A snapshot of Bideford Grammar School from 1900 to 1971 from its magazines
1900-1902
The early editions of the Bidefordian were only published from 1900 to 1902, with the school colours in vertical bands on the cover, and it contained 2-3 pages of school notes and a number of stories and articles not written by members of the school. The earliest extant copy is No 2 from Christmas term 1900 This was right in the middle of the Boer War, which doubtless explains why there is an article on fellow Devonian Sir Redvers Buller, who landed in Cape Town as head of the British army in S Africa on 31 Oct 1899.
Vol 1 comes to an end with No 6, which implies that Nos 4 and 6 had been produced, and therefore 3 per year, establishing the long-term sequence of one edition per term.
As John Faulkner was Head from 1894 to 1904, one must presume that he was the founding father of the Bidefordian.
The ‘School Notes’ section in 1900 states that Bidefordian No 1 had a “ready sale” and enquiries had come from the Old Boys, which “seem to promise an increased circulation” and that “the interest of Old Boys is gratifying and full of promise”.
Members may be surprised to learn that the winter sport was hockey and a match had been arranged against the Old Boys on Nov 5th – with a bonfire afterwards, for which “a pile of timber is already being collected and abundance has been promised by several farmers and others”. Surprisingly, there is little other school news; instead, two short stories, articles on the evolution of the maritime Man-o-War, Bookbinding for Boys, and guidance on stamp collecting. The Editor is not named.
All these early editions were printed by the Pictorial Printing and Publishing Company in Southampton, and one imagines that this would have represented a considerable cost, perhaps unsustainable after a couple of years.
The Feb 1901 edition reported on the prize distribution which took place in the Town Hall at Christmas, when the Rector reminded the boys that they “should be preparing themselves as Bidefordians to become worthy citizens of the greatest empire the history of the world has known”. Sentiments I feel sure that Drog would have supported, laced with a heavy religious overtone as well of course. There were prizes for ‘Holy Scriptures’, Languages, English, Mathematics, Commercial Subjects, Use of Tools, Science, Athletics, Reading, General Progress, and Conduct.
By the summer term 1902, the Editor was pleased to report that the Boer War had ended and the Union Jack was hoisted on the morning when peace was proclaimed, and Headmaster Faulkner exclaimed “May it never be lowered except by the hand of a true Briton”. A new Education Bill was expected to give assistance to Grammar Schools and four Inspectors had reviewed the school, a Mr Paddon had been appointed to instruct on Woodwork and a County Staff Instructor had provided instruction on Business Methods, including arranging business correspondence, methods and copying of letters and drafting of cheques.
In the final version of this innovative series, in Dec 1902, the Inspectors’ had rated the school amongst the best in the county. But the real purpose of the inspection was to classify schools in view of the changes which were contemplated under the Education Bill. A considerable increase in the number of boys joining the school was therefore anticipated.
The summer’s cricket matches were reported, including home and away matches against Barnstaple GS, and that the hockey season was underway. As before, the majority of the magazine consisted of short stories, although with a ‘Hints for cyclists’ page at the end.
1932
There were no more editions for the next 30 years because soon after Morris Marples became Head in September 1931, he issued an appeal “to revive our School Magazine, the Bidefordian, last published about 30 years ago, and to put it on a firm basis”; he also urged Old Boys to become subscribers. He intended it to become a “permanent record of current school history” including school and Old Boy news, literary compositions by past and present boys, accounts of matches, photographs of teams, and reports of all school functions such as Prize Day, the Old Boys Dinner, the Concert etc. The price would be 6 pence.
Unsurprisingly, the numbering began again at Vol 1 – although sadly the earliest extant version from this era is No 2, in the Spring of 1932, and it opened with no less than 10 sponsoring organisations, all of which were national, with no local businesses at all. At the very least to get such a range of sponsors but have entailed a great deal of correspondence by Marples. But at least he spared himself the editing duties as the first Editor was Senior Prefect B H Cudmore. An interesting mention was made to a recent donation of a gift to the school from Mr H R Bazeley, President of the OBA, which consisted of a large silver medal, originally awarded in about 1851 as a good conduct prize to the late Rev. F L Bazeley MA, when he was a pupil at the school. On one side was the Bideford arms with the legend ‘Bidefordensis Schola Grammatica’, and on the other side the arms of the Headmaster of that period Dr Fowler.
Another item noted that the school printing press “has been very active this term” and even that “colour printing is to be attempted next”. And it was anticipated that it was possible that the Bidefordian will itself be printed at the school. Ambitions unlimited indeed.
Both rugby and football had become established at the school, with over half the school “now playing Rugger”, and there were photographs of both the first teams.
The 5th annual dinner of the OBA took place on 2 Dec 1931 – hence the first must have been held in 1927 in case anyone had ever wondered about that – with some amusing writing; “the first part of the evening was occupied in mastication and conversation, and the speakers are to be congratulated upon their happy combination of oratory with brevity”. Perhaps future speakers should be reminded of that ancient discipline before the next one!
It was also interesting to note from the various speeches that there were in fact only 71 members of the OBA at that time, although 225 had contributed to a presentation to a retiring present to past Head James Fergusson the previous year.
The Houses were still Saxons, Normans, Romans and Britons and while, as noted earlier, the Editor was the Senior Prefect, the Head Boy was a separate role. There was clearly no local business to print the magazine which was done by the ‘College Magazine Service Production’ in 60 Worship St, Finsbury Square, London.
The design of the summer edition of 1932 had a subtly altered design, the work of Mrs Marples. This design remained constant through to 1961 at the end of Mr Tregenza’s long reign as Editor.
