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Staffordian 2012 - Stafford Old Edwardians` Association
To daydream is to stir the pot of hope. What we most want is up upon a stage, Eliciting a self-vicarious pleasure. Nor should we deprecate such homespun treasure, The source of much delight at any age. Years pass, yet dreams with dreamers still elope. Fear not to dream, for dreams are not mere leisure: Imagination gives one room to cope, Vivid in its scenes of love and rage Even as it makes one’s world to measure.... Anon. President: co.uk Phil Bennett 01785 714093 president@oldeds. Vice President 01785 223031 Treasurer 01952 820937 mark@oldeds.co.uk Secretary 01785 604487 honsec@oldeds.co.uk Mark Ashton 19 Station Court, Newport, Shropshire TF10 7RZ Membership SecretaryJohn Wood 01785 214481 memsec@oldeds.co.uk 57 Garden Street, Stafford, Staffs ST17 4DD The Staffordian Trevor Ashton 01785 824497 editor@oldeds.co.uk Peter Jones (News Hound) 01785 713227 peter@oldeds.co.uk (Asst News Hound) 01785 220430 taffy@oldeds.co.uk Chris Marshall (Obituaries) 01785 851329 obits@oldeds.co.uk 01785 660076 Derek Edensor: 18 Shepherds Fold, Wildwood, Stafford, ST17 4SF Tel: 220430 Robert Owen: 9 Ralph Court, Castle House Gardens, ST17 9FR, Tel: 01785 Wharf View, Wharf Road, Gnosall, Stafford, Staffs ST20 0DA Robert Owen co.uk Annual Dinner Pete Smith (Distribn.) 01785 812667 petesmith@oldeds. Alan Smith: 8 Highlands, Stafford, ST17 9RE, Tel: 01785 244169 Records Secretary Eddie Dobson 01785 258756 Cannock Liaison Ken Handley 01543 506503 Golf Mike Winkle 01785 600997 golf@oldeds.co.uk Auditor co.uk John Cole Press Secretary John Wood Skittles Bowls Web site 01785 714093 president@oldeds. 01785 214481 memsec@oldeds.co.uk Simon Button 01785 604877 simon@oldeds.co.uk Ed Dobson 01785 258756 http://www.oldeds.co.uk Issue No. 158 2012 http://www.oldeds.co.uk Page 1 Contents Issue No. 157 Editorial 3 2011 Trevor C Ashton (1945-50) Photographs 38 ‘Tug’ Wilson 39 Advertisers Annual Dinner 2012 Stafford Grammar School Robert Nicholls John Wood’s Flowers 3 6 38 40 Page 2 The magazine of Stafford Old Edwardians’ Association Issue 157 December 2011 Editorial As always, we are grateful to the volunteers who donate their time to produce and distribute this annual magazine in particular my sub editors Peter and Taffy who do the ‘hounding’ and Pete Smith who does the ‘trudging’. We are continually amazed by the stories our Old Eds tell but can’t help noting that most of our contributors were at school in the 40s and 50s. Was the School such a dull place in the 60s? (Comments welcome!) We are indebted to the contributors who give their time to write these stories and send them to us to print, all are mentioned by name inside this issue. Thank you also to the proof-readers, Peter, Mike, Megan and Dorothy. The team wish to extend our very best wishes to all Old Eds and their families and hope that you enjoy a very good Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Trevor Ashton ANNUAL DINNER Tillington Hall Hotel Friday January 2013 6.45 pm for 7.30 pm £30 Including subscription and gratuities - Members; £22 Including gratuities - Hon/ Life Members; £25 - Non-members Tickets from: Derek Edensor: 18 Shepherds Fold, Wildwood, Stafford, ST17 4SF Tel: 01785 660076 Alan Smith: 8 Highlands, Stafford, ST17 9RE, Tel: 01785244169 Robert Owen: 9 Ralph Court, Castle House Gardens, ST17 9FR, Tel: 01785 220430 Payment must accompany request for tickets with SAE please - Cheques payable to ‘Stafford Old Edwardians’ Association’ or SOEA will suffice. For vegetarian option contact Derek Randles 01785 249634 Page 3 Menu Home made Soup Breast of Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Seasonal Vegetables Apple and Blackberry Pie with Dairy Custard Tea/Coffee and mints ‘OVER 80’ GOLD STAR MEMBERS * = Honorary members Ken Ackland 1943 - 1948 *Brian Lambert 1942 - 1948 *Basil Apin 1938 - 1943 *John Lycett 1935 - 1943 *Raymond Arrowsmith 1930 - 1937 *George Maddick 1934 - 1938 *Roy 1942 - 1949 *Derek Miles 1944 - 1950 *Lawrence Bampton 1961 - 1982 *Ben Milner 1938 - 1945 Charles Barratt 1943 - 1949 *Stephen Morrall 1942 - 1945 *John Beech 1940 - 1944 *Lionel Morris 1937 - 1943 *Owen Bennion 1939 - 1944 *Len Mould 1936 - 1942 Albert Betts 1946 - 1949 *Bill Osborne 1931 - 1937 *Neville Bramhall 1937 - 1944 *Eric Osborne 1939 - 1947 *Bill Brown 1942 - 1947 *Tony Page 1942 - 1947 *Wilf Burley 1929 - 1934 *Roy Parker 1937 - 1940 *Eric Cartwright 1938 - 1944 *Phillip Penson 1937 - 1945 *Geoffrey Chatfield 1939 - 1948 *Jim Phillips 1936 - 1942 *Peter Clewlow 1936 - 1941 *Dennis Press 1943 - 1948 *Eric Corfield 1942 - 1947 *Derek Robbins 1940 - 1947 *John Curry 1939 - 1944 *Freddy Sandy 1939 - 1945 *John Elliott 1935 - 1940 *Doug Scholes 1941 - 1945 *Jack Ellsmoor 1927 - 1932 Ivor Scott 1943 - 1950 *Stan Elsmore 1942 - 1947 *Peter Stevenson 1938 - 1945 *Keith Evans 1976 - 1988 *Gordon Swinton 1927 - 1930 Geoff Fairbanks 1942 - 1949 *Bill Tavernor 1927 - 1930 *Stanley Gibbons 1937 - 1945 *Stewart Taylor 1941 - 1947 *Richard Glass 1936 - 1942 *James Terry-Short 1942 - 1947 *Reginald Hall 1937 - 1944 *Francis Trawford 1930 - 1940 *Stan Hidderley 1940 - 1948 *Trevor Tucker 1938 - 1945 *John Hughes 1931 - 1937 *Gordon Turner 1942 - 1947 *Alf Johnson 1933 - 1938 *Dennis Wall 1939 - 1946 *Alan Jutton 1941 - 1945 *John Weaver 1931 - 1936 *Noel Yeates 1941 - 1947 Aston Page 4 PRESIDENT’S PAGE John Cole opened last years “President’s Page,” with “Welcome to the 157th edition of the magazine,” so it would seem appropriate for me to open this years “President’s Page,” with: Welcome to the 158th edition of the magazine. Once again a huge vote of thanks must go to Trevor Ashton and his helpers who have yet again produced an excellent magazine with a varied selection of articles. As usual the year began with the annual dinner at Tillington Hall which was an excellent evening and the opportunity for many Old Eds to meet and renew friendships or simply catch up after another twelve months. There were two things that particularly stood out for me. One was the speaker who entertained us with a host of stories about life in the Peak District and the other was Trevor Ashton clicking away with his digital camera. The editor hard at work even at a social event! Presidents Sunday took place in April which is a change from previous years. This was an attempt to spread things out a little more evenly. The other events took place more or less at the same time as previous years. The bowls evening was won by the President’s team, but the highlight of the evening was the gesture made by Eddie Dobson who generously paid for everyone’s fish and chip supper to celebrate his 80th birthday. Once again Eddie, a huge thank you from all who were there. One event that fell victim to the weather was the golf competition. It will hopefully take place again next year. The Ladies Evening was held at “The Barns” at Huntington which is a new venue for the association. One of the main issues discussed was the need for a permanent memorial for the Old Eds who gave their lives in WW2 and subsequent conflicts. Although some progress has been made, it is still on-going. The success of the events has been down to the various committee members who have been responsible for their organisation and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the committee for their hard work on behalf of the Association and for the help they have given me this year. The current committee have been working hard for many years and would love to see some new “Old Eds,” coming along and getting involved. Trevor, in particular, would like someone with editorial experience to help with the production of “The Staffordian.” If you would like to come along you would be made extremely welcome. Meetings are very sociable and the bar is always open. Yours sincerely, Philip Bennett (1969 – 1977) P.S. If you didn’t attend the last Dinner and so have not yet paid your subscription for the current year, you can of course write to our Membership Secretary, John Wood, 57 Garden Street, Stafford. ST17 4DD enclosing a cheque for eight pounds made payable to S.O.E.A. Or pay direct to Lloyds TSB, Stafford, Sort Code 30-98-00, a/c No. 01634667 Overseas IBAN - GB78 Lloyds 3098 0001 6346 67 or via our website http:/www.oldeds.co.uk (PayPal) OLD EDWARDIANS’ ASSOCIATION TIES Ties must be worn at the Annual Dinner and other official functions. Just a reminder here that Association ties are available from Peter Smith, Tel: 01785 812667 . They will be available on the night of The Dinner from Peter at a special price of £7.50. Page 5 OLD EDS ANNUAL DINNER 2012 Held at Tillington Hall Stafford George Pickup 19561961 19421947 Derek Edensor 19421949 Dennis Press Peter Emberton19481954 Geoff Pursehouse1944 1950 Bob Fearn 19431948 Derek Randles 19491954 Robbins 19401947 Ken Ackland 19431948 Ian Gilbert 19651971 Derek Michael Acocks 19511958 David Griffin 19511956 Malcolm Robins 19561962 Basil Apin 19381943 Ken Hackett 19491954 Peter Russell 19631970 Mark Ashton 19691976 Ken Handley 19451952 Rob Salmon 19651972 Trevor Ashton 19451950 Derek Harrison 19451950 Doug Scholes 19421947 Nick Balmforth19511956 Alan Hartley 19441949 Paul Schroeder1949 1958 Geoff Barnett 19441949 Harold Haywood 19461952 Guy Skilton 19741978 Robert Belcher 19481954 Richard Hinton 19621964 Alan Smith 19441949 Nigel Bennett 19651972 David Hislop 19601965 Peter Smith 19491954 Philip Bennett 19691977 John Hodgens 19421952 Ralph Smith 19641969 Owen Bennion 19391944 Reg Horne 19521958 Martin Sullivan 19691976 ChristopherBirch 1956 1963 Ron Jakes 19571962 Alan Till 19451951 David Bishop 19651972 Alan Johnson 19431949 Wes Till 19691971 Keith Boardman1951 1956 Peter Jones David Townsend1971 1978 Ray Briggs Ralph Lawford 19461951 Gordon Turner 19421947 Noel Broadgate1948 1955 Ivor Lewis 19651972 Glyne Wetton 19461953 Bill Brown Roger Lycett 19571963 Bruce Williams 19531958 John Bucknall 19481953 Richard Mapleston1965 1966 John Wood 19441952 Simon Button George Marston 19461951 Roger Wood 19531960 Neil Cameron 19731979 Roger McLaren 19551961 Clive Woodcock1946 1956 Graeme Card Lionel Morris 19371943 Eddy Wright1962 1969 Barrie Chackett 19511956 Mike Morris 19581965 Guests Peter Challinor 19531958 Bryan Moss 19461950 Neil Colin Clarke 19471953 Len Mould 19361942 MikeBird John Cole 19471953 Bob Mudway 19531955 Mike Darley Eric Corfield 19411947 Mike Murphy 19581963 Peter SlackSpkr Paul Craig Robert Owen DavidStottGuest Peter Dawson 19641971 Clive Paddison 19591964 Ed Tony Deakin 19701977 Angus Parker Graham WilliamsGuest Terry Dingley 19451948 David Pearsall 19571960 Curtis WoodGuest Eddie Dobson 19401949 Nigel Pepper 19651972 Dudley Drew 19461953 Don Perkin 19541962 David Brian Ecclestone1950 1955 John Perry 19561963 Bruce Edensor 19561961 Sam Pickstock 19451950 19441949 19421947 19721976 19691976 19471953 19491955 19451953 19741976 Page 6 Total OE Bannister-Smith StoutGuest Worrall Guest 96 Total Guests 9 Grand Total 105 I enjoyed playing rugby at school, usually either tight head or loose head prop, but was never going to get into the 1st XV. I was therefore surprised on a Wednesday afternoon to be selected to travel up to Stoke on Trent the following day to take part in a tournament sponsored by the Michelin company. The teams were mainly from the North Staffordshire area. At that time our “bogey team” were St Joseph’s who regularly beat us. On this occasion we beat them and all the other teams that we played and were the eventual winners of the whole competition. This meant that we were off to France! Several weeks later, after many extra coaching sessions we left for Clermont Ferrand in the Massif Central region of France. The journey would take two days. We were accompanied by Mr Mapstone, Mr Cockroft, and Mr Egerton who worked for Michelin. There was great excitement as we headed down to the south coast and our ferry crossing to Calais. We stopped overnight in a small town to the north of Paris called Senlis. We arrived quite late for our evening meal. It was a bit of a culture shock to have lentils rather than potatoes with our meat. We naturally assumed that it must have been horse meat, although it probably wasn’t. This was in the mid 1970’s when people were not the seasoned continental travelers that they are now, after all. After a continental breakfast we continued on our journey towards Clermont Ferrand and arrived there in the late afternoon. We pulled up outside a youth centre where many of the other teams were all ready established. As we looked out at them, I can remember Mr Mapstone saying, “Look hard lads, look hard.” I’m sure that we did our best to “look hard.” ??????????? MARCEL MICHELIN TOURNAMENT Our accommodation for the duration of our stay was a barrack block in an army base. Whilst in no way luxurious, it was perfectly adequate. Our meals were in the camp dining room. We soon found out that there were eight teams in all. Apart from us there were teams from Germany, an international school from Belgium, four French teams and the Italian National U17 team complete with a manager, coach and doctor. We shared our block with them and became quite friendly with them. They had an Australian playing for them who was able to translate. The matches began on the following day. The pitches were a surprise. We were used to playing on lush, green grass, soft and often quite muddy. These were nothing like that. They had little grass on them and were very hard. Being tackled led to grazes and cuts. They were pitches that encouraged a fast, running style of rugby. However, all was not lost as we had some very capable, fast players. The fastest player we had was Pete “Bugsy” Burns who had been playing some representative rugby at that time. I’m sure we had others who had played at County level as well. If we could get the ball out to the backs and to “Bugsy,” there was always the chance of a score. The four French teams were not school teams like us, but