Issue: 107 / December - Stockport Grammar School | Digital Archives

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DECEMBER
1968
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R. Hartley.
STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Patron
THE PRIME WARDEN OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GOLDSMITHS
Governors
LIEUT.-COL. J. A. CHRISTIE-MILLER, C.B.E., T.D., D.L., J.P., Chairman
F. TOWNS, ESQ., Vice-Chairman
ALDERMAN L. SMITH, J.P.
D. BLANK, ESQ., LL.B.
J. S. SOUTHWORTH, ESQ.
SIR GEOFFRY CHRISTIE-MILLER,
THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR
K.C.B., D.S.O., M.C., D.L.
OF STOCKPORT
COUNCILLOR A. S. EVERETT
(ALDERMAN W. C. KNIGHT, J.P.)
MRS. R. B. HEATHCOTE
PROFESSOR F. C. WILLIAMS, C.B.E.,
J. C. MOULT, ESQ., J.P.
D.Sc., D.PHIL., M.I.S.F., F.R.S.
R. SEATON, ESQ.
COUNTY COUNCILLOR MRS. M.
H. SIDEBOTHAM, ESQ., LL.M.
WORTHINGTON, B.A., J.P.
THE REV. CANON R. SIMPSON
COUNTY COUNCILLOR G. A. YOUNG
WG-CDR. J. M. GILCHRIST, M.B.E.
(Clerk to the Governors)
Headmaster
F. W. SCOTT, Esq., M.A. (Cantab.)
Second Master
W. S. JOHNSTON, Esq., M.A. (Oxon.)
Assistant Masters
J. H. AVERY, M.A.
W. D. BECKWITH
M. T. BREWIS, B.A.
E. BROMLEY
D. B. CASSIE, B.Sc.
I. S. COOPER, D.L.C.
C. J. DAWSON, B.A.
B. L. DONALDSON, M.A.
J. G. DURNALL, B.Sc., F.R.G.S.
J. G. GOSLING
D. HEFFER, B.Sc.
W. HERMAN, M.A.
R. C. JERMY, B.A.
A. J. LEARY, B.Sc.
S. M. McDOUALL, D.S.L.C.
F. J. NORRIS, B.A.
H. L. READS, B.Sc.
D. G. ROBERTS, B.A.
D. J. ROBERTS, M.A.
H. D. ROBINSON, B.A.
G. D. SLAUGHTER, M.A.
A. P. SMITH, B.A.
J. T. STANLEY, D.A.
D. I. STEELE, B.MUS., F.R.C.O.,
A.R.M.C.M.
N. R. SWAIN, B.Sc.
J. M. SWALLOW, M.A.
M. S. WHALLEY, B.Sc.
B. R. WILSON, B.A.
Junior School
R. D. REEMAN, B.A., Master in Charge
Mrs. D. COLCLOUGH
Mrs. E. M. THOMPSON
C. H. JOHNSON
Miss J. THORNELY
Miss P. W. SHOBBROOK
Bursar: WG-CDR. J. M. GILCHRIST, M.B.E.
Prefects
R. N. TRIM, Captain of School
R. E. MARTIN, D. M. WILSON, Vice-Captains
G. O. ASHMORE
R. A. BURGESS
R. L. CLARE
B. J. DAINES
S. M. GRAVES
C. J. GRIFFITHS
R. H. GRIMSHAW
C. B. HARRISON
P. G. HICK
J. R. JOHNSON
P. PLUMPTON
I. RATCLIFFE
J. P. TURNER
M. A. VICKERY
J. S. WOOLLVEN
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL
DE OMNIBUS REBUS
2
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
DR. FAUSTUS
GREECE AND CRETE, 1968
BRECON ADVENTURE CAMP 1968
TURKEY 1968
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER
OTHER ARTICLES
7
8
10
11
12
13
THE SOCIAL SIDE
THE DEBATING AND LITERARY SOCIETY
THE REFERENCE LIBRARY
THE DRAMATIC SOCIETY
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP GROUP
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
550 SQUADRON A.T.C
THE CHOIR
RECORDER CLUB
THE ORCHESTRA
THE CHANGE RINGING SOCIETY
CHESS CLUB
SAILING CLUB
ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY
THE RAILWAY SOCIETY
FOLK CLUB
GYMNASTICS CLUB
19
19
20
20
21
21
22
22
22
23
23
24
24
24
24
25
SPORTS AND GAMES
RUGBY
LACROSSE
BASKETBALL
VOLLEYBALL
CRICKET
27
30
32
32
32
HOUSE NOTES
ARDEN
NICHOLSON
VERNON
WARREN
T H E JUNIOR SCHOOL
35
36
37
38
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41
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
FROM CAMBRIDGE
THE OLD STOPFORDIANS' ASSOCIATION
44
45
T
he Magazine of the Stockport Grammar
No. 107
DECEMBER, 1968
Editor
R. H. GRIMSHAW
EDITORIAL
Icy days in November herald crumpets toasted by gas fires. The Upper
School munches the languid food of its complacency and braces itself for the
icy waters of life. After Gandalf and Clapton put paid to the crumpet brigade,
the self-confidence of the uncertain preyed on consciences loused by the grey
men at the Labour Exchange. We shall destroy; we shall beat them at their own
game, since we do not possess our own. Those are the facts; we do well to
remember them. Since revolutions are all too frequent, let us not make our own
too conspicuous. Only the Pope of some ancient age allowed us to say that we
are striding into the seventies, and the 'we' is blurred away.
As the school enjoys the past with fervour, recalls the trivial endeared by
time, new eras are born—on the stage, in the buildings. The foundations are
powerfully rooted in the traditions, and vice versa. The school is promising
much as it squats by the railway line and watches the trains go by, the tracery
of its fencing complementing the backcloth. The boys who have gained much
from the school will recollect in later life such vague trivialities, and derive the
quiet strength of the inviolable past, secure in the ever-trusting imagination,
lulled by the memory of disciplines that have the sanction of time. The boys to
whom school was merely an exacting routine will reason the extent of their loss
and summon the appropriate feeling.
A year draws to its close and a fresh instalment of millennium material will
be delivered. Our score is high; we have reached a respectable total. But this
does not really matter. All of us hope that we can in some way invalidate
tradition as a temporal notion and instead re-establish it as a vital reality.
Antiquity holds few charms unless it is discovered with respect and re-created
with enthusiasm. The traditions of our school are not the sport of antiquarians,
or the toy of scoffers. They represent the contribution of the past to the present.
Without the past we would not be what we are; without the past we shall never
be more, or less, than lonely waifs. Our course is set and the future holds merely
the terrors of any fate-willed unknown, inevitable in its malignance or its
beneficence. Like the school, the magazine is broadening the base of its affairs;
remember that the schoolboy is as ordinary as the next fellow. It would be dishonest to ignore that fact, and unwise to pose like a family at the seaside for
the gold-framed snap-shot. There is truth in the American injunction—'tell
it like it is'.
R.H.G.
Page One
DE OMNIBUS REBUS
The School officers for the term have been :
House Captains:
Arden—J. S. Woollven.
Nicholson—R. L. Clare.
Vernon—R. A. Burgess.
Warren—R. E. Martin.
Captain of Rugby: S. M. Graves.
Captain of Lacrosse: J. S. Woollven.
Librarian: J. R. Johnson.
Secretary of the Debating and Literary Society: J. R. Johnson.
Leader of the Christian Fellowship Group: R. J. Birchall.
Secretary of the Choir: R. J. Coppock.
Secretary of the Dramatic Society: J. C. P. Ellis.
Secretary of the Photographic Society: D. L. Goodfield.
Secretary of the Chess Club: S. G. Critchlow.
Secretary of the Recorder Group: J. P. Turner.
Secretary of the Science Society: R. A. Swann.
Secretary of the Venturers' Society: C. B. Harrison.
Secretary of the Arts and Crafts Society: P. S. Stockton.
Leader of the School Orchestra: K. A. Royle.
Flight Sergeant of 550 Squadron A.T.C.: I. Ratcliffe.
Secretary of the Railway Club: H. A. Appleby.
Secretary of the Folk Club: B. Monkman.
Editor: R. H. Grimshaw.
GOVERNORS
We regret to record the deaths of two governors, both of whom have given
a great deal of service to the School. County Councillor H. E. R. Peers, O.B.E.,
J.P., (Old Stopfordian), served on the Board of Governors from 1955 until his
death on 3rd September, 1968. He was a representative of the Cheshire County
Council, on which he was Conservative whip. He did much public service in
many fields, but especially for education and the libraries. When he retired two
years ago he was Head of the Actuarial Department of the Refuge Assurance
Co.
Mr. Hubert Smith, J.P., served on the Board from 1949 until his death on
19th October. He originally represented the County but in recent years was a
co-opted member of the Board. He had been Chairman of the Hazel Grove and
Bramhall U.D.C. and as Chairman of the East Cheshire Divisional Executiye
Educational Committee was responsible for much educational development in
the district. He was also chairman of the governing bodies of other schools. His
three sons are Old Stopfordians; Alan was also on the staff for a time, and
Donald a cricket blue.
MASTERS
We welcome five new masters. Mr. I. S. Cooper has joined the P.E.
staff. He was educated at Stockport Technical High School and Loughborough
College of Education. As a boy he competed in national schools athletics
championships and since has represented Great Britain in the High Jump
and in volleyball.
Mr. D. Heffer was a boy at William Hulme's Grammar School and is a
graduate in Mathematics of Manchester University. He took his teaching
diploma at Didsbury College of Education. He was in commerce for some time
before taking up teaching.
We now have a second full time biologist in Mr. R. C. Jermy, who was
educated at Birkenhead School and Keble College, Oxford, where he read
Zoology. He also took his diploma in education at Oxford.
Page Two
Another Old Stopfordian has joined the staff, Mr. A. J. Leary, who is a
graduate in Physics of Liverpool University. He has spent some time in
industry working on semi-computers.
Mr. G. D. Slaughter is now our senior historian. He went from the Royal
Masonic School, Bushey, Herts, to read History at King's College, Cambridge.
His last post was at Campbell College, Belfast. He is an experienced actor and
producer and is responsible for the school play here as he was at Campbell
College.
We congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Swain on their marriage on 12th October at
Christ's Church, Fulwood, Sheffield.
We also congratulate two former members of the staff, Mr. and Mrs.
A. R. Hawkes (Miss Joan McGowan), on the birth of their son, Adam, and
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Reeman on their marriage at St. Bartholomew's Church,
Wilmslow, on 25th October.
THE APPEAL
Detailed plans for the new buildings are now nearing completion, and it is
hoped that the foundation stone will be laid and that building will start in
the spring of 1969. A drawing giving an artist's impression of the building has
been distributed.
It is not possible to mention all the wonderful help the School is receiving.
But we can express our gratitude to all and particularly to two trusts that have
helped us generously and regularly over the years. In October the Ephraim
Hallam Charity gave £875, specified for new buildings, maintenance of the
existing buildings, the library and the Headmaster's Fund. In November the
Sir Alan Sykes Trust made a donation of £3,000 to the building fund.
EVENTS
In the summer holidays Mr. Stanley and Mr. Brelsfprd took a party to
Crete and Greece, and Mr. McDouall led adventure training in the Brecon
Beacons.
On 15th September the first service of the year was conducted by Rev.
G. S. McKelvie, M.A.
On 4th October a concert of organ, instrumental and choral music was
given. The guests were Simon Wright (organ) and John Turner (flute and
recorder).
At half term Mr. Whalley and Mr. Jermy again took a party of biologists
to Trearddur Bay.
Between 4th and 9th November the Dramatic Society performed Dr.
Faustus by Christopher Marlowe.
On 10th November the Remembrance Service was conducted by Rev. J. E.
Cotter, M.A. (Old Stopfordian).
On 16th November a Christmas Fair was held in support of the building
fund. This was organised by the Ladies Committee and Mr. Reeman and was
opened by the Mayor of Stockport, Alderman W. C. Knight, J.P., who is an
Old Stopfordian and a Governor of the School. A large number attended and
£625 was raised.
On 13th December the Christmas Dance will be held.
On 17th December the Carol Service will be held in St. George's Church.
On 20th March, 1969, the Founder's Day Service will be held in St.
Mary's Church. The sermon will be preached by Rev. Canon W. Garlick,
M.A., B.Sc.
On 27th March, 1969, there will be a sixth-form conference on race and
colour and on the same day, the Swimming Gala.
Speech Day will be 10th July, 1969. The guest will be Sir W. H. Nield,
Permanent Under Secretary of State to the Department of Economic Affairs
(Old Stopfordian, 1925-32).
Page Three
If you want to climb a
ladder of success look,
where ours can lead
You're a young man looking at banking as a career. But which bank?
Look at the case for Williams Deacon's. Most of our branches are
in the north and west and we choose our staff carefully.
We expect them to get on. It's not unusual for a Williams Deacon's
man to be a manager earning over £2,200 a year by his early
thirties. Like the idea? Then contact Mr. Wild, our Staff
Manager at the address below. Tell him all about yourself
then, leave it to him. In careers as in all else,you can lean
—"Williams Deacon's.
La
WIL
ION'S
the helpful bank
HEAD OFFICE: MOSLEY ST. MANCHESTER •
Page Four
POSTSCRIPT
As usual boys were all over the world in the summer holidays. We include
an account of Preston's visit to Turkey later in the magazine. Holden and Mills,
who had gained the highest marks in the Manchester area for the leading seamen's examination of the Sea Cadets, were rewarded by a seven week trip to
Montreal with Manchester Liners Ltd. They did not complain that they had
to work their passages.
