William Read School

Comments about this page

• Think the school is shown in one of the newsreels during the flood – great pictures

  By David Bullock (07/07/2009)

• I was a pupil at William Read when it first became a primary school (late 1950s?) and was in a wooden classroom behind the main building which had been the science room in the secondary school days. Teacher was a Mr. Bowers.
  My fondest memory was of the corrugated iron outside toilet where we lads attempted to see who could get highest up the wall.

  By Ralph (18/07/2009)

• am I right ?
  the two schools shown here are / were in two different locations
  Canvey secondary modern at Jones corner WILLIAM READ at the Haystack

  By Margaret (04/08/2009)

• No Margaret. They were both on the same site. As I have stated above the school was demolished and rebuilt as William Read Primary School. I believe this was after Furtherwick Park School was built and took over as the Secondary School.

  By Janet Penn (04/08/2009)

• I was at William Read in the 60s. Just the name Mr Bowers sends cold shudders down my spine. I have never been struck as hard by anyone before or since. He slapped me across the jaw so hard even he was worried. I thought I was going to black out, I must have been eight. My memories were of an unhappy staff in a run down hovel of a school. The only good thing was when a bomb was being dug for in the playground. Oh how I wanted it to go off.

  By Richie Maguire (23/09/2009)

• I was at the Long Rd Secondary Modern (at Jones corner) from 1951 to 1955. A Mr Cairns was the head when I first went there and was replaced by Mr Watkins. Mr Watkins known as Fred but never to his face was an ex army man who always wore metal blackies on his shoes and you could hear him coming long before he got into sight. Some of the teachers I can remember are
  Mr Eals (slasher) English and gardening
  Mr Potter science
  Mr Vincent Woodwork, he also trained the cricket team, he had part of one finger missing as I remember which made him a demon spin bowler.
  Mr Gregorie who I believe took gardening and maybe maths but I’m not sure
  I’m trying to remember some of the other teachers, but at the moment thats all I can remember.

  By Frank Liddicott (28/09/2009)

• Janet
  I wonder if there are any other photos of Long Rd Secondary Modern school around,if so I would love to see them.
  Frank

  By Frank Liddicott (29/09/2009)

• More about William Read School during its 85 years will be published shortly

  By Janet Penn (29/09/2009)

• Some more teachers from the fifties,Mr Free Mr Pethig Mr Littlejohn Mrs Daryple Miss Wigg Siddy Vickers Mr Elkington And every boys favorite Miss Williams. John,

  By John Buckmaster (26/06/2011)

• I was a teacher at William Read in the late 60s in that wooden hut next to Bert Bowers who came to stoke the fire in the corner of the classroom!!! I didn’t apply to teach there but was drafted in by the Essex Director of Education! It was a surreal three years teaching top juniors from the deaf fox trapped under the hut to the truly amazing kids and odd teachers! I loved every minute even the horrendously demanding school trip taking 90 kids via Belgium in thick fog to the lovely bulb fields in Holland !
  Now retired to far away Australia!

  By Jenny Cole (25/03/2021)

• Mr Bowers was the best teacher I ever had a wonderful man and teacher. Canvey Secondary school changed its name to Furtherwick Park in 1965 or 66. Fred Watkin was the headmaster there after holding the same position at William Read. I started school in the late 50s, 1959 I think, at Leigh Beck infants. After we moved I went to Long Road before spending 3 years at William Read, ending in 1964. My days there with Mr Bowers were the happiest of my schooldays and I never saw him strike anyone. Anyone got any class or football team photos?

  By Andrew (Andy Burnley fc fanatic then and still!) Hall (25/01/2023)

• There are quite a few of the photos you requested Andy if you go to the category about William Read School.

  By Janet Penn (25/01/2023)

• I was there three quarters of 1963, the year the above ground pool opened. Loved my time there we built a large rabbit hutch, did country dancing in the old building and my classroom was in what I thought of as the barn out the back. Can’t recall any names though.

  By John Sawyer (23/12/2023)