Sunday 11 October 2020

Fwd: OWT108 October 2020






OLD WYVES' TALES 108
FOR WYVERNIANS 1919-76
EDITED BY DENNIS J DUGGAN, ROCK COTTAGE, BROOK STREET,
WELSHPOOL, MONTGOMERYSHIRE. SY21 7NA
TEL 01938 555574   07804 520730  
     OCTOBER 2020

FROM BRIAN STEVENSON  (EXACT DATES UNKNOWN)   Many thanks for the OWT's, they are always full of interest.   As I have found previously, it is possible to be a contemporary of a contributor without being able to remember a single thing about them - in this case Kenneth Ward.  Yet I do remember those he mentions, except for Mr Twiddly Dee Twiddly Dum - a nickname that must have passed me by.

FROM JOHN (JAKE) BLAIKIE  1955-62   (This was written July 15th - Ed)  Hello from locked-down Melbourne.  With regard to opening Wyvernians to post 1976 pupils I don't have any direct objection.  But I suspect it would lead to a large amount of input which would have almost zero-interest to the vast majority of current readers  (A declining number anyway, as age wearies us)  Maybe you could find an enterprising post-1976-er to run a parallel universe version?

FROM DAVE POSTLES  1960-67   The criteria for school selection in the last issue (This was written July 16th - Ed)  were interesting.  I had not considered the sartorial aspect - the attractiveness of the uniform.  In my year cohort  at Ovo Road (Overton Road, but latterly Merrydale - an oxymoron) four kids succeeded at the 11+, two of whom were boys.  The other lad progressed to Alderman Newton which had, I think, a splendid uniform.  In my family's perception - perhaps more widely shared - there was a hierarchy of grammar schools by disparate attributes.  Wyggeston was considered to be middle to upper-middle class and thus not suitable 'for the likes of us,' though later my sister attended Wyggeston Girls.  At Alderman Newton they played rugby.  CBS was assured because football was the sport (I was goalkeeper at Overton Road)  Languishing at the bottom in our perception was Gateway which, whilst soccer was played there, did not have a reputation commensurate with CBS. 
Some stimulating editorial comment included the notion that some boys were always destined for Oxbridge, or other universities.  I'm sure that was a significant aspect.  On the other hand some changes did occur throughout the years, and some advanced where others regressed.  How marginal were those aspects I don't know. 
Back to the uniform.  Caps were mentioned.  They were to be avoided as far as possible.  Accordingly, I would cycle along Victoria Road East in the morning, head uncovered.  But at the junction with Uppingham Road at the Shaz (Shaftesbury cinema) it was necessary to don the cap in case Grit Whitbread was encountered on his bicycle.  Lunch and afternoons were a different matter, you could cycle home with impunity.  Finally a brief greeting is directed at Steve Mellor, who was a mucker of mine. 

FROM KENNETH WARD  1959-66  Second year at the former Gateway Girls' School, Elbow Lane.  My academic record took a big blow when I was demoted from 1A to 2B, whereas some of my friends jumped a year and went direct to 3 Alpha.  The 'new' school was walled all round and we were not allowed out.  Our classroom was on the first floor, just off the gym, which did make concentration a bit difficult at times.  I still have a photo of the class.  There are only a few names I can't remember.  And I was still in short trousers!
I recall Mr Alexander, the maths teacher.  On occasion he would sit cross-legged, very relaxed, on the table, but he was very good.  Unfortunately he left after my second year and was never seen again.  Although we were separated from the main school we did have to go across town for certain activities.  One I joined was fencing.  For some reason the teacher let us carry our foils across town.  Crazy man.  Demented or what.  One day three of us decided to play at being the Three Musketeers in St Margaret's bus station.   Some busybody reported us, and we were banned from the club after only three lessons.  I still think I could have been as good as Crouch or Dart (?)
The Elbow Lane dinners were, on reflection, not too good.  But at the time I did not know much better than to realise my mum was a good cook.  A lot of liver was served, or stuffed hearts, kidneys and stews with loads of mashed potatoes, cabbage and gravy.  Considering the amount of offal, dinner time was more like a biology lesson!  A main event was the tuck shop, manned by third-year prefects.  Unfortunately some people (they will remain anonymous) ran up a tab, but that came to an end once the teachers got wind of it.  Given the meagre amount of pocket money I received the tabs seemed enormous.
Another maths teacher was Mr Mercer.  He was very good.  As it turns out, all my maths teachers made a big impact on me.  At the time.our French story book had a Monsieur Mercier as the key character.  Funny how you remember these weird facts fifty years on.  There was a boy called Manger, who wanted to know the name of the teacher on playground duty.  We said it was Jasper, though failed to mention that was his nickname.  It was rumoured that Manger received one hundred lines as a result!  It was good to see Jasper at the only reunion I have attended, in 1998?  (That was at The Harrow, Thurmaston - Ed)  He didn't look a day older.  One of Mr Mercer's quirks was a lead weight sewn into the bottom of his gown.  If he spotted an error whilst patrolling the classroom he would playfully land the weight on the back of one's head.  No words were spoken, none were necessary.
During a French lesson with Bill Sykes, Newcombe hid in the cupboard behind the teacher's desk.  I can't remember how long he stayed in there, but do recall him keep popping his head out and making us laugh.  He closed the door before Bill could see him.  That was a classic schoolboy activity which made our school days special, even if it distracted from the real reason for being there.
Can't remember why, but some of us decided to do some boxing in the gym.  Boogie Gibson and Tony Robotham were two of the five or six boys who set up a makeshift ring, and donned very large boxing gloves.  I had a bit of experience, with my dad teaching me the basics of the Queensbury rules.  I was ready to use everyone as a punch bag, friend or not.  This event was unsupervised - where was the H & S Executive?  Things went well until Boogie caught me with an uppercut and the lights went out, just as I was thinking I was invincible!  It never happened again.  I knew how to pick my battles, especially as everyone was taller than me.
Wally Wardle took us for Geography.  Not sure if it was his only, or favourite, subject.  I was one of those kids who had an answer to everything, or I should say was capable of giving a spontaneous answer with little thought.  The following incident is an example.  The subject was Australia.  Wally said, 'The ostrich is a native of Australia, and it can be dangerous.  Can anyone tell me where you should not stand when close to one?'  I thought this was a trick question, and being quite small replied, 'Underneath it, sir.'  The class went into hysterics, I felt rather an idiot.  Wally would not let it go.  'Tell me, Ward.  Why is that?'  My quick wit replied with, 'Well, sir, it might want to sit down.'  This resulted in a further bout of hysterics.  I hope Wally enjoyed the moment as much as the class.

FROM TIM RIGGS  1952-58   Thank you for OWT107.  My career at CBS was similar to yours (See the And Finally section - Ed) and I fell into category 3.  But I started in 1B and stayed in the B stream until 5S, where I managed three 'O' levels in maths, English and art.  I later managed three more, then did 'A' levels at technical college, which was a far nicer experience. 


