OLD BOYS’ REUNIONS, GET-TOGETHERS & CRICKET CLUB
RE-UNION 2002
To those members I met in
I enjoyed the new Headmaster. I was very surprised at the aplomb of the young students who helped make the occasion fun. I was also somewhat surprised at the food and wine served - the quantity was more than enough.
Having returned to sunny
While in the
I thoroughly enjoyed the last re-union on July 6th at the RLS and met many who I had not seen for 50 years, including Stan Smith, alias "Fingers", the excellent Maths Teacher who occupied Room 1. Someone said that he is 93 years old! Ken Catton did a good job of arranging it. We finished off the Assembly by giving a rousing rendition of the School Song, original version. (Ian Holt)
My thoughts on the day: I
followed my old route of many years ago,
As I had been to the 1996 do, I was ready for the sight of so much surviving from the old place, inside and out. Of course there are new outbuildings in place while old ones have gone: the music room ("built" or more likely delivered, sometime during the late 60s), the 6th form hut, the firing range, bike sheds, etc.
In 1996 it looked as if our relatively large collection of 65ers could have been the youngest, and possibly most numerous, intake represented. This time there appeared to be quite a number from more recent years, and our year was much reduced in number (75% of us appear in the group photo).
The current PE teacher was able to let us into the Sports Hall. He was very positive and mentioned high achievements and recognition for the current lads. He showed polite interest in our memories of the old tin bath at Balgores, short cuts in cross country and other exploits that did not win awards for the school. He said they still use Balgores occasionally, but reluctantly from his point of view as it takes up too much of the lesson time to get there and back (For us I am sure the trek there and back took chunks out of our own time, i.e. lunch-breaks and home time).
We noted two current boys (students) playing a version of hand tennis in the playground. Pity this wasn't mentioned in the programme in advance, they might have had more of an audience. Were they shown this by some OBs during the afternoon, or is this noble game continuing there passed down through the years?
About 7.00 the school bell rang for Assembly. Considering all the discussion beforehand about finding an organist, finding a bell ringer seemed to be sorted out with very little fuss. In Assembly the Headmaster seemed extremely upbeat and confident about the present and future of the school. Ken restated his resolve to avoid the internet.
Finally a mention for the organisation of the event - Ken, the Head teacher, and I am sure a few others unknown to me, should be thanked for a helping us to have a good time. See you all next time. (Tim Knights)
It was good to meet many of you again yesterday, and to put a few faces to names hitherto only recognised electronically. Hon. Members Leatt and Silverside did a splendid - nay, *magnificent* - job
(a) promoting our Group,
(b) publicising the remake of The School Film,
(c) rendering The School Song,
(d) recording it all for posterity.
Thank you David. Thank you Vince. (Andy Lee)
Softies 2002: RLS boys have it tough nowadays, not. The following shows how much things have changed :-
1) Chairs for students at assembly
2) Lessons in 1/2 hour periods (quote: boys don't concentrate any longer than that)
3) School Day
4) Outdoor pool is now heated
5) Gym is heated (and about twice the size of 'our' old one).
6) Head teacher jokes with the students
7) Large Computer suite (networked Research Machines) - by the way the old computer room is now deputy head and a senior staff office.
8) - One for Andy - students refer to adults by first name
9) No blue jackets
10) No school hymn or end of term hymn - although I can't remember the 66'ers ever having to sing them - perhaps Jake had a thing against previous heads traditions.
The biggest shock of the day was seeing the pictures of past heads. Obviously I, and some others, had not seen the picture of Jake in the hall. Obviously 13 years on from my days with grey hair and looking old (no Grecian 2000).
Old teachers spotted :- 'Bongo' Benson (past student and then a teacher who still works at the school occasionally although retiring in 1996). 'Sus' Pender - Greg Cooper keeping out of way since 'accidentally' dunking him in the sea (in 1970/71?)
I also met up with the 'Chair of
governors', Michael Ward - see Ian Macauley's 'hair
tales', and references to the Chairman's daughter. What I didn't realise is
that he too was a pupil, a former Labour Councillor on Havering Council, ex-MP
for
Spook was also there, still looking 102 years old and smiling away. "Remember the days of the old schoolyard we used to laugh a lot" (Stephen Byrne)
Although I was only able to stay for a couple of hours on Saturday before the formal events got underway it was a very nostalgic experience and great fun being able to wander around the school with my two kids and without looking over my shoulder for the hair patrol... not that I would trouble them at all these days!
Chris Fribbins has chronicled a few of the more glaring changes that were there for us all to observe, but as we were listening to the reassuring sound of leather upon willow while watching the Liberty Casuals play cricket it occurred to me that there were several other and more subtle alterations to the school since I left in '74. Amongst them were...
* The felling of the large Horse Chestnut tree adjacent to Pitch 1 - there is now only one where there used to be two.
* The removal of all the bike sheds.
* The disappearance of
* Elevated wire mesh fencing topped with razor-wire around the swimming pool.....to keep the boys in, or to keep intruders out?? (would not
have been needed back in the days when the pool was a meagre 54 degrees!).
* The long-jump and high-jump pits have disappeared and the cricket nets were overgrown.
* "One-way" staircases.
* Ladies toilets outside the school hall !!!
* The repositioning of the door to Room 23 (the Geography room)
* And last but not least... Dave Collins in civvies!! (good to see you Dave).
All the classrooms are now labelled by department. All have whiteboards and those awful tatty and shredded black curtains in rooms 8 to 12 have finally gone. At least the old rolling blackboards can still be seen in the Physics labs as can the old lacquered desks and those dreadfully uncomfortable stools we had to sit on for hours on end.
My two kids (10 and 7) were fascinated but were quite taken aback by Phil Kingham's sudden uphoric outburst of unbridled glee as he skipped across the hitherto forbidden and much hallowed ground of the Quadrangle lawn. When I explained what the consequences of his actions would have been thirty odd years ago they thought I was making it up.
I was sorry to have to leave so early but it was good to go back and stir the memory and also to put so many faces to names. Thanks to the many who put in so much effort to ensure the success of the day. (Steve Hyde)
I enjoyed being back at the old school too - which, I felt, hadn't changed as much as it ought to have done over all those years.
We've had a lot about Foxy and
I also enjoyed the reunion again...made a new contact for our intake, and also got talking to many others. Most of the participants, I believe, were older than our intake. It was amazing to see in what good shape most of them were, esp. those in their eighties! I wonder whether people who go to these sorts of occasions are a typical cross-section, or are special in some way, e.g. robust health, interest in nostalgia....I suspect the latter.
I forgot to check on the Catton pronunciation for 'Libertian'. Didn't he say it in the conventional way?
