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The
school was named after William
Stansfield Torbitt who was Director
of Education from1903 to 1938.
The
initial staff (Infants) were:
Head Ms V A Wynne - supported
by G Ball, E Billington, N Warrington,
H Day, and E Henshall.
The initial staff (Juniors) were:
Head Mr G P Train - supported
by W G Cumming, J Osborne, A S
Allan, W J Davis, E Bray, M Glegg,
J Honey, M Peacock and W Tregunna.
The official opening of the school
was held on 9th September 1937.
The ceremony was performed by
the Mayor of Ilford, Alderman
H. Billington J.P., with Mr. William
Stansfield Torbitt, Ilford’s
Director of Education in attendance.
As war loomed, the school was
closed on 26th August 1939 and
the staff and pupils assembled
waiting for notice of evacuation.
Evacuation was ordered on 1st
September. This was the beginning
of the ‘Phoney War’
and the threat of bombing did
not at the time materialize. Consequently,
the school was re-opened on 1st
April 1940 and 430 children enrolled.
Mr. Train was still headmaster
of juniors and Miss Peacock was
headmistress of infants.
(Miss Billington and Miss Peacock
were living in retirement in the
West Country when this history
was compiled - July 2001)
On 16th June 1940, under education
Plan IV 101 children were evacuated
to Devon escorted by several teachers.
On 24th June 1940 the school was
partially re-opened for 262 children
and A.R.P. practice drills (air
raid precautions) were carried
out every other day with gas mask
drills.
Constant air raid warnings brought
the school’s attendance down
to 8% on 16th June 1944 and only
fifteen days later the school
suffered for the first time from
enemy action. The damage caused
the closure of the school and
it was not re-opened until 11th
September. The school was hit
again on 23rd November but the
damage, being minor, meant that
it was able to open again after
5 days.
In the following year, on 5th
February the school had to close
again after bomb damage, but the
threat ended for good with peace
being declared in May.
With thanks to Geoff Gillon
For notes on the family ancestry
of William Stansfield Torbitt,
contact geoffrey.r.gillon@talk21.com
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Reunion
Programme Extracts
(with
notes from the school
log book plus some
quotes)
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"The
beams of a dozen floodlights
illustrated the impressive
facade of the new William
Torbitt School - when
Ilford's finest and
most modern school was
formally opened by the
Mayor"
Ilford Recorder - 23rd
September 1937 |
"Built
of the best materials,
of the latest design
and the staff are second
to none."
Councillor Braithwaite
- September1937 |
"I
remember Mr Torbitt
very clearly...... Mr
Torbitt was a gentleman
in the best sense of
the word............
respected by everyone"
Joan Davison - Junior
Teacher 1943-1947 |
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William Torbitt School
History
On the 23rd August
1937, William Torbitt
School was opened
with Ms VA Wynne as
Headmistress of the
Lower Department (as
the Infants' School
was known at this
time).
The initial staff
were:- G Ball, E Billington,
N Warrington, H Day
and E Henshall
GP Train was Headmaster
of the Middle School
(now known as the
Junior School).
Initial staff were:-
WG Cumming, J Osborne,
AS Allan, WJ Davis,
E Bray, M Glegg, J Honey,
M Peacock and W Tregunna.
The 9th September
brought the official
opening of the school
by Mayor Bilington
with Mr William Torbitt
(the Dirctor of Education)
in attendance.
Only around two years
after the School's
opening, it was forced
to close on 26th August
1939. "The staff
and pupils of William
Torbitt assembled
waiting for notice
of evacuation."
1st September the
evacuation was ordered
and the school closed.
On 1st April 1940
William Torbitt Junior
Mixed and Infants
School was opened
and 430 children enrolled.
Mr Train was still
Headmaster of Juniors
and Miss Peacock was
Headmistress of the
Infants.
On 16th June 1940,
under Evacuation Plan
IV 101 children evacuated
to Devon escorted
by several teachers.
24th June 1940 William
Torbitt was partially
re-opened for 262
children. During this
time ARP practice
drills were carried
out everyother day
along with gas mask
drills.
Constant air raid
warnings brought the
schools' attendance
down to 8% on 16th
June 1944 and just
fifteen days later
the school received
its first damage from
enemy action. The
damage forced the
school to close for
a second time and
it did not re-open
until 11th September
1944. The school was
again damaged by enemy
action on 23rd November
of the same year but
it was only minor
so the school was
able to re-open again
after five days.
The school was again
damaged and closed
on 5th February 1945
but threat was brought
to an end on 8th May
of the same year as
it was proclaimed
Victory in Europe
Day!