FROM ALAN PYKETT  1959-66
   (This item was written in July - Ed) 
During lockdown, and at the time of writing this I am in extended lockdown in Leicester, I took the opportunity to read again Andy Marlow's excellent book about the history of the school. But this time I only read the history of the school from 1959 to 1966, the seven years I was at the school.  
I noted three items of interest which obviously passed me by when reading the whole book originally. Firstly, whilst spending my second and third years at Elbow Lane from 1960 to 1962 I do not really have any memory of being escorted in crocodile fashion with a prefect at at the head from Elbow Lane to Clarence House for lessons in the main school building. I am sure it did happen but perhaps not very often. Secondly, the date Thursday, 26 October 1961 is ingrained in my memory. It was the date of that year's annual Founders' Day service held at the cathedral, but that is not the reason for its importance to me! At the time I was in class 3A at Elbow Lane and I was possibly the only pupil in the class where there was no television set at home. I think my parents were becoming increasingly aware I was becoming a bit upset about this so imagine my great surprise when I went home for lunch on the above date and found a set in the living room. My excitement was tempered by my father issuing the immortal words "If it affects your school work it is going back". It was a rented set. He need not have worried. Amazingly, from that time onwards my academic career took off, culminating with me winning the form prize in class 4A the following year. Pure coincidence I suppose. As an aside readers will also recall that the above service was always held on the Thursday afternoon prior to the autumn half term break, which in those days was just two days, the following Friday and Monday, not a full week as it is now. Thirdly, and finally I hesitate to say but I think I may have found an error but I stand to be corrected! The annual swimming gala in 1965 is stated to have been held on 9 July. Most readers of OWT will recall 1965 was the year when the Leicester industrial holiday fortnight moved from the first two weeks in August to the first two weeks in July and my report for the summer term confirms that it finished on Friday, 2 July. Myself and my parents would have gone away the next day.

FROM JOHN OFFORD  1958-63  (This item was written in July - Ed)  I was interested to read Alan Pykett's comments about short trousers and how we ended up at City Boys School.  Looking through my photographs I found one of the Junior School Choir in 1960 (yes I could sing and was Head Choirboy at my local church) and you can see me and five others on the front row wearing short trousers. Move on one year and the 3A class photo shows everybody in long trousers. I suppose short trousers at age 13 were not very attractive to the opposite sex, although my legs have always been in good shape ! Nowadays I am in shorts whenever possible.
I remember the main criteria my parents and I used for choosing City of Leicester Boys was football and it was our first choice. Having played for Caldecote Road Junior School  and scoring 36 goals in their 1958 League title-winning side and runners-up in the Rice Bowl Cup final  I desperately wanted to continue in a football-playing school. Also City of Leicester Boys School sounded much better than the names of the other schools. It could easily be identified to a place. The place where I was born and bred. The others could have been anywhere.  In my final year at Caldecote Road I was in Class 1 along with 17 other boys and 25 girls. We all passed the 11 plus and three boys ended up at City of Leicester Boys. Another two went from Class 2.   Despite my wish to play football for the school I found it difficult to get into the team. Clearly I was not the only one to choose City of Leicester Boys for that reason and it turned out there were some good players.
I was eventually selected for Mr Alexander's 2nd year team in 1959/60 and the team photo shows me wearing glasses, with real glass in those days. I had already experienced a visit to hospital to have glass taken out of one eye after a stone hit my glasses whilst on holiday, so I knew I was taking a risk playing football.  I had never considered running . However, I managed to win the 1st year school cross country race over the Rushey Fields course. This led to being selected for the cross country team , but I still wanted to play football. One of the inter schools races held at Rushey Fields on our games day clashed with a form football match at Grace Road. I decided, without informing the Team Manager, to play the football match. During the first half the match was temporarily halted and I was told to leave the field and take no further part as I should have been at Rushey Fields. I never did find out how they managed to get a message to Grace Road and I wasn't in a position to ask too many questions. Fortunately no further action was take   .I continued to play in glasses for Mr Mann's 1960/61 Junior XI and the following season for Mr Lawson.
At this point Mr Lawson changed my sporting life. Although the school did not have a Health and Safety policy about playing football in glasses, he thought I was putting myself at risk and should only play football without them. I tried it for the next game, against Linwood School, who also played in gold and black. I then realised I couldn't go on playing football . Mr Lawson knew I would be disappointe , but he felt I should concentrate on running and so I started to train properly.  From our conversation he had clearly taken an interest in my school cross country and sports day results and I have always been very grateful for his advice. 
After leaving school in December 1963 I went on to break the British Junior 6 miles record in 1965, represent Great Britain Juniors as a 2000m steeplechaser in 1967, run for England as a Senior 3000m steeplechaser in 1973, represent the Midland Counties and Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) and then after 1982 for Great Britain in numerous international marathons around the world. I was never quite good enough to be selected for a major championship . However, in 1984 I  had the consolation of achieving the Olympic Qualifying time for the Los Angeles Olympics, but only three could be selected. My time of 2hours 13mins and 52secs was the 10th fastest in Britain that year and is still the County record.
It is interesting to note that on my final school report Mr Bell wrote " A great pity he is leaving. I would have liked to have seen him earn a Blue for running."  I like to think I achieved better than a Blue, but it was nice of him to believe I could have made it to Oxford or Cambridge, even if I didn't at the time.
In " And Finally" in OWT 107 I think Dennis has got in spot on about there being three groups after the first year. I would put myself in his second group. In 1958 I found myself starting in 1 Alpha (Mr Gould), finishing 23rd out of 28 after term one. I improved slightly to 18th the next ter , but my final term was a disaster. I bombed in the yearly exam order to 29th out of 30!  Moving down to 2A (Mr Freeman) for the second year was a blessing in disguise as I started enjoy the work and my exam position was 5th. 3A (Mr Newton) was even better. This was the year Chemistry and Physics were introduced and when I moved to 4A (Mr Gimson ), and along with Maths , English and German, I started to do well in these subjects.  They were the 5 GCEs  I obtained before leaving after only one term in the sixth form (Mr Lawrence). I was only academically average and did not consider myself as University material. After five years of study and exams I wanted to find a job. My qualifications allowed me to take up employment in a bank and four years later move on into local government, where I spent 40 years with the City and County Councils before retiring at age 60.
City of Leicester Boys gave me a good education to set me up for decent employment  and, as a bonus,  a successful career in athletics, of which I am very proud.  Although I left school 57 years ago I still have many happy memories. During the lockdown I have had the chance to go through my collection of schooldays memorabilia of photographs and reports to remind me. Also time to read again The Story of a Grammar School by Andy Marlow. It is a wonderful record of the history of my school. Thanks again Andy.
Thanks must also go to Dennis for being the Wyvernians Founder, Secretary,  OWT Editor and Reunion Organiser. Will we ever meet again at Clarence House ?   Stay safe.

