King's School Photo Directory Updates - 2011

Updates Index - other years


29 December 2011 (UD11/24)
1) Bill St Aubyn on the Food Protest:
Looking through the names on this list I did not notice any from 5A with me in Summer 1964 - my final term at Kings. Eg – Hughes, Hole, Gupwell , van der Werff, Watson.

I recall a press item stating that there was a food protest and I will try to find it – so this listing “might” be after 64.

2) Richard Statham comments:
(a)The motor bike, ERW 557, belonged to Pat Crook and it was the first one I ever rode. We met in the hols, or possibly after we'd left school and he let me ride it up and down a country lane on the outskirts of Bristol. Worth a bit today, the bike, I mean.

(b) Thinking of sports, I remember watching Shoemaker join a 200/400 yard race; he arrived late after the others had gone about 30 yards or so, kicked off his shoes and ran in socks, caught up the others and overtook them to win easily! And wasn't he the one who used to have a crafty drag behind the bike shed?

(c) There is a shot at the swimming pool of an older man, looks about 30 or so, standing at the shallow end before he dives off and swims. He has a badge on the front of his trunks which I think was the badge of the English swimming team for the '48 Olympics. I know that such a man did come, we were told about him and I actually got his autograph. I believe he was an OB from Kingsholme days. (See 1949 Magazine Page 17, Paragraph 1 (opens in PDF.) Ed.)

(d) One other incident comes to mind; I remember going on a Scout trek with Mr Thompson and we got rather a long way from home, sort of lost, really. I recall the Mr T. rang the school and one of the masters came out and I for one was given a ride to school on the back of this master's motorbike. Shades of, "The History Boys"? - NO! What the others did I don't know.

3) Dieter Marx:
"... when Mr. Mosey visited us in Switzerland once – must have been in the 1960’s, I took him, together with my wife, for 10 days to the French Riviera – to St.Tropez to be exact. It led to rather being friends, but for me, he remained the respected Headmaster, I couldn’t just help it..."

4) Brian Bolton reminds us:
Mr Maw, to my recollection, was ‘square faced’ with a ruddy complexion and very fair.

5) Thanks to Brian Clifford for pointing out that some pictures I had for 12th Night 1963 play were in fact from Taming of The Shrew 1960 and Hamlet 1962. You will not notice much difference to the two sets of photos because 3 of the 4 were duplicates, though being better quality I changed them. I have also tidied up the Drama pages.

6) I have found evidence of the date that Peter Pfaff died as 1953. Also confirmed name of wife Languth married in Gloucestershire. If anyone has an Ancestry account perhaps they can provide details. Ed

Back to Top


21 December 2011 (UD11/24)
1) Dieter Marx, Chris Marx younger brother, was at KS for only a year 1950-51. He is our 80th Update member. He recollects arriving at KS and an anecdote too. He starts to remember: "Enrico Fabrega from Caracas/Venezuela, Fook Hang Lee from Hong Kong, one boy whose last name was Blom (Dutch?), and one Hawkins. There was also a teacher by the name of Brooks."

I have also added Dieter to the Then and Now page.

2) Occasionally I get asked for a KS tie. At what premium would any of you value the tie if asked to part with yours?

3) Richard Statham's friend:
An RAF colleague of mine who now lives in Sherborne village and who thus took an interest in the school, wrote: " I managed to see the most fascinating 3 hrs of your DVD through my TV. It really is a wonderful piece of history and reminded me so much of my own school days.

I was very impressed by your masters who seem to be so personally involved in digging, swimming et al. They also continue to wear ties despite swinging pick-axes or shovelling with spades. I also enjoyed the pillow fights on the end of the pole and to see the ‘plunge’ competition. The open air gymnastics again reminded me of my school sports day-did not see you picking up any prizes!! What was the event that included swimming in various dress guises?

My overall impression was the happiness of the boys and the way you were all involved digging the swimming pool, skating ring and removing trees (actually that was hilarious!)

It seems so sad that the pool is now a lily pond and the sports field no longer in use. The same with the boat house.

Thank you so much, I really did enjoy the whole DVD."

Back to Top


19 November 2011 (UD11/23)
1) Andrew Tillett says:
I remember that time and excitement well, it was me in the back, but I can't think that I would have missed lessons... surely it was a Saturday afternoon - especially as Bill would have been driving!