UNIVERSITIES
Bath:
Bristol:
Cambridge:
Durham:
East Anglia:
Leicester:
Liverpool:
London:
Loughborough:
Manchester:
Oxford:
Reading:
Salford:
Sheffield
St. Andrews:
Sussex:
C. A. Armitage (Building Technology)
D. T. Jerdin (Building Technology)
J. Hingorani (Medicine)
G. J. Tomlinson (Aeronautical Engineering)
J. N. Cannon (Emmanuel College—English)
M. N. Higgin (Sidney Sussex College—Modern Languages)
N. R. F. C. Timms (St. Catharine's College—Exhibition in
History—Law)
I. H. Torkington (Fitzwilliam College—Natural Sciences)
M. J. Camm (Geography)
D. J. Walsh (English)
D. W. Lord (Chemistry)
M. G. Ankers (Geography)
R. T. Carver (Medicine)
R. W. G. Gamble (Dentistry)
D. Gracey (Architecture)
D. L. Thorpe (Veterinary Science)
C. P. Fletcher (St. George's—Medicine)
M. I. Cousen (Civil Engineering)
W. B. Ball (Classics)
M. J. Brereton (Biology)
B. D. Cliff (Mechanical Engineering)
M. H. Fink (Economics)
D. Kay (St. Peters' College—Scholarship in Mathematics to
read Engineering)
I. Parry (Exeter College—Modern Languages)
R. J. Tacon (Magdalen College—Demyship in Natural
Sciences)
A. P. Kirton (History)
M. I. Walthew (Applied Physics)
W. Ardern (Mechanical Engineering)
A. R. Murphy (Mathematics)
W. K. Burgess (Physics)
COLLEGES
N. Chadwick (Harper Adams Agricultural College)
R. C. Dukoff Gordon (Hamble College—Civil Aviation—1969)
M. P. Hadfield (Nottingham College of Technology—Applied Biology)
J. I. Hayes (Manchester College of Commerce)
G. H. Kime (Manchester College of Commerce—Accountancy)
R. N. Locke (Royal Agricultural College—Cirencester)
FURTHER EDUCATION
D. Knowles
P. M. Moorhouse
R. P. Seymore
A. I. Macpherson
R. A. Shreeve
D. P. Thomson
P. M. Maher
J. G. Wilson
Page Five
OTHER SIXTH FORM LEAVERS
P. A. Bailey
N. J. Boyle
T. J. Greene
C. Perrin
(Accountancy)
(Law)
(Gas Industry)
(Computers)
J. N. Richards
A. Rimmer
N. B. Russell
(Banking)
(Ferranti)
(Commerce)
STOCKPORT AWARDS
Major Scholarship: C. B. Harrison
Exhibition:
G. O. Ashmore
W. K. Burgess
G.C.E. RESULTS
The following boys have passed the "O" Level in three or more
subjects:
v. SC.A.
Bruce, S. M.
Comber, P. R.
Coop, D. J.
Coppock, R. J.
Fern, P. A.
Freeman, R. M.
Gardner, P. R.
Graves, R. M.
Hallworth, D. J.
Hancock, N. M.
Hollows, J. K.
Hughes, W. E. C.
Jones, R. B.
Keys, J. W.
Kirby, P.
Levine, G.
Miller, D. J.
Parker, M. J.
Rees, J. A.
Rhoderick, D. E.
Royle, K. A.
Torkington, J. A.
Walton, S. A.
Williams, D. P.
Wilson, P. B.
V. Sc. B.
Albinson, R. W. F.
Anderson, N. H.
Bradbury, N.
Brown, A. P.
Cunliffe, R. J.
Hardman, K. J.
Holden, P. J.
Jones, R.
Knowles, M. A.
Lilker, C. W.
Mills, H. E.
Newton, R. K.
Preston, K. A.
Rutter, C. M.
Thomson, D. S.
Wright, G. C.
V. Lit.
Bennett, G. S.
Bestley, M. R. J.
Birchall, R. J.
Carr, A. P.
Cooper, A. J.
Fulton, J. D.
Garner, C. M.
Garner, M. R.
Green, M. A.
Guy, B. V.
Hamilton, R.
Hartley, S. C.
Langridge, N. D.
Longson, D. J.
May, A. J.
Moorhouse, P. M.
Redwood, M. S.
Robins, D.
Sharley, J. A.
Smith, S. C.
Stephens, D. R.
Stockton, P. S.
Towers, J. C.
Upton, M. G.
Weatherby, S. J.
Page Six
DR. FAUSTUS
(J.T.S.)
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Lr. V.
Albiston, C.
Capp, P. D.
Clapham, D. A.
Clark, M. A.
Fletcher, G. W.
Griffith, P.
Hall, P. R.
Harrison, J. N.
Kennedy, P. H.
Mellor, I. E.
Mills, J. B.
Oldham, K.
Proctor, P. S.
Samways, R. S.
Thompson, B.
Walsh, J. C.
DOCTOR FAUSTUS
Charles Lamb held that one scene of Marlowe's 'Faustus' was worth the
whole of Goethe's 'Faust', an opinion that would undoubtedly have enraged
Carlyle. It is difficult to see, however, since it is generally accepted that it is
easier to make evil interesting than good, why Marlowe makes such heavy
weather of his hero's dalliance among the fleshpots. Few of us, I think, would
burden ourselves with an eternity of torment in exchange for the sight of some
illustrious shades and a Marx Brothers Night at the Vatican. Moreover, for all
his professed dedication to evil and power, Faustus is continually beset with
doubts and if John Ellis, who played the part in the school's November production, could not make us understand why he chose as he did the fault is
Marlowe's. We did see, on the other hand, a moving representation of a fine
mind tortured by despair and goaded by his evil angel (well played by Richard
Phillips) to his own soul's perdition. It is a long and exhausting part and Ellis
sustained it admirably down to the association-haunted tolling of the midnight
bell that brings the stricken sinner to account. Yet why is he doomed if repentance cannot come too late for pardon this side of the grave and since few
more repentant sinners appear in the literature of the stage ? Surely he should
die obdurate and defiant, spitting in the face of God, unless Marlowe's aim was
to show that the whole of Christian teaching is a racket compounded of threats,
blackmail and lies.
John Fox played Lucifer with great pride and in a splendidly otherworldly make-up guaranteed to fill anybody's ears with fear. Ian Ratcliffe was
his Mephistophilis who guided Faustus to hell as surely as Virgil guided Dante
through it. His playing of the part was distinguished by clear speaking and an
unflagging determination to win this prize for his master, although one might
perhaps have expected so sophisticated a character to have retained more of his
composure in the face of Faustus' Vatican antics. The Seven Deadly sins were
admirably portrayed, Kenneth Yates depicting, besides Gluttony, Cornelius and
Pope Adrian and drawing his distinctions between them with great clarity;
Raymond Land added Valdes and a noble looking Emperor Charles to Pride,
while Stephen Smith and John McKelvie respectively doubled Martino with
Envy and Frederick with Wrath. Andrew White was a pert Wagner who might
easily have been that sorcerer's apprentice who so frequently gets into trouble in
the concert halls but he also did justice to the character's compassion for his
master at the end of the play. David Pugh made an appealing Bruno whose escape was welcome, even though Faustus contrives it from dubious motives, and
Brian Wood was responsible for a refreshing injection of scepticism in the shape
of Benvolio, apparently the only critic the learned Doctor ever met with on his
world tour. Paul Carr made the most of the Good Angel and the Old Man, who
at the end of the play seems to take on the Good Angel's role.
I have left two boys until the end. The first, Paul Griffith, played Chorus,
Third Scholar and Covetousness and his speaking was distinctive throughout.
It was clear not only in enunciation but in argument, the vocal line was admirably managed and projected and there was never any sense of strain or of the
words being forced through a constricted throat or of being expelled in a violent
shout instead of being easily and naturally floated on the breath. As a result he
was at all times audible, clear and a delight to listen to. In his final Chorus
speech he bore the burden of the play's tragic message and it was spoken with
'tears in's voice' as indeed it deserved to be. The other boy, Paul Coleman, gave
equal pleasure in two smaller parts by using a musical and attractive speaking
voice with similar ease and natural grace.
Page Seven
There was an attractive band of saintly and satanic friars who, where
saintly, performed their holy office with melodious conviction and, where
satanic, gave hell a certain wry charm missing from most of the descriptions
given to Faustus of his future life. The musical effects and the brazen thunders
of his midnight trysts were punctually and effectively controlled and the tolling
of the midnight clock was realistic and aweful. Mr. Slaughter mounted a clear
and comprehensible production of a most uneven and complicated play, free
from gimmicks and above all without that tiresome lust for irrelevant movement
for its own sake that seems to bedevil some West End and Warwickshire producers to such an extent that you are hard put to it to hear the words or discover
the argument.
Mr. Stanley devised for this admirable production an admirable frame
which, by a very clever stroke, allowed the pipes of the school organ to be seen
between its mediaevel arches, a touch that created a more vivid impression of
that Wittenberg from which Horatio in another play, returned to Elsinore for
the funeral of Hamlet's father, than a whole wilderness of gables and tottering
streets would have achieved.
I should like, if I may, finally to welcome that innovation by which the
boys' full names appear on the programme: it removes that rather grim
impression given on previous occasions, when only surnames appeared, that we
had been attending an unlikely spare time activity of the Fraesidium of the
U.S.S.R.
Stephen Bagnall.
GREECE AND CRETE—1968
Asleep beneath blankets on a fast train across Europe was how the second
night found us: frequently awakened by harsh Italian loudspeaker announcements from which we tried to learn the names of towns. Companions were
hidden mutters drowned in the sound of travel. Shortly past midnight, the day
before, we had left our distant homes to embark on five and a half weeks' journey
through Greece and Crete. In Milan we gained our first experience of Italian
before catching the train to Ancona, Mr. Stanley being the only one to appreciate the superb austerity of wooden seats. It got hotter and hotter. The long
journey across the plain of the Po and through the East coast resorts gave us our
first glimpse of the distinctive Italian scene and its overcrowded holiday resorts.
In Ancona we boarded the ship which was to take us to Greece (the Helleana),
after a long crush on the dockside. But once aboard, what sweet and forbidden
delights; cabins, cool lounges, swimming pool and a loud juke box. It was now
midnight and time to sail, but the ship did not move and when it did, most of us
were on our beds enjoying timely sleep.
For the next two days we sailed down the Adriatic, tentatively exposing our
pink English bodies to the sun and enjoying the food—one dish, known from
past years as tapeworm pie, providing spectacular reprisals. On the 15th of July
we docked at Patras and travelled, in the afternoon, along the South coast of the
Gulf of Corinth by coach, towards Athens. The way a Greek drives is different
from the way an Englishman drives. There was only our driver to smile at
our stifled cries of alarm at every seemingly impending head-on collision and
Mr. Brelsford's carefree twinkles from the front seat definitely lacked something. We missed the boat to Crete and could not sail until the next night, so we
camped at Dafni, 10 km. outside Athens. The following morning most of us
visited the monastery at Dafni, travelling down the great road to the Piraeus later
in the afternoon. Here we were to board the Sophia and sail south to Crete.
Early in the evening we slipped slowly past the smoke-belch of dockside
industry, passed the last pier and sailed out to sea in the pleasant half-light of
dusk. On our right the island of Salamis was silhouetted against the sunset.
The boat deck was clean and well lit, local commuters competing with us for
sheltered patches of deck. Soon after dawn the following day, with engines
stopped, we drifted in complete silence into the harbour at Heraklion. After
breakfast, we were whisked off high into the mountains by coach. In the old
town of Rethymnon on the north costa of Crete we bought supplies before taking
the road to Chanea, and from there up through the village of Lakkoi to Omalos,
a cultivated plateau high in the White Mountains. Here we split into smaller
Page Eight
groups. Some rushed off in a cloud of dust; some made prudent preparations,
the locals sniffing in wonder at talcum powder, cast like incense in thick socks.
By night-fall we were scattered down the spectacular Samaria Gorge—fast
asleep. The next day was spent in this deep canyon which descends from
Omalos down to the south coast. In the lower regions of this gorge the walls
tower vertically over a narrow boulder-strewn floor. That afternoon we arrived
at Ayia Roumeli, a small coastal village at the mouth of the gorge, and hired the
local boatman to ferry us along the coast to Loutro. This village, reputed to be
the haven where St. Paul came ashore on his voyage to Rome, is a delightful spot
near to a ruined fortress in which we camped. Meanwhile, somewhere in the
White Mountains, Neil Jones and his group, having left the Samaria Gorge by a
side valley, had decided to walk back to Rethymnon to arrive (by chance or by
arrangement—no-one will ever know) at the height of the local wine festival.
They had, it is said, a wonderful time, although nobody in the group seems to
remember it very clearly. And the bulk of us, leaving Loutro, sailed on along
the barren southern coast to Khora Sfakia and from there, walked across the
coastal hills to Frangocastello with its heavenly beach. Just above the beach is a
Venetian fortress looking, in its simplicity, like a castle for tin soldiers. A day of
blatant slothfulness prepared us for the journey further east towards Rodakinon,
fringing the haunted plain where a thousand Sfakians were massacred by the
Turks. Some of us walked in the bright safety of daylight, some in a stumbling
huddle at night, and some, shame on them, hired a boat. The journey from
Rodakinon, on foot or by sea, brought us to Plakeas, a pleasant village on the
coast, but we had been spoilt by life at Loutro and Frangocastello and were
anxious to move on. Two days later, to the accompaniment of wailing Greek
pop music and the screaming engine of our bus, we dropped down to Ayia
Galini from the heights above the village. Ayia Galini seems best described as a
minor port and holiday resort. Our camp site was close to the beach where we
spent many happy hours of total inactivity before plodding along the wavebeaten sandy shore to where the Mesara Plain touches the coast. We walked
inland across the plain and saw the Minoan sites at Ayia Triadha and Phaistos.
Over the next few days we travelled back to Heraklion and visited the palace at
Knossos, a short way out of the town. Knossps, being partially reconstructed, is
the most interesting site from the point of view of the layman, but each of the
manifestations of the Minoan civilization in Crete has its own attraction even if
it is only on account of its great age.
And what of John Calvert and his group whom we seemed to have lost ?
They had walked off towards Mallia and they spent quite a few days exploring
the eastern end of Crete. They visited an ancient Greek settlement at Lato, saw
some famous frescoes at Critza and brought back a good report of the region in
general.
Late on the evening of the 31st July we took leave of Crete and returned to
the Piraeus on board the Sophia. Letters from loved ones were collected in
Athens and then we journeyed on by road to Mycenae. This is the site of an
ancient Greek citadel with outer walls of massive hewn stones, reputed to have
been erected by the cyclops, and pierced by the famous Lion Gate. The deep
and secret cistern was descended by a few of us who sang "De profundis
clamavi ad te Domine" in pitch blackness right at the bottom (See "Greece"—
The Stopfordian 1966). Resuming our journey by coach, we made an unscheduled stop at Corinth and then headed for Kastanea in the Erymanthine
Mountains. We left the coach and set off on foot; Kalavrita was the goal. The
name conjures in me the vision of a city of golden spires, lost in the mountains.