FROM ED FEATHERSTONE  1959-65   Between 1991 and 2019 I was a Partner, then a Director, of Collis Bird and Withey Bookbinders.  When I bought the Andy Marlow book I decided to have it rebound.  It is now in a black quarter-leather binding (Spine and part of the covers in leather, with raised bands and gold lettering) and the rest of the covers in black buckram.  The end papers are also black.  We then made a handsome slip case, to protect the book for posterity.  I want Wyvernians to have it, so the book can be seen at the reunions.  It could be your personal copy.  Lord knows you deserve it!  (I was, of course, delighted and honoured  to accept Ed's generous offer.  If and when we have another reunion it will take pride of place in the display - Dennis)

AND FINALLY...   The recent spell of very wet weather made me think back to our weekly games lessons at Grace Road or Rushey Fields.  I was a less than enthusiastic participant, and had a range of dodges to avoid the torture.  But of course they could not be used every week, so often I had no choice but to take part.  The only hope of salvation lay in the weather, and if it was a wet morning I hoped and prayed it would become worse after lunch so games would be cancelled.  But so far as I recall, that only happened once in my five years at CBS.

Dennis J Duggan  1959-64
October 12th 2020







Tuesday 14 July 2020

Fwd: OWT 107 July 2020






OLD WYVES' TALES 107

FOR WYVERNIANS 1919-76
EDITED BY DENNIS J DUGGAN, ROCK COTTAGE, BROOK STREET,
WELSHPOOL, MONTGOMERYSHIRE. SY21 7NA
TEL 01938 555574   07804 520730  
     JULY 2020


EDITORIAL   This edition is much shorter than usual.  With 106 under our belt it is perhaps not surprising that new material is in short supply.  So contributions welcome.  If possible please send as an ordinary e-mail.  If you don't have a computer I am happy to accept items by post.  I will not print anything cruel or libellous, nor any rants.  That is not to say you cannot be critical - many correspondents have expressed negative feelings about some aspects of the school during their time there.

FROM JOHN PASIECZNIK  1971-78   Responding to your request in OWT106, I'm happy if membership of Wyvernians is widened to include those who joined the school after 1976.  My stay included two very happy years in the slightly new-look sixth form  (A few girls joined at sixteen)  where I managed to scrape passes in three 'A' levels and thence on to university.  Next year, 2021, it will be forty five years since the school lost its grammar school status, so perhaps it's a good time to widen the net.  I wonder if 1990's Old Boy Emile Hesketh mentioned the Cityof Leicester School in his much-praised 2019 autobiography?

FROM ALAN PYKETT  1959-66   I would like to comment on two items from OWT 106.  First, the issue of short trousers.  I have to say I wore these to school until the end of the second year, having attained the age of thirteen in June.  If you look at the photograph of 2A from 1960/61, the one sent to the Mercury by our editor in 1998 - which prompted the start of the reunions - I am sitting on the extreme left of the front row.  You will also see there is only one other boy in short trousers, he is sitting on the extreme right.  I believe his surname was Lees, first name possibly John.  I have always been short in stature so don't think the trousers looked out of place, though I would imagine that few are worn in primary schools nowadays.  The second point is the choice of grammar school should one pass the eleven plus.  My first choice was always going to be City Boys because, as Bharat said in his talk, it was the uniform.  Black and plain, with a striking badge, was the appeal.  I was friends with David McAngus, younger brother of John who spoke to us recently, and I had noted how smart John looked in his uniform.  My father, rather tongue-in-cheek, suggested I should put 'Wyggy' as first choice, but that was easily rebuffed.  Naturally I was delighted to be accepted by CBS, and never regretted the choice for a second.  I believe one correspondent stated you only got into CBS if it was your first choice, something I never knew.  And finally... to coin our editor's introduction to his always amusing anecdotes, I have just watched Carry On Teacher and noted that Charles Hawtrey played Mr Bean, who taught French and music and also led the school orchestra.  Does this remind us of anybody?!!

FROM RICHARD CHATHAM  1967-74   John Skevington refers to the Roberts Cup for tennis (OWT 106)  and wonders about its whereabouts.  All I know is that I was fortunate to win the cup in 1972, and held it ovenight before handing it back.  I won a box of six tennis balls, and the box only gave up the ghost a few short years ago.

FROM BRIAN SCREATON  1959-66   We have recently acquired a CBS swimming medal, in its original case, from a seller on eBay.  It was presented to Leslie John Flower for coming first in both the one-length breast stroke and the two-lengths freestyle.  Leslie's family lived at 76 Melbourne Road, Leicester, and he was born on the 1st November 1919.  He joined the school on the 17th September 1930 and left on 20th December 1935, so must have been awarded the medal at some point between those dates.  I have not been able to find out any more about Leslie, but presumably he must have seen service in the second world war.  The seller was a dealer in medals, and after receiving it I sent a light-hearted e-mail to correct him on a few points in his description.  Such as, saying the school ceased to be a grammar school in the 1940's, and calling the wyvern a dragon.  He took it in good part, and said he was delighted the medal had found its true home.  It will be displayed at the next reunion.