Other changes in the school included the introduction of a Prefects’ cap with a red band around it, Honours ‘Caps’ for games with the customary tassel, an exhibition of Arts, Crafts, Printing and Geographical work, rifle practice, daily meteorological observations, a visit to the Bideford Electricity Works, visits to Plymouth and the Devonport Dockyard and the Bideford Trades Exhibition, Careers advice with articles in the magazine, a school orchestra and summer swimming lessons in the dreaded cold water of the Westward Ho Patio Baths, for which it was hoped to organise a swimming competition with Barnstaple GS at the end of term.
Reference was also made to one of the school’s antiquities, ‘the old bell now in the Borough Museum which once summoned Grammarians of a far distant day to duty in the Allhalland Street school’. I had long wished to identify how far back that bell had been part of the school!
In the Spring magazine there had been 15 advertisers from nationwide firms, with none locally, while in the Summer edition, the number of sponsors’ adverts had increased greatly; there were 15 from London and elsewhere but now with 8 from Bideford, including Boyles the school uniform suppliers which Old Boys will remember. No wonder Marples could afford to get it printed in London.
1933
In 1933 only a single magazine appears to have been produced, Vol 2 No 1 in the summer, because the next one (Vol 2 No 2) was the Spring (Lent) edition in 1934 and it was now printed by a company in Cheapside, London. But at least it now had page numbers! The school’s ambitions were unrestricted it seems; a summer cruise for 20 boys to Scandinavia was planned on the ss Neuralia and a play called ‘A night at an Inn’ – no doubt for the winter months. In cricket the Editor reported on each team member’s performance in quite tabloid terms: “rather given to hitting wildly”, “another disappointment”, “a reliable batsman but still rather cramped”, and to my amazement there was a match of the 1st XI against the Staff, which were “ assisted by Mrs Marples, Miss Wheeler and Gerald and Michael Walker”! Were the ladies opening the batting for the staff team perhaps?
The planned annual swimming event with Barnstaple GS had taken place in July, at the Patio Baths, but “Barnstaple had proved overwhelmingly superior, winning by 69 points to 9”, principally it seems because the school team was on average two years younger than Barnstaple.
The ‘Annual School Journey’ proved very popular with 130 boys assembled on the quay for double decker buses to Ilfracombe, and from there on the Campbell Line steamer ‘Glen Avon’ to Cardiff, where they had a packed day visiting the Municipal Buildings, a lecture and tour of the Museum, the Castle with its Roman origins and Norman Keep, followed by a visit to view the production of the ‘Western Mail’ newspaper, then the BBC studios and finally to the café in Roath Park for tea with the Deputy Lord Mayor. To round off the hot day, the cool voyage to Ilfracombe revived spirits, but on the return journey to Bideford the “leading bus became overheated and the hot exhaust pipe caused the floorboards to ignite”! The trip was organised, of course, by the geography Master, Welshman Gerald Rhys Phillips. This was the 5th such annual event so clearly these had begun in 1928 during James Fergusson’s tenure.
1934
The edition in the Spring of 1934 used the biblical format, Lent, for the first time (it lasted until only 1939) but it marked the end of only the 3rd rugger season, which had begun in 1931. The printer changed yet again, in favour of the Kemp Hall Press in Oxford.
Improvements in the 1st XV over those seasons was marked by results such as losing to Ilfracombe 63-0 in 1931, but winning 16-11 away from home this year. The Colts XV’s progress was even more marked, winning all their matches to date, culminating in a 63-0 win at West Buckland, with an overall score of 233 points with only 11 against.
It was captained by a remarkable athlete, G J Norman, who many Old Boys will remember as their English teacher (from 1947 to 1956). In this issue, he was congratulated for his other rugby successes: playing in the N Devon v S Devon match at Bideford on Dec 9th 1931, then Devon v Cornwall at Plymouth on Jan 13th when he not only captained the side but also scored a try, the W of England v the East at Coventry on Feb 3rd, England v The Rest at Bath on Feb 23rd, and culminating in being picked as reserve for England v Wales at Cardiff on Mar 17th. Greg Norman played as a forward for the 1st XV as well as the Colts, remarkable, and in this magazine’s review of the players, he was described as “small but strong, and exceptionally quick off the mark, a great opportunist who also works hard”. Truly an illustrious sporting history.
The third Annual School Concert was held in the gym on two days, which had involved almost the whole school in its preparation; E A Slade in particular “drew roars of laughter by his rendering of Falstaff”. Slade was at the school from 1926 to 1934 and clearly a multi-talented individual: Prefect, Higher School Certificate, Hamlyn Scholarship, member of both 1st XV and 1st XI, Honours Caps, Rugby Captain and Vice-Captain of Cricket, Roman House Captain, member of the Dramatic Society and finally, a member of the Choir.
In Feb 1934 a series of six lectures to the Upper School was inaugurated on topics ranging from ‘The aboriginal peoples of N America’ to ‘Banking as a profession’, which took place on Friday afternoons.
The summer edition in 1934 was edited by R A H Hunkin, after the previous Editor, the curiously named R A Yeo-Jenn, left at the end of term to take up a teaching post in a preparatory school in Ewell, Surrey. Ron Hunkin was a Prefect and House rugby captain, became a teacher, lived to the ripe old age of 94, researched the Hunkin genealogy back to 1066 and was a cousin of the present (2020) Chairman of the OBA!
The school visit was to Cheddar Caves, Wookey Hole and the ancient city of Wells; it had been the intention to visit Glastonbury Abbey was well, but “so much time was lost on the journey via Barnstaple, South Molton, Bampton, Taunton and Axbridge, that this was not possible, and indeed the party did not return until after midnight”!
The swimming contest was a three-cornered contest with Shebbear College and Barnstaple GS, although the Bidefordians were clearly not blessed with water wings.
