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Celebrating Westbourne’s Rich History – A Visit from Tony Greenham, Class of 1957

We were delighted to welcome back Old Westbournian Tony Greenham to school this week, a proud member of the Class of 1957 and part of a family whose connections to Westbourne span generations.

Tony’s visit was a wonderful opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of school life in the 1950s and beyond. With three generations of his family having attended Westbourne, and links to the school stretching back to 1924, his insights brought a fascinating and deeply personal perspective to our shared history.

During his time with us, Tony recalled many fond memories of life at Westbourne, including stories about long-serving staff members such as Martin Richards – Latin teacher and rugby coach – and John Pritchard, who taught everything from maths and art to gymnastics and scouts. Both were, in Tony’s words, “Westbourne institutions in the best sense” and were at the heart of school life for decades.

Tony also shared an invaluable timeline of past Heads dating all the way back to the school’s early years:
1881-1897. Misses Julia Holmes & Sarah Whitfield.
1897-1919. Misses Claire & Louie Whitfield.
1919-1933. Mr C Mercer.
1933-1944. Mr G.B.B. Johnson.
1944-1948. Mr R.G. Strutt.
1948-1957. Mr J. Le Pine Haigh
1957-1967. Mr P.B. Waterfield.
1967-1985. Mr C.K. Hills.
1985-2004 Mr C. Wilmshurst.

We’re extremely grateful to Tony for generously giving his time, memories, and expertise. His visit forms part of a wider project to celebrate and document Westbourne’s heritage, something we’re excited to share with our current pupils and families.

If you are a former pupil and would like to share your memories, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us at ashirley@westbourneschool.co.uk