Old Shirleyans

If you have been a resident of Watford anytime during the last 99 years you may have noticed the removal lorries with the name of "Humphries" as it was founded in 1918 after W/H.Humphries returned from the 1st World War.

Well obviously next year is the Centenary Year so updates will be posted as to the events to celebrate this occasion.

Brief History of Shirley House School

Shirley House School was moved to Langley Road Watford in 1899. It was first established in Shirley near Croydon in what was then leafy Surrey.

More research is needed but Covid had intervened!

The number of pupils varied from 75 to 120 and numbered around 100 pupils before its relaunch which combined Shirley House with Hill Brow to become Beechwood Park School .
During the Second World War the School was evacuated to Akeley Wood, Bucks.

The last headmaster was Alan Mould.
Latterly, the number of classrooms had been increased by the building of a row of prefabricated single storey units alongside the gym/assembly hall. Beyond the yard at the back,used as a playground by the pupils (where the 'honeywagon' or 'stinkbomb' vehicle came regularly to empty the septic tanks!) was a building known as the Ark, where some of the masters lived. Beyond that lay the playing field and surrounding woods. On the edge of the field just in the woods was the swimming pool..always cold as it was shaded by trees. Sports included watching the girls from the next door Northfield School coming over for swimming lessons. (Northfield has now closed and was demolished c. 1999 to make way for housing). Shirley House moved to Markyate in about 1964 and became Beechwood Park School. Although most pupils moved to Beechwood Park (and boarded) several, transferred to Kingsfield School in Oxhey. The original site became Cassio College in around 1966

It is not known who founded Shirley House but the Stewart family name has been associated with it from the 1930’s until it moved in 1964 when the Stewarts opened Beechwood Park.

Aerial Photo of School in 1951