The 21st Annual Sports Day took place in May, as is the custom, which places the first one in 1913 (assuming the war years did not affect the sequence) and one G J Norman took 3rd place in the cricket ball throw. In July a new sports pavilion was opened, albeit without hot showers, and it is not recorded where this was. Also, plans were at last forthcoming for the new school which would take at least 18 months to build.
The late 1920s and early 1930s in particular had clearly been an innovative time for the school:
1927 – OBA Annual Dinner (the first President was not until 1939)
1928 – Annual School Trip,
1929 – Annual Concert,
1931 – Rugby introduced
1932 – Bidefordian reintroduced, School orchestra, rifle practice (musketry) groups formed.
1933 – Swimming recommenced. Adverts in Bidefordian ceased.
1934 – Lecture series for the Upper School & Debating Society – created before 1932 but did not reappear until 1934.
1935 – New school buildings & a record number of pupils (202), PT clothing for gym, hot meals for boys living at a distance, revival of the Badminton Club, first advanced science course.
1936 – OBA committee meetings held at the school and a Social Evening introduced.
1937 – Marples’ book on the history of the school.
1938 – new uniform introduced, to be compulsory from Sep 1939. And the four Houses had been renamed after founders of the school, although the term ‘houses’ had been dropped in favaour of the possessive e.g. Darracott’s.
By the Christmas term 1934 the hot topic was the new school and for which everyone “eagerly awaits the day when coke stoves, draughty rooms, crowded accommodation and ‘smoke holes” will be things of the past”. At the time of writing, the main buildings were already up and an artists’ sketch of the complete school was included, drawn by Old Boy L A J Howard, who was on the County Architect’s staff. The OBA itself had raised £150 for the erection of a Sports Pavilion (which compares to a total of only £68 since its formation).
G J Norman and two others had been awarded their rugby caps, Denis Harle had taken on the task of Careers Master and the newly levelled cricket pitch had been turfed, but again it was not stated where this was. The highly successful Colts rugby team ended up over the previous two seasons with a remarkable record of scoring 460 points with only 26 against! Stunning.
The very popular teacher, Rhys Phillips, who had led the previous year’s trip to Cardiff, died tragically on 23rd July and there was both a photograph and a moving obituary of him.
The series of six lectures included ‘Sealing in the Antarctic’, ‘The Electric Grid System’, ‘Adventures on a tramp steamer’ by Geography Master, R R H Rowe, who learnt a great deal about peeling potatoes on that trip, ‘Banking as a Profession’ again and ‘Local Government’.
The OBA held its 8th Annual Dinner at Tanton’s Hotel, presided over by W F Ashplant, where reference was made to both the late H R Bazeley, a former President (see earlier) and to the late Mr Rhys Phillips, and Morris Marples thanked the OBA for the part it had played in the provision of the pavilion. A letter to the Editor from Leslie Farr (1928-33) paid tribute to Mr Phillips, “especially his power of organisation, including trips to Swindon, Southampton, Bristol, Plymouth, Cardiff and Wells, all of which were organised by him and passed off without a hitch”.
1935
The Lent edition in 1935 reported that the Annual Concert had been held on Dec 10th and 11th the previous year with two scenes from the Merchant of Venice and one in Latin from Plautus, followed by a rendering by the choir and orchestra of Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast. In the Lent term itself, 3 inter-school debates had been held Barnstaple and Shebbear. The school had also “been favoured with another visit of the Rev. Ely, the District Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society” and “the lecturer ended his talk by appealing to the generosity of his audience in the annual collection.” The school and the staff were no doubt as riveted by these morning lectures as we were in the 1960s, but it was sad to realise that Drog was not the initiator, since I had blamed him for all that pain for years afterwards!
On the rugger pitch “the loss of W A Cork with cartilage trouble in the previous December brought a complete change over the fortunes of the team. His inspiring leadership was missed to such an extent that two unnecessarily heavy defeats followed, and a good deal of reorganisation was necessary.” Not often you hear of such a massive influence from just one in a team of fifteen I would say, but that man G J Norman again “has become a really good wing forward, thrustful and intelligent, he has scored many tries by his opportunism and elusive running.”
The Dramatic Society endured many a long, cold evening in the old gym labouring to produce a stage for a production called ‘A street in Venice’, an extract from ‘The Merchant of Venice in Dec the previous year, followed by another Latin scene from Rudens by Plautus. Mrs Marples supervised the design and making the costumes.
Eight lectures were planned for the upper school, of which six had taken place, including topics on Modern Astronomy, Robert Louis Stevenson and Insurance.
The Debating Society’s regular speakers were reported to have done very well during the term, particularly Hunkin, but there were few others putting themselves forward, unlike Shebbear College which was notable for the number of boys who took part in the discussion. Those with public school backgrounds continue to have an enviable degree of confidence, whatever their age, in my experience.
In the next edition, covering the summer term beginning on 2nd May 1935, Hunkin’s editorial included a plea from the Upper School for tennis courts. He also benefited from the fact that Mr Harle now occupied the role of ‘Business Manager’ for the magazine, despite the fact that adverts had died out at the end of 1932.
The Annual Visit was to S Devon, to the Dart, Paignton zoo, Kent’s Cavern, Torquay and Torre Abbey, organised by Mr Rowe with 117 boys taking part. Bus delays around the fringes of Dartmoor, however, meant that they missed the ferry across the river at Totnes. It was a very hot day and so the cool of the Kent’s Caverns was much welcomed, followed by tea in Torquay. True to form, the buses had a number of stops for minor repairs on the return journey and it was around midnight before the boys got home.
The swimming contest took place on 9th July with Barnstaple and Shebbear again, with the school maintaining its consistency and finishing last again with only 21 points compared to Barnstaple’s 60. The school’s own Swimming Sports was a separate event on 26th July. The 22nd Annual Athletic Sports took place very early that year, on 3rd April (presumably it was inaugurated in 1913 therefore), but in ideal weather conditions. G J Norman won the cricket ball throw on this occasion!