the junior sides of the main local team. Clermont Ferrend was a senior French team and so we were playing Page 7 the pick of the local area. The games were, as I remember, 20 minutes each half (I could be wrong here) and were played at a fast pace. As previously mentioned, the pitches were very hard and we soon picked up minor injuries which required generous dabs of a purple iodine type solution. We now had red shirts, black shorts, red and black socks and blotchy purple legs. Between matches we watched our opposition and had photographs taken with Jean-Pierre Romeux who had been, until recently, a French international player. After day one we were reasonably well placed having had some good results. Day one hadn’t gone too badly. It was during the night that our fortuned changed. In the night Pete Burns fell out of his top bunk. He fell head first onto the stone floor and received a cut and a huge bump on his forehead. He was unable to take part in any more of the games. Although this was a blow, we weren’t a one man team and still had some very talented players. Day two followed a similar pattern to day one and again we had some good results and some disappointments. At the end of the tournament we were placed fourth out of eight. I think we all felt a little disappointed and would have hoped to have been in the top three. However, without wishing to make excuses, we were a school team and not a junior club team or even a national side, so maybe 4th wasn’t too bad. After the games there was the presentation ceremony with the eventual winners being the Italian U17 team. We all received a pack from Michelin with a number of Michelin themed items including key rings a pendant and a pack of cards with the jack, queen and king being Michelin men. We had one more night in the army camp before setting home the following morning. We had another two day journey and again we stopped overnight although I can’t remember where. The trip had been a first for King Edward VI School, Stafford and I am not aware that it happened again. It was quite an adventure for us and although we didn’t win, we really enjoyed the experience. Si Alon g n g the Arches”, “Nellie Dean”, “I’m forever blowing bubbles”, “Delilah”, “Any dream will do” and so on. Patriotic/religious offerings are always popular and include “Bread of Heaven” and “Jerusalem” and the songsters never forget their own version of “The Bold Gendarmes”! Regular attendees at Annual Dinners in January will have noticed and heard a certain group of individuals gathering after the Speeches and in something like “close harmony” singing a succession of old favourites. This group, perhaps suitably lubricated beforehand and amid a whirl of songsheets distributed enthusiastically by Pete Jones, is always led by Taffy Owen on the squeeze box or keyboard and he can play anything at a moment’s notice transposing it (if that is the right word) to whatever key most suits the vocalists. Moreover in the last two years Taffy’s skills have been augmented by the presence of “Nev”Broadgate and Derek Harrison to form a real “jazz combo” The vocalists in this KESS Chorale include Pete Smith, Dave Griffin, Peter Emberton, Pete Jones, David Worrall, Geoff Pursehouse and ,of course, the one and only “Nimmy Wood”. The latter’s rendering of well-known Neopolitan songs is a delightful contrast to “Underneath This is certainly not an exclusive club as many other Old Eds join in when their particular favourites are heard. But in a sober moment (and there aren’t too many of these at an Old Eds Dinner) one might wonder how did these “Sing-Alongs” ever begin? Some would say that they perhaps originate from the excellent teaching and musicianship given at KESS by Peter Gillespie in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s – possibly so, but I think that there is something more besides. You see, I have an idea that this love of belting out favourite songs of yesteryear goes back to the days of singing on rugby and cricket coaches after games at Brewood Grammar School, Newcastle High School, Cotton College and all the rest. The singing then might have been less refined than today and the lyrics rather questionable but we were callow youths in those days. It is hardly likely that “The foggy foggy dew”, “Three German Officers crossed the Rhine” “Under Page 8 With K S S E the Lilac”, “In the Stores”etc could be repeated today because of decency and decorum, even if we could remember the words! In those good old days, whatever the result, ‘favourites’ would be belted out on the way back to Newport Road and this vocal legacy still exists even though girths are broader , hair is thinner and voices deeper. So when you come to the next Annual Dinner on 26 January 2013, if you want a trip down Memory Lane and enjoy a good “oldfashioned” sing-song, Taffy, Nimmy, Pete and co.will welcome you with open arms. It is guaranteed that you will sing yourself hoarse to round off what is always a memorable evening. Our School Days were some of the best years of our lives and left abiding memories. Below are some of mine:Peter - I remember: 1. In the 3rd year, the Prefects and Sixth-formers looking like giants and Gods. 2. At an early Speech Day, looking up to the stage and being in awe and terrified of the speaker – Enoch Powell, no less! 3. The 400th Anniversary Celebrations – the bangers and mash and the fireworks! I don’t remember: 4. Being hit on the head twice during a form cricket game and cycling home in cricket gear. When asked how I did, my reply was, “What cricket?” Diagnosis later – concussion. I remember: 5. Stu Boon annihilating Stafford ‘A’ XI by taking 9 wickets for 11 runs. 6. In preparation for the Easter Lakes trips, Bill ‘Shunter’ Richardson taking the newcomers for ‘yomps’ in full kit over Cannock Chase. 7. Injuring a friend in a rugby game and many years later, sitting opposite him at an annual dinner. On recognising me, he said “Crikey, it’s Pete Jones – you broke my b****y collar bone!” 8. During winter months, waiting for lessons to begin, standing cold and shivering on the top corridor as the rain and snow blew in. 9. A clockwork mouse being set off during a disorderly maths lesson – the result was chaos! 10. Bluffing my way through French Orals with dear old Bob Peter M. Jones (1949-55) Trevor C Ashton (1945-50) RECOLLECTIONS OF ‘The Best Years of our Lives’ Arrowsmith However, there are some other memories that I couldn’t possibly repeat….. Trevor My recollections are: 1. Climbing the spiral staircase to our classroom. Alan Balmforth was our form master the first year. 2. Being picked to attend Colts’ cricket training after an afternoon knocking Ken Shirley and Ken Hall about on The Hough and hitting Stu Boon for six in a trial match. On the strength of these performances I was picked for the Colts (as a bowler??) 3. Queuing on York Station with our haversacks at School Camp time 4. I remember Toby Beck’s excellent Maths classes and his bark of ‘Tell’em Conk’ when Kenderdine was asked to explain something to us lesser mortals. Page 9 5. The floods of 1947 when the school was cut off from Stafford and the Foregate Street Bridge was under a raging torrent. The British Restaurant and the Grapes corner were under water. 6. Being one of the boys to run into Claude Woodger’s door when running out at finishing time. (I had a job to go to.) 7. The scramble in the crush hall for buns and milk at morning break time. With a no toys available as all resources were put into the war effort, I was glad I was a farmers son. make do to me was a field full of stones an empty spam can or other tin put on a gate post placed in the hedge or on a gate post. 8. It transformed me into a thrower, with accuracy and I had the long arms for the job. If we could find some old rubber inner tube, we were in heaven as we could make a caterpult from the forked branch from a bush or a fire can from a large I was born in January 1934 but so were many other children.Nothing remarkable amount but later on in life when I appreciated many kinds of music Jazz swing Latin American and classical in fact anything it pop, I found out that three great classical composers were taken off the scene to make room for me. A few years aftermath birth the world went mad when the power mad German called Adolf started a world war which began in 1939 when I started school and went on until I reached the age of 11 years in 1945 and ended my primary school education. Wife was tough with rationing, ration books and food shortages especially of imported fruits and foods with a strong national slogan making do end to hasten the end With a no toys available, as all resources were put into the war effort, I was glad I was a farmers son. In an age of make do and mend, ‘make do’ to me was a field full of stones and an empty spam can or other tin. This was put on a gate post or placed in the hedge. It developed me into a reasoably good thrower, with accuracy. I had the long arms for the job. If we could find some old rubber inner tube, we were in heaven as we could make a caterpult from the forked branch. of a bush and the inner tube cut into strips. We also made fire cans from a large empty can which we had pierced all round with a hammer and six inch nail. To this we added a wire loop for a handle. After filling with any flammable substance it was lit and swung round our heads. The draft helped it to catch fire very quickly and it was quite effective as a light and wnter warmer in the dark nights. We dug an imitation mine, I lived J B Bucknall (1945-50) WARTIME ON THE FARM The first story of a series from John in a mining area, until it was about four feet deep but it filled with water. It was filled in by the adults before it fell in on us. In fact we did everything that if considered today we would be labelled as vandals and probably be in trouble with law. However when we saw in the distance, PC Morris, Black cape over his left shoulder, rumbling along towards us at two mph on his sit up and beg bike, we scattered. Being a farmer’s son was useful. Annually, before Christmas, we slaughtered a pig. The butcher eventually handing over the poor animals bladder which we washed, blew up with a bike pump, tiedthe knot and produced a football which lasted for a maximum of two hours. However it was enjoyed by all the kids living near us. Very close to our farm was my uncle’s large poultry farm. Hitler had transferred his bombers from London and the docks, to attack munitions factories, railway installations, aircraft building factories and transport depots, in the West Midlands. Shelters were advised and necessary near to all schools. My uncle had started to build a brick built shed to house his large incubation machines. This was intended to be used for over several hundred eggs to produce hens to replace his ageing stock. This unit ended up being an incubation unit cum air raid shelter hybrid. It was a multipurpose building sunk into a hole about four feet deep with six steps down, with a concrete roof and slatted wooden seating round the sides.The whole unit was covered over with soil from the excavation. At the age of five when the air raid alarm siren sounded, I remember, we walked to the shelter. As we lived on high ground we could see the skyline over Birmingham ablaze Page 10 as high explosive and incendiary bombs were aimed at the city and its factories which produced planes tanks armoured cars and munitions. A stray bomber dropped a thousand pound HE bomb on my uncle’s field at Four Ashes. It was an attempt to hit the railway or one of the several factories in the village producing a large crater, still noticeable today. The war finished in 1945 when I was 11 and in my final year of primary education. Due to staff shortages I had to do two years in the class of Dorothy Mary Jones . During the war our concrete built and earth covered zigzag area had to be dug over and cultivated to produce vegetables and all the boys in the top class had a couple of afternoons in the garden in the quest for potato production. On the higher ground, planting peas and beans, on the flat radishes, leeks, peas et cetera on whatever space could be found round the small concrete pond alive with frogs and toads breeding in spring time. Percy (PPB) Bickford the head teacher thought that I, being a farmers son, would be interested in gardening. From a very early age I was driving my fathers Fordson tractor often taking over from him when I returned home from school. This enabled my father to hand milk his herd of up to 30 dairy cows by himself. To get help in a highly intensive coal mining area was almost impossible. I soon caught on that the only agriculture worth doing required a tractor seat. E Dobson BLESSED ARE THE BOWLERS 2012 ‘The sun always shines on the righteous’, ‘The Devil looks after his own’ .Take your pick! Whichever way you interpret our good fortune Wednesday 20 June was a day to remember. It did not rain between 6pm. and10.30pm, in fact I don’t think that it rained all day,for this reason alone forty Old Edwardians who turned up to bowl,were truly blessed. Nine doubles games were played and the results are listed below. On cue at 8pm the fish and chips supper was served and enjoyed with drinks in the clubhouse. Philip Bennett welcomed the group and thanked the club staff Peter,Trevor and John and myself for hosting the event. This was the first time Phil had visited SBC and he was most impressed by the facilities and the wonderful condition of the green. He was also pleased to accept the cup as captain of the winning team,from John Cole who reluctantly conceded defeat. Bowling for the bottle followed the presentation. Peter Smith had to contend with some very accurate shots from the start, as target manager. Nimmy Wood was very close to the eventual “ almost toucher” delivered by Terry Bartlett. After over 20 bowls evenings and this being my eightieth year it was my pleasure to make it a freebie. My blessing on the support of the “ Old Eds” bowlers. Old Ed Dobson RESULTS Presidents Team Ken Handley Anne Handley Martha Collop Alan Hartley 7 11 Simon Button George Maddick 9 11 John Baker Jackie Armstrong Mark Ashton. 