Portchester School was opened on the 5th November 1940 in Portchester Road, Bournemouth. Hence its name!
Just 11 days later it was bombed by the Luftwaffe and then again, in March 1941. This time the schools windows were blown out. A dramatic start for one of Bournemouth’s famous old schools.
In 1956, Mr Castle became headmaster. He was a magician, a musician and one time captain of Somerset cricket team.
It is hardly surprising that during the next 10 or more years Portchester developed a reputation for music to match its academic standard. Under the tutelage of Messers Knight and Ponsford (Senior and Junior) the school ran a brass band, an orchestra and a choir. Shows like ‘Trial by Jury’ were regular features of school life.
This period of the school history also saw the founding of Portchester's sporting tradition. The school offered tennis, squash, fencing, badminton, cricket, football and rugby. And without any playing fields!
Graham Mackrell remembers walking to Stouden Park to play football and the hike to Meyrick Park for cricket.
Bill Lawton (1950 to 55) claims that Portchester specialised in not coming second in the fisticuffs under a scrum.
Mr Castle retired in 1969, being followed by Mr Gould. Mr Castle had started the campaign for new school buildings and Mr Gould carried on the good work. This was the year that Avonbourne was opened.
Portchester took over some of their old building in Lowther Road, but was still crowded and crumbling.
By their record, the staff and boys of Portchester School have earned the right to the finest facilities available, said Mr Castle in his retirement speech.
In 1975 the school finally moved to new premises in Harewood Ave.
By 1976 there were 760 boys on roll and for the first time, Portchester had playing fields!
However the new buildings were not big enough and Portchester continued to use the ‘old school’ in Portchester Road.
In 1985, with Mr Wilcox who had become headmaster in 1980, at the helm, the school had 890 boys and a new Art & Technology block. Finally the ‘old school’ could be abandoned. It was knocked down and replaced by a nursing home.
Lional Burges remembers revisiting the ‘old school' and amid the desolation, sat with the ghosts of yesterday and thought with affection of the boys and teachers who had laboured there.
Mr Wilcox retired in 1990 and Mike Haigh became the headmaster.
The quad once the home of rabbits was covered over to become a new library. Part of the playground was rebuilt as a science block, and the old ‘mobile’ classrooms once the home of Mr Ridley and Mr Llewellyn were burnt down! Mr Haigh liked fires and the school fireworks and bonfire in November were a highlight of the school year, along with the annual Summer Fayre.
The more recent years have seen more rebuilding and remodelling at Portchester. A new English block has been built along with changing rooms and a sports science laboratory.
Under the headship of Chris Bradey, Portchester gained Specialist Sports College status and the staff and pupils have been driven to regain the high academic standards which are part of Portchesters tradition.
Portchester School is proud of its traditions, distinguished past and fantastic alumni. The ‘old boys’ of the ‘old school’ have left a fine legacy and a comprehensive archive.
To bring this short history up to date, we need more memories from the ‘old boys’ of the more recent past.
Were you a Portcastrian of the 70s, 80s or 90s? Why not add your memories to the archive.
Porchester is looking to the future, but we also want to hear about our boys and their journeys since leaving us.
If you are a Portchester Old Boy and have some memories or photos you wish to add to the archive then,
please click here
If you were a student when Mr Eaton was Headmaster and wish to contact other student, "The Eaton Club" has been set up by former students Roy Pritchard and Paul Rooke. Further details can be found here.
Please note you will be taken to an external site and Portchester School accepts no responsibility for it's content
History
