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Headmasters 1877-1977

   

1877-1883 Thomas Clements Appointed as the first headmaster by the new Whitstable & seasalter School Board in 1877, he helped to establish state education in Whitstable for the first time. 

Although assisted by two "Pupil Teachers", he was the only qualified teacher on the payroll and he battled a variety of problems including shortage of accommodation, truancy and some apathy amongst the local population.  
1883-1923 George Kirby The longest serving headmaster. He inherited many of the problems of his predecessor but guided the school from the fraught days of early state education to the relative tranquillity of 1920s Whitstable.

Along the way, he supervised the expansion of the school as it assumed responsibility for the entire Oxford Street site following the exodus of the girls establishment.  

Managed changes brought about by several  increases in the school leaving age (from 10 to 14), the introduction of free schooling and, the replacement of the local School Board by the KCC based Local Education Authority.

Introduced many new ideas to the school including a wider range of activities and an increase in vocational training.

Left the school prior to some major reorganisations in the mid-1920s  
1923-1927
Senior Boys		 C. Clifford Parmree  Head of the Senior Boys Department during a brief peiod when the school was sub-divided on an age basis.
1923-1928
Junior Boys		 Mr. Sparshott A former headmaster of the Endowed Anglican School, he was appointed Head of the Junior Boys Department. Oversaw the amalgamation of Oxford Street Junior Boys with their counterparts f5rom the Endowed School
1928-1931 H. E. Shoesmith Became head of both Senior and Junior departments and thereby established a structure that would become familiar to so many pupils of the mid-twentieth century.
1931-1935 William Henry Metcalfe Head during a period of relative stability in local education. It seems he was quite a character. Bell, Book and Boys describes him as "a thin man who sported a pencil thin moustache and often wore tweed plus fours and a flat cap". 
1935-1960 Frank Newsome A strict and imposing headmaster with a hefty build and a thick shock of wavy white hair. 

He always struck me as being somewhat remote from his pupils and a person one would only meet in cases of misbehaviour!

Nevertheless, he was the managerial titan who carried the school through a torrid spell in its history. This included World War II, the raising of the school leaving age to 15 (in 1947) and the revamp of local education following the arrival of Sir William Nottidge Secondary Modern School in 1952.

Retired in the summer of 1960 as probably the last of the "Old Style" headmasters to occupy the hot seat at Oxford Street. 
1960-1965 A. M. Queen Introduced a full uniform to the school for the first time.
1966 -???? Gerald Povey Oversaw the removal of academic streaming at the school and introduced the concept of "year groups" in which teachers had a chance to teach all pupils in their year.

Faced problems of overcrowding at the outset with classes of 40 pupils quite common. Re-organised the school as its catchment area shrank with the arrival of new schools at Joy Lane and Swalecliffe.

Prepared the school for its gradual  metamorphosis into co-ed from 1978 to1981.

  

The 1950s

 

Mr Newsome Strict headmaster who appeared somewhat distant to his pupils but carried the school through the traumas of both the war and the massive restructure of education in the late 1940s/ early 1950s. Retired in 1960. Mr Lawrence Kind man who took a first year class. Drove a Rover car and smoked roll ups!
Mrs Cooper The youngest female teacher in the school - with dark hair and a severe pair of glasses set with diamantes in the frame. Taught one of the first year classes and held joint singing lessons for classes 1A and 1B. Married to another teacher on the school payroll. Ms Beesman Kind, cuddly and popular with the pupils!
Mr Hake Len Hake was a popular teacher with a keen interest in singing/music. Housemaster for Wolfe, he was an ex-navy man who once claimed that "the nation had had three great sailors... Drake, Blake... and Hake!

Regularly read Dicken classics to his pupils on a Friday afternoon.... and could provide all the accents for the characters of Oliver Twist. 

Left the school in (approx) 1958 before he had finished reading Oliver. 

 Mr Hime Replaced Mr Hake in 1958. Picked up Oliver Twist where Mr Hake left off but never wholly mastered the accents!
Mr Kemping Silver haired teacher with a permanent sun tan. Ms Holman Retired during the 1950s.
Mr Notcutt Apart from his general teaching duties, he supervised the school gardening activities and, as a cricket enthusiast, helped many a youngster develop a late cut to match the early cut required by the school lawn.   Mr Hardy Small in stature but one of the most feared teachers. A music enthusiast who played the piano at assembly and took overall  responsibility for whole school music activity.  
Mr Cooper Married to the year 1 teacher.  Miss Wood Also ran the Busy Bees.

 
Mr London "Jack" was arguably the most popular teacher. Served the school for many years but, sadly, died in the mid-1950s. The sense of loss was felt by all.... including the wider town community. Mr Glenn An imposing teacher with a shock of black wavy hair.
Mr Porritt Arrived 1958 (approx) and, apart from his general teaching duties, assumed the role of science specialist.    
Mr Charles Apart from his teaching career. he was also a writer. Amongst other works, he wrote scripts for the TV series “Tom Grattan’s War” Mrs Eve School secretary. Helped with school drama productions.
Mr Rowden Harold was the caretaker and lived on the site.    

  

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