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How Barbers Cottage Got Its Name
(Very) Old Clayesmorians of a certain age will remember Barber Brooks cutting their hair. At one time his cottage-Barbers Cottage- had a huge sign with the school crest flanked by a comb and a razor. The sign was painted by Ed Sealey a Clayesmore character of the l950s. Apart from doing short back and sides he placed bets, sold the normal range of barbers goods and sold cigarettes and snuff! Your hair cut was charged to your end of term bill. Most boys would put someone else's name down in the sure knowledge that at some point their name too would be taken in vain.Barber Brooks took up his post at the end of the First World War before the Ismays sold the estate and the village and Clayesmore moved in, after having a leg fitted, in the Limb Centre in Roehampton (which still exists)
James Ismay in his book on Iwerne written to commemorate the end of the Great War the landowner states, "Charlie Brooks has decided to become the hair cutter and barber of Iwerne and all the surrounding Villages. I thought it was advisable that he should first try on people not living in Iwerne, so I wrote to the hairdressers where I usually go in London, suggesting he should be taken on by them so as to learn the trade. Messrs Hill and Son of Bond Street replied that they would be pleased to take him, but they had their customers to think of, and said that that they would find another shop where he could start, then, after some experience , he could go to them, and when he was a perfect barber and hair cutter he could open at Iwerne. On the whole I think Hills are right. It is better he should learn on other people first, then become an A1 Barber at Hills, and finally bring his knowledge to Iwerne without any discomfort to us. I am sure he will be a success and if he sells cigarettes etc., he should make a decent living."
David Mitson (53-57)