Interesting colour postcard of school for sale on EBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1040665575
Interesting colour postcard of scholl for sale on EBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1040665575
Really pleased to see this initative. As I get older wondered what happened to old school mates etc.
Photos brought back mwemories.
In the 1951/52 U15 cricket photo supplied by Peter Smith, the umpire (extreme right, back row) is Michael “Dixie” Dean who was, in fact, older that the rest and part of the 1946 intake. He later became a considerable rugby referee (although I have a resentful recollection of him learning the craft in about 1957: it was OGRFC Ex B XV and my first season of rugby ever – I didn’t play at School – and I ran the length of the field to touch the ball down for my first try. Dixie, from 60 yards away, disallowed the try because he thought I might not have grounded it correctly!). The masters are (R – L) Bomford, Stevens and Lane. Stevens’s other love, besides cricket, was bridge and I believe he was a strong player. He restarted the School Chess Club in 1948, not because he was much of a player but because he thought a school of our standing ought to play chess. I was eternally grateful. Sadly, he died in harness and it was not until decades later that I discovered that he took his own life.
YOUR WEBSITE IS A JOY. I was at Harrow County School from 1917 or 1918 until 1925. I am now 92 so my memory is not too sharp. Jack Powell was my great friend and a fellow athlete. He won the Championship and I won the Victor Ludorum in about 1923 or 1924. I was taught by Beeky Fooks, and had the pleasure of visiting him in his home on several occasions. my chief interests at school seem to have been athletics and Rugby with a little cricket thrown in. After school I was sent on a two year apprenticeship course with J.Lyons and Co. a course reseved for the sons of the Managers. I remained with the company....through various mergers...Fropax. Eskimo, Findus, Union International and finally Nestle , until my retirement......apart from 6 years' war service in the Navy. During the War I wa in Russian convoys in HMS Somali and transferred to Combined Operations and Landing Craft. I landed at Le Hamel near Arromanches ,at H Hour on D Day, and was awarded the first DSC of the Normandy invasion. Sadly my wife died in 1970, but quite by chance I was lucky enough to meet the second love of my life in 1973.We were married in 1974 and have lived happily ever after!! We live in Chagford in Devon...and idyllic spot. I have one son and happily inherited two step daughters and one stepson. I have several old photos of rugby teams and will attempt to scan them and send them to you if you would like them.
Early warning of Priestmead reunion.
The following has been copied from the Friendsreunited.com website entry for Priestmead School. I'll post more information as and when it becomes available.
1962 and earlier reunion - 22 May 2002 from 17.30 to 21.00, at the school. Being organized by William Mesley (billm@qmsstep.com ) who refers to himself as Bill Mesley but I will never ever think of as anyone other than Billy Mesley. (Bill went on to Kingsbury not HCS!)
A chance to look around the school, meet long lost friends, and recharge those aging memory banks! Reunion open to all ex-pupils (and their families) who attended Priestmead school in 1962 or before. Small financial contribution will be requested to cover cost of buffet snacks.
Further details will be announced later. Please send email to confirm your interest, and to receive updated information on the reunion: 62reunion@qmsstep.com
John Parker - Priestmead 1952 - 1959
PS to previous note re Jerry Dicker's comments: Jerry, I just re-read your note and realised I had missed the exclamation mark! I read it as "... I don't know why I shall need ..." 0 out of 10 for mis-reading the question! (Why does that sound familiar?)
Geoff
Re Jerry Dicker's comments about the ID cards for 9th Dec: (Hi Jerry) I saw some photos of the 90th reunion in March and there was the illustrious Harry Mees with a paper ticket stuck to his jacket with his name hand written on. Probably did the job well enough, but as I can offer a more professional card for the 9th Dec, I thought I would do so - Harry, at least, deserves something a bit better! Also, to quote your own note re dates at end of names: "I find it helpful when others do this as I recognize so few names". I think we'll have an even harder job recognising faces after 40 years without names attached!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again, and hopefully recognising a few.
Geoff Lambert (1955-62)
OK,I give in. I'm coming to the backstage reunion.
How can I not come if Harry Mees is coming?
By the way, due to a complex timetabling problem, three of us had stagecraft lessons from Harry formally timetabled in as part of our tuition in S6M (me, Eric Weinstein and Tony Phillips). I don't know whether stagecraft has ever been formally taught since. Any thoughts?
I put my dates at HCS after my name. I find it helpful when others do this as I recognize so few names. Slightly dreading the BTS reunion on 9th Dec in case I don't know a soul.
At least there will be Geoff Lambert. I remember you Geoff but I don't know why! I shall need those badges you are doing.
Will also be very glad to meet Ken Waller. He and Don Kincaid are the two who made most beneficial impact on me. I owe them for my love of languages and linguistics.
Johnny Pither also asked if anyone remembers him. I do. We bumped into each other in a pub in Solihull in about 1965.
I just read back a few messages and saw reference to one Turnbull who allegedly grabbed hair and twisted it. He was called "Cheese" because of this but I never understood the conection. He was Irish, taught English but got his notes muddled on the desk in front of him and thought it funny to change people's names. He called me "Flicker", Brian Gowlett was "Growlett", Derek Minor was "Major" etc. Ho ho ho Mr Turnbull. But I liked him. Weird.
jimmy henderson (1944-51) - involved in cricket, rugby, water polo, & dramatics ...
nostalgia is definitely what it used to be! would like to be put in touch with a contemporary barry clifton.
Does anyone know the whereabouts or anything else of Stephen Deeds, 1953 -1958?
Having been out of touch with all things HCS for 40 years, it feels very strange to suddenly come back to it again. Many memories were awakened by reading material on the web site, and it is fascinating to look back on those days from an adult perspective, and realise that other pupils felt the same about many of the aspects of HCS school life in the 50's and 60's that I thought were unique to me.
I look foward to keeping in closer touch now I have my retirement years ahead of me!
Geoff Lambert (1955-1962)
Perhaps I can add to the identifications on the recently posted 2c - 1961 form photo. This was my year, but not my form.
Back row (L-R): 1. Sinfield 2. ?? 3. Seward or Steward 4. John Mahaffey 5. John Purse 6. Malcolm Lewendon 7. Keith Harrison 8. John Stanard 9. ?? 10. "Buzz" Perry 11. ?? 12. ??
Middle Row (L-R):
1. "Yogi" Martinoga 2. Steve Provins 3. (David ?) Berry 4. David O'Brian 5. ?? 6. Leonard Webb 7. Jim Harris 8. Peter Pinfield 9. ?? 10. Hopkinson 11. ?? 12. Edward Lucas
Front Row (L-R):
1. ?? 2. ?? 3. ?? 4. ?? 5. Malcolm Booth 6. ?? 7. Mr John Bodiam 8. Messenger 9. ?? 10. John Kerr (not related to me) 11. (Terry ?) Ross 12. John Allen 13. ??
Anyone know where Nick Creamer is? If not, send donations to .........................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simpson's son was called Jimmy. As a prefect, he once famously jumped out of the lower VIth window to defend some boys who were being belaboured by the father of one Dare, who claimed they had been bullying him. I heard Jimmy is no longer with us, but no details.
Yes, I remember Mike Smith well - red hair and freckles. Also his mother whose famous remark as a teacher of chemistry was "I can teach a stone". she certainly helped get me through A levels, Higher Schools as it was then. I had long gone before Simpson's famous woodpecker remark but recall vividly his "Boys respond well to the short, sharp shock of the cane", soon to be followed by his self vindication that just about evey offence, real or imagined, was " A clear case for corporal punishment" - all in the accent of that famous son of Arbroath, Harry Lawder. As I recall, Simpson had a son in the school. I wonder where he is and what he has to say about all these recollections.
