Staffordian 2012 - Stafford Old Edwardians` Association

Transcription

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 [email protected]
Secretary
Mark Ashton
19 Station Court, Newport, Shropshire TF10 7RZ
Membership SecretaryJohn Wood
57 Garden Street, Stafford, Staffs ST17 4DD
The Staffordian
Trevor Ashton
Peter Jones (News Hound)
(Asst News Hound)
Chris Marshall (Obituaries)
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
Auditor
co.uk
John Cole
Press Secretary
John Wood
Skittles
Bowls
Web site
01785 714093 president@oldeds.
Simon Button
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 .

Staffordian 2012 - Stafford Old Edwardians` Association

Transcription

Similar documents

Here - AlanHeavey

North Hartley Green Farmhouse

An Unforgettable Evening of Music

Mi Home Estate Agents Are With You Every Step of The Way

TG Default Prevention Training Program

issue no. 150 2004 - Stafford Old Edwardians` Association

Ghost Trail - Stafford Borough Council

issue 13, april 2012 - Stafford High School

Peter Ting (Hong Kong 1951 - ) Pair of Lotus Stand Candle Holders

Issue No. 151 2005 Teachers dwell in some far