Memories Of John Logie Baird's Son

posted by Dr Gordon Mays Baird on 03 Aug 2007 at 10:07 pm

My name is Gordon Mays, son of the inventor of television, John Logie Baird who sadly died in Bexhill-on- Sea in 1946. Is there a plaque on his old residence? I would like to think so as he also invented fiber optics and helped with radar in the war. Sadly lack of funds slowed him down and combined with the stupidity of the BBC we lost our lead on the world in television. Today I can make 3D television which when viewed needs no special glasses but cant sell the idea!!
My mother was the live in house keeper for John Logie Baird. She went to see John my father after she was married to a Stanley Gordon Mays and I guess the visit was a close reunion as I was the result.

At a very young age I was inventing things around the home to make life easier, and Stepfather would never have a television in the home. There were huge rows between my mother and Stanley when I was growing up and I was hated by both mother and Stanley, but was kept around because John Logie Baird bought 107 Wanstead Park Ave for me and mother in some sort of settlement. As soon as I was old enough to understand mother would say that I was not wanted and that I was the cause of all the rows. I lived with a half brother Bernard and a half sister Elizabeth who turned out to be my soul mate and kept me going through the hard times.

My step father had a strange life as his mother a Mays inherited a large sum of money aged 21 which she spent going around the world. A brave thing to do in those days. She met a Greek sailor Stanley Androcos fell in love so they lived together in Australia.

Edith as she was called fell pregnant with my stepfather and quickly returned to England only to be ignored by her family. Hence Stanley was put into an orphanage called Whites Homes in Abridge north London.

He never spoke of his mother?s lover [his father] and only by looking at old postcards from Australia to Edith we were able to piece together the story after his death.

I was beaten often and soon learnt to keep a low profile. I knew mother did not want me and would not be any source of help. Very strangely he beat his own son Bernard as well.

We were at the time involved at the Baptist church and when things got really bad we went to the vicar for help, who immediately contacted Stanley saying that his sons were telling lies about him! The end result was another beating.
I have John Logie Bairds brain and with his sense of humor I managed to survive. My mind is full of inventions including how to make 3D TV and stop avalanches.

I have a web site or two which I will list below which will explain better my ideas and life. Mother working for Baird met all visitors and became friendly with Winston Churchill, Walt Disney and all the stars of the day, as they were all interested in the power of TV. Mother was infact so close to Winston Churchill that when he was canvassing in Wanstead one day he spotted her and called her to him grabbing me a blond baby at the time he jiggled me for the press. Sadly I have been unable to trace the photo.

I will add some pictures of mother taken by John who was a keen photographer and of course mother was a very willing witness. I only met father once and remember this old man patting me on the head, I think that was the time he bought 107 Wanstead Park Ave for myself and mother.

The strange thing is that without knowledge who my father was I wanted to be a motor mechanic and was always inventing things from an early age. Mother was 80 before she said I love you, and that was only after my wife Carole and I had looked after her for some time. She wanted to see the bulb fields in Holland and to go to Scotland to Helensberg the home of John Logie. The Holland trip we managed but sadly she died before the Scotland trip.
We managed to take her to Disney land, which she enjoyed and told us some stories about Walt Disney and how he came to our home.

There are so many stories that I don?t want to bore you but if interested I am happy to tell hoping to gain some publicity for my inventions.
Father had a hard time due to lack of funds and a lack of publicity, it is strange but years later I am in the same boat, I spent days sending out information to all the ski sites on how to prevent avalanches and nobody replied even just to say thank you.

I am hoping the story is interesting enough for you to publish and with this I hope some more interest will be forthcoming.
I have been earning a living as an Antiques dealer in Florida ignoring my talents from father as an early venture into patents nearly bankrupted me.

< back to previous | Post Follow-up |

Correction To Above Message

posted by Malcolm Baird on 12 Aug 2007 at 12:46 pm

Gordon Mays wrote to me a few months ago claiming to be the son of John Logie Baird. The information that he gave me simply did not make any sense, and I told him so.

The Baird family lived in Bexhill at 1 Station Road from January 1945 to April 1947. The house was later renamed Baird Court and it carried a plaque recording that my father had died there in June 1946. I was saddened to hear that the old house was recently demolished to make way for new flats.

While In Bexhill I attended Sandown School, a small private preparatory school on Hastings Road. It was demolished in 1967 to make way for new housing. I wonder if anyone remembers Sandown now?