Mike Smith, and others of mature vintage, might like to know more of "Nig" Swallow and "Dai" John. Both became doctors and both played rugby for the Old Gayts. Dai became a consultant GU surgeon at Mount Vernon Hospital (among others) and Nig went into general practice, latterly for many years in Olney, Bucks (famous for its annual pancake races), where he starred in the village rugby club. He once had to leave the pitch when a patient had a heart attack on the touch line and accompany him to hospital, muddy as he was, in the ambulance. I played once or twice with Nig and it was from him that I learnt why gin is known as "mothers’ ruin": it used to be distilled into lead vats and lead poisoning brought many pregnancies to a premature conclusion.
Sadly, both are now gone; Nig died of leukaemia and Dai of cancer, both still, I think, in their sixties.
Tech Studies, balloon project. 4 boys to a team, early 70's, design and build a balloon with candle powered basket underneath.
Lesson, slit your oppos' balloon fabric, tread on it during construction etc.
Out of 5 or 6 worked on only one got into the air in the outer quad and burst into flames at about 30ft over the cricket pitch, much to the delight of the opposing teams.
One term's work but the the plane spotters by the flag pole ran for cover.
rgds
Thank you Jeffrey. Interesting site bringing back flashes of memory from the early/mid 60s. I seem to have forgotten more than most – but then "could do better" always was the refrain on my reports. No memorabilia to prompt me I'm afraid – it was all binned in the 70s during a house move. In the 4B photo of 1963 I am indeed the fourth in from the right, front row. The third in from the left is not me - the name Sadler comes to mind. Edward Kerr – do I know you? You obviously have some memory of me, but the surname only style of the school at that time doesn't help. Love and Peace to all who vaguely remember me. My respects, as always, to Harry Mees, Jim Golland, Gerry Lafferty and Bernie Marchant, none of whom will remember me as well as I do them (I hope). From John who is currently enjoying work and life in Ghana.
A CHALLENGE
Can we, by co-operative efforts, pin down the date of Square's famous woodpecker shoes remark. I was at HCS 1959-1966 so that's one date bracket.
More precisely though the remark was made in the run of some School production or other because that night or the following a leading character changed a line to refer to a woodpecker. My memory is a bit dusty but I would hazard a guess that the actor was Michael Armstrong. So would it have been Volpone in 1962?
By the way did the reference to "shortie raincoats" and "third-class Swedish commercial travellers" occur in the same diatribe?
Answers on a postcard to this vistors book please.
Regards,
John Parker
Further to recent pics the 1964 3c pic name are,with a few I cannot remember ( sorry guys know the face etc.... ) as follow: Back row: ?/Rowe/?/?/Constant/Tarrant/Hasleden/Munns/Jones/Morgan/?/Hooley/Leaman Middle row: West/Cove/Bennett/Smith/Starke/Bradley/Wooding/Howell/Loveday/?/Palmer/?/Davies Front row: ?/?/Wallace/Johnson/?/CPOD/Bellman/Cheeseman.S/?/?/Cheeseman Great to see so many old...literally now...faces,hope all are well and doing ok, have had the pleasure of chatting to/meeting several in recent times.
I was at Harrow County from 1966 until 1973. This is a great site and lot's of fun to look at old pictures. Thanks!
With all this talk of metalwork class, I will happily accept anything for the archive, including boot scrapers. Did anyone ever make a device for attaching my coffee cup to my chair so that it is to hand as I wheel myself around the archive room?
It is refreshing to learn from Ralph Jones' query about Stanley Robinson that someone older than me reads this page! Robinson was still at school when I left but I understand he left soon after for a job at a school run by the Anglo-Iranian Oil company in Iran. I heard that he eventually returned to England. It was only after I left school and started travelling around that I began to appreciate what his geography lessons were all about but he was a good teacher. During the war he was very active with the school's Air Training Corp and undertook the thankless job of taking us on week-long camps. He developed eraser and chalk throwing to a high art form!
I see from the BBC website that Harrow High School has the worst record for GCSEs in the educational authority. I'm a little out of touch, is that significantly worse than usual?
Re: Ralph Jones comments 18 Nov.
Stanley Robinson was a family friend of ours. He took a teaching position in Persia before I started at HCS. He had 2 children, I believe his daughter lives in Western Australia.
Peter Morey, Sydney.
The names for the 52/53 Cross Country Team from left to right are:- Back row, A. Wilson, T. Gough, x, x, J.Green, x, front row, M.Humphrey, L. Chapman, T.Youdale, C. Crinson, B. Lord, X, C.Gent. The reason for the "strange" team selection for the Queens Park Harriers Relay was that I picked the teams( with Charlie Crinson's smiling approval) and because of ARS's rule that Rugby came first, some of the team were only part time cross country. I decided that the full time runners would be the "A" team and the part timers(even if they were better runners) would be the "B" team. It seemed the right thing to do and it was a way I( and Charlie Crinson) could have a dig at ARS. Tony Youdale
Isn't it interesting how other people see us? Richard Mogg calls my piece on A.R.Simpson a 'vitriolic diatribe' and Colin Dickins expresses shock at what he perceives as my deep hatred of Simpson (or words to that effect).
As a leading member of Brent Council during its most dysfunctional period (when it was controlled by what Private Eye called 'the only Conservative / Black Power coalition in the world'), I can write vitriolic diatribes and turn on the hatred (synthetic or genuine) without even trying. But it just wasn't so in this case.
I really did try to take out any dislike for Simpson and write a thoughtful piece about him as objectively as I could. I tried to give him credit where credit was dure, recognising that the world in which he operated was a very different place from what it is now. I thought I had. As I said, isn't it interesting how other people see us?
Re: Staff Photo 1966
Michael Schwartz is certainly right wrt Mr Whiteway/Whiteley (will have to check on the right name). He was number 2 to Reg (Foggy) Goff. He taught me economics and predicted I would fail A level. So I got a grade A and went to LSE. Still economics never was an exact science!
3L front is certainly Cyril Atkins.
Regards,
John Parker...from work this time.
Postscript; In reviewing past comments, Pete Lawson may be right, Jack (metalwork) may have left earlier than my memory serves me.
I started in '71 and I didn't think they trusted anyone with any dangerous kit (apart from the staff) that early.
If they did we certainly abused it but my hammer is now 30 years old!
Kids will be more impressed.
rgds
The 'Mr Collins debate' moves on.
I made a lightweight hammer in metalwork (approx 1973).
Only took me a year, would have been cheaper to buy one from Woolies.
Jack took pity on me and stopped me from losing too many fingers in the process. Still have my body parts and hammer which is indestructable, even my kids are almost impressed. Jack grunted that I should go into banking.
It's not always what you are taught that counts!
At least I can hold the quill pen and flick through the ledgers.
rgds to all.
A real blast from the past - fascinating. I'm astonished (and pleased to see) some of my teachers are still going strong!
Peter King (HCS 1970-1977)
I will have a crack at the back row of 1966 teachers. From the left: T J Jones (I hope that Paul Ware and I are the only two still psychologically scarred by this individual's teaching techniques), Mr Hartley (number two to Mr Edwards), Mr King, Mr Wood, Mr Giles, Mr Gibbs, MrBurt, Mr Whiteway/Whiteley (number two to Mr Goff), Mr Hoare, Mr Boucher, Mr Mason, Mr A N Anderson, ?, Mr Walker, Mr Goodchild, Mr Davis, Mr Kincaid, a foreign language assistant.
