This is the remarkable story of the secondary schoolboys who attended Ambrose Fleming Grammar Technical School in The Ride, Enfield EN3.

The school was named after Sir John Ambrose Fleming who worked in London as an electrical engineer and physicist. He died in 1945.

The first 60 boys who were selected to attend the school in September 1961 as first years had their classes at Suffolks School in the “huts” beside the school fields in Brick Lane EN3. On Saturday mornings the football team would play their home games at Carterhatch Junior School in Carterhatch Road just half a mile walk away. Gerry Ebbage was the head teacher of Physical Education and the team coach was “Pongo” Mason. Mr Anthony was the headmaster who installed a good work ethic based on life skills with sport playing a vital role in school life.

The boys at Enfield Junior Technical School in the Kingsway at Ponders End also came under the wing of the newly named Grammar Technical School with 2nd year, 3rd year, 4th year, 5th year and 6th form pupils. The staff worked on a split site system during 1961.

When the new building opened in September 1962 in Collinwood Avenue the pupils from both sites came together with a further new 1st year intake of 60 boys .

Bob Lord started teaching at the school in 1962 to assist Gerry Ebbage in the P.E. Department. Paul Knight was appointed at the end of the decade to take over from Gerry and in the 1970’s Stef Wright was the main teacher in charge of football, before he moved back to South Wales to live and work. Colin Moore, who had attended the school in 1961 as a 6th former, later returned as a craft teacher at the school.  He made a significant impact being on the Old Boys committee as Chair before he moved to Wellington, New Zealand to set up a travel business and raise a family. John Smith, who had joined the school staff in 1961 as a science teacher, was another member of staff who gave great support to the Club right through until 1984. Neil Saunders also gave valuable support to the Club before he moved to Kingsmead School in Southbury Road with the remaining pupils when the school closed in 1987 due to falling rolls.

7th October 2022