The school song and end-of-term hymn were sung far better for the film shot than I had expected and with great enthusiasm....even by the Head...congrats to David S. The picture quality of the improved film looks great, and is far superior to the original. Anyone got any ideas about the schedule for sale? (Terry Turner)
Impressions from Saturday:
1. A great deal of affection/nostaligia for the school, especially from the 'older' brigade. But from what they could see of the school today, they probably felt that they got the best years.
2. The general state of repair and maintenance left a lot to be desired, apart from the quadrangle, which was quite well maintained. Nice to stand on the grass for the first time. I can't think that the public coffers are so low that a lick of paint to those awful 60s buildings couldn't be afforded.
3. Apart from the grey flecks in his hair, the headmaster could have passed for a sixth former in my time. I suppose his heart is in the right place, but one would have thought that eleven year olds could have read simple entences, especially if they'd written them themselves.
4. Last time I saw Pete Benson, he was about 25. How did a guy like him stay so long during the years of decline? He said it started when the school went comprehensive, followed by the abolition of the sixth form. Apparently, during the summer term the fifth formers go somewhere else so the oldest lads there at the time are 15.
5. Bongo also talked about 'Daddy Scho'. Apparently, his name wasn't Schofield at all and he led a double life whilst at the school. Does anyone else know about this?
6. OK, I've been rather churlish. I did enjoy it and look forward to the next one.
And it was nice to meet one or two of you lot! (Derek Humphrey)
Hon Fribbens was all emotional after the school song - I was actually suggesting to him that we grabbed Sus there and then and lobbed him into the 'heated' pool to repeat the experience for him ... but then I saw Dave Collins and Pete Benson and bottled out as usual. (Greg Cooper)
Glad to see much of the feeling of Saturday is already conveyed. Weird experience. I swear I've never sung the school song before. At one point I really thought we were going to get another anarchic 'Assembly' to match the Christmas Special but obviously the standards that Vic Slade achieved getting us improvising our socks off has not yet been repeated. Or did the 'sketch' with the poison bottle and the off stage noises go over my head?
Pete Benson has aged much better than the buildings or the education system or was that a hologram cooked up by Vince?
It was interesting that we seemed to sit in age order in the hall - 66's almost at the front but an interesting group of 71 ers in front of us - who were in awe of Dave Collins being head boy when they started.
Chris said that the old computer room was the deputy head's room but I thought it said 'medical centre' on the door. Going into the heads study without being in trouble was so amazing I did it twice.
Could still see Mick Walsh's foot impression in Hall ceiling where he came off duckboards and nearly went through plaster - didn't get onto stage sadly - but did see copy of school play programme which had me as a stage hand and being first in the alphabet it was the highest ranking I ever achieved in any school list so get it in the library Pete.
Great that there was a cricket match going on, it made the whole scene surreal. A bit like 'IF' as somebody said.
Found tufts of hair in corridor which I have sent off for analysis but swear was part of Ash Howe's locks caught on door hinge.
Was also going to ask Sus how he felt about Geog room having door blocked up and being turned into a cookery class room. Tried to get in to wreck Derek Reynolds room but door locked as usual. Place smelt the same Terrible queue trying to get buns as usual. Tuck shop closed. Picture of Coles had dried spit on it - I kid you not. I think that is a fitting point to stop. Very glad I went. (Greg Cooper)
Those of you who were unable to
attend the
This was my first visit to RLS for just on 40 years. It was a real memory lane trip for me... firstly walking around Gidea Park (Squirrels Heath Road, Haynes Rd., Haynes Park, Slewins Lane, Ardleigh Green, Upper B'wood rd. and recognising about 95% of the houses and shops that were there even in 1950! They are brighter and many more garages and cars, of course. But the area seems very well preserved to me! (I met the elderly neighbour beside the bungalow where I lived and who remembered me! I also got the local gossip updated!).
Entering the grounds of Hare
Hall at 4.00 exactly, there were already plenty of gents around... all but one
or two looked as if they were above 50 at least. At one point Ken Catton said that 190 visitors had so far turned up... There
were disappointingly few from our List, with several of you I had hoped to
meet. Maybe next time! But our friendly, hard-working and equitable boss was
there, Andy! David Silverside gave an excellent talk to the Assembled OBs and
plugged the film and the List. I found the film as good as Vince has said, and
think that this can be really something. The film was running continuously, but
few seemed to have seen it before Assembly began (after 3 hours at
I met Stan Smith, who told me Francis Holmes broke his hip recently, but is surely able and interested in being interviewed for the new film, so Vince will surely be able to bring him back from the past for us all! Vince was seen beavering away with camera and video and I think the results can be very interesting... not least the filming of all the OBs during Assembly.
All the names of those registered by Ken C. were laid out on a long table in the A. Hall, and I found several names (addresses and tel. nos) of old friends not included in the list he last sent out with the big membership list.(such as Prof. O'Brien, Brian Watson...) So, more persons you once knew may well be registered than you out there have so far discovered.
I should point out that early on during Assembly, a loud fart was heard from the front lines, for which the person speaking, Mr Morral, graciously thanked the perpetrator! Am I wrong in assuming that it was Brian Mutton, as he had threatened? If so, sorry I did not meet you, Brian. (Wearing bifocal, glasses it was damn hard to read people's name tags (one has to go in very close to make out the name and year!! Many had this problem, I noted).
It was very nice to meet the lively cricket playing Pete Benson, once a classmate of mine. After a while, I recognised some of his old his character traits from the past... esp. a natural ebullience. The Old Libertarians deservedly lost the match by 50-odd runs, but to whom I did not find out. He was chock full of anecdotes that we could have benefited from on this List. Apparently, in the early 60s he had rescued some master from the following situation in a class: he had a wastepaper basket on his head, a row of flaming exercise books spread across his desk and boys doing and Indian war dance around him!! How come we have not heard a mention of this dramatic stuff so far??? Pete told us that he had done all the continuity work on the original (with Brian Wren) on the entire film... so he could be a useful advisor too, I guess. He confirmed that there had been one original and one copy (which he had worn out showing to boys).
Another very charming person I
met was my old Scout leader, 'Bunny' Warren, who kindly came to show me some
photos of the old camps etc. Esp. photos of Brian Peaty and John Bixby. Other
12th Romford's were there, incl. the RLSOB Treasurer, Brian Dodds.
I had reminded him that he had sunk a canoe for hire at
The buffet was good, with wines and a variety of snack dishes. There was a bar for beer too in the quad., which was very well done up.