Mr Bob Tyler and Mr Boggy Marsh are both in the middle row (6th from left and 3rd from right).
Is the third from left in the front row Mr Cyril Atkins, the school secretary?
Re new 1950 HCS Athletic Team, Front Row, take the question mark from Bill Bowley - definitely him and two to the right of Swanny is my old friend Terence Edward Golding (see also cricket 1st Xl same year)
Roy Goldman
Someone asked about Jack in Metalwork. I remember he retired and emigrated to Tasmania in 1970 or 71. In Assembly, Joe persented him with a leaving gift from everyone. The cheers took the roof off.
The only thing I recall making in Metalwork (1957) was an ink-bottle holder. The move to boot scrapers must reflect some subtle shift of priorities from the academic to the athletic.
Re: Photograph - Prefects 1964
Some names:
Top row extreme right - Geoff Haynes-Stiles
Middle row extreme left - Lesley Gilliland third from left - Bruce Varley sixth from left - Steve Graham
Front row third from left - Dick Thwaites
Regards,
John Parker
Mention of Herbie Collins prompts me to ask if any rugby boot scrapers still exist. For those not in the know the first item that everyone made in metalwork was said rugby boot scraper. Now that's an item that ought to be in the archive.
Regards
John Parker
Further to previous message I obtained B in English but failed typing !!!!!!
Interesting to see references to "Herbie" Collins,( metalwork master ) . whever happened to Jack ? (who helped in the metalworkshop and was very generous with ciggies to those who smoked in the days when it was good for you !! ) The one question that has always made me wonder though...what happened to the pavilion fund monies our parents were conned out of term after term with no sign of a new pavilion ever occuring? it must be worth a few bob now so can we have a divi? Answers please or its a Panorama special !! :)
For Paul Ware
Surely Plug its Spell Czech
Dave
Bottom right in staff photo is Mrs Baul and bottom right in 1964 prefects photo is Roger Swinburn. Up the back is Bob Burke.
Does anyone else remember the political discussion group led ably by Messrs Bilson and Lafferty as an alternative to cadets etc on Fridays?
I have a recollection of Jock Lafferty telling us of his days as a Guiness salesman.
Looking back I can only assume that we were considered to beyond help already or we surely wouldn't have been entrusted to the care of sch a pair of radicals!
Probably my fondest memories of the school - although it probably accounted for my later spending far too much time trying unsuccessfully to change the world.
While I didn't join the school until '69, I think I can fill in some of the remaining gaps in the 1966 School staff photo. The unknown between D'Arcy and Marchant in the middle row is Bob Tyler. The teacher on the far left on the front row is Mr Collins (who taught metalwork?). Also, and I may be wrong, I think that the gentleman identified as Dave Burt in the back row is, in fact 'Digger' Pearce. Argue if you dare.
Martin Flack is right of course. Blame Bill Gates' spellchecker (he must have a home in the Hantmans).
Apologies to my old friend Dave Hantman--and to Jeff Maynard for a Texan daring to make New York jokes. -pw
Paul,a freudian slip for Dave Hantman, or do I need glasses?!
The 1966 staff photo is a little low res. for me to be sure (you're being a bit mean with your bytes, Jeff) but I suspect that the staff member on the extreme left at the back is the mad Mr. Jones I mentioned in my letter of 7/18/01.
As for Laurence Lando's comment about no black or Asian faces in the Jubilee photo of the school...if you mean the 1971 photo, Laurence, until Jeff increases the resolution of the jpgs, I would recommend the services of Dave Hampton, ex-HCBS and now a practising optometrist just around the corner in Preston Road.
If anyone's interested, that photograph was taken largely at the instigation of the subsequently very famous and wonderful Clive Anderson. I remember Harry Mees rolling his eyes at the School Council meeting while Clive told Roy that the whole, proud school body would be disappointed if the Diamond Jubilee went by without a photograph being taken. And the funny thing is that--although at the time the two words that immediately came to mind were "brown" and "nose"--I'm now very glad the photo WAS taken!
OK Staff photo guesses...Mr Marsh next to Mr Bunting? Douggie Gray next to Mr Skillen. I'm not sure - but then again, I never was!
And I also think that to Dave Burt's left is Mr Clark and that the lady on the bottom right is Mrs Ball, the Head's secretary. (Common Room photo '66)
Addictive, isn't it? Just when I thought I really would go and do something useful I had to come and see if there was any mention of the Animation Society. Not found any reference yet but there's still a lot of this site to explore.
Do any of Armstrong's films still exist?
While we're on the topic of less official entertaiments, has anybody got any material on the Christmas Ents...Chiarascuro...the variation of the famous advert.."You're never alone with a Strand"
The attic beckons.
John Parker Romsey Hampshire England
parkerjsxx@aol.com
What a find. I didn't know this website existed until this evening. Already found three lost colleagues. Found myself two or three times in photos.
Any ex-members of the CCF Signals Platoon out there? Break and lunch tine in the Signals Hut and, if you were ever so careful, you could skive off games there too.
So where are Dick Thwaites, Steve Grimes, Bruce King, Brian Payne, Puff Bayliss etc etc.
I've found Roland Tebbenham with whom I used to sell tickets for the school plays when I wasn't on stage dropping 14 foot book flats. I used to be a fully qualified member of the 14 foot book flat club. Any one else out there knows what that means?
I've even found someone I was at primary school with and then we both went on to HCS.
There's only one trouble with this site...I meant to do some work this evening but I've been reading the guest book for an hour and spent another hour trawling the photos. Still I retire in 6 years...keep the site going I've got a lot of reading to do, e-mails to write and boxes to search through in the attic.
Thanks to all who contribute and Jeff for setting the thing up and running it.
I'll be back for more stories of Ubi, Sparge, Swannie, Lefty Wright, Square, the prefects strike when Cowan joined the School, CCF camps etc, the time we set the school on fire on the last day of term, potassium permangate in the swimming pool. The list goes on. Its amazing what can stimulate the old grey cells to reconnect!
Regards to all...
John Parker Romsey Hampshire England
parkerjsxx@aol.com
Just seen the Common Room Photo of 1966. I can fill gaps as follows:
Middle row, sixth from left: Mr Tyler (Head Of German)
Bottom row, far left: Mr Collins (Head of Technical Drawing and Metalwork).
I was at HCS from 1934 - 1940. One of my form masters was S J Robinson who had good results from me. Does anyone remember him; and did he go abroad after the Second World War? Does anyone know what happened to Nat Sherman?
Ralph Jones
GAYTON TIMES
I notice various extracts from the Gaytonian.
But there was also the pupil produced "Gayton Times" produced intermittently through the '50s
I think the prime mover was Geoff Spring.
Do any copies survive ?
Just recently found this site - Going through the entries brings back all sorts of memories - mostly I remember enjoying myself at HCSB, though I do recall that I worked through fear of what would happen to me if I didn't!! (Waller's flying board rubber etc.) I remember some of the names but not many faces to go with them. If anyone remembers me from then - I was in 1B,2D,3C,4beta,51 and the scouts - it would be good to hear from you.