2) Richard Statham writes about (UD 11/21) para 5) below; I include this for people like myself who wondered what it feels like to eject from an aircraft.
"In response to Brian Clifford's assertion that he has never ejected from an aeroplane, I have to confess I have. Twice, Sea Vixen 1., Hunter 2. What's it like? Stand in the road with a cushion strapped to your backside, have someone drive into you at 12 mph and that's about it. Painful, yes, but survival is the result. I'm a bit bent in the middle, though. Martin Baker make an excellent, outstanding piece of life saving kit."

3) The New Scientist, 25th December 1958:
I have discovered a most interesting article from the above publication, written by no other than JHM on the subject of "Mushrooms and microbial behaviour". A Google Books page opens up, then click on the article and scroll up to the top of the letter.

Interesting to note that JHM says, "This is an independent school and has no grant whatsoever..." He fails to say that fees are paid by parents. Also from the listings there was an inspection of King's School which said it was... see 3rd in list here.

4) Deleted as obsolete.

Back to Top


4th November 2011 (UD11/22)
1) Deleted as obsolete.

2) I have now added pictures to Brian Clifford's Anecdote.

I have also added pictures he took of his Contemporaries, the School Grounds, Prize Giving and School Plays. I have had to reduce the resolution of these photos to save space on the site. If however you would like any of the pictures in high resolution for printing full size, please let me know. Also I would like to add names to the pictures where the hover mouse does not show this.

3) Roy Limbrick poses a teaser: "This is the quiz of the week, who are the two King's School Boys what are they doing and why were they not in lessons? - I know who they are. Clue, the year is 1964."

4) John Coville writes a very short Anecdote on the virtues of Colemans HOT English Mustard.

Back to Top


26 October 2011 (UD11/21)
1) Laurie Markes helps:
Regarding the food petition I think it was in the Christmas Term of 1964 but it might have been earlier that year - it was while Mr Wynn was still there because I remember him lecturing us on the dietary shortcomings of baked beans which we thought there should have been more of.

As I recall more than half the boys in the school signed provoked by a particularly inedible tea one evening. I note my name features well up the list! The petition was not that well received by the then powers that be but did lead to an improvement.

2) Malcolm Stacey:
The food petition list is an amazing document for Mano to dig up after 40+ years! I think it must be 63/64 as I have found my name and most of my contemporaries on it, but I don't remember much about it.

3) And from Patrick Delaney - a reflection:
The petition complaining about school food makes me wonder...
I have frequently told people that one of the advantages of going to a boarding school was that one learns to eat any old crap ('garbage', if you prefer), because one is hungry all the time. Therefore one can travel anywhere, stay in all kinds of places, with all kinds of people. And in my case, guzzle up all the National Service food that others would wouldn't touch, while they looked on in disgust. Being weaned from Mummy's spoiling influence means Freedom!

In response to Patrick's email message "Would you please tell young Hawkes that Mr Evans also taught French." 'Young Hawkes' replied: "I remember that Delaney was much bigger than me and had a voracious appetite - I thought he might eat me!'

4) Alwyn Hawkes & Colin Fry have added a few more details which will get onto the Attendance sheet in due course. Most notably that JCC was Mr Carey, WES was Mr Scott. Can anyone support Alwyn's memory that Mr Scott was in a play and had a 'walk on - walk' off part. He came on carrying a hot-water bottle; there was a shout, "Who's that?" and the reply was 'Scott of the Antarctic!' The 1948 film.

5) Brian Clifford, who was a keen amateur photographer at school, contacted me recently. He has a series of pictures of his contemporaries from that time - in due course the pictures will appear on site. He says, to clarify the point made by others, that he was Head Boy for the academic year 1961/62. As far as was reported in (UD06/28) item 4, he did not ever eject from an aeroplane and says that he certainly never told anyone that he did. The text has now been modified to reflect the truth. Though I am in touch with him myself, due to privacy issues, he prefers not to circulate his email address; so if anyone wishes to communicate with him please send to me and I will forward the mail.

He gives a fascinating account of meeting up with the Pano and Manos Ignatiadis back in July 1963. Although possibly more a school Reunion than an Anecdote I have placed it in that section for simplicity. Who knows maybe Brian will add an Anecdote at some point.

