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| Archive |
| The Archive At Present (Sept 2006) |
| When the school was closing it was clear that everything would end up in skips, unless some things were deliberately saved.... |
| (More Achive) |
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08/09/2010
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| About the OBA - 1955 - 2005 |
Burwood Park School was a secondary school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey,
for deaf pupils, almost all of whom went into full-time employment and
most of whom undertook further education. Later Norfolk House sixth
form college was added.
In 1954 Lady Boyd heard from her friend, Mrs Long, that her deaf son
Michael had applied to the Mary Hare Grammar School, but that there
were not enough places for him to attend. Lady Boyd realised that there
would be many other boys in a similar position. A Guinness Family Trust
owned the Mansion in Burwood Park, Walton on Thames, Surrey, which was
then occupied by the Eagle Star Insurance Company. This building and
its grounds were suitable for conversion into a Secondary School for
the Deaf and Lady Boyd consulted Professor and Lady Ewing of Manchester
University, who advised on the preparations. The school opened on
September 19th 1955, with an intake of 35 pupils from across the
British Isles, aged from 11 to 15.
Mr William E. Wood was the first Headmaster.
In 1959 the numbers rose to 43 and later 45 boys. Over the years
attempts were made to include girls, but until Woodford School closed
in 1991 the Ministry felt that this was not appropriate.
In July 1961 the first meeting of the Old Boys' Association was held
after the Old Boys cricket match. 12 OBs, Lord and Lady Boyd, Mr Wood,
Mr Norfolk and 5 teachers attended.
In the 70s a Sixth Form was started in the school. In September 1973
Norfolk House College was opened by the Education Minister, Mrs
Thatcher.
Mr Wood retired in 1976 and was succeeded by Mr P. Green. Mr D. Thomas, the Deputy Head, became Headmaster in 1981.
Mr Thomas retired in the summer of 1986. Mr Kell became Headmaster and
introduced a new plan for the school, which involved introducing girls.
The Ministry finally allowed the school to take girls when Woodford
School closed in 1991 and the size of the school rose to 57, the
highest ever.
When the school closed in December 1996, due to lack of pupils, the numbers were 44 with 14 girls.
Octagon, which specialises in renovating listed buildings, bought the
building and site in 1999. They built some large houses nearby and
worked on the school buildings, demolishing all but the main structure.
This returned the building, more or less, to how it had been in the
days of the Frederick family in the 19th Century. The interior was then
restored, as a single residence, to a very high standard indeed, and
when it was complete in February 2002 a group of 50 members of the Old
Burwoodian Association were invited to tour 'The Manor House'
thoroughly, inside and out. The OBA has a comprehensive video / DVD of
this visit.
Lady Boyd died in May 2001, but not before she received a copy of the
History Centre's official index to the complete microfilm record,
demonstrating that the Archive was a reality. Members of the OBA
representing the Association attended her funeral.
The Old Burwoodian Association Committee decided on a bronze plaque as
a memorial to Lady Boyd and, by arrangement with the present Lord and
Lady Boyd, bought a Turkey Oak to stand in front of Ince Castle. The
plaque was attached to a boulder, placed in front of the Oak. On 17th
May 2003 members of the OBA were invited to Ince Castle and a small
dedication ceremony was held.
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