I can persist in my illusion—for I never reached it. It was reached, however, by
a few; the rest of us had many wonderful adventures. In Delphi, under the
olive groves, was where the stories of our experiences in the mountains were best
heard. Delphi lies across the Gulf of Corinth from Egion and is one of the
largest and most splendid of the ancient sites in Greece. It was Delphi which in
ancient times was regarded as the centre of the world. On the side of Mount
Parnassus, in the temple of Apollo was the seat of the oracle where the Greeks
could seek advice of the God. From Delphi we travelled across the sacred olive
plain to Itea, recrossed by ferry to Egion and from Egion went by coach to
Olympia. The Olympic stadium is only part of the sacred site dedicated to Zeus
Page Nine
which includes the massive temple of Zeus, the smaller temple of Hera and the
workshop of Phideas, the sculptor. The museum is famous for the pediment
decoration from the temple of Zeus and the statue of Hermes bearing die infant
Dionysus.
On Saturday morning we began the journey back to Athens by road. The
route was new for most of us and lay over the Arcadian Mountains following, in
its first stages, a wide, fast flowing river, the Alphaeus. We stopped to see the
theatre at Epidaurus. Richard Dukoff-Gordon was coaxed into the centre of the
theatre area while the rest of us clambered to the highest seats, but he could not
be persuaded to give us a dramatic performance and only dropped a com on the
floor—a performance greeted by thunderous applause. That night we entered
Athens to find real beds waiting at the Y.M.C.A. hostel where we were to stay
for five days. And in those five days I got to know Athens better than I do
Manchester. We saw the perfection of the Parthenon with our own eyes,
enjoyed the teeming bustle of the markets in the mornings, the comfort of the
swimming pool in the heat of the day and the life of the cafes in the evenings.
Thtre were concerts in the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus and unbelievable
foods to be sampled at every pastry shop—the magic of the place infected us all.
And soon it was time to return home to England—it was neither too soon nor
too late.
I would like to thank Mr. Stanley, on behalf of all the party for a "simply
superb" holiday, and Mr. Brelsford, on behalf of Mr. Stanley, for getting his tea
every night. Neil Jones and John Calvert, apart from being two of the lads,
contributed greatly towards the success of the holiday.
For my part, I wi!l always remember best my own personal experiences: a
copy of the "Times" at Heraklion, the hospitality of shepherds whilst in the
mountains, the lights of Athens seen flickering on at dusk from the Filoupappou,
and those evenings spent listening to the gifted impersonations from Dave
Thomson and Peary Kirton of members of the staff, which set the olive groves
echoing with Elysian laughter and frightened the satyrs away.
D.M.W.
BRECON ADVENTURE CAMP, 1968
Anyone who bothered to read last year's Brecon report may remember the
final words: "Hope to see you next year ? Same time, same place !" Well, those
who did return found it not only as good, but better in many respects. After
last year who would ever have thought this possible ?
The form of the holiday was basically the same as last year. Two parties of
about twenty-four camped for one week in the first and second weeks of August.
Each 'week' consisted of three groups; each group did two days canoeing, two
days on expedition and two days pony-trekking. Breakfast and an evening meal
were provided and served in the barn and you made your own 'butties' for lunch.
When all this is provided in such a friendly and generous manner and set against
a background of incomparable scenic beauty, it makes a really unforgettable
holiday.
The situation itself is breath-taking. The tents huddle close by Pant-ycellyn (pronounced Pant-er-cellin) barn, almost four miles up a steep and
narrow valley from Talybpnt. The view from Pant-y-cellyn along the forestlined valley to the mountains beyond is magnificent. Apart from the valley, the
scene farther into the Beacons is one of beautiful desolation, among the windswept moorland and craggs of the higher land.
This report states the activities of the senior group of second and fourth
forms on the second week.
Firstly, Mr. Mc.D. took us canoeing along the Brecon and Abergavenny
Canal. This was not like the murky industrial waterways that we know, but a
new, clean and clear experience in canals. The first day we paddled sedately
up and down and ventured through the tunnel, an experience that some will
not forget in a hurry ! On the second day Mc.D. dragged us over four miles to
the aqueduct, on the Brecon side of Talybont, and back again. Not too wet, nor
too cold, nor top tired, we reflected that evening that canoeing, despite the
hard work of pulling your own weight through the water, was actually extremely
enjoyable!
Page Ten
And now we go on 'expedition', as Mc.D. likes to call it. Donning 'nongarish' and beautifully 'congrous' dress, and led by Mc.D. and Mr. D. G.
Roberts, we ventured into the heart of lie Beacons. In glorious sunshine we
hauled ourselves up the first, and toughest, stage. After lunch we ascended the
formidable Pen-y-Fan (Pen-er-Van to you), the highest peak in the Beacons.
We were told we were climbing it "because it was there," and every last inch of
its 2,906 feet was most certainly there, as was Corn Du (Corn Dee), the second
highest peak ! A good meal and a peaceful night's rest in the old railway station
were most welcome. The next day we turned homeward and set off up and up
to a path leading along a precipitous edge; we made good progress despite a very
high wind. We then dropped down the mountain side to the barn below. After
foot-bathing and tea-drinking we assessed our achievment. We had travelled
about twenty-five horizontal miles (and it seemed that we climbed up about as
many) on the highest peaks in the Beacons.
Pony-trekking came last for us, and surely this was a case of leaving the
best until the end. Under the experienced and friendly guidance of Miss Sally
Richards and with the help of 'Jo' we walked, and then graduated to trotting
and cantering, about the moorland. The ponies, although very good, certainly
were ambitious—alas, some wanted to be racehorses and others show-jumpers !
Yet apart from such interludes of excitement, the tranquillity and restfulness of
riding came as a welcome contrast to previous exertions.
Thus our week ended, and now we must thank all responsible; Mr. D. J.
Peters, P.T.I, at Ludlow G.S. (whose winsome Welsh wit brought a sparkle to
the eye of the weariest canoeist), took other groups for canoeing and On expedition. We are very much undebted to Mrs. Jenny Peters for the consistently
marvellous food with which she alone kept us going. Sally and Jo somehow
managed to bring back a group of equestrian failures every two days not only
alive but also in good spirits. Mr. D. G. Roberts' help in the activities and
Mrs. Roberts' help in camp maintained the spirit and efficiency of the camp
and their help is greatly appreciated. Most of all, our thanks must go to Mrs.
Richards, the owner of Cui Cellyn, whose'friendly tolerance of the likes of us
made the camp possible. Meanwhile, let us not forget that we owe it all to Mr.
McDouall, including the kitchen he built in the hills . . . .
We hope that the opportunity for such holidays in Brecon will remain open
and that Mr. McDouall will be kind enough to organise a similar arrangement
for the coining year. If he does, we shall certainly go back.
Tich.
TURKEY, 1968
The Great Adventure began at 6 a.m. on a draughty Tuesday morning in
August, as a hundred and twenty people piled into three coaches outside BadenPowell House in London. I was among the eighty-eight Scouts from all over
Britain participating in Explorer Belt, '68, involving a hike of 120 miles through
the wilds of Western Turkey, carrying full camping kit and completing several
set projects en route. We would travel in pairs, all meeting again in Izmir ten
days later. The rest of the coach party was made up of numerous marshals and
organisers, and a London Scout Troop going for a cheap holiday, and to fill up
the 120-seat Britannia.
The five-hour flight from Luton Airport was uneventful, and we landed at
Yesilkoy Airport, a few miles outside the city of Istanbul, in brilliant sunshine.
Walking through the modern airport building to the waiting luxury coaches, we
received our first, mistaken, impressions of a modern and affluent Turkey.
For the three days we were in Istanbul we stayed in an empty boarding
school in the suburb of Ortakoy. We spent every minute seeing as much as we
could of one of the most fantastic cities in the world. Istanbul is divided into
the Asian City, the Old City, and the New City by two waterways, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The effect of this maritime way of life can be seen
in the hundreds of boats, trawlers and ferries, rowing-boats and liners, Turkish
and Russian, which are everywhere in the city. Everywhere, too, there are
mosques—close on five hundred of them. We saw the Blue Mosque, with its six
minarets, the most beautiful in the world; and the St. Sophia mosque, which
Page Eleven
began life in the sixth century as a Christian church and which is now a museum.
We spent an afternoon in the enormous covered bazaar, where there are reputed
to be five thousand shops, selling everything from gold to carpets. The people
of Istanbul are as bizarre as their buildings. We saw legless beggars, hashish
pedlars, bearded beatniks hitch-hiking to India, and thousands of shoe-shine
boys, vying with each other to clean shoes at fourpence a time. Their language
is impossible: according to the guide-book a mixture of Finnish, Hungarian, and
Japanese, and further complicated by French and American elements.
The time came to leave Istanbul—regretfully—and we were taken on a 12hour coach journey along appalling roads to our dropping-off point at Burhaniye, on the main road—such as it is—from Edremit to Ayvalik, on the
Aegean coast of Turkey. Armed only with a thirty-five pound rucksack and an
American-Turkish phrase-book, we had ten days to reach Izmir, 125 miles by
road to the south.
We hit on bad luck from the start. We met up with two lads from South
Wales, one of whom was suffering from heat exhaustion, and helped them
back. Two days after we had started we were back at our original starting-point
in Burhaniye. After this we kept mainly to the roads and reached Izmir, on the
Aegean coast, with time in hand.
We were amazed by the friendliness of the people. We spent scarcely
anything on food: usually we were given a huge meal by villagers we met.
Neither did we need to use our tent. We spent one night in a roadside tea-house,
another in a mosque, and a third in a cell in a police-station—with the key on
the inside ! Despite their comparative poverty and the aridity of their land, the
Turkish people must be among the most friendly and generous in the world.
But all good things must come to an end. After ten days of sweltering heat
we arrived in Izmir, Turkey's chief port and also the NATO base. The town
was full of American sailors, supplemented by visitors to the Izmir International Trade Fair which was being held at the time. Consequently prices
were well above normal, and in the bazaar bargaining, the normal method of
buying in Turkey, had been killed by the Americans, who were willing to pay
any price. Despite its beauty as a city Izmir made far less impression on us than
had Istanbul. After the friendliness of villagers on the way, most of whom had
never before seen a foreigner, the people of Izmir were indifferent and even
hostile to us, often mistaking us in our uniforms for American soldiers, whom
they dislike immensely. (In fact we learned that the day after we left Istanbul,
two Americans were stabbed there). The three days we spent in Izmir were far
less memorable than those we spent in Istanbul.
Nevertheless, our overall impression of Turkey was wonderful. The
customs officer at Luton Airport was overwhelmed by a crowd of happy, sunburned people clutching boxes of Turkish Delight and with the occasional gold
ring hidden in the depths of a rucksack (my own among them). It was a memorable experience, never to be forgotten.
Mustafa.
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER
At last another facet of the school's sporting activities has received its due
place in the magazine, namely the hockey match played between the school prefects and a Convent sixth form team. The game took place on the fourteenth of
November.
On that day eleven good men and true took to the field of battle fully
equipped to meet any crisis, and their unorthodox tactics soon had the opposition, and supporters, baffled. Moreover the team reaped ample reward. In
the eighth minute Trim opened the scoring with a shot from a scrimmage in
front of goal and another goal followed three minutes later. The school found
its rhythm and skilfully alternated between attacks en masse and dazzling runs
through the middle from which goals came from Martin, Wilson, Woollven,
and Ashmore. Trim scored again after a brilliant run through the middle.
In the nineteenth minute Griffiths committed what was generally acclaimed,
but in actual fact was not, a dastardly foul and was serenaded with cries of 'Get
him off." All was forgiven two minutes later when he scored after a solo run.
Page Twelve
The first half closed with another goal from Martin when he hustled his way
through.
Right from the restart school mounted another attack but were foiled by
some excellent goalkeeping by Judith McNally. Daines had a very good shot
two minutes later but in the seventh minute after the restart came a really most
excellent goal which resulted from a fast centre from the wing by Woollven
which was neatly turned into the net by Ashmore. The game was marked by the
way the players got into the swing of it and Daines became oblivious to the
whistle. In the twelfth minute of the second half Ratcliffe (goalkeeper) touched
the ball for the first time and a few minutes later he performed some wonderful
aerial acrobatics in defence of his goal. Another goal for the school came from a
scrimmage, but then came a good shot from the Convent and three minutes
afterwards Elaine Jones (Capt.) scored the Convent's goal with a really hard
shot. By now the Convent girls had regained their composure and were dealing
efficiently with any attacks made on them. Towards the end of the game, in
sheer frustration, Ratcliffe played as a centre-forward-goalkeeper, and gave his
defence heart-attacks.
Mention must be given to the quiet and efficient Turner and Burgess, and
Graves who beat everyone, himself included, with his astonishing bouts of
dribbling.
In the dressing room, after their 11—1 victory, members of the team made
the following statements :
'I am annoyed I didn't score'—goalkeeper.
'It was a bit of all right.'
'Superb manifestation of herculean endeavour."
'In the last five minutes the team pulled all stops out.'
'The centre's nice.'
<* * * * * * * * * * * ! ! >
'I liked the brotherly love between the teams.'
Finally I must applaud both teams for the good-natured way the game was
played and to the referee Mrs. Price, for the efficient way she handled the game,
and to the spectators for their fine community singing.
THE TOUR DE FRANCE
Here they come!
Here they come !
Pedalling round the bend,
It's '25'!
Then '42',
With '68' behind.
They're whizzing past!
They're whizzing past!
And as they climb the hill,
It's '42'!
Then '68',
With '25' behind.
They're at thefinish!
They're at thefinish!
And as the flag comes down,
It's '68' !
Then '42',
With '25' behind.
P. J. Holmes, 1A
TERROR AT SEA
It was October 6th, 1966 on the oil rig Sea Flyer. At six o'clock in the
evening the rig shuddered. The drilling bit had struck oil! Immediately a light
flashed, indicating that the blowout preventer had started to woik. Steadily the
pressure increased until suddenly a vivid flash rent the serene evening sky. The
preventer had exploded !
Page Thirteen
The rig was leaning heavily to where the broken support had crashed into
the sea. It was obvious that the Sea Flyer was heading for a watery grave.
Men ran screaming around the seething decks, their jackets burning, one
even diving into the sea in a frenzied effort to extinguish those flames of death
now preying on his very skin. A girder snapped and nil the unfortunate man on
the head, killing him "in an instant. Another, larger girder fell, and the rig
lurched to a crazy angle. But worse was to follow! The radio room bad been
unmanned at the time, and an officer dashed in to send a message for help, but
all that was now recognisable were the four walls. Everything else had been
ravaged by fire.