Back to Top


15 October 2011 (UD11/20)
1) Alwyn Hawkes has been busy again and kindly constructed a table of Kingsholme and King's School Teachers 1946-1954. There are a few gaps which I hope someone can fill. Perhaps a volunteer could type the list out so that I can 'cut and paste' it into the site's Attendance Register.

2) Manos Ignatiadis has sent a very interesting scan of a Food Petition, which will be added as a 'School Document.' Manos says it took place between 1958 and 1964 - can anyone be more exact? I would be grateful for a volunteer to 'decrypt' the list and let me have all the names. In that way they can be searched.

Back to Top


5 October 2011 (UD11/19)
1) I found a couple of links not working on the Kingsholme page - the two pictures of the building now work.

2) John Haymes says:
No dispute here, If Patrick feels there is an inaccuracy I'm sure his absolutely right. All my observations are as I believe they happened, but not necessarily correct. Thanks Patrick for putting the record straight.

2) Alwyn's response regarding Nurses and other Staff, is far too comprehensive to place here - so I have added it to the end of his Anecdotes and called it Part 6. In it he answers or responds to a number of people below. Please click here to read.

Back to Top


5 September 2011 (UD11/18)
1) Manos Ignatiadis reports:
Sadly I must inform you that Pano has died following a long battle with Alzheimer's, he was 68 and died on Saturday the 3rd of September.

2) Patrick Delaney disputes John Haymes:
About the Pfaff/Languth photo: it's the 1950 photo, not 1949, and Anne Languth is on Peter Pfaff's left, i.e. to the right of Peter Pfaff in the photo.

3) Dave Wright asks:
What was the school hymn?

4) Andrew Tillett responds to Clifford Jones - 29 July 2011 (UD11/12) I have put this anecdote on Andrew's page here.

Back to Top


28 August 2011 (UD11/17)
1) Alwyn Hawkes has written an account of Roger Whitehead's funeral in Sherborne on 24th August 2011:
"It was well attended. The church was full with a twelve member choir, soloists etc., Tributes were paid by his elder nephew, a former work colleague, the present vicar David Ackerman and the previous incumbant Mike Sellwood. They alluded to his kindness, generosity, reliability and friendship, and also to his professional competence as an international currency dealer!

"As Church Warden and Chairman of the House Resident's Association, Roger was a good friend to us in the matter of setting up the memorial altar rail extension and in visits to the house and grounds. He also encouraged contacts with other residents, which we hope will continue.

"It was pleasing therefore to see ex-KS in attendance: Peter Mayes, Alwyn Hawkes, David (and Beryl) Wilcox, Roy Limbrick, Richard Hole and Douglas Whear."

2) Brian Bolton responds to Richard Statham
I think that Nurse Pyatt married Mr Maw who was a games master who also taught woodwork. I remember Miss Pyatt wearing – what appeared to me – and outlandishly large head dress.

3) John Haymes says this too:
In answer to Richard Statham's comments, re: Peter Pfaff, he married Nurse Languth. In the 1949 school photo you will see Peter Pfaff sitting to the far right of the Teaching Staff with I'm fairly sure Nurse Languth sitting on his right.

4) As Patrick Delaney reminds us, Richard Statham said of Peter Pfaff in his anecdotes: "Pete, who could also play jazz/boogie on the piano like a good'un married the prettiest nurse at King's (Miss Anne Languth)." [For those of us who may want to check up on what we have said before it might be worth a search on the index page. I use it and I built the whole site! Ed]

Back to Top


17 August 2011 (UD11/16)
Sadly, Roger Whitehead who for many years was a friend to the Old Boys of King's School, died last Saturday. He helped us to make contact with residents of the House and arranged for a number of visits. He had been very ill recently and had been in hospital a great deal.

For those who may be interested the funeral will be at Sherborne next Wednesday 24th August at 2.30pm. The Funeral Directors are Norman Trotman & Hughes, Walton House Bungalows, Northleach, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 3HX. Their telephone number is Tel: 01451 860288

Donations, via Norman Trotman & Hughes please, in favour of National Star College, Cheltenham. The National Star College is an independent specialist college working with learners who have physical, sensory or learning disabilities. Our qualifications, courses and pathways enable students to prepare for the best that adult life can offer.