DNA Solves Everything

posted by Dr Gordon Mays Baird on 13 Aug 2007 at 12:38 pm

I can understand your reluctance to accept me. Having had this problem all my life with both mother and step father wanting rid of me I understand. I want nothing from the Bairds and because John bought a house in Wanstead for my mother I want to pay the money back to the Bairds as I feel it is theirs by right. I made sure that my other half brother got everything from his family.
I want nothing and if Malcolm cannot accept me that is his problem but please lets do a controlled DNA test. It will not change things but will clear the air.
I have our fathers mind sorry Malcolm.
One small question would you accept me after the test? I would love to have a extra brother! Another question the Bairds have nothing why would I pretend to be a Baird?

Another Thought

posted by Dr Gordon mays Baird on 13 Aug 2007 at 1:12 pm

A wise man would say "I am not sure if Gordon is or isn?t my half brother." As no son on earth can know of every romantic interlude of his father can he?
Gordon

To Conclude This Thread

posted by Alastair Hazell on 20 Aug 2007 at 2:15 pm

To conclude this thread, if you would like more information on John Logie Baird, please check out the website at

http://www.bairdtelevision.com

It has all sorts of detail including an account of a visit to Bexhill in 2002 during the making of a TV documentary. The most detailed source of information about his time in Bexhill (Jan.1945 to April 1947) is the book "John Logie Baird: a life" which is advertised on the website. The book can probably be obtained now via Amazon for considerably less than its list price, or there should be copies available at the Hastings Museum which has a special exhibit on John Logie Baird's work there in 1923-24. There may also be a copy in the Bexhill Library.

Alastair
Webmaster of Discover Bexhill

John Logie Baird In Bexhill

posted by Alastair Hazell on 06 Sept 2007 at 9:42 am

A page has been added to this Discover Bexhill website for information on John Logie Baird and the time he spent in Bexhill. To view it, please see here:

https://www.discoverbexhill.com/history/johnlogiebaird.php

Alastair
Webmaster of Discover Bexhill

Sandown School

posted by david hawthorn on 29 Jan 2008 at 3:09 am

i attended sandown scool both as a boarder and day pupil in 1957/58 and remember the playing fields behind the school and the sports days , scrambled eggs with cornflakes and cod liver oil capsules for breakfast,having matron inspect what we had produced after using the lavatory ! , looking at a partial solar eclipse,morning exercises in front of the school and another pupil,demitri griliopoulos and boxing matches and the headmaster - sir - i was saddened to see the whole place turned into a housing estate.

Sandown School

posted by Nigel Walker on 16 Feb 2008 at 9:01 pm

I attended Sandown School as boarder for one year in about 1959. Memories include learning to swim in Bexhill (?) swimming pool by the seafront, learning boxing, being beaten by the Headmaster with a double dog's lead for talking after lights out and winning a book prize for resting.

Sandown School

posted by Malcolm Baird on 22 Feb 2008 at 1:23 pm

I was delighted to read the last 2 posts. It is interesting that as late as 1957/8 Sandown continued the practice of inspecting the toilets after use! I remember that from 15 years earlier when the school was based in Cornwall during the 2nd World War. Constipation was a problem because of the stodgy wartime food.

I am in the final stages of putting together a short collection of reminiscences of the school, copies of which will be sent to the Bexhill Library.

Sandown School

posted by Catherine Cardwell on 19 Apr 2008 at 7:35 pm

I attended Sandown School from 1964 to 1966
It was progressive for its time, co-ed, girls played football and cricket. Teachers were called by openly by nicknames:
"Wardy", "Gracey"...Headmaster had a wooden leg, he was known as Sir. Boys still boxed. We rested after lunch on the floor with two boiled sweets, Supper was conflakes or bread and dripping. Codliver oil and lavatory inspection still in force! We watchd Churchill's funeral. We used to skip on the pavement outside the school much to the amusement of the children from the local state school. Latin very prominent on the curriculam.

Sandown School

posted by Malcolm Baird on 20 Apr 2008 at 3:33 am

Catherine, that is very interesting. When you were at Sandown it was in its last years -- it closed in 1967 and the site was sold for a housing development. The headmaster would have been Tony Sulman, the son of the first headmaster Stanley Sulman (d.1952) Tony had been wounded in World War II and he came onto the staff in about 1946.

During the war the school was coed, then after the war it was boys-only, but it may have reverted to coed in its final years, in order to keep the numbers up. Yes, the Latin was always important. There was no science of any kind which is typical of the private schools of those days.

