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[Photo: Group photos from various eras – 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 2002 reunion]
Generations of Clare House Boys
From 1896 to 1970, hundreds of boys passed through Clare House doors. They came as seven-year-olds learning their first Latin declensions. They left at thirteen, prepared for public school and the wider world.
They wore the red blazer. They learned the motto: “Whatever you do, do it well.” They competed for house points, played cricket in summer and rugby in winter, prepared for Common Entrance, and formed friendships that would last lifetimes.
This is their story – the collective story of all Clare House boys, and the individual stories of those we’ve managed to reconnect with.
The Early Years: 1896-1930s
The Naval Tradition
Clare House quickly developed a reputation as a suitable place for Royal Navy officers to send their sons. This wasn’t about particularly demanding academics – the Navy provided most of what young gentlemen needed to know later. But Clare House offered the proper environment, the right social setting, and a solid foundation.
[We welcome memories and information from alumni or families from this era]
The War Generation: 1940-1946
Evacuation and Ashurst Wood
Boys who attended Clare House during wartime experienced something extraordinary. The school evacuated – first briefly to Woolacombe, Devon, then to the magnificent Ashurst Wood estate in Sussex.
Michael P. Miller (1943-1949)
[Photo if available]
Michael has provided the most detailed account of wartime Clare House life. His memories paint a vivid picture:
Arrival: Victoria Station, September 1943. A chalk blackboard in the main concourse listed various schools with platform and departure details. Headmaster Robin Gladstone greeted parents and boys. Steam train to East Grinstead (about 75 minutes), then Southdown coaches the four miles to the school.
The Estate: Sir Abe Bailey’s former country house – three floors, imposing rooms, extensive grounds. The “big schoolroom” (the former drawing room), dormitories on upper floors, chapel, gymnasium, squash court, cricket field, swimming pool filled from a natural spring each May.
Wartime Experiences:
- V-1 Doodlebugs overhead – “as long as their engines continued to function, there was no danger for us”
- One V-1 came down close to Wall Hill – windows blew in, but amazingly no injuries
- Sports Day 1944 with V-1s appearing during the afternoon – children kept running while parents dove for cover
- VE Day celebration: walk and picnic to Hammerwood House in scorching weather (May 8, 1945)
Daily Life:
- Swimming every day in summer (twice on Sundays), under Robin Gladstone’s strict supervision
- 80-100 boys, mostly boarders
- Four Houses: Phillips, Mason, Norwood, Gulliver
- Six periods daily, half-days Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Cricket and Rugby matches against neighboring schools
Memorable Details:
- Winter 1947: two feet of snow on playing fields for many weeks
- Summer 1947: one of the warmest and driest on record
- Sweet ration: 2-4 oz. per week
- Three good meals daily despite rationing
- No heating in dormitories except the Sick Room
- Outbreaks of mumps, German measles, chickenpox – sometimes 20-30 boys sick at once
Return Journey: Christmas 1943 – excitement waiting in the big schoolroom for coaches, then train threading past bomb-damaged areas of south London
Michael left Clare House in July 1949 after six years.
Simon Bowen (1943-1949)
[Photo if available]
Simon was “Bowen III” for his first term – two elder brothers were also at Clare House. His eldest brother had attended before the war when Clare House was still in Beckenham, while his other brother evacuated with the school to Woolacombe.
Memories:
- Remembers the Doodlebugs and the policeman’s talk on butterfly bombs
- Was in the Sports Day photograph with Mr. Dunkley supervising
- Recalls Cyril Crump’s three suits (double-breasted in brown, navy, and grey)
- Robin Gladstone and George Storrs frequently dressed in suits with plus-fours
- Cyril Crump married Miss Silcox, the school nurse – “a formidable person, particularly when administering one’s daily spoonful of radio malt”
- Was taught by all the staff mentioned in Mike Miller’s memoir
- Praised by Miss de Cardi for reading the lesson in Chapel
- Went to Lords in 1947 to see South Africans – Bill Edrich took a wicket with the first ball!
