The Harris family connection
Planting trees to celebrate 50 years of Harris’ at Stanmore School - 1983
Adults (from the right): Mary Beck, Alec Beck, Roger Harris, Anne Grace (neé Harris), Jean Harris (neé Gregory) with the children and teachers at Stanmore School
Thank you for organising the Stanmore School 90th Anniversary celebration and tea party on 19th July. I came along with my Dad (Peter aged 87), my brother (Andrew aged 57), my Aunt (Anne aged 79) and my Uncle (Roger aged 76) and we all thoroughly enjoyed seeing the school, looking at the fascinating displays and catching up with past and present staff and pupils.
I seem to remember you mentioning the possibility of putting together some sort of commemorative booklet and inviting us al to provide photos and anecdotes for it. So here you go…
We are the Harris family. My grandmother, Gertrude (born in 1899) married William Harris. They lived in Stuart Crescent, Stanmore and had 8 children:
(Edith) Mary - Born 1923 - Started at Stanmore School when it was built
Harold - Born 1925 - Started at Stanmore School in 1930/31
Len - Born 1927 - Started at Stanmore School in 1933
Peter - Born 1932 - Started at Stanmore School in 1937
Bryan - Born in 1934 - Started at Stanmore School in 1940
Anne - Born 1940 - Started at Stanmore School in 1945
Roger and Trevor (twins) - Board 1943 - Started at Stanmore School in 1948
Mary married Alec Beck, they moved to Cromwell Road and had two boys:
Alan Beck - Born 1947 - Started at Stanmore School in 1952
Malcolm Beck - Born 1950 - Started at Stanmore School in 1955
Peter married Jean Gregory, who also grew up in Stuart Crescent and they had 3 children:
Jean Harris nee Gregory - Born 1931 - Started at Stanmore School in 1937
Stephen Gregory (Jean’s brother) - Born 1948 - Started at Stanmore School in 1953
Peter and Jean’s children:
Sally - Born 1961 - Started at Stanmore School in 1966
Andrew - Born 1962 - Started at Stanmore School in 1967
Gillian (me) - Born 1971 - Started at Stanmore School 1976
I left Stanmore School in 1983 and during a family gather in the summer of that year we got chatting about Stanmore generally and about the school. We worked out that there had been a member of our family at the school for at least 50 years, from Mary starting when it was built, through until I left in 1987. Although there are a few gaps where nobody in the family was a pupil, Gertrude and Mary were lunchtime staff for a number of years once their youngest children had started school. My mum Jean also did two stints as a dinner lady, one once Andrew had started school and she ent back again once I’d started school.
I’m sure our family is not unique. I went to Stanmore School with a few children who were from similar large, Stanmore families. For whatever reason, we decided to mark our association with the school by planting some trees at the school in the autumn of 1983. At the tim, they were where the playground met the field not he junior side of the school. When we visited the school for the anniversary we found what we think are those same trees. I have enclosed copies of the photos taken in 1983 (50 years of Harris’ at the school) and on 19th July this year [2019] at the 90th Anniversary.
Gill Gilbert (nee Harris)
Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the school
From left to right: Roger (76), Anne (79), Gill (47), Peter (87)
Revisiting the tree on 90th Anniversary of the school
From left to right: Andrew (57), Roger (76), Anne (79), Peter (87)