Sandown School

posted by Peter Haines on 13 Oct 2008 at 2:24 pm

I was also at Sandown School, 1962-1965 about.
I remember watching Churchill's funeral there. I have recollections of Peggy and Tony Sulman, (known as Sir). I remember Sir's wooden leg. It was definitely co-ed when I was there. Like a lot of boys and girls, my parents were abroad and we boarded and we were very much on our own. Tony Sulman organised the boxing for us young boys and gave out lollies (boiled sweets on sticks) for those taking part.
My mother was at Winceby House school for girls in the late 1920's early 1930's, (also in Bexhill) and had a recollection of John Logie Baird, visiting her school on a lecture visit and he expounded his theory for the idea of transmitting moving pictures. Naturally at the time the girls thought this was complete science fiction and that this nice gentleman must be a little mad. Nowadays of course we know him to be one of the great geniuses of the 20th Century and the area is known as the birthplace of television.

Catherine Cardwell Sandown School

posted by belinda windam on 24 Oct 2008 at 4:50 pm

I knew catherine cardwell well - when I was also at sandown school. I think we must have gone out sometimes? I remember the skipping in the morning as the day pupils arrived. I felt so much envy as I was homesick. I remember Sir, his wooden leg, and Peggy, and having our letters home inspected (for spelling mistakes?) by Sir. Swimming in a freezing swimming pool and those crocodile walks - along the pavements in all weathers. I don't remember lavatory inspection but I do remember chanting our times tables in the dining room. And lying on that hard wooden floor with two sweets and an extra if you were good and one less if you were bad.
Hello Catherine if you are there!

Sandown 1961 To 1966

posted by Belinda Inness on 03 Dec 2008 at 3:10 pm

Me too - I attended Sandown School from 1961 until 1966! I can also remember Warby and Gracie, Gillie, and Peggy and Sir (and his labrador, Jock), a matron called Vera and another one called Una! I remember lying on that floor after lunch for "rest" time, those long crocodile walks, and that freezing swimming pool!! And I remember you, too, Belinda, because we had the same name! I was really sad when the school closed. I went on to Ancaster House afterwards - and that closed too, and burned down some years ago.

Sandown School

posted by Patrick Burton on 01 Jan 2009 at 6:12 pm

I attended Sandown School around 1960 ( I remember us being allowed to watch the wedding of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones). Additional memories I have are lying on a hard wooden floor for 'rest', supervised by a Sulman relative (aunt?) who we discovered from our prone positions had long red knickers and who, given a camera for a long trip, forgot to take the lense cap off. She kicked us if we moved. Beach bathing covered in vinegar, (a substitute for oil to stop us burning?!). Crocodile walks with turn-around at a gasworks, a teacher who played at Wimbledon and who also taught us to swim in the saltwater Bexhill pool; hearing the wooden legged 'Sir' approaching the dormitory to disturb our lights-out chatter. A wonderful teacher who taught us pre-history.
I am in the process of developing a personal mapping art project and wondered if anyone has the exact address of the school?

Sandown Scool

posted by Dimitri Griliopoulos on 10 Aug 2009 at 9:11 am

My son sent me an email to say someone remembered me in Bexhill with a link to the stream of info. Amazed, as it is now over 50 years ago - thank you David Hawthorn.
I remember 3 things. I think Sir's wooden leg was steel - there was a sort of swishing noise as he strode along the corridors. One day I got so bored playing cricket at long stop I moved the small metal bowlers run up marker (didn't know what it was). When the next over started the bowler could not find the start for his long run up. Long delay while search undertaken. Sir worked out I had done the deed. 'But it's only a game Sir'.
I can verify that the school was co-ed when I was there 1957/9 as I had my first experience of girls there. One friendly girl even let me feel her naughty bits - who were you and where are you now? She was definitely not a boy.
And I remember it being very cold in Winter. Very cold.
I still have my hurdles bronze medal from sports day....and a sense of the ridiculous. I'm sure it came from Sandown School (I mean that in a nice way)...

Small Correction

posted by Simon Morrison on 06 Sept 2009 at 7:54 pm

I am Tony Sulman's nephew and was at Sandown between 1947 and 1955. Just wanted to point out for accuracy's sake that Tony didn't lose his leg in World War 2 but aged 12 through gangrene after a slight football injury. Penicillin had not yet arrived - still managed to be a brilliant cricket player though at quite a high level - was allowed a runner when batting.

Am I Related?

posted by David Hastie on 26 Dec 2009 at 7:05 pm

Hi there, I've been trying to trace as to whether or not I'm related to the Baird's. My mother is Ann Baird (born in Glasgow) and her father always told her that his cousin was indeed, John Logie Baird.

Once again, the debate has arisen over Chritsmas dinner and we were wondering if you (Malcolm) had traced back the family tree?

