A Billericay schoolboy
Growing up in the Town
By Trevor Savage
I was born in St Andrews Hospital, Billericay in 1954.
First of all we lived at Maplemead, at the Bottom of Bell Hill on the Southend Road. My earliest memories are in the back garden and playing toy cars with Peter Pinsion on the front step. After my sister Hazel arrived, we moved to Kennel Lane with a Large Garden and views over the fields with horses and a stream looking towards the Essex Union Hunt foxhound kennels. Tales can be told of playing in the stream on the footpaths across the field. In the middle of the field called Buckinghams field off Kennel lane, on the opposite side of the road to the kennels, there was a small anonymous brick building consisting of a tall brick enclosure topped with barbed wire. For several years during our youth we tried find out what this building was used for and to gain access we eventually found a way of climbing the wall. However it remains a mystery what this small partially roofed brick enclosure was for. The most peculiar part was that in the centre of the open yard was a thing similar to a wooden bird table.
My first school was Billericay Infants in Laindon Road, now The Fold Arts Centre. My first teacher was Mrs Arthy with a yellow reading book “Here we go” and spelling word cards. Our first class room was in what is now the pottery room and we then moved up to Mrs E Williams in the room that is The Fold’s performance space. I can remember that our class as late as 1959 used slate and chalk to work out sums, do words and of course pictures. We then moved to Mrs R Williams class and I recall she was always angry. We had horrible school dinners in the prefabricated dinner hall and for some reason there always was the radio playing the latest tunes like “Charlie Brown” by The Coasters. We climbed on the climbing frame in the summer and also a sports day. If I was in luck and dad was not at work I got a lift on his cross bar home instead of the long walk. Thankfully the new South Green School at the end of our road eventually opened under the headship of Mrs Scot Farthing and I switched schools and was in Mrs Pennels Class. Progressing as each year came along through Mrs Phelps (nee Miss Clowes), Mr Ryan, Mr McGuinley & finally Mr Ryan. My mum tells me that Mr Ryan said to her, on parents evening for 2nd year juniors, that if she could read my writing and tell him what I had written he would give me a mark for it but my writing was impossible. The school had annual Eisteddfod which was instigated by Mrs Scott Farthing, as both she and Mr Ryan were Welsh. This festival included poetry speaking and story composition, arts and crafts of all sorts and various types singing, music and cookery. One year I was first for singing and second for baking a victoria sponge jam sandwich; Mrs Scott farthing said I was the “singing chef” and I won a prize. We played shinty on the Playground as there was no playing field and we went swimming via contract coach at the baths at Hutton Poplars near Brentwood. Each year, as well as regular lectures by our local policemen, the school was visited by the Essex Police road safety bus, a very old double decker which had a cinema upstairs. We used to lark about when it came because if you touched the body work of the bus you got a mild electric shock; the bus had a mains supply plugged into the school for the cinema projector to work etc. and there must have been some sort of earthing problem
At South Green school I first met the girl who still is my wife.
After I was eleven I went to Billericay Secondary School.
I have written about my time with 4th Billericay scouts on another page, My Scouting Career. After Scouts I joined 2393 Billericay Squadron Air Training Corp; Squadron Leader Ferris was in Charge with Flying Officer Hiscox and Warrant Officer Dave Burley. Apart from flying and training in Gliders and Chipmunk aircraft at Cambridge and rifle shooting at Rainham Marshes annual camps were organised. I remember camps at RAF Ouston near Newcastle upon Tyne and RAF St Mawgan near Newquay in Cornwall, there is a Squadron photograph taken at the St Mawgan camp in the book of the Billericay School History (reproduced above). I can only name some of those in the photo; Back Row: Wing Co. Reg Ferris, W.O. Dave Burley, ?, Andrew Eve, ?, ?, Trevor Savage (me), Gary Farmer, Steven Slade, /, Cpl Kim Ferris, Fl.O. Hiscox. In the Front Row I can only name Christopher Waterman who is 4th from the left.
