S*** Shovelling and other memories:
"Voluntary work in the gardens started with S*** Shovelling with Sheppherd, clearing out the hen houses, then feeding the dried excrement into a powder maker – a very solid cast steel apparatus driven by a long belt from the tractor PTO – I am sure Tim Prestage would have apoplexy at the mere memory – How safe was that? We then used to shovel the dried powder into bags (and our lungs no doubt) for JHM to sell…….

This was rewarded by ‘saved teas’ that amazing deep fried bread (stale?) which Richard Hole mentions, dried scrambled egg or perhaps 2 (!!) fried eggs all topped off with a light sprinkling of ash from Stan or Vera’s fags. (again what reaction to COSH there Tim?)

Also, I learned to like(?) / tolerate Camp Coffee, black + no sugar in the Prefect’s cubby hole under the stairs, with Iggy 1 and Iggy 2 in charge – and that black hole underneath?

Tuck Shop on Friday evening after pocket money? Anyone got a bargain to sell? It was a real lesson in learning the value of money.

I am amazed that I mastered soccer, and hockey as well as rugby – all to be able to ‘get out’ on an odd Saturday afternoon to play another school and experience ‘real food’

AND Smudge (Smith) hitch hiking to Oxford, getting caught and being returned

OR the huge guy from Turkey, whom we all thought had left the army and been sent to a “Proper English Public School” – he was unmanageable – are you out there?"

Hair cutting and Letter Writing:
In the 60's it was always in the sports showers - up the steps behind the Kitchens and the ' 4A and 4B Prep Room' (4A and 4B were in the stable block, so not conducive to use in the evenings - more so because we could have escaped for various escapades far more easily!!) during the day it was the Art Room - and on Sundays - Letter Writing! "....and don't seal the envelope!"

New Technology: Fond memories of Richard Gunston (or was it Curtis II?) and a record player (constantly playing Del Shannon's "Runnaway") inside which he hid a copy of Lady Chatterly's Lover. Gunston also had brand new Phillips tape recorder with small tape reels on the top which gave a very tinny output - but was the latest must have in transistor technology.

Fights with Bhatt:
- who always used his shoe to hit you on the head, but unlike most house shoes, his had heavy leather heels.

The Malik brothers, an Ambassador's boys - Czechoslovak, I think based in Russia.

The great Friday night trading sessions! Following pocket money and buying chocolate bars from the Tuck shop at the bottom of the main staircase.

... of JHM, "I have a recollection that on occasion, probably during his Tuesday afternoon Current Affairs class, he would refer to a factory he once had producing rubber heels for shoes. Does anyone remember this?"

I met Mr Mosey in Stroud in the late 60's/early 70's in Stroud and saw him standing alone. It took me a good few minutes to be sure it was him and to brave it enough to approach him To my delight he was FAR shorter and less imposing / intimidating than when at school. He confirmed that he was living locally and running a chicken farm at Lyppiatt (not far from the Duke and Duchess of Kent).

He told me of parts of his life and confirmed that at one point he ran a factory making rubber soles - and the reason he always quoted his ability for hard work and strength was that the moulds for x hundred soles (heels) he produced each day required him to move them for filling and then later to empty them and stack them up for the next day. (I think he used to say 14 tons a day - 7 tons each way - anyone remember?).