Fascinating to find this site - it brought back a lot of old memories
Michael, satisfied users might also include:
'Ah! Smith.I saw that you were the first to write in the original guestbook - you're in detention.'G.H.Cowan esq
'Maynard - you damn rabbit!' (come on - guess who)
To Paul Romney; yeth I agree wis you.
Shouldn't that be photothynthethith, Bunting?
Tomorrow one year will have passed since Jeff Maynard started to count the number of "hits" on his website. At the time of writing they have totalled 40,790. This means an average of roughly 112 hits every day.
Satisfied users include:
"An average of 112 per day. Well, you know, this reminds me of the average scores Walter Hammmmond used to achieve at Bristol and Gloucester" Walter William Lane.
"Indeed, Maynard. You have spurned idleness. You have achieved the successful prosecution of a website. It should, all things notwithstanding, have been rendered in oratio obliqua" Bernard Marchant.
"Make no mistake about this, Harrow County! This is a tremendous and very real achievement in the face of international competition" Joseph Roy Avery.
This is incomparably excellent. Do you see, Maynard? Do you see? By the way, what's the website situation in Polish?" Kenneth Waller
"A cosmopolitan hobbledehoy in a shortee coat and winkle-pickers" ARS (and I didn't even know the guy...)
"That's ma boy!" Gerard Lafferty
"Er, whoy have you thet up an webthite in thkool? What doeth thith have to do with photosynthethith?" J F Bunting
"You can see now that the Hapsburg Empire and the Great Western Railway were in a state of collapse. Or they were until Jeff Maynard set up his website" Harold Mees
"Ah, Flaubert! Ah, Voltaire! Ah, Moliere! Ah, Maynard!" Geoffrey Salter
"Harrow County was a disaster area. I was caned seventeen times a day before Square sent me off to work a twelve-hour shift in a coalmine. In fact, sometimes even today I have to rest my bum in a specially padded chair in the office at Liverpool University where I am experiencing a socially deprived life as a professor" Peter Fowler (got you, you bugger!).
Greetings to ninety years of Gaytonians
Michael Schwartz
I was at HCS in the war years from about 1943 to 1946. I did little to make people remeber me but somebody just might. I was in 4th Harrow Scouts and later in 10th Harrow and as a Cubmaster in 6th Harrow. If anyone is in touch with Roy Hargreaves who is in the ACF photo in 1947 and whom I met again in Canada in 1960 please let me know
Wish Harrow County Girls School had a site as good as yours!! (I was there from 1969 - 1973 and would love to hear from anyone who remembers me. My maiden name was Welford).
Simpson the Cricketer (from Crickinfo site)
Sorry on copy and paste much data was lost.
For those interested the source URL is: http://www.cricket.org/link_to_database/PLAYERS/ICC/SCOT/SIMPSON_AR_30027509/
Simpson the Cricketer (from Crickinfo site)
Alexander Russell Simpson Born: 28 February 1905, Dunfermline, Fife Died: 10 November 1975, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England Major Teams: Scotland. Known As: Alexander Simpson Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Other: Wicket-Keeper
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Statistics: FIRST-CLASS (1924 - 1934) M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 12 22 6 101 19* 6.31 0 0 14 10
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ Bowling - - - - - - - - - -
I must have had more of my fare share of 'violence' from masters at HCS. Whetther it be being caned by Square; had many board rubbers directed at my head by a geography master; slippered by same gent with a chalk cross on my shorts! Col Bingham did come into my frame as I took o and A level Biology; but I did not encounter his 'punishment, even though I did 'retire' from the CCF early:)
As for anti-semitism, this was latent among boys and masters, but so it was within the comminity. Take a look at the Jubillee photograph of the school, no black or asian faces, few lady teachers.
Speaks volumes for our society.
However I did enjoy my schooldays at HCS and regret the demise of the selection system that made it a launch pad for many.
Laurence
Was Square a Soviet agent?
Several contributions to this Guest Book have focused on Square's reactionary elitist views and mentioned his derogatory use of the term "cosmopolitanism" as a code word for Jews.
I am struck by the similarity in Square's terminology and that of Joseph Stalin in the early 1950's, when he launched his campaign of anti-semitism culminating in the Doctor's plot.
Apparently, during the war, some pro-communist elements at HCS daubed the Inner Quad with a large "Open the Second Front" slogan. Would this even have gone un-noticed in the depths of the Lubyanka?
Was Square's arrival in 1946 an accident?
He did a remarkably good job (Portillo aside) as a recruiting agent for the left.
Alas for Square and his controllers, by 1968 the Trots, Anarchists and Peaceniks became the predominant force on the left and Square was "retired".
A few minutes cease-fire, please, from the Simpson-era artillery-barrage polemics. Like some wartime medic or tank recovery engineer, I have some bits and pieces to "patch up".
Graham Wells, thank you for finding your copy of the 1971-2 A6A photo. I was looking for mine everywhere. You are right in your identification of Andrew Ritchie and me. Whether Martin Bouskila's name was Bouskila or Bouskilla I can not remember. The impersonation by Alec Hirshfield of Martin was a master-piece considering how much these two loved one another...
Of the remaining individuals it is Keith Miller sitting to the immediate right of Mr Lafferty the throat-sprayer. The second from the right in the middle row is unknown to me as well as to Graham.
However, to the far right of the middle row is Brian Hanney. With his close friend John Roberts on the far left of the middle row the two of them take on the appearance of A6A's guardian angels, or should that be bouncers?
Ceasefire over - hostilities may now recommence.
Michael.
...and in response to Dave Rowe's message (Hi Dave, yes I was Rob then, I guess nicknames are what other people call you, once I started work it just changed to Bob), I had a similar experience to Dave's PE one, in English in the fifth form the master (Golland?) asked me for my 5 weeks (or so) of back homework and I decided the easiest way to avoid the issue was just never to go to another english lesson (ever), I did manage to sit the O-levels and got an A. Felt like a real triumph at the time but I suppose you shouldn't really need a teacher to teach you English.
Aah Worthing... a late night trip to see the girl with auburn hair. I'm sure John Howell remembers it too, as he suffered a couple of broken ribs. I think he has forgiven me.
So far it looks like I've been a bit negative about life at HCS, but there were some good mates there and we had a lot of fun (albeit most of it outside of school).
Various memories: strange plastic balls with holes in used to play football in the inner quad; the inner quad (what was that all about?); green grollies, the tuck shop selling jam doughnuts; Cowan knowing everyone's name within days of arriving (or so it seemed); that huge artilliary gun by the flagpole (did it ever fire?); ARS rules on shortie coaties, suede shoes and bellbottoms.
Oh well, enough reminiscing, I guess I'll just have to email Mr Rowe to find out about Ms Farthing.
Thanks, Colin Dickins: I had forgotten about the 1959 school play. It was Maxwell Anderson's "Winterset." I believe that was the first time I encountered the words "punk" and "puke."
Further to Bob ( Rob ? ) Morgan`s recent recollections I think it was a Mr Lafferty who was perhaps the throat spray user.I also remember the caning of the whole of the year for the awful crime of a bit of noise in the changing rooms one wet games afternoon,Mr Underwood doing the dirty deed as I recall ( and felt !! ), I also remember thinking PE a bit of a waste of time from the second year onwards and "missing" the "lessons" from then until I left several years later, strangly my end of term reports for PE improved in my absence...a moral there perhaps? Bob will also recall a visit to Worthing no doubt !! best left there I think !!