Kind Regards
David Hastie

Sandown School Rest Prize

posted by Rosemary Gransden on 02 Jan 2010 at 7:05 pm

I was delighted to read the various messages about Sandown. My brother, Roger, and I were there between 1956 and 1960. We had come from Singapore and, although were both very homesick at first, I have many happy memories of the school. I remember "Sir" (Tony Sulman) and Peggy, his sister, who played hockey for England (?) and Gracie who played at Wimbledon. The lady who used to read to us when we rested on the floor of the playroom and said prayers before bedtime in the dormitory with us was Mrs Stanley Sulman's sister, Miss Radmore, (Tony and Peggy's aunt), whom we called Radish because of her red tweed suits (didn't know she wore long red knickers as well!!). She taught French and Scripture. I also remember the daily morning loo inspection, girls wearing shorts and shirts like the boys and playing tip and run and football, being allowed to do games or have lessons outside in summer, freezing cold 1/3 pint bottles of milk and stale "crusts" of bread mid morning, and we were convinced Cook cut her toe nails into the porridge at breakfast !! "Sir" used to call me a "Freckle faced abomination" or occasionally a "Pigtailed abomination" and I was regularly put across his knee and walloped for not declining a Latin verb correctly. The rest prize was donated by my parents when my brother left to go to his prep school in 1959, supposedly because he was the only child who remained totally motionless and straight throughout the rest period and didn't fidget like the rest of us when Radish would clip an errant arm or leg with a ruler. Happy Innocent Days !!

My House

posted by Jacqueline Young on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:20 pm

Hi, I am now living in Sandown Way and because of my curious nature, I went along to Bexhill Library before all the bits and bobs were given to the museum and discovered the fact that where I am living used to be a school, I do not know if my house is on the fields of the school or if it is on where the building was, but we are certain that we have ghostly visitors from boarders past, friendly of course, could anyone enlighten me as to where the building was and where the fields were, I am in the second house just as you enter Sandown Way, would be very interested to know.

Thank you

Annie Baird

posted by elizabeth morrison on 30 May 2010 at 3:00 pm

my dad was james fizhenry baird dob 8/9/1915.son of j/f/b .his father who he never saw was killed in action first world war in the royal army medical corps.his mother looked after a large baird house and often took my father to helensburgh.my father went to school in kinningpark glasgow and when his mother re married they went out to durban for a few years. my father and mother married in 1945 and just before that my father was called to a solicitors in glasgow where a Will was read and he was left a summ of money from the Bairds.Dad was fantastic and held a degreee in the electrical/tv and was also a Radio Ham talking with people all over the world. In 1968 I became a nurse at the glasgow royal infirmary where annie baird had nursed round about june that year my eldest sister wrote to miss baird in helensburgh her housekeeper wrote back to us inviting us for afternoon tea and she took us to jlb bedroom where the bed was the way it was left and the room was painted green. we left to catch the train back to glasgow and we were followed by a man wh o came from the Lodge infact we were going to tell the police but he didnt board the train and i must say it was indeed a strange experience for us.
my dad died of blood cancer thought to be related to working with radio and television that was in 1978 age 63. we have always been told of the link between jlb and my grandmother and helensburgh especially with inside knowledge of the house .

Sandown School

posted by Robert Stone on 26 Jul 2010 at 11:06 pm

I was at Sandown from 1953-56 (aged 4 to 7), and I can vouch for Sandown being co-ed at the time! Strangely, I have no recollection whatever of Tony Sulman having a limp, let alone a wooden leg - too busy learning French, I suppose, to notice. I do, however, remember Miss Grace, who I'm now told was a great niece of WG Grace. I'm just sorry that, at the time, that wasn't of the momentous importance that it would be now!

Gracey, Warby, Sir , Peggy

posted by margot gordon on 29 Jul 2010 at 9:28 am

and who was that nice matron...ah, yes Capsy. she didn't stay long but, when I first arrived there in about 1959, I had to have my cereal/supper in the dorm alone as I was so young and Capsy would keep me company.
I too was beaten with Sir's double dog lead and remember if I didn't cry I would be rewarded with a lollipop! talk about S/M!! I can't remember any fellow students other than my first kiss behind the curtains in the playroom with a boy with black hair called Timmy and a girl called Deidre Fitzgerald.
I was allowed to stand on a chair behind Gracie and do her hair

Sandown School 1954-6

posted by Robert Stone on 05 Aug 2010 at 3:33 pm

I've just dug out school photos taken in the summers of 1954, 1955 and 1956. Only pupils are shown (no staff), but I can work out some boring statistics from them! Total in school (apart from those away that day!) was, respectively, 92, 102, 96. Ratio of boys to girls was 61-28, 67-34, 54-40 (with one or two in each photo obscured and so unclassifiable). Alas, I haven't kept up with a single one of the others in the photos!

