Minchenden Grammar School
Former school in Southgate, London, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Minchenden School was a mixed secondary school situated in Southgate, North London, established in 1919 with 90 pupils.[1] It merged with Arnos School in 1984.
| Minchenden School Minchenden Grammar School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
High Street Southgate , London | |
| Coordinates | 51.63035°N 0.12952°W |
| Information | |
| Motto | Robur durabit |
| Established | 1919 |
| Closed | 1984 |
Local authority | Middlesex (1919-1965) Enfield (1965-1984) |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Colour | Green |
| Website | http://www.minchenden.org/ |
History
The school was established in 1919 in Tottenhall Road as a mixed secondary school. In 1924, it moved to Southgate House, where it remained until 1987.[2] The staff and pupils built an observatory.[3] From 1960 to the early 1980s, there was an annexe in the Fox Lane school, Palmers Green.[1] The annexe catered for the 1st 2 years of pupils. The school's English department was particularly strong. Head of English Douglas Barnes 1959-1966 introduced a series of important innovations in teaching methods. In 1967, Minchenden Grammar School was converted from a grammar school to Minchenden School, a comprehensive school, with the upper school in High Street and the lower school in Fox Lane.[1] It was merged with Arnos School in 1984 to form Broomfield School, after the Conservative council sold the extensive playing fields to a development company to build homes, with the original Southgate House protected as a Grade I listed building.
The building is now used by Durants School, having previously been used by Southgate College.
Former teachers
- James Kirkup, poet
Notable alumni
- Graham Robert Allan, mathematician and an expert on Banach algebras, Professor of Pure Mathematics from 1970 to 1978 at the University of Leeds
- Neville Brody (born 1957), graphic designer, typographer and art director
- Prof. Harold Brookfield (born 1926), scholar of rural development, Australian National University
- Prof Peter Clarricoats CBE, Professor of Electronic Engineering from 1968 to 1997 at Queen Mary and Westfield, and vice-president from 1989 to 1991 of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (since 2006 the Institution of Engineering and Technology) Fellow of the Royal Society (1990)
- Nick Dunning, actor - credits include The Tudors, My Boy Jack, Alexander[citation needed]
- Judy Dyble (1949–2020), Singer songwriter and founder member of Fairport Convention
- Irving Finkel (born 1951), philologist and Assyriologist
- Professor Brian J Ford (born 1939), scientist, author, broadcaster and lecturer
- Lynne Franks (born 1948), public relations innovator
- Judy Fryd (1909–2000), political campaigner
- Hazel Genn (born 1949), legal academic
- Anthony Giddens, Baron Giddens (born 1938), sociologist, Director from 1997 to 2003 of the London School of Economics
- John Hodge (1929–2021), engineer and NASA flight director
- Jana Jeruma-Grinberga (born 1953) former bishop in the Lutheran Church
- Peter Kellner (born 1946), journalist and political commentator
- William Orbit (born 1956), musician, composer and record producer
- Chris Pond (born 1952), Labour MP from 1997 to 2005 for Gravesham
- David Puttnam, Baron Puttnam (born 1941), film producer and politician
- Martin Rushent (born 1948), record producer
- Peter Sallis (1921–2017), actor
- Sir Peter Soulsby (born 1948), mayor of Leicester and former Labour MP for Leicester South
- Barry Took (1928–2002), comedian, writer and television presenter
- John Wimpenny (1922–2015), aerodynamicist and holder of the world record for man-powered flight for ten years from 1962, when he flew the Hatfield Puffin over a distance of 995 yards.