Born in Sheffield House, on the 3rd May 1930.
Written by our historian and from the notes given by
Mrs. Shirley Floyd December 2011.
Sheffield followed a similar design to those of the other houses at Kingham Hill. The purpose being a home for 30 boys and provide a full family life. Its not surprising then this concept governed the internal design of the house, and its supervision. Sheffield consisted of three large rooms downstairs. Playroom, dining room, living room and a kitchen; then the smaller rooms, superintendent's office, bathroom, washroom a boot room and the toilets. Upstairs there were three large dormitories for the boys; also bedrooms for staff and a night toilet and laundry room. If was not long before the staff in the homes were referred to as house parents, the term of house superintendent was consigned to our history book.
One such set of house parents at Sheffield were Mr. & Mrs. Floyd. Truth be known that Percy Floyd was in fact one of the original pupils of the school and came to The Hill, after being interviewed by our founder when it was then Kingham Hill Homes for Boys. Percy Floyd, after completing his education at school, was asked to stay on and became the Hills Taylor. In time after he had married his fiancée Ellen Deuster, some time later they became house parents at Sheffield. In those days the term of house parents was in the fullest sense of the word, life for the boys was very much family orientated in their houses, meals being cooked in the kitchens and eaten in the house dining room etc..
On the 3rd May 1930 Mrs. Ellen Floyd gave birth to their son Robert.
Robert Floyd (affectionately known to many of us boys and staff as Bobby); grew up on The Hill, including his schooling. On completion of his school years, Robert then took an apprenticeship in the carpenters shop on The Hill. He gained his indentures on completion of this work. Robert remained working at school as the carpenter. In 1948 he left The Hill for a brief two year period joining the Royal Air Force. This period was in fact for National Service. This was a mandatory service that had been re-imposed by the British government in 1947; this was only for men to enlarge the armed forces.
At first national service was for an 18-month term, but later was extended to a two year period. This compulsory military service was also referred to as conscription or Call-up, in 1960 this ceased to be compulsory.
On completion of his national service Robert Floyd returned to The Hill to take up his duties again as the school carpenter. In 1959 Bobby married his sweetheart Shirley Scarsbrook who came from Moreton-in-Marsh. During the course of their marriage they were blessed with a daughter Debra born on 16th September 1960. Two years later, their son Andrew was born on the 22nd of March 1963. The family remained on The Hill for a few years, and in 1978 they moved to a house in Kingham village, 'Roshdean' in West Street, one of the K.H.Trusts properties.
Shirley describes the house as their dream home. Then in 1993 whilst on holiday in Wales, tragedy struck the family. Robert collapsed, and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. The tumour was removed, but after this Robert was unable to return to his duties at the school. This meant that they were moved out of the K.H. Trusts premises, and moved to a flat in Chipping Norton. Over the next four years the malignant tumour grew back. Whilst as a patient in the John Radcliffe Infirmary Oxford, Robert Floyd passed away on the 2nd May 1997.
This Photo of Bobby was taken while on a family holiday in Northumberland in the early 1980's, supplied for publication by the kind permission of Mrs. Shirley Floyd.
Robert Floyd is survived by his wife Shirley, their daughter Debra and son Andrew Floyd.
