For all the local information go to the main entry for Grays

• Re: old boys by Rogan "Mick" Bryan (Member 10256228) on 4-Jan-2011
  hi guys.I happened to pass down clockhouse lane for the first time since 1966,when I left Ardale.I wasn't altogether surprised to see that the old place had gone.I googled Ardale when I got home and came across this site. I was at Ardale as a young scallywag from 1963 to 66,in Stanley House and the wonderful Alan "Enry"Cooper was my housemaster. I did the painting and decorating course under Mr Re
  eves,known as "Glib" and the plastering one with Ben "Bonk-eye" Price.I'm still in touch with Rick Lawrence,as he married my sister! I wonder if Mr Cooper is still alive? I doubt it as I know he was in the RAF during the war and was badly burned about the chest.I was also partly responsible for the racket emanating from the band room in the tower,where we made horrible noises with clapped out brass instruments.My time at Ardale is full of happy memories and I remember my time there as full of fun from start to finish.I'd have paid to go there!!
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• Re: old boys by Barry Jacques (Thorpe) (Member 10236579) on 13-Jun-2011
  Hi Mick,I was at ardale the same time as you.I was in Shackleton house with Les and Fay Littlefield as house parents.I have exchanged memories very recently with there daughter Jenny who is now in her sixties the same as me.I remember Mr Cooper very well as I remember he was having an affair with the matron in your house or so rumour had it.Life has been pretty good to me since leaving Ardale.I di
  d progress to Dover borstal and other institutions for a while but went on to become a ships captain and champagne sailor for the rich and famous living for many years in the south of France. I am now happily married and living in Shepshed in the center of the Charnwood forest in Leicestershire. regards Barry
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• Re: old boys by Roy Hunt (Member 10263165) on 8-Jul-2011
  Another old boy here. I arrived in 1962 and went into the Allens House...was it Nelson. For some reason I was then moved to one of the bigger houses and left in December 1963.
  I too was in the band with Mr Auger. I really enjoyed it and have played in bands ever since. Bob Anthony was the school hard man. I remember Alca Pitt the English teacher and I did plumbing with Mr P.
  Oh happy days. Its a
  mazing that in my time only one boy went walkabout. Imagine today sending 100 plus 15 to 17 year olds off to bed at 10.00 pm and expecting them to be there in the morning. No locks, no fence and no gates. Was it discipline or fear. Thankfully, I did ok after leaving and now am in business in Norfolk and Suffolk and enjoying my life.
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• Re: old boys by Rogan "Mick" Bryan (Member 10256228) on 2-Nov-2011
  Hi guys.Since posting my first message in january I had a wierd experience. I moved to the west country a few years ago and struck up a slight friendship with a man called Barry Lewis. I remembered recently that we had had an assistant housemaster for a short time with that name. As my new mate is several years older than me, in his 70's, I discretely asked if he had ever been an approved school m
  aster. I was quite chuffed when he turned out to be the same bloke ! I haven't told him that we knew each other all those years ago, he's had a stroke and can't remember much, and if he did , this is a very small town with loose tongues ! I'm not surprised to see that Mr Cooper was having an affair with the matron.She was no oil painting as I remember, but stuck out in ardale ,there wasn't a lot of choice for him or Barry.
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• Re: old boys by Rogan "Mick" Bryan (Member 10256228) on 2-Nov-2011
  Great to hear that Barry and Roy are happy and doing well. We did have a wonderful camaraderie ,didn't we? wierd about Barry Lewis ,eh? After some ups and downs , I was badly injured in a car accident. Happily ,I made a full recovery from spinal injuries including a broken neck ( between the two vertebrae the hangman used to like to snap !!) i retrained and became a London black cab driver for 30
  years.Now happily retired by the sea.
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• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Barry Jacques (Thorpe) (Member 10236579) on 4-Apr-2009
  Hi,I was at ardale 62-64 cannot remember house name but remember Les and Fay Littlefield were house parents. (remember they had an extremely good looking daughter. Jenny I think ?).regards B.J