11 1 Beverley Ashton Phill Bennett Rita Shirley Vice Presidents team 11 10 7 John Cole Carole Cole Gordon Turner Kath Turner Peter Smith Megan Smith 11 Robert Owen Elizabeth Owen Terry Dingley Margaret Dingley 6 11 John Wood Treece Wood Terry Bartlett Geoff Pursehouse 11 7 Ruth Downes Dennis Press Noel Yeates Carol Yeates 11 2 John Baker Jackie Armstrong Derek Robbins Ed Dobson 11 7 Tony Haggett Cynthia Haggett 88 68 Page 11 Editor’s Snippet Bowls is an ancient sport, traced back to the 13th century in England, and the world’s oldest surviving bowling green is the Southampton Old Bowling Green, which was first used in 1299. Bowls was banned by the Monarchy and Parliament for around 300 years because they feared people would play it instead of learning and practicing archery! Trevor Davis (1943- 51) On some days Jeg. (Hugh LangdonDavies, physics) needed ice for some heat experiment. Early that day he would send one of us on an errand to beg a bagful of ice from a local fishmonger. The nearest was,I think, between the Grapes and the Picture house. Do either exist now,I wonder. (The Picture House is a Restaurant and the latter has hardly changed and is still The Grapes Public House, The fishmonger, MacFisheries, I think, went many years ago-Ed) SHORT TALES OF KESS 1940S Did the Fishmonger make his own ice or was it delivered,perhaps with the fish ? I don't know. Did the ice smell of fish - probably, but I cannot remember In the Upper Sixth the Head (D.J.D.S ) gave us classes in Religious Studies. This consisted of listening to a schools radio broadcast, followed by a discussion. Evidently there was only one radio in the school. It was kept by,and probably owned by J E G. It was always my job every week to walk to the physics laboratory to collect it and to return it. I am pretty sure J.E.G. resented this. Perhaps he had never been formally asked by the Head for permission; or perhaps because he was an atheist. I seem to remember that the battery was flat one day: Deliberate I wonder? Anyway it was always my fault -- the messenger. For Chemistry Labs we were grouped in threes alphabetically, so I was grouped with Chittem and Emberton. I always felt the need to rush to the lab because I knew that if C and E were left alone they could cause havoc. There were many glass jars on the shelf which backed onto the corridor containing potent liquids such as conc. nitric acid. Experiments of their choice would be underway if C and E were alone, results of which could be disastrous. I wonder whether health and safety today would allow nut cases access to such dangers. The favourite explosive for nut cases was potassium iodide. Richard Rowe,like me from Sawpit Lane, Brocton, put some on a radiator where it dried out. Nimmys brother Peter, not knowing this put his hand on the radiator and then placed it on the back of his head the characteristic 'crack' sound occurred and Peter was not amused to say the least. I do not have a 49 to 50 school roll but I have one for 48-49. R.W. Rowe was in the Upper Fifth so the incident must have occurred in 49-50 when Peter was Head Boy. Peter and I took School Certificate Latin in the Upper Sixth to gain Oxbridge Entrance. The primer we used was clearly designed for children much younger than 16 year olds with hormone excess. I remember the first page Latin: Iulia puella Parva est English: Julia is a little girl Me: Little? O.K,15 and 5' 2" but already perfectly formed Latin: Iulia oram maritemam habitat English: Julia lives by the sea shore Me: Yes I can see you now wearing a bikini Latin: Iulia nautae amant Page 12 Peter M.Jones (1949-55) I mopped my brow easing my horse as I reached the crest of the ridge. The sun continued to beat down mercilessly. Today was my rest day and I was taking advantage of my afternoon off from the wagon train. Out of habit I stood in the saddle, my Winchester in my right hand. “Come on down, stranger!” was the cry I suddenly heard beneath me. There, I saw a woman with long golden hair seated on top of a stagecoach whose horses were impatiently pawing the ground. “I need your help!” she called out. “My partner’s sick and I need an extra gun for the next few miles to get the stage into Deadwood and safety.” Eager for a spot of action, I led my horse down to her and Calamity Jane, for it was she, pointed at my rifle and said, “Can you handle that thing?” “Yep!” I replied. “Well climb aboard. You’ll find the shotgun inside, along with two other companions who will help you.” “Are you expecting trouble?” I asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. “Sure am,” she went on. “Not from the Sioux now – Little Big Horn is long gone. No, there’s a rogue bunch still out there creating trouble and this particular lot are anxious to get their hands on the gold.” I silently cursed my decision to leave my companions – this was trouble with a capital ‘T’. I climbed into the stagecoach mouthing a greeting to the three other occupants, one decidedly unwell and the other two looking as apprehensive as I felt. I had barely sat down when there was a crack of a whip and away we went….. Quickly we gathered speed as we rattled on. “Hold on tight!” was the cry and her shouts of encouragement brought a response from the horses. I must have been lulled into a false sense of security until I became aware of another noise. Whoops and Yells! This could only mean one thing – Indians! The cries were coming from the hills above and I caught fleeting glimpses of riders with painted bodies descending on us – their intention was obvious- the gold and us! No instructions were necessary as we opened fire desperately through both windows. Hitting targets was easy as they galloped recklessly forward soon their war-like yelling turned to cries of pain and anguish. Those still alive were halted by the sight of so many dead and wounded and just as suddenly the attack was over and they scattered back to the hills. “That was nice shootin’,” yelled Calamity, cracking her whip and driving the horses even faster. “How are you off for ammo?” she shouted. We exchanged glances, we knew the answer. None of us had been prepared for a fullscale shoot-out, we had little fire power left. I thought wistfully of my comrades and the safety of the wagon train, now miles away. “Not far now!” was the shout from above. “Only 20 minutes to Deadwood.” But no sooner had we heard this than there was more gunfire and I glimpsed masked riders racing towards us! Within seconds we were surrounded and recognizing the futility of the situation our driver hauled on the reins – the horses responded and we staggered to a halt. Then with more than a dozen weapons pointed at us we were roughly hauled out and disarmed – not the time for heroics now! Page 13 ‘RESCUE’ Our hands and feet were crudely bound while two of the gang pulled the gold boxes off the top of the stage before emptying the contents into large bags. Their task completed, they turned to ride away with guns blazing in triumph. “Blast those Daltons!” cursed Calamity as we saw them head back to the high country. Yet her cursing was interrupted by the best sound I have ever heard in my life – bugles! Turning with difficulty I saw many horses riders all clad in blue galloping towards us. The Cavalry to the rescue! . . . . . “We’ll soon catch up with that gang,” said a smartly-dressed young captain. “We’ve been after them for a long time – we’ll soon recover the gold!” At a command the rescue party split into two – one half bent in pursuit, the other after untieing us trotted alongside as our escorts. Within a short while the buildings of Deadwood came into sight – my first call was the saloon and several ice-cold beers. It had been a hell of a ride! Some time later I would have to decide how to make contact with the wagon train. But for the time being that would have to wait. . . . . . Footnote: The above saga owes much to the Westerns of John Ford, but it is primarily based on a real-life experience in 1996 at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show at Festival Disney, Paris. DEREK EDENSOR A PLACE IN KESS HISTORY Nimmy (John) Wood Every one knows Derek Edensor for one reason or another, BUT did you know him for being one of Stafford`s best hairdressers for years and years? Ah!, But did you know him for being an excellent rugby player,whilst at KESS,and a very good sportsman in other aspects of school life. Many people knew him for his antics at school camp for years and years,where ‘Jeg’ (Langdon-Davis) was ,not only a brilliant physics teacher, but for 4-5 weeks every summer for years and years he took scores of us to school camps in various parts of England and Wales,where we worked for 5-6 days each week on the farms helping with the harvest, and actually paid ‘Jeg’ for this privilege. Yes believe it or not! Deg (That’s what I like to call Derek) was one of those campers. Amazing times were had by all, never to be repeated! Did you know that Deg was one of the Old Ed`s that started the “Comeback” of what is now a vibrant association organised by young and old “Old Eds”? I`m sure you MUST know that my friend Deg has been responsible for selling loads of tickets for the various events throughout the years (Along,of course,with other enthusiastic volunteers.) In particular, the annual dinner, where he would be sorely missed should he not do his usual selling to the various Old Eds around and about But there are, I`m sure, things that he has done that I have forgotten and I hope he will forgive me----and you too. BUT, BUT, BUT, I`m SURE THERE SOME PEOPLE AMONG US THAT DID NOT KNOW THAT HE IS, WITHOUT DOUBT IN MY MIND, the most famous of Old Ed`s sportsmen, who have been involved in sports at KESS since I can remember. As you know there have been quite a few. Derek Edensor in 1947 and 1948 was Great Britain`s undefeated boxing champion in his weight. Never having lost a match in those years. He won in 1947 at Leeds Town and in 1948 had the wonderful experience of gaining his title at the famous Royal Albert Hall. There have been other sportsmen at our school that have achieved various accolades in national sports, but I always consider that Deg’s achievements are more than a little exceptional. For each of these achievements our Headmaster, gave all the pupils a day`s holiday. Derek,still looks in pretty good shape ,so I have decided not to challenge him to a bout! A SCOUSER ON HOLIDAY IN ARIZONA USA He’s staying in a remote frontier type town and walks into a bar . He orders his drink and sits down at the bar when he notices a native American Indian, dressed in full regalia, feathered head dress, tomahawk, spear, the lot, sitting in the corner under a sign saying ‘Ask me anything’ The scouser is intrigued and asks the barman about him. ‘Oh, we call him the memory man, He knows everything.’ says the barman. ‘What do you mean he knows everything?’ asks the scouser. ‘Well, he knows every fact there is to know and he never, ever forgets anything’ ‘Yeah right’ says the scouser. ‘If you don’t believe me, try him out. Ask him anything, and he’ll know the answer’ ‘Alright’ says the Scouser and walks up to the Memory Man. ‘Where am I from ?’ ‘Knotty Ash, Liverpool , England ‘ says the Red Indian. And he was right. ‘Alright’ says the scouser, ‘that was easy you probably recognised my accent. Who won the 1965 FA Cup Final?’ ‘ Liverpool ‘ says the memory man quick as a flash. ‘Yes and who did they play?’ ‘Leeds United’ again without blinking ‘And the score?’ ‘2-1’ says the memory man without hesitation. ‘Pretty good,but I bet you don’t know who scored the winning goal?’ ‘Ian St John’ says the Indian in an instant. Flabbergasted the tourist continues on his holiday and on his return to Birkenhead tells all and sundry about the amazing Memory Man. He just can’t get him out of his mind and so he vows to return and find him again and pay him his due respect. He saves his dole money for years and finally twelve years later he has saved enough and returns to the states in search of the memory man. He searches high and low for him. And after two weeks of trying virtually every bar and town in Arizona he finds him sitting in a cave in the mountains, older, greyer and more wrinkled than before but still resplendent in his warpaint and full regalia. The scouser, duly humbled approaches him and decides to greet him in the traditional manner. ‘How’. The memory man squints at the scouser. ‘Flying header in the six yard box.’ Page 14 Old Edwardians of a certain vintage will surely recall the John Anson (1948-56) biology laboratory on the first floor of the old building. Taxonomic information was painted on the wall facing the pupils' benches and numerous specimens were situated all around the room. Several of these were the heads of large mammals attached to shield-shaped mountings and bearing legends such as 'British East Africa 1907'. On the rear wall were large glass tanks, one of which I remember, housed Mexican axolotls for a while. The A-level group worked in the adjoining room which was equipped with microscopes and facilities for the dissections which were then required for the final examination. I vaguely remember frog, dogfish and guinea pig being studied but what I definitely recall is the acrid smell of formaldehyde whenever the glass containers were opened, (well before Health and Safety!) A WALK IN THE PARK In those days biology students in the sixth form were 'advised' to attend evening classes in Wolverhampton on two nights each week to study A-level Botany and Zoology separately (I think the establishment was called Wulfrun College). These popular classes attracted students of varying ages and background and the lecturers were excellent. We travelled by train (steam, of course) to High Level Station and in the winter months journeys could be affected by the type of 'smog' which was common before the Clean Air Act. This was the period when Wolverhampton Wanderers were riding high in the old Division 1 and, in addition, beginning to take on foreign teams in midweek matches. Wolverhampton was crowded on these nights and I remember opponents from 'iron curtain' countries with teams such as Honved, Spartak and Red Star. It was possible to see Molineux Stadium from the roof of the college, fog permitting. Some years after moving to Bristol I was given a copy of Stafford in old picture postcards by Roy Lewis and Joan Anslow. This fascinating book includes a picture of the biology laboratory taken shortly after it opened in 1928 and it is clear that the configuration remained substantially unchanged until the mid-1950's. The person seated behind the master's desk could even be a young Mr Fisher. Information beneath the photograph mentions the building of the new wing along Friars Terrace during 1928 which, in turn, enabled the reordering of the old building to accommodate the new biology laboratory. The paragraph concludes with a statement concerning the animal heads:- These survived in school until at least 1940 but we have failed to find any information about their final fate.' This is where I can be of assistance! In 1955 Mr GR (Bud) Fisher retired and was replaced as head of biology by Mr G (Chalky) White, a young graduate from Durham. Our visits to Wolverhampton ceased and other changes were introduced. Arriving for class one morning we were surprised to find that most of the exhibits had been taken down from the walls. Mr White informed us that they were destined for the basement where Bill Griffiths would incinerate them in the boiler. Being able to see the heads at close quarters confirmed that they had definitely seen better days. Some of them, especially the giraffe and rhinoceros, were surprisingly large. Left to our own devices we investigated whether or not a stuffed eagle would 'glide' from a first floor window - it would not. Later that day visitors to Victoria Park may have been surprised to observe an impala peering at them from out of a bush. Another prize specimen was spotted on the weir not far from the old town mill. This sighting was picked up by the local evening press and subsequently syndicated to the dailies. I have somewhere in my possession a cutting (from the Daily Express, I think) along the lines of 'An alligator was seen in the River Sow at Stafford yesterday. It is thought to have been put there by practical jokers.' Note to editor:I am as sure as I can be that dates are accurate. The book was published in 1984 by the European Library in the Netherlands -GB ISBN 90 228 2786 2 It would be interesting to know if the authors are still known/active in Stafford in order to make the connection The football info is a bit "woolly' but I cannot remember if Wolves were involved in a formal European competition or merely playing friendlies - I would guess the latter but could well be wrong Page 15 RUGBY BANTAMS 1953/54 Back row: Powell, Alcock, Jeff Cartwright, Ted Belcher, ?, Micky Dohren, Blackburn, Roger Tunnicliffe, Sammy Horton, Swinnerton Seated: Fred Pickles, Mr Richards, Peter Marshall, Dudley Drew, Martin Ellwood Page 16 There has been some nautical memorabilia in the 2011 magazine that inspires me to throw in my “two pennyworth” alongside the articles of Brian Mason and Martin Sullivan. I joined the staff of the Cunard Steam Ship Company, more generally known as Cunard White Star, in August 1952 and committing this date to paper has made me realise this was 60 years ago! Thankfully I didn’t sail on the old Queens, it was every young engineers nightmare to get sent to them and to be avoided like the plague, the reasons too involved for this article. I knew the old company very well before it went down the tube, and became American owned and Cunard in name only. Samuel Cunard built the Britannia in 1840 and successfully obtained the contract with Royal Mail to provide a fortnightly mail service to Boston. This obviously could not be maintained with one ship, so he built three sister ships to the Britannia, Arcadia, Columbia & Caledonia. The suffix “ia” being a sort of hall mark for the names of Cunard ships. Brian was correct when he says the Board of Directors approached the Palace for a name for their new liner, but it was well known within the company that they asked permission to name the ship after one of the greatest Queens in British History, meaning Queen Victoria and still keeping the “ia” suffix. The Palace replied that Queen Mary would be pleased for the new ship to carry her name! The Britannia received some adverse publicity when, in January 1842 Charles Dickens was a passenger. The ship ran into some bad weather, not unknown in the North Atlantic, making Dickens somewhat unwell. Subsequently he wrote a scathing article in his American Notes criticizing his accommodation and the sea going properties of the ship, although Tony Page (1942-47 QUEEN MARY SINKS HMS CURACAO he did receive good service and a plentiful supply of Brandy! The regular sailings across the Atlantic triggered off huge competition between rival shipping companies to see who could build the fastest and most luxurious vessel to attract this lucrative trade. White Star was in direct competition with Cunard but after the disastrous loss of the Titanic another calamity arose on 15 May 1934. The Britannic, en route to New York, struck and sank the Nantucket light vessel, killing seven out of the eleven men of the United States Lighthouse Service on board. Nantucket is an island off south east Massachusetts and a navigational point for transatlantic traffic. It was very foggy at the time --Radar hadn’t been invented-- so who ever set the course must have been extremely accurate, unfortunately! With political and financial implications Cunard and White Star merged, details of which being far too involved, making the company 51% Government owned. During World War 2 both Queens ferried vast numbers of troops across the Atlantic without very much trouble. The one incident, that is well documented, Page 17 was not due to enemy action but the Royal Navy! The Queen Mary was commanded by Captain lllingworth, also on board was Sir James Bisset, Cunard’s Commodore Captain. The QM was bound from New York to Gourock with Canadian troops on board and was drawing near to the North West Approaches zig -zagging at 28 knots (about 32mph) She was met by an escort of HMS Curacoa and four destroyers. The skipper of the Curacoa had been warned he was passing too close to the QM but, I think in October 1942 the QM rammed the Curacoa cutting it in two. Bisset said it was a horrifying moment for those who witnessed the incident seeing one half of the Curacoa rolling past the starboard side and the other half on the port side. Of the 410 complement of the RN ship, 338 lives were lost. Had the cruisers ammunition blown up under the QM's bows it would have been a far worse disaster. One engineer I knew quite well was on the QM when it went into John Brown's yard for temporary repairs. Apparently it was common knowledge that some enterprising Glaswegian scrap metal men went to the scuttled German Fleet in Scapa Flow and relieved the hulks of much of their armour plating. John Brown used it to build the Queen Mary's bows! Whoops. Educational Cruises were very popular in the 1960/70-- I have no idea if these are available today with the growing number of huge gin palaces resembling a floating block of flats plying their trade. The youngest daughter of our friends who lived next door to us for 40 years, was on the ill fated school cruise ship Jupiter that sank off Piraeus in Greece. The vessel was 27 yeas old and described by Sarah, who is now a GP in Leeds, as a cross between a "rust bucket and a sardine tin" To conclude this tale of a long lost past the old QM was always a sight worth seeing as she left New York. She would be pushed into mid stream of the Hudson River by tugs and facing the right direction, the "Old Man" would ring down to the Engine Room, "Slow Ahead" on all four engine units. This would cause the old Queen to stir up all the effluent lying on the bottom of the river which comprised of many used condoms of various sizes. These would float to the surface around the ship. One lady passenger of advancing years, asked a passing steward "What are those things floating in the river?" to which he replied "They are Hudson Trout madam, prolific at this time of year" WALKING THE DOG ... A WOMAN was flying from Melbourne to Brisbane ... Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sydney along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft, they could re-board in 50 minutes. Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was Blind. A man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Guide Dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight. He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her byname, said, ‘Kathy, we are in Sydney for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?’ The blind lady replied, ‘No thanks, but maybe Buddy would like to stretch his legs.’ Picture this:All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Guide dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered.They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines! So remember... ...THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR. I must point out that sea going is not all gloom, doom and disasters. I miss it like hell! Page 18 Staffordian and Old Edwardian Nick Balmforth has spent plenty of time scrambling and sliding around soft play areas - and has now been been honoured by the Queen for it. AN HONOUR FOR ‘PLAYING IT SAFE’ A Profile of Nick Balmforth If you’re a parent you will have undoubtedly spent time in a huge indoor play centre. But what you won’t have realised is that the standards that keep kids safe while they have a whale of a time are all down to Nick. Courtesy Staffordshire Newsletter For he literally wrote the book on safe play, pioneered European standards -and even presented a slot on a TV show about it. And he has now been handed an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. “The MBE was a huge surprise,” says the former teacher, of Newland Avenue. “I almost didn’t get it because the letter had somehow fallen onto the drive outside and we didn’t notice it for several hours. It could have been blown away or rained on, so I was lucky it was still intact. “When I opened it I couldn’t believe it.” Nick was born in Lichfield Road and is a former pupil of St Leonard’s School and the King Edward VI Grammar School. to go into teaching, something Nick had resisted but suddenly it seemed a sensible suggestion. Play is just the informal side of learning but it is still part of education and it is very important It was a secure and loving upbringing, he recalls. His father was a headmaster (and also Sports Master at KESS) and he has nothing but fond memories. He had no idea what to do when leaving school. He dabbled with work in the hotel industry and was in the merchant navy for two years, before working at Universal Grinding. His father had always wanted him Nick promptly completed his teacher-training and went on to teach at various schools, including the former Highfields Primary in Stafford. Unwittingly, the step into education started the ball rolling for the rest of his career even though he left teaching after six years to take a job with the Community Council of Staffordshire. “I worked with the Staffordshire Page 19 Playing Fields Association and it sparked my interest in play,” he explains. “I began to see how important playing was for children in encouraging healthy growth and development.” Nick was head-hunted by the National Playing Fields Association and became its first regional officer, where his job was to develop play opportunities. He later became director, which involved commuting daily to London. The group eventually dissolved and became Playboard. Nick was senior communications officer. When the funding dried up he worked for two play equipment manufacturers but increasingly found himself being a salesman and it wasn’t for him. “I decided to set up my own consultancy in 1991,” he says. “Going self-employed was a big risk, a huge gamble when you haven’t got the security of a monthly pay cheque. I couldn’t possibly have imagined that I would still be working at the age of 72 and still be in demand.” One of his first inquiries asked how indoor play areas could meet safety standards. The play places were becoming more popular but there were no safety guidelines. Nick wrote the first book of guidelines, called Soft Play and Inflatables, which was published in 1992 He published a second guide Safety in Indoor Adventure Play Areas -A Code of Practice. He later became chairman of the BSI’s Soft Indoor Play Panel, which produced Soft Indoor Play Areas - A Code of Practice in 2002. Since then he has pioneered and driven the creation of pan-European soft play standards. and I can remember a few years ago when the BBC programme Pebble Mill at One was on and they wanted to develop an adventure park in the studio grounds in Birmingham. I was asked to present a slot on the show over several weeks.” Nick is also known in Stafford for his love of jazz, being chairman of the Stafford Jazz Society, for which he organises 35 jazz concerts a year. The group formed in 1981 and still has plenty of members and Sunday afternoon sessions at Stafford Rangers. Nick says his one regret is not being able to play a musical instrument. Play is just the informal side of learning but it is still part of education and it is very important “These soft play areas began in the 1970s, mainly in children’s hospitals and special schools where children with mobility or learning difficulties needed a safe environment to play. “But it was during the 1990s that they really started to take off. I wrote the first