FROM KENNETH WARD  1959-66   (The second and final part of Ken's contribution - Ed)  I think the biggest shock was being coerced into the showers after a PE session, with Jock Gilman looking on.  Wouldn't be allowed today, but at least you soon found where you stood in the pecking order - pun intended.  What was great was the short walk to Vestry Street baths.  I couldn't swim, so was put in the shallow end with Mr Twiddly-Dee-Twiddly-Dum.  I envied the boys like Winter, who dived off the board into the deep end.  I eventually learned to swim, but it took a lesson from my friend Brian Hill to master the art.  Small as I was, I managed to get into the 1st year football team.  I liked to play in goal, but was put at inside left (when those positions existed)  As kids do I likened myself to Albert Cheeseborough, who played in this position for Leicester City.  I even had a crew cut just like Albert's, but it did not last long as my hair did not want to stay vertical - even with a dollop of Brylcreem.  OK I admit it.  What was good enough for Elvis and Cliff was good enough for me.
The centre-forward, Arthur Skinner, was the team idol.  He was quick and always finding the net.  I hope I'm correct, but I think Arthur scored seven goals in one game.  He was also a good cross-country runner.  On our first outing I tried to keep up with Skinner, but learned a quick lesson about oxygen debt.  I ended up walking most of the way, and came in last.  I subsequently learned to start slower and come home in a reasonable position.  I loved going past the Walker's Crisps factory, near Melton Road, and smelling the odours.
The changing rooms at Melton Road were nothing more than disused cow sheds, with no lighting.  And, thankfully, no showers.  Most football and cricket matches were played at Grace Road, home of the LCC.  I have always derived great pleasure in telling people I played cricket at Grace Road for six years.  My last year was at Downing Drive.  I had a try-out for the cricket team when I was eleven.  I could really slog the ball, but I think the teacher/coach was looking for technique and a little more stature, so I never had a game.  But they did find me a role as scorer.  I went to the majority of matches, with the hope of getting a game, but to no avail.  I did used to practice with the team in the nets, and one afternoon my friend Bob Evatt - a great spinner of the ball - bowled one which I tried to hook over my shoulder.  The ball came off the shoulder of the bat into my left eye.  Within seconds it had closed, with a small flow of blood.  The resulting black eye was a monster, and stayed with me in various colours for a couple of weeks.  I was always convinced I had chipped the top of my eye socket, as there was always a small bump above the eye.
In retrospect I feel sorry for Bill Sykes, who took us for French and music in the first year.  During one lesson, in the Lee Circle 'Portakabins', Bill got us to sing When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again.  It was great when the class sang this in unison, but there was a TV advert which used the same tune.  The words were, the Weetabix come in two by two, the elephant and the kangaroo - or something like that.  One person began to sing this alternative version, and before you knew it half the class was doing the same.  Bill would slam his hands on the piano and race up and down the aisles shouting his head off.  'Who's singing that song?'
One of the playground games was Touch Rugby.  This was the only option, as playing football required a ball, and also less than one hundred and eighty boys standing about chatting.  We did not have a rugby ball, so fashioned one out of a school cap.  You had to wear these to and from school, but not in the playground.  Later in my school life I learned that rugby was not a game I should be playing - more later - but this playground game should have convinced me never to play at all.  There it was, a sunny lunchtime and the crowd applauding as I legged it down the playground.  Then Skinner came out of the blue.  He pushed, rather than touched, and I went face-first into a metal post.  There was blood everywhere.  I went to hospital but was told they could do nothing.  A tooth had gone through my lower lip, and it was not possible to stitch it.  To this day I still carry the scar, never having got round to cosmetic surgery.  Skinner, I hope you read this one day.  But don't fret, you are still my hero.
We stayed in Lee Circle for one year, then the huts were demolished to make way for a branch of Tesco, a multi-storey car park and a thirty six-lane bowling alley.  But where did we go for the second year?  Well, there was good news and bad news.  The good news was that we were moving to Gateway Girls school.  By the end of that first year I had begun to take an interest in girls.  The bad news was the girls were moving to a new school in New Parks where they merged with Alderman Newton Girls.
Throughout my school life we were moved from one derelict building to another, finishing up in a brand new building.  
I think this was a good learning curve for my life in general, and my career in particular.  Year two and onwards to follow.

FROM FRANK RICHARDSON  1945-50   Further to the comments about Basher Brewin.  I never liked religious education, but one year Basher took us for the subject.  He taught us about the Old Testament. It was like history, which I enjoyed.  He explained the parting of the waters, flooding of the world and a lot more, in words we could appreciate and understand.  It was the only time I enjoyed RE.  Basher was also a good maths teacher.


AND FINALLY...  As we have some spare space I am going to be a little contentious here, so feel free to disagree.  I can only speak about the intakes of the fifties and sixties, when I was a schoolboy.  It seems to me that by the end of the first term each yearly intake had formed into three sections.  The first contained the fortunate few who were effortlessly good at everything.  Natural footballers, swimmers, cricketers and athletes.  Everything also seemed to come easily to them on the academic front, from maths to physics, biology to geography, languages to history.  They became captains of teams, starred in the school plays etc.  It was taken for granted they would spent three years in the sixth form before leaving for Oxbridge.  The second, largest, group were the average boys, or at least average by CBS standards.  They did their best, seldom found themselves in trouble, did their homework diligently and were often pretty good on the sporting front.  The third group were boys who found themselves out of their depth academically, and to make matters worse performed poorly at sports.  Perhaps they had the wrong mindset for work in a grammar school  These were the boys who sleep-walked their way through their five years, and looked forward to the day they would be released and find a job.  I was in the third group, having been demoted from 1 Alpha to 1A after one term.  My second year was spent in 2A, then it was 3B and 4B.  My set of reports shows I was consistent in being inconsistent! Results and comments from the teachers varied wildly from term to term and year to year.  It seems that sometimes I tried, and sometimes did not.  The only year I came close to enjoying was the fifth, 1963/64.  I was in 5F, a small class of eleven boys.  It's probably fair to say that little was expected of us, and my memories are of a fairly easy time.  I obtained two GCE passes, French and English.  Ken Witts was form master, we had a great time with him.  He took us for the last period on Friday afternoons, and sometimes we did a quiz or some puzzles.  The final general report, written by Ken, reads: It has been rather difficult to ascertain his general attitude owing to his quiet manner, but I feel he has tried to do his best work in an effort to obtain a good GCE result.  In the summer term I came 6th, and was never absent or late nor had any detentions.

Dennis J Duggan  1959-64
Founder and Secretary, Wyvernians
July 14th 2020

Thursday 9 April 2020

Fwd: OWT106 April 2020






OLD WYVES' TALES 106

FOR WYVERNIANS 1919-76

EDITED BY DENNIS J DUGGAN, ROCK COTTAGE, BROOK STREET,
WELSHPOOL, MONTGOMERYSHIRE. SY21 7NA
TEL 01938 555574   07804 520730  
     APRIL 2020


EDITORIAL   By the first week in March we had 85 people booked for the reunion, almost all having lunch.  As fears about the virus grew, we began to receive cancellations and eventually these amounted to sixteen.  But we did not know how many would simply not turn up without telling us.  We did wonder if we should cancel the reunion, but at that point there were no restrictions on such events.  Age UK were happy to proceed, so we went ahead.  It was a good decision.  After a slow start, when we began to wonder if we had made a grave error, people began to flock in.  Age UK served sixty seven lunches, and our guest speaker, Bharat Patel, proved to be a smash hit.  Otherwise it was business as usual, with lots of memorabilia to look at plus the opportunity to chat with fellow ex-pupils. Photos from this reunion can be viewed on our Facebook page CLICK/TAP HERE to view (Note you do NOT need to be a Facebook member to view the photos - just select the "Not Now" option when asked to register).
Hopefully there will be a reunion next year, though there will be two changes.  After many years of loyal service to Wyvernians, John Offord has retired from the committee.  John's main task was to liaise with Age UK, and this involves booking Clarence House, providing details of meals ordered, ensuring that everything is be in place on the day etc.  We owe John a vote of thanks for his stirling efforts over the past I don't know how many years.  We are fortunate that John Hames  (1959-64) has kindly agreed to take over the role. Secondly, Antony Foster, who was manager at Clarence House, has moved on to pastures new.  We can only hope that his successor will be equally supportive of our reunions, because Clarence House is the key to their success.  There is certainly no reason to believe otherwise at this stage, especially as Tony Donovan (Senior management) has made it clear he hopes we will continue to use the building.
At the moment we restrict membership of Wyvernians to those who joined prior to 1976.  However there has recently been a slight, but significant, show of interest from those who joined after 1976.  Our current policy means that Wyvernians will eventually cease to exist, as we all get older and pass to that great big grammar school in the sky.  So we think there is some merit in the idea, and we would be interested to hear other opinions.