My youthful exploits included joining the Methodist Youth Club lead by Alan Jubb and Billericay Operatic Society which rehearsed in the 1970’s dinner hall at Billericay Junior and Infants school & performed at the Archer Hall, shows including Quaker Girl, Vagabond King, The King and I and The Gondoliers. The photo above shows the men’s Chorus dressed for the Races out side the entrance of the Archer Hall during the interval of the Saturday Matinee of the Operetta “ Quaker girl “ performed by Billericay Operatic in April 1973. As I remember the Performance clashed with the Grand National. Back row left to right: Alan Lovell, David Green, Bob Benson, Andrew Benson. Front Row left to right: ?, Fred Wood, Tony Culver, Ron Hamlin, and Trevor Savage
I moved away from Billericay down to Basildon in 1975.
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I also went to the primary school in Laindon Road and then the Juniors. My teacher was Miss Ager who also taught my mum and dad who were there in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Miss Ager always told me my mum was much brighter than me, and often whacked me with a wooden ruler. She lived in a cottage on Sun Corner in front of the Water Tower (all gone now)! When I was 11 I attended Billericay Secondary School and left in 1967 aged 16 (17 in October). At school I played the trumpet and was in the school orchestra and brass band. My best friend (and still is) is Robert Rigby also in the orchestra playing a tuba. I was also part of the drama club, and we put on several plays directed by Martin Canter our drama teacher. I was also part of the schools Opera group led by teacher Stan Hewitt. I mainly played in the orchestra but was in the chorus for a few performances. After I left school I joined the Essex Youth Opera (Stan Hewitt again) as a lighting technician. I was a bit of a jack the lad at school and left with 2 CSE’s (art and music) and a City and Guilds in English. I managed to get an apprentiship in the printing industry and qualified in October 1972. I was a regular member of the Billericay Youth Centre and along with Robert Rigby became members of the House Committee. Ted Bailey was the Warden. He allowed me to book bands for our Friday night ‘dances’. I booked all sorts of acts such as The Sweet, Pentangle, Uria Heap, Daddy Longlegs , Brinzly Swartz, Keef Hartley Band, Cymbaline and others including local bands Smersh. Thumb and Five Fingers and East Side Movement. I was also in a folk band called ‘These Folke’ and we auditioned for Hewie Greens Opportuity Knocks. Our band consisted of me, Robert Rigby. Alan Green and Pam Routledge. On 1st July 1972 I married Jane Reardon at the Catholic Church. Upon qualifying as a Lithographer I got a job in Norwich and our two children were born in Norfolk. I’ve had an interesting life. I was still promoting music until Covid hit us. But in the print I was a union official for the NGA and on branch committee. I ended up in management and ran a couple of companies in London. In 1986, I started my own company based near Peterborough. Our biggest customer was the Financial Times newspaper, and after a year of travelling to London daily, we decided to lease space in the FT building where we worked for 5 years. Our Peterborough office worked on magazines while our Docklands office covered the FT. There’s been lots of twists and turns since then, but briefly, I sold the company, owned, leased, and managed three pubs in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. Suffered bankruptcy and lost everything. After this I worked in the charity sector as a care assistant and support worker for Headway, Suffolk Social Care, Home Carer, Mind, and The Shaw Trust. In 2007 I started a Community Interest Company supporting people with a Learning Disability and Mental Health Issues to access the Folk Arts. We closed it during the Covid epidemic. I’m now happily retired living with Jane in our little bungalow in Suffolk. We have 2 kids and 5 grandkids. We’re very proud of them. Both kids went to University . My daughter worked for The Royal Palaces as an Events Executive arranging banquets for the Royal Family and top politicians. My son now manages the BBC Concert Orchestra. Our eldest grandaughter (I have 4) has just graduated with a 1st in politics and our only grandson is a doing a music degree at Southampton Uni. I’m proud to come from Billericay. I have dozens of tales I could write about perhaps at another time.
We moved to 2 Ganels Rd in 1959, the first tenants in the our new Council house built there. I went to Crays Hill Junior School as did my brother and then he went to Billericay Secondary and I went to The Sweyne School Rayleigh. My mother worked for a time in the South Green Post Office and general store when it was owned by the Harveys. I have very happy memories of the little playground on the green and sliding down the slide with a wax candle stub to make the descent faster! My grandmother lived in Langham Crescent and my mother stayed in the same house in Ganels Road until 1994.