There was decreased interest in musketry this term and so boys from the Lower school were allowed to join for the first time, under the continued leadership of Denis Harle of course.
Although no mention of this event has been made before, the third annual reunion of the 5th and 6th forms 1932-3 took place on Easter Saturday in the 6th form room, with J W Heard in the chair. “A very enjoyable time was spent when we all benefited by the mistakes of the others for the past year”. Lovely.
The Michaelmas 1935 Bidefordian was the first to be produced in the new school, which was formally opened by Sir Francis Dyke Acland MP on 2nd October. But the Editor bemoaned the continuing lack of input from the school below the 6th form. However, a highlight of the year had been from the First XV which had been unbeaten in season thus far, scoring 191 points to only 3 against, only 4 years after rugby had been introduced to the school. The pack included two 12-stone forwards in W A Cork, Captain, and R Nancekievill, Vice-Captain, although the team had dominated their opponents in all departments; for example; “In Hunkin the school has a full-back who can be relied upon to bring off a glorious tackle when most needed”. There were some spectacularly one-sided scores including beating Shebbear 67-nil, W Buckland (2nd team) 53–nil, and Ilfracombe 52-nil. What a fantastic achievement for the first half of the season. The school also had another record – over 200 boys for the first time.
On a very hot 6th August day Mr Rowe led “the great adventure of a Scandinavian tour” on the ss Neuralia from Tilbury, although it was a very uncomfortable first night at sea for most, so there were some very bleary boys the next morning, not helped by a raucous fog horn blast every minute as they proceeded at only 5 knots through the entire day and the following night. Consequently, the ship was late arriving at Arendal in Norway at 6pm for a 2hr stop. The voyage continued through the ‘cat’s throat’ – the Kattegat – and on to Copenhagen, the ‘Paris of the North’. “The people seem contented and wealthy as they puff their cigars. The shops are gay and brilliantly lighted and above the turmoil of the hurrying crowd the green copper roofs of mediaeval guild halls gleam in the sunlight”. As a frequent visitor to Copenhagen over the years, one could write the same description of the city today! They departed Copenhagen at night and sailed on to Stockholm – the ‘Venice of the North’ since it is an island city albeit “grimier and more business-like than pleasure loving Copenhagen”. Continuing to Helsinki – the White city of the North – the railway station was described as “like an Arabian palace”. And the Parliament as “a massive rectangular block of pale rose granite with a façade of tall tapering pillars”. Hunkin was certainly observant of city buildings and commendably good with his prose!
The lecture series continued as usual and by Christmas five had been delivered, including the educational system in Denmark, road safety, overland to India, and life on an Aberdeen sheep farm.
The Old Boys met for the 9th time “to guzzle and gossip” with some who “described, with a wealth of detail, how they used to avoid homework”. The guest of honour was Frank Fletcher, the past Head at Charterhouse and a precedent was set by extending an invitation to the Senior Prefect and Captain of Games to the event. I wonder if Fletcher and the two boys were in earshot of the previous conversation! The accompanying AGM made an additional precedent by resolving to make “as full use as possible of the facilities offered in the new buildings”.
1936
After last term’s phenomenal success of the 1st XV rugby team when not a match was lost, “something of a decline was inevitable after so many talented athletes had left and a much-weakened team had to be fielded”, for example at West Buckland whose 1st XV won 40 points to nil. Nonetheless, some team members played for the town, notably W A Cork (school Captain) who played for Bideford 1st XV, and Norman, Lovell, G H Cork and Hawke for Bideford Reserves.
The Christmas play had followed its customary form – first half dramatic (Much Ado About Nothing) and the second half musical with the school orchestra, performing to crowded houses on both evenings. The Debating Society had taken a prominent position in school activities this term with some lively discussions from February onwards, including a joint debate with the West Bank School in March, and a final debate with Barnstaple GS.
The Badminton Club continued to flourish, although “the lowness of the gym roof restricted effective use of the lob almost impossible”.
In keeping with the OBA’s earlier resolution, committee meetings were now held at the school and a Social evening was created to bring Old Boys and their friends together, beginning with a concert of singing and sketches.
The summer edition was the 7th and last Bidefordian with the celebrated R A H Hunkin in the Editor’s chair, plus two editions in the supporting role of sub-Editor before that; in this respect he holds the record by far for the Editorial by far any schoolboy. (Only Mr Tregenza did it for longer.)
The very wet season interfered with programme of games this term but there had been several really thrilling finishes to games which had taken place. Two surprising team names with appeared in the 1st XI’s calendar was the Bideford Gas Company CC, and Wallingbrook School from Chulmleigh. (Both matches were won). The Annual Sports day was held on 1st of April when rain fill incessantly and “even the bell emitted a somewhat watery note”. A real April Fool’s joke then? Apparently not as “the sports themselves were excellent and a few feature this year was hurdling”.
The ‘Annual Triangular Swimming Match’ was held in July in similar inclement conditions, won by Barnstaple as usual, and the school bringing up the rear in customary fashion – our “only points came from Burbridge with his diving”!
The school excursion was to the Great Western Railway works in Swindon, where they marvelled at the Carriage Shop with its “enormous punches and chisels bit large lumps out of the wood and circular saws harmonised beautifully with electric planing machines; and on to the Upholstery Shop and then to the Foundry where the wheels and metal components of locomotives are cast. Metal lathes peeled shavings off steel axles and connecting rods as if they were butter”.
The second excursion organised by Mr Rowe was to the Military Tattoo at Aldershot, in the Rushmoor Arena in June, to see a parade of precision and colour by 3,000 troops, despite a thunderstorm with a dazzling display of lightning! The long return journey was overnight, reaching Bideford at 0645.