FROM GRAHAM CORNELIA  1960-61   I can't remember you from Elbow Lane, but we had a similar start to our secondary education.  Oh the glory of starting in 1 Alpha, then the humiliation of beginning the second year in 2B.  But unlike your goodself, there was a meeting between Ding Dong, my parents and myself.  It was suggested that I might be better suited to another school, which was a relief for me but disappointment for my parents.  I wonder if I was the only boy to experience all three levels of secondary education.  After CBS I was sent to Fosse Secndary school, but they did not offer 'O' levels.  So at the end of my fourth year I went to King Richard III, an intermediate establishment, to take the exams.  But by then all my pals were at work and earning, so I decided enough was enough.  I left at Christmas and went into paid employment.


FROM DAVID TURNER  1954-59   In response to Alan Mercer's quiz, I think the answer to Question 1 is Mr Hutchinson (Can't remember his nickname) who taught us woodwork and technical drawing.  Was it Doc Burrows who had the degree in Pharmacy?  I recall he had a very posh red gown for big occasions.  And to concur with yourself and Pete Knight about the Jock Gilman excuse notes, I got a lot of my homework done on the balcony at Vestry Street baths.


ANSWERS TO ALAN MERCER'S QUIZ  It was Fred Hutchinson who was a point-to-point jockey.  At the reunion he told me his name is actually Frank, but he was known as Fred to avoid confusion with Frank Gilman.
And it was the same Frank Gilman who owned a garage.  He had a different car every week, which was always a source of interest.
Ken Witts had to prove his age to customs officers when he returned from a trip abroad.
Bob Dennis had the degree in Pharmacy.
Alan Mercer had a degree in Astronomy.

OBITUARIES   John Pearson (1949-56) passed away during 2019.
John Tilbury (1949-55) passed away December 2019.
Keith Burdett (1949-56) passed away during 2012  (Information from Richard Thompson (1949-56)
Martyn John Heighton, passed away November 6th 2016 aged 69.  He was school captain in 1965, and his life was very involved with ships and maritime matters. This is part of the  information kindly supplied by Brian Cope (1954-62)
John Thomas Geary  (1953 60) passed away February 29th 2020. The following is from Jim Henderson (1953-60)  John went to London University, and spent his working life in Africa, first in Ghana, then Botswana and Mozambique, teaching English and geography.  he eventually became a headmaster.  When things became difficult politically he returned tolive in rural Derbyshire, where he continued his lifelong love of hiking.  Less than six months ago, John was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia.  He leaves a wife, Marian, children Richard and Jane plus grandchildren.  He had an impish and mischevious sense of humour, and was a great lover of the Goon Show and Monty Python's Flying Circus.

FROM DAVE KERSHAW  (1969-76)   I was sorry to hear that Philip Jinks has passed away, we were classmates at Downing Drive.  As I recall, he had a loud and infectious laugh, and played a mean guitar.  But I must comment on your And finally... item in OWT105.  It's reassuring to know that not everyone had a good experience at CBS.  I had a torrid time for the first four years, until the 'disruptive elements' were removed through natural selection.  That meant I was allowed to pursue a range of subjects that I felt covered my aspirations for a career in the geological sciences.  On Mondays we had an early maths period on the upper floor of the main building.  I recall spending most of the time looking wistfully at the green fields near Bushby, wishing I was walking along the wooded bank of the little stream searching for ammonite fossils!  All I had for anything remotely connected to geology was Ken Witts.  We didn't get along very well, mainly due to the anticipation of terror engendered in the more sensitive of us.  And, of course, the fear of having a question thrown at me in class.  So I read these newsletters with a mix of laughter and some regret, but I always read them.  Perhaps it was the social turmoil of the 1970's that provided the backdrop to my experiences.  But as I said at the beginning, it's good to know there were a few introverts amongst us!

FROM KENNETH WARD  1959-66   It is important to set the scene before I arrived in Form 1A at City Boys' in 1959.  I was born and brought up on New Parks, and went to the infant and junior schools which were just down the road.  My reports - I still have a few - were never that brilliant but there was an aptitude for sport, numbers and anything mechanical.  In the final year at junior school I was fortunate enough to be in the top class, with Mr Kirby as the teacher.  He must have been brilliant, because virtually all his class passed the eleven plus, and I had always been near the bottom of the class.  I was absolutely amazed to pass.  It must have been my sums that carried me through, as my language was abysmal though my handwriting was good.  I still remember learning to write with an italic nib, and for being resonsible(?!) at age ten for filling the inkwells.  Today I still have a pen with an italic nib, but not the Osmiroid that was my pride and joy.  I occasionally try my hand at calligraphy - why don't they teach today's children the art of neat writing?  I always told my children that if they got an answer wrong make sure you do it neatly - you might get a bonus mark!  Passing the eleven plus was the first bit of good fortune I experienced, though I did not realise it at the time.
The next big step was to select which grammar school to attend.  My dad was very keen on Wyggeston, but I had heard it was all rugby and Latin so definitely not my cup of tea.   Alderman Newton's was out of the question because they had a green uniform and also played rugby.  Gateway was an option, but I chose City Boys' for all the right reasons.  They played football, and all my mates were already there.  And many of the boys from my class who lived close by were also applying.  Liam Wilson and Barry Fyfield, who lived within spitting distance of my house, were there.  And those from my class applying were Brian Hill, Mike Lindsay and Frank Smith.
Knowing my parents were keen on Wyggeston I filled in the form to apply for CBS.  I got my mum to sign it after dad had gone to work.  After signing she realised  what I had done, but after much pleading  agreed.  But that was not the end.  When dad came home he was livid.  He told me I had not thought it through, and was determined to have the application changed.  He made an appointment to see Mr Kirby at home to ask if that could be done.  It was a long evening.  I can't remember much about it, except it was dark when they returned.  I was overjoyed when dad said he had changed his mind, and CBS was probably the best chioce after all.  The main reason for the change of heart was that Mr Kirby had two (or three) sons and they all went to CBS!  Game, set and match.  I regarded the incident as my second bit of good fortune.
So off to City Boys' with my mates, either on the Corporation bus or the Midland Red, which went past my house (In the winter the Midland Red was always a good moving target for snowballs, and we did have a lot of snow)  It was a sunny September morning, I adored my new uniform with the yellow wyvern on cap and blazer.  On reflection I think I should have been put into long trousers.  I have a second-year class photo showing me wearing short trousers.  There are three of us in the middle of the front row.  Me, S pooks Newcombe and another.  That was the last year I wore short trousers.  Why did we call him Spooks?  He was thin and slight, with prominet ribs, which supposedly made him look like a ghost  [As Paul reads OWT I hesitated before including that sentence.  But obviously no offence is intended, and it was a long time ago -Ed]  We used to fight a lot. 
What a change things were, but I think I took it all in my stride.  Going to school on the bus was an adventure.  It was peculiar not having any girls there, but at that age who cared?  Teachers in black gowns showed us that school life had moved up a whole new level.  And some older boys still thought that fagging was normal, possibly after watching too many episodes of Billy Bunter (Gerald Campion)  The Lee Circle classrooms had heating pipes running through the walls from one room to another.  Although antiquated it was a step up from junior school, where we had a coke stove in the classroom.  There was a large gap in the wall where the pipe ran, and Roger Williams and I used to pass messages to Mick McLoughlin next door in Form 1B  (To be continued - Ed)

