POTTERS BAR - GOODBYE CLAREGATE

THE DEMOLITION OF CLAREGATE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL, LITTLE HEATH POTTERS BAR. IT'S A TERRIBLE SHAME THAT THIS LOVELY OLD BUILDING HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED TO BUILD FLATS ( OH SORRY, APARTMENTS, TO USE THE POSH WORD ).

I STARTED FILMING ON APRIL 28th TO MAY 3rd. BUT RECENTLY FILMED THE FLAT GROUND LEFT OVER, ON JUNE 21st.

I AM HELPING A FRIEND WITH INFORMATION ABOUT CLAREGATE, FOR A BOOK HE IS WRITING. AS A SCHOOL AND AS A BUILDING ITSELF. IT WAS BUILT IN 1903, AND WAS A PRIVATE HOUSE TO BEGIN WITH. THE FIRST OWNER WAS A MR CORNELIUS BENNETT HARNESS. THEN A MISS EDWARDS TOOK OVER IT 1906. A MR A.E. HILARY .M.P. TOOK OVER IN 1914. THEN A MRS LANCASTER TOOK OVER IN 1927. IN 1938 IT BECAME A DAY/BOARDING SCHOOL. DURING THE WAR IT WAS USED AS A HOME FOR EVACUEE'S FROM LONDON. THEN IT BECAME A SCHOOL. MR AND MRS JOHN & OLIVE REAY TOOK OVER IN 1954. IT WAS A PRIVATE SCHOOL. IT CLOSED IN 1973. THEN IT BECAME A RELIGIOUS COLLEGE OF SOME SORT.

PLEASE WRITE IN WITH YOUR MEMORIES OF CLAREGATE, THE BUILDING ITSELF, THE EARLY FAMILIES THAT LIVED THERE AS A PRIVATE DWELLING, THE PUPIL'S AND TEACHERS. ANYTHING CLAREGATE RELATED.

MY FRIEND AND I ARE ALSO TRYING TO TRACE OLD PUPIL'S AND STAFF.

I HAVE NOW SET UP A "CLAREGATE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL" GROUP ON FACEBOOK.
AND ALSO A "POTTERS BAR FAN CLUB" GROUP ON FACEBOOK.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• POTTERS
• BAR
• CLAREGATE
• COLLEGIATE
• SCHOOL
• LITTLE
• HEATH
• DEMOLITION
• LOCAL
• HISTORY
• HERTS
• HERTFORDSHIRE
• CORNELIUS
• BENNETT
• HARNESS

[PIGGIE58]

I Have now set up a "CLAREGATE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL" Group, on Facebook.

And also a "POTTERS BAR FAN CLUB" Group on Facebook.

[madcatlady2]

I think it's a shame that such a beautiful old house should be allowed to deteriorate and then be demolished in order to build a soulless block of flats. I suppose it will be making someone loads of money.

Why don't you show the photographs of the interior of Claregate accompanied by "Schools Out" by Alice Cooper !

Mad Cat Lady

[PIGGIE58]

I will do. But not with Alice Cooper. The Claregate Gang would want something positive. Alice Cooper's too anti School. There are not many pro School Pop songs. The only Pro School song I have is Gary U.S. Bonds "School is in". He also done one called "School is out". But his voice is a bit of an aquired taste. You either love it, or hate it. So I am still trying to think of another song I could use.

[wellhandy]

I went to Claregate when it was a college of metaphysics and astrology. Whilst I was there, we also made a film, a docudrama of the life of the famous meta/physician 'Paracelsus'. This was late 70's to mid-80's. Bert.

[MrMarkc012]

I went to this school in 1974 before going to Little Heath Primary, what a shame

[paulreyno]

I lived here with my wife from january 91 to october 91. So sad to see the house coming down.