Winceby House School Bexhill 1984

posted by stuart ellis on 22 Oct 2010 at 5:31 pm

hi, i went to winceby house school cooden drive bexhill from 1983 to 1985 and is trying to find some old photos of this school, i remember visiting mrs wolfe in 1994 but lost contact she was the head mistress of the school back then , can anyone help please, thank you. stuart.

Capsy

posted by Kevin McGrath on 26 Oct 2010 at 2:50 am

Hi, I just stumbled across these wonderful articles about Sandown School, this is basically a follow up to Margot Gordons post as "Capsy" is my Mum. She was Katherine Melinn then, now she is McGrath. My Mum is now 84 (I'll be told off for that) and is still living in Bexhill. A big thank you to Margot. I wonder if anybody else remembers my mum, it would thrill her to pieces to hear from anybody.

Edwards

posted by Edwards on 28 Nov 2010 at 8:44 pm

Is there any online Baird family tree? As I believe my Great Grandma was John Bairds cousin.

Sandown School

posted by Cresta Norris on 28 Dec 2010 at 2:30 pm

I was at Sandown school as well - with my big sister Kitty (nitty norris major) and my brother Tom (nitty norris minimus) - I have an old school photo that includes Margot Gordon and Belinda Innes and Catherine Cardwell and I remember how much I admired Belinda Wyndham. Peggy was a friend of my mother who played tennis with Peggy and Gracie and persuaded 'sir' to take us girls into what was predominately a boys prep-school with a few sisters allowed. We were day pupils and my memories are of sports day (the parents racing to find their children who were hidden under school blazers) - it was a great education for life! What happened to Robert Lynden Bell (the gap year student who taught us geography??)

Did You Get To RIO

posted by june beal on 29 Jan 2011 at 5:30 pm

I think Gordon Mays story is fascinating.

Wondered if he ever got to Rio. He always wanted to go there.

KINDEST REGARDS
SMITHIE

John Logie Baird Family Tree

posted by Jude on 30 Jan 2011 at 12:48 pm

Edwards - there are several public members' trees on Ancestry with John Logie Baird on them. There's also a thread about him and his tree. I don't think you need a subscription to access the message boards.

Winceby

posted by Julia Gordon Lennox on 04 Mar 2011 at 8:49 am

Winceby House School
Cooden Drive
Bexhill on Sea

Ghosts

posted by Simon Morrison on 21 Mar 2011 at 6:39 pm

How fascinating that there may be ghosts...
You say that you live in the second house, Jacqueline.
Well, I haven't been back since 1965! but presumably you access Sandown Way from Hastings Road. That might mean that your house stands where the school building stood because in front of the school was a drive going in one gate and out the other in a semi-circle with a lawn between it and the wall bordering the road. Depending on whether your house is on the west or east side of the site your ghosts will be boys or girls. Sandown School was made up from two large Edwardian villas which my grandfather,
Stanley Sulman, joined by building a playroom in the middle. The dormitories in the west villa were the boys' dormitories and those in the east villa the girls'. (Gracie's room was in the upstairs passage between the two and woe betide any boys caught trying to sneak past!) If you have boy ghosts I may well be one of them woo-hooooooo :)

Sandown School Memories

posted by James Davidson on 05 Jun 2011 at 8:12 pm

Golly, these stories really bring it all back! I was at Sandown in 1951-1953, first as a day boy and later a boarder (aged 7 and a half). My sister Clare and brother Adrian were there too.

My recollections match those related above very closely. The appalling food, yes, scrambled eggs on corn flakes for breakfast, also macaroni with golden syrup for dessert, bread and dripping for tea. A sensible uniform, smart grey pull-overs with a collar. Crocodile walks before lunch, of course, and after lunch we did indeed lie in rows on the wooden floor, with our sweet ration, while a teacher read to us. "Radish" (Miss Radmore) undoubtedly rings a bell, and knuckles being whacked with a ruler, likewise. (Not mine, happily.) Trips to the swimming pool by bus in summer, and a lovely sports field for football and rounders.

The terror of the place was old Mrs Sulman, Tony's mum. Collective punishment was her game. She had Tony flog the whole dormitory for talking after lights out - "You'll all be whipped tomorrow!" (her words). Tony was on our side, though, he did as she demanded but the dog lead was applied extremely gently.

