First the buildings: there were five classrooms proper plus a Lecture Room, Physics and Chemistry Laboratories, Gymnasium and Woodworking and Arts Room (at the other end of the corridor which connected the classrooms) and accessible through one of the classrooms. In addition there were, of course, the Headmaster's Study, Caretaker's recess and cloakroom. The school was lit by gaslight and heated by coal fires. No hot water was available. The playground was of gravel with a few trees here and there. Over the main entrance to the school was the Monoux coat of arms (or crest) as we then knew it.
Now the Staff; this consisted of Mr. W.F. Spivey, MA. (Head), Messrs. A.H.Prowse (Second Master), O.Thomas, J.Toplis and D.M.Clark (Form l, Remove) with T.E. Gray and J. Ingleby as visiting masters for gym and woodwork and art respectively. Later they were joined by Messrs. W.H.Smith, R.W.Blake, H.Belchambers (O.M.) (short period only), L.C.Belchambers, R.J.Baird and J.R.Jones and there was another, C.H.Brown, who left about 1907 for Haileybury and was there ordained into the Ministry of the C.ofE., becoming Chaplain to that College. (The writer has no recollection of Messrs. J.Cotterall or W.A.Rugging mentioned in "Who's Who", but Mr. C. H. Brown should be included in the list of "Former members of the Staff".)
Assembly each morning was conducted by the Head: a prayer, taken from the Prayer Book, was followed by a hymn accompanied by a pupil named Graves on the piano, later by Mr.H.Belchambers. This was held in the Long Room, as it was called, being three classrooms thrown into one by roller shutters-pulled down again for separate classes.
The curriculum included: Scripture, Geography, History, Mathematics, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Science, Physics and Chemistry. English and English Literature, Latin, French, Drawing and Design including Art and Woodwork, Music (singing) and, on request. Shorthand. All the lessons proceeded from the Elementary to the Advanced Study on attaining the fifth and sixth forms. Here the boys were prepared for the Cambridge Local Examinations (Junior and Senior) and in addition for Christ's Hospital and Civil Service Examinations. The Sixth Form was usually fairly large and held in the Lecture Room (access through a classroom). Certain masters specialised in sundry subjects and to them the boys went for such lessons in that master's classroom.
In those days one recalls ploughing through "Gibbon's Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire", "Rahtz Higher English", advanced books in Latin and French, Shakespeare of course, and many other classics. Geography too went far beyond the elementary-touching the world.

As to sports, we had football (soccer) at Wadham Lodge Farm, hockey in Hale End, cricket and athletics, including paper chases in the forest. Our annual visit to the London Zoo, and botany, afforded us an outdoor activity.
Our masters were indeed a grand body of men, devoted to our School. Lack of financial resources restricted greater endeavours by staff and pupils.
At morning break, we played "Bulldog" on the gravel of our school grounds-a tough game! For a season we were taught fencing as a part of our physical training but the former was discontinued as the boys became too rough with their "stocks" when, after school, there was no one in charge.
The School "Prize Days" (since known as "Speech Days") were held each December in the Public Hall (Baths) in the High Street (decorated by selected senior boys with bunting, shields, etc.). Headmaster and staff were in Evening Dress, the boys in their Sunday Best plus white gloves. Assistant masters sat at the rear. The Headmaster sat on one side of the Chairman at the central table and the lady who presented the prizes and certificates on the other. The Vicar of Walthamstow was a regular on the platform and usually added to the speeches. Over and above the usual books (with Monoux crest), there was always a compact chemistry outfit in wooden box donated by the London firm supplying our school equipment.
Seated in the front row of a packed hall were some of the School Governors with their ladies and usually the Headmistress of the Girl's High School.
We sang well chosen songs and gave recitations, pianoforte and violin solos. One might mention a few: George Foxon (professional tenor), George L. Goodes (recitations), Harold Belchambers (pianoforte) and S. Weatherdon (violin). The programme began with the National Anthem followed by Monoux School Song-how the boys sang, really meaning the words!-and usually concluded with a Christmas carol.
Life during my Monoux days was undisturbed by war. At school we were kept very busy and homework occupied much of our leisure time. We were taught above all to conduct ourselves in a courteous and gentlemanly fashion-always expected to honour the good name of our School and its long tradition. Whether any of us succeeded in this remains for others to judge.

E.W.F.Bennett