On 29th July the annual Old Boys’ Day was held, featuring a cricket match against the school, which the school won; this was followed by a “lavish tea” in the school hall. There was then a lull in proceedings as the hall was transformed into a ballroom, a “scene of dancing and dalliance, which continued until 1am to the strains of an efficient band. One felt that it was almost worth having endured years of Latin prose if the final outcome was an Old Boys’ Day such as this!”
Among the Old Boys, the previous Editor, H J Cudmore, had graduated in geography at Bristol and been awarded the prize for the best geography student. The previous Head’s son, G B Fergusson, was also an Old Boy, and had just married.
Uniquely, the name of the printer was not recorded.
The Michaelmas term 1936 edition was edited by L Lait for the first time, assisted by E R Snow, and he summarised the outstanding scholastic record for the year – an Open Exhibition to Oxford, 3 County Scholarships, 3 Training Department grants and 4 Local Scholarships were obtained, plus 32 Certificates and 12 London Exemptions.
It being 1936, it is no surprise to read that the 6th Form had been watching the international situation very carefully, and “found much to disturb its peace of mind”; consequently, various members had offered themselves in the following roles: minister for war, defence minister with experience of munitions supply problems (possibly lack of cartridges for musketry?), two candidates for the Admiralty, etc. Interested governments were encouraged to apply to the Sixth Form at the BGS.
At a recent Old Boys dinner, Mr W H Rogers said that he was collecting information on the history of the school and Old Boys, parents and friends were asked to collaborate with “old records of any kind, newspapers, school magazines or anything else relating to the school, or have any pictures, medals or other objects of interest, are asked to get in touch with the Headmaster. And personal reminiscences would be most gratefully received. Our object is to paint a picture of life at the school at different times”.
I recall a similar request in 2011 and again in 2018, but there were no takers, nor did anyone volunteer to help with the research or the subsequent compilation! But no doubt some material did come in because Marples published his book the following year.
As noted earlier, many senior rugby players had left the school and as was always the case when I played throughout the 60s, “the forwards are rather light this season but have given a good account of themselves against heavier packs, and there seems to a lack of real shove in the scrums”. A loss by the 1st XV against W Buckland’s 2nd XV by 83 points to nil, was a depressing measure of the status of rugby. It was astonishing to read, therefore, that the school actually was fielding both a 1st and 2nd team in addition to the Colts!
In November, a ceremony took place to unveil a Commemoration Tablet by Sir Hugh Stucley, and a presentation of a flagstaff by the Mayor of Bideford, Mr T A Goaman. Probably in the same month, the Annual Prize Day took place; Mr Marples summarised what had been a record year for the school. In august Mr Rowe again took the boys to Tilbury to board the Nevasa for a cruise to Norway, first stop Bergen, then Hardangar fjord for a walk into the hills, and then heading back down the coast and round to Oslo, docking close to rusty whaling ships! The following days saw excursions around the city, including to the island harbour with Nansen’s ship the ‘Fram’, and finally a trip south to Gothenburg, Sweden. Once again, a very successful tour was the result of the “untiring efforts of Mr Rowe”.
The OBA AGM was held on 13th November when membership was reported to be 90. The school prize distribution was held a week later when reference was made to the “increasing virility of the OBA” and on the evening of the same day there was a large attendance at the Annual Dinner. A high concentration of testosterone in Tanton’s, one assumes!
1937
The Lent Editorial opened with the momentous news that the Head, Morris Marples, would soon be leaving after only five and half years, although he had “effected much in a very short time. Under his constant agitation, the construction of the new school was speeded up and much praise must be accorded him for his perseverance in this sphere. He set the school on a new footing”.
His persistence and strength of character must have been tested more than once, it would seem, because “the prefectorial system was scorned on its introduction, compulsory games were unpopular, the development of linguistic talent not appreciated, and many minor details of organisation were disapproved, but the subsequent success of these changes has proved their validity, and the former opposition has gradually given place to increased encouragement and general support. Interests in the choir, orchestra, dramatic and debating societies have become long standing institutions. Academic successes have correspondingly risen in number and in 1936 these were crowned with a series of achievements never before known in the history of the school. The school has been represented in the last six years at Oxford, Bristol and Exeter Universities. A man of strong personality, slow to wrath, terse of manner and speech, he put his whole heart into his work, with excellent results.”
The new Head will be Mr W J Langford, a distinguished scholar and athlete with a 1st Class Honours in mathematics, who had captained Reading University’s 1st XV, and who is also a talented musician.
To return to current issues, Mr Marples reported that there had been a disappointing response from outside the school to the appeal for material relating to its history. However, Mr Harle, Mr Clarke and Mr Rowe had been accumulating material throughout the term, relating to documents from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and a lot of hours had been spent looking through early issues of the ‘Bideford Gazette’. The Minute books from 1803 onwards also provided much interesting material [Minutes of what? They are not in the N Devon archives] and there have been a number of reminiscences from T A Goaman, A W Cock and C J Smith, but there was still a paucity of such material:
“Cannot Old Boys be persuaded to send in a few notes on school life in their day, or lend their magazines, reports or other documents?”
Gentlemen – that need still exists!!!!
However, a surprising donation had been received from Mr Martin of Bridgeland St, a stone with the inscription: “This schoole house nue built 1657”, which has been placed in the Assembly Hall. “It had been removed in 1840 by order of the Trustees from the school building in Allhalland Street by his grandfather, Mr John Martin”.
Meanwhile a board is to be erected in the Assembly Hall bearing the names and dates of all the Headmasters since 1695. “No earlier ones are known, though it seems likely that the school had already been in existence at least a century before that date. Since 1695 there have been eighteen, whose periods of office have ranged from six months to fifty years”.