The drill was still running by some quirk of fate, and the heat ignited the oil
far below the surface; a veritable fountain of flame spuried from the black drill
hole. A man standing near was swept into the aii by the terrible surge. He fell
into the sea a charred and hideous-looking skeleton, burnt to death hi an
instant. Another support broke loose, and, finally, like some immense monster
of the deep in its death throes, the rig crumbled into the hungry sea.
A. J. M. Garrett, 2A.
SILENCE
A deathly silence in the wood,
The smoke seemed to growl out of the chimney,
Of the forester's hut.
The tolling of the church bell far away,
Added to the silence,
And solitude.
The sound of the bell receded.
Owls began to hoot,
And call to their mates,
From opposite sides of the forest,
Only to be answered by,
Silence and the growl of the smoke.
Ibbetson 2A.
PORTUGAL
The sun was bright,
The people were tanned,
A peasant in his horse-drawn trap,
Was slowly driving down a sandy track.
His hat was made of plain black felt,
And his trousers were neatly patched,
His shirt was a spotless white
And he wore no conflicting tie.
The countryside was green with spring,
And the flowers in the hedgerows gay.
Oranges and lemons hung from the trees,
Free for anyone to pick or sieze,
The horse-drawn plough slowly crossed the field,
Followed by the farmer's wife whose clothes were black,
And who scattered the seed from an old black bag.
Other farmers' wives were washing by the stream,
And others still laid the clean linen.
Out on the rocks to dry.
Page Fourteen
Scott, 2A.
DEATH
The mare lay still upon the straw,
I watched her helpless from the door,
Her precious lifeblood ebbed away,
She'll join with me no more in play.
She'll join with me no more in play,
And gallop home, at end of day.
Through childhood's lonely games we went,
Long hours together we had spent.
Long hours together we had spent,
Which now no longer could be lent,
But with the mare's last gasping breath,
My childhood ended with her death.
Bestley, 3A.
POEM ON DEATH
The sky was blue, the day was clear,
minds were gay and free from fear.
The children laughed and often fought,
the parents smiled, and planned, and talked.
The frightful scream of tortured tyres,
the jagged metal, shattered glass,
because one fool had tried to pass—
one still small form upon the grass.
On what a happy day to die,
So clear beneath the bright blue sky.
Clark, 3A.
REFLECTIONS ON MOBY DICK
The whaler ploughed through the rolling seas,
Battered and buffeted by the breeze.
"There she blows !" echoed from the prow,
All hands rushed to the starboard bow.
There swam a whale, young and strong,
Almost eighty-five feet long.
The harpooner rushed to his shining gun,
And the shadow of death clouded the sun.
Across the sea the harpoon sped,
It hit its mark; the sea grew red.
The dying whale took his long last breath,
Lion of the sea till his hour of death.
Coleman, 3A.
Page Fifteen
POEM ON WINTER (The First Day)
I awoke one morning and looked outside,
To see a frost upon the ground.
A heavy mist hung all around,
And no sound could be heard,
Save the singing of one lone bird.
Suddenly I heard a voice,
"Aren't you coming out to-day?"
I went outside but showed a frown,
As cold air took my breath away,
This was no time for fun and play.
Warm weather was out,
And the cold was in,
And there's a long time to wait,
For the fine days of Spring.
Kelly, 3A.
THE SCHOOL AT NIGHT
I was coming home from school one night,
Very late, the school was empty.
Or was it ?
The whistle of a cleaner exaggerated the eerie silence,
I was not alone.
Yet there was no link between me and the cleaner,
He could be miles away, and only his tuneless whistle
was here at school.
The cloisters echoed with my steps,
It made me look round, but there was nobody there.
Isn't that the organ playing ?
No, only my imagination was making a sound.
Yet the moonlight seemed to light up the hall,
Shadows jostled each other, pushing for room.
The sounds of traffic came faintly to my ears,
From another world.
Smith, D. F., 3A.
AUTUMN MORNING
The perfume of the red rose lingers round the garden,
As the soft veil of the morning mist lifts.
And the sun flings her first slender fingers through it.
The leaves float aimlessly,
Then land in their crowds on the ground,
To be swept up,
But only to fall again.
J. B. Mather, 3B.
Page Sixteen
NIGHT IN A COUNTRY COTTAGE
In the quivering candlelight,
The form of broken shutters.
Outside, the noiseless pandemonium,
As the orchestras of night,
In silence play their rapturous overtures.
The bleared, mesmerising phantoms,
That are mother nature's trees by day,
By night satanic prophets,
With twisted form and inward-looking eyes.
The pale moon's placid pallor,
Lives only till it drowns
In the crimson waters of a new day's dawn,
And in whose phosphorescent depths
Swirls the vortex of tomorrow.
Woodall, 4A.
KRAKATOA, '83
(A volcanic eruption in the Pacific causing many deaths)
Drowsily the sleeping giant,
Wakes and spreads his oustretched fingers,
At his child, Krakatoa.
Suddenly the bamboo stilts,
Sheltering huddled humanity,
Fall, fall into the aquatic cavern.
The tides of flesh and water meet,
As with a Zeusian thunderclap ;
The tide of water wins.
The island breaks to meet its friend the sea,
They welcome and embrace,
In death their former master Man.
Even on far-away bushland veldt,
Where kaffirs swing their picks and work;
The death throes are known and with them,
The glittering volcanic sunset.
Marsden, 4A.
ACCIDENTAL DEATH!
Acceleration, desperation,
Regulation, violation.
Wheels in motion, quick rotation.
Relying on correct inflation.
Triumphant blast of exhaust gases,
As another car he passes.
Without incurring laceration,
And a first-aid invitation,
Leading to hospitalization,
Living on a Sunday nation,
Feeling all the indignation,
Of charity and world donation.
But pillion rider's premonition,
Of a dangerous position,
And a possible collision,
Leads to fact and not to fiction—
Loss of blood means quick transfusion,
Loss of life ends the illusion.
Rocker.
Page Seventeen
WILMSLOW STATION ON
SATURDAY MORNING
An open door, creaking on its hinges,
Blowing in the cold cruel wind, a piercing wind.
The trees bend their boughs before it,
And I wish I were still at home.
A drinks machine, standing in one corner,
Mud-like coffee waiting for a stranger,
Footsteps sound in the subway,
And I am no longer alone.
It's only a porter coming to start his work,
And my hopes of a commuter were dashed,
Because a porter is a sullen person,
And I am still the only traveller here.
N.A.J.B.
CLIMBERS
Held together by long snake coils of rope,
It springs to mind how do they cope;
Climbing alone, yet held in place,
Prisoners of the cold rock-face.
Roken.
G.P.O. LOVE
Let us run off
and find a pillar-box for two.
Let's register our love,
and seal each word with . . . a kiss.
Let's exclude bulky packages
and fall among the floating fourpennies.
Let's make a Basildon Bond
as I stroke my Queen's Velvet.
Let's put our love in writing on the dotted line,
but, ignore the bills.
Let's rest and dream on the birthday cards,
and laugh at seaside jokes.
Let's have an envelope all our own,
tinted pink, smelling sweet and with only one address.
Let's go first-rate by mail number one,
to the Postmaster
General in his G.P.O. tower,
and let's say CI do" in our postal service,
—a heavenly postmark on our stamp of love.
Ned.
A RHYME
My name is J. then G. then G.,
I'm in the A. then T. then C.,
Indeed, in a sense, of course you see,
I'm not then fond of anarchy.
Page Eighteen
THE SOCIAL SIDE
THE DEBATING AND LITERARY SOCIETY
Chairman: R. H. Grimshaw.
Secretary: J. R. Johnson.
Asst. Secretary: A. C. C. White.
Treasurer: S. C. Morton.
The scene was set for great events. Room 13 was filled with a glow of wellbeing that emanated from the hearts and souls of nearly twenty stout-hearted
citizens who had gathered to witness the rebirth of the Deb. and Lit. It was
like the Phoenix rising from the ashes of a disastrous previous year—a year of
non-debates and apathetic audiences. Under the careful guidance of Messrs.
Brewis and Donaldson some sort of scheme was hammered out. It was agreed
that there should be more Lit. and less Debating, there should be discussions
and talks and the latent talent of the fifth and sixth forms should be exploited to
the full.
Then came the important business of the election of officers. The chairman
was a natural and unanimous choice, some fool was elected secretary and a
scientist his assistant, the treasurer was chosen and has since displayed to the
full the deadly sin he so ably portrayed in the school play. Thereupon the
meeting ended with hopes for a prosperous future—hopes, as yet, unfulfilled.
The treasurer has not been seen since, the secretary has been learning his lines
for the play, as have certain other important members of the committee and
further meetings have been impossible.
But there is a rumour in the air that a debate is in the process of being
arranged. Speakers have been found, the motion has been tabled. There is
hope yet.
The fool.
THE REFERENCE LIBRARY
Librarian : J. R. Johnson.
Deputy Librarian: S. C. Morton.
Assistant Librarians: 6L2 J. R. Eyre, R. J. Griffiths, M. J. Officer.
6L1 A. P. Carr, R. J. Coppock, R. Hamilton.
6S2 B. T. Wood.
6S1 R. B. Jones, 6M1 D. J. Miller.
At the beginning of term there were 9 librarians—including myself and the
deputy librarian. Since then our ranks have swollen (or been made to swell)
to a total of eleven by the addition of two characters from the lower science
sixth. This present number (and there is no truth in the rumour that the
Page Nineteen
librarians outnumber the rest of the sixth form) is an amount which ensures that
all the facets of library life—tidying, cataloguing, issuing and backing books and
ejecting unwelcome visitors—are carried out efficiently.
The term began busily with a certain amount of work left over from the
previous regime, but when this was completed the library experienced a lull of
inactivity—a lull made worse by the non-arrival of certain items of vital equipment. During this time a running battle was carried on against unruly elements
from the lower school who considered the library to be their own rest room.
Now that the error of their ways has been pointed out, their devious attempts to
penetrate illegally this sanctuary of sixth-form life have become less frequent.
Whether or not the exclusiveness of the library is a good thing is another matter.
However it must be stressed that boys who are willing to use the library's facilities under the supervision of or with the permission of a master, are welcome,
though they must not treat the library merely as a homework room or a sanctuary from the assaults of school life.
Finally I would like to express my gratitude to all the librarians—especially
to my deputy, Morton, for his moral assistance, to Carr for his reliability and
not least to Officer whose dexterity with a sweeping-brush has been phenomenal.
However, my particular thanks go to Mr. A. P. Smith, who has been a source of
consistent advice and encouragement and who has performed small miracles in
his role as business-manager.
J.RJ.
THE DRAMATIC SOCIETY
The ghost has dissolved, Doctor Faustus has been laid to rest once again;
and as I pen these few paragraphs I have little doubt that the majority of the
cast are still sleeping off the effects of a week of tremendous but exhilarating
exertion.
However, the play was not built on the shifting sands of one week, on that
one all too brief a period of triumph; but has slowly been built on the rock of
many weeks of labour, ranging from that far-distant September afternoon up to
the chill early hours of a November Sunday morning.
Again, I must thank all those who joined me and supported me during that
unforgettable week, a week whose success would have been impossible but for
the help of so many people. I must thank the Headmaster for his untiring encouragement during the long weeks of rehearsal, and to many other members of
the staff without whose support the play could not have been produced.
However, the Dramatic Society, like any other organisation, must have a
leader upon whom all the responsibility rests. We are all deeply in gratitude to
Mr. Slaughter, who has made this production so enjoyable for us all. His task
was made doubly difficult since he did not know us, but after many hours of
extremely hard work he produced what we feel was a most successful school
play. To him we are deeply grateful and confidently look on him to guide the
Dramatic Society for many years to come.
And so the Dramatic Society sinks once again into an insignificance which
is only dormant, for its batteries are well stocked with keen young faces that
will in future years support and lead this illustrious company.
J. C. P. Ellis.
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP GROUP
The emphasis this term has been on creating new interest for the group,
and on greater participation by the members. To this end, we have had a
number of interesting speakers: The Revd. Dick Rees speaking on "Is Christianity still relevant", Mr. A. Body, who is now training for the Anglican
Ministry, Mr. Ormrod, a part-time prison Chaplain, Mr. Hague, regional
organiser for the "Help the Aged" refugee appeal, Pastor Pokorny of the
Austrian Bible Mission, Rev. D. Mitchell of Marple, who spoke on "Modern
Heresies," and Mr. Pickering. As for member participation, we have had Bible
Studies, talks and discussions led by Robert Hamilton and Stephen Critchlow.
As always support has come from Mr. Gosling, Mr. D. J. Roberts, and Paul
Plumpton.
Page Twenty
We have been blessed this term, as always, in having a very lively Junior
Group, which has helped in Mr. Hague's refugee appeal, and we have shown
two filmstrips: "More than an Ambulance" and "Mid-Century Martyrs," with
the kind assistance of Mr. Herman. Gordon Marsden has been very ably
organizing this part of the group, with help from Richard Woodward, and
Philip Wilson. Malcolm Winton, once secretary of the Group came back to
give a talk on Bible Reading. The rest of the year holds great promise of
confirming the phrase "He is risen."
John Birchall.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
The Society ended its last session with an extremely successful Summer
Exhibition, which was the result of the help and advice of Mr. Cassie and the
combined efforts of many people, including Mrs. Shilton whose beautiful flower
arrangements added a final pleasant touch to the Exhibition. The prizes in the
print competition were awarded as follows :—
1st prize and shield — J. Keys
5Sc. A.
2nd prize
— D. Kay
6 M III.
3rd prize
— H. A. Appleby
6 Sc. I.
The Best Junior Print — C. M. Warhurst HA.
The results of the slide competition were :—
1st prize and shield — I. Parry
6 L III.
2nd prize
— B. D. Cliff
6 Sc. II.
3rd prize
— J. P. Turner
6 Sc. I.
The present session is now well under way, six meetings having taken
place. We were very fortunate to lose only one stalwart, D. Kay, who has served
the Society well for the past few years and has now moved on to Oxford. The
officials remain otherwise unchanged, except for the addition of two new
members to the committee (owing to the pleasingly large memberships-President
Mr. Cassie; Secretary D. L. Goodfield; Treasurer P. B. Wilson; and the Committee H. A. Appleby, D. J. Hallworth, S. G. Kattan, and K. Watts.
D.L.G.
550 SQUADRON A.T.C.
The Squadron continues to flourish. The present strength is thirty-three
with only three new recruits this term.
Again we were very successful in the Wing Athletic Sports, winning the
Intermediate, Senior and Overall Trophies and being runners-up for the
Squadron Efficiency Trophy. Altogether at the sports, 12 gold, 9 silver, and
2 bronze medals were won.