The half-dozen or more boys who came to be guides and do a few presentations on stage for us were all very keen on the school and there was a real sense of everything being in top gear and on the up-and-up. This will do for now. More later, if requested. I hope to hear others' personal accounts of the day too! (Robert Priddy)
Thanks John (Hawkins) for your encouragement (to write more). It is a fact that the quality was not much at all from the boys who put on a few very brief stints on stage - a kind of sketch it was difficult to hear and was overacted, of course. Then a terrible muffing of lines reading from own scripts - painful to watch - but the boys didn't seem affected by their cop-out. At least Mark Morall told them it was no good in front of everyone and asked if any boys could do better than that. Some brave lads did (or did they not want to miss the limelight and the automatic kind applause?). The best bit, perhaps, was the question and answer session (too brief) at the end of their do. Not a good exercise for the slightly hard of hearing (like me - too many decibels from earphones in studios?). When it lagged, I shouted out one question to a boy I had spoken to before who was also a Saxon, 'Which is the best school house?' He gave the correct answer immediately! Saxons! The cheers were deafening, even to me!
One point Ken Catton mentioned is worth repeating here. He said how sad it is that so few old boys turned up out of the huge list he keeps. He told that he phoned a number of them and asked them to come. Quite a few apparently said that they didn't feel it was for them, as they had not succeeded in life as well as the lot who go there and similar sentiments. But, as Ken said, the whole thing was very low profile as to that kind of thing - it was all about the whack, past masters, incidents, or simply exchanges of personal reminiscences and feelings about the school. I found the atmosphere very relaxing (much more than when I attended RLS in the first years, anyhow!). No need to explain anything, we all seemed to be old, matured and wise as old goats about how to relate! (No snide comments, please).
I thought Morall went a wee bit far in making a near-Frankie Howerd reference while reading out a (rather surprised) Old Boys' report from ages past that he had dug out. He said how wonderfully percipient and detailed the report showed the masters to have been then (Maths - fair, Geography - good, English - good, French - fair etc etc.) and then came to "Manual Instruction" (with a kind of leer) "Whatever that may be". (The audience with one-track minds laughed loudly), "Well, anyway" said I.M. Morall "he was good at that too!" (Nudge?). A far cry from GHRN! He did not have the common touch! Actually, I found Morall to be a very good communicator - (far better than GHRN at 'Sex instruction', I'd reckon)! He read out his own 'leadership report' by the Ofsted Inspectors, after strong encouragement that he fished for and won, and the words were almost embarrassingly excellent. (Robert Priddy)
Robert Priddy may have thought that he heard a loud fart but, having been privileged to sit next to the perpetrator, I am relieved to say that it was actually Jeremy Holiday blowing his nose. (Cliff Mullett)
I can confirm that I was not responsible for the 'FART' that added some sound effects to the presentation if I had of been guilty I would have expected all around to have circled their chairs around the offensive area whilst moving in a backward direction.
It was my first time back for 40 years but if something is not done to repair the ageing brickwork and the crumbling window sills there may not be many re-unions to look forward to. When was the school last painted?
I seem to remember that during my time every summer the school had a very popular summer fair which raised considerable sums of cash that I believe was spent for 'extras' which benefited all attendees why not raise funds for a raid on homebase to buy a job lot of white paint. All credit to all that organised the event and I was surprised that quiet a few of my old school-mates were not aware of the web site. Overall I had a very enjoyable return. (brian mutton)
One member commented about the poor state of window frames. I was there with Jeff Williams who was equally astounded. He took photos and intends to challenge his local MP on the basis of how is it after 5 years of a Labour Govt elected on a mandate of Education x3 the buildings are in this state. However later we talked to the Head who told us that the frames are Grade 2 listed and that because of their poor state they must now be replaced rather
than being painted. Apparently the work should start 'shortly'. I wonder whether they will be done by the time of the next reunion - or am I being cynical? (Brian Boswell)
I agree with the comments about the 'sketches' on the stage by current pupils during the assembly. Of course it's not easy to get up and speak before so many people. However it was mostly incoherent and, frankly, worthless, except for the lad at the end who spoke about coming to RLS as a dream fulfilled!
The speeches by the Head I find generally quite amusing; after all it's supposed to be a light-hearted occasion. He comes over to us as being quite jovial, but I suspect he has a hard side to his character. Judging by what he read out about how well things are going now at the school, it's probably time for him to move on in his career. (Terence Turner)
What about the gentlemen who was
to contact the Group at the
There was a James Dovey at the reunion. He was one of the first formers allocated to take care of the old farts sorry old boys who returned to their seat of learning. During the pupils presentation James dovey was the only one who was very confident and obviously has hacked into the rlsoldboys site. (brian mutton)
Both e-mails received from a RLS pupil came via Andy. I don't think either boy hacked in. First one read:
"Calling all RLS old students i'm James Dovey and i attend Royal Liberty i'm a yaer 7 and next week myself and a few of my friends will be at your 2002 reunion on Thursday all of us can't wait to hear what it was like at RLS all those years ago thats all for now speeak to you all on Thursday. James Dovey"
Andy wrote: "I have received the under-appended from a current RLS pupil. (I think 'yaer 7' [sic] translates to 'first-former'.)" It seems that we can expect to be interrogated. I make no comment on the spelling, punctuation, grammar or sentence construction, and I don't understand the reference to Thursday." (Andy Lee)
The second e-mail
was:- From: "Daniel
McNeill" To: "RLS Old Boys"
<rlsoldboys-owner@yahoogroups.com> Sent:
Hi my name is Daniel McNeill and i know that James Dovey e-mailed you a few days ago and i'm also gonna be attending the Meeting on Saturday. We're gonna show you arround the school and Mr Morral (The new and fabolous head teacher) is gonna talk to ya all's. See ya Saturday.
Daniel McNeill (2002 - ?) Danes are the best (Thats me)
UNCERTAIN WHICH REUNION?
What an excellent afternoon and evening of "quoffing and scoffing"
at the Swan and later at The Dodgy Dragon restaurant (or whatever
it was called). It was great to see all who attended once again,
including a wonderful
surprise guest of honour in the form of Stan Smith. Such was the
warmth of the welcome he received from HM's that the barman had
to adjust the beer coolers in order to keep the lager chilled. Well
done Vince for acting as chauffeur.
Stan is clearly getting into the swing of these gatherings and brought
his own piece of RLS memorabilia in the form of the official programme
for the opening ceremony for the School Pavilion which took place
on 12th May 1956. It made fascinating reading and thanks to the
wonders of modern technology in the form of Pete Issac's new digital
camera, it has been photographed and is expected to appear on a
website near you in due course. (Steve Hyde)
THE
Some news
about an incident at the School on
CHRISTMAS 2001 P*SS-UP – AT ‘ THE SHIP’
As invited I turned up at the Ship in
hours with them. If this is how we turned out RLS can't have been all that bad.
My thanks go to whichever fool it was who thought of the idea and organised. I
look forward to further such meetings. (Robin Hackshall)
Just a very quick note of thanks to all present - Andy in
particular, who of course made all this possible - for an absolutely fantastic
day at The Ship. I haven't laughed so much since the Tommy Cooper show I
mentioned in a recent posting.