Best memory, the Coronation. We all had to bring a flag for the display. Peggy Sulman announced to the school at breakfast that Everest had been climbed. The whole school gathered round a television set in the big room to see the broadcast, and later on we went down to the sports field to watch a flypast.

I remember a few kids' names - Robin Christopher, Simon Morrison, Lucy Davis Gilbert. Surely that's the same Simon as in the comments above? I'd love to know!

Sundown School 1950

posted by Tony Pennell on 30 Jul 2011 at 6:04 am

I and my brother David attended 1950-52 boarding from India. Strangely I do not remember any girls attending.
I remember the long crocodile walks where miss radish I think would call out left or right turn now and if the front row got it wrong then they were sent to the back. We also played in the concrete air raid shelters which were often full of water. The french lessons were all in french otherwise the ruler came out. Every Sunday we had to write a letter home which was checked. They always started "I am well, hope you are too"
The swimming lessons were good as the teacher got in with us and we had to swim a length to pass. Also boxing with Sir was unusual.
We both found it cold and wrapped our thin mattress around us.
I cannot remember learning any science or much maths
W

Sandown School Memories

posted by Peter Howard on 07 Nov 2011 at 6:19 pm

I too was at Sandown for one year, also just returned from living in Malaysia. I have today returned from seeing my brother who gave me a picture he'd found while clearing his house; It is the 1959 school photo, which promted me to find this site(that's me second row 5th.in with blond hair). My memories are watching the Whirly Birds, spelling!!! (a TV program with helecopters)and sitting in the airing cupboard on a basket listening to the clock ticking in the hall after being caught talking after lights out....and the belt from "Sir". Peggy, however, taught me to read!! She must have been very long suffering....I can remember a girl called Francis, and John Tyler. The only food I can remember enjoying was fried bread with Marmite...most other food, I was left in the dining room by myself till I'd finished and talking of food the French table where you were supposed to converse totally in French, or do without. Yes happy days. I'd forgotten about the rest on the floor and not moving.

Sports Day Spoons

posted by Nathanael Holt on 05 Dec 2011 at 5:14 pm

I attended the school from 1965- 6 or thereabouts. Boarded. I found myself looking here after catching myself stirring a cup of tea a with one of my Sandown School teaspoons, won possibly by coming Third in the cricket ball competition.
My memory says there was a Matron dismissed for excessive punishment on an incontinent boy. My we were young to be away from home. Loved getting rolled up Beano's in the post.

Sandown School

posted by John Tyer on 21 Jan 2012 at 6:56 am

I am not sure if I am the John Tyler mentioned in Peter Howards "Sandown School Memories" posted on the 7th November 2011.In any event,hallo to all.
My sister (Jane) and I were day kids at Sandown but from time to time we boarded for a couple of weeks when the parents went away.
I was so scared of walking through the senior boys dormitory at night to go to the loo that I took a detour through matron's bedroom.An even more daunting prospect perhaps? Yes,she noticed.
The "crocodile" walks and the bus ride to/from the Swimming Pool are well remembered.
I won the "resting" prize one year presumably given to me by "Radish" who seemed to love kicking the kids.Presumably our clothes were filthy after this extraordinary event.
Before Sports Day,I remember Peggy Sulman taking us in to view the various prizes.
The food was "something else".Only one piece of bread allowed or an inquisition ensued.
Breakfast was revolting.Cold scrambled egg on cornflakes.Sometimes it was sardines which I did not like either.In both cases the items were put into the stoves situated around the dining area when I was kept back to eat it all and no one was looking.I left Sandown in the spring on 1957 at the age of 8.
Mr Bumble would have been proud of the place.

Greetings Again

posted by Malcolm Baird on 07 Mar 2012 at 8:30 pm

Hello all,

I looked into this website after a few years of neglect. More wonderfully vivid memories of Sandown. It looks as if the tradition of "wartime food" continued long after the end of the war. I put together the basic story of the school in a compilation (electronic) which was sent to Alastair Hazell and to members of the Sulman family back in 2008.

