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Thoughts from Cyril Selby
My parents, sister and I moved to Priory Close in the early 1930’s. At the time the War started I was a pupil at Chingford Senior School located in Wellington Avenue. On the day the War actually started the entire school was evacuated. I finished up on a farm near Rochford. Once my parents realised I was nearer to the Germans than if I had stayed in Chingford they took matters into their own hands.
For the first few months after the start of hostilities I was sent to live with my grandparents who had already moved to Bath whilst my parents looked for a more suitable and permanent location for me.
Around Easter 1940 I was installed with a brand new red blazer, etc, at Stainsby Hall. As a 13 years-old who had never been away from home before this was not the happiest time for me. When I realised there were many others in the same situation it helped me to settle in.
The village at the end of the drive was aptly named Smalley. Those of us with sufficient pocket money would make a visit on Wednesdays to the local flea pit cinema in Heanor which was within cycling distance. On special days we would go to Derby by bus.
Some of the staff at the time were Bro.Gabriel (known as Gabby) Head Master, Bro.Raphael (being very tall and slim was obviously the Rake) was in charge of discipline. My form teacher was Bro.Patrick (Pat). My abiding memory of him was a foul smelling pipe and the thick black twist he smoked in it. He would hand a lump of this stuff to anyone who was out of favour and make them cut it up into small bits with a razor blade. Somehow on one occasion bits of vulcanised rubber managed to get mixed up in his pouch. It was almost like watching a Red Indian sending smoke signals! The smell was indescribable!
On one occasion the school challenged the locals to a cricket match. As the majority of the local men worked in the nearby coal mines their team turned up wearing cloth caps and mining boots, collarless shirts and trousers with both belt and braces. If our lot could have turned their noses up any higher they would not have been able to see the ground. Having seen the type of boots worn by the locals we declined the offer of a football match.
I have a very distinct memory of the school being cut off from being cut off from the main road at the end of the drive on many occasions in the winter due to snow. This could cause quite a problem for the catering staff. I was part of a group that had built a sled in an attempt to get to the village. As I was at the rear I was urged to get off and push.As the snow was about 10 feet deep I had to be dug out!
In April 1942 my father died from leukaemia which meant I had to leave school although I did return to sit the Oxford Junior Exam which I passed. At the age of 16 that was the end of my education.
One of the advantages of having been at Stainsby Hall was that when I went into the Army in late 1943 I was used to being away from home which many of those who went into uniform found difficult to cope with. I even managed to reach the dizzy heights of Sergeant and served all over the Far East.

Cyril Selby
Finding Brother Fergus by Mike Fitzgerald
In March I went to Dublin with some friends to see the rugby international between Ireland and England. After a very enjoyable weekend four of us decided to stay on for an extra week and tour Ireland, I thought this would be an excellent time to try to find Bro. Fergus.
We set off for the centre of Ireland, the only address I had was Tyrells Pass, Co. West Meath. I called at the local post office in Tyrells Pass and asked if anybody knew a person called Fergus. After long deliberations with most of the village I was directed towards a small cottage on a hill. I knocked on the door of the cottage and after a few minutes went around the back and there was Bro. Fergus digging away.
After several minutes he recognised me and invited us into his home. Opening a large bottle of sherry we spent the day talking and reminiscing about the school and former pupils, brothers etc. He was very pleased that we had reformed the Old Egbertian Association and said that he missed the school and was now looking forward to meeting up with other old boys.
The day passed quickly and eventually it was time to go. Bro Fergus is still the same character he used to be and the years have not altered him in any way. He comes to England occasionally and he would like to come to one of our re-unions. I obviously said he would be most welcome.
As I drove away I realised that he and the other brothers had given us a lot more than just education and I know that as the old boys association grows we will understand just how much we enjoyed our stay at St. Egberts.

