Hampton School and Lady Eleanor Holles School have stood side-by-side for almost 90 years. Over these decades, there have been several different attitudes to breaches over the border dividing boys and girls.

Initially, during the construction of the two sites in 1937, LEH applied for permission to erect a “wire of chain link fence on the boundary between their school and the new Hampton Grammar School” to physically separate the pupils.

Further enforcement was implemented in the post-war period, as Staff were reportedly diligent in their patrolling of the fence to keep pupils from so much as even talking to one another over the fence. Former pupils from the 1970’s and 80’s even recall Hampton Schools Headmaster, Mr. G. Alexander, driving his Mini Cooper routinely along the boundary to ensure Hamptonians kept their distance and out of trouble with the LEH Headmistress.

Legend has it, that the rules were so strict, that when the phrase “Blow your trumpet Jerico” was graffitied onto the barrier, the Headmaster, Mr. G. Alexander, agreed to leave it in situ as “it was so appropriate”.

However, on the 27th September 2019, Hampton Headmaster, Mr. K. Knibbs, and LEH Head Mistress, Mrs. H. Hanbury, oversaw the official opening of a New School Gate. Joined by a group of pupils and staff, the new gates further solidify the already close relationship between the two Schools.
Today, Hampton and LEH pupils enjoy close links across many areas of School life, including joint musical and drama productions, sharing the facilities at the Boat House, and being taught together in Sixth Form Curriculum Enrichment lessons. The new gateways were built into the boundary fencing to ensure boys and girls can cross between the two sites in the safest and quickest way possible.

Do you remember the barrier between the two sites?