There were twenty-eight cadets at the Wing Parade and Inspection when
F/O Gosling received the Cadet Force Medal for services with the Squadron
and Cheshire Wing and Cadet Sergeant Jerdin received a Certificate of Merit.
Since our last report the Squadron has gained two Flying Scholarships
and had two other awards delayed, the cadets concerned to apply again next
year. One cadet was rejected on medical grounds so we did very well out of five
applicants.
Glider Pilots' Courses have been started by seven cadets who hope to
qualify for their "Wings" badges before the end of term, and nine others are
waiting to start early in the New Year or maybe earlier.
Map reading and compass exercises have been started by Mr. I. Cooper a
newcomer to the school staff whom we welcome to the squadron and who is
holding an instructors' post with the squadron before applying for commissioned
rank with the squadron. This first exercise in Lyme Park on map reading was a
great success and a second one is planned for the end of term.
Our new Flight/Sergeant Ian Ratcliffe is doing a very good job and together
with the two sergeants is really smartening-up the squadron. He spent eight
days in Saarbruck, Germany during the summer and was appointed Camp
Senior N.C.O. Our C.O. F/Lt. Bromley was Camp Senior Officer and received
a very good report about Flight Sergeant Ratcliffe and of his handling of the
cadets in camp.
Page Twenty-one
The squadron is still open to recruits and the new age range is now 13J—20
years. Any boys interested in flying, gliding, adventure training and leadership,
athletics, visits to R.A.F. Stations can be found a place in the squadron.
We are short of officers, having only two commissioned officers, two
civilian instructors and on the basis of one officer per ten cadets need help and
hope that perhaps one or two members of staff will be willing to join us and help
the squadron to keep up its good record.
"Erk."
THE CHOIR
We finished last year with an excellent performance from the Gleemen,
who indulged in their customary Bacchanalian practices accompanied by Mr.
Steele on a sherry-bottled piano. I think everybody enjoyed it—the singing, I
mean!
At the beginning of this term Mr. Steele envisaged an Autumn Concert,
in which a small choir of about a dozen was to sing two motets. On the actual
evening the audience had difficulty in seeing the platform since it was covered
with some forty choristers, indulging in the most fantastic vocal acrobatics and
contrapuntal perambulations.
As usual the first plans for the Carol Service were laid in June amidst the
("Hold on a minute you fool, you complete idiot Ralph," intense laughter,"if
you'd let me think I might be able to say something. I wish you'd let me order
my thoughts a little," said the Honorary Freeman.) bustle of Speech Day, but,
of course, very little has yet appeared in the way of arrangements. However, if
all the forwarded suggestions are sung, the Carol Service will have to begin well
before the usual time.
At the Carol Service we intend to sing a chorus from the "Messiah", that
old favourite "Personent Hodie" and many other delightful pieces, which we
hope will convey something of the real meaning of Christmas.
I would like to thank Mr. Steele for the enthusiasm which he kindles in us
all, the members of staff who have such lovely voices, Andrew White for dealing
with outside world, Dayid Wilson for being David Wilson and for being so very
helpful and encouraging, and our dignified Honorary Freeman—Robert
Hamilton—whose help and hindrance, especially in the writing of this, has been
most appreciated.
Ralph J. Coppock.
RECORDER CLUB
The Christmas term is not generally the open season for recorder playing,
but this term has been unique in that a concert was organized, largely due to the
efforts of Mr. Steele, in the middle of the term. We were represented at this
memorable event by six of our members, playing an early suite for recorders
with tambourine, triangle and drum accompaniment. Although slightly overshadowed by John Turner's recorder playing, and here may I note that John
Turner is an ex-member of the club, we gave, I felt, a fairly satisfactory performance.
During the remainder of the term our energies have been diverted to a
preliminary sifting through of material for the Recorder Concert. Some of the
music we are hoping to play is ambitiously different to the music we normally
play and so I hope the concert will prove an interesting event to those who
attend.
Another J. Turner.
THE ORCHESTRA
The Summer Concert, with its varied programme of vocal, instrumental,
and ensemble items, was again successful—that is to say, it was well-supported
and well-received, and the standard of performance was such that we were
spared those embarrassing moments which require the audience's sympathy
rather than its appreciation.
Page Twenty-two
Some of the money donated at the 1967 concert had been used to buy a duet
piano stool, and we were therefore pleased to find Albinson and Dukoff-Gordon
sharing the new stool to play Schubert's Valses nobles. After the interval,
Moszkowski's Spanish Dance No. 5 was played in its original piano duet form
by Griffith and Royle.
Two 18th century pieces for piano quartet were played by Harrison and
Saunders, violins, Newton, 'cello and Hopkinson, piano. The organ solo this
year was Bach's Fugue in D minor, and Rhoderick maintained the School's
reputation for fine organ-playing. The Gleemen are always welcome at these
concerts, and their renderings of part-songs, which included The Great Meat
Pie, was enthusiastically received.
The orchestra contributed seven items ranging from Handel to Dvorak.
The most difficult piece was the Adagio for Organ and Orchestra by Albinoni,
and the loudest was the Sailors' Chorus from The Flying Dutchman.
Success in previous concerts encouraged us to include TWO items for
choir and orchestra this year. The last item, before relief came in the form of
refreshments, was a cheerful chorus from Bach's Peasant Cantata, with the
trebles ringing out some apparently impossibly high notes. By request we
repeated Quilter's Non Nobis, Domine, and this brought the evening to a close.
Kime, our last founder-member, Gracey, our leader, and the versatile Mr.
Crofts all left us at the end of last term, but we have five new members already,
we expect two more to join us soon, and two existing players have switched from
recorders to clarinets, so that, with patience and perseverance, we shall be able
to fill the gaps. Any boy who is interested should see Mr. Robinson or Mr.
Steele.
R. O'Strum.
THE CHANGE-RINGING SOCIETY
President: Mr. A. P. Smith
Secretary: R. J. Coppock.
We came back this term to an invitation to ring at Mr. Steele's Autumn
Concert. With the number in the society reduced to almost a bare minimum we
launched ourselves into Bob Minor and a revised version of our set of changes.
Once the concert was over we advanced into the basics of Bobs and Singles and
are, at the moment, delving into the merits of Grandsire.
If anyone is interested in joining the society we meet, as usual, in the
Science Block most Monday lunchtimes, around one o'clock.
Acknowledgements go out to: Mr. Avery for use of the Physics lab.,
Mr. Smith and Mr. Swallow for their continued encouragement and good
humour, and to St. George's Church, without whose bells this society could not
exist.
RJ.C.
CHESS CLUB
President: W. Herman, Esq.
Vice-President: M. Brewis, Esq.
Secretary: S. Critchlow.
Treasurer: S. Hartley.
Captains: Senior W. Hughes; U.15 S. Knowles; Junior M. Mellor.
The Chess club continues to flourish owing to a large influx of members
from the lower school. This enthusiasm is reflected in the performance of the
Chess teams which continue to do well though perhaps not so well as last year.
Six new chess clocks have recently been donated to the society and this enables
us to counteract the slow movers of the 'Carver' variety.
We would like to thank Mr. Herman and Mr. Brewis for their loyal support
and also Mrs. Hawksworth for providing the excellent teas in the face of great
difficulty.
S.G.C.
Page Twenty-three
Chess Matches to Date:
Stockport League
(1) v. Glossop
Seniors: won: 6J—J (Hughes, Knowles, Critchlow, Hartley, Lewis,
Deeley 1; Taylor J).
Juniors: won 7—0 (Mellor, Critchlow, Minshall, Herman, Singleton,
Hammond, Cawdron 1).
Cheshire Shield.
(1) v. Marple G. S.
Seniors: drew 4—4 (Knowles, Spivey, Bebbington, Barnes 1).
Juniors: won 5—1 (Mellor, Deeley, Herman, Minshall, Singleton 1).
(2) v. Stockport School.
Seniors: lost 5—3 (Hughes, Taylor, Jones, 1).
Juniors: won 4—2 (Barnes, Critchlow, Minshall 1; Mellor, Herman J).
SAILING CLUB
The repairs are almost completed thanks largely to Buchan and Howard.
No difficulty is insurmountable if faced with imagination and resource. Why
shouldn't the mast of a G.P. be stepped on a strengthened foredeck ? This
question will no doubt be answered the first time she sails next spring.
Another big party will visit Salcombe at Whit. We could fill a forty-nine
sealer coach, but it is doubtful whether there are sufficient berths for so many.
Mr. Cooper will be accompanying us. He is a qualified sailing instructor and
will be a great help to the Club.
This magazine contains two photographs taken by Mr. Crofts at Salcombe
last Whit. One is taken from the cockpit of Ella Dorothy as she is tacking up
the harbour; the other is of one of Westward's cabins.
Sentina.
ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY
Secretary: P. Stockton
Treasurer: A. Newton.
The Society has made a slow start this year and has not been patronised
to the usual extent. No visits have been made but it is possible that we shall
approach Cheshire Sterilized if enough support can be mustered.
Our thanks must go to Mr. Bromley for his surveillance and advice to a
dwindling gathering.
THE RAILWAY SOCIETY
At Whitsuntide the journey into Derbyshire became a reality. An enjoyable
time was had by all, which greatly pleased myself and Appleby, the organisers.
We hope to repeat it later this school year for those who were unfortunate
enough to miss it.
This year started with a name change, and hereafter we are the Railway
Society. Our Last Days of Steam meeting consisted of over one hundred slides
specially taken by D. Cliff. From then on the society has met fortnightly and
two talks and a film show are to round off the term. This year's outing is not
finalised but there are rumours of North Wales in the Spring. The Society
would like to thank Mr. Wilson for his help and for the use of room 14.
R. J. Coppock (Treasurer)
FOLK CLUB
Chairman: C. H. Gribble
Secretary: B. Monkman
The Folk Club has had quite a successful term, having been graced with
the presence of Messrs. Dawson and Jermy, and we would like to take this
opportunity of officially thanking them for their support, advice and merry
evenings at "14". On October 4th, a keen contingent marched to the Free
Trade Hall to see a concert given by the Spinners, which was enjoyed by all
and sundry.
Page Twenty-four
School meetings have once again been successful due to the flaunting of
musical talent by Messrs. Gribble, Monkman, Boardman and Brown. A few
members of the 1st year Sixth have participated this year; notably Newton who
percusses with great zest.
We hope that the "Folk-Blues" concert given in the Hallam Hall in late
November, in aid of Oxfam, will be a great success.
All that it remains to do now is to thank our Honorary President, Mr. D.
Steele for his continual and enthusiastic support.
Sorrell.
GYMNASTICS CLUB
Last summer at the end of term we held a gymnastics display for the
parents. It was a great success and everyone enjoyed it all, despite the hard work
before-hand. We gave displays on the floor, the box, and on our then new toy a
trampoline. At the beginning of the Christmas term we welcomed a new coach
Mr. I. Cooper whose skill and advice we all admire greatly and he can now teach
us pommel horse. Also at the beginning of term we had a new set of first forms
and so now our numbers have swollen a great deal. We are now practicing and
training hard for our fourth Class award which we all hope to have gained by
Christmas. We are now awaiting the arrival of a set of rings which have been on
order for some time; this is also something else which Mr. Cooper can now teach
us. We all hope to improve greatly and give many more displays and perhaps
eventually become 1st class gymnasts. All members of the club are very grateful to Mr. Dawson, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. McDouall for all the time they have
spent with us and without whose knowledge and advice the gym club would not
exist.
B. Jackson, 3A.
H. B. ASHTON
(J. ROBSON)
Sports Outfitter
234 Wellington Road South, Stockport
Telephone 061-480 3206
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in S.G.S. colours
Camp Kit
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Ordnance Maps
Tents for Hire
Page
Twenty-five
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Tel. 061-480 2890
Page Twenty-six
RUGBY
FIRST XV
Captain: S. Graves.
Vice-Captain: R. Burgess.
Secretary: P. Turner.
v. William Hulme
Lost 0—3.
v, Marple Hall.
Lost 14—22.
v. Davenport Felons
Lost 8—12.
v, Newcastle U.S.
Lost 3—62.
v. Leek G.S.
Won 42—3.
v. Manchester G.S.
Lost 6—8.
We started the season against William Hulme, full of enthusiasm and
sporting our extremely smart new strip. All the team played well but an unfortunate penalty late on the first half gave William Hulme the lead. The
school fought back well crossing their line twice only to have both "tries"
disallowed.
The second match against Marple Hall was well balanced, with the scores
being 14— 14 a few minutes from the final whistle. Our tries were scored by
Burgess, Land and Vickery, the latter making a good 1st XV debut.
The traditionally hard Felons fixture was dominated by the excellent play
of Griffiths who not only hooked well but proved a tower of strength in the
loose. Poor tackling lost us the match. Gardner scored our only try.
Against Newcastle despite the mammoth score against us the team never
lost heart and fought until the end. All I can say is that I hope that the team
will have learnt something from Newcastle's excellent rugby.
Against Leek, Turner and Walton were excellent in the line-outs and the
whole team seemed to strike form at last. Our pleasantly numerous tries were
scored by Land (3), Graves R. (2), Bennett, Freeman, Gardner, Graves S., and
Rainford.
Once again we lost this match against Manchester Grammar, in the final
seconds. The team seemed to relax and lose determination when in a winning
position. Our points came from a try scored by Graves S., a penalty from
Bennett. Bennett has kicked well all season, his total being 7 conversions and
3 penalties.
It is disappointing that the enthusiasm and energy which Mr. McDouall
has put into training and coaching the team has not produced more victories
up to date, but the results do not reflect truly the capabilities of the side.
Page Twenty-seven
SECOND XV
Captain: R. N. Trim.
P
4
W
2
D
0
L
2
Points
F
A
32
34
v. William Hulme's, September 2lst, (Home) Won 11—6
Tries: J. Cavanagh, B. Thompson, M. A. Vickery.
Conversion: J. Rowland.
If we had had a reliable goal-kicker for this match (Street was injured), we
might easily have doubled our points, but still the win was a good one and well
deserved. It was a wet day and the game was fought mainly in the forwards,
but actually the highlight came when Thompson ran almost the full length of
the field before touching the ball down by the right corner flag.
v. Marple Hall, September 28th, (Away) Lost 0—15.
The team seemed very lethargic for most of this match and the rugby was
well below its usual standard. Not until the last ten minutes did we start to
throw the ball about but when we did we were unlucky not to score at least one
try.
v. Newcastle H.S., (Away}, Lost 6—17.