To all the non-66ers, thanks for your forbearance. Must have crossed your mind
to refer us to the Monopolies Commission. And to all the 66-ers - magnificently
supplemented by the appearance of two non-Members in Brian Murphy (afternoon
session) and Tony (007) Townsend (evening) - make sure you're there on July 6.
Thanks, also, to Ian Mac. I'd forgotten the expression 'bottoms up' as applied
to drinking (photographic evidence to follow, hopefully, for those who weren't
present). Have to get on with earning a living now. Pics
will follow asap. (Chris Stratford)
As far as I could ascertain a splendid time was had by all -
not least by the '66ers. The highlight for me was Ian Mac's dramatic portrayal
of the poor man found, with his hands bound to his ankles, by a police
sergeant. The performance included Ian dropping his trousers to his
ankles, bending forward so that his wrists met his trousers, thus adopting what
I can only describe as a 'receptive' position. For those who were not
there, I kid you not - trousers and wrists to the ankles, backside pointing
towards the pub door.
just as weary shoppers were dropping into the pub for an early-evening quiet
drink!
The script of this one-act play (in which Ian played both characters) demanded
the trouser-dropping/bending sequence to be executed several times while the
unfortunate chap explained to the policeman that he had been - I will put this
slightly more delicately than Ian's description - involuntarily ravaged by a
person unknown. The punch line involved the sergeant declaring - accompanied by
a front-of-trouser-opening movement - "It's not your lucky day, is
it!" An Oscar-worthy performance if ever there was one!
A close second in the drama department was Spencer delivering, with great
feeling, a moving recitation of his poem 'Cricket' - read directly from an
original copy of the School Magazine. I am confident that both performances were
captured on photo and on video.
We await the rushes with great anticipation. (Andy Lee)
Yes thanks guys, that was a truly Ship Shape afternoon, great to see everyone after such a long time and such a laugh each time the door opened to reveal reveal reveal the ravages of 30yrs, or not, as the case may be. (Greg Cooper)
I would just like to take this opportunity of saying a
resounding "agreed!" to hon. member. Chris Fribbins
in his summary of the events at The Ship yesterday. It is now
Then spending 9 hours in Ths Ship making new friends
and re-discovering old ones put the lid on the proverbial cookie jar. From old photos, through anecdotes long-forgotten, to poetry
recitation and loss-of-cherry tales, via Herbie
impersonations and several watering-cans of alcoholic refreshment, made it a
day to remember. The fact that Ian Macauley
felt it advisable, no necesssary, to lower his
trousers several times was merely icing on an already well-iced confection.
If there are to be any future get-togethers of such an ilk I should definitely
wish to be amongst the attendees. Gentlemen, it was a privilege and a pleasure.
ash howe)
A truly great afternoon! What a pity I had to leave
early, but at least I was able to witness the poetry reading and trouser
dropping.
I am also very proud to have been elected an honourary
'66er after all this time. Thanks, chaps. Definitely
looking forward to seeing 'Scoop'
Admittedly it was a late turnout after having finished the
taxi run and 'you will have a lovely time at your mother's with the
kids'. I did
recognise a few of the remnant faces in the Ship despite everyone being at
least 200 years older than me. Shame I missed the trouser dropping
session although there were a few b**bs popping out
that time of night. Truly disappointed that there was absolutely no-one else
from '68 there. It was a good event. (Jody Chatterjee)
Thanks guys for a good hour and a half putting faces to names. Other than Andy (who we all thanked, for keeping us moderated, didn't we?), Vince and Adrian (who appeared for 10 mins or so), I knew nobody. That said, nobody minded my breaking into a group and all made me welcome. It was fun and count me in on the next event. Wish I'd seen Ian Mac's trouser game, tho'. Can you do it again, Ian? (David Silverside)
I wish to echo everybody's sentiments regarding Saturday's event at the Ship. Although I had to leave early, I couldn't stop thinking about all the old acquaintances that I had met again after all these years, and wondering about all the other guys that weren't there. Sorry to have missed Ian Mac's skit though. Looking forward to the pic's Chris.
One another note, I had tried to get another 66'er, Steve Southgate, along that Saturday. Unfortunately he failed to turn up, although I have received the following e-mail from him, which as you will see from the gist of it, he seems quite keen to get in on the fun. However, I thought I would publish the e-mail and allow Hon Member Tony Harrison (or any other Hon Member) to decide what they wanted to do. I was sent: (Ian McCormick)
1951
The Class of '51 golden anniversary reunion at The Ship,
I think those of us who don't have far to come may try to keep the continuity
going until such time as the global travellers can afford another trip (we
currently also have Dave Chester in Canada and Brian Sims in the
Philippines)."
John provides comprehensive identifications (together with comments on how the
passing years have been kinder to some than to others) which you can read
alongside the photographs now filed in ... The Rogues' Gallery.
All 'our' 51-ers were present and Hon. Members Merry,
Thanks to Johnny Morris some of you youngsters can now see what the ravages of time can reap! As you can see, it was a great day for sunshine and The Ship was the best possible place to hold such a get together. As Johnny mentioned, Cast and Oval have come through the years very well. There again, Pete Oval was always a happy character and had a completely positive attitude. Pete Cast just didn't worry about things and after sixty years, he hadn't changed. Johnny himself remains the usual upbeat character whose emails usually contain at least one "perfectly innocent" remark that makes one chuckle. Looking at the pictures brings back only the pleasant memories of those years. One amusing event was when Ron Locke walked in. He came right up to me and said, "Wanna have a fight?" Ron and myself engaged in two bloody brawls in 53 and 54 and he's still got the scars on his forehead from the second one. We decided however that it was to warm for any exercise and retired to the bar for a pint. George Delmonte is bigger than ever, although Dave (Tubby) Seddon does not merit that nickname any more. J. Alan kept a glass in his had during the whole afternoon and didn't spill a drop. Ian Davidson spent most of the time getting a suntan and Mike Course could have won the Jonah Jones look-alike competition with his bow tie. Johnny and his group put in an enormous amount of work to bring almost 50% of the '51 intake together. I doubt if we will ever see such a gathering again. All of the organizers, who toiled for two years to produce the event, deserve the admiration and thanks of the attendees. (Mike Merry)
As a clean cut youth and a great adherent to the "short back and
sides" cut which marked keen students at RLS, I have tried to stick to
this conversative style which is associated with
clean-cut, enthusiastic, jolly good all round blokes.
Thus, for the '51 reunion, I visited my local coiffure parlour and had the
staff instigate a search for some suitable hairs to cut. This was accomplished
and the results can be observed in at least one of the pictures submitted by
Johnny Morris and reproduced by OEM.
