history p 2

AS WE MOVE TO THE YEARS THAT REFLECT THE “SCHOOL” JUST REMEMBER AS A SCHOOL THE LIFE
SPAN WAS QUITE SHORT, BUT SO MUCH WAS ACHIEVED IN THOSE IMPENDING YEARS FROM 1921 TO
1967. THE MAIN AIM OF THE SCHOOL WAS TO TEACH BARNARDO BOYS A RECOGNIZED TRADE THAT
WOULD STAND THEM WELL IN THEIR LATER YEARS, SO STEPNEY HEADQUARTERS SELECTED 260
BOYS TO MOVE TO GOLDINGS ON THIS EXCITING EXPERIMENT FORMULATED BY BARNARDO’S. THE
AGE OF THESE BOYS RANGED FROM EARLY TO LATE TEENS.

The Arrival

An hour later still the boys filed through the entrance gates and drew up on the lawn facing the Tudor architecture of their
new Home.
A large company was awaiting them. Our Director and Lady Stileman, Mrs. Barnardo, Mr. William McCall, Rev. Arthur
Buxton, and Mr. W. J. Garnett, J. P., were among the gathered friends. Admiral Stileman, addressing the boys, welcomed
them to Goldings, or the William Baker Technical School, as it is henceforth to be called. He believed they would be
happy there. They would, he was sure, learn to love and appreciate their new dwelling. " We have brought you here," said
the Director, " to breathe in God's fresh air and to build you up, not only in health ' but in character. Rise to the occasion,
I beg of you. This school will be a tremendous help in getting you to go out into the world strong and worthy lads and
God-fearing citizens. We want you to show our friends what good work Barnardo boys can do." Sir Harry then introduced
Mr. Garnett as their new Governor. With a volley of cheers the boys greeted him. “Boys” said Mr. Garnett, " I am proud
of you. And now what about tea? " It was voted the best speech of the afternoon!
The first meal was served in the McAndrew Dining Hall, and a short dedication service brought this great day for the boys
to an impressive close.

From Night and Day, 1922

Goldings is a magnificent structure, in splendid repair. It stands about 200 feet above sea level. It will easily take the whole
of the Stepney boys. One very important adjunct is the stabling, built in the shape of a quadrangle, and standing a hundred
yards from the main building. That can accommodate all the Training Shops, with 3,000 super feet area to spare. In addition,
there is a substantially built covered-in tennis court, which will make a fine gymnasium and hall for entertainments and
lectures, and for the use of the band. We are now completing the erection of a spacious Dining Hall; and suitable washing
arrangements and lavatories are being provided.
There are about fifty acres of ground, so that there will be ample room for playing fields and for training some of the lads
for outdoor work on the land.
In a letter to the public press, our Director has announced the transfer of the Stepney shop to Goldings. "Goldings", he says,
"Means better health, higher efficiency and brighter living rooms, play rooms, and instruction rooms are all ready for us
there. A new Dining Hall has been built and we have had this great encouragement in our send off: that the Dining Hall
has been erected through the generosity of a single donor as a memorial to a beloved husband by his widow.

A QUOTE FROM Mr WHEATLEY (The headmaster of Goldings 1945-1966)

The short biography of Mr William Baker, which follows was written at my request by
Mr. A. E. Williams
( Mr Williams was personal secretary to Dr Barnardo, and knew William Baker very well )
MR WILLIAM BAKER, M. A., L L. B.
Honorary Director of Dr Barnardo’s Homes, 1905- 1920
The man whose name and work are commemorated in the William Baker Technical School,
was born at Lismacue, Tipperrary in 1848. For fifteen years Mr. Baker filled the position
of Honorary Director and Chairman of Council of the Barnardo’s Homes.
Under his term served, he swept away all it’s debt’s and more than doubled the income
that Barnardo’s received, thus allowing him to carry out his many cherished ideals, but
due to lack of funds was unable to carry out prior to this amazing feat.
“It was a great day for Barnardo’s boys when they vacated their cramped, over-crowded workshops in Stepney, paraded
for the last time in their stony playground and full of hope and anticipation marched through the gates headed by their
band, en route for Goldings to take possession of the well - quipped, modern Technical School which had been acquired
as a memorial to the man who unhesitatingly sacrificed all worldly prospects in order to devote time and talents to guiding
and directing the work of the Barnardo Homes through the most critical period in its history”
A. E. Williams Dr. Barnardo’s personal secretary.

I’d like to quote from Night and Day March 1922

But it has cost the homes far, far less than the sum for which they could have built a much more modest dwelling! The
owner has made an enormous sacrifice in handing it over to us on such easy terms. He has stated “that nothing could be
more fitting than that the home of his father should be placed at the disposal of these lads, many of whom, but not for the
Barnardo homes, might have come to grief.”