book and saw it through to its fulfilment in 2008 with the European Standard being published. “During my career I had often spoke on the radio and television “I envy anyone who can pick up an instrument and make music,” he says. “I have tried at various points in my life to learn. “But jazz is wonderful. It has got me through some difficult times in my life.” Nick also does voice-overs mostly for business videos and used to enjoy doing amateur theatre. He loves to spend time with his family, including daughter Rachel, son Roger and his three grandchildren, and wife Veronica, whom he first met 30 years ago. They became friends when Nick was UK representative on the International Play Association and his daughter stayed with her while travelling. It wasn’t until 20 years later when Nick was divorced from his first wife that Veronica got in touch via email and the couple decided to Page 20 meet up. “It was spooky because on the day she emailed Rachel had mentioned her,” he laughs. “A casual friendship turned into a loving relationship.” For now Nick is content to continue doing consulting work but he now picks and chooses what he does. He adds: “When I left teaching people often asked me why I left education. I never felt as though I had. Play is just the informal side of learning but it is still part of education and it is very important.” Neville Bramhall 1937-1944 MY WAR The war for me began early in 1940 with changes in the school staff. Firstly, our peppery and volatile Headmaster, F.T. Knott,(aka Cripp) a veteran of the First World War from which he suffered shellshock, rejoined the army as a lieutenant colonel and the Headship devolved on Jackie Poole. His departure to the armed forces was followed by a number of others including Tank Averil (PT), R.E,D Lister (German), Romans (Art) Rodgers (French), and Cowling (English) who was killed in Tunisia. Their replacements were mainly ladies of senior age. The ethos of a traditional grammar school had undergone considerable change before the upheaval on the arrival from Ramsgate of the evacuated Chatham House School which shared our school premises and with whom there was merger of some senior classes. Much has already been written about this The school prefects of the 1930s one remembered as 17 and 18year old young men who were held in awe by 10 year old new boys. It was not long into the war before we were getting announcements by the Head in morning prayers of news about old boys which were usually of gallantry awards, but sometimes of death in action. On one such occasion in 1942 prayers were taken by Claude Woodger and not Headmaster Poole. We wondered why but we realised and fell silent when Claude announced the loss in the Mediterranean, with all hands, of HMS Urge, a Royal Navy submarine commanded by Lt. Commander Poole, the Head’s only son who had been at KESS in the 1930s Teenage boys may not be the most sentient creatures but our sense of loss was real. Life was compressed in those war years. A number of us,including me, took our School Certificate (O levels) at 14 and Higher School Certificate (A levels) at 16 and the structure of the exams in those days was more demanding in that passes had to be obtained in several subjects at the same time - otherwise no certificate. HMS Urge Stafford had a company of the Army Cadet Force(ACF) for 14 year olds plus and an Air Training Corps (ATC) Squadron for 16 plus. The latter is still going strong today. I entered both when eligible and became an official aircraft spotter. I could identify everything British, American and German which flew. I was an eyewitness of both of the air raids on Stafford. To my eternal shame I mistook the JU 88 which bombed the English Electric works for a Bristol Blenheim for about 5 seconds as it traversed the plaing field next to the school at about 400 feet. I saw the crew. The other raid was by a solitary Heinkel 111 one November day. I got that right. RAF Spitfires dealt with both raiders One November Night when firewatching we saw the sky over Birmingham red with fire and with flashes of ack-ack fire when the whole night sky lit up with a huge explosion followed many seconds later by its sound. We knew the cause. A German bomber had been struck in midair and had exploded. We did not have a teen age. With ACF and firewatching and ATC and aircraft spotting we were too busy. But the spirit of grammar school was never diminished. By 1944 we had been at war for 5 years and in April of that year I had reached the minimum age to volunteer for RAF aircrew, which I did. In the Easter vacation I spent three days in Birmingham and was accepted, but sent home to await the call, So that when I took my Higher in June I was actually an RAF aircraftman. However, when the call came in June it was simply to say that they did not want aircrew trainees but heavy casualties in the D Day Normandy invasion meant they wanted army volunteers so my voluntary service would be welcome there or in the mines as a Bevin boy. So the army it was and a few months later I was called to the Coldstream Guards, because of my high medical standard revealed by my aircrew medical. Just as I finished my training, and was about to join my regiment crossing the Rhine, Hitler shot himself and the German war was over. We were put on reserve for the Mainland invasion of Japan bu that was avoided by the dropping of two atomic bombs in August 1945. Once again I was fortunate. My active service was limited to two years in Germany in 1945 and 46 plus a year of very active service in the civil war in Palestine where there were bombs and bullets aplenty but I did get to see many places such as Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Berlin and the Rhineland, albeit with a rifle and bayonet in my hand. But it was wartime and I was demobbed before the Coldstreamers got the bearskins and dress uniforms out ot store. As I explained to my family in my monograph, I am a grateful octogenarian and my gratitude extends in equal measure to KESS and the Coldstream Guards for what I am. Others must say if they deserve it or not. Footnote: HMS Urge (Lt.Cdr. Edward Philip Tomkinson, DSO and Bar, RN) left Malta on 27 April 1942. She failed to arrive at Alexandria on 6 May 1942 and was reported overdue on that day. On 29 April she attacked the Italian sailing vessel San Giusto off Ras Hilal: in the immediate area was a small convoy of 3 German MFPs, escorted by an Italian Cr.42 biplane. As the sub was engaged in the attack against the sailing vessel, she was dive-bombed and sunk by the plane. This is confirmed by witnesses on board the MFPs, any notion the TB Pegaso may have been involved is incorrect. Page 21 CLASSROOM JOKES The following questions were set in last year's GED examination These are genuine answers (from 16 year olds)............NOTE! they WILL be breeding in the future!!!!. Q. Name the four seasons A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists Q. How is dew formed A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire Q. What causes the tides in the oceans A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election Q. What are steroids A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs (Shoot yourself now , there is little hope) Q.. What happens to your body as you age A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty A. He says goodbye to his its meaning A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG) Q. What does the word 'benign' mean? A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight (brilliant) Q. What is a turbine? A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head boyhood and looks forward to his adultery (So true) Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes A. Premature death Q. What is artificial insemination A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow COMMITTEE MEETING Q. How can you delay milk NOTES turning sour Often, Old Eds are prone to A. Keep it in the cow (Simple, wandering off the point during but brilliant) discussions and the following Q. How are the main 20 parts medical experiences during of the body categorised (e.g. The National Service were revealed :abdomen) John “Nimmy” Wood (Army) A. The body is consisted into 3 “I was prodded with 3 things when parts - the brainium, the borax and I joined up. It made me feel very the abdominal cavity. nauseous!” The brainium contains the brain, Peter Smith (RAF) after the borax contains the heart and injections - “At the Camp Film lungs and the abdominal cavity Show I felt like Bambi with stiff contains the five bowels: A, E, arms!” I,O,U.. (wtf!) We try to please . . . Q. What is the fibula? From time to time we get A. A small lie requests for information about former pupils from Old Eds and Q. What does 'varicose' mean? others. One such was David A. Nearby Baldwin who is interested in Q. What is the most common military history and wanted form of birth control anything we could unearth about Henry “Harry” Pye, a former Old Ed. A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a It transpired that Harry landed condominium (That would work) with the Green Howards on Q. Give the meaning of the term Gold Beach but died on the 8th Sept 1944 and is buried in Geel 'Caesarean section' Cemetery. A. The caesarean section is a Eddie Dobson who faithfully district in Rome looks after our Memorabilia was Q. What is a seizure? able to supply some information. A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Have you read this book? Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit) We have heard from Roger Q. What is a terminal illness Nowell in Scotland about a book called “I like to walk in these fields”, A. When you are sick at the probably published by Melrose airport. (Irrefutable) Press/ Treasury. Q. Give an example of a fungus. The author is Pat Davidson and What is a characteristic feature? according to our information the A. Mushrooms. They always book contains some references to grow in damp places and they KESS. look like umbrellas Will anyone who has read it, Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a please let us know? sentence to show you understand Page 22 Simon Button (1972-75) ANNUAL SKITTLES EVENING The annual skittles evening took place on 20 September 2012 at the usual venue of Stafford Constitutional Club. As always it was a very popular event, with a total of 27 skittlers taking part as 7 eloquently named teams. In a very closely fought competition over three rounds the “Trio” team of Peter and Megan Smith and Simon Button narrowly held on to win the competition, beating the “Woodies Wonders” team of John and Treece Wood and John and Carol Cole by only 1 point, the final score being 113 points to 112 points. The individual prizes for top scorers on the night went to John Cole for the men, and Cynthia Haggett for the ladies (for the second year running!). Our President presented bottles of wine to the winning team members and the two top scorers. STAFFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL STAFFORD PREPARATORY SCHOOL OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT EDUCATION FOR 5-18 YEAR OLDS Scholarships and bursaries available, extensive transport network www.staffordgrammar.co.uk 01785 249752 Page 23 www.staffordprep.co.uk WAR MEMORIAL UPDATE In late 2009, following an Appeal, Old Edwardians generously responded by donating to a permanent War Memorial to the Fallen of the Second World War and succeeding conflicts. Initially it was envisaged that such a Memorial might go attached to or adjacent to the First World War Memorial at the front of the old School. Robert ‘Taffy’ Owen (1944-53) ANNUAL WALK UP THE WREKIN Robert Owen, Colin Clarke, Glyne Wetton, David Humphries, Geoff Alford, Sylvia Alford, Bill Corfield & Malcolm Raeburn. I used to teach Geoff Alford, Bill Corfield & Malcolm Raeburn some 50 years ago! David Humphries plays Table Tennis with me every Tuesday night! However, after considerable investigation and a look at the logistics and regulations governing the erecting the War Memorial on the Newport Road site, your Committee has eventually decided that the Memorial would be better placed at King Edward VI High School, West Way - the School which is the off-shoot of our Grammar School. The Headteacher is very supportive of the idea and it is hoped that the War Memorial, of a design yet to be decided, will be placed in the School Hall or similar appropriate place permanently visible to existing pupils and where Old Eds can appreciate it when they attend High School Remembrance Services, PrizeGivings and on other occasions. Page 24 Monday 26 Sept 2011, 10:55 National Express Coach to Heathrow, arriving at 15:45. Flight 20:30 to Singapore arriving 16:10, leaving at 9:20 for Cairns via Darwin 22:10, arriving 9:20. Minibus transfer to Oaks Lagoons, Port Douglas, northern Queensland, arriving at our apartment at 11:00 Wed 28 September. Robert (Taffy) Owen (1944-53) DOWN UNDER! WITH ROBERT (TAFFY) AND ELIZABETH OWEN Cold statistics do not convey the discomfort, boredom and lack of sleep of such a long and complex journey. We were well-fed, watered and wined and our requested gangway seats ensured that we had easy access to toilet and washing facilities. The journey was the worst part and we were thankful to arrive. We had briefly visited N. Queensland twice before but needed a much more leisurely approach in this tropical area its flora, fauna, colonial and especially aboriginal history. We had done our homework well and later headed north to Cooktown for a few days, so named as Captain Cook, beached his "Endeavour " there after crashing into the Great Barrier Reef in June 1770. His chief naturalist was Joseph Banks who collected 186 species of Australian plants and wrote the first description of a kangaroo ( a corruption of the Aboriginal "gangrru") The anchor of the Endeavour was jettisoned on the reef to help get the boat to shore and recovered only a few years ago by a team of American