Saturday 27th December 2008 (UD08/17)
Clifford Jones (II) also remembers Mike:
"I remember Taylor (I) very well, we were in Henry IV Part I play together and
he was co lead with me as Prince Hal, in fact he killed me at the end."
Mike Taylor refutes this: "Sorry - I think you have got the wrong Taylor. I do remember helping make the props, but not perform in the play. There were in fact 4 Taylors, 2 and 3 were seniors, 4 was a junior. 4 once suffered a terrible beating from Mosey - ended up in sick bay! Amazing what sticks in the grey matter! Mike Taylor 1"
And Brian Winter says:
"Harry Taylor as I remember him, near Bristol, if I have the right person, joined Kings School at the same time as myself and we had John and Robin Assael as our mentors. Our mentors enjoyed reminding us that we were the "cheeky new kids", although John and Robin had only joined the term before."
Laurie Markes says:
I remember Richard (Dick) Taylor well. So will Bob Curtis. We were all
at King's together. Dick had a brother, Anthony, who was Taylor II. They
were in fact twins as I recall, although not identical and very
different in looks and character.
Mike Taylor says:
"Dick Taylor was taylor 3!"
[It seems that there may be some confusion between the various boys called Taylor - this may be due to JHM renumbering those of us who had the same name as and when others came and went. Though I am sure that Mike remembers what number he was designated just as I do. Ed. Roe I.]
Sunday 21st December 2008 (UD08/16)
Does anyone remember "Harry Woolworth?" Also known as Michael R W Taylor or Taylor 1 during his years at KS - January 1963 to April 1966.
He recalls his Teachers:
Sid Wynn, Mr Pritchard (Sport), Jimmy Saville, Mr Thompson, Mr Rosser, Mr Thomas.
He asks where are these pupils now?
John Marchant, Chris Attwood, John White, Bob Caws, the Faterechi brothers, Charlie & Kit Tilden (the yanks), Pete Roff, Mark Tocher, Lawrence Swan, Tosswill, the Asseal twins, Marolia, Mustafa Boki, Phil Blakeway, Takahashi, Philip Webb and Paul Laski.
Memories Trivia:
Sunday 30th November 2008 (UD08/15)
Another new member is Chris Marx (1947-49/50.) Chris says:
"I entered - I think - immediately after its opening at Sherborne 1947, when the sanitary installations and the central heating were still being installed (JHM had a prewar Daimler) until 1949/50. Some years later my brother Dieter was also there for a year or so. Because my father had given me his old 16mm Kodak camera I took a number of films (even in colour), eg of making the swimming pool. As is documented in the KS Magazine 1949, the filming provided me with the excuse for staying away from sports.But looking back I always felt to have visited the best school I ever attended because studies were more or less a byproduct of the practical work we were employed in. Thus JHM's methods gave (at least to me) the authoritative impulse in making life lively & interesting."
I have included 2 photos of Chris from his days at King's. I am hoping he will let me have more.
Sunday 12th October 2008 (UD08/14)
King's School Films. The late Richard "Will" Watson for a number of years had in his custody a great many reels of film, mostly 16mm films and a few 8mm. Fortunately John Knight rescued them from the family, and last week end I collected them. There are 23 reels of various size which appear to be all of King's School (and a further 15 of family and travel film, which will be returned in due course.} I was fortunate to also receive both 16mm and 8mm projectors and a screen.
I have a lot going on for me right now and do not know when I will be able to run them and decide which to have put on DVD. It was agreed some time back by consensus of opinion that when we no longer require the footage it will be donated to the Gloucester County Council Archive. For now however there is a considerable task awaiting someone who has both patience and time to commit to this new project. They will also need a fair space to keep them in a cool and dry state.
I am aware that a number of you would like to make a contribution towards the inevitable cost of arranging for the film, once indexed in detail, to be transferred to DVD. This will not be an easy task as clearly it would cost far too much to have it all done.
I have copied down the titles written on the reels and list them here:
21st July 2008 (UD08/12)
When clearing out my emails from several years ago I found this from Dave Wright:
"I noticed the obit in The Times that Duncan Carse has died. Duncan Carse was the voice of Dick Barton, Special Agent, the radio programme we used to listen to at 6.45 each evening in the 'boot room'. The
room outside which was a full length mirror - which I managed to smash one night. I got a thrashing from Phaff, my formm master and Dad when he got the breakages bill!" (5/2004)
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At the 60th Anniversary of KS coming into existence in Sherborne, a Reunion was held. At the Reading Room in Sherborne on that day, Malcolm Stacey gave a speech about the Final Days of King's School. Several people have asked if I have a copy of this, but as Malcolm spoke without notes I do not. However I did glean a few sentences (found on the back of an envelope when having a clear out.) Perhaps one day Malcolm or any of his contemporaries from 1967 will fill in the details so that I can put it into the archive.
Your mention of Al Read brings back the memory of him and his wife arriving at school to collect Howard in a pink (American convertible) with a metal pennant on the front of the bonnet with the words 'Right Monkey'."
