen Street, on the Eastern side of Conway Place. Opposite the sweet shop was a triangular shaped piece of ground concrete or tarmac with railings separating it from Sackville Road. It had a red telephone box on it and three or four steps going into Sackville Road. I hope this helps.

    By Doreen Young nee Brown (08/03/2022)
  • Hi Nick,
    ‘Absque Labore Nihil’! I was not an Old Boy of Goldstone[Stanford juniors me]but Kelly’s directory 1960 shows a Mrs Bullen confectioner at 135 Sackville Rd, so not far away; the corner of Goldstone Street and Ellen Street #47 is Mrs K. Edwards, shopkeeper.

    By Dr Geoffrey Mead (09/03/2022)
  • Many thanks to Doreen and Geoffrey for their most helpful replies which confirm that Bullens sweet shop was certainly on the West side of the school. So now does anyone remember the name of the shop, where I bought my sweets and lollies, on the corner of Goldstone Street and Ellen Street?

    By Nick Lade (09/03/2022)
  • I was at Goldstone Junior School from 1966-1970. We lived very nearby, with my Grandparents in the Greengrocers at Connaught Road. When the area was being demolished we moved away to Portslade borders and my Nan & Grandad moved to the top flat in the newly built Conway court. Always thought that the destruction of the school and many surrounding houses was criminal, especially as the Business premises and warehouses that replaced it are now themselves being replaced with more flats. I would love to see a photo of any of the classes that I was in. (Teachers; Mr Wallace, Mr Lovett and the somewhat volatile Mr Austen. Mr Mitchell had his daughter Jane at the school. Other names I remember are Linda Pape, Amanda Fowkes, Stephen Todd, David Breden, Susan Newell, Mark Belcher, Michael Murray and my best mate Viv Grice (sadly no longer with us). Would love to hear from anyone and others that I apologise for not mentioning. x

    By Steve Mace (03/01/2023)
  • Blimey, such a long time ago now but I do remember Ivana and Kim. We were in Mr Church’s class in 1974, I think. Other names I remember include Andy Fenton, Shaun I’anson, Dean Hawker, Louise Askew, Gillian Coleman, Jackie Wiley, Suzie Croke, the Bovington twins – Stuart and William, Sally Anne Bookham, Simon McKeller(?) and teachers, Miss Robinson, Mrs Grimshaw, Mr Pierce(permanent spittle on top lip!), Mr Wallace (”This is MY room and there’s a big sign that says ‘Silence’ on the wall”. There wasn’t but it kept us quiet!), Mr Lovett, Mr Mitchell and, of course, Mr (is it me you’re looking at or the kid on the other side of the room) Muggeridge.
    Fond memories, all except for maths, which I hated!
    Moved to the truly awful Elm Drive school, typical 1970’s ‘open plan’ effort and then on to Nevill Secondary, where the fun really began…

    By ian lacey (24/07/2023)
  • WOW! I was born in 1965 so would have been at Goldstone in 1970. I know there were segregated playgrounds as I was playing in the boys area when I fell over and was knocked out! I have no memories before I woke up in an ambulance with sirens going taking me to Brighton General. Mrs Grice was in the ambulance with me as dad worked in East Grinstead and mum was out (no mobile phones back then!). I do remember going to the new school in Elm Drive with our teacher “Mr John Pitts” who we used to call “Uncle John”. Friends I remember are Cathy Cullen and Christopher Clow whose birthday was 1st April. I live in Australia now as the weather is much warmer!!

    By Nicky Cooper (14/02/2024)
  • I was at the school from 1960 – 1964. Still in touch with classmates Colin Haines, Graham Walker and David Rosen. Our class room teachers were Mrs Earlbach, Mr Lovett, 3rd year I cannot remember, and Mr. Wallace. My mother was the school secretary for some time. My abiding memory was the toilet outbuilding which absolutely stunk all the time. I remember the Christmas party in my fourth year. The school showed a film called The Ladykillers. Odd choice but a great film.

    By Alan Vosper (21/03/2024)
  • Alan, I was there the same time but in the A stream (see photo of 3a with Mrs Hovell. I had Mrs Earlback year 1, Spain year 2 and Mr Mitchell year 4.
    You put a 1963 class photo, I believe which was of 3b, on Facebook. I know a few of the folk on there. Do you want to post it on here or are you happy for me to?

    By Mick Wright (28/03/2024)

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