Back to Top


16 August 2011 (UD11/15)
1) Richard Statham says:
First, Peter Pfaff definitely did not marry Miss Boughton. It could have been Nurse Pyatt but I rather think it was another nurse whose name I forget. I was rather keen on her. Miss Pyatt was a small, slight young lady who appears on the school photo, though I haven't a copy in front of me to determine which one she is. The one who married Pfaff was of normal build, well plumper than Miss Pyatt and in my opinion, rather better looking, although I don't think that's a very good description!

2) Clifford Jones says - "Does anybody hear from Pullen (last heard of when I lived at Farnham), Saunders and Sherring?" And thanks Tim Prestage, "of course it was his brother. The usual rat pack or was it the Stalwart Clan (famous for the chicken huts) of Brian Saunders, Gordon Sherring, David Pullen, Anthony Prestage and me."

3) Looking at the search words over the last few weeks:
"conrad roe e/mail address" - if you want my email address you only have to look at the bottom of the KS Home page - as with all websites this is the place to look. Then click on Contact me for email.

4) Deleted as obsolete.

Back to Top


7 August 2011 (UD11/14)
1) I have completed my July 2011 Reunion Report.

2) Deleted as obsolete.

3) Bob Main adds about the Auto Scythe:
I, too, was one of the boys who used it. I remember it was kept in one of the sheds by the steps leading up to the swimming pool. I was there one day when Peter Thomas was getting a little agitated when he could not start it.

I knew Bill or was it Brian Hall quite well down in the Estate workshops. I learned a lot from him. One of the things I learned was how to set up the ignition system correctly on the scythe. It was simple and basic, but when correctly set the machine would start easily. So I said to Mr Thomas that I would get it going. I pulled the flywheel magneto off and gave it all a good clean, set the timing and adjusted the points and away it went. Mr Thomas was quite impressed, I recall. It would start easily enough after that.

My Father had one and we used it a lot. We had a saw bench for it, a water pump for spraying the fruit trees, as well as an offset blade which we used for clearing vegetation under the electric fence lines. We also made a trailer for it. My Uncle used to work at Smiths Industries and he acquired some reject Spitfire tail wheels. They were ideal for the trailer.

We have four or five of the Allen Scythes in our machinery collection.

Back to Top


6 August 2011 (UD11/13)
1) Jonathan Burn-Forti (Henry Forti, as was) writes:
1 Anyone remember the name of the big fat Polish cook who, assisted by Vera, reputedly made meat balls by spitting on his hands first? And what about tapioca pudding? - there should be a law.

2 Was it Alwyn who reckons the Sir Peter Lely portraits dotting the dining room were well respected? Couldn't have been sitting at our table from where we flicked many butter pats at them thus lending them what Mortimer Wheeler (who, I seem to remember, came and gave a lecture) called Gallery Tone, the Victorian pseudo-ageing of paintings to make them look more valuable. We didn't mention the butter-pats to anyone however, so be the first to hear it here if you weren't one of the crims.

3 I haven't come across Trimby's name - aren't I right to think he went to King's? If I have the right name, I got him to eat some sheep droppings which I managed to convince him (very, very briefly!) were raisins. (There were 2 Trimby's in school; sadly Roger died in 2004. Ed)

4 We may not have been that good at the other sports but we were cracking at hockey and I was in a team which beat a women's team with 2 England Players and 1 county player 13-2!!!! Mind you, the most attention was given to a really sexy girl until tea time when, getting up close and personal, she was seen to have the greenest of green teeth. End of erotic fantasies.

5 I thought Nurse Boughton married Peter Pfaff - I'm sure he married a school nurse.

6 And who remembers Nurse Pyatt?

7 Thank God for the School Library - it had some decent books and also some Victorian bound volumes of Punch (Charivaria, as it was). I can still quote 2 quite stunningly laboured jokes from them and, at the drop of a hat, will. Was that a hat I hea..? Hey Ho.

8 We had something like 4 King's Scouts where one would have been unusual - definitely down to Mr Thompson, a nice man.

9 Nice also was Mr Burnell-Jones, old school type, who wielded a truly vicious cane without, I think, taking much pleasure in it - today, he'd be a rampant liberal and very anti-caning, I'm sure. Strange what Duty will make you think you ought to do.

Hey Ho again and my very best to you all. One of my best friends, Brian Lewis (remember him? Mad as a hatter) lives in Australia. I'm in Bordeaux. So many of us are far-flung, I imagine (and not often enough, my wife says).