I went to Billericay Infant and Junior School, then Billericay Comprehensive 1966. Lynn Buck, now married with three children 7 grandchildren married to Phil Newton 8 Ganels Road, South Green. Happy school days x
I lived on Ganels Road and my neighbours were Andrew & Clive Treese and I also remember the school being built.
I remember the wood opposite the house and we would all play in there, and the boys going up and down the road on the trolleys which they had made from old wood and pram wheels.
Hi Trevor – The photo of 2393 squadron in front of the Avro Shackleton at RAF St Mawgan (August 1969?) brought back some happy memories.
I believe that those pictured are as follows:
Back row, left to right – Flt/Lt A R Ferriss (the C/O), F/Sgt. “Ab” Palmer, Duncan Greig, Andy Eve, Bob Shuler, Pete McGregor, Trevor Savage, Berny Kemp, Noel Fenwick, Cpl. Steve Hooper, Sgt. “Pip” Ferriss, and F/O K Hiscock.
Front row, left to right (kneeling) – Brian Taylor, Graham Harley, Paul Atkinson, Dave Waterman, Rob “Sporran” Warren, Al Collins, Roger Edwards, Andy Banks, Cpl. “Raz” Terry, and John Ockford.
My apologies if I’ve mis-spelt any of your names, but it was a long time ago!
Wow! We must have bumped into one another some time. I was a few years behind you at the infants school, I remember both Mrs Arthy and Mrs Williams.
I joined 2393 squadron around 71/2 and remember Mr Ferris and Mr Hiscox too. Were you on the dig?
Trevor, your name rings a bell with me. I have a bad memory but I do remember Mrs Arthy as my first teacher. I think we were in the same class. I started Infants in Sept 1960 and left the Junior School in July 1966. My name is Anthony Frye (Tony). I to went to Billericay Secondary School until 1968 when we moved away. I to went to 4th Billericay scouts. The only names I can remember from my times are Mervyn Davis and Robert Gee. Another teacher I can remember from Junior School was Mr Hardy.
Trevor. I went to South Green School in 1961 and eventually moved on to Billericay School. I used to live at Passingham Close in South Green. I was one of your friends and used to visit your home in Kennel Lane. My other friends were Peter Krengel and Robert Howlett.
South Green Junior and Infant School was built in 1960. I started there in 1961 at the age of five. The infant school next door was built in 1964-5 as I watched them build it out of the class room window, at my cost. I remember you Pat Ebdon.
South Green Junior & Infant School, as it was then called, was opened in 1960 and I started there in September 1961. I remember watching them build it as I looked over our back fence. The infant school part was built in about 1964-5. I still live in Ganels Road and have been there since Feb 1958. I remember Trevor in Kennel Lane, and when Terry Lockhart blew the old car up. I can remember most of the people that I grew up with around there, but sadly most have died or moved away.
Like you I went to the Laindon Road School for I think a term until South Green School was finished. My maiden name was Scott, I think we must have been in the same year group.
I have just found this link to a photo of the police road safety bus I mention in my article:- http://www.sct61.org.uk/mf94
Pat Ebdon, I remember you well, I was then Teresa Evans.
I believe South Green primary school was built in 1963. I lived at no.12 Hickstars Lane and the school in that road was being built just as we moved out in 1963. Before that it was a corn field.
Can anyone settle an argument. What year did south green primary school open?
I went to South Green School then onto Billericay School. I lived in Grange Road, South Green - best years of my life. Now living in Pitsea for my sins. lol
Hi Trevor, I was in 2393 with FLT Ferris et al and in fact was at St. Mawgan with you. I’m the 3rd from the left front row. After a leaving school spent a bit of time in RAF but didn’t like it much! After many adventures am now a Boeing 737 captain at Stansted. Still visit family in Billericay. Great days.
Just read recollections. Glad to hear you enjoyed 2393 sqn, I joined in 1980. Great time, and went on to join the RAF. I grew up on Scrub Rise off Laindon Road. Thanks 4 memories.
I thoroughly enjoyed these recollections, particularly linked to 2393 ATC – my husband knew all characters mentioned. This group of young men (and now ladies) are still going and thriving – superb organisation for young people.
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