divers. It is now on display in Cooktown Museum. The main purpose of our visit was to spend a day with an aboriginal elder Willi Gordon, the traditional story-keeper of the Nugal- Warra clan. He took our party to his ancestral rock art sites, high in the hills above Hope Vale. The cave paintings there speak of the essence of life and lore of his people and he showed us the cave where he was born. You only get there by invitation! On a previous visit to Cooktown we briefly saw the Milbi Wall (in the open air park by the river) which tells the story of the Guugo Yimithirr people in colourful hand painted tiles by an aboriginal artist with his own inscriptions in English of Aboriginal history right up to modern times, including the Japanese bombing of this area, an event not widely known or appreciated This time we took pictures and recorded the stories. We learned that in times gone by there were over two hundred different aboriginal tribes each with its own language, now reduced to about twenty-five. Now we appreciate Australia as a continent with varied racial histories from the Pacific islands and Indonesia. New Guinea, after all, is about the same distance from Cape York as London is to Birmingham! Willi said we should not be so surprised at the number of different languages, as if we travelled from London to Moscow we would encounter many languages and cultures. Back in Port Douglas we enjoyed the idyllic Four Mile Beach, with palm trees and water, warm between the toes. Three days were spent visiting the "Habitat", Australia's leading wild life experience. Wetland, rainforest and grassland environments were represented with everything running or flying free (except the crocodiles) in their natural habitats. We even saw the distinctive cassowary bird. We met lovely people, sailed to the Outer Barrier Reef and R. played the organ in the local Church of Australia. What a pity it is all so far away.. but we did get the T- shirt! Page 25 Averill is best. Notwithstanding the rival claims of those unfortunate boys who happened to be in Chetwynd , Hales,Powell ,Walton or Worswick it was a cry which echoed along the top corridor on Thursday mornings. Thursday was House Meeting/Prayers day when we chosen few crammed into Room 12 to be harangued and occasionally praised for deeds Michael Dale ( 1954-1961 ) AVERILL IS BEST. done in the name of Averill. As a raw 11 year old and a willing conscript from 3B I readily entered into this "legalised gang ".The satchels were piled up on top of the stair well and the business, (whatever it was) was mainly conducted by the demigods of the day - the School and House Prefects. I remember John Hudson and Pierre Fowellf who could always be relied on to bring home the swimming trophy and I think there was a master (latterly Elwyn Hill PE torturer in chief!) lurking around but it was essentially an exercise in boy power. I have no idea what went on in the other Houses: we all maintained an almost Masonic secrecy. Whatever else happened during the week in the normal affairs of school life , Thursday mornings were special. During the rest of the week in Assembly I often let my attention wander to the stained glass windows in the hall and their associations with the six Houses and in particular to the panel with Bishop Averill. At first I thought of him as a cleric from an earlier age, like Hales, but someone had mentioned that he was much more modern. Life , career ,family ,work all filled the following decades until retirement and modern technology prompted me to start researching my family tree (who hasn't ?) and no this is not a genealogical story. I also came back to Averill. He was a bishop and he was modern. He had been born inl 865 in Brunswick Terrace over the railway line the son of a pharmaceutical chemist. After King Edward's and Oxford he went into the Church. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1894 as Vicar of St Michael's Christchurch. Moving through the church hierarchy as Archdeacon and then Bishop he was installed as Archbishop of New Zealand in 1925 . He returned to England twice for the Lambeth Conferences in 1920 and 1930, but it is uncertain whether he ever revisited Stafford. He retired from the Primacy in 1940 and was made a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St. George in the year of his death 1957. That year I was in Remove A but cannot remember anything ever being said in school about his death. It was on a trip to New Zealand a couple of years ago that we finished up in Christchurch , with our hotel on the main square next to the Cathedral. It was an opportunity too good to miss. It is a modern welcoming church, its size equal to itsstatus as the principal church in New Zealand . And there it was - the tomb and commemorative stone to Alfred Walter Averill. The world has shrunk and the connection between Stafford and Christchurch NZ was a real one. Suddenly those House Meetings all those years ago took on a different, more significant perspective. I felt some satisfaction and pride to know that I had finally paid homage to the founder of my House. Since then of course Christchurch has been devastated by a major earthquake and the cathedral has suffered significant damage. It is no longer on the tourist trail and I feel some sense of satisfaction that I was given the opportunity to make the link. Oh yes, before I forget -" Averill was the best!" Page 26 Robert (Taffy) Owen On the night of November 14th 1940, at the height of World War II the Cathedral, with much of the city of Coventry, was devastated by German bombing. The next morning, Provost Howard made his way through the still smouldering ruins up to the place, where the day before, the Cathedral altar had stood. He joined the remnants of two charred beams to make a cross and wrote on the wall the inscription "Father Forgive". REVISITING COVENTRY CATHEDRAL This compulsive Christian act paved the way for the Cathedral's vital mission of international reconciliation. The resulting, striking modern Cathedral, annexed to the ruins of the of the old, was dedicated on Friday 25 May 1962 in the presence of our young Queen Elizabeth. COVENTRY CATHEDRAL 25™ MAY 2012 Elizabeth and I attended the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Consecration of the Cathedral with pleasure and good reason! This is the story. After study and National Service (for me!) Elizabeth and I, newly married in August 1959, moved to Coventry to start our teaching careers. I was fortunate to join the Cathedral Choir in early 1960, at the time when the old (and younger) faithful ladies and gentlemen were still "holding the fort", latterly in the Undercroft of the new building, which was still being completed. Soon a more traditional cathedral choir of men, with boys from the local grammar school, King Henry the Eighth, was being developed to cope with the demanding repertoire, as the Consecration approached. Fifty years later, those young choristers, after the wonderful Anniversary Service, organised their own reunion dinner, with enthusiastic response and to which Elizabeth and I, among "special guests" happily attended. We recalled with them our many youth-hostelling, camping and "sleeping on the floor in village halls" adventures: Brocton, with wide games, Badminton, where the Duchess of Beaufort served cocoa and biscuits in the Servants' Hall accompanied with an appropriate film show. Thank you Ma'am. These half-term breaks were the best way the Cathedral Authorities would reluctantly agree to respite from the constant demands of the music. Fifty years on, we remembered with pleasure the old days, looking again at "35mm" slides of Caer Caradoc, Wilderhope, Church Stretton and others with the now "old" choristers, (and silver-haired like me!) PS. At Badminton, we sang the Sunday morning service in the Chapel, after which the Duke of Beaufort showed us the immaculate, Wren designed stables, with polished brass name plates on each stall and not a sign of "you know what" sullying the floors. The Duke instructed us in the art of feeding carrots to the horses without losing a finger! The Tapestry by Graham Sutherland Page 27 A HISTORY OF COVENTRY CATHEDRAL Coventry has had three Cathedrals in the past 1000 years: the 12th century Priory Church of St Mary, the medieval Parish Church Cathedral of St Michael and the modern Coventry Cathedral, also named for St Michael. Coventry’s fortunes and story are closely associated to the story of its Cathedrals - a story of death and rebirth. Coventry’s earliest cathedral, dedicated to St Mary, was founded as a Benedictine community by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and his wife Godiva in 1043. Built on the site of a former religious house for nuns, its sheer size is some indication of the wealth which Coventry acquired in the middle ages. In 1539, with the dissolution of the monasteries, the See of Coventry and Lichfield was transferred to Lichfield and the former cathedral fell into decay. Only in 1918 was the modern diocese of Coventry created in its own right, and the church of St Michael designated as its cathedral. The majority of the great ruined churches and cathedrals of England are the outcome of the violence of the dissolution in 1539. The ruins of St Michael’s are the consequence of violence in our own time. On the night of 14 November 1940, the city of Coventry was devastated by bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe. The Cathedral burned with the city, having been hit by several incendiary devices. The decision to rebuild the cathedral was taken the morning after its destruction. Rebuilding would not be an act of defiance, but rather a sign of faith, trust and hope for the future of the world. It was the vision of the Provost at the time, Richard Howard, which led the people of Coventry away from feelings of bitterness and hatred. This has led to the cathedral’s Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation, which has provided spiritual and practical support, in areas of conflict throughout the world. Following the bombing of the mediaeval Cathedral in 1940, Provost Howard had the words ‘Father Forgive’ inscribed on the wall behind the Altar of the ruined building. These words are used as the response in the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, which is prayed in the new Cathedral every weekday at noon (in the Ruins on Fridays), and is used throughout the world by the Community of the Cross of Nails. The Litany in the ruins on 14 November 2008, the anniversary of the bombing of the old Cathedral All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class, Father Forgive. The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own, Father Forgive. The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth, Father Forgive. Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others, Father Forgive. Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee, Father Forgive. The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children, Father Forgive. The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God, Father Forgive. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you Page 28 RVHB I retired from practice long ago, but nevertheless renewed my membership of the Law Society every year and kept my name on the Roll of Solicitors. I don't know why I bothered really. At first I may have had some half-hearted idea that I might resume practise one day. After that it just got to be a habit, besides which I had an uneasy feeling that if my name suddenly disappeared from the Roll some people might suspect I'd been struck off for professional misconduct. The reason for my mentioning the above facts, which I've no doubt are of the utmost indifference to every single one of my readers, is by way of introduction to a story illustrating the difficulties encountered by us old folk when trying to cope with the wonders of modern technology. In olden days (that is until 2011) the procedure for keeping my name on the Roll was as follows. Every May the Law Society would send me a one-page form. I ticked the box saying that there'd been no change in my circumstances since the previous year, signed the form and posted it back together with a cheque for £20, the modest fee being explained by the fact that I no longer practised or handled clients' money. Within forty-eight hours I'd receive a letter confirming that my name had been retained on the Roll. Simples! Three or four years ago I was temporarily disconcerted by the fact that some people calling themselves the Solicitors Regulatory Authority started CONFESSIONS OF AN AGED TECHNOPHOBE why they needed to contact me again so early, but anyway I did as instructed. writing to me instead. I wasn't quite sure who they were, but assumed they must have something to do with the Law Society. Despite their intimidating name they proved quite harmless, and the procedure remained unchanged. By now I was rather looking forward to the magic date of 1st June 2012, fifty years since I'd been admitted as a solicitor, when I should become eligible to have my name retained on the Roll free of charge for ever. However in the autumn of last year the Solicitors Regulatory Authority wrote informing me that henceforth Everything Would Have To Be Done Online. They gave me the address of their website, where I was informed I need only follow instructions to have my membership renewed immediately. As I'd already paid up to the following June I didn't see Page 29 At this point I should explain that modern life has very largely passed me by. For instance I daren't use most of the buttons on the TV remote because I don't know what might happen if I did. I don't own an iPod (in fact I'm not entirely sure what they are), or a laptop, or digital camera, or satnav, and it's my ambition to become the only man in the world (or 'on the planet' as they say nowadays) without a mobile phone. I have a computer, but I'm not intelligent enough to know how to