On 7th April a large gathering met at the school at the invitation of the Chairman of Governors to say farewell to Mr and Mrs Marples, and to welcome Mr & Mrs Langford. The President of the OBA presented Mr Marples with an engrave fountain pen as a token of gratitude felt by the Association under his leadership. Mr Langford took office on 20th April and he added his own thoughts to the summer term’s magazine:
“There will be few among you who remember the Headmastership of Mr Fergusson [who left on 30 Jul 1030]; two only who do not remember that of Mr Marples. All will have been conscious this term of a feeling of hesitancy as the newcomer has taken over from the accustomed and sure control of him who guided the school through the difficult days of transition from the old buildings to the new. The work of the school, however, still goes on by reason of, and yet in spite of, persons. I am proud to be permitted to join the company of those who have served the school and I am ready and willing to devote myself to the service which you have a right to expect from me. In my turn I look for a spirit of mutual trust and eager co-operation on the part of all who work with me in carrying on the tradition of our school and maintaining its honour.
One of his first moves was to abolish the Masters’ detention provisionally and the Editor, unsurprisingly, hoped that it would not be found necessary to reintroduce it!
The swimming class was held at the Patio Baths, Westward Ho throughout the term and the efforts of Mr Dobel have greatly improved the standard of swimming and consequently the Annual Swimming sports was more exciting than usual. Senior Prefect Dipsdale and G J Norman attended the Empire Youth Rally in the Albert Hall in May, and the Annual Excursion to the Aldershot Tattoo was again organised by Mr Rowe.
The Annual Display of Physical Training took place on 23 March, under the direction of Mr Dobel, as a unique occasion as the last of a series which had taken place during the headmastership of Mr Marples, who took the opportunity of addressing the parents who were present, declaring the the little white town would always remain connected with his happiest memories.
“News of the Old Boys is, once again, distressingly sparse”.
In the Michaelmas term, a notable innovation had been the introduction of badges of office for Prefects and Monitors, which include the words ‘Bideford 1577’ and worn in the buttonhole. The second innovation was that the school had, at last, come into the possession of a wireless set. And the third was that ‘rugger’ matches were played in school time, which resulted in better attendances. The 1st XV won 6 of their 7 matches before Christmas, including a 58-nil thrashing of W Buckland 2nd XV, and a 59-3 win against Ilfracombe GS. The only loss away to Barnstaple.
The Annual Speech Day was held on 10th November beginning with, for the first time, the school song. And the Annual Excursion was the Southampton for the ‘Merchant Navy Week Exhibition’, with stands representing “almost every conceivable corner of the globe”. As usual the trip was organised by Mr Rowe and as is the norm on such days, it was about midnight before the train arrived back at Bideford.
“We regret that our appeal for news of Old Boys, made in our previous issue, has met with no response so that once again we have but little to report.” So much for the aspiration of supporting the school then!
1938
The Lent edition was the first where the previous assistant Editor, E R Snow, took charge, assisted by A A Brockett. And the first item reported was that a history of the school had finally been published, being the outcome of the decision by former Headmaster Mr Marples, to chronicle the stages by which the school grew to its present “magnitude and importance and it has been a task of absorbing interest to read this captivating little volume. The book is an important landmark in the history of the school and impresses upon us the necessity of maintaining the ancient traditions of the school. It is a volume of absorbing interest and will be treasured by all”.
Equally important, at least for the rugby players in the winter months no doubt, was the installation of electric light and hot water in the pavilion – “an adequate supply of soap is now all this is necessary!” Perhaps this luxury contributed to the most outstanding win of the season by the 1st XV, who recorded a 23-3 win home against Barnstaple GS, inspired by G J Norman, in his second season as captain who “can inspire his side when down and control them when winning, backed up by a keen, good team with the weight we lacked last season”. Among the First team characters, Norman was described as a “fly-half who has been the mainspring of a fine attack and always ‘there’ in defence. His swerve is as tricky as ever and he never misses and opportunity to cut through”.
The school concert had a slight departure in December, with an extract from Act II of ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s best pieces of choral writing.
The frustrated Editor once more had to express “regret that our appeal for news of Old Boys has again met with no response and it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep this feature of the Bidefordian alive.” So much for the much-vaunted statement that the OBA maintained a very close relationship with the school! Why did it not simply invite the Senior Prefect or the Editor to meetings or events?
By the summer term the Editor had a really big moan about the lack of input from the rest of the school, excluding the 6th form, and wondered if the problem was the new school, where everyone was too comfortable and lacked a challenge. Or perhaps overworked – there was a record number of candidates entered for the School Certificate Examination in July.
Similarly, entries for the Music and Declamation Competitions, held this term, were also very disappointing and “the Debating Society seems to have dropped out of existence, as nothing has been heard of it since Lent 1937” – over a year ago.
And to no one’s surprise, when it came to the Old Boys’s section, “this seems likely to be the last appearance of this feature. It has been dying a slow death for some while and keeping it alive an impossibility. How deeply it is to be regretted that the OBA has entered such a lean period. The decline of this feature of the magazine is but a symbol of the decreasing virility of the Association”. Oh dear.
But at least, once again, Mr Rowe had devoted time to organising school excursions, this year to Aldershot Tattoo and Cardiff (as in 1933).
The Annual Physical Training Display, however, was held on 24th May, with the customary success, although an attempt to repeat the Display in the grounds of Beavoir House for the benefit of the Hospital, had to be cancelled due to rain.
Pupils would soon be wearing a new school uniform from Sep 1939, after this was decided at the parents’ meeting on 22nd Dec 1937. A badge in red and black incorporating the coat of arms of Bideford, designed by Mr Fenton, would be worn on the blazer.