From Denny Lalonde
I found your website and was tickled pink to have the chance to add to the site through this e-mail address. This message might end up being a bit long, I hope you don't mind. I was a student at St. Egeberts from September 1941 to Xmas 1946. I'll list some of the Brothers I remember, if the spelling is incorrect please forgive, it was a LONG time ago.
Brother Isidore, Head Master, Brother Peter, Brother Hugh, Brother Thomas (my favorite), Brother Aloysis, (?) Brother Celsus, Brother Aiden, Brother Raphael and of course Mr. Kilcoyne who was my teacher, as was Brother Peter.
I can recall an accident that occured to Michael Tierney (fellow student) when we were in the big house on Crescent Road. There was a wrought iron fence in the front of our school house. It was anchored into a concrete base about a foot high. Michael was standing with his feet between the vertical iron rods, and slipped, he jammed a spear topped part of the fence up into the skin underneath his chin. He bled badly and Brother Peter and me and some other boys lifted him off the railing and he was taken to the hospital. He was back at school in a few days but none of us ever did THAT again.
We used to play on a large old log across from the 'house' in the green area of the forest, we called it "The Jolly Roger"
Some of the pupils I recall are: John Silk, (a good chum of mine), Roger Drew, Michael Pollock, Anthony Burgoine, Johnny Baker, Noel Bray, Brian Whitting, Jimmy Jewell, Harold Keeler, and ?? Anderson. I would like to think that Roger Drew remembers me, and any of the others I have listed.
If you wish, In the coming days, I will send you copies of our class photographs, I have them in an album somewhere, I'll look them out and forward them to you if you wish to add them to the site or newsletter.
I would be pleased to hear from any of my 'old chums' from those days. Time marches on and being in my mid 70's now it's more precious than ever. Best regards to you, the committee and continued success with the site, it's great !

I was at St Egbert's in the early 50's. I don't have any old records but I sat my 11+ there (and failed!) so I would guess it would be 1950-1953. I do remember the we still had ration cards which we used for sweets at lunchtime.
I have often wondered what happened to my best mate there whose first name was Bogdan or Bogdon and came from Poland. I believe his father ran the Polish News in London. His surname is easier to say that write but basically it sounded like 'Wasastinski' but this is reasonably correct.
I now live in Australia and will be 70 this year. I am here with my wife and two daughters and two grandchildren.
If anybody can help me with this or if you remember me it would be nice to receive an email at alistairfaulds@yahoo.com
Final thought -- I will never forget the Tolly - ouch!!
Best wishes Alistair Faulds

I was a pupil in Stainsby Hall from 1939 to 1942. I am now 83 and a grandfather. I have some distinct memories of Smalley when we were completely snowed in during the winter of 1940 and had to use sledges to get to the main road to get food. As I was the last one on the sledge I was instructed to jump off and push. I then had to be dug out of a 10 feet deep snowdrift! Happy days! I have memories of Bro. Rapheal who was over 6 feet tall and very thin and nicknamed "The Rake". The head at the time was Bro.Gabriel who was nicknamed Gabby for obvious reason. I also have a vague recollection of one of the teachers being sent back to Ireland as he had made one of the girls in the village pregnant!! It may have had something to do with the water!! Does anybody else remember this?
My name at the time was Cyril Salamons which I have since changed to Selby.
If you know me I would be very pleased to hear from you. Cyril Selby (podereman@yahoo.co.uk)

Hi, Tony Gregory former pupil at St. Egbert's 1951-53 here.
Lived in Chingford- played in goal for the school and the Old Egs.
Bro. Hugh was head then Oswald, Celsus, Aloysius, lay teachers Richardson, Keegan, Leuty, Buckingham and Norman Cresswell.
Now residing in Melbourne, Australia e-mail address tonygreg1@ozemail.com.au
Anyone left out there who knows me? If so would love to hear from you.
Tony

Hi, does anybody remember me??
I was best known by my nick name.........CREW, because of my haircuts. I am of Polish parents and was in the same class as Dave Smith....Jim Casey, Dickinson etc etc.
Played for the school in the sixties. Gorden Spurgeon was our PT Instructor who I meet at Wembley in 1975 for the West Ham verses Fulham FA Cup Final.
I am presently retired and am 61 years old and have been living in Turkey for the last five years
If you know me do get in touch
Crew - Andy B Kania, class of 1961-1968
CHAUFFEUR5@aol.com

Hi Fellow Old Egbertians.
Patrick kindly added my two school pictures to the site photos.
Has anyone taken a look? Do you recognise anyone in them?
How about Jimmy Jewell? John Silk, somewhere in Dorset? or anyone who remembers me, speaking for myself, we are all getting older, so better get in touch while I'm still here eh?
drop me a line my email is dennylalonde@shaw.ca

Hello I found u on the web. I am terry moore and attended st-E from 1953/57 starting with bro peter,the dreaded latin master mcintyre,father jarloth and then bro fergus. Biked every day from highams park along with other students. Since 1965 I have lived in the far east and now live in bangkok thailand.I would be most gratefull if you would put me on your 'lost and found' notice board in the hope that some of my old school mates might get in touch.
cheers,TERRY.