The Twickenham Museum
Schools

Kneller School

Kneller Girls' and Kneller Boys' Schools opened on the same site, in 1936.

The girls' school was at the railway end of the site and the boys were at the Meadway end. The assembly hall for the girls was on the first floor and that for the boys was beneath. Apart from this, the two halves of the building were a mirror image. There was supposed to be no contact between the two schools.
After the war the school leaving age was raised to 15 and so extra huts were built.

Until the early 1960s the land was still orchard between the school and the Chertsey Road, when it was made into a sports field.

At Easter 1959 the boys moved out to the new Whitton Secondary school and they were joined by girls from Stanley Road School which was for all ages until then.

The senior boys from Stanley Road went to the new Broom Road School (now Teddington School), which opened at the same time.

Lesley Ball writes:
I attended Kneller from 1966 - 1971. The Headmistress during this time was Miss Hotchins and her Deputy was Mrs. Coleman. By current standards, the school was very disciplined. We stood when a teacher entered the room, moved around the school building in regulated lines and had a strict uniform code (all purchased from Len Smiths Outfitters in Twickenham). We girls were encouraged to think beyond the realms of domesticity although most of our mothers envied the well equipped kitchens in the House Craft Rooms! I have particularly fond memories of Mrs. Beale, an English teacher, who was not only an excellent and knowledgeable teacher but a thoroughly good person as well.
Email: lesley.hollister@whect.swest.nhs.org

Janet Hepper nee Thatcher writes:
I went to Kneller School in 1950 and left in 1954. I had some good times there, and I would like to find some of my friends from that time. I remember miss Eldridge who was our needle work teacher which I was hopeless at!!! and was allways introuble. I also remember Mrs Gray who I think was our Maths teacher and was a very nice lady.I would like to find a special friend called Wendy Bowden who was my special friend. Maybe someone out there will remember me even though I am 68 now.
Email: janethepper@aol.com
Telephone: 01622 757780

Dorel Ruxton writes: hello, i was at kneller girls from 1950 for 4 years or so, mrs browne, a lovely lady was my first form mistress, then came miss escrit (oh dear) after that mrs taws, i would be interested to chat via e/mail with any of my past form friends, particually barbars phillips, pauline whiteman even pat button/grubb my best friend who i have never been able to trace. Email: dorel.ruxton@virgin.net