Dropped goal: D. Robins.
Penalty goal: R. H. Street.
A rugby-playing visitor to Newcastle has to overcome two main problems—
the narrowness and the slope of the pitch. We coped quite well with the first of
these problems but were completely bamboozled by the second. Playing downhill in the first half, we did quite well and the half time score was 3—3. However the uphill task of the second half was too much for us and Newcastle scored
a further four tries to our penalty goal. The high up-and-unders, which always
bounced the wrong way, demoralised us and the game ended with a lively discussion between the referee and Robins on the merits of jumping tackles.
v. Manchester G.S., October 19th, (Home) Won 15—0.
Tries: J. Walsh, B. Thompson, J. Cavanagh, D. Goodfield.
Penalty Goal: R. H. Street.
At last the second XV showed its true potential by giving a brilliant performance. We launched attack after attack and M.G.S. spent only five minutes
in our half. Walsh with a try, and Street with a penalty goal gave us a 6—0 lead
at half-time and in the second half Cavanagh, Thompson and Goodfield scored
three fine tries to take our final score to fifteen points. The forwards were particularly lively and Clare and Fox floored the opposition with some excellent
tackling. Also worthy of special mention is Brown, who was always first to the
loose ball and was willing to throw himself at anything and everything.
This year has seen the innovation of Saturday morning matches. This has
been met with mixed feelings by the 2nd XV, but I am afraid that it will reduce
our spectator following. However, I do not think this will bother anybody so
long as we keep winning, and taking into account the Manchester match this
seems quite likely.
COLTS XV
Captain: J. H. Harrison.
Vice-Captain: D. J. Farmer.
September 2\st v. William Hulme's G.S. (Away). Drew 3—3.
This game was as tight as the score suggests. We were unfortunate to lose
Wilson early in the first half with a broken finger. After this the whole team
fought hard and defended well, preventing the opposition from crossing our
line. We obtained a moral victory by scoring the only try of the match.
September 28th v. Marple G.S. (Home) Won 15—3.
Page Twenty-eight
After scoring first, Marple were unable to master the livelier School side
who then proceeded to score five tries.
October 12th v. Leek H.S. (Away}. Won 29—3.
Against a much smaller team, we played carelessly and lazily. Most of the
team seemed to be prepared to let Leek have the ball all the time. However
superior size and a late rally gave the team a comfortable victory.
October 19th v. Manchester G.S. (Home) Won 21—0.
This match produced the team's best performance of the season and contained some very good rugby, especially from the forwards whose rucking at
times was superb. The game was open and Manchester played hard right to
the end. Fine goal kicking by Farmer and McNellie helped to give us such a
conclusive victory.
The team has shown a great deal of promise during these first few games
and with plenty of hard work and effort in both the matches and practices it
should become a force to be reckoned with during the coming term.
Much of our success must be credited to Mr. Dawson, whose efforts to
make us into a fighting force must not be forgotten. His help and advice at the
practices and from the touchline has been invaluable and the whole team
sincerely thanks him for his time and unceasing energy.
J.H.H.
UNDER 14 XV
Played 4. Won 3. Lost 1.
William Hulme G.S. (Away) Lost 6—15.
Marple G.S.
(Away) Won 6—3.
Leek H.S.
(Home) Won 27—11.
Manchester G.S.
(Away} Won 45—5.
Although there are only a small number of boys in this age group they
have shown a good average aptitude for rugby. The team has benefited from
the competition for:places and has had an encouraging start to the season.
School games have at times been a joy to watch with the forwards going in
determined to gain possession and then backing up the strong-running threequarters—all combining for attractive and successful rugby.
In the pack Mellor has been towering in the line-outs (ably assisted by the
rest!) while May has shone both in the set and loose scrums. In the three quarters
the centres Berger and Holt have provided real strength and present a formidable threat to any opposition. The team—full Back, wingers, etc.—have alls
been playing well so far and really have to be further tested in order to asses
how good they are. There is no doubt that Jones and Heywood will make the
grade for they have led the team with their excellent cover tackling, general good
and unselfish play and have set a fine example to the rest. However, the team
as a whole are doing well and it is hoped that through willingness to work
hard for improvement the next report will be as favourable.
C.H.J.
UNDER 13 XV
The results of the matches played so far this
v. William Hulme's Grammar School (Home).
v. Marple Hall Grammar School
(Home)
v. Under 14, Nomads'
(Home)
v. Leek Grammar School
(Home)
v. Manchester Grammar School
(Home)
v. Stockport School
(Home)
v. Manchester Grammar School
(Away)
Total points for: 126; against: 100.
season are:
Lost. 6—28.
Won. 28—10.
Won. 29—0.
Won. 33—0.
Lost. 11—25.
Drawn. 19—19.
Lost. 0—18.
Page Twenty-nine
The team has been selected from:
Harris, Harvie, Maddock, Dawson, Deacon, Warwick, Sheard, Hobman
Parker, Simmonds (Capt.), Moore, MacLiver, Waine, Williams, Starkey,
Pullar, Oldham.
The team has had mixed fortunes so far this term. After a heavy defeat at
the hands of William Hulme's, some excellent rugby was played in defeating
Marple and Leek convincingly. However weak tackling and inefficient covering
surrendered a number of tries hi the games against M.G.S. and Stockport
School but the scoreline in these three matches flatters the opposition to some
extent.
The strength of the side has been in the forwards where Moore, Simmonds,
and Williams have performed outstandingly. The backs, especially Deacon,
have tackled well but rarely appeared capable of penetrating opposing defences.
Waine's kicking has improved steadily throughout the term, and Simmonds has
proved himself to be an excellent captain of the side.
An under 13's CB" team has been formed, playing only one match to date,
in which they were defeated by Manchester Grammar School, 11—15.
LACROSSE
FIRST XII
Captain: J. S. Woollven.
Vice-Captain: A. F. Gee.
The season commenced with the Cheshire Six-a-Sides Competition at
Cheadle Hulme Club. In the first round we were unfortunate to meet Cheadle 1,
but in the subsidiary competition we reached the final defeating the second
division teams Stockport and Cheadle Hulme, going down to Cheadle Hulme
School 4—2. This was an exciting and tense game appreciated by the large
crowd.
The following week we met Old Stopfordians in the usual pre-season
friendly. Both teams took time to adjust to the new rules, but after quite some
time spent in conference a good game emerged from the referee's fanciful
instructions.
Scorers: Martin, Tomlinson, Woollven 2, Freeman, Brookes.
Score: 8—16.
v. Cheadle Hulme School. Lost 8—14.
After last year's poor performances against our neighbours, this was a much
improved result. The scores were even up to third quarter but a lapse by the
defence in the last caused our downfall. The attack scored by quick simple
moves and if these had been practised throughout the match, the result would
no doubt have been in our favour.
Scorers: Tomlinson 3; Martin, Woollven 2j Townsend.
v. Sheffield University. Lost 5—13.
The school again lost control in the last quarter, but the attack showed no
signs of beating the University defence and consequently the defence was under
pressure time after time.
Scorers: Tomlinson 2; Townsend, Martin, Brookes.
v. Old Hulmeians 'A'. Lost 9—15.
Against the leaders of the second division, the team played some of the best
lacrosse seen at the school for a few years. Every member of the team played at
his best against this strong team. At the beginning of the first quarter school took
a 4—1 lead, but could not sustain the pressure and Hulmeians fought back,
gaining an advantage by the third quarter. This was a most encouraging performance by the school and the attack at last showed the lacrosse of which it is
capable.
Scorers: Freeman, Woollven 2; Martin, Tomlinson, Townsend, Gee,
Daines.
Page Thirty
v. Leeds University. Won 11—3.
The team did not play as well as it has done in previous matches, but the
effort was sufficient to beat a rather weak University side. Griffiths had an
excellent game, but the rest of the team played lethargically after a long coach
journey.
Scorers: Martin 4; Woollven 3; Brookes, Dames, Gee, Townsend.
The team suffered no losses from last year, and consequently team performances this year have been most encouraging. At the time of writing we
have only played teams in the first and second divisions and victories have been
difficult to achieve. There is a spirit in the team's play and this combined with
the undoubted skill of the team should bring results when we meet teams in our
own division. We have drawn Cheadle Hulme School in the first round of the
Stockport Cup, which will be a hard game to win. Especially pleasing this year
has been Welchew's steadiness in defence and Tomlinson's ability to move off
the ball in attack.
A very welcome addition to the lacrosse staff is Mr. Cooper who has helped
the team enormously in training and our thanks to Mr. Gosling for support at
the matches. I would also like to express our gratitude to Mrs. Hawksworth for
providing teas on match days.
J.S.W.
UNDER 15 XII
P
1
W
1
D
0
L
0
Two matches have been cancelled owing to bad weather and a third game
was called off because the opposition could not field a strong enough
side. The one match played resulted in a good win over the Stockport Technical
High School and the side should do well as the season progresses.
UNDER 14 XII
P
2
W
2
D
0
L
0
The side has given two excellent displays and it is unfortunate that they too
should have been deprived of two further matches due to bad weather. The side
handles well and the attack has scored some excellent goals. The defence is
sound and by the end of the season a very good Colts' side should be ready for
next year.
UNDER 13 XII
P
5
W
2
D
0
L
3
Considering that three star players left last year to live in other parts of the
country the newcomers have done remarkably well and the results are better
than expected, with a tightening up of the defence success will come.
Thirty-five new boys have taken up the game and already an U.I2 XII
has been formed and has defeated M.G.S. 7—2. Enthusiasm is high and
competition keen.
We welcome Mr. I. Cooper and Mr. D. Heffer to the lacrosse section and
to them and Mr. D. B. Cassie and Mr. A. P. Smith go our thanks for all their
help, and our thanks also to Mrs. Hawksworth and the kitchen staff for the
catering after matches.
"First Home".
Page Thirty-one
BASKETBALL
The opening match against Marple Hall was a tense affair, with neither
side able to gain control of the game. Gee's accurate shooting brought us many
points, but the rest of the side were unable to follow his example. School were
always a couple of baskets behind and Marple finally won by 44 points to 37.
Our home match against Moseley Hall was another close match. School
took an early lead and were playing with confidence, but after half-time Moseley
Hall were soon back in the game with some quick baskets. The last few minutes
were vital and possession was a necessity, but unfortunately the opposition
gained an advantage and we lost 27—35.
Against Stockport School the team had an easy victory but did not play as
well as in the previous matches. We won by 53 points to 33 and this shows that
our defence is not all it should be.
The team to date has not played to its full potential, and unless the necessary openings are created by fast accurate play victories will be hard to come by.
J.S.W.
VOLLEYBALL
This game is a fast, exciting one and has much to offer to the player. The
school has formed two teams, one U/14 and one open age team. These teams
train on Mondays and Fridays under the supervision of Mr. Cooper of the
P.E. Department, himself an active International player.
At the time of writing the teams are just preparing for their first matches,
the U/14 versus M.G.S. and the open team versus Stockport College. These
fixtures are the first of many to be held in the new South Manchester Volleyball
league, which is about to be formed. Not only does the school run two teams
but the game has found interest and enjoyment in the fifth and Sixth forms,
where it is taught as a class subject along with basketball, gymnastics, weight
training etc.
The captain of the U.14 team has been M. Roche and the captain of the
senior team K. Watts.
I.S.C.
CRICKET
FIRST XI
P
W
D
L Abandoned
12
5
3
3
1
If the object of playing cricket is to win, then the 1968 XI had a better
season than the side of 1967, winning almost half its matches as against a quarter
in the previous season. Of the three defeats recorded in 1968, one was at the
hands of a very experienced Old Boys' XI; and another was obtained by the
last-wicket pair of William Hulme's School, coming together when eight runs
were still needed. With such a record of success perhaps one ought not to argue.
But one does not always play cricket to win. There is still such a thing, in
abstract, as a "good" game of cricket—one in which plenty of runs are scored,
and quickly; and in which wickets also fall as the result of bowlers and fielders
conspiring to outsmart the batsmen. These are the features of the International Cavaliers' Sunday matches, which the County Clubs are trying so
hard to recapture. These should be the features of School matches, in which
victory ought not to be the sole object—only an additional incentive to greater
enjoyment. In 1967 the side scored over 1,500 runs; this year the total was under
900. In 1967 the average scoring rate was about 55 runs per hour; this season it
was nearly ten runs an hour less. In 1967 partnerships of around 50 were registered for each of the first seven wickets at some time or other; in 1968 the figure
was reached only once. This summer only Upton totalled over 150 runs. One
must beware, then, of superficial comparisons based on a number of victories
or defeats.
Page Thirty-two
The reasons for our failure to score runs this year highlight the major
difficulties facing school cricket. First, the celebrated rain of Old Traiford
and district caused the cancellation of all our Saturday games in May; and one
of the two remaining games was played with puddles lying on the outfield.
Second, the pattern of the School term (with the Whit holiday and public
examinations occupying the whole of June) meant that, even with good weather,
recognized batsmen were very short of practice. Third, we have no grass practice nets; until we have some mechanical means of producing quickly a firm
and level surface in April from what was a lacrosse pitch in March, we shall not
overcome this obstacle.
Partly by design a temporary solution to these problems was found in the
last week of term, with seven matches in as many days, including a two-day visit
to Shropshire. By accident the sun shone.
Little has been said of pur bowlers. This is somewhat unjust since their
efforts were largely responsible for the team's successes in July. Towers in
particular emerged as a most effective opening bowler, well supported in
differing roles by Street, Burgess R. A., and Torkington. Giles and Walsh also
showed promise.
Colours were re-awarded to the season's successful captain, Torkington,
and to Burgess R. A., and Burgess W. K.; new awards were made to Ankers
(secretary). Street, Tomlinson, Towers, and Upton. A young but talented
nucleus exists, and has already done well. I hope they can maintain their form
next season.
D.G.R.
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Page Thirty-four
JL+
ARDEN HOUSE
House Captain: J. S. Woollven.
Vice-Captain: R. G. Ashworth.
Committee: A. J. May, G. D. Vann.
The autumn term was one of mixed fortune
for the House. On the rugby side the 1st XV beat
Warren but lost to Nicholson and Vernon, and
the Bantams beat Nicholson. In the only Lacrosse
match so far the House team beat Vernon.