Ah well, bye for now. Jonathan Burn-Forti (once known as Henry Forti - and hope I still am to any of you whose senility is not as advanced as my own). Good health to you all.

2) Tim Prestage answers Clifford Jones' question?
The fourth boy in the Andrew Tillett Reliant 3 Wheeler incident was my brother Anthony Prestage.

3) Richard Benson adds info on the Auto-scythe:
I remember the Allen Auto-scythe. I was one of the lucky or unlucky ones who used it, it was the ideal cutter for cutting the grass on the banks of the swimming pool, to stop it rolling over a rope would be tied to and held by another boy to stop it rolling over. It was devil to start, had to clean the plug on a regular basis, as it coked up on the cheap fuel used. Here is a You-tube clip for any interested persons.

4) John Haymes recalls, on the subject Of Nurse Boughton:
I remember Nurse Boughton well... [I have put the anecdote on John's page - 4th part. Ed.]

5) I am in the process of putting together a report of the Reunion last weekend. As time allows I will get it onto the site.

Back to Top


29 July 2011 (UD11/12)
1) Clifford Jones writes:
It was good to hear from Nick Sweet, that I was not only the one to have friends of the female variety in the village. After all we were in the first flush of puberty and some of us were missing not only our homes, mine was a convent school girl named Lynn who faithfully wrote to me to me each week so it was the letters flying through the air from the ships stairs that I particularly looked forward to. Jones I was usually the prefect designated to do this.

Who was in the Reliant three wheeler that Andrew was driving up the drive that fell over on the junction coming from the stable block one day. Pullen, Saunders and ?????? Sherring?

2) Richard Statham says:
Re. Colin Fry's comments, how strange, I remember Nurse Boughton well, but my memory says that when I was there her name was pronounced "Bowton". She didn't marry anyone while I was there.

As for the caves at the top of the wood, we were warned strictly not to go near them as they were reputed to be dangerous and I am not aware that anyone went in. [I did! See my account. Ed]

Does anyone remember taking the horse roller down from the Top Pitch to the one in front of the school? I was one of those who helped - there must have been quite a number of us as it was large and very heavy and it could easily have got out of control I do remember well a boy, Ward was it, who saw balls of mud rolling around in the bottom of the roller as it moved and put his hand into it to get some out! He could have lost his hand in an instant - whew! Health and safety proponents should not read the above sentence!

And who remembers the Allen Autoscythe? This was a fearsome machine with gnashing shears at the front like a barber's hair clippers and two huge wheels to support the contraption. Only certain boys were allowed to use it for cutting long grass, for which it was excellent, but it was a bugger to start as it had no recoil starter, just a piece of rope onto a ring on the top of the engine. I have only ever seen one since.

3) Bill St Aubyn has sent a photo of Watson, Van der Werff and Gupwell (1962)

Back to Top


22 July 2011 (UD11/11)
1) Andrew Cameron-Tillett says:
Noting the name in yesterday's 'epistle'; I was a pal of Edgar Sainsbury [younger brother] and we used to cycle to Quennington, also near Cirencester where his parents had a farm.

2) Colin Fry adds:
Miss Boughton was at the school when I arrived in 1948 and still there when I left in 1954, a tall lady with a rosy complexion, she was a very helpful person especially to the younger boys who found it hard to cope in their early days at the school. Her office was in the Linen Room next to the Staff Room, I think she was really the Housekeeper of the school. Boughton was pronounced "Buffton" hence the nickname 'Bufty'.[This stirs my memory to think of Knight's Castille soap and Kolynos toothpaste. Does anyone recall if Miss Boughton was there after I left in 1957? Ed.]

3) Brian Bolton says:
I think that Miss Broughton married a master called Mr Breech.

4) Deleted as obsolete.

5) You may recall my Updates of January 2010 (UD10/04) & August 2010 (UD10/15) which concerned the caves of Sherborne Park. Chris Marx has asked if anyone ever found or heard of any underground passageway running from the building itself. Chris mentions a Long Barrow in the grounds of Lodge Park. Here are 3 nice pictures of the entrance to the Long Barrow.

6) Nick Sweet adds:
With reference to Michael Airey and being in the main gate lodge I can also confirm this. I was having a liaison with a young lady in the village at the time and used to sometimes climb over the fence by the side of his garden. I recall that on two or three occasions he was gardening and he never would ask where I was going. In fact on one occasion when I was returning and said, "Goodnight Sir," his reply with a slight smile on his face, was "Goodnight, had a nice time."