30th May 1945 brought
the children flooding
back from evacuations
causing reorganisation
of the school to be
required. On 6th June
1946, the children
celebrated their Victory
Party.
9th June 1979 (sic
- suspect 1947) Mr
Cowan took over as
HeadTeacher in the
Junior Department.
The school was closed
for another celebration
on 29th November 1947
for the wedding of
HRH Princess Elizabeth
and the celebration
of the King and Queen's
Silver Wedding on
26th April 1948. |
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After fifteen years
of service, Miss Peacock
resigned as Headmistress
of the Infants' Department
on 27th March 1956.
Miss Billington took
over as Acting Head.
Miss Ivy W Eaton
took charge of the
Infants' School on
1st May 1956. |
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From 12th October 1956
to December there were
various absences due
to a number of illnesses,
for example, whooping
cough, flu, scarlet
fever etc. which affected
both teachers and pupils
alike. |
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A tropical fish tank
was installed in the
school on 2nd May 1957
by Miss Eaton and she
states in the log book
that the children were
"very interested
in the mechanics of
the heating." |
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The Christmas Concert
had to be posponed in
December 1957 until
after Christmas because
of the number of children
brought down with chicken
pox. |
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The Headmistress, Miss
Eaton, was forced to
return to school during
the summer holidays
on 1st August 1958 because
the school had been
proken into and the
rooms were "in
dreadful confusion". |
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The school was again
closed for a wedding
celebration on 6th May
1960, this time it was
the marriage of HRH
Princess Margaret to
Mr Anthony Armstrong
Jones. |
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On 28th January 1963
the children were all
forced to wear coats
in the school because
they had run out of
oil with which to heat
the premises. The oil
arrived at 10am the
same day and the school
returned to normal. |
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12th July 1963, a BBC
TV unit visited the
school to film work
in mathematics. |
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A retirement ceremony
was held on 22nd July
1965 for Miss Eaton
following nine years
of service at the school.
Miss Billington (Deputy
Head) took over as Acting
Head for the Autumn
Term until Mrs June
Richards was appointed
Head Teacher on 3rd
November 1965. |
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September 1965 the Nursery
Department opened for
the children of teachers
in the London Borough
of Redbridge - Mrs Langley
was appointed Teacher
in Charge. |
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During the Spring Term
of 1970 the school was
re-decorated causing
the children to take
lessons in the hall
while their rooms were
painted. |
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22nd July 1970 the Head
Teacher of the Juniors,
Mr Cowan, retired after
23 years service.
9th September 1970,
Mr Windle took over
as Head Teacher of
the Juniors. |
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27th April 1971, the
halls were fitted with
PE apparatus. |
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21st April 1974, Mr
Windle left William
Torbitt to become Head
of Cleveland Juniors.
23rd April 1974,
Mr Griffin took over
as Head of William
Torbitt Junior School. |
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26th June 1974, discussions
took place to have Aldborough
Hatch Community Hall
placed on William Torbitt
School site. |
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16th July 1974, discussions
were held over placing
mobiles for the Music
School on the site. |
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6th May 1975, considerable
damage to the school
was caused by flooding
due to a break-in hen
all the taps were left
running. |
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September 1975, the
Nursery was extended
to include catchment
area children. |
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2nd September 1976,
the school was asked
to conserve water due
to a nation-wide drought. |
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1st April 1977 Mr Griffin
resigned as Head of
Juniors and Miss Marsh
was appointed. |
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3rd June 1977, the school
celebrated the Queen's
Silver Jubilee with
a grand party held in
the school hall and
all the children wore
crowns. |
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The School & Home
Association was established
on 21st November 1977. |
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6th January 1986, the
new Dining Hall was
opened. Then on 7th
October 1986, there
was a massive pipe burst
and the water supply
was cut off! |
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20th January 1987, the
school was closed due
to exceptionally cold
weather and there was
no oil for the boilers. |
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17th July 1987, William
Torbitt celebrated its
Golden Jubilee. |
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31st August 1989, Miss
Marsh resigned as Head
of Juniors. 1st Seotember
1989, Mrs Sears took
up her position as Head
Teacher of the Junior
School as is still the
Head Teacher to the
present day. (NB: 20/06/98) |
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22nd July 1992, Mrs
Richards retired as
Head of the Infants
after27 years of "happy
service for the school".
In September 1992 Mrs
June Hill took up position
as Head Teacher of the
Infants' School and
is still the Head Teacher
to the present day.
(NB: 20/06/98) |
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