FROM JOHN SKEVINGTON 1945-53   For decades I had assumed that following the school's relocation, then becoming a mixed comprehensive, all its identity had been lost.  Then I stumbled across the web site, and discovered you having been having annual reunions for years.  What an admirable lot!  It shows that, leaving aside political arguments, the grammar school system produced something of great value for those fortunate enough to experience it.
I have only had time to read a fraction of the OWT reminiscences, but one theme I noticed was Bob Roberts.  We all remember how undisciplined we were in his lessons.  On  one occasion we all brought black cardboard curly moustaches, and clipped them to our noses while he was turned to the blackboard.  My personal triumph was to take home a piece of chalk.  I hollowed out the end to insert several match heads and sealed it.  Before the next lesson I put the doctored chalk on the ledge of the blackboard and removed the others.  Sure enough he began writing equations and did not notice the little puff of smoke.  During the next equation the chalk burst into flame and arced across the room.  Bob was astonished, and asked if we too had seen it, but we kept straight faces.  Now the truth is out I suppose I will be given a detention.  But we genuinely had great affection for him.  We began tennis as a school activity, and Bob oversaw our activities.  We played on the grass courts at the Collegiate Girls' school.  In our final year a few of us clubbed together with our pocket money to buy a trophy and presented it to the school as The Roberts Cup For Tennis.  I wonder where it is now?  Melted down, I suppose.
I also remember Basher Brewin.  The nickname was appropriate.  I saw him flailing at boys who had displeased him.  Can't imagine that happening today.  But what I remember most are his multi-coloured illustrations on the blackboard.  He illustrated instability by drawing a man standing in a boat and leaning sideways, so a vertical line through his centre of mass fell outside the boat.  Basher's artistry was excellent, but it took up a lot of lesson time that could have been better employed.
Joe Melia and I were good friends.  When the plates had been cleared away after lunch we played shove ha'penny on the shiny table top.  It was actually football, with a sixpence for the ball and two pennies for the players.  Joe went on to Cambridge Footlights, and a great career on stage and screen.  BBC Radio 4 did a nice obituary.
Peter Nellie Newton was another good friend.  In fact he was Best Man at my wedding.  He went on to the Courtauld Institute and became a world authority on medieval stained glass.  Sadly he died shortly after retiring.
I was in several school plays: Captain Brassbound's Conversion (Shaw)  The Government Inspector (Gogol)  The Devil's Disciple (Shaw)  Henry IV Part 1 (Shakespeare)  King Lear in 1954 when I was in my first year at London University.  George Franey asked me to play Gloucester.  Lear's daughters were played not by two young boys but by two real girls from a local teacher training college.  Now that was a breakthrough!
Those of us leaving in 1953 formed the 53 Club.  We met up, went on theatre visits and held several annual dinners.  Mr Bell, the Headmaster, came to one of them.  We even had a special tie made, I still have mine.  But university, national service and careers spread us apart and we could not continue with the club.

BERNARD WILKOWSKI   Many readers will know that Bob Childs has made mention of this remarkable man.  He was born in Poland in 1921, and to find out how he came to be a teacher of languages at CBS on 1970-73 you can find the full story on the Wyvernians web site in the Memorabilia section - CLICK/TAP HERE to go straight to the article.

FROM KASH SAHOTA  1974-81   The school often arranged trips to the Natural History and Science Museums in London.  I took part in such a trip c1978.  As well as the usual things in my bag (Sandwiches, crisps, radio etc) I also had some literature of the risque kind.  OK it was porn but very soft by later standards.  Needless to say, on the way down Bob Childs, one of the supervising teachers, caught me and a mate admiring it.  That put a dampener on the trip, especially when Mr Childs told us to come and see him on Monday morning.  Luckily he did not ask our names, and did not take us for any lessons.  Back at school; we somehow managed to avoid any visual contact for over a year, even though this often involved us running to other entrances.  After all that time he had forgotten the incident, and we were in the clear.  So when I saw Bob at this year's reunion I took the opportunity to ask for the return of my literature.  Needless to say it made him laugh, but disappointingly I did not get my magazine back!

FROM FRANK SMITH  1959-66   A number of panoramic photos have recently been added to our facebook page  (1954, 55, 68, 71,73,76)  The easiest way to view them is via the What's New?' button on the home page of the web site.  Then find the recent item on panoramic photos and follow the instructions.  Note, you do not need to be a member of facebook to view these photos.  You may be prompted to sign in or register, bu there is a Not Now option that allows you to continue browsing.

FROM ANDY MARLOW  1969-73   If you attended at Downing Drive can you help me with information regarding events held there?  I am researching this period as part of a proposed follow up to my previous book about the school.  Please contact me at marlow.a@sky.com

FROM LAURIE FORD  1962-66   During lunch at this year's reunion I was chatting to Rob Lee, who was musing  he ought to write about how he ended up at CBS.  That seemed a good idea, so I have pinched it!  My junior school was Dovelands, on Hinckley Road.  I can't say I recall taking the eleven plus, though obviously I did.  But even at the tender age of eleven I realised the importance of the exam.  Some of my classmates were promised - and given - a bicycle if they passed.  Sadly that was not so in my case.  Congregational Minister's stipends did not run to such things.  Thanks to some inspiring teachers, Miss Ashton in particular, I passed, and the dreaded envelope arrived.  Which grammar school to choose?  It did not take much time to decide.
Wyggeston.  No, because my brother was there, and regularly up before the Headmaster.  My parents did not wish me to be tarred with that brush.  And in terms of numbers it was a very large school.  And they played rugby, not football.
Alderman Nerwton's.  Another rugby-playing school.  No thanks.
Gateway.  More of a technical grammar school, and as I was useless technically that was ruled out.
City Boys.  They played football.  It was a smaller school, some 600 boys, which it was thought would suit me better.  So City Boys it was for my first choice.
It was rumoured that if you wanted to attend CBS it had to be your first choice.  Another rumour was it only took a maximum of three boys from each feeder school.  Any truth in that?  Only three went from my school that year - Jimmy Wilton, Howard (Chas) Mayhew and myself.  So in September 1962, kitted out with uniform, sports kit etc, off I went.  There was a mixture of trepidation and bewilderment about the new environment.  But I enjoyed my time there, and was sad to leave.  But in 1966 my family moved to Northampton and I ended up at a rugby-playing school after all, Northsmpton Town & County Boys Grammar.  City Boys did not lose a football player, as I was no good at the game.  But they did lose a badminton player, a game in which I earned my colours tie.