use it properly. I can do e-mail (although it took me ages to work out how to do attachments), and simple documents, and find information on Google, but that's about it. I've no idea how to blog, or tweet, join chatrooms, install software, play games, or do any of the things most other people do. Somehow or other I seem to have got myself on to something called Facebook, where I'm constantly being contacted by people I've never heard of who want to be my friend, but I've no idea how to respond, and wouldn't want to anyway. I've been trying to cancel my membership for some time, but can't work out how to do it. Anyway, to return to the point of my article, the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (or 'your SRA' as they now preferred to be known) Website seemed very complicated to me, but eventually I managed to navigate myself, if that's the right expression, to the part where non-practising solicitors apply to keep their name on the Roll. However it wasn't a matter of just ticking a box as before. For security reasons they wanted me to invent a number of passwords and secret messages, besides telling them other stuff like my mother's maiden name, the birthday of my pet goldfish, etc., etc. In the innocent days of yore it had never occurred to the Law Society to suspect that I was anyone other than who I said I was. The passwords were a particular problem, because they kept telling me that they were too simple. I also had to decipher a funny-looking design and write the word it showed alongside. I didn't understand the point of this, but I've since been told that it was to prove I'm not a computer. Anyway when I'd done all that (although they still weren't entirely happy about password, despite the fact that by now it was quite phenominalfy complicated), the SRA finally informed me that I'd been registered with them. I didn't know whether this meant I'd succeeded in keeping my name on the Roll, and there didn't seem to be any way of asking them. However I was soon relieved to learn that not all the fault was on my side. Eventually I obtained the information that they were having problems with their website, and it would therefore not be possible to deal with my application until December, when I should try again. This gave me a welcome few weeks breathing space during which I had no need to trouble my aged head about the matter. In December I got lost on their website again, so in extremis I resorted to oldfashioned technology and wrote to them by what I understand is now known as 'Snailmail.' I wasn't sure whether they were still equipped to reply, but apparently they were, because I received a courteous letter explaining that they were still having problems with their website, and would contact me again in April. I didn't hear anything in April, so I visited their website again. By now I was getting the hang of things a bit, so that after no more than half an hour or so of going round in circles I extracted the information that they were still having technical difficulties, and therefore I need do nothing for the time being. However by June I was getting worried that they might have forgotten me, so being anxious not to miss the freebie for which I had been waiting fifty years I decided to ring them for a change. After pressing a number of buttons and listening to music I got a recorded voice saying that the problems with their website had not yet been resolved, but I need do nothing. They would contact me in due course, and give me eight weeks thereafter to renew my membership. Meanwhile my name would remain on the Roll. So that's how things stand at present. I've heard nothing since. From time to time it's occurred to me to wonder why any imposter should bother to pretend to be me just so as to retain my name on the Roll of Solicitors, and incidentally pay the fee for me. But of course I don't understand modern technology. R.V.H.B. Page 30 Late brother of Roland Terence Dingley 1945-1947 Hales House Roland Terence Dingley 1945-1947 “Bert” won a school scholarship to King Edward VI Grammar school in 1931. He left school 1934 to become apprenticed to English Electric. ALBERT HENRY DINGLEY RAF (VR) The following is a synopsis of his RAF career. • Volunteered for RAF (VR) service June 1940 • Joined No. 14 Flying Training School, passing out and promoted Sgt Pilot 1941 with an above average report on night flying capabilities. • Transferred from UK in October 1941, to Takoradi Aircraft Delivery' Unit (Middle E:ast), originally formed January 1940. • The Middle East ferry route was from Takoradi (Ghana) through to Cairo (Egypt),some three thousand miles,with refuelling/service bases en route. • Although training by simulator was given in Cairo against the possibility of sandstorms Sgt Pit "Bert" Dingley was on a ferrying flight from 107 Maintenance Unit, Kasfareet to the Replacement Pool at WadiNatrum when he flew fatally into a sandstorm and crashed 3 miles from Khatuba Camp at 1800 hrs on 4lh June 1942. The aircraft he was flying was an American Curtis Tomahawk Mark 1, serial No. AN322 • He was serving with No. 1 Section ADU ME and had 216 hours experience on all types of aircraft, with 2 hrs (solo) on the Curtis Tomahawk aircraft, which he was flying when he died. • Flying service included some 100 hours on Hurricanes, Baltimore's with possible flights in any of, Blenheim, Beaufighters, Kittyhawks, Tomahawks, Spitfires& Wellingtons, some 323 aircraft in all being ferried from Takoradi, Port Sudan and the Far East by the A D U (Aircraft Delivery Unit) • My Brother is buried in Heliopolis War Cemetery Egypt. Albert Henry Dingley. 1931 -34. 3A North House Page 31 5 9 7 4 3 8 1 6 2 3 2 4 6 7 1 5 8 9 8 6 6 1 1 9 5 3 7 8 4 1 2 7 2 3 5 4 9 8 6 5 9 9 2 8 1 7 2 3 7 6 2 9 3 1 6 1 3 4 6 9 2 7 3 5 8 3 5 7 6 8 1 2 4 9 9 8 8 2 9 2 1 7 5 4 6 4 3 2 7 5 3 6 8 1 9 4 3 7 5 5 3 2 6 8 2 4 5 6 6 7 3 1 8 2 5 3 1 4 Difficulty level: Diabolical 6 3 1 2 2 2 6 5 4 4 3 6 6 1 5 3 2 2 4 1 5 6 3 6 2 3 1 5 4 3 6 1 4 5 5 1 4 1 4 3 5 2 6 5 4 2 7 9 3 1 9 1 5 6 8 7 8 7 3 5 4 9 6 4 9 1 1 1 4 5 5 1 5 3 8 7 6 1 1 2 4 9 7 9 3 4 3 5 8 5 4 4 6 6 4 3 2 4 5 8 7 2 2 4 6 1 3 6 2 2 6 2 3 1 4 5 Difficulty level: Diabolical SUDOKU 8 4 7 1 2 7 9 6 3 8 5 5 4 3 1 2 6 9 6 9 3 2 8 5 4 1 7 2 7 8 3 1 9 6 5 4 1 6 4 5 2 8 7 9 3 9 3 5 6 4 7 1 2 8 3 4 9 8 6 2 5 7 1 7 1 2 9 5 4 8 3 6 5 8 6 1 7 3 9 4 2 5 3 1 6 4 2 6 1 4 2 5 3 4 2 3 5 1 6 1 4 2 3 6 5 3 6 5 1 2 4 2 5 6 4 3 1 1 6 2 4 7 5 2 8 3 9 1 Page 32 3 6 7 9 5 8 4 9 8 5 3 4 1 7 2 6 5 2 1 8 3 7 6 4 9 7 4 9 1 6 5 8 3 2 3 6 8 4 9 2 1 5 7 8 9 6 7 5 4 2 1 3 2 1 7 9 8 3 4 6 5 4 5 3 2 1 6 9 7 8 1 3 4 6 5 2 6 5 1 2 3 4 2 4 5 3 6 1 3 6 2 1 4 5 4 2 3 5 1 6 5 1 6 4 2 3 A Betts (1946-49) & B & R Adams (1946-53) SCHOOLBOY BOXING AT K.E.S.S. 1946-1953 Ladies Night Remembrance Day Adverts Nicholls and JS Wood Page 33 Page 34 LETTERS Just heard that Elwyn has passed away Here’s my memories of Elwyn Being a bit of a weedy kid I was never really in favour in Gym or Rugby and Elwyn wouldn’t have given me the time of day I suppose, but he found out that my father was an RAF PTI (Physical Training Instructor and Parachute Training Instructor), he made some comment about “RAF PTI’s being soft compared to Army PTI’s) but I could never do wrong thereafter! This he showed one evening when I got detention (thanks Mr Cockroft and NO I wasn’t talking in the corridor honest guv’) This was the one and ONLY time in my school career (being a bit of a goody two shoes). I duly turned up for DT along with Bugsy Burns and a few others, (aah no warning to parents of late return, no mobile phones!) Elywn was on duty, wandered in and when he saw me said “Card? what are you here for boy?” “I’m in detention sir” “I know that, but you are a good boy aren’t you Card?” “Yes sir” “Well go home then” “Thank you sir” and after less than 5 minutes I was on my way! As I walked out of the classroom I heard Bugsy say “Can I go home too sir?” to hear Elwyn say “NO Burns YOU are a bad boy now sit down” Bugsy never took it out on me.. he wasn’t that bad! Rest in Peace Elwyn Regards Graeme Card BSc. MCIPS +44 (0) 78272 98411 Page 35 ELWYN HILL KESS 1935-40 1924-2012 Elwyn was a pupil at KESS 1935-1940. He joined the army as a boy soldier in 1941 and went on to see active service in 1943 with the Parachute Regiment. The following account is taken from the address given at his funeral on 3rd April 2012 in Salt, Stafford. At the age of nineteen he was parachuted into Normandy, in the early hours of the 6th June 1944, to carry out his role in the D-Day landings as part or Operation Overlord. His group was tasked with taking out the Merville Battery, the most fearsome part of a terrifying battery of well-defended German guns, which formed part of their "Atlantic Wall", under the charge of Erwin Rommel. The four 100mm guns of the huge concrete fortress were sited to fire straight along the Normandy beaches, and covered the landing beach, code-named Sword, over which the British troops were due to land during the main offensive. In total, only 150 of the 750-man force, under the control of Lieutenant Colonel Ottway and his parachute battalion made it to their rendezvous point. They had no radio, medics or engineers as vital equipment and supplies had landed outside the drop zone. Nevertheless, the British Paras continued with their mission and surged forward through rows of barbed wire, mine fields, antitank ditches and battle-hardened German soldiers, with all hell breaking loose around them. Of the 130 German soldiers, only six escaped injury or death. Of the 750 men who set out on the mission only 65 returned alive, one of whom was Elwyn. After the War, he studied sport at St. Paul's College, Cheltenham, obtaining a teaching degree at Cardiff University. He returned to KESS to teach PE, retiring in his early fifties, living then in Hopton. He was a fervent rugby supporter and hoisted his Welsh flag up the chimneymast whenever Wales was playing. At his funeral, the cortege entered to "Men of Harlech" and left to the Welsh National Anthem. His favourite hobby was making wine from virtually anything he could lay his hands on, specialising in potato, parsnip, carrot, rice, rhubarb, elderflower and elderberry and the highly potent gooseberry from berries in his own garden. Elwyn was a much-loved, husband, father, grandfather and greatgrandfather, who will be greatly missed by his family and everyone who knew him. Robert and Elizabeth Owen and Ed. Dobson attended the funeral at Salt. Also present was Alan Smith, who taught Maths and coached rugby at KESS 1970- 76. Editor’s History Note: (see also http://www.batterie-merville.com) On 6th June 1944, the Merville Battery comprised 5 hectares of heavy defences and significant troop numbers. The soldiers of the Merville Battery comprised 80 Artillery soldiers (Gunners) of 1./AR 1716 and 50 Engineers. Sergeant-Major Johannes Buskotte was in charge. His battle station was in the centre of the Battery site, inside the Command Bunker. This bunker was linked by armoured underground telephone cables to Leutnant Steiner in the Forward Observation Bunker on the beach at Franceville. The Battery’s fire power came from its four 100 mm howitzers, inside their protective casemates. Weight: 2 900 kg. Maximum Range 10 km. Weight of Shell: 16 kg. Maximum Rate of Fire: 8 rounds per minute (per howitzer). Its defences comprised minefields, a double system of barbed wire entanglements, tobruks, a 20mm anti-aircraft gun which could also be used at ground targets, a significant anti-tank ditch, trenches and numerous bunkers….Not surprising perhaps that Brigadier James Hill, when he was briefing Lieutenant Colonel Otway, said that this mission was particularly obnoxious. Page 36 OBITUARY Anthony George Bloor (KESS 1930-39) Anthony George (Tony) Bloor died on 14 June, 2012, aged 91. One of the oldest surviving members of the Old Edwardians, he joined the Preparatory Department (or 'Prep') in 1930 at the age of 9, subsequently entered the main school as a member of what was then Rest House, and left in 1939. Almost immediately he was involved in the Second World War, being stationed in Malta, the George Cross Island, throughout most of the period of hostilities. Like the majority of those with a distinguished war record, he never spoke of it. After the war he became a stalwart of the Old Edwardians, and was one of these principally responsible for saving the society from threatened extinction in the late 'forties, helping to establish it on a firm footing which lasts to this day. He became joint secretary in 1949, was Vice-president in 1967, President the following year, and remained an active member of the society until shortly before his death. My own memory of Tony, who lived next door to me for over forty years, is of a quiet, unobtrusive, yet everhelpful neighbour, and loyal friend. Some eight years ago, much against my own wishes, I had to leave Rowley Park. I shall never forget the support and encouragement afforded to me by Tony and his late wife Marion during that difficult time. After that I met Tony again on several occasions, when he would keep me up to date with the latest news from the Park. To the last he was unchanged: calm, cheerful and friendly as ever. I had no idea he was the wrong side of ninety; he had seemed to me much younger. It is difficult to believe that he is gone. Along with his family and many other friends, I shall miss him very much. R.V.H.B. And from his Grandson............. It's really quite strange for me to hear about Anthony Bloor, as for my whole life he has never been anything but Grandpa. I say this in no way to diminish his individuality, nor to trivialise his 71 years before I was born, but rather out of enormous affection for the man who was such a wonderful grandfather to my brother and I. When I gaze into the clouded water of my early memories in Stafford I see walks in the park by his side, the enormous collection of model cars he left to our gleeful disposal, the mystifying