Last Year: Spent it at Heatherlands with three other boys, where they lunched and slept. Sunday duties included taking breakfast in bed to Mrs. Gladstone.
Learning to Swim: Robin Gladstone held him up with his hand for length after length until the great day of swimming unaided, thereafter occasionally accompanied by a frog.
VE Day: Remembers listening to Churchill’s speech in the hall, and the school walk next day with Spam sandwiches.
Later Visits: Returned years later but was warned off by a local farmer that the house had been taken over by hippie squatters. Another time told it had become a monastery. Read an article that it had been bought by a “fashionable” commercial photographer.
The Peak Years: 1947-1969
Post-War Clare House in Beckenham
After reopening in 1947, Clare House gradually rebuilt to capacity. Boys of the 1950s and 60s experienced the school at its most successful – full enrollment, excellent facilities, strong academic and sporting traditions.
Richard Grant (1962-1968)
[Photo if available]
Richard spoke at Major Hodges’ funeral, providing this reflection:
“Clare House gave us a framework of stability, fairness, and security. The values that Clare House instilled in its pupils during those formative years remained with them all their lives. We were indeed privileged to have such wisdom and guidance in those early years.”
His words capture what Clare House meant to generations of boys.
Peter Barclay-Jones (1962-1965)
[Photo if available]
Peter attended Clare House in the 1960s and became the historian who researched and documented the school’s story. In 2000-2001, he:
- Posted appeals on BromleyNet and other community sites
- Contacted local libraries and historical societies
- Located and interviewed Major Hodges in June 2001
- Gathered documents from Bromley Local Studies Department
- Became the first Chairman of the Clare House Association in 2002
His dedication ensured Clare House’s story wouldn’t be lost.
The House System
Boys were organized into four Houses: Phillips, Mason, Norwood, and Gulliver. The origins of these names remain uncertain, though Phillips likely honored Rev. Thomas Lloyd Phillips, founder of the Abbey School in 1866.
Competition: Houses earned or lost points for:
- Conduct and behavior
- Academic effort and achievement
- Sporting success
Rewards:
- Points displayed on the house notice board, totaled at term’s end
- Winning house typically granted a half-holiday
- “Centurions” (individual boys accumulating 100+ points) received similar rewards
This system fostered healthy competition and gave boys a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves.
Common Experiences Across Generations
Despite attending in different eras, Clare House boys shared certain experiences:
The Red Blazer and School Cap The distinctive uniform that identified a Clare House boy. The badge bore the motto: “Whatever you do, do it well.”
Latin from Age Seven Whether in the 1920s or 1960s, Latin began early. Declensions, conjugations, vocabulary – the classical foundation that prepared boys for public school.
The Common Entrance The goal toward which everything built. Passing Common Entrance and earning placement at a good public school was the measure of success.
Sport Cricket in summer, rugby in winter. House competitions. Matches against other schools. For many boys, sporting memories were as vivid as academic ones.
The Tuck Shop During wartime at Ashurst Wood, Mrs. Storrs opened it once a week. Sweet rations might be small (2-4 oz.), but those visits were highlights.
Prize-Giving Weather permitting, held outdoors in summer in shaded corners of the grounds. A formal occasion when achievement was recognized.
Sports Day Parents on the sidelines, boys competing in races and field events, house pride on display. The last Sports Day – July 23, 1970 – was bittersweet, marking the end of an era.
The Final Year: 1970
The Announcement January 1970: Parents informed the school would close in July. For current pupils, their time at Clare House would end prematurely. For younger boys, there would be no chance to complete their Clare House education.
The Last Term Classes continued. Sport was played. Lessons were taught. But everyone knew the clock was ticking.
The Last Day July 23, 1970: Sports Day as always, but different. The final official event in Clare House’s seventy-four-year history.
Scattering Boys went on to other schools. Some kept in touch. Most went their separate ways, carrying Clare House memories into their new lives.