AND FINALLY....   As the theme is how we came to choose CBS, here is my version of events.  I passed the eleven plus at Eyres Monsell junior school in 1959, but neither I nor my parents had any real idea which grammar school to choose.  So they sought the advice of my teacher, Mr Berridge, via a letter delivered by myself.  Mr Berridge replied that he felt that City Boys would be best for me.  Of course they did sport, but that was not the be all and end all, and I had no interest in the subject.  He also felt I was at my best in a more personal environment, so a smallish establishment like City Boys would suit.  And so it was, for better or worse.

Dennis J Duggan  (1959-64)
April 9th 2020



Tuesday 14 January 2020

Fwd: OWT 105 January 2020





OLD WYVES' TALES 105
FOR WYVERNIANS 1919-76
EDITED BY DENNIS J DUGGAN, ROCK COTTAGE, BROOK STREET,
WELSHPOOL, MONTGOMERYSHIRE. SY21 7NA
TEL 01938 555574   07804 520730  
     JANUARY 2020


EDITORIAL
   Welcome to the first OWT of 2020.  The annual reunion will soon be upon us, and we are sure will be enough people there to make it viable.   We are now losing members faster than we recruit new ones, which is inevitable given we have a cut-off point of 1976.  Wyvernians has been going for twenty two years so, for example, those chaps who were aged 68 when the first reunion took place are 90 this year!  I was 51, and am now 72.  But the cheques are coming in, and at this point we are on a par with last year.  Our speakers are always interesting, and 2020 is no exception.  Bharat Patel, who I remember from the local TV news programme when I lived in Leicester, will entertain us after lunch.

FROM DUNCAN LUCAS  (EXACT DATES UNKNOWN)   [The final installment of Duncan's memoirs - Ed)   Yes, I have played cricket on the County ground, which was the school playing fields during wartime.  I carried out drainage works there during my farming/landscaping career.  This account may be a ramble, but my memories come back in fits and starts, such as the bombing of Cavendish Road.  We scouts were going on a long trek and met outside the Star & Garter when a plane came over very low.  'It's a  Hampden,' the lads exclaimed.  'No it's not.  It's  got a rear gunner.'  It was a Dornier, with swastika and crosses on it.  'It's a Jerry,' we experts shouted.  Then crump, crump, crump, and the cheeky Jerry returned some time later.  The sirens blared as we were shunted into an air raid shelter and shouted abuse at the aircraft.  He was after the gas and electric works, thank God he missed.  We went to see the damage, but a soldier with a rifle shooed us off.  So we went down a back alley and saw a complete roof sitting in the road and a lady shopkeeper dusting fruit which was covered in dust and debris.
There was bomb damage at the top of Queens Road, and the Vicky Park pavilion, which we lads visited.  There was a stick of bombs from near Oadby church and across the fields to Newton Lane, Wigston.  The final one landed near High Field Farm.  The searchlights on the Wyggy Boys playing fields, opposite what is now Brocks Hill Park, were machine-gunned.  Boys brought incendiary bombs to school to show the teacher!  My education was suffering, so no wonder I left school at fifteen.
At home I had my own veg garden, and one day I dug up a carrot which had grown through a ring.  It was my mother's long-lost wedding ring!  I kept rabbits and hens.  I was inquisitive and wanted to learn, but not school subjects.  I farmed an allotment, built a pig sty, hatched chickens then rented twelve acres from an uncle and on and on.  I began ploughing gardens and formed a landscaping company and did what no other ex-pupils of CBS did.  I constructed the new playing fields for City Boys' school on Downing Drive.  I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had listened and learned at school.  School mates at Wigston National School included one Walter Williams, who was also non-academic.  He changed his name to Bill Maynard. 
I wrote to a lad in Nigeria and swapped items.  He gave me a piece of monkey skin which I gave to the school museum.  Did you know we had a school museum?  In later life I built up a remarkable museum and founded the Leicestershire Museums Forum, which is still thriving.  I joined the Young farmers Club at Kibworth, and Formed Wigston YFC.  I was taught public speaking and formed  Wigston Historic Society and up to ninety people attended the meetings.  I even became Chairman of Leicestershire County Council.  All these things from a poor scholar.  I was such a shy, under-nourished lad brought out of school at fifteen.  I was in hospital for VE Day, almost killed by a cow which kicked me in the stomach.  Next birthday I will be ninety.  'Don't life have many twists and turns?
PS I saw the blood-red night sky when Coventry copped it.

FROM ALAN MERCER  (TEACHER 1959-63)     I have an idea for a quiz, the subject being staff in the first half of the 1960's.  Here are five questions.  I hope others will pose more questions for OWT.
1)  Which teacher was also a point-to-point jockey, sometimes returning on Monday (or even Tuesday) with an arm or leg in plaster?
2)  Which member of staff owned a garage, conveniently situated between Humberstone Gate and Grace Road?
3)  Which member of staff was challenged to prove his age by customs officers at the end of a trip abroad?
4)  Which member of staff had a degree in Pharmacy?
5)  Which member of staff had a degree in Astronomy?
  (Answers to me please.  Feel free to send me three questions about the school - Ed)

FROM PETER KNIGHT  1954-60   Regarding the editor's account of giving fake excuse to Jock Gilman, I used to do exactly the same and came to the same conclusion!