Having read a number of submissions over the past few months, was violence only confined to the sixties? On a personal level, I was part of the mass slippering in the changing rooms of the whole of the first year by yet another sadistic P.E. teacher. I had the brace I wore on my teeth broken by a double handed Bigham slap round the face. I witnessed the use of a bunsen tube by Bodium in Chemistry, and the pulley ropes in the gym round the legs of a fellow pupil in P.E.
In answer to the question of whether other masters were aware, I guess, unless there was a scoreboard kept in the common room, the true extent was unknown.
For all of this there were some funny times as well. The removal of Geoff Lafferty's chair in English, causing him to fall in a heap when he didn't look before sitting down, caused under breath uproar, especially his reaction this.
Nice to see a number of names that I know, I will keep in touch
A couple more Simpson stories acquired from Norman Tyrwhitt and Don Wilkie when we met at the splendid Remembrance Day tribute at the School today: Don tells of an application to join the staff from a Cambridge man called Antrobus. Simpson thought that sounded suspiciously foreign and spoke to the man’s professor at Cambridge – who indignantly told him that it was a common native name around Lancashire. And Norman put on a School play about 1959 (it begins with a “W” but I’ve twice forgotten the title – sorry). He asked the Head what he thought of it a day or two later and Simpson expressed his disapproval of boys uttering the word “bastard”. Norman gently protested that it appeared widely in Shakespeare, to which Simpson replied, “Yes, but that was how they behaved in those days.” (I still stand by my qualified defence of him!)
Wonderful to renew contact after 16 years working in Vienna. The Remembrance Day service was most moving, and organized in a most excellent manner. I was particularly impressed by the service put on by the current School, especially the creative contributions by present students. It is good to know that in its new incarnation the School continues with the traditions of service and commitment to the community that we tried to follow in my day, when the world was somewhat different. BobM (1947-54)
I started at HCS in 1967 but my connection started in 1962 when my brother went there.I was always getting the "school has gone downhill since Simpson left" accusation thrown at me.
Well, it is so refreshing to read what apparently went on in those days pre Avery. Thinking back it seems to me that it was the parents who always complained about the decline of the school whilst I never heard much praise from the students at the time and now it seems we find out why.
Then again , were the headmasters and teachers in general products of their times?
Esmond asked the question... "I wonder why he thought it was OK to behave like that? "
Good question.
Much of the violence that was inflicted would result in immediate termination or a jail sentence today.
The only legal corporal punishment in my day was Square who faithfully recorded the event in the required punishment book, George Thorn, who used the same book borrowed from ARS and Bigham, who kept his own book. He needed it !!!! Bigham was a lousy teacher and, in my view, a psychopath.
No -it wasn't legal for masters to slap boys around the head until they were semi-conscious, to hurl board erasers, pull hair, slipper, beat with twigs or ropes.
Nor was it legal to rub a board eraser across boys mouths or throw non-swimmers into the Swimming Pool.
But all those things happened and not rarely.
I didn't get on with Jim Golland (probably my fault) but I never saw him raise his hand, nor George Yelland or Crinson. Yet they were good teachers.
But the fact is that there were many masters who were plain sadistic and no defence can be made of them.
But where was the intestinal fortitude of the others ?
They knew the offenders. Didn't they care. Or did they simply lack the courage to act.
No defence of ARS can change the fact that he was a thoroughly nasty piece of work. No academic achievements can mitigate his obvious lack of compassion or caring.
Even the prefects were not discouraged from hitting younger boys and ARS's most ludicrous act was to give them gowns !!!!!
Kindness existed with some. Paul Oliver being a case in point. It is easy to think fondly of those masters who taught subjects in which one excelled. But in Oliver's case I possessed absolutely no talent, yet every lesson when he went through our work from the previous lesson, he never once mocked a lack of talent. In fact, in most cases, he would find something positive to say.
HCS had its strengths but they do not and never could compensate for the wanton cruelty.
Bob, The English teacher that used to pull upwards on sideburn hair (yes, it did hurt like hell), and throw chalk and blackboard erasers at students, was Mr. Turnbull. He was otherwise quite a good teacher, as I recollect. I wonder why he thought it was OK to behave like that?
I am the Peter Joslin who helped with set construction in 1955. I also played the part of the Gardener in the production of Richard II. I have photographs of some scenes from the production.
This whole connection with Harrow County has come as somewhat of a shock. I left nearly 40years ago and have not thought about the old place for ages, but have always regretted not keeping in touch with old mates and now suddenly it is possible and happening!! The web site is brilliant and MANY THANKS FOR SETTING IT UP, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!! I will sign off now and get in touch with Pete Fowler, thanks again, Ian Host
I must apologise for my remarks about Fred Bilson who has quite rightly questioned my recollection.
Sorry Fred, it's all a bit dim and distant for me. Actually now I think back, I think you were one of the OK guys.
But... it was an english teacher, he used to grab the hair around the ear and twist... maybe it was Golland? Wasn't he the one constantly spraying something down the back of his throat?
I shall be more careful about what I say in future. But for now... I do remember some other fairly dreadful behaviour, I think it was Bodium in Physics (maybe chemistry) who thrashed, with a metal retort stand, a boy in the first year (Turner?) for some book failure. I myself got caned by Bigham in the first year for not covering an excercise book in the regulation brown paper, he had a whole collection os different diameter canes hanging on the back of his little office door. Also caned (twice I think) by ARS (for what I can't remember). Then there was the time that the entire year got slippered (hard) by some PE sadist.
Bigham started really ranting when I asked to leave the CCF and sent me to ARS who seemed to think that it was people like me that would cause the fall of civilisation. Took a long time to get out but it was the best thing I ever did, spending Friday afternoons in a classroom with the other "miserable worms" and "spineless specimens" who had opted out.
Please insert "allegedly" in all the above where appropriate.
Happy days indeed.
Nick, wasn't me, I lived in Pinner and was previously at Priestmead.
Bob Morgan hit the nail on the head, 'pupils of many types', by the way Bob did you live in North Harrow and go to Longfield?
1962-1969
Aaaah, Jane Farthing. There's a memory for you. If only I had more brain cells left, I'm sure I could remember why. Wasn't that Bayley's girl? Dave Rowe, fill me in (as it were).
FYI, Paul Stark (Hi Paul) mentioned this site to me at Pete Watson's funeral recently, where I met up with Paul (Stark), Steve Tarrent, Mike Galsworthy, John Howell and me (Bob Morgan). There may have been others from HCS but I didn't notice.
I was one of Maynard's contemporaries (Hi Jeff), I've had an email from Roger (Armstrong) recently and lurk occasionally waiting for inspiration to join in.
Well inspiration arrived in the guise of a certain Bilson suggesting that we "Remember the 60s. They were a good time." As I remember, Bilson (if your're who I remember), you used to twist our sideburns (hurt like hell) and throw chalk at us (or was it the whole rubber?). If the 60's were such good times for you, aren't you a little ashamed of how you and the others treated us? No, Oh well.
Anyway, interesting reading the site, it would be good to see a few more of the school reprobates around but I guess that's par for the course. I guess it's inevitable that the (as I saw them then) "smarmy gits" (I'm sure they're very nice people now) who aspired to prefecture would dominate such a site.
Seriously though, HCS pupils were of many types, the aspiring fascist prefecture (as above) who bought into the whole ARS way of life; the stage people who seem to have led some sort of life in a spooky parallel dimension (Hi Gerry, I do remember you); the vast majority of good pupils, of whom I have little memory; and the skivers who could be registered at school and still manage to meet up at Reg's cafe in West Harrow for a cup of tea and a danish while assembly was still underway (not to forget the famous cross country skive).