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Tara Townsend (Member 10236483) on 5-Apr-2009
  Hello barry
  Thankyou for replying. Yes jennifer is my mother and we did have a chuckle when we read your message as she was actually at my house at the time!.
  Hope you are keeping well.
  best regards Tara

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Barry Jacques (Thorpe) (Member 10236579) on 9-Apr-2009
  I still have many fond memories of Ardale and indeed of Les and Fay.I honestly believe I left Ardale with an education and trade abilities I would not have got elsewhere.Anyway hope your mother is well and many thanks for your reply.Barry

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by frank skeates (Member 10245617) on 12-Mar-2010
  If it is the right Ardale,i was sent there by the court as a young offender in i think 1966,my housemaster was Alan (Henry) Cooper,to this day i have never met a better man.If only there was an Ardale format now and of course a "Henry",i,m positive,young offenders like me then,would appreciate the good,the dedication and genuine interest that i and many other "lost" children benefited from "Henry"
  .
  I have wanted to write about Mr Cooper for a long time,thank you for the forum,a truly wonderful man.
  
  FRANK SKEATES
  
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• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Donald Phillips (Member 10246024) on 24-Mar-2010
  I was Painting and Decorating Instructor at Ardale C.H.E. from 1976 to 1979

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Brian Pease (Member 10252149) on 20-Sep-2010
  Just discovered this link! I was relief housemaster and cookery teacher in the late fifties. I remember and respected Flossie Forsyth, does anyone remember any of these names - Johnnie Lomburg [a good boxer], Phil Bevan or Peter Green. I do have some old photos, some of the A.T.C. The headmaster was Mr Shaw. Love to share these memories.

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by John Lumborg (Member 10255516) on 14-Dec-2010
  Hello Brian. life is full of coincidence. Just a couple of days ago, by pure chance, I stumbled upon information about ARDALE and since then have been googling for additional info. I had even googled your name but didn't come up with any hits till this morning in the KNOWWHERE site. I was so pleased to see your message, and it brought back a huge flood of memeories, especially the ones on your coo
  king class, which was a highlight of my time at ARDALE. Eating the most delicious french fries (chips) I have ever had. Also making roux sauces and other delicous foods that we got to eat. I still have the certificate I was awarded for cooking in your class. I can hadly believe all that was 50 years ago. So much has happened since then but I am convinced ARDALE was instrumental in helping a young, rebellious and somewhat damaged teenager to be a better person. I've travelled the world, had many fantastic experiences and then settled down, of all places, in Germany and have been here for almost 40 years, the last 37 of which have been with the U.S. Government. At 67 I'm still at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin but will probably retire sometime next year, rather than hanging on till they find me dead at my desk. Have a twenty year old daughter who has just started studying at the University of East Anglia and a partner who is my best friend and most tolerant person I have ever met. Life has indeed been good to me. My email is jlumborg@aol.com. We live in a great area of Berlin and if you are ever thinking of visiting, let me know, it would be great to meet and chew the fat on days gone by. John Lumborg, ex cook, boxer,painter etc.
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• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by Brian Pease (Member 10252149) on 31-Jan-2011
  Hi Johnny Lumborg! Good to get your message, I have just moved home from Isle of Man to Carlisle.So I was off line, all back to normal. I will e-mail you.

• Re: ARDALE SCHOOL by T S Wellesley (Member 10258852) on 6-Mar-2011
  Looking for an ex Housemaster, possibly he was a deputy Head at Ardale? His name is Ken Hunter. He was there around late 60's early 70's. He left to go to St Christophers in Hayes.

• Re: Grays Escort by Barry Jacques (Thorpe) (Member 10236579) on 4-Apr-2009
  Most women in your area are curvy (I call them fat) must be too much fish and chips.

• Re: kay suttling by KGB (Member 10207224) on 12-Dec-2007
  Hello Kay,
  
  Married, divorced and living in Australia for 17 years. How about you?
  
  If you read this drop me a proper e
  -mail at
  
  kb63@dodo.com.au
  
  Take care,
  
  Keith.
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• Re: Brasileiros em Essex by KK (Member 10173386) on 3-Jan-2006
  sou brasil