Unfortunately, both at the '51 reunion and the 2000 event at RLS, I did observe
some ex-pupils with long shoulder length locks and facial hair. Not up to the
standards that Scruff would have wished us to adhere to. Come to think of it
though, his main grouch was boys who walked around with their hands in their
pockets. (Mike Merry) John Smith wrote : blah blah....."
thing is not really me, but someone recently suggested this method (of
extracting the actual piece of text you're responding to) to keep the size of
emails down, and I have to admit it makes sense. So, getting back to Ian's
comments, "No, you're definitely not alone!" I've also been having
problems with the volume of emails, particularly as I receive them at work, and
any day now I'm expecting to get arrested by the email police...! But, as with
you, I do enjoy participating in (mainly reading) the emails from ex-Libs around my era, and I find that if a particular string
gets going that I'm not interested in, I just delete them based on the subject
line. I really wish that some of the members would actually have something to
say before they send out emails - For example - "Here, here" really
doesn't do much for me. The other thing that I don't quite understand is why a
lot of supposedly mature men in their 40's and 50's still sound like bratty
schoolboys - and talk with pride of all the bad behaviour they were involved in
at school (and don't get the wrong idea, I'm still a big kid at heart) - oh
well, I guess we're all different. (Les Farrow)
It was a pleasant Saturday morning. Not cold enough for a sweater really and
with the sky showing more and more blue every moment, it looked like the day
would become warmer as the hands drifted round the clock. My multicolored taxi moves in stops and starts along the
We pass Balgores on the right hand side and I know we
are close to The Ship. I glance out on the left and see a lone figure standing
in the entrance to the car park holding a briefcase in one hand with the other
up in from of his face. The arm comes down after checking a watch and Merv Wright's face becomes visible. One of the organizers
of the event, Merv is obviously waiting for The Ship
to open up its doors for him.
The
The Ship seems the same as I left it on a Saturday afternoon in April of 1958. Entry through the left hand door and into a long forgotten world.
Merv Wright comes over to say hello and takes me over
to Johnny Morris to pick up a name tag. The tags, all in alphabetical order,
bring back many memories. Dave Seddon appears and we
walk next door and get ourselves a beer, discussing a football match of long
ago where I had been the goal keeper and he the right back. I speak with Brian
Abbot who tells me that Frank Burrell won't be coming as `He feels he's not
much of a social person', according to Brian. Shame that. Frank was always a
very vocal person at school and I understand he did twenty or so years in the
Navy. If he did that and still wasn't social it beats me.
Lindy Robinson, athlete extraordinary shows his face.
Mike Course wearing a bow tie and carrying copies of the '52 and '56 school
photo for signatures says hello. J. Alan Smith appears wearing an OL's tie, havn't seen him since
last year but he hasn't changed over twelve months. Mick Skinner comes over and
we share a memory of the '53 boxing final. Guy Kendal turns up,
over from
By now the room is getting crowded. There's a table with pictures and a copy of
both a blue book and school hymnal. The visitors crowd around trying to
identify themselves in the long photo and laughter rings out when they finally
discover their old selves. Food is bought in and appetites seem good. The beer
flows and yet more people arrive. I see a tanned neck across the room. Not the
`summer holiday' type tan but the deep permanent tan that only a person who
spends a great deal of time outdoors can boast. I go across and it turns out to
be an old friend. Pete Cast, ex-captain of the Junior Colts and now, as he
tells me, in the `motor trade'. The tanned neck is explained. We talk about
Sydney or Sygorney from Harold Wood (Pete lived in
Looking through the bow window I see a car draw up and a tall gentlemen climb
out. In profile his nose becomes visible and I recall that the only person I've
every known with such a roman appearance was George Delmonte,
who indeed this new arrival turns out to be. We go for a pint and I enquire
about Scotty McGregor, the third member of our schoolboy clique. George tells
me he hasn't seen him for nearly thirty years and the last time he heard he was
working in
Graham Haverson, bearded and in shorts comes over and we howl with laughter
when we recall the smoke canister incident. Mike Course chips in that only he
and Haverson had keys to the CCF Stores and at first
Nicholson suspected him. He had no idea it was Graham who actually took the
bomb out. Haverson tells us that he did go into the
Army eventually and then into the Merchant Navy. He said he had asked Harry
Askew for a recommendation but that he had received a letter from Harry saying
that in the light of what happened on the last day of the '56 term he didn't
feel he could provide the kind of letter that Haverson
wanted. Graham just laughed it off, he always had the
ability to shed problems like a duck sheds water from its back.
Johnny has the projector set up and the Jonah Jones school film is shown to the
accomplishment of cheers, jeers and groans.
A gnome-like figure comes through the door. Dressed entirely
in black, about five foot seven and completely bald. When he grins I
remember him immediately, it's Albert Clayton, a late developer who was a
math's whiz. Behind him comes someone I can't recognize at all. Albert
introduces him, Melvyn "Moley" Morris
another 1B entry. He tells us he's been married four times and has six
children. (and you think you have problems!).
At Johnny Morris's request we move out to the garden. By now there must be
somewhere between fifty and sixty of us. Paper sheets are distributed with the
school song on them. Johnny gives the signal and the crowd breaks into song.
This is the first time I've heard it sung in about forty one years and it's
surprising the gusto that goes into the words. We sing all three (or is it
four) verses, some sing the regular words and others, remembering, sing the
"Cross and Crown is the best pub in the town" and the "Light you
to your destination,
Ian Davidson appears and I go over to speak with him. He still has that same
smile but his hair is brushed these days and doesn't go flying around wildly
when he speaks. Ian Skilton comes over for a word as
does Gerry Spence. Fred Ranson, bigger than ever
waves a pint glass about and Peter Ovall, good
mannered as ever, smiles quietly as he listens to Fred.
I hear that Mick Coles should be coming but might be held up in
Time flies by and pretty soon by my watch, it's
Well, that's it then. The remarkable fifty-year reunion of the class of '51 is
over for me. Later that evening as I lay awake listening to the traffic on
OLD BOYS’
Sporadic rain in
from the hedonistic pleasures of meeting up with long-forgotten school chums, wallowing unashamedly in nostalgia and comparing notes with Old
Libertians who had been Libertians long before even I was born! The old school looks the same (pretty much!) as I stepped down off the
train...with one or two notable exceptions! Where to begin? Well, perhaps at the gates! Old traditions die VERY hard so the attempted triumphal entry, in Michael Large's Daimler (with the AMAZINGLY good petrol consumption!!!), down the main drive was thwarted by the hefty chain an padlock on the gate! We forgot! Entrance via the main drive was reserved for STAFF cars (and Ron Smith's bike!).
So it was a quick detour round
to the
investigate
to discover its purpose) on the
The modern entrance is a few
yards past
(Incidentally, I came across an OL of 1940s vintage who INSISTED that the horse was called Old Boxer (in his day!)! Surely Old Bob wasn't a
replacement? Or was he? Old Bob was virtually retired in 1956 so I suppose it's entirely possible that the school could have had 10 years work out of him? John Jennings - any views on this?)