Back to Top


18 July 2011 (UD11/10)
1) Richard Benson recalls Miss Broughton but does not remember the master's name. He says, "Miss Broughton used to live in Walingford my home town. It was in a seed and feed shop."

2) Patrick Delaney corrects me saying Mr Thomson was still there in 1951, yet when I started there was no longer a Scout group.

3) Chris King says:
Yes, I remember Mr Thompson - not as Scout master but as an excellent Geography master also at holding a class' attention because it was a most interesting subject.

'The Old Man' always gave me the job of helping the new junior boys to become part of the community. This job I really enjoyed as it helped me out in life and John Carter was one of them. One, apart from John, was Spencer Paul. One day Richard Statham and I had to get him out of the swimming pool because he had a fit. He was a marvellous musician if my memory serves me.

There were 3 others, they could have been “ Gorden Bennett,” O Lai Kiow and one other, I think Italian, but I cannot remember their names. Please, can anybody help with their names?

4) Mike Abbott adds:
In response to Mike Taylor's question regarding the Master with the MG: The MG was blue, I had a picture of it (somewhere) with Robin Penrice 'posing' with the car when it was parked next to the Meat Store in the back yard!

The Master was John Fair -- he was 4C Form Master (Stable Block) when I started at School in 1955. He took Art & Sport; I think he was from Cheltenham.

I recall that John Fair left School at the end of Summer Term 1956. In the Summer 1956 School Photograph John Fair is sitting between Mr Shrewsbury and Miss Broughton. Richard Sainsbury is sitting cross legged below......which reminds me.

Someone asked in a recent Update if the Sainsbury's belonged to Supermarket chain. Adrian Sainsbury (first cousin to Richard) and I were good pals, but he was not related to the Supermarket family.

5) Spoke to John Carter today (16 July) he is well. He told me how back in his days at KS he remembers getting up at about 4am and going with a group of others to paint the Swimming Pool with Snocem. Much to the surprise of Mr Fair of whom they asked for more paint at 7am!

He also adds about the MG that it was under lock and key near Mr Chadwick's Science lab.

6) Deleted as obsolete.

Back to Top


15 July 2011 (UD11/09)
1) Mike Taylor adds:
I can confirm Angus's memory is spot on - not bad for an old'un.

2) Deleted as obsolete.

You would however still be welcome to join the coach leaving the hotel at 10am sharp on Saturday 30th July. The coach will return you to the hotel mid to late afternoon. The cost will be shared between the number of people using the coach.

If you do want to go then it will be on a first come first served basis as it is only a small coach. Please inform Nigel at your earliest convenience.

3) I had an email bounce back from John Carter. Looking back on an email from him in 2007, he told me:
"Mr Thompson, left July 1950. He was Scout Master, I well remember going to Ambleside that year for 10 days camp. [Sadly no one else took over and my newly bought Scout Uniform never saw the light of day. Ed.]

Miss Broughton (known as "Bufty") went out with one of the masters who had a MG Sports Car." [Can anyone confirm this please?]

Back to Top


Friday 8 July 2011 (UD11/08)
1) Tim Prestage says:
In response to Clifford Jones at (UD11/07) number 8) below:
It was Michael Airey the Geography Teacher who lived at the top of the drive out of the school. Mrs Airey was the big attraction for those frustrated souls who walked up there and down the narrow path past the iron railings and back to the school!

2) Angus McLellan says:
In reply to Clifford Jones's question about the cottage at the back gate - Thompson and Saville used to live in the main building on the top floor. Airey lived in the cottage and, I believe, after him, Watkins lived there with his family. I am talking about the period approx 1963-1965.

3) Clifford Jones adds some more about usage of rooms.

And asks,"Looking at the plans it would be interesting to identify Bedrooms for family and friends and those for below stairs including passages and corridors. And were bedrooms IX and X dorms 55 and 56?"

4) Oops! The links for the Reunion News should be Homepage, Reunions, Future Events - which currently is Reunion News 2011. I would appreciate a quick mail from people who have been to a Reunion before but who are not attending this year as well as those who are.

5) Fred Thomas on The Demise of King's School Part 1..

