Correspondence.

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From: Tony Collins

WOW! What a treasure! Thank you very much for this site, I never knew of its existence till just now.
What a strange feeling to see the old school badge/motto and the maroon colour again, not to mention the house badges Wilson, Mandell, Semmons and Roberts. (I was in Semmons)
I can't wait to show it to Richard Burgess next time he visits me (He's not on the net).
He and I sat next to each other through most of the five years, and are still friends today.

 

Tony Collins, 1954

We often reminisce about school incidents, such as, when we got bored during English lessons with Mrs Henfrey someone would only have to find an excuse to mention firearms on some pretext or other and we could then relax for the rest of the lesson while she related a domestic incident concerning finding her husband's service revolver in a cupboard. Also our form teacher Mrs Leech, who although short in stature could drag the largest fifth-form boys across the room by the hair on their temple. Her husband was a doctor, and when I showed an interest in things medical she kindly gave me a small medical dictionary which I have to this day.
Taffy Thomas the science teacher was a martyr to his subject as the class played him up mercilessly. He usually retaliated by sending the offending boy (only boys did science then) out of the room with the words 'get out, you lout'. Needless to say, that phrase was trotted out audibly by us in a suitable Welsh accent whenever he wasn't watching us.
Anyone remember the insolent chant 'boydidum'? (I won't go into the origins of that one.)
Perhaps I missed him, but I haven't found Ronald Prince (He's on now, JF) in the students list. It may be that he started after the 1951 intake, but I certainly remember him. He broke an arm falling off the leaning tree at the top of the playing field.

I've looked about your site a bit further and am still 'over the moon' with it.
Looking at the photo archive's 1951 intake group I'm pretty sure I can positively identify the boy on the other side of Maureen Pell from Mr Baker (Be afraid, be very afraid) as my old mate Leonard Napier.
Actually, another thing  I remember was being sent to Mr Baker by 'Dusty' Miller to receive THE STICK for swinging on the bar over the steps to his cellar. On the way there I got to thinking and questioning a caretaker's authority, so just didn't go. I never heard any more about it. So I'm still owed a caning!

Tony Collins '51 - '56