The home is situated a couple of miles to the west of Bognor Regis and on the perimeter of Aldwick Village, The Margaret Home was presented to Dr. Barnardo's by Mrs. Margaret Rank in 1932. It was opened as a convalescent home for boys aged six to 14 years, but by 1948 it had ceased its primary use of convalescence and it had become a permanent Home for boys. Margaret Home closed March 1977 as a Barnardo home and was taken over by local authority. Today its the site of Margaret Close.

Looking Back at Bognor by Richard J. Risdon

"Now close in, close in, you boys! There is a time and a place for all things but this is neither the time nor the place." Surely these words must re-echo through the minds of many an Old Boy of The Margaret Home, Bognor! Time and place were undoubtedly Matron Fairbairn's criterion as they must have been from her own Barnardo childhood.

"Spud" "Piggy" "Jumbo" "Onion" "Fish" "Molly" doubtless  others will be able to recall many more nicknames from the thirty five. We worked hard and we played hard at Bognor. Do you remember our games of "Shoot Buddy Shoot" "Toe-in-the-Ring" and cricket in our adapted tennis court playground? Cyril Coglin was our great cricket enthusiast. At one time we boasted a football team, when we played such opponents as Stuart's Court School and Aldwick Boys' Club. Indoor winter evenings would find groups of boys buried in masses of balsa wood, dope, and tissue paper. Others did Meccano, or constructed crystal sets or electric motors. Then there were Nurse M. J. Nevell's games of draughts and Matron Fairbairn's games of Lexicon and dominoes. And what about playing records such as "Laughing Gas", "The Double Damask Dinner Napkins", and 'The Isle of Capri" on the gramophone?

There was also, seemingly, plenty of time for work. We rose at 6.30 a.m., and beds, landings, floors, and door brasses were all completed by us under Nurse Nevell's supervision before breakfast. Miss Donald, our Kitchen Matron, rang two bells, the second of which summoned us to breakfast, taken by the member of staff on duty. Miss Fairbairn always had her breakfast taken up to her on a tray and I recall she invariably had a boiled egg. She made her first timely appearance of the day at prayer time, after we had got ready for school. Boots and navy blue raincoats were the order of the day. We saluted Matron when she appeared and said "Good morning". She invariably replied with her opening request. This was usually addressed to those boys who were still craning their necks towards The Daily Graphic, with its inevitable wartime headlines!

Nurse Nevell escorted us to school in the customary crocodile fashion. Most duties seemed to fall to her as Matron's senior assistant, housemasters not entering the scene until after the war. Of the few who subsequently found their way to Bognor only Mr. Powell remained for any length of time, eventually succeeding Miss NevelI as Superintendent. Indeed he has remained to be Superintendent in the 1970s.

A chapter could well be written concerning our exploits at Westloats School, which was approximately two and a half miles distant. However, all will remember Tommy Clarkson, head of Junior Boys, and "Gatfa" Groves, head of senior boys Tommy Clarkson for wearing pincenez and giving repeated music lessons of "doh-me-so", and "Gaffa" Groves for commanding us to "Aten-shun and quick march", following morning assembly. This, the whole school then proceeded to do, to the strains of military marches relayed around the whole building. At midday, we returned home for dinner by bus to save time the meal was eaten in silence for the same reason. The grace, sung before and after every meal to "The Old Hundredth" tune, always seemed to me to make a musical contrast to the shuffling of boots and the clink of cutlery. We returned to school by bus, resuming our crocodile home after school

During the evenings, a certain number of tasks were completed by those of us who were allotted them by way of punishment. Perhaps some of us had raided "Daddy Whisker's" (Mr. Butler's) orchard! Two boys cleaned all the boots, another two did the silver or the stair rods, and then the kitchen floor always needed scrubbing! Younger boys were in bed by 6.30 p.m. as Miss Fairbairn believed they should have twelve hours' sleep. Older boys were not very much later and after two bells, it was lights out and staff supper time. Then dormitory activities began! There was "trash­ing-out night", when pockets were turned out and the contents given away; "story night", when many an evil tale was told; "skite night", which entailed anything from acting to pillow fighting. The watchword was "diggyeye", at the opening of the staffroom door, when all would dive for their beds if they were not to be "copped".

