One subject that has received very little attention is half-holiday treats. I was always curious as to what these involved, as it was a long time before I was graced with one (see account under Miss Cowlishaw page). I am still curious! Surely you lot were not all so deep into the minus marks that you didn't go on any? Any there is no excuse for forgetting such a treat, which must have stood out something like the relief of Mafekin from the besiegement of a long term!! So, the page is virtually blank, but for Asher's brief mention of a London Science museum outing and my account of half-hol. to HMS Victory. (Robert)

Re. H.M.S. Victory: Rob, I thought the ship was in dry dock at Portsmouth and not in the Isle of Wight as you mentioned. I remember MacD gave each boy half a crown for eats for the day ( pepsi 6d and 2d back on the bottle, mars bar 4d, and so on ) but De Précourt went straight over to the news kiosk and bought a jumbo colouring in, joke, and crossword book for the magic sum of 2/6d. Moments later MacD asks young De P. Where did you get that? Over there sir! was the reply. Well, MacD did his block with abuse a plenty "You'll just have to starve, dear boy" was the outcome. I can't remember if any Samaritan helped the kid out along the way. (Shaun)

I must admit I was greatly surprised to see that HMS Victory IS, as Shaun points out, at Portsmouth... I have believed it was Isle of Wight for as long as I can recall. There WAS a ferry across to it from somewhere, I am certain... as it was the very first time I was in a sea vessel. As to Bognor Regis and Littlehampton... they are near to one another indeed. So this could explain the discrepancy between George and Stephen on where they went... Butlins Funfair may have been situated somewhere on the beach between them. (Robert)

Yes of course the Victory is, and has been for many years, in dry dock in Portsmouth. I now take my grandchildren to see it, and it never fails to thrill, as the guide points out the exact spot where Nelson fell and where someone else was cut in two by a canon ball. I did wonder whether just possibly she'd been moved to the Isle of Wight for greater safety in WWII. But a search in Google failed to turn up anything to that effect. Your ferry, Robert, may have been across Portsmouth harbour from Gosport.
As for Bognor versus Littlehampton, I can't speak for any other year but if my 1947 diary says Bognor then Bognor it will have been. I wrote that diary every day at the day's end, and I think I'd have known at the time where we'd just been! (Steve)

Butlins DID exist at Bognor from the 1930s, despite the 'new' establishment of it in the 1960s. I found on Google that a lady gave a talk this month on Butlins at Bognor from the 1930s onwards. (Robert)

The Victory is in the marine museum area, used to be official naval type office area, of Portsmouth. Mum's parents lived in Haywards Heath, Cuckfield and latest in Pagham when I was young , so I was often taken to see the Victory, first time in 1955 and last in 1994, on a quick trip from the New Forest, and it hasn't moved during that time. The funfair at Bognor Regis was always there, Dad lived there in the 30s and he remembers a funfair. There was also a funfair, but very much smaller in Littlehampton. (Eve)

The Merit Outing for winter term 1948 was to the cinema in Horsham (Odeon?) to see Olivier's 'Hamlet'. We had our dinner after the film in the theatre cafeteria, the menu - a surprise - BAKED BEANS ON TOAST!! It was late getting back to the Lodge and as a result we were packed off to bed immediately. (Shaun)

We also went to see Henry Vth at that cinema, but I don't know whether it was a "Merit Outing" or glamourised history lesson. (George)

If I'd been asked the open question, "What colour were our jerseys at Wisborough?", I'd have said "Dark green". But that could be an aberration of memory, 'cos when asked to choose between green and grey, I became less sure! (Steve)

...the old school tie, was there actually one? This enigma can be added to that of the colour of jumpers. So far, as I reckon it, there are two votes for Wisborough green jumpers, two doubtfuls and three abstensions. It seems the greens are winning! (Robert)

Robert asked me to ask Mum and/or Dad if they could remember any colours of anything ! Dad could only remember his own school uniform in the 30's and Mum thinks the jumpers were grey, that the colour of the blazers could have been green. I am not sure how reliable that is. (Eve)

I am fairly certain there was not any Old Boys'/Colours/Holiday tie in my time. I can't remember what tie we wore on ordinary school days, either. I'd have guessed it would be plain black, but take a look at the photo on the website entitled 'Four boys plus Robin in Cap and Tie': it looks as if ties of various colours were worn. (Steve)

Late '49 or early '50 Prefects were given the honour of wearing a new tie which displayed diagonal stripes of W/L green against a silver grey background whilst the riff raff made do with their dark green ties. One boy had no tie at all (see Rye in the 1948 school photo ) Prefect Steve wasn't doing his job that day, I'm afraid to say, otherwise Rye would have been properly dressed for the occasion.
The appearance of varying shades of ties in B&W photos could possibly be due to loss of green dye by mothers trying to remove gravy stains in the wash a day or so prior to returning to the Lodge the following term. Another possible cause is the fact that these photos are old, loss of silver nitrate, and bleaching from daylight changes the images considerably.
Steve mentioned school colours - They were bestowed by MacD, usually at breakfast time, to individuals of the football first XI who beat an opposing school, Pennthorpe or Eastbourne Prep, during a home or away match. The colours were the school cap badge which were sown on the individual's apple green football jersey. (Shaun)