Past Times

posted by Nina on 27 Apr 2012 at 8:37 pm

for Kevin McGrath Hi, often wonder what you are doing and where you are cant believe your mum is 84!!!!! please be in touch

Past Times

posted by kevin mcgrath on 30 Apr 2012 at 9:13 pm

Hello Nina, was good to hear from you been a long time. you can contact me at

kevlmcgrath[AT]yahoo.co.uk

Another Son Of John Logie Baird

posted by Paul Holden on 11 May 2012 at 8:52 pm

Hi,
With regards to the posts concerning Gordon Mays being John logie Bairds son,I have another sibling to add to the mix. I have learnt through the older members of my family that my maternal great Aunt Lillian Harman was once engaged to John logie Baird and had a son called Ronald from that relationship. My Great Aunt lived in London for some years from 1920 and Ronald was born in 1925. She eventually return to Sussex and lived at a house in Westgate Chichester until her death in 1972. She also owned the house that I grew up in in Chichester. I am told that a cousin of my mother has a picture of both John and Lillian together in which she is proudly showing off her engagement ring. These facts apparently did not come to light until after my great aunts death and the family had been led to believe that Ronald was her adopted son. If anyone could shed any light on this I would be very grateful
Many thanks
Paul David Holden

Another Sibling?

posted by Malcolm Baird on 23 May 2012 at 11:34 pm

Paul,

If that picture of John and Lillian still exists, I'd be most interested to have a look at it. I have one or two photos of my father's girlfriend from the 1920s and it may check out, who knows. It was all a long time ago.

Best wishes,

Malcolm Baird

Another Sibling

posted by Paul David Holden on 26 May 2012 at 8:13 pm

Hi Malcolm

Thanks for your reply.
I will try to obtain the photo I mentioned although I understand from my mother that her cousin Maureen who has the picture is a little overprotective of it. However in the meantime I would be happy to send you a solo photo of lillian wearing the ring so that you can compare it with your own pictures.
Also I will send you a copy of a photo of Lillian's son Ronald Harman taken on his wedding day.
I will of course need you to give me an email address for me to send the pictures to.
In the meantime
Best wishes
Paul

Possible Relative

posted by Catherine mcleavy on 29 May 2012 at 10:12 am

Hi there, im not sure if its apropiate enough to post on here and not sure if this is of interest to anyone. But My family and i Believe that we are descendants of john logie baird. I have been told that he is my 6th great uncle or there abouts. My Maternal Grandmother's name was Jeanie Laverence Baird and i have many many relatives in scotland. It would be nice to get in touch and find out our true history.

Interesting Baird - Harman Link

posted by Ben Ratcliff on 26 Feb 2013 at 4:38 pm

Hi Malcolm / Paul,

Interesting to see a link between J L Baird and the family name Harman, I know that a distant relative of my (Great Grandfather?) was a friend of Johns and helped him with his early wiring's. My G. Grandfather worked on the railways so had good practical experience re-wiring motors, and they were apparently good friends.

I wonder if there is any ancestral link?

Regards,
Ben Ratcliff

John Logie Baird Is My Great Great Grandfather?

posted by andrew william baird walker on 28 Mar 2013 at 8:24 pm

Hi gordon/anyone else who can help :)

Ive been trying to trace back some history from my fathers side as he told me 6 years ago that i was related to JLB. but my dad passed away in 09, and so did his mother early that year aswell so im not sure how to get info anymore. my dads mum was called francis and was married to bill baird. not really sure how to go around checking to be honest a family tree. not sure if i would like to know if my dad made a mistake, or just carry on and believe it as its quite a nice thing to think. also my dad used to be an inventor aswell. thought it was worth a shot, any info would be good for me. thank you.

Yet Another Relative?

posted by Gail on 03 Apr 2013 at 5:46 am

Hi All,
I have been helping a friend trace his family tree. We haven't found any definite links yet but his mother has said that she was told John Logie Baird was her Great Great Uncle. Her mother was an Agnes Baird (who married Thomas Stirling). If it's true then her Great Grandfather would be James Baird we assume. Can anyone help sort this out?
Thanks,
Gail

Sandown School Memories

posted by mick bray on 15 May 2013 at 1:17 pm

To all ex Sandowners, greetings. It was so good to find this website and fascinating to read the various recollections. I really enjoyed my two years at Sandown,1949-1950. I remember all the Sulmans, Tony, Peggy and their parents. Very strict but not inhuman like many other schools at that time. Memories of Miss Radmore (Radish) and her french lunch table when we had to play 20 questions in french. Miss Grace and Peggy Sulman who were both in the England Women's Hockey team that toured South Africa. Tony Sulman and his tin leg whose bedroom was next door to our dorm known as the top dorm, where wehad midnight feasts and got beaten for it with the famous double dog's lead. We used to hide the food under a loose floorboard. Tony taught me the game of cricket and an enduring love for the game. I remember some of the fiesty girls names, Elizabeth Leas, Nicola, Vanessa and Diana Hanks whose Mother donated the silver swimming cup. I was Champion in 1949 and Diana in 1950 so our Names are engraved on the cup. I often wondered where it ended up. Diana was also my dancing partner for the lessons we had in the hall. I too remember the lying on the floor afternoon rests, the crocodile walks, the skipping sessions and the boxing lessons. I also remember with distaste my horrible piano teacher who used to rap me over the knucles with her silver propelling pencil whenever I played abum note. In spite of her, I went on to become quite a decent Jazz musician. What else? Going to that brick built church every Sunday morning and listening to the Vicar droning on.. I was appointed Head Boy in my last year and remember taking it seriously. So dear readers there are some of my memories and they are fond memories of my boyhood. If anybody out there remembers Charles Lansdale , The Strong Twins please post your particular memories. Looking forward to hearing from you. Mick Bray