Back to Top


Thursday 30 June 2011 (UD11/07)
1) Sorry for the gap in Updates - this has been due to both computer problems (continuing) and life in general (also continuing!)

2) Alwyn Hawkes and Peter Mayes attended Terry Smith's funeral in February; from Alwyn's account there were moving and generous tributes from family and friends; the funeral was followed by a fine reception. Terry will be missed.

3) Deleted as obsolete.

4) Laurie Markes says, regarding a new picture on his page:
"The teacher is Jack Lee who was an American that came to Kings at the end of 1965 to teach French and Biology. As I understand from Malcolm Stacey he was there to the very end and was largely responsible for placing some of the boys in a new school when things finally turned to custard in 1967."

5) Re (UD11-05) below, Bob Main says:
" I am not sure if the comments by John Marsh should be attributed to me. However his comments about the Sunbeam motorcycle are uncanny. For a long time I was an active member of the Cotswold Section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club. I did many miles on a 1924 2 ¾ Sunbeam motorcycle. Naturally it too was equipped with carbide lights and I did many night time trips on it with these lights."

6) John Haymes (KS 1949-58) has sent his amendments to the school plans from his time at King's School. Many thanks.

7) Clifford Jones has listed the usage of rooms in his era. (KS 1961-64)

8) Clifford Jones asks:
"Just been looking at some of the old photo's of Kings School buildings. Who lived in the cottage at the back gate? Was it Thompson or Airey?"

Back to Top


Friday 10 June 2011 (UD11/06)
1) Deleted as obsolete.

Back to Top


Sunday 3rd April 2011 (UD11/05)
1) Mike Abbot would like to add some further input regarding Bob Main's comments, specifically concerning John Marsh.

"Firstly, Bob is quite correct in associating John's father with motor 'racing', now whether this was a hobby or something more I cannot remember. But I do know that John's father used to regularly compete in the Prescott Hill Climb. For the life of me I cannot remember the make of car he used for these events, but I do remember John being picked up from School in one of those 1920's / 30's big engined 2/4 seater cars that could be seen racing at Brooklands before WW2."

"It was sometime 1963/64 when I was working on a job for Gloucestershire County Highways dept., and John caught up with me at the Guest House in which I was staying in Cheltenham 'right out of the blue' so to speak. I have no recollection of our conversation from that time but I vividly remember him arriving on a 1924 Sunbeam motorcycle complete with a carbide head light. I also remember John 'setting up' the carbide lamp before he left, it was quite a procedure I recall."

2) Tim Midgley says:
"I remember lining up for meals in the Great Hall, but can't remember how we got from there to the dinning room. I remember the dining room, & the place where we had supper.

I too used to put a home made radio on to the lightening conductor at the church on many occasions. I loved to listen to The Light Program's comedies & still do, now it's Radio 4, 7 & occasionally 2.

I've always been Pro Hunt, although I don't ride horses, my wife & I used to follow Beagles both in the New Forest & West Somerset."

3) Clifford Jones says: "Opposite the end of 'Bedroom XI' was a cupboard with a felt door that had our tuck in it that was for 'tuck tea.' Outside of which is where the evening ern used to be on a low table along with supper (usually bread, spread and marmalade or meat spread).

'Bedroom XI' itself was where we opened our tuck parcels under the scrutiny (for contraband) of the Duty Master. 'Bedroom XI' was the school secretary's office, ...listed as Joan Hawkins in the Attendance file for my era.

Tuck was in the cupboard with the padded door which was left open as we filed past the Duty Master who checked we had house shoes on, as he stood by the door to the dining room facing down the corridor towards the stairs to the Great Hall.

I used to come up the back stairs (Silver Stairs) into the Scullery and have a staff meal while listening to Stan's radio tuned into Radio London or Radio Caroline.

Have a look at the stairs leading up to Bedroom I and the Staff Room (Sick bay with 3 beds in it?) Thats where Pat Winn came through Sick bay late one night when I was in a bed in Sick Bay I said " Hello ....... and she said "What are you doing here, are you OK?" I had met her a couple of times on parents visits and she knew me on nodding terms but remembered me seeing both her and her sister in the woods with more senior boys as I said earlier.

Looking at the plans it would be interesting to identify Bedrooms for family and friends and those for below stairs including passages and corridors.

I'm sure Bedrooms IX and X were dorms 55 and 56?"