I seem to remember that, around O level time, we would find oursleves round Paul Hooley (also mentioned recently)'s house for a Findus curry (or some such re-hydrated dried muck, delicious at the time) and listen to folk music!!! (I can't believe I just admitted to that, but we did).
Anyway, there is life after HCS, as long as you didn't (and don't) take it all too seriously. But it's still good to remember...
Best regards,
Bob Morgan 1A, 2B, 3C, 4... (Oh, who can remember but it looks like a series.)
I am an e-mail virgin and have just discovered all of this thanks to Mick Boggis. When I've composed my thoughts I'll give more detailed comments but just a few notes, 1. It's great to be reminded of 'square' 2. I was also a co-owner of the old van!! 3. I was the first drummer in the maddisons but my Dad wouldn't let me have a drum kit and Harvey Shieldkraut's (real name) Dad would!!! Bastard!!!! Could be rich and famous now instead of being poor and insignificant!!!
Yours suicidely
Tig
Hi old friends. I left school in 66. After ten years as a professional musician, playing in most of the seediest night clubs in the West End, I turned on, tuned in and dropped out in a cottage in Suffolk. Several years later I recovered , went to college and became a music teacher for twenty years. And now I've dropped out of that and am opening a new music and arts venuenear Inverness, called Sessions. I would love to hear from old acqaintances. Iut's funny what you remember once someone gives you a bit of a jog.
very interesting i was at the school in thlate sixties will try and find some photos for you nigel
Ross Salmon
I notice EBay has three Ross Salmon Cowboy Books listed.
Having read what various people have said about ARS I feel that Richard Buckley's comments are nearer the reality.
The memory which sands out for me is during an assembly only a few months after I had joined in 1960. The Debating society had debated and passed a motion " This house would rather be red than dead".
This brought the ire of ARS down upon the whole assembly. I never understood why it was better to be dead even then and as an adult I see that he just wanted to impose his ridiculous prejudices on all of us. The success of large number of pupils since leaving HCS who failed at school is testament to the fact that the ARS regime failed a great many.
My feeling about the Colonel are less vtrriolic than some. I would confine them to saying that he put me off Biology for life, he should have nevr been allowed near a classroom and should have ended up in jail.
finally a gayton high web site
Nice to see so many new photographs. but isn't the master on 4D1965 "Farmer" Giles rather than Mr Wood?
Does anyone have/know the whereabouts of the photo of Dean Inge's visit to the School for Speech Day c.1924, which used to hang in the Library?
I would have loved to be able to come back for the Remembrance Day Service this year. It was always powerful for me, and memories of Harrow County are always with me as I conduct such services year by year as part of my clerical duties. I was never in the CCF, but I used to be "conscripted" each year to play the bugle! - the sum total of my military service.
Philip Harratt (1968-75)
I was at the school from 1969 to 1975. It's nice to be able to relive old memories. Having seen the March 2001 photo of Harry Mees I am amazed that the old boy is still with us! He looked that old to me 30 years ago!
I found the link through friendsunited. My wife just returned from a visit to the UK and her brother happened to mention it in passing. It is a great find and the names I see bring back good memories of both happy and unhappy days. It has prompted me to stay in touch and contact my old friends.
Now reachable by e-mail! Delighted to see the reports of the '68 Reunion. Hope to make the next one.
Attended the girls' school from '68, the teacher referred to by jeff golder was called Miss Brydon, P.E teacher. Back inspections were definitely her speciality. She was really wrinkled and scrawny and we wrote a song about her once focusing upon her amazing bust which truly defied gravity! She was quite intimidating and was especially friendly with Miss Buckley,we knew that they holidayed together because Buckley used to show slides of trips in classical studies lessons .Buckley could be terrifying and we definitely locked horns a couple of times but she was a bloody good teacher! She was always bemoaning my behaviour, and laziness.Funny because in my second career these last six years as a teacher i've been recognised as being bloody brilliant with 'naughty' children and underachievers!
Further to Jeff Golder's report on the travails of Harrow County schoolgirls, I find the following in an American biography of one of them, Diane Abbott, MP, whose parents were working-class Jamaicans. "Graduating among the top in her class, she applied and was accepted into Newnham College at Cambridge University, despite a high school teacher's comment that attendance there would give her ambitions that were above her social status."
Attended Harrow County from 1961 until 1965 when I left in the lower 6th as my parents were moving to East Anglia.
Pupil who left in 1929/1930. Remembers Randall Williams !
Well, reading some messages it is clear HCS boys had some problems.
But, if my mempry serves me correctly, I think the Girls' School had their problems too.
I seem to remember one of the girls from HCSG I knew (against Square's instructions which were that we not even to talk to Girls if we were in School Uniform)that they had a teacher who carried out "back inspections" when she required the girls to strip to the waist and bend forward while she ran her hands down their backs to see if their spines were normal !!!!!!
Jeff, I was aware of Alex's article about the school badge. However I was interested to know if Sir Alexander Carlyon or any of his associates on the governing body had any associations with the then Duke of Westminster (the second Duke)or any of his family. Is it not strange to come up with an identical motto?
Regarding the school motto - in my day (68-75) it was alleged that Virtus non Stemma was best translated as 'Virility not Sterility'...
Keep on twisting Bengie Boys!
I am surprised ( and sad) to note how few of your contributors date - as pupils - from the early 50's. Have none of my fellow inmates learnt how to use computers?
Keep up the good work
I was delighted to discover this recently, and I have had one or two happy wallows in nostalgia. I think there is probably still more delights to discover in it too. It has brought back many memories, and I may well let you have some personal reminiscences to add to the collection. Interestingly enough, both my sons also attended the school (in its 'Gayton High' days).
The origin of the School Motto, "Virtus Non Stemma" is covered in Alex Bateman's article on this website on the School Badge at http://www.jeffreymaynard.com/harrow_county/schoolbadge.htm
Chris and Nick have kicked off an interesting debate about the school motto.
My son (Tom aged 14, Harry Enfield's Kevin and then some) put forward an interesting view that a lot of Latin and Greek mottos should be interpreted in 'context' rather than translated literally.
I told him to be quiet, eat his kebab and watch 'Eastenders' but I think he has a point.
I am reliably informed now that 'virtus' can be translated as 'manliness, excellence, mighty works, a class of angels (didn't spot that in the class of '76), army (spotted them), host, worth, courage and character.
Stemma-Stemmatis (n) can be a garland, chaplet (whatever that is) and / or a geneological tree.
I would love to find out who chose the school motto, as I think it distinguished us, in a nice way, from other schools, was appropriate and I think George 'Ploughman plods' Cowan and Bernard 'DOR!' Marchant should step up to plate and deliver their translations of the motto. After all they made us do enough Latin into English and, to be fair, with considerable success!
'Worth not birth' was what I was told. I never aspired to nobility!
rgds to all.
Nobilitatis virtus non stemma
Virtue not pedigree is the mark of nobility
occurrs in a number of church documents from many parts of County Antrimm dating back to 17th Century
I was recently doing some archive work for the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Estate when I happened to notice his family motto - Virtis non Stemma. Did our esteemed founders have any contacts with the Westminster family when the school was founded?