In a quaint ceremony on 11th July, the school assembled in the gym for the presentation of a Christening Cup to Mr Langford’s son, who was present with Mrs Langford, by the Senior Prefect. The Headmaster, Mr Langford, expressed his thanks “on behalf of the recipient who was unable to do so himself”. A nice touch.
And on an historical note, the bell from the old school had been erected in the West Quadrangle and “once more its familiar tones call us into class”, while “continuous tintinnabulation denotes some emergency which will clear the school in a few minutes”.
News from the cricket XI was that it had had a poor year with “no really reliable batsman and the whole side has collapsed on several occasions”. The team had only two wins, and those by a grand total of 11 runs in very low scoring matches. Whoops.
The Michaelmas issue had a new editorial team in H G Radcliffe assisted by R J Hookway. But the international crisis occupied the attention of so many that “we cannot recall any outstanding occurrences, and no attempts have been made, or even contemplated, to revive some of the declining institutions. The Geographical Society, which enjoyed a new lease of life a year ago, has once more faded into oblivion; the Debating Society seems to have found a resting place in the memories of older boys. Let us hope that those responsible for the Photographic Society, the Chess Club, the Dramatic and other societies, will not allow these activities to suffer similar fates.”
The impending war seemed to have penetrated very deeply into even a school’s activities, and it was particularly ironic therefore that, following the previous strong appeal for more articles, while more contributions has been received, the urge for economy had demanded a reduction in size of the magazine.
In a major change in the school’s history, the names of the Houses (Britons, Normans, Saxons and Romans) became those of the founders, Darracott’s, Stucley’s, Grenville’s and Strange’s respectively.
The 1st XV had retained only 6 of last year’s side, and won 3, lost 3 games thus far, but a marked change had been a notable improvement in tackling so defence has been very strong. The Colts had fared better, beating both Barnstaple and Shebbear.
The Musketry Club was well supported although “ageing equipment prevented any really accurate shooting”. The Dramatic Society, perhaps pricked into action somewhat, had an ambition to present a 3-hour play next term.
Possibly as a result of the Editors moan about the lack of response from the Old Boys, the Captain (G P Walker) and Deputy Captain (R J Hookway), had been invited to attend the OBA Dinner at Tanton’s on 23rd November, on the evening of Prize Day. Possibly for this reason, the Editor reported that it was a great success and reference had been made to the “somewhat premature obituary notice of the Association” although its financial position was “somewhat shaky” and appealed to those boys just leaving to support it. There was no mention, however, of what if any activities the OBA would be undertaking to assert that it was “far from dead”.
1939
The Editor for this year had changed to R J S Hookway (the school Captain), supported by an Editorial Committee of three. After much commentary about the lack of submissions, a team of four would no doubt have been more effective in chasing articles, and for the first time there were several from the Lower School, representing “a renaissance of the interest in the activities and life of the school by those boys who owe so much to it”.
Other changes in the school included both the abolition of the Prefects’ detention and the instigation of a ‘Prefects’ meeting’.
A number of games that season were cancelled because of weather but the 1st XV had played 11, won 7, with only one loss against a school and the Colts had one of their best seasons on record, winning all their matches, conceding only one try! Outstanding.
On March 21st and 22nd, the Dramatic Society presented a full-length play, ‘The School for Scandal’, for the first time, to “full and appreciative audiences”.
The OBA had held its Annual Dinner at the school in February, including a programme of songs by Mr Langford and a Ghost play with a cast entirely of Old Boys, followed by a dance. Does this mean that wives attended the Dinners in those days?
In the summer edition the Editor reflected on the school as it was his final term: an all round improvement in sport, the rugger teams were the most successful this year, interest in cricket has increased considerable, shooting and swimming had enthusiastic followers, and the layout of a good track helped the athletes. The Annual Athletic Sports were held particularly early, on 25th March, although many events were completed before this date; both shot putt and discuss were new events. A new and permanent range resulted in a large increase in the membership of the rifle club. The School Excursion on 7th June was to Oxford with a party of over 100 boys under Mr Rowe’s supervision, taking over 5 and half hours to get there, to visit the Morris Works at Cowley and Christ Church College, arriving back at Bideford at 1230am. The second excursion took place only 10 days later, to the Aldershot Tattoo in fine weather. Astonishingly, it was after midnight before they party sought the buses and 0130 before leaving Fleet station; consequently, it was an overnight journey back to Bideford, arriving back at 0545.
The inaugural Founders’ Day was held on 5th July, commencing with morning prayers followed by an address by the Rev. Manning, another prayer, a welcome from the Head and finally the school song. Another innovation was an Open Day, which took place only 3 days later when a large number of parents and friends visited the school, featuring the Gymnastic Display, a display of geographic instruments and many cases of Empire projects collected by Mr Rowe. The darkened physics lab featured brilliant lighting effects and spectrometer experiments, the Chemistry lab had a number of experiments and there was much sweat falling from the brows of those who were working with gusto in the Crafts room.
The Old Boys held there Annual Summer Reunion on the same day but rain fell all day which prevented a cricket match but the Whist Drive and Dance took place in the school hall in the evening. The newsletter also featured a lengthy article about accountancy as a profession.
But the Editorial board was still frustrated as they tried to get blood out of a stone!
1940
The summer edition is the only survivor for this year, with a new Editor, F G Jaques, supported by D N Macmaster and J H Yeo, who were pleased to report that for the main part, the life of the school has gone on as usual, the term beginning on 30th April with 184 boys on the register, including 15 boys from Selhurst Grammar School, Croydon, while 124 boys and girls from Peckham Central School are sharing the building as a separate unit working at the same time. Altogether nearly 1,100 evacuees had arrived in the Bideford reception area this term. Where the magazine was published is not stated.
