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1700 Goldings Mk I building built for Thomas Hall, Squire of
Bengeo it stood about 50m above sea level. Much
nearer to the River Beane than the mansion that stands today. The
footings and floor are down on bottom field to the side/back of the
cricket pavilion. Most mornings Goldings was covered in mist and the
old house was very damp. After a big flood the house was re-built
further up on higher ground. The only remnants are the stone steps
from the mansion which were by the grass tennis courts.
1813 Goldings was sold to Samuel
Smith and sometime afterwards it was demolished and replaced by a
newer building in the same location, built of yellow brick, this was
after a fire. His son Samuel George lived at Goldings Mk II
1852 Child chimney sweep aged 7 dies in a
Goldings
kitchen chimney Sir Minto Farquhar MP for Hertford then
Tennant of Goldings was a supporter of legislation against the use of
child chimney sweeps. Which will sadly take another 23 years to
outlaw.
1869 Robert Smith diverts the Hertford Turnpike Road which
originally ran through the Goldings estate so it would be further away
from the house.
The present main
road from the junction with Goldings Lane to Hertford follows the new
alignment.
1870
Robert Smith family decided to build a new house Goldings Mk III
(the current mansion) further up the hill away from the mists and
dampness of the river Beane standing at 58m above sea level. As a
neo-Jacobean Tudoresque red brick mansion, within an improved
and enlarged park with pleasure gardens.
1922
260 boys left
Stepney Causeway with the local people turning out to give
the boys a good send off. The boys march from Hertford Town Centre to
the William Baker Technical School Goldings. The school is officially
opened by the then
Prince of Wales (Edward VIII)
1927 23rd July a stained
glass window in the Goldings Chapel was dedicated to the 676 Old Dr.
Barnardo Boys known to have lost their lives in the 1914 - 18 war. First Goldonian Magazine published 1st March, Editor
Mr.
J. Dempster.
1940
German Land Mine damages the stable yard Goldings.
Mr. W.
Battell, Member of staff is killed.
1945 Mr. R. F. Wheatley becomes Goldings first Head Master
1st April of this year.
Formation of
the Army Cadet 2 Company, 1st 'C' Battalion Bedfordshire and
Hertfordshire Regiment.
1947 Boys from Goldings go to Elstree Studios as extras in
the film The Guinea Pig. Some of the boys who were paid as extras to
play parts as the school boys were Ted Valance, Johnny Leach, Harry
Clays. Len Harpin, Bert Rowe To name but a few. A young Sir
Richard Attenborough will remember the game of football he played and
being in goal and stopping one of George Vallance's specials, his
words were ' Bloody Hell what do they feed you' The good news he did
stop the ball going in.
1949
September The location was
St. Cross Hospital, Winchester and Pinewood
Studios. Mr. R. F.
Leason takes thirty boys, Johnny Leach, Kit Carson,
Len Brotherwood, Len Mott, Brian Hurd, Jimmy Mainprice, George Bousefield,
Bill Ostle, Bill Cotton, Brian "Tod" Hird, Keith Stevenson. To name
but a few of the Goldings stars to play the part of the boys of a
public school in the film
The Browning Version. Also this year Johnny Leach has a 2d bet which causes a
photograph to be flashed around the world
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1964
He Who Rides A Tiger B&W B film shot on location, Goldings,
staring Judi Dench, Tom Bell. Directed by Charles Crichton. Boys and
Girls from Barkingside play the parts of the children.
1965 New School block opened November by Sir John Hunt also
Cartref Melys annex opens, Adventure centre Wales.
1966
On 17th
September, The new pocket money rates came into operation.
1967 William Baker Technical School
Goldings Closes. 27th July. The last of more than 2,400 boys leave
Goldings. With just a few of the apprentice printers remaining to
finish their training.
Final service held at Goldings 30th July.
1995 Goldings old Boy Mike Justice awarded an MBE in the New
Years Honours list.
A short history of Goldings
Read more
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