Further to Terry Lovedays memories of ciggy breaks in Harrow,,,tut tut Tel, John Howell is alive and living in High Wycombe and Paul Hooley after a brief return to the UK is I believe living in South Africa,incidentally Chris Hooley who was also at the School is now in Australia, will fill you in further Terry in the near future Dave Rowe
Many thanks to all those of you who responded to my last request for help tracing people for the stage reunion-I now have nearly all the Hamlet cast but if anyone out there has any leads on Richard Pearce (Fortinbras and the Ghost), Alan Allard (player queen),Phillip Gill (player King) and Martin Steele (Player and Osric) I would be glad to hear! Some stage crew we're searching for and the names may jog some memories- Johnnie Morrel,Malcolm Gardner, Richie Fowler. Last but not least- if anyone has a collection of the G&S tapes we'd like to hear from you to fill in the bits we are missing. Thanks! Katie.
Class of 1976 paul@billin.co.uk From Harrow County & Lowlands Sixth Form went to UCNW Bangor, left with B.Sc. in Forestry. Worked in forestry in Scotland, Wales, Kent, Warks, Lincs and now based at Desborough, Northants working as forestry consultant. Married to Georgie, music teacher. Three kids, Alice(7), David(6), Monica(4) so life is busy & full but good. It would be good to hear from old friends.
Continuing the Avery v Ars debate, I can categorically say that if "square" had stayed on another couple of years, then I would have not have finished my schooling at HCS. On reaching the heady heights of Fourth or Fifth year(the memory dims), when we allowed out of school at lunchtime, a few of us would go to the park behind Harrow-on-the-Hill station for a fag, which saved smoking out the toilets. At that time scooters were the rage and Wilt (Francis Wiltshire) wanted a car aerial for his Lambretta 175. He decided to help himself from a car parked at the back of the station, and after the removal, we all climbed over the fence into the park and sat in the shelter for a smoke. About 15 mins later we were faced with 2 policemen, called by someone in the station who had seen what was going on. Wilt was dragged off by the police and the rest of us (John Howell, Paul Hooley, and I think Rob Bruce) were left to go back to school to face the music. I am sure that if ARS had still been there wee would not have seen the end of the day in the school, however, the more liberal Avery decided a suitable punishment would be to "gate" us for a week, whilst Wilt, for his heinous crime, was gated for three weeks, in addition to the inevitable naming in assembly.
If anyone out there knows the whereabouts of my compatriots, I would be delighted to hear.
Just stumbled across you. Unnerving looking into the face of 12 yr. old neurotic me. The site recalls all the pleasures and pain of the school in "late-Simpson" mode. Some of the photos of the buildings etc are fascinating. Will drop in from time to time....
All the best from your 'cosmopolitan' friend ('61-'68)
This is a really good way to find some old friends. Thanks!
Laurence - only seen a poster on the train. It was all stations to OldGayt I think.
Have the more observant amongst you noticed that Old Gaytonian Philip Salon is currently plastered all over London Underground advertising a new " Punk " compilation. Looks like a good album too!
Cheers, Lol.
What did we think of Simpson? What do you think we thought? Many of us had O-levels you know. I remember Tony Bevan once sitting on the platform in assembly, coming out with the ARS stock phrases ten seconds before he did "Oxbridge Stakes" muttered Tony; "Oxbridge stakes" said ARS; "Cosmopolitans" said Tony "Cosmopolitans" said ARS. We were corpsing (Harry Mees will explain that to you).
"Cosmopolitans" meant Jews of course. I remember the assemblies on field day when the non-Scouts, non-CCF were reminded they were Cosmopolitans. Not very nice.
Love and peace to all of you. Remember the 60s. They were a good time
Fred
Very pleased to hear the news about Sir Paul Nurse and the Nobel prize. For one shocking moment I thought my ex-second row partner in the Gayts 2nds (or 3rds, if we had a bad day at the office, the previous week) Andy Nurse, had won the prize.
Notwithstanding the fact that Andy kept the medical profession fully occupied at Northwick Park during his tenure in the engine room of most Old Gayt's packs, services to medicine might not have been fully justified to the tune of a million bucks.
rgds to all.
Thought I'd just post a quick note as I haven't visited the guestbook for sometime. Hi to Fran Lazenby and Mark White, good to see that you found the website. I Was recalling just the other day that when I was twelve years of age I went on the 'French Exchange' via the school. I stayed for four weeks in Albertville in the French Alps with a great family whose son, Phillippe became my exchange pen-friend. I am glad to report that we still keep in touch and visit each other every few years despite the fact that I now live in Western Australia and he lives with his wife and 2 children in Paris. Thanks Major Skillen for helping to deliver a really good friend in Phillippe for nearly thirty years!
I mentioned a while ago the April 1974 visit to Romania, costing £38 and superbly led by John Ling and Kenneth Waller, and thought I’d write down a few sundry thoughts to see if this gets balls rolling. I think that for the sake of potential tourism, the country had recently altered its name from Rumania, thinking the new appellation more snappily Latino. Indeed, I remember our surprise when discovering the Romance roots of the language
The TAROM aircraft from Gatwick was frighteningly rudimentary. Bucharest was our first stop. Tourism was not common but aside from an obvious police presence, I don’t recall too oppressive a vibe. Albeit a puppet of Soviet suzerainty, Ceaucescu was most certainly in charge, but there was no hint of the desecration and pillage to be reported later. My memory of the city’s buildings is that many were Stalin towers of aluminium, crumbling fibreglass and gaffer tape. I simply can’t recall buildings of character.
From Bucharest, I remember Lake Snagov whence we toured an Orthodox monastery and a museum of Romanian housing through the centuries. There was also a folk evening where many of us heard for the first time musical instruments that one now readily associates with peasant or gypsy music from Eastern Europe.
Via a provincial capital of Brasov, we were then based at a ski resort called Sinaia (locally monikered “the Jewell of the Carpathians”) for a day or two. I remember the working populousness of the countryside (like a Transylvanian version of Cobbett’s Rural Rides), yet the wildlife was abundant. We saw eagles, wild boar etc roaming. The subsistence rusticity of the region marked me. I remember visits to what I recall as the baroque Peles Castle and the much earlier Bran Castle, the Dracula one.
Next were the balmier vine-clad slopes of a southern village called Curtea de Arges where we stayed a night, after which it was back to Bucharest.
The food was actually outstanding: stuffed cabbage, flavoured dumplings, fresh caraway and the supposedly off-limits cold vodka. We had been led to believe we would be in for lumpy Smash and fatty broth in which would swim all emetic manner of gristly tripe.
Mr Ling and Mr Waller, I recall, found the week as fascinating as did we pupils, even though they were leading us. I was inspired by this visit and have travelled widely in Eastern Europe since. I’d be very interested to read others’ memories about this.
The more I read of Simpson's behaviour, the happier I am that my last year at HCS was his first. He took one look at the sixth form and gave up so that he could concentrate on the more pliable younger types. Both Michael Boggis and Richard Buckley ask what the other masters thought of ARS (what a dreadful childhood he must have had with those unfortunate initials - perhaps that explains his strange behavioural traits). One measure that I would suggest be applied is that under Randall Williams a number of old boys re-appeared at the school as masters but from what I can gather, none arrived to serve under Simpson. Does anybody know of any? Most of the masters asembled by Randall Williams were of the gentlemanly-avuncular types who were capable of a good job of teaching and who could control an unruly mob of small boys with a withering glance and a word. Fooks had complete control all the time and said nothing more than "now settle down". The same went for Randall W. who earned respect by his bearing and example. We all knew the ultimate deterrent lay in waiting in William's study but I doubt it was used more than six times in my seven years at school. A memorable performance by Williams would occur when Amos had us all lined up ready to enter school. Just as Amos was ready to signal the first line of boys to move up would go the sash window of Williams' study and his head would pop out looking a bit like a bespectacled Mussolini "One moment Mr. Amos..." and the harangue would begin. It was all very dramatic. After the warnings and threats cam "thank you Mr. Amos" and the window would slam down. All very dramatic! We are all one or two generations removed from our school days and now have the experience of life that makes us better able to size people up. From this distant view point, I would interpret Simpson's behaviour as indicating a fear of being ridiculed combined with lack of self-confidence, but then I am no trained psycho-analyst. A failing of the school, at least to my mind, was how little effort was made over career guidance. None of the staff seemed to have either interest or knowledge in what is now an important function. It is interesting to read this site to discover what a wide variety of jobs people have ended up in.