4) So far I have only had suggestions as to the useage of the rooms in Sherborne House, when it was our school, from Clifford Jones (1961-64) and Hohn Haymes (1949-58). The full details will appear on site when I have the time. I would like to get views from other members who were at school during different periods of time. Particularly during 1959 to 1960 and 1964 to 1967.

Back to Top


Saturday 5th March 2011 (UD11/04)
1) Jonathan Burn (Henry Forti):
"We used to put our radio on the church lightning conductor which seemed to work a treat as an aerial - I can remember one Sunday afternoon hearing Petula Clark (!) singing Jazz (!!) with the Steve Race Quartet." He wonders - "how does one remember these odd details?"

2) Richard Statham comments:
"...I remember two boys who were publicly caned, circa 1950, one who cried a great deal and one who didn't, not because he didn't have any tear ducts but because he was brave and "stiff upper-lipped"... " (A full account can be found in Al Hawkes article under Part 4. Ed).

3) I realise that the subject of Fox Hunting may be contentious, but having started the thread have decided to add any relevant information for that period.

Bob Main says:
"My family and I used to hunt with the Heythrop Hunt quite often when we farmed at Wyck Rissington. Later on I used to hunt with the Cotswold Hunt when we lived at Charlton Kings."

4) Regarding Peter Brown's request (UD11/01) below, Nick Sweet tells him David Viner's address in Farringdon; he added "...at the 1998 or 2000 reunion he looked very fit and young for his age and was in the England Tug of War team. The September after the reunion he attended, he was going to Canada (Toronto I think) for the World Tug of War Championships and I have an idea that England won, but I couldn't be certain of that.

Antony Gibbs used to farm, and still does to my knowledge, near Chipping Sodbury. I contacted him a few years back about the reunions, but he did not seem to be very interested in getting involved.

John Marsh - wasn't his father involved in motor racing? I seem to remember him picking John up from school in an Jaguar Xk 120 or 150. Perhaps someone else might be able to remember this.

There was also a Jem Marsh who developed and owned Marcos Cars at Bradford-on-Avon in the sixties and seventies - and presumably son John too.

(That just leaves Richard Sumner, unaccounted for; David Burrough is an Update member - see below. Ed)

5) I have obtained the building plans of Sherborne House prior to its conversion to apartments. Please look at them and let me know the usage of the rooms when you lived there. If anyone would like the high definition versions please let me know and I will email them to you or put them on the site.

Back to Top


Sunday 13th February 2011 (UD11/03)
1) David Burrough recalls:

Can anyone shed any more light on either of these, please?

He adds that Richard Sumner, mentioned by Peter Brown in (UD11/01), who was very keen on fox hunting, was upset upon discovering this was not possible at school. However he has been Joint Master of the 'Heythrop Hounds' for many years.

Back to Top


Friday 21st January 2011 (UD11/02)
1) Sadly I have to inform you all of the death of Terry Smith - one of our older Old Boys. I now have the details of funeral arrangements in the Watford area. It is on Monday 7th February at mid-day; If anyone would like to go please let me know, if you are not on my email list and want details.

2) Martin Yeatman died in March last year. Jorma Kuntsi has contact with Eileen if anyone wishes to write.

3) I have added Bob Main to the Then and Now page. Again for people interested in tractors (of the traction engine type) there is a link there.

4) If these people have changed their email address please let me know as my emails are bouncing as 'undeliverable' - Mike Ward, John Stanley and Trevor Richards. In the case they are still OK, please let me have an alternative email address as they may be on a server that is at odds with my ISP's.

Back to Top


Saturday 15 January 2011 (UD11/01)
1) I have moved the 2010 Updates which along with all other years can be accessed from the bottom of this page I have also put in the links to last Update of 2010 (UD10/23) .

2) Peter Brown 1955-59, says he knew David Viner, Richard Sumner, David Burrough, John Marsh and Antony Gibbs at school - can anyone provide any information or whereabouts, please?

Peter has sent a few pictures and an article taken from Stroud News and Journal, which will be of particular interest to those who have an interest in those grand old traction engines of the past. Although the site is dedicated to time at school and Reunions, I have included these interesting pictures, at least in the short term, so enjoy them while I still have room for them.

I have also added Peter's name and details to the Then and Now page.

3) Deleted as obsolete.

Back to Top


[ KS Directory ]


Page updated 02/01/2017.