After last year's disastrous results the IstXV
have improved and great determination has been a
strong feature of the side's play. Against a very
strong Nicholson team, the backs' inspired
attacking play soon brought results and we took
Patienta Vinces
an early 8—3 lead. However, our defence could
not hold the Nicholson forwards and they soon built up a commanding lead and
finally won by 13 pts. —38 pts. Arden had a most memorable victory over the
mighty Warren flotilla. This was a close-fought game and the opposition
crumbled beneath a power-packed display of attacking rugby. We soon romped
to a 9—0 lead and only during the last fifteen minutes did Warren get a look in,
when they scrounged six points. The 9—6 victory was the best Arden performance over the last two years. Playing against Vernon has always been a
difficult prospect and this match was no exception. The team did, however,
put up a spirited performance but the opposition proved too strong and we lost
by 1 1 points to 38.
The most pleasing aspect of the spring term has been the performance of
the Bantams XV. In the match played the side convincingly beat Nicholson by
23 points to 9. Arden dominated throughout the match and some fine tries were
scored as a result of good teamwork both in the forwards and backs. A highlight
of the match was the sound tackling of May, Lloyd and Critchlow.
Over the past few years the Lacrosse shield has seemed like Arden property.
The House has been fortunate in having many talented lacrosse players and
unlike the other Houses, who have had to call on the services of rugby players,
we have found that a little skill is worth so much more than a blundering six-foot
forward. The first and only match of the season so far was against Vernon, who
have been our closest rivals over the last few seasons. Arden had a well-deserved
victory by 7 goals to 2, but in the first half the attack had difficulty in piercing a
crowded defence. However, the second half saw the lacrosse the team is
capable of and our superiority soon took toll of Vernon's over-worked defence.
At the time of writing the important match against Nicholson has not been
played and it is therefore too early to assess the team's chances of retaining the
Lacrosse Shield.
Page Thirty-five
A good start has been made towards winning the Lacrosse Shield but unfortunately there is not much hope for the 1st XV in the rugby field. Next term
the swimming gala will be upon us and I hope our swimmers will get in some
practice over the holidays.
This year we welcome Mr. Dawson as assistant house-master and I'm sure
his help, particularly on the sports field, will be most valuable. Finally, I would
like to thank Mr. W. S. Johnston, Mr. D. J. Roberts and Mr. C. J. Dawson
for their interest, help and encouragement on and off the touchline.
J.S.W.
NICHOLSON HOUSE
Captain: R. L. Clare..
Vice-Captain: I. Ratcliffe.
Committee: J. A. Fox, A. F. Gee.
The House this year is in the position of
having a reputation to maintain rather than an
image to win. Thanks to the mountain-moving
achievements of the last two years, we no longer
have everything to gain and nothing to lose, but I
am sure that none would wish to change this
situation. Certainly this term's efforts, apart from
a few occasions, have not reflected any lack of
purpose in the quest for further honours.
Amazingly, the 1st XV was for once left
almost untouched by school-leavers, but injuries,
Dr. Faustus, and certain other, mysterious absences soon remedied this good
fortune, so that we were never able to field a full-strength team, culminating in
the Vernon match when six regular forwards could not play. However, such is
the strength in depth this year that for the first time in six seasons we emerged
undefeated from the first three matches.
Against Arden, we took the field sleepy-eyed, stiff-limbed, and overconfident, facing what seemed a mere formality; ten minutes later we were rudely
awakened to find ourselves reduced to fourteen men and five points behind.
Prompted by shame and the more vociferous supporters and players we began to
take the game seriously, improved immensely, and won 38—13, crossing the
Arden line nine times.
The Vernon match was a magnificent effort in the real Nicholson tradition,
and despite falling 5—0 behind in the early stages, we finished worthy winners
by 14 pts. to 8. Praise must be given especially to the makeshift pack, which was
never over-awed by the strong Vernon side, but played with real fire despite its
inexperience. The three-quarters never let the Vernon backs obtain any hold on
the game with some splendid tackling, and someone always appeared at the
right time and place to halt the constant attacks on our line. It is unfair to pick
out individuals, but special mention must be made of Webster, Harrison, and
Gee (for once laying down his trusty crosse), who answered the call to fill the
numerous gaps in the team but never showed that they were playing in their
first senior House match. This was one of the best performances I have ever
seen by the House, and the whole team played better than many a stronger team
(on paper) has done.
After this triumph, the Warren match was rather disappointing. We were
playing against only fourteen opponents and should have won by more than
the actual score of 16—0. Most of these points came in the first twenty minutes,
when we played very well, the backs especially using the ball better than ever
before and scoring several excellent tries. After this, the standard of play
deteriorated; the forwards lost enthusiasm and were unable to dominate the
weak, seven-man, Warren pack, and the backs wasted ball after ball by attempting fancy manoeuvres and retaining possession longer than possible. Luckily
for us, despite the fearsome antics of Grimshaw, Warren could not take advantage of our lapses, and the scrappy second half saw no points at all.
The Bantams have played only one match, against Arden, which they lost
23—9, a rather misleading score as they played well against a good team. The
main fault was a failure to tackle the fast Arden backs, Cash and Harris being
Page Thirty-six
notable exceptions. Unfortunately, the first Arden try, being against the run of
the play, disheartened the team, and several others followed in rapid succession,
creating a lead which we could not get back. The team was well captained by
Hall, and, in general, the Bantams showed considerable promise for the future.
At Lacrosse, we defeated Warren 10—2, despite the fact that injuries
handicapped us here also, the captain, Gee, being among the casualties, and I am
reliably informed that the prospects in this sport are very good. Practices for
next term's Swimming Gala are getting under way, and the House has a large
collection of swimmers to choose from. We should maintain our traditional
good showing in this event.
Mr. Brewis has joined us as an extra Assistant Housemaster. He is very
welcome and I hope that he will not be disappointed in his new profession.
Finally I must give thanks to the House Committee, who do all the work, and to
all who have turned out to represent us and support us on the touch-) ine,
especially to Mr. Morris and Mr. Roberts whose constant encouragement and
enthusiasm have been greatly appreciated and under whose expert guidance
the House appears to be heading for an extremely successful year.
R.L.C.
VERNON HOUSE
House Captain: R. A. Burgess.
Vice-Captain: f t . H. Street.
Committee: B. J. Daines, R. M. Graves, S. M.
Graves.
The assembly for House Prayers in Room 5
on Thursday, July 4th was an historical occasion;
it was the last time that prayers were to be conducted by Mr. A. Johnston, who was due to retire
after 43 years of teaching and 37 years of Housemastering.
Hundreds of men and boys, now scattered
through all parts of the world, will remember
Mr. Johnston with respect and affection. As
Ver Non Semper Viret
Vernon's Housemaster he was its most loyal
supporter on the touch-line, its dignified leader in
prayers, its firm but scrupulously fair disciplinarian, its unobtrusive adviser in
all sporting events. He was always warm in his praise of success, always ready
to applaud a good effort in the event of defeat.
We who remain will try to maintain the high standard he so firmly estabblished, and we wish him many happy years of retirement, filled with the
supreme satisfaction which is the reward of a job well done.
To mark the occasion the House presented Mr. A. Johnston with a Parker
Knoll chair which was "just what he wanted."
Unwilling to let their leader fade out, overlooked in the flurry of end-ofterm activities, the Sixth Form members of the House entertained Mr. and Mrs.
Johnston to a dinner in the Masters' Dining Room, on the evening of Tuesday
9th July. An excellent meal consisting of ham salad and new potatoes, apple pie
and cream, cheese and biscuits, and coffee, was prepared by Mrs. Hawksworth.
Toasts were proposed and responded to by House officials and drunk in white
wine. A remarkable occasion, it was agreed by all, and one which, Mr. Johnston
assures us, will be recalled by himself and Mrs. Johnston as one of the highlights of their distinguished career.
The success of the first team on the rugby field in the last few years has
once again been maintained. In the forwards we have a nucleus of hardened
individuals well drilled in the art of playing House Matches and ably led by the
ubiquitous S. M. Graves, but around them are rather young, inexperienced
players. However, they succeed in supplying the ball to fast, hard-running backs
who are in their element on a dry day, but try to pass too far on wet days.
The first match was against Warren and although the team was depleted
by injuries to three of our 1st XV players, the younger members of the team,
Page Thirty-seven
especially Batty and Harrison, played well, enabling us to win 11—6 after trailing
3—6 at half-time.
The next match against Nicholson was a disaster. The unorthodox kicking
tactics of Nicholson, against which our fluid open play was subdued, especially
as the pitch was in a bad condition, paid off, as we lost 8—14. However it was
very close until the end, when Nicholson kicked a penalty goal to quench our
spirited revival.
The last match of the term was against the rather weak Arden side, in
terrible conditions, and but for a lax period just after half-time, when only stout
tackling by Towers saved us, we were commanding, finally running out winners
38—11. The margin could have been greater if the ball had been thrown about
more freely.
The Bantams Rugby, captained by Jones, are, in keeping with the Vernon
tradition, a very strong side due, mainly, to the very large and fast Holt in the
centre who uses his assets to the best advantage. In our only match against
Warren we won 38—0. The pack played magnificently, led by Street, in
supplying the ball to Holt. In the years to come these boys will be a great asset
to the House.
In the only Lacrosse match this term we lost 2—7 to Arden. It was a spirited
game in which our team, led by Daines, managed to hold their own during the
first two quarters. However, after half-time the superior fire-power of our
opponents began to tell, and our inexperienced (Rugby) players were unable to
hold the attacks back.
The following terms will be crucial in our quest for the retention of the
Fallows Shield. The Rugby shield could be won by a greater effort against
Nicholson in the Easter Term and as our cricket team is virtually the same as
last year's we stand an excellent chance of winning the cup. The swimming,
as has been the case in the preceding years, is weak but our athletes will again
be trying to further our winning streak on Sports Day.
Finally it remains for me to thank Mr. Robinson for the enthusiasm that
he has shown for his new responsibilities and the help and support given by
Mr. Whalley, R. H. Street and the committee this term.
R.A.B.
WARREN HOUSE
House Captain: R. E. Martin.
Vice-Captain: R. N. Trim.
Committee: D. L. Goodfield, P. Gardner.
After the glorious heights of the Summer
Term when Warren raised itself to second place
in the Fallows Shield we have sunk into the
abyss. Our hopes were raised when Rainford our
House Captain returned to the school in September, but alas, he departed for the outer world
just over a week ago. His experience will be
missed but we shall fight on and attempt a strong
recovery from our poor start.
Tenebo
Warren's Senior Rugby Team has a very
strong set of backs but as yet they have not produced the exciting rugby of which I am sure they are
capable. One reason for this is the lack of eight, sound heavy forwards to supply
them with the ball both regularly and cleanly. In the first match against Vernon,
Warren took an early lead and we were 6—3 up at half-time. In the second half,
our defensive weaknesses were exploited, however, and Vernon went on to win
by 11—6. Next came the match against Arden in which we fielded a severely
weakened side of only 14 men. Walton's height in the line-outs was missed
most of all; nevertheless it was an exciting hard-fought match in which everyone
tried his hardest. In spite of intense pressure in the last ten minutes Arden held
7
Page Thirty-eight
„ «
I
DR. FAUSTUS
(J.T.S.)
ABOVE AND BELOW DECK
(H. M. A. Crofts)
out to win by 9—6. Against Nicholson, the strongest house, we again played
one man short. The match started early and Nicholson had scored half their
points by the time our team had all reached the field. We were 16—0 down at
half-time and this was the final score due to a spirited second half in which we
twice came within inches of our opponent's line. If we play next term in the
same spirit as the second half of this match we should have some good results.
In the Bantams Rugby Match against Vernon there was one outstanding
player. Unfortunately he was playing for Vernon. No doubt the score has been
recorded in the Vernon House Notes to which I refer the reader. Our rather
small side should have a better chance of showing its ability next term against
Arden and Nicholson.
Warren is again sadly lacking in lacrosse players and our first match
against Nicholson was lost 2—10. The team played with spirit but lacked the
skill and experience, to hold a strong side of regular lacrosse players. I do not
hold out much hope for success in our other two matches, but the experience
gained from them by the younger players will prove invaluable in future years.
Although Warren is exceptionally weak in lacrosse and rugby, the opposite
is the case in all the other sports. We should repeat last year's resounding success in the Swimming Gala and we should also win the Tennis Cup for the
third year in a row. We will also be pressing the leaders hard in the Athletics
and Cricket. So look out for Warren when Summer comes.
I should like to end up by expressing my gratitude to my vice-captain
Trim and the Committee of Goodfield and Gardner for their help at all times.
I should especially like to thank Mr. A. P. Smith, Mr. Reade and Mr. Wilson
on behalf of all the House for their constant support and encouragement which
is invaluable to the morale of the House.
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Page Thirty-nine
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Page Forty
JUNIOR SCHOOL
The cricket team were undefeated last term and played some very good
cricket in achieving this record. Considering the lack of uniformity in the
length of pitches on which they play, and the inadequate preparation of our own
pitches both for matches and for practice, these boys achieve high standards and
I hope their keenness for the game can be maintained.
This year's football team have achieved good results considering that we
were left with only one regular member of last year's successful side. Led with
enterprise by Ensor they have played enthusiastically and with no little success.
Although losing to Poynton and Alexandra Park, they have defeated Pownall
Hall and achieved a double success over King's, Macclesfield as well as a very
creditable draw with Ryley's on their own ground. We thank the ground staff
for maintaining the pitch and Mrs. Hawksworth and her ladies for providing
teas.
J.T.
Form Captain: N. Hartley.
Vice-Captain: R. Hopkin.
We were sorry to say good-bye to Christopher Cornthwaite who left in
July to go to Sevenoaks. We hope that he will be happy in his new school and
that he survived the floods.
We enjoy Gym and Biology with Mr. Cooper, a new master. Seed produced a bull's eye for dissecting in Biology which was very interesting but
rather too gruesome for some.
We have been working on projects in English and History as well as doing
a good deal of graph work in Mathematics.
Several boys are on the school football team and we are used to playing in
all weathers with Mr. Roberts.
The Examinations are looming up but on the brighter side, we look forward
to the Christmas Fair and the Party.
J.A.
Form Captain: J. Beesley.
Vice-Captain: N. Goodwin.
We were pleased to welcome Ian Radford to the form. He has come
straight up from J.C.
We have several clubs in the form, and the Aero Club seems to be the
most popular one.
We enjoy our Swimming with Mrs. Fox and Beesley, Hardy, Hodgson
and Humbles have just gained badges for swimming 200 metres.
Several boys in the form have played for the School football team, whilst
others have been reserves and are waiting patiently for their chance.