The school gave a gym rehearsal display to Peckham School and Open Day was held the next day. Among the teaching staff, Mr H F Green joined the school to teach Science, Mr D Harle was congratulated on his engagement to Evelyn Jones and Mr Dobel was congratulated on the news that his son had been awarded the DSM for gallantry in the 2ndbattle of Narvik [all about the Germans trying to control access to their only source of iron ore].
On the sporting front, the 1st XI had won only 3 of their matches, but in the Second Annual Athletics meeting with Barnstaple GS, the school achieve revenge for last year’s defeat; in particular, the mile race was the most exciting, with the winner from Barnstaple finishing in 5mins 11 secs – insanely fast running, but Bideford won the 440 yds relay by a clear 75 yards – equally impressive.
Rowing is now on the sporting agenda after BRC lent the school a ‘tub pair’ and blades, the Rifle Club membership is larger than for many seasons and at Mr Langford’s suggestion a Tennis Club was inaugurated.
Empire Day was celebrated as usual in spite of the war and the Open Day for parents and friends was held on 29thJune and included a cricket match against Highgate School from N London, where the school bowled out Highgate for only 22 runs. Founders’ Day too was celebrated on 1st of July.
1942
For the first time, a Master was charged with the role of Editor, Mr S R Clark, the English teacher, appropriately. This summer issue appears at the beginning of the 1942-43 school year and in future it was hoped to publish at the end of February and at the beginning of each school year so as to include the last of the Rugger and Cricket seasons respectively.
There were 217 names on the register, Mr R R H Rowe [who had clearly ‘joined up’] was reported missing and two Old Boys had lost their lives.
Both Founders’ Day and the Open Day events took place and the Annual Sports day was held on 21st March with Hookway equalling Yeo’s time last year for the 100-yards, and a new high jump record of 5ft and half an inch.
Two wartime innovations have taken place, the establishment of a Cadet Corps in the school and other senior boys joining the Bideford ATC, and both units have been in camp this summer, at Tiverton and Chivenor respectively. The other great change was the departure of Selhurst GS after only 2 years; many friendships were made.
A new series of descriptive sketches had been introduced under the banner of ‘Many Cities’, as visited by boys during vacations I presume, Valetta in Malta being described in this issue.
There was an interesting article titled ‘Farewell to Selhurst’ about the impact of more than 100 boys and some twenty members of staff who, it said, “had been so much part of our lives that it is difficult to envisage the school without them. The whole of the lower corridor of the classroom block had been set aside for their needs as our own forms retreated to the floor above, the Library became their sixth form, while our own (of smaller numbers) migrated to the cupboard below the east stairs, whence sounds of strife proceeded as the members fought for the single chair or bumped their heads on the ceiling. The Head was accommodated in the former Medical room, a chamber so small that he must have found considerable difficulty in swinging a cane in it. Latterly, Selhurst fifth form took over the Pavilion as a form room, our own forms occasionally making use of it”.
Overall, it was clear that the school was “sorry in many ways to lose the companionship and pleasant rivalry of the other school. Many of us have made friendships, a few of us were stirred by their proximity to do better in work and play, some of us miss the added facilities of scouting, hobbies and crafts. Also, new subjects have come into our midst, of which some of us have taken advantage, and on the field and track, Selhurst have been our most intimate friends and rivals”.
The Old Boys news, inevitably, contained the names of those who had died in the services, who were missing or captured, in many parts of the world. Also, Geography Master and now Pilot Officer R R H Rowe was missing over enemy territory. One piece of good news, however, was that past Assistant Editor, E R Snow, had qualified as a pilot in Canada one day and got married the following day!
The magazine had been printed by Cooks Printers, Croydon. No doubt a firm provided by the Selhurst guests.
1943
The Michaelmas term had started on 15th Sep 1942 with 225 names on the register, the Spring term had begun on 12th Jan with 248 names. Speech Day in December had been a private function without parents, as it was a year ago. One of the Selhurst teachers, Mrs Ashton, had returned to Croydon, Miss Boyle had joined the team to take Physics, while temporary Master, Mr Hartigan, had to leave after being injured from air-raid injuries, would be leaving.
The 1st XV had taken a long time to settle into a team, losing 44-nil at home to Barnstaple, then 73-nil away, followed by a 35-nil and 21-3 defeats to the Old Boys. Similarly, the Colts team had lost twice to Barnstaple.
The Cadet Corps had been in existence for just over a year and made steady progress, with parades held regularly twice a week during term time, with several additional Saturday parades and some practical fieldwork “culminating in a small field day when No 1 Platoon successfully defended Kenwith Woods against a determined attack by No 2”. Regular firing practice was held on the Miniature Range of the Home Guard Battalion HQ and a Camp had taken place in August 1942 at Tiverton for 7 days where “work and rain seem, in retrospect, to be the outstanding memories of a strenuous week”. Mr Hartigan was an ex-Marine and had been generous in giving much of his time and Service experience.
The 1022 Squadron Air Training Corps had formed in January 1941 and so the 1st Bideford Squadron was now well into its second year, but during the present school year, fewer and fewer boys had attended because it seemed that the opportunities were not apparent at first sight. Also, many of the original cadets had already joined the RAF.
The next articles in the ‘Many Cities’ line featured Salzburg and Venice, and at the end the Old Boys section contained a lot of news about members who were serving their country all over the world, several with gallantry awards, as well as those missing or lost in action.
1945
The Editor was at last able to record the termination of the Allied campaign in Normandy and the invasion of Germany, while Japan was being “hammered at its very heart. The end of the journey is no longer a distant goal”. But while these wartime changes were momentous, there were “new laws to govern education being passed and only time will tell what effect they will have on the lives and careers of ordinary pupils”.
The school year began on 20th Sep 1944 and the Spring term on 16th January 1945. As anticipated, the “number of