Have just found out about the website.
Dissappointed that there are no pictures of my Form.
I started in 1957 in 1B and then went through 2B, 3B,4B,Lower V1 Arts,Advanced V1 Arts,and then Scholarship V1 Arts.
However I have seen myself on one of the pictures of the whole school.
I am sure I will visit the site on many occasions.It has already brought back many memories.
Richard Buckley's excellent article on ARS sums up my recollections perfectly. As someone who was pretty unacademic at the time (kept down an extra year in Vth., then left with 4 O's), my contacts with ARS were largely limited to the numerous occasions I had to bend over the wicker chair in his office to receive the cane, after first receiving a lengthy, and largely incomprehensible lecture on the iniquities of twentieth century society. I always felt I was being personally blamed for what he saw as a remorseless tide of sin and degradation sweeping over the land. I recall on one occasion we (some co-perpetrators and myself) were in there shortly after Pres. Kennedy's death and the subsequent shooting of Oswald, his alleged assassin. 'You're the sort of people who turn into the Lee Harvey Oswalds of this world', he snarled at us. I do not exaggerate. I think our 'crime' was probably sciving off Games, and for this we were told, at the age of 14, that we were to be equated with Kennedy's assassin.
Yes, Richard, he was a very strange man indeed.
As I say, I never had any reason to come into direct with him for any more pleasant purposes, like discussing University Entrances. My other recollections were of a man interminably droning on in Assembly on subjects that patently were of relevance to only the smallest possible number of pupils (we weren't students then). We regularly noticed several members of staff nod off during these. (Own up, JG!)
I mentioned in a posting last year that it would be good to know just what staff members thought of his attitudes and approach. Jim G. touches on the subject, though the fact the bulk of his article concerns the more pleasant aspects of his employment such as the drama productions, I suspect that time may have selectively erased the more mundane and less enjoyable. I simply cannot believe that the majority of the staff went along with ARS's bizarre utterances with anything other than embarrassed resignation. It would be very good indeed to hear from other ARS-ear staff members on the subject.
On another matter entirely, I see with interest that several other guestbook contributors have recorded their forced dismissal from the CCF. When Bigham told me 'You're a disgrace to the Queen's uniform, and you can hand it in', he also informed me that I was the first person in the history of the school to be thrown out of the Cadet Force. So now I know that as well as being one of the most sadistic, twisted, totally incompetent and generally nasty men I have ever met, he was also a bloody liar!
Stay Young.
Mick Boggis
This is an invitation to anyone who remembers me. My band FLICKER are playing at THE HORN REBORN in St Albans (Victoria Street) on Wednesday, 17/10. We are on stage around 9pm. I might even buy you a beer!! Cheers
Mike Bergquist
Someone was good enough to point me in the direction of a Kenmore Park web-site a few weeks ago, but due to pc problems I have lost my old e-mail messages and the URL (I forgot to bookmark it!).
Could I ask whoever it was to oblige again?
Still enjoying reading the messages.
I was a student between 1983 - 1987 when Gayton had just come out of its "County Grammar" era and was coming into the "modern" era. I am now 31 yrs old and have come back to settle in Harrow (Sudbury) as I have been living away for a few years.I was amazed to see how much the school had changed especially with regards to its mixed policy. I enjoyed my time at Gayton and feel it shaped my personality in so many ways - most of them good. Please take my email address and let me know if there are any plans for reunions etc as it would be great to see the old guys again and see how we have all developed.
Kind regards Peter Sarwan
School went down hill when they got rid of the C.C.F...I was there from 1967 to 1974. Mixed memories and feelings. havent looked at site yet so will add to this if nec. ttfn
I attended the school from 1967 - 1973 and was in Preston House. Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me! Have been living in Gerrards Cross for the last few years and work in the City Insurance market. Good to see pictures of the old place, somewhat smartened up since I last visited in 1973! Will keep visiting the site to check for the next re-union.
Thoroughly enjoyed my days - best year's of my life, but unfortunately my memory is waning and I can't remember specific stories! Excellent web site; very interesting!
FTAO Spencer Smith!
OK, Spence, I would be delighted to meet up with the 1965 crowd! From this website it is all too clear we were not psychologically scarred (should that be scared?) by Dr Simpson but there is lots to tell.
I have a suspicion that I will be getting a beginner's course in aviation but I look forward to meeting up.
Kindest regards to all, staff and students
Michael.
PS Who put Benjie Bunting on the guest book?
Hi all you Benjie Boys!
On Tuesday 9th October the following ex-HCS people met up for a few beers at The Founders Arms on the South Bank of the Thames. Myself, Keith Green, Bob Stranks, Martin Hale, John Gershon, Dave Hampson, Leon Loberman, John Tygier, John Chernett and Simon Benson. Half of us had not seen the other half since we left the school in 1971-72. It was a fascinating and very special evening. We hope to meet again soon. This gathering took place as a direct result of the existence of this website, which has enabled us and many others to contact long-lost friends and acquaintances. Keith Miller and Graham Gall are also regular 'attendees' of these events but were unable to make it this time. If anybody 'out there' remembers us and wants to get in touch then please feel free to e-mail me.
I object to Jon 'bin' Adams' comments about German o level performance under Gareth Lloyd-Jones. I was a high achiever, gaining a German o level pass at both 'o' and 'a' levels no less! Perhaps I should have read more than the first page of 'Death in Venice' and not relied on the film about the poof with lipstick & make up- 'Durchalten' my arse!!
Being hit with the board rubber by GL-J probably lost me a few crucial marks, lawyers have been instructed as it has clearly affected my ability to pull down £500k a year.
kindest to all
Martin Cutter asked "just who was Ross Salmon" I often wondered myself.
Dug this out from a site dealing with 1950s TV Programmes: Ross Salmon - A real cowboy informing us about what being a cowboy is all about, things like how to recognise different animal footprints, or how to whittle, the art of horse management, how to make and use a lasso ....etc.... Ross Salmon, originally appeared on Shirley Abicair's programmes before launching his own series. He was in fact English and had retired from the Navy. He intended to set up an American Western style ranch on Dartmoor and introduce a breed of hardy cattle. Whether or not any of this came to fruition is not known. There were certainly a series of Ross Salmon books and annuals, printed in the 50's.
Disappointed to see that my name was not included in the Staff who attended the excellent reunion of the class of '68. Agreed with fact that Gareth Lloyd-Jones looked fifteen years younger than the select band hope I also looked the same!!!
Jeff,
A great web site. I have recently been contacted by Ian Mash about the "Year of 68 re-union" , which I unfortunatly missed, having just moved house and did not receive the letter.
Keep up the good work, I shall be visiting again.
Regards
Alan Robson