The Lost Decades: 1970-2002
For thirty-two years, former Clare House pupils were scattered worldwide. Some maintained occasional contact. Many lost touch entirely. The school existed only in individual memories, with no central connection point.
Some alumni tried to reconnect:
- One returned to find the house taken over by squatters
- Another was told it had become a monastery
- One read it had been bought by a photographer
- Eventually, all learned it had been demolished and replaced
But there was no Clare House Association, no website, no way to find fellow alumni.
Reunion: October 12, 2002
The Search Begins
In 2001, James Alcock contacted Peter Barclay-Jones through his website. James then contacted Clare House Primary School, where Robert Hudd had left his name. Through telephone directories and personal contacts, twenty-five former pupils were located by October 2002.
The First Reunion
On October 12, 2002, around twenty former Clare House pupils gathered at Clare House Primary School. Several brought wives and partners. The Beckenham Historical Society, Beckenham Photographic Society, and Spring Park Cine & Video Society documented the event.
[Photo: 2002 Reunion group photo]
The caption on one photo captures the emotion: *”Not seen each other since they were boys over 40
years before.”*
The Day’s Events:
- Plaque Unveiling: The Head of Clare House Primary unveiled a commemorative plaque donated by James Alcock, now hanging in the school’s foyer
- Group Photograph: The first since 1970 – former pupils together again
- Roast Beef Dinner: With wine, toasts to The Queen and to both Clare House schools
- “The Clare House Time Machine”: A play written by James Alcock, performed by Year 6 pupils, symbolizing the link between past and present
- Speeches: By the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Head of Clare House Primary
- Slide Show: Presented by Peter Walker (Form II, 1970)
The Association Formed
The Clare House Preparatory School Former Pupils and Staff Association (Clare House Association) was formally organized that day:
- Peter Barclay-Jones – First Chairman
- James Alcock – First Vice-Chairman
- Constitution adopted
- Annual subscription agreed
After more than three decades, Clare House boys had a community again.
The Second Reunion: October 6, 2007
A smaller, more informal gathering at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, London. Those present:
- Peter Barclay-Jones and his wife Georgina
- Robert Hudd
- Andrew West
- Chris Walker
- Nick Randell
They enjoyed drinks, an excellent meal with wine, and caught up on the years since leaving Clare House and the paths their lives had taken. The evening drew to a close around 10:00 pm.
Decision: Annual social gatherings would continue on the first Saturday of October each year at the Charing Cross Hotel for lunch at noon.
The Community Today
The Clare House Association continues to connect former pupils. Through reunions, email, and this website, the community remains alive.
What Reunions Reveal:
When former Clare House boys meet after decades apart, certain patterns emerge:
Instant Recognition: Despite grey hair, wrinkles, and decades of life lived, there’s something familiar – a voice, a laugh, a gesture that connects present to past
Shared Language: References that need no explanation – the big schoolroom, the cricket pavilion, house points, centurions, Common Entrance, the red blazer
Hierarchy Dissolved: Whatever social distinctions existed at ages 7-13 have long since faded. Former pupils meet as equals, united by shared experience
Gratitude: Most express appreciation for what Clare House gave them – education certainly, but more importantly character formation, values, discipline, the belief that whatever you do, you should do it well
Sadness: For the school’s closure, for Major Hodges fighting so hard only to see it end, for the loss of something that shaped them so profoundly
Pride: In having been Clare House boys, in the school’s standards and achievements, in the community that survived even the school’s death
Where Are They Now?
Former Clare House pupils are scattered worldwide, now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. They pursued various careers:
- Business and finance
- Education and academia
- Engineering and technology
- Medicine and healthcare
- Arts and creative fields
- Military and civil service
- Trades and skilled professions
They raised families, built careers, contributed to their communities. But somewhere in each remains the boy who wore the red blazer, who learned Latin at seven, who competed for house points, who heard Major Hodges’ voice in assembly.