Page Forty-one
We have enjoyed our second year of French with Mrs. Gringras and have
found Biology with Mr. Cooper very interesting, especially when he produced
a plastic skeleton.
We all survived Bonfire Night without any mishaps and now look forward
to the Christmas Fair and the Party but not to the examinations.
JUNIOR B
Captain: N. R. Warburton.
Vice-Captain: H. F. Torkington.
Now that we are in Junior B the work gets harder and harder and we have
subjects that we have not had in other forms.
We have Football every Wednesday with Mr. Cooper. He has divided the
Form into six teams called Rangers, County, Orient, United, City and Albion.
There are five boys in each team. At present Rangers are top of the league.
We also have Gym with Mr. Cooper and once he let us go on the trampoline. It was fantastic. We bounced up and down, dropped, and bounced up
again. Some of us nearly fell over; we use nearly all the apparatus there is.
Every Thursday we go to the Baths in Stockport. Less than half the Form
can swim, but we all enjoy buying sweets from the tuck shop afterwards.
In handwork we made a wallet. You can use it for pennies, or rubbers or
cards. First you do six by six, and cut it out. Then you do something else, and
then stick it together. We are also making a kitchen jotter, so mummy will
remember what to buy.
We now have French with Mrs. Gringras every day.
One day a furniture van came with some new desksj for our room. They
were not really new but better than |the old ones. They had ink wells in and
nice shiny tops.
We have grown some bulbs for the Christmas Fair and are looking forward
to going to it.
JUNIOR C
Form Captain: N. P. Cohen.
Vice-Captain: M. A. Burgess
The ten new boys, who joined Junior C in September, have settled down
happily with us and we all enjoy Junior School activities. Football comes high
in our list of preferences and many boys already show a promising aptitude for
the game. The weather has been kind and we have enjoyed many mild afternoons on the games field.
Interest is added to life in Junior C by having a variety of teachers. Mr.
Cooper keeps us on our toes in the gymnasium, where we have great fun playing
ball-games as well as showing our skill on the apparatus. Mr. Steele takes us
for music, and we play a variety of instruments in the music room. Some boys
have made instruments such as shakers and buzzers. We have a lively time!
Two of our members are already having piano lessons. We have eight recorder
players.
We enjoy going to Miss Thornely's room for arithmetic. Some boys are
doing very well in this subject.
Page Forty-two
In Junior C we learn to take an interest in everything which goes on
around us. We have searched our gardens for caterpillars, collected autumn
fruits, watched the farmers at work, looked out for migrant birds5 and discovered some interesting stones and fossils. We have watched the athletic
prowess displayed at the Olympic Games, some of us even staying up after
bed-time for the purpose. We follow the journeys of astronauts and we look
out for the planets and stars in the night sky.
All boys brought fruit or flowers for the Junior School Harvest Festival
Service, and we are now growing bulbs or plants for the Christmas Fair.
We had great fun producing the play "Blackbird Pie," in which all members of the cast acted very well. We also enjoyed watching Junior B's play,
"The Princess and The Swineherd," which they produced during the first
half of the term. We now look forward to the puppet play which they will do
for Christmas, and to our Christmas activities.
J.D. FORM NOTES
We have all enjoyed this term and, so far, we have worked very hard. Now
that most of us can read, we use the form library. We have many new reading
books which are beautifully illustrated. Most boys in J.D. enjoy writing their
own stories and many of them are long and interesting.
Earlier in the term we joined the rest of the junior school for a Harvest
Festival service. There was a lovely display of fruit and vegetables.
Each week we look forward to the television programme 'Finding Out'.
We have seen how the baker makes bread and some of us experimented at home.
The programmes on the history of the railway and the telephone were watched
with great interest.
We enjoy games lessons particularly now that we have got lots of new
small apparatus. In the gym we all work hard and some boys are very good.
Throughout the term we have had an interesting collection of fruits on our
nature table. Many boys in J.D. have planted bulbs which will be sold at the
Christmas Fair.
For Hallowe'en we made models of witches and we also made a frieze.
We pretended to be witches and ghosts in 'Music and Movement.'
Last week we watched plays given by J.C. and J.B. They were very good
and now we are looking forward to our own play at Christmas.
J.E FORM NOTES
There are 21 boys in our class this year. At first it seems strange with so
many new things to discover and remember but we enjoy school and work hard.
We have many interesting things to choose from: painting, clay modelling,
constructional toys, model trains and cars, building bricks and models to make
from junk as well as Reading and Number.
We do Music and Movement from the radio and watch two Television
programmes and visit the gym. Here we play 'Tarzan' and if it is fine and dry
we use coloured balls, hoops, bats, and bean bags in the play-ground.
We have been busy collecting pictures of the Olympic Games and making
masks, witches' hats, mobiles and Jack-o'-Lanterns for Hallowe'en.
We are looking forward to Guy Fawkes Night, the Autumn Fair and Christmas. It is just as well we have had a few days' holiday to get ready for more
hard work: making Christmas decorations, learning carols, a Christmas play
and our Fancy Dress Party. Yes, we like being in J.E.
Page Forty-three
LETTER FROM CAMBRIDGE
John Cannon, A.L.C.M.,
Emmanuel College,
Cambridge,
CB2 3AP.
17th November, 1968.
Dear Mr. Editor,
We minor poets of Cheshire are cheesed off with our diet of coffee, crumpet,
and college cabbage. Our lectures can be as stodgy as the food, yet from time to
time some lecturer may pop his cork and the flood of sweet nectar swamp our
notepads in a feast of iridium-tipped ecstasy. Myth-shattering is at this moment
my major activity outside soccer, sherry, and shirk; this hot-bed of student
insurrection (though the winds from Siberia chill our toes) breeds many who
will go forth and propagate the bourgeois press—exemplified so admirably here
by 'Varsity'—although having shown considerable prowess as incantators of
paeans to Powell (such a nice man).
Here one has to be cunning if one is to capture the ducks of the Emina'
courtyard-to be foxy is not enough when confronted by Machiavellian authority
Mountaineering, or supra-mural activities, are encouraged but fees of 6/8d. are
often paid for the privilege. In short free enterprise is not encouraged in this
city of one-way streets, hefty 'lefties,' and a depressing sex-ratio.
I live in a Welsh ghetto, surrounded by hostile Barbarians—one even
confesses to being a British Lion, though I dare say certain of St. Cat's freshmen
would welcome with open arms even this Gaven of the Plaid Cymru, who in
keeping with their kind do make spasmodic raids on the plumbing, letting
baths overflow, etc.
I trust no massacres or slaughters have taken place during my absence,
and that the school goes on from strength to strength—despite its misguided
propensity for chasing a squashed football.
I remain, gratified by the honour of being asked to write to your illustrious
magazine.
Yours sincerely,
Jock, A.L.C.M.
Page Forty-four
OLD STOPFORDIANS' ASSOCIATION
President: J. B. Bown Esq., 28, Brookdale Road, Bramhall.
Hon. Secretary: W. A. Kershaw Esq., "Courtlands," Carrwood Road, Brainhall, Cheshire.
Hon. Treasurer: B. Tomlinson Esq., 5, Ogden Road, Bramhall, Cheshire.
Subscriptions: Life Membership £5 5s. Od. Annual £1 Os. Od. (due 1st March
in each year). Magazines for Life Members 10/- per annum.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
I welcome this opportunity to wish all members of the Association and
their families a very Happy Christmas and Health and Prosperity in the New
Year.
I am looking forward to meeting many of you at the Annual Dance, on the
31st January and at the Dinner which has now been moved from its traditional
day of Wednesday, to Friday March 28th in order to give members living
outside Stockport a better opportunity to be present.
My thanks to all the members who worked so hard for the Barbecue and
the events held by the Sports Clubs and for the help given to the Association
by the School.
LACROSSE CLUB
After a satisfactory league position at the end of the 1967/68 season—-our
highest yet in the first division—the Old Boys' Lacrosse team are hoping to
achieve as much, if not more, in the coming season.
We have, however, had one or two setbacks during the summer months.
Our goalkeeper for many years, David Prusmann, has moved to Nottingham
and will, therefore, no longer be available. Barry Brelsford has returned to his
old club Lee, near London, where he has a new teaching post and we look forward to playing against him on November 23rd. when the club travels down for
the annual trip in the South.
Other losses include Norman Hulse, transferred to Stockport, and Trevor
Bradshaw, whose police duties now clash with Saturday afternoon fixtures.
Michael Hay has returned to the game full-time after his illness of last year, and
we wish him a speedy return to form.
Despite this reduction in playing strength, we are still managing to turn out
two strong sides and are, from the point of view of the 'A' team, indebted to the
School for the services of several of its players who are now available on Saturday
afternoons.
On the social side, the annual Deanwater Dance was a highly successful
affair and showed a useful profit. It might be of interest to note that the same
venue has been booked for next year, and that the date will be the 27th September, 1969.
Page Forty-five
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
are becoming aware of the
recreational, educational and
therapeutic
qualities of
recorded music.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
are becoming aware of the
difficulty of selecting the
best recording for their own
particular requirements.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
are becoming aware of the
service provided by the
specialist record dealer, who
carries a comprehensive
stock, who is equipped to
demonstrate or advise, and
who will take trouble to
supply the exact recording
required.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
are becoming aware that
this is the sort of service
obtainable at
GREAT MOOR
RECORDS
281 BUXTON ROAD
.
GREAT MOOR
Telephone: 061-483 5671
Daily 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Wednesdays I p.m.)
Page Forty-six
In conclusion, we wish "Stopfordian" readers all the best for the New Year,
and remind them that all interested in the game of Lacrosse are welcome both
at our games and our meetings. We are always anxious to receive new members,
either playing or supporting.
O.S.L.C.
LONDON O.S. DINNER
We met again at the Eustpn Tavern on October 18th. I travelled down in
the good company of the President of the Association and found myself made
very welcome by Mr. and Mrs. Goddard. As always the dinner was an informal
and jolly evening attended by all ages (from Greek Street onwards) and the
gathering had assembled from such distant outposts as Plymouth, Oxford,
Leicester and Cheshire. Next year's dinner will be on the 17th October, 1969.
F.W.S.
NEWS OF OLD STOPFORDIANS
I. N. Bruce, (1957-65), has obtained a post in business management at
Massey Ferguson's.
J. P. Calvert, (1952-66), has been awarded a Resident Physic Scholarship
by the Christopher Tancred Foundation.
T. A. Clark, (1956-66), paid an adventurous visit to Persia last summer.
P. J. Clarke, (1960-67), P. G. Leah, (1959-67), and J. C. G. Pickering,
(1953-67), have passed the Intermediate Examinations for the Institute of
Chartered Accountants.
D. B. Davies, (1954-61), who graduated with Honours in Chemistry at
Edinburgh University (1965), has been awarded the Ph.D. degree of the
University of Essex for research work in Physical Chemistry. He has now
embarked on a further two years of post-doctoral research at the Argonne
National Laboratory, (Chicago University), U.S.A. Part of his work was
presented as a paper at an International Scientific Conference at Tokyo (August,
1968). Dr. Davies and his wife made the overland journey to Tokyo via Moscow
and the Trans-Siberian Railway. They then flew on to Chicago where they
hoped to meet fellow Edinburgh graduate and Old Stopfordian Richard Collier,
who went to St. Louis three years ago.
D. N. Dixon, (1948-55), is taking up employment for three years in
Lusaka, Zambia.
A. E. Fantom, (1952-59), has gained a Ph.D. at Birmingham University
for research in microwave techniques. His thesis was published in the American
Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers Journal. While at Birmingham
he has been chairman of the Birmingham Esperanto Society. He left S.G.S. in
1959 taking up a student apprenticeship with the G.P.O. In addition to his
professional skills he possesses considerable ability in languages and music. He
speaks German and Esperanto fluently, French and Dutch reasonably well, and
plays the piano, violin, classical guitar and organ.
H. M. Humphreys, (1952-5), is now mathematics master at Keil School,
Dumbarton.
E. R. Huxley, (1943-51), has been awarded the Associateship Diploma in
Secondary Education of the Cambridge Institute of Education. He has also
been elected Chairman of the Leiston-cum-Sizewell U.D.C. for the current
year.
M. H. Sheldon, (1946-55), has been appointed Lecturer in Psychology at
the University of Reading.
R. T. Simpson, (1943-53), has been appointed Tutor at a Theological
College at Alice, Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa, where he is likely
Page Forty-seven
to stay for five years. This college is an ecumenical venture of the Anglican,
Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, and the Community of
the Resurrection is responsible for the Anglican side of the work.
M. F. Tavernor, (1931-39), has been appointed manager of the Folkestone
Store of Bobby and Co. Ltd.
V. Wilcock, (1956-67), was on the Sheffield University Lacrosse team
which won the Second Division Championship, the Junior Flags Competition
and the Universities Cup last season. N. J. Wayne and R. N. Hambleton were
also on the team.
BIRTH
ROWCROFT On 15th September, to Gwylthin and Norman (1947-52), a
daughter, Rosemary Helen.
MARRIAGES
CASE—GUY. April 1968, Richard Maynard Case, (1949-61), of Hazel Grove,
to Gillian Mary Guy of St. Helens.
FUTURE EVENTS
ANNUAL BALL
This will be held at the Belgrade Hotel, Stockport, on Friday, 31st January,
1969.
O.S. ANNUAL DINNER
This will be held at the Grammar School on Friday, 28th March, 1969.
Please note that the day has been altered to a Friday to suit everyone's
convenience.
FOUNDER'S DAY SERVICE
Thursday, 20th March, 1969 at 10 a.m.
O.S. UNIVERSITY RESULTS 1968
The following results have reached us since our July issue went to press:
Bristol:
P. R. King, B.A. (Hons.) Theology Class II (ii).
R. A. Pinson, B.A. (Hons.) French Class II (i).
Essex:
D. B. Davies, Ph.D. Chemistry.
Leeds:
P. C. Beales, LL.B (Hons.) Class II (ii).
London:
P. J. Lomax, LL.B. (Hons.) Class II (i).
A. K. Tonge, B.Sc. Sociology (1967).
Liverpool:
J. Houlton, B.Sc. (Ord.).
Lancaster:
S. R. Crouch, B.A. (Ord.).
Manchester: J. P. D. Blacker, M.B., Ch.B.
D. A. Searby, B.Sc. (Ord.) Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
Oxford:
A. K. Cheetham, B.A. (Hons.) Chemistry Part I.
Sheffield:
D. M. Kaufman, B.A. (Hons.) German Class II (i).
Page Forty-eight
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