Skippers Hill Manor Prep School Mayfield East Sussex 1955

[corinne]

My father (a New Zealander, Warwick Curtis) taught at Skippers Hill in 1955, and my mother Miss Morrell was a matron there, getting married in april 1955..

I have just found a number of letters from boys in the school to my mother when she was taken ill and in hospital in May 1955.   If any of the boys (or their families) would like a copy of their letters, please PM me.

Names (from signatures) include:  A group letter from Peter Faulkner, John Bayne, Maurice Boyd, J P Duncan, R Simpson, A Walsh, R M Arnold, M T Karlon, P A Furneaux "and the rest of the Vth form"; an individual letter from Peter Faulkner, another from Patrick Anthony Furneaux, and one from John Brayne or Bayne.  Also a letter assumed to be from a pupil John Taylor or Caylor.

[Luciferin]

See the website about the history of Skippers Hill Manor is now up and running.

Prep School Life
The site covers the history of the house from the late 17th century until 1963. The last chapter, Prep School Life (1960) covers my time at 'Skippers Hill Manor Preparatory School' and describes the harsh and disciplined life of young boys sent away to a Sussex boarding school to be educated and moulded by strict and often cruel schoolteachers.
Teachers and boys
A number of former teachers are portrayed including Colonel Faro, John Raymond Ward, Mr Mander ('Skip'), Mr Magner, and Maureen Ward (née Magner) and mention is made of a number of boys who were educated at Skippers between 1960 and 1963.
Key findings
Some of the key findings made during the two-year period of research include the discovery of who the real founder was of the prep school in 1945 (biography), the history of Colonel Faro (biography), the history and anatomy of the school's gymnasium, biographies of the wealthy private owners of Skippers Hill Manor before it became a school, and the school's connection with 'Tavistock Hall' school, Heathfield, Sussex.
School's anniversary
The website was researched specially to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the school in October 2020 and invites former Skippers boys to share their school stories with me, especially those who were at the school between 1960 and 1963.
Sussex Archive
A copy of my findings has been lodged with the East Sussex Records Office, 'The Keep', Falmer, Nr. Brighton, East Sussex. The printed document can only be consulted in their Library, and will not be updated. That will be done on the website.
Contact
Please contact the website if you would like to share any photographs or memories of the school or of schoolboys, or if you remember the names of any of the schoolmasters or schoolmistresses who taught at Skippers between 1955 and 1963.

Moderator comment: Website address removed at OP's request