Along with the first Governor of Goldings The Honourable Mr. W. J. Garnett Esq. We also include Mr Lionel Wrangles
who started work at Goldings before it became a school as a Junior Gardener in 1921, and Mr. Jim Maslin, he came to
Goldings in 1922 with the first contingent from Stepney his position was School Secretary to the then Governor. In later
years he became a wealth of information on the schools History until his sudden demise in 1965.
Please refer to personalities page on this site for further information

Accommodation

The William Baker Technical School provides ample and well equipped workshops for the new trades. On the two higher
floors seven bright and airy dormitories have been prepared. On the first floor are two admirable Sick Bays, facing south
over the River Beane.
On the ground floor are the hall, the boys' library and recreation room, three class rooms, the Governor's apartments, rooms
for the accommodation of the staff, and a conservatory which will also be the headquarters of the Barnardo Scouts. There
is ample garden space which will grow all, and more than all, that the boys can eat of fruit and vegetables. There are 50
acres of land attached for playing fields and as a training centre for various forms of outdoor work.
Fifteen cottages also form part of the property, and in these the technical trades masters are being accommodated

THE BOYS FROM STEPNEY MOVED TO GOLDINGS ON THE 19th APRIL 1922, BUT THE OFFICIAL OPENING
BY THE PRINCE OF WALES IN NOVEMBER 1922 IS SOMEWHAT CLOUDED IN MYSTERY AS THE STONE
TABLET ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE FRONT DOOR SHOWS THE 15th OF NOVEMBER, THIS DATE HAS
BEEN SHOWN TO BE INCORRECT, AND WAS IN ACTUAL FACT THE 17th NOVEMBER
(Source Barnardo’s)
THE PRINCE HAD RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A TOUR OF THE FAR EAST (October 1921 to June 1922)
ALONG WITH LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN, AND ONE OF HIS EARLY ENGAGEMENTS WAS TO OPEN GOLDINGS,
ALONG WITH THE WAR MEMORIAL IN HERTFORDS TOWN CENTRE ON THE SAME DAY.

THERE ARE A VARIOUS REASONS OFFERED FOR THIS CHANGE OF DATE FROM THE 15th TO THE 17th I
WILL NOT PROFESS TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE ANSWERS, BUT WILL OFFER UP SOME HISTORICAL FACTS
ABOUT THESE TWO DATES. ON THE 15th OF NOVEMBER 1922, A GENERAL ELECTION WAS CONCLUDED.
THE ONE I TEND TO FAVOUR IS THE 17th WHICH WAS THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF
WILLIAM BAKER....I QUOTE FROM NIGHT AND DAY MARCH 1922, A PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET
DISTRIBUTED BY BARNARDOS
(This is quote from the Prince’s speech on the day)
“I unveil this memorial stone on the second anniversary of the death of William Baker, in whose memory the school was named”
PERHAPS A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THESE FACTS ALTERED THE DATE TO THE 17th, EVEN THOUGH
THE STONE TABLET CLEARLY MARKS THE 15th!

The visit to Goldings of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, on the 17th November, was a great success, and the new
WILLIAM BAKER TECHNICAL SCHOOL was opened with “éclat”
His Royal Highness was welcomed by our Director, Rear Admiral Sir Harry H. Stileman, K.B.E., Mr William McCall
(Chairman of the Council of the Homes) and Members of the Council. His Royal Highness was the guest of Mr Garnett,
the Hon. Governor, at lunch, other guests being: The Duke and Duchess of Somerset, Viscount and Viscountess Hampden,
the Marquess and Marchioness Salisbury, the Bishop of St. Albans and Mrs Furse, Sir Edward and Lady Pearson,
Mrs Reginald Abel Smith (wife of former owner of “Goldings”), Mr H.F. Buxton and Mrs Buxton, Admiral and
Mrs. Sueter and Col. and Mrs. Law.
After the boys had been grouped in front of the fine building, various gifts were presented from the different shops (trades)
to the Prince, who accepted them with a cordial “thank you” in each case, and a handshake to each boy.
The Carpenters shop made a collar and tie box in highly polished maple wood with compartments for studs, links, gloves,
etc with a gold plate, duly inscribed. The Tinsmiths made a hot water toilet can silver plated. The Printers made a photo
book about the history of Dr Barnardo. The Wheelwrights made a wheelbarrow made of stout oak. The Bootmakers shop
made a pair of tan shoes with three ostrich feathers (The Prince of Wales crest) on the insteps.
At the opening ceremony over a thousand Institutional and local friends assembled to cheer the Prince. Mr William McCall,
in a brief speech, told the story of Goldings and of the “great trek” from Stepney in April 1922. This was a red-letter day in
the history of the “Homes”. The boys there would remember that day when they were old men, and they would be proud
that the Prince “ Our Prince” as the people loved to call him had come to see them, to speak to them and give them good
advice, and to open the School. The Prince then unveiled the memorial stone. A great volume of cheers followed, and then
His Royal Highness drove off, but royalty would once more return in later years to carry out another function on behalf of
the school, but this will be mentioned much later in the history of the school.