The most immediate difference is in the paint scheme. Royal blue doors and drainpipes instead of the dull red which I remember. All the old circular depressions in the brick work near the playground door, caused by twisting old pennies into the bricks, are still very much in evidence! (Why would we have wanted to do that?).
Then one looks towards the gym and finds the view blocked by another monstrosity of a modern two-storey building - a classroom block perhaps. It stands squarely on the spot where that large tree (horse-chestnut?) grew out of the playground inside its circle of kerb stones. That tree used to
represent a goal in our playground games of football! No matter, because its partner at the edge of the playing field has also gone, along with all
the others which bordered George's sedate "walk to work". This area (and a large chunk of what was variously called the 3rd XI pitch or the Practice Pitch is now under tarmac to compensate for the space taken up by "The Monstrosity".
The gym is no longer a gym but a Technology room. We couldn't get in but could count four or five go-karts in various stages of construction. The
woodwork shop is a Tech. Design room liberally decorated with computers and with an extension built onto the end of it. The glider hangar has been dismantled and removed but its concrete base remains as do all the brick-built scout and groundsman's huts. I spotted a couple of OLs popping behind for a quick fag, just for old times’ sake!
The swimming bath has new fencing with quite savage and business-like razor wire festooned around the top. Not the three paltry strands that never kept US out whenever our tennis ball got kicked over. This is the real McCoy with metal framework to keep it in place. We couldn't spot the machine gun towers!
The kitchen buildings are exactly the same! It looked like the same surfaces, cookers and culinary equipment too! I would swear that the ice
cream fridge inside the double doors is the self-same one from which I used to buy Mivvys!.
Inside the school the hall has changed very little except that the dais has gone and the stage apron is extended. George's little lectern thingy is
still there and I had to suppress a chuckle recalling how George used to peer over the top of it (just) while the present Headmaster (Head
Teacher!!!) - all six feet seven of him - was knocking his knees against the top edge of it! I think we know why the dais has been dispensed with!. Up in the gallery the pipe organ has gone BUT those two gas mantles at the back of the hall, beneath the gallery are still there! I forgot to check to see if they work!
The old library is now an additional staff room with computer and duplicating equipment installed. The new library is an extension built on
the flat roof above the old staff-room and library, the full width of the quad and accessed by a door from each of the two top side corridors. Its
title now is Learning Resource Room.
Bert's coke heap is long gone and his boiler room was firmly locked but I gather the school is now oil fired. An ugly brick oil tank container has
been built into the end of the shrubbery in front of the Hare Hall building - no doubt very convenient for deliveries but it does nothing for the view from the pavilion and playing field towards the Palladian portico! All the classrooms that I visited still have the original numbers on the doors (albeit painted over in blue) AND all the radiators that I remember from 1955! There's obviously still nothing wrong with the heating system!
I remember corridor walls being
bare. They are now covered with
displays.
As for the school, its progress and probable survival I have to say that Mark Morrall, the latest head, impressed me immensely. He was proud to be able to report that the school is now out of "special measures" – an achievement in itself as only 38% of schools achieve this - and he seems to
have a clear vision of what is required for success in the future, and the drive and enthusiasm to get things done. His biggest problem would appear
to be attracting sufficient pupils. These days the school has to "sell itself" in a way it would never have had to have done when it was a grammar
school.
However, we were both educated and entertained by two present day Libertians, probably aged 12 or 13, who answered questions from the floor
with an assurance and aplomb that I couldn't recall in boys of a similar age "in our day"! One admitted to having been handpicked for the job - "Mr. Morrall made me!" - but if these two were typical there HAS to be hope that the school will flourish. Mark Morrall is very aware of - and respectful of - the school's history and tradition and would like to retain links with the past while pushing forward into 2000+. Given that it can never be the same (unless William Hague was telling the truth (for once) AND gets elected) at least there is firm hope that the Royal Liberty will survive!
Finally members of RLSOldBoys@egroups were delighted to meet up with Stan Smith, Bill Broderick, Alan Woodhurst, Peter Benson and (I believe) Dim Jim Hardy. Then we repaired to The Palms and most of us got pissed! (Mike Merry)
I spoke to Mr. Smith at the School on Saturday. He was sporting his RLSOldBoys lapel badge proudly. While I was trembling in his presence (a grown man still in awe of a School Master!) he told me (in a soft, but firm, respect-inspiring tone that brought back memories of Room 1 all that time ago) that he was pleased and honoured to have been elected Honorary Life Member of our Group. "But ", he said with a smile, "I'm not about to buy a computer just for that!"
I assured him that Bill would keep him up to date with all relevant items. When I remarked that I was pleased to see him looking so well he replied
(with a grin) "So am I!". I reported that when I'm trying to help my daughter with her 'A' Level Maths homework I often suggest that we tackle a problem 'as Mr. Smith explained it to me'.
He said "I'm glad that you
can remember it." Sharp as a pin. He sends his
regards and best wishes to us all. (Mike Merry)
Here is my input on the Re-Union... I did wonder if I was going to get there with 5 RTA's on the M25 in about 12 miles! Yes I also tried the
locked
main gates, found a distinguished-looking bearded gent sheltering under some
trees… who was obviously an
Actually I thought the faces matched
the styles pretty much! And was glad I had not committed to the later drinking
session… which was obviously going to be a bit out of my class!... and I had a
big mountain-biking event on the Sunday!.. I found that the
I have to say, that from my abortive attempt to contact RLS in the A.L. Thomas era, I was quite prepared to be unimpressed... but this was
NOT the case. I came away very encouraged… and especially appreciating the way schools must market themselves these days. I thought Mark
Morrall gave a fascinating glimpse into how things need to be run now… and the discipline methods... more psychological than physical as it was
in my time. He struck me as being a very capable professional in a tricky job and keeping his sense of humour too! It certainly encourages
me to renew my offer of a bursary to some pupils as I did before... am sure I will get a response this time! You can, of course, say hard things about OFSTED, but at least it helped to weed out the previous disastrous regime at RLS. MM now has to overcome the effects of its legacy. The buffet and bar were excellent... jolly sight better than the cricket teas we used to get! Altogether a good occasion, and thanks to all who
organised things, badges, etc.. I don’t know what anyone else thought but I think Ken Catton has a wonderful comic style... like George Burns...
very droll, deadpan, lovely timing.. I don’t know if he meant to... but he had me in stitches! It was mostly jolly, I just got a little bit
maudlin when I walked out under my brolly round the cricket square.. and the nostalgia got to me a bit.... but then I went back and had a beer!
Very glad I went. (Colin Calvert)
I had intended to allow DGM a moment's access to the Pr*f*cts Room but sadly, it is no more; being used now as an office. We did, however visit
the Headmaster's Study leaving poor Mark somewhat glad that he didn't have to cope with the last day of term pranks graphically recounted to him by (well, you can guess).