OBITUARIES  
From Chris Jinks  (1967-74)  I am very sorry to advise you that my brother, Philip Anthony Jinks, passed away suddenly on November 1st 2019, aged 61,  following a heart attack.  After gaining 'A' levels in chemistry, biology and geography, Phil studied medicinal and pharmacuetical chemistry at Loughborough University, which included working in the Boots laboratory, Nottingham, for a year.  After graduating, for a couple of years Phil worked in the haematolgy department at Leicester Royal Infirmary before he found his ideal role working as an aerosol chemist at Riker Laboratories (Later 3M Healthcare) Loughborough, where he devoted most of the rest of his working life to finding ways of helping asthma sufferers in the development of drugs and inhalers.  In the process he gained thirty five patents to his name.  Phil retired in March 2018 so he could spend more time with his family, embarking on DIY projects and playing tunes on his many guitars.  Phil leaves behind a wife ,Balwinder, a daughter, Serena (20) and a son, Daniel (15)
Tony Leedham (1952-54)  Passed away December 2019
Peter Ian Hamilton  (1960-66)  Passed away December 2019
John Sturgess  1945-49    (Mrs Cicely Sturgess writes:  I am sorry to give you the news that my very special husband died on 21st October 2019 aged 85 years.  He lived a very full life as an engineer, first working at Evans Lifts, Abbey Lane.  Later he designed an overflow lifting gate for Tumut Pond Dam on the Snowy River hydro electric scheme, Cooma, Australia, where we emigrated in 1957.  We travelled on the Oransay as part of our honeymoon.  He worked for Lend Lease on their big development projects.  Designed remote-handling lifting equipment for removing spent fuel rods at the Lucas Heights Atomic Energy Commission reactor.  He also designed a remote inspection camera which showed the condition of the reactor's interior, searching for possible cracks in the concrete.  He designed the double-decker lifts for Sidney's Centrepoint Tower, and also became MD for the installation of the Sidney monorail.  In the course of his work John travelled to Europe, the UK, Japan, America, Canada and Switzerland, making many friends along the way.  He learned the Japanese language in order to negotiate their cultural way of decision making and we made dear friends there.  From a work point of view John's courtesy and knowledge helped so much.  Senior management went out of their way to tell me how much they appreciated his honesty and gentlemanly ways.  I hope the reunion goes well.  We did attend one several years ago with Brian Ayres, John's special friend from his days at CBS.  I recently discovered from Bryan's daughter, Michelle, that he is now in a nursing home on Melton Road, Syston, and thought I would pass that news on)

FROM MICK STOKES  1957-62   The following item is something I recollected after purchasing a book of poetry recently.  No names, but our English master in one year used to give us homework which involved learning some lines of poetry.  In the next lesson he would hand out sheets of paper, on which we had to write the lines.  The papers were collected and marked, and had to be 100% accurate as marks were lost for mistakes - including incorrect punctuation.  One of the boys realised the lined paper supplied was the same type every time, and was easily obtainable.  So he wrote the lines at home, and substituted this paper for the blank piece.  He was quite open about it, so word spread and everyone began to do it.  Thus we all got full marks.  The teacher usually had his head down working on something else, so did not notice the switch.  He did ask boys at random to recite the poem, but this did not catch anyone out as we simply looked down at our written paper.  I wonder if we were the only class to do this?
 

FROM KASH SAHOTA 1974-81 Until the age of 16 I was a proper skinny little runt, mainly due to my dislike of milk, and as most sports require some sort of body strength I was pretty much useless at them all. I did manage some cross country running (1976) and in fact did compete on behalf of  the school, but running around muddy fields in the middle of winter in the freezing cold seemed like a daft idea. At 16 I overcame my dislike of milk as it seemed everybody else was drinking it, so I started getting taller and a little less skinny. 

Our group of ten or so mates used to enjoy a bit of football at breaks and lunchtime. One of my mates used to play for the school B team and said that they were always short of players so anyone could try out. Well I got in, which was not exactly saying anything, the first  game was about Sept (1979). There was no goalie so my mate went in goal and I started on the right wing. The first half was a nightmare, I touched the ball about 3 times and we were 8 nil down. Needless to say our teacher (Mr Mason I think) wanted to change things a bit for the second half, he asked if anyone else wanted to go in goal. Well I thought it has got to be better than just standing on the right wing, so I volunteered. The final result was 9 nil, so a far better second half.

I was asked if I wanted to play in goal regularly, I thought why not. In the end I only played about half a dozen games as other weekend committments got in the way. Of the six games it was about 50/50 for wins and losses, but there was one game where I can say my head won us the game. 

This particular game was at QE college just near Victoria Park. It did not start well as we soon  went one down due to my view of the ball being blocked (not bad goalkeeping) The other team were better than us and it was not long before a ball was played over our defence with their centre forward chasing after it. I was at the edge of my penalty area thinking 'it's going to get to me, it's going to get me', with the forward catching the ball quickly I thought 'no it's not' and decided on a bit of self preservation. I stood up just as the ball was about 6 inches from me with the forwards boot about to make contact, the boot did not hit the ball but my head did hit the forwards mouth, he fell sideways and I backwards. I had a bruise on my head but the forward fared far worse as his 2 front teeth had been knocked out. Needless to say he had to go off to the dentist to have them put back in and we won that game about 7 goals to 1. No schoolboys were permanently damaged as a result of this incident.

AND FINALLY... In 1959 we lived at 5 Tamerton Road, 'on the Monsell' (No one used the official name of the Eyres Monsell council estate!) and in the summer of that year I sat the 11+ at the Monsell junior school. I must have done pretty well, as I was allocated a place in 1 Alpha at CBS. My parents were over the moon about this, thinking they had raised a child genius. Alas, that soon proved to be a pipe dream and the seeds had already been set for my downfall.  At junior school the pace was like a WW2 convoy, that is at the speed of the slowest ship.  Thus I had ample time to assimilate knowledge, as everything was repeated as often as necessary.  But in 1 Alpha, where two years' work was crammed into one, we moved at the speed of a destroyer hunting submarines and I was soon falling hopelessly behind.  Unfortunately my secretive nature precluded me from confiding in my parents or teachers, and so far as the latter were concerned I was simply bone idle.  I did myself no favours with my relaxed attitude to homework, and things came to a head at home when my dad read the end-of-term report.  Sadie Thompson was brutally frank on his form master's comments at the bottom of the report.  He has no idea of work as it is required in a grammar school.  I will spare you an account of what happened next.  So at the start of the spring term I had hit rock bottom, and sixty years later I can still see myself on the upper deck of a No 24 Corporation bus at the terminus at the top of Saffron Lane.  I looked out of the window to see the greengrocer laying out his wares.  How I envied his simple day of selling fruit and veg to the local housewives.  All I had to look forward to was another day of misery.  Then a thought popped into my head.  Why go to school?  Spend the day walking round town and go in tomorrow.  That way there will be no repercussions about last night's missed homework.  So that is what I did.  But of course I was equally reluctant to attend school the next day, so did the same again, and the next day.  But it was inevitable I would be found out, as if a pupil failed to go to school without an explanation from the parents the Board Man went to your house.  My parents assured him there must be a mistake, as I was leaving for school at the usual time and returning ditto.  The result was a meeting with the Head, Mr Bell, myself and my parents.  Truancy was unheard of at CBS, and Mr Bell was not sure how to deal with me.  Caning was not the answer, and eventually I had to stay after school polishing tables for a week.  Regarding my future at the school, it was agreed the best thing would be to move me to 1A, where the pace of work was slower and hopefully I would find the going easier.  I can't remember if that was the case, but suffice to say that in the second year I found myself in 2B.


Dennis J Duggan

January 14th 2020