We received our pocket money on Saturday afternoons which, according to age, ranged from Id. to 9d. We seated ourselves on forms which were arranged in a rectangle. On hear­ing our names called by Miss Fairbairn, we walked up, saluted her, and she paid us our money. When we had all been paid, sweets could be purchased from Nurse Nevell. Periodically, we could purchase a savings cer­tificate from Daisy Tooze's post office in the village. Savings were boosted by gifts of money from friends or relations. Sometimes on a Saturday afternoon there would be a ramble at Arundel, Slindon, or Pagham with Mr. Lemon, who was a local businessman. He took many photographs of us boys over the years and he must have acquired quite a pictorial history! Sometimes there was a trip somewhere by "Silver Queen" coach, or a group of older boys would visit the Theatre Royal Cinema at the invitation of its manager, Mr. Berry. On a Saturday evening, there was sometimes a magic lantern show by Mr. Hollman.

Sunday took its own special form. There were choruses for the younger boys in the morning, led by Miss Fairbairn before she left for the Methodist Church in Bognor. We attended St. Richard's Church of England in Aldwick, of which Nurse NeveIl was a staunch member. Mr. Mosse, our vicar, must have been pleased with such a source of recruitment for the choir, although there were always one or two local boys as well. At Sunday school, Mr. Mosse was renowned for choosing the most long and difficult of children's hymns. In the evenings, we sometimes had hymn singing at home, with Nurse NeveIl at the piano. Quite a few boys would rise to a solo and I recall Ted Saunders here. It was unfortunate that the choir did not have his voice among them. This was on account of Ted's self-consciousness at having continually to wear a bandage on his head. It was not until some time after he had left the Homes that he was able, at last, to dispense with this.

We were, on the whole, quite a musical lot at Bognor and consequently we were in demand at various local functions. I always remember Roy Dean singing "The Second Minuet". "Brother lames's Air" is another favourite of mine, even now. Later we branched out into other spheres of entertainment, such as P.T. displays, country dancing, and pageants. Our own garden fete was indeed one of the red letter days. We were always instructed carefully before such an occasion to Bognor family group in the late 19405 say "Yes, sir" or "No, madam", whichever the case might be. We were certainly always blessed with appropriate weather for the fete, which was reputed to be one of the best in Bognor.

The war, of course, brought us its own activities and pastimes. On hearing the siren at night, we all had to troop downstairs, with our bundles of clothes, and shelter beneath the dining room tables. The dining room was reinforced with steel poles inside, and well padded with sandbags outside. I remember some staff wearing tin helmets. One night a "doodlebug" came droning overhead, within inches of our roof! By day, there was always plenty to interest us by way of aircraft identification. There were plenty of tanks, armoured cars, and antiaircraft guns stationed at Bognor. When the war was over, a lot of the "romance" was replaced with activity, when swimming became available upon the opening of the beach to the public.

Christmas was, of course, a big event. We always commenced Christmas Day by singing carols outside Matron's door. At breakfast, there was always a new florin by each boy's plate, donated by Mrs. Rank. Then all eyes would be turned towards the drive, to watch for Father Christmas. Don't tell her now, but we all really knew it was Nurse Nevel!! One year, Miss Donald donned the red garment with hilarious results. She was quite unable to disguise her broad Scottish accent and, furthermore, could not restrain herself from telling Edward Davis to keep his hands out of the sack! A turkey dinner was much appreciated, following which we listened to the King's speech. Then there would be the opening of presents from friends or relatives. At teatime, there was jelly. Over the season, there were plenty of parties in the offing, including our own on new year's day. "Squeak, piggy, squeak" and "spinning the platter" came into their own, and what about the songs 'and recitations? Do you remember Miss Fairbairn's version of "There was a frog lived in a well", and Mrs. Mosse's "A pound of tea at Is. 3d."?

Eventually, the time came for each of us to leave The Margaret Home. Quite a good many boys passed on to The William Baker Technical School Goldings; others went to Watts Naval or RusseIl Coates Sea Training Schools. Some of us finished our schooldays at Bognor, and on leaving the Homes for a situation, were given a "farewell" at Stepney Headquarters. In this respect, I was to renew the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Curzey, who were then in charge of No 5

I myself had remembered them formerly at The Boys' Garden City, when I was admitted to the Homes and placed at Gordon WiIliams House, before proceeding to Bognor. They recognised me immediately. A further chapter was to open on situations, landladies, and the indefatigable Mr. W. Stone!