The only slight dampener on the
Headmaster's presentation and Q & A session with the boys, was the
realisation (prompted by Stan Smith) that such examples of excellence would be
sharing classes with boys that could neither read nor write and the inevitable
restriction that would have on the collective development of the school. It
will be interesting to monitor progress in four or five year’s time when the
benefit of the Headmaster's influence will have seen through a complete intake
from the beginning. To those who missed the occasion, I can urge you to attend
a future event if at all possible. The
day was great fun. (M.P. Large)
I enjoyed the reunion immensely.
I also talked to Stan Smith for some time. As was already mentioned, he is
still v. sharp. Whilst we were talking he calculated how many pupils he had
taught at the RLS. Also mentioned that his brother was responsible for the s/w
which was first used to calculate VAT (apparently 5 % at the time?) That caused
an interruption in the discussion. He
said that he had continued to be associated with the school for many years
after leaving, e.g. exam supervision, and that he has a collection of yearbooks
etc covering a very long period. He was also very knowledgeable about the
development of the school building in the earlier years. In fact, he has a vast
unique knowledge in his head about many aspects of RLS. Presumably
Looking in the classrooms, I
found the desks (tables) very tacky...except in the physics/chem.
labs.where they appeared to have retained some of the
original furniture. I made several new contacts from my intake year....hope
they follow up re. joining the RLSOldboys
list. (Terry Turner)
This tale begins back at the
frail than myself. Peering sideways at his lapel badge I discovered that he was Harry Fensom who left the School in the mid-30's. Sensing that he might have an interesting story to tell, I asked him if he was involved in any of HM Forces during the war. He said, well no, the work he was engaged on was regarded as far too valuable for him to be released; it transpired that he had been one of the early recruits to
on the conduct of the war. Harry was particularly sore about how afterwards Churchill had ordered the complete destruction of the
Colossus and Bombe code-breaking machines together with all design drawings and records. At the time I met him he was helping with a number
of other volunteers to reconstruct the Colossus computer, and also to simulate its workings on a PC.
In the time between the last
X, as
Yesterday I paid a visit to
Harry Fensom: in one exhibit there was a portrait of him as a young man and his description was quoted of what it was actually like working
there during the war years; in the other he was pictured at a reunion which took place there during the 1980's.
I intend to drop Ken Catton a line and ask Harry Fensom's whereabouts as I think quite a few of us would be interested to know more about his
achievements. Of course, I had previously been to the 1996
School reunion, and also to a couple of gatherings elsewhere which had been
arranged for our own school intake year - so the shock of seeing immense
changes to faces and places was somewhat reduced for me on this occasion. I
first encountered the new Headmaster in his study, he seemed bemused by all our
comments, life is nowadays so different, but as became evident during his talk
to the assembly he seems to have the right mix of firmness and humour to make
progress with the coming generation. I was interested to meet a number of
A Walk Around
the School in 2000: They've moved the gate in
changed.
Today I roll through the new double gates in a taxi, my wife at my side and pull into the playground with the entry doors on the right hand side. The huge beech tree that used to be located there is gone, as have the outdoor bogs and the square is filled with shiny automobiles and grey hair.
I exit the taxi and immediately see Stan Smith. He looks a little more frail these days, which I guess is only to be expected at 90+. I approach and introduce myself and my wife. Stan, his usual charming self puts his hand on my shoulder and address my wife. "We have great hopes for this young man" he says, smiling. Ah! If only I was a young man Stan's words might be true! It breaks the ice though and my wife smiles at Sam, relaxed at last after being told for years the horror stories of what it was like to attend an all boys school.
I speak with Llewelyn, the once-sergeant
of the Cadet Corps who I was convinced would have gone on to
or something. No luck. He tells me he became a geologist.
Bill, Stan's son in law appears at last. I recognise him immediately. The smile makes one feel at home immediately. We chat for a little
and then move on. I see John Loder who lived very close to me in Chadwell Heath. I've not seen John in 50 years but recognise him
immediately and we stop to talk. I was in school with his sister who I learn is well and living in Ingatestone.
It's time to go inside now. I walk through those double doors and past the notice board. Throngs of men, mostly grey, talking together
and laughing. I take my wife towards the right hand staircase and point out the room where I remember Tug Wilson teaching. Then up the
stairs
and past Ernie Pillings territory, along past the
pass
Undaunted I continue around the top floor, running into J Alan for a few minutes and then finishing up at Scruff's office. Down the spiral
staircase where I run into some more Old Boys wandering around. We exit through the Hare Hall doors and take a look at the cricket still
being played. The grounds look as good as they ever did, green and lush.
We make our way around to the main doors again and into the hall where I meet Graham and Andy for the first time and then glimpse a
chance
of the sleek black locks of David, slinking out to smoke! Terry Turner is
around as is Colin and David S. One by one our group are introduced. How
interesting after all these months to finally put faces to the postings. I meet
up with Barry K who returns my dollars I had given him for the "Blue
Books" and then with Mervyn Wright, a contemporary,
and we make out way to the small dining room for a snack. I run into Don Heath,
still as strange as ever but now bent over and with a long beard. He chats
about bell ringing to me. I send my wife back to the hotel in a taxi and we go
into the Hall to listen to Ken Catton's state of the
RLS speach. We hear about a walk he took past the old
Playing Fields on the
Catton
takes over again. Dry as a stick. He mentioned the Group but brushes it's
importance aside by saying he knows nothing about computers. He could have done
better than that, for all of his dedication to the school. I begin to
understand just why things may have come unravelled. Perhaps it was because
those with the opportunity to do something just couldn't keep up with modern
ways. It gets rather sombre there in the hall. Gus on the right, Scruff on the
left and the gas mantles (as another distinguished group member mentioned)
still poking out from the wall. The stained glass window is as magnificent as
ever and I wait for the school song to be sung. In vane I'm afraid. (or should I say in fane?) I grab a ride with John Phillips
and we get back to the Palms. We find the Havering Room which Michael has so
strongly fought for and we sit down to savour our first drinks. The characters
shine through and one can only laugh out loud at some of the stories from those
present. John and Dave B are the
youngest but both contribute with stories of a newer RLS. David S brings out
some outrageous stories and David M. tempts
take my leave after being told I was not required to contribute, something which makes me feel I'm amongst friends!I make my weary way back to my room and close my ears to the barrage. It doesn't matter really. I've had my fun. It was something I had been looking forward to for a long time and I wasn't in the least bit disappointed believe it or not! (Mike Merry)
I enjoyed the first reunion immensely. I had not been inside the school (except for a few minutes during a summer fair) since 1973. All of you who
returned for the first time since your days at the RLS echoed my feelings exactly. Mainly, very little had changed, a lot of original features were
still there (room numbers, for example) but newer chemistry and physics lab benches, and room 23 (geography) now a training ground for McDonalds. I enjoyed being able to talk to people nearly twice my age about the RLS as it was when they were there.
