Drummonds – Nostalgia Central

1 9 8 5 (UK)
10 x 60 minute episodes
1 9 8 7 (UK)
10 x 60 minute episodes

Premiering on Friday 30 August 1985, this LWT production was set in Drummonds Preparatory School for Boys – a small Sussex boys’ school – in 1956.

While most quiet British public schools in the fifties were humdrum, there was no hum about Drummonds, which – with all its scandals and murders – was more like Boot Hill than Grange Hill.

Richard Pasco starred as the crusty old headmaster, widower George Drummond, who was in charge of a school that had seen better times, and was desperately trying to come to terms with the fast-moving fifties and everything from the Suez Crisis to Bill Haley.

Meanwhile, he presided over 90 small boys, an eccentric collection of staff, parents who interfered to varying degrees, and a dog called Sam.

George was assisted by his 25-year-old son, Charles (Anthony Calf), who frequently broke school rules – and hearts.

Ciaran Madden co-starred as Mary Prior, the elegant widowed mother of one of the school’s new pupils, young Edward (played by the Haley twins, Nicholas and Jonathan, who shared the role).

Romance gradually ensued between George and Mary, and at the end of the series (on 1 November 1985), he proposed to her.

When the series returned on 24 April 1987, they were now married and Mary had moved with young Edward into the headmaster’s house.

There was loving attention to period detail and some impressive performances amongst the schoolboy cast.  The series was filmed at Amesbury Preparatory School in Hindhead, Surrey.

George Drummond
Richard Pasco
Mary Drummond/Prior
Ciaran Madden
Charles Drummond
Anthony Calf
Edward Prior
Jonathan Haley (1)
Nicholas Haley (2)
Susan Pusey
Cherith Mellor
Pauline Sykes
Emily Morgan
Christopher Fordham
Shaughan Seymour
Dorothy Fisher
Sheila Keith
Dr Sigmund ‘Siggy’ Gunz
John Grillo
Major Bertie Braithwaite
Antony Brown
Patrick Heritage
Morris Perry
Philip Bennett
David Firth
Audrey Stephenson
Lydia Lisle
Wendy Ferguson
Vanessa Knox-Mawer
Sir Foster Gill
Raymond Francis
Arlene
Pat Keen
Andy Sykes
Neil Pearson
Miranda Quinn
Hetty Baynes
Oliver Chatham
Timothy Stark
Rona Dance
Leesa Cameron
Barton
Oliver White
Fairbanks
Peter Fillery
Seloe
Robin Ridgley
Steiner
Stephen Bowman
Jamie Fleetwood
Harry Iggulden

Episodes

Once Again Assembled Here | Staff and Comfort | Accusations | God’s in His Heaven | A Woman Lost and Found | It’s Magic | A Breath of Fresh Air | Steiner | The Prize | Return Match || Fathers and Sons | Sweethearts | Labour of Love | Braindead and Tinman | Decisions, Decisions | Publish and Be Damned | Old Flames | The Meeting | Men of Principle | Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

Video