Alumni Voices: What They Remember
[This section invites contributions from former pupils. Below are examples of the types of memories sought:]
Academic Memories:
- First Latin lesson and the confusion of declensions
- A teacher who made a subject come alive
- Preparing for Common Entrance, the nervousness and relief
- A particular lesson or moment of understanding that stayed with you
Social Memories:
- Friendships formed in dormitories or on playing fields
- House competition and the thrill of earning points
- The Tuck Shop and rationed sweets
- Pranks, mischief, and consequences
Sporting Memories:
- First time making a school team
- Matches against other schools
- The swimming pool at Ashurst Wood
- Sports Day competitions
- Trips to Lord’s or Twickenham
Daily Life:
- Morning assembly
- Meals in the dining hall
- Weekend routines
- Visits home or parents’ visiting days
- The routine and rhythm of school terms
Defining Moments:
- Being called to the Headmaster’s study
- Earning (or losing) significant house points
- A moment of recognition or achievement
- A difficulty overcome
- Leaving day and saying goodbye
The Ones We’ve Lost Touch With
For every former pupil reconnected through the Association, there are others we haven’t found:
- Boys whose families moved abroad
- Those whose names we have but no contact information
- Alumni who may not know the Association exists
- Those who attended briefly and aren’t in group photographs
- Staff members’ families who might have memories and photographs
If you’re reading this and you attended Clare House – or if you know someone who did – please get in touch. Your memories matter. Your photographs help complete the picture. You belong to this community.
Contributing Your Story
The Clare House Association welcomes submissions from all former pupils:
Photographs: Individual, group, classroom, sports, buildings, any era
Documents: Reports, certificates, letters, programs, prospectuses
Memorabilia: Badges, caps, uniforms, trophies, any Clare House items
Memories: Written accounts of any length, from brief anecdotes to detailed memoirs
Information: Corrections to dates, names, facts; filling gaps in the historical record
Everything contributed helps preserve Clare House history for future generations and enriches the community’s collective memory.
The Next Generation
An unexpected aspect of reunions: former pupils often bring their own children or grandchildren, introducing them to this part of their past. Some have taken their families to Beckenham to see where the school stood, to visit the Primary School and see the commemorative plaque.
In this way, Clare House’s influence extends beyond those who attended. The values it instilled are passed down. The motto – “Whatever you do, do it well” – continues to guide new generations who never wore the red blazer but whose parents or grandparents did.
What Clare House Meant
When alumni try to explain Clare House to those who weren’t there, they struggle to capture it fully. It wasn’t just a school. It was:
A formative experience – Those years from 7-13 are when character forms, when values take root, when you learn who you can become
A community – Not just classmates but a shared identity, a sense of belonging to something with standards and traditions
A bridge – From childhood to adolescence, from home to public school, from being taught to learning independence
A standard – High expectations in academics, behavior, sport, everything. Not perfection but honest effort and doing things properly
A refuge – Particularly during wartime, but in other ways too – a structured, predictable environment when the wider world was uncertain
A gift – From parents who paid fees, teachers who gave careers, Major Hodges who gave thirty-four years, to boys who might not have fully appreciated it at the time but understand now
The Motto Lives On
“Whatever you do, do it well.”
Seven simple words that capture Clare House’s ethos. Not grandiose claims about excellence or leadership. Just the straightforward expectation that you should do your best, take pride in your work, and maintain standards.
Former pupils report carrying this motto through life – in their careers, in raising their own children, in how they approach challenges. It became internalized, part of how they measure themselves.
That may be Clare House’s greatest legacy: not just the education provided or friendships formed, but the values instilled that guided boys throughout their lives.
An Ongoing Story
This page isn’t complete. It can’t be. Clare House touched too many lives, created too many memories, left too many marks on too many people to capture fully.
But it’s a start – a framework for gathering alumni voices, preserving memories, maintaining community, and ensuring that Clare House Preparatory School remains more than just a footnote in Beckenham history.
If you were a Clare House boy, this is your page. Add your voice. Share your memories. Connect with fellow alumni. Help complete the story.
The school may be gone, but the community endures.