Monday 7th July 2008 (UD08/10)
A little more information on the discussion about the Houses of KS following a chat I had with Colin Fry:
The names of the Houses were not derived from any former pupils but because they related to people who would inspire. There is a suggestion that the number of Houses were reduced because there were not enough teachers who were willing to be responsible for a House. As we know Grenefell-Lister and Eddington-Ross's colours were blue and red respectively. The original colours were Grenfell - Green, Lister - Blue, Eddington - golden yellow and Ross - red.
Friday 4th July 2008 (UD08/09)
Do any of you OBs from the 50s recall perhaps sitting in the Boot Room in the evening listening to Journey Into Space (1953-) and The Goon Show and Dick Barton - Special Agent (1946-51) - from here click on the nostalgic 'signature tune' or The Al Read Show - his sons were at KS and Al's catch phrase was " title="Al Read - "Right Monkey!"
Archive Org has many free files including audio files of many shows. Whilst Whirlygig-tv has a great deal of background of both radio and tv shows.
Thursday 12th June 2008 (UD08/08)
The Sunday Times have given permission to insert a short extract from an article by Philip Norman in 1977 entitled Cold years since Albatross - it places the co-founder, Mick Fleetwood as having attended the school.
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Nick Sweet says, 'I spoke to my brother brother recently (John Sweet, Kingsholme School,1932 -- 1943)
and he gave me the following information. To his knowledge the school was founded in the 1890's but he did not know under what name. He cannot recall it ever being Weston Grammar School, but would not be certain of this.
When he went there in 1932 the owners and joint headmasters were a Mr Bateman and Mr Bucknell. In 1938 they sold it to Mr Miller who in 1940 sold it to JHM. My brother cannot remember there being any houses so perhaps this was something that JHM introduced at a later date when the school became larger.
My brother became a bit of a star pupil at Kingsholme, getting colours in various sports and finishing up as Head Boy. JHM reminded me of this on a few occasions, usually when I was being admonished for something or other, and would say how he expected me to emulate John.
The last time was at the final assembly at the end of the spring term 1960 when I was demoted from being a Prefect and a Stalwart with the comment that he trusted I would earn both back very quickly in the summer term. On reflection quite a double, although I did not think so at the time! However, I was soon to learn, in my last term, that I still had many of the privileges of prefecture without the extra duties and hassle. Needless to say I did not strive to regain my previous positions.
John Sweet as a boy can be seen on the Kingshome photograph of 1938. He is the first on the left in the middle row with his hair parted in the middle. The photograph was given to him two years ago, on his eightyeth birthday, by a life long friend by the name of Clive Gribble. He is also on the photo in the back row but I don't know which one.'
11th May 2008 (UD08/07)
Chris King adds, "The house names I remember were: Edington, Ross & Grenfell, Lister. I learnt from JHM that in fact they were not "Old Boys" of Kingsholme but were old boys of what the school used to be, namely, what was Weston-Super-Mare Grammar School. JHM bought Kingsholme I imagine just post war.
This might be borne out by the other old boys - even older than me."
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Patrick Delaney says "The four school houses were reduced to two because Mr M thought that there weren't enough boys in each house to justify four. I think it was at the start of term Jan. '50. I'll see what I can find in my records."
"I loved the anecdotes of Clifford Jones. I'm glad that there were some independent minded boys still there, and hope they remain so!"
11th April 2008 (UD08/06)
Brian Bolton comments thus: The 'Albert 'Bertie' Isseyegh' article makes reference to the school captaincy of John Crook: The records held by successive School Captains' showed John Crook as having been demoted from School Captain - clearly in JHM's handwriting. I was interested at the time I saw this entry and was told that in fact John Crook's parents were concerned about the impact of the position on his academic studies - This is in no way a criticism of Isseyegh's tenure as School Captain, which I understand was greatly admired.
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Patrick Delaney, prompted by Bill StAubyn's article has managed to unearth a newspaper cutting about Mick Fleetwood, which I think are well worth a look. I have had permission from The Sunday Times to post a paragraph from an article written by Phillip Norman in 1977 which places Mick as having schooled at King's School.
Patrick also mentions "my bro told me that Mr M. announced at Assembly (about 1953, or so?) that an OB had been shortlisted for the Monument to the Unknown Political Prisoner sculpture competition - an international competition organised by the Institute of Contemporary Arts and backed by the CIA. I don't know who the OB was - perhaps someone may remember. Reg Butler won, and there were some very eminent sculptors on the shortlist."
"Another eminent OB was Sir Arthur Eddington. I expect everyone knew that." Says Patrick. I note that in the KS Magazine of 1949 there were still 4 houses and when I started in September 1951 they had been reduced to 2 combined houses. Does anyone know when the 4 houses became 2 - 1950 or 1951? - Ed.
22nd February 2008 (UD08/04)
William "Bill" StAubyn has sent me an interesting cutting from the newspaper of 1968.
'Peter Hampson is an old boy from King's and was a year or two "behind me." Think he was in the same class as Peter Gupwell.'
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Brian Bolton has delved a little deeper into the IDB linked page and reveals "Jonathan Burn's
birth name as Henry Jonas Jonathan Burn-Forti." He goes on to say that he was possibly of Czech or Polish origin - and that there are references in those languages. If anyone can read Czech or Polish maybe they could help us out.
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