Another Sibling

posted by Paul David Holden on 18 May 2013 at 7:55 pm

Hi Ben,
Only just seen your post. can you explain further your Harman link

Looking For S.W. Sulman

posted by Sue Middleton on 17 Oct 2013 at 9:25 pm

Hi there, would one of Mr. Sulman's relatives please contact me at suemiddleton[AT]rogers.com my friend Peter Peterson was his student in the 1920's we have photos and fee recipts signed by "Sir", my friend is trying to find his long lost relatives, and perhaps the Sulman family still have some old addresses or something. Time is of the essence ...Thank you SO much.

Baird

posted by christine baird on 24 Jul 2014 at 8:38 am

Hello,
My grandfather was possibly a cousin of John Logie Baird. Would love to know I had Baird Family in Scotland. My grandfather immigrated to New Zealand, which is where I was born and live.
Regards, Christine Baird

Harman Link

posted by Ben Ratcliff on 19 Sept 2014 at 3:34 pm

Hi Paul,

Sorry I've only just stumbled across your response to the Harman query.

From what I was told from my own Father, is that my Great Grandfather (or Great Uncle) who was a worker on the Railways was friends / worked with John on the wiring (I believe in Hastings).

The story goes, that he got to see some of the first pictures of a policeman walking by in the street outside, but I don't know when or where this was.

So if it was my great grandfather it would be Stanley Harman, and if it was my great uncle it would be Harold Harman, do these names mean anything to you?

If you want to find me - I'm on Linked-in. I currently work for Nokia.

Kr,
Ben

Belinda Inness

posted by Sally ho nee hill on 16 Jan 2015 at 2:48 pm

I saw your message from a while back, would like to contact you for a ancaster house reunion in oct2015 , trying to find everyone,so if you see this please contact me , allthehos at hotmail ....com

For Mick Bray

posted by Elizabeth Collison (nee Leathes) on 20 Mar 2015 at 6:52 pm

I think I might be the Elizabeth Leas you mention in your post. I was at Sandown with my younger brother John from 1946 until 1949. I would love to hear from anyone else who was there at that time.

For Elizabeth Collison

posted by John Bond on 28 Mar 2015 at 11:29 am

Hi Elizabeth
I remember you and your brother John; I recall a connection with Harrods. I have a photo of John at a birthday picnic in the woods near Bexhill. I was at Sandown from 1949-1951. I have the school photo and for some reason can remember most of the names, wish my short-term memory was as good. My father was a friend of Tony Sulman so we stayed in touch with him for many years post-school. Amazingly my mother-in-law went there in the 1920's. Enough! it was fun to see your name again.

Another Son Of John Logie Baird

posted by PAUL HOLDEN on 08 Jul 2015 at 7:30 pm

Hi I still have a picture of my great Aunt's son Harold Harman on his wedding day and he looks a double of John Logie Baird. Is there any way I can post the picture onto this site

Facebook Page Sandown School

posted by lucy riley on 12 Aug 2015 at 3:28 pm

I have created a Facebook group page for Sandown School for anyone who attended and would like to share memories and photos. I went to Sandown and classmates including Bill Sculley and Sarah Hussey? My little sister was named Zanna and she also boarded there. Hope to reconnect with you on the Facebook Group page.

Relations?

posted by Jean on 17 Nov 2015 at 3:42 pm

I always grew up with my grandmother telling me that I was related to the John Logie Baird. I am not sure if this is just because we come from the Baird family line—my great grandmother's last name was Baird. I'm sure the relationship is marginal at best, but I'm curious if you have any genealogical information. The family moved to the United States, to Ohio.

Capsy At Sandown

posted by margot gordon on 14 Sept 2016 at 2:17 am

hi Kevin McGrath - I have just caught up with this page and see I left a post in 2010 and you replied. I am so sorry I didn't see your reply sooner. Is Capsy still going? She would be 90 by now.