manliness of his hobby shed and foremost the infectious, wheezy, chuckle I'm sure you all remember fondly. His kindness and love towards me and my brother was ever present as we grew up, evident in the birthday cards he sent us every year to his eager (if not slightly hard of hearing) ear to our triumphs and trials. During his hospitalisation I found myself beset with an insatiable curiosity about his younger years and the life he lived before my heart beat. I took great pleasure in every new detail I learned. Be it the shock of seeing a picture of a 19 year old Tony, dressed to the nines and sporting a moustache that would have made Clark Gable weep tears of bitter jealousy, or the amusement I enjoyed as my dad regaled tales of his 'dummy runs;' a phenomenon which had him drive to his intended location long before he would need to be there, only to return home, confident that when the time came his journey would go off without a hitch; almost like a DIY Sat Nav. I also learned of Tony the hoarder, not only through the many transistor radios found in his shed but more importantly the various carefully crafted and put together photo albums in his possession. These albums epitomised the love he had for those close to him and showed an uncanny ability as a photographer to record these various precious moments. But most exciting to me were the legion of beautiful books he had, particularly his vast Dickens and Page 37 complete Shakespeare collections; and I have to give these collections credit for kindling my love for these two great authors whom I had previously written off as dull features of the school curriculum. In the seminal 'All the worlds a stage' speech from As You Like It the Bard speaks of the two acts separating childhood and old age, two acts in which Tony was centre stage; The Soldier and the Justice. We all know of Tony's incredible service to our country during the Second World War II and I'll make no attempt to speak of my pride on seeing him with his medals upon his chest on Remembrance day, for words are limited and would only serve as an injustice to his unspeakable bravery. My favourite example of the Justice comes from a story I heard long ago in which my father at the age of 15 asked Tony to step outside to settle an argument like men do. I'm sure I don't have to you emerged victor in the struggle between a war veteran and a teenage John Bloor but I will anyway. Dad lost, badly, and we can all assume and hope he learned a valuable lesson. Finally, I want to share with you a Charles Dickens passage from Dombey and Son I encountered whilst leafing through his books. I was so struck when I read this, as it summed up exactly how I feel about Gramps, his presence in my life for which I am forever grateful, and my memories of him which shall last forever. Just as I am indebted to my grandfather for the many moments of happiness and joy he brought to my life, I am indebted to him for my newfound appreciation of Charles Dickens; thus this passage seems especially apt. "Never, never, before Heaven, have I thought of you, but as the bright, pure, blessed recollection of my boyhood and my youth. Never have I from the first, and never shall I to the last, regard YOUR part in my life, but as something sacred, never to be lightly thought of, never to be esteemed enough and never, until death, to be forgotten." Charles Dickens - Dombey and Son OBITUARIES Peter Galpin Attended Cranwell at the start of a career in the RAF where he ended as a Flight Sergeant. Thereafter he worked at Birch’s Radio and TV (Stafford) and later with Radio Rentals. One of his main interests was scouting and he became a Scouter with the 11th Stafford Troop. He died on 14 November 2011 aged 79 years. David E.Russell Initially at Corporation St.School, David joined KESS in 1948. After leaving, he trained with the Staffs.Police subsequently joining the CID in what became the West Midlands Force, until he completed his Service in 1988. He lived in Darlaston for a number of years and he was an active member of All Saints’ Church there. David enjoyed many foreign holidays, one especially when he visited the family in Australia. But he always loved Stafford and he eventually came back to his roots to live. He enjoyed all forms of sport and in his younger days both at KESS and in the Police Force he played rugby. He died on 29 November 2011 aged 74 years. Roderic H. Hammerton After attending St.Leonard’s Primary School Rod joined KESS in 1952. Later, at Southampton University, he studied Chemistry and while there he joined the University Air Squadron. With this love of aviation in later years he became heavily involved in the “Vulcan to the Sky”project to return this iconic plane to the skies. In 1963 he joined FOSECO and he travelled extensively throughout his career during which time he lived in Australia for 5 years. Page 38 Eventually living back in England he entered fully into community life in Bednall, Staffs and he was a prime mover in organizing and raising money for the restoration of the Church there. He was a keen Old Edwardian and his humorous articles for The Staffordian were always well received. He died on 12 September 2012 aged 71 years. continued on page 36 We all knew Sel as an affable man who Trevor C Ashton 1945-50) had many talents, he was creative and inventive .He painted good portraits in oils. He was a county standard golfer. He had a good sense of humour and above all he was very modest. We were born within two months of each other so he and I started school together and worked together till he did his national service in the RAF. We used to walk the 400yds to school every day with another close friend Peter Harris who died two years ago. I recall the many happy liesure hours we shared up at Shelley’s Pit , Sallys Lane , the Rec’ (Recreation Ground) and The Big Tree. As many of his contemporaries will recall, we spent many hours in our holidays swinging on a rope at the ‘The Big Tree’ across a ravine (actually a small dry brook) up on Beaconside and playing cricket with about twenty or thirty other boys aged from about ten to fifteen using one set of stumps and a ‘corky’ ball. I remember we could get to this playing field by crawling through a drainpipe under the main road. Like all small boys, we also disobeyed orders by floating down the very contaminated brook running from the Saltworks on a fuel tank which was piled high with several young boys. One activity was to jump across the brook which started narrow but widened out as it proceeded. The game ended when the brook became too wide and someone fell in. It wasn’t deep but wow did it stink. I remember as children, we played in Sally’s Lane and Stu Boon suggested we go and see his aunty, who’s house was near by. She wasn’t in but there was a bucket full of water nearby and we had fireworks with us. We dropped a lighted ‘Little Demon’ into it. If you didn’t know I can tell you that it splits the bucket top to bottom . Who was there when I entered the world Sel was a bright lad so of course he was always in the A and around whose strong hands little fingers curled. stream. We didn’t know it till recently but Selwyn, Stuart As a child who was there to create all the fun and into Boon, Peter Harris and myself were collectively held whose safe arms Iwould always run up to the upcoming generation of our neighbourhood My Dad as shining examples of academic attainment. Rather Who provided support through my teenage years, who prematurely I think. loved me, guided me and wiped away the tears. Selwyn was a popular boy at KESS and a very good rugby Who taught me life’s lessons, of right from wrong player and played for the School First Fifteen, Nimmy and instilled in me values and made me strong Wood will vouch for his abilty and tells me that he was My Dad good enough to have made the England school’s team, Who loved his golf and talked me through each game, he did however play for Staffs County Schoolboys. Sel although to me as a novice they all seemed the same! himself has recounted to me how he was enormously Who’d make me laugh with the tales of his youth and proud of once tackling Dave Ashton and bringing him watched Hercule Poirot, that super sleuth down with a thump in a house match. David WAS an My Dad England Schoolboys player at that time Who’s been my hero and my inspiration, We were born of working class parents so when we left the person from whom I always sought confirmation, School we took up apprenticeships at English Electric that my chosen path was the right one to take and studied at Night School. That was not his first choice and who’d hold my hand as decisions I’d make. though. He wanted to be a shoe designer at Lotus. Who has made me into the person that I have become Personally I was relieved he didn’t get that job but that and whose pride truly hope I’ve won was Lotus’ loss and English Electic gain. My Dad By this time, with a bit of money in our pockets, we could Who fought his courageous battle far too long, spend what spare time we had after our college studies finally drifting away to his favourite song. in the Lotus snooker club or playing tennis and Bowls in Whose memory will remain forever in my heart, the Summer. It is a shame that these facilities have now which for now is broken as he must depart. disappeared with the factories that owned them. Who will be with me always in his own special way Sel was a competent craftsman and a skilled turner, By and who will be able to look back and say, the end of his five year apprenticeship he was trusted thank you for my life and I think I did it my way on large centre lathes turning one metre dia rotor shafts My Wonderful Dad weighing two tons or more. (Tracy Davies) He was an artistic and sensitive man who was also a keen dancer. Old Time Dancing was very popular when we SELWYN STURGESS 1934-2012 My Dad Page 39 were in our teens and we were going four or five evenings a week to Lotus, Dormans, English Electric Holmcroft School and St Georges. This was where we first met our wives Shirley and Cynthia Sel married Shirley and was immediately conscripted into the RAF and for two years enjoyed his service as a leading aircraftsman He was known at this time to be involved in whatever pranks were going. I think everyone here will know that he had a good sense of humour and could sometimes get hysterical when he started to chuckle. Sel’s ambitions were not on the shop floor and he moved to the design office as soon as he could where he eventually became a design draftsman in the Heavy Machines Design Office. Selwyn could turn his hand to anything from making children’s toys, trolleys etc. and doing all his own joinery or building or rebuilding around the home as well as all his own car repairs. His overriding concerns at this time were renovating his house at Creswell and bringing up his daughter Tracy. When he lost Shirley in 1982, far too early in life, he found solace in the wonderful game of Golf. He developed his game and increased his involvement. He met Phyllis, on the Golf course and they have shared their life and passion for Golf over thirty years. He became captain of Stafford Castle Golf Club and achieved the very respectable handicap of five. He was more than my best friend. He was like another brother to me. The large number of his friends and family who have attended this service are testament to his popularity. John E. Johnson On leaving School, John briefly worked at Mangers Salt Works and EEC Stafford before joining the Army (South StaffsRegiment) at the age of 18. At the end of the War he went to Bristol University to study Geology. Thereafter he worked for the Coal Board before he moved to Australasia (New Guinea) as a volcanologist. In the 1960’s he returned to the UK. and worked on the Yorks. Coalfields as one of their chief geiologists. One of his main interests outside of work was Archaeology. He died aged 86 years on 11 February 2012. Alan Blakeman Alan worked at Beatties after leaving KESS and later he went to Rackhams as Head of Purchasing (Gift Ware). Eventually he opened a Gift and Paintings shop combined with a Restaurant in Much Wenlock, Shrops. He had a great love of the theatre and was an active member of both Stafford and Wolverhampton Operatic Societies. Alan died earlier this year aged 79 years. Dr Stanley Claude Woodger BSc BA 12 March 1919- 4 May 2012 after a short illness in Mount Forest,Ontario,Canada D.A. Giles Tony was the son of a blacksmith and he attended St Leonard’s School, Stafford before joining KESS in 1939. He obtained a scholarship to Harper Adam’s Agricultural College, Newport and while there he represented the College at badminton and other sports – he also played in goal for Newport FC, Shrops. Later he worked for 20 years on George Parrott’s Brancote Farm at Tixall before becoming Farm Manager on Lord Stafford’s Swynnerton Estate. At cricket he was an outstanding wicketkeeper representing Staffs., Staffs.Gents., Milford and Swynnerton Park. Another of his interests was Traditional Jazz which he particularly enjoyed in his later years at Stafford Jazz Society. Tony died on 8 December 2011 aged 83 years. Page 40 Stanley was the only son of Claude Ambrose Woodger. Teacher of Geography and erstwhile Rugby giant at KESS. Gerald Gilbert Gerald attended KESS from 1944 to 1949 and on leaving School he joined English Electric as an engineering apprentice. He stayed with EECo. until 1965, this period only interrupted by two years serving in the Fleet Air Arm, 1957-59. There followed an 18 year stint at Joseph Lucas, Birmingham, !965 to 1983, two years at Hawker Siddeley,Wolverhampton and a final six years, 1985 to 1991, with GEC. Gerald’s main enjoyment was his garden and in earlier years he was a very active member of Stafford Road Club. He retired in 1991 at the age of 58, moving house to Dumfries in 2003 and then to Brampton, Cumbria in 2008. He passed away on 14 June 2012 .
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