I was fortunate enough to meet several of my old classmates that year, and many good tales were told. The beer flowed, and the buffet was excellent. We were among the youngest there. Most of the others were pre-1960 models. We had a talk from Lance Thomas who seemed OK - certainly had me fooled!
The second reunion saw a great
dwindling in numbers. No new faces, just
fewer attendees from all years. The talk
was from the newly-installed Mark Morral who had
apparently been instrumental in rescuing a school in Hackney. We liked him.
He seemed to know where he was going.
Afterwards, he quizzed us at some length about the school in the Coles
years, and said how he would like to forge stronger links with the
So - this year's effort. By now, of course, I have ceased to marvel at the way most of the school is unchanged. This year, the only person I knew was Steve Attridge. Some of you met him at Palms. I still think that Mark Morral knows where he is taking the school, and certainly knows how to put on a good show. Apart from the assembly, and meeting John Bowling (I leave Stan and Bill out because I see them a few times throughout the year) I found the reunion very disappointing, as no b*gg*r I knew turned up!
What absolutely saved the day for me was the after-event at Palms. To be able to meet some of you, and put faces to cyber-names was good, but to hear some of the stories was even better! I have a few announcements to make- I would like to thank Andy and Michael for their part in organising the event. If I should be thanking anybody else, my apologies - I didn't know you were involved. I was dreading the evening in case it was a total disaster, having suggested the venue in the first place. I needn't have worried. The venue was unimportant - the people made it what it was. Thanks also to DGM for organising the badges.
Now that I've met him, I'm not so sure that I can believe everything Mike Merry says. I don't know if you others feel the same, but I have a suspicion that he might embellish a tale or two sometimes.
DGM had me completely fooled. I'm hopeless at facial recognition at the best of times, but the photo in the library had me expecting someone completely different. (By the way, you seem to be wearing the rosette. Did the horse enter you in the veteran owner's class? It looks as though you won first prize).
Andy looked pretty much like I expected him to. His photo was more accurate. had not seen a photo of MM, but I had a very strong idea of what he would look like. I was wrong. I should look that good when I'm his age, already!
The perpetrator of a rather entertaining prank involving letters and a fax has now taught me the true meaning of 'Eat, drink and be Merry, for tomorrow we die!'
Hopefully Andy got home OK. Did you get fixed up in Romford, or did you follow
the slogan 'The car on the AA truck in front is a
Thanks to those who stayed on in
the bar at Palms. Without you I would
not have felt safe being accosted by that drunken
Now you have all met me, you
will know why I never banged my head on that low beam in the VIB flat, as some
of you were asking a few months ago. To finish on a more serious note, my above
comments on the reunion reflect what we have seen as far as list membership
goes. Very few at any of the reunions
have been younger than myself. Very few
on this list are younger than myself. I
really don't think that they have the inclination, or the sense of history that
binds us together. Let's face it, the younger
they are, the more likely they are to be computer literate, with email
addresses and websites coming out of their ears - so where are they? It is a pity that this list did not exist in
1976 when I met all of my old acquaintances.
Never mind, I'll keep searching, and see who I can turn up. Oh - for
those who were asking, Steve remembers that two of the items in the museum were
a bag of flour (from
Going around the School on 8th July it was apparent that most classrooms were equipped with awful cheaply produced chipboard/melomine tables.
What happened to the splendid
traditional oak desks with their superb carvings? It appears that some terrible
act of sacrilege must have been carried out at some time in the recent past.
I'm sure that the old desks cannot have worn out? Rather someone with no sense
of history must have succumbed to the glib talk of some MFI salesman. Reminiscing
further on the old desks, they had holes for inkwells. In the good old days
(pre-biro) these had to be topped up; normally this was efficiently carried out
(Bert again?) but occasionally saboteurs got to an inkwell with a secret
ingredient which was presumably lifted from the chemmie-labs
and caused the ink to effervesce and become completely useless (bet Epson would
like to know what it was! - or perhaps they do)- .(John
C. Jennings)
A number of rooms were "re-fitted" during 1955-62. I remember particularly Room 3 having quite smart, up-to-date, but wooden, replacement desks. The splendid traditional oak desks did not go to waste. The went across to the woodwork shop and kept Tiddles supplied with good
quality oak for some time to come! Talented people (like
Mick Pidgeon - mentioned in the archives for this
very thing - turned them into excellent pieces of furniture and/or passed exams
with them! (DGM)
OLD BOYS’ CRICKET CLUB
The following appears unaltered in both the Alumni &
Year Book 1960-61 and the Year Book 1965-66: "The Liberty Casuals Cricket
Club "Membership is open to all members of the Parents' Association, the
School Teaching Staff and a limited number of Old Boys of the School.
Secretary: M J French Esq. 29
I have always thought that this was less than welcoming to Old Boys. Did anyone have any experience of this Club, and the reasons behind the wording of its entry? (John Hawkins)
Most Old Boys sufficiently interested in cricket would have been 1st or 2nd XI players and, therefore, far too good for the Liberty Casuals. Membership had to be restricted to give the staff a chance of selection! (David Maltby)
Now M J French was the father of Peter French (RLS 1964-1969). Given his association with the Liberty Casuals I assume that he must have been an Old Boy himself (1940s?). Mrs French was the School Secretary whilst I was there. In addition he assisted in running the Army Section of the CCF as a Lieutenant (from '68/9 I guess as he was not part of it when I joined). Peter joined the Army on leaving and trained as a cartographer at Chepstow. I had not realised the depth of the French family RLS connection. Peter was a good mate and great laugh at school (we tended to be bottom of most things together) but I lost touch after he had been in the Army for a couple of years. Is anyone still in touch with the French's? (Robin Hackshall)
The Liberty Casuals Cricket Club was very active in the 60's and there is nothing suspicious about the wording in the Year Book or about its membership. Micky French, the Secretary was an O.L. as was the other leading light at that time, Dennis Green. Its aim was to offer cricket to parents of boys at the school as well as staff, and Roy Marshall; father of Peter; was also a keen member of the Casuals. I would say that over half the membership were old boys. It played a more relaxed brand of cricket and did not have as strong a fixture list as the Old Boys' teams. I played two or three times for the Casuals, although I normally played for the O Ls. Denis asked me for some reason, presumably because they were short. Staff did not feature much in those days, if you were a serious club cricketer you tended to play for the OLs, e.g.. Jim Heaton. The only staff I think played for the Casuals then was Jim Jones. When I moved out of the area in 1965, Denis told me that the new Head, John Coles was keen on the club. There was no animosity about old boys joining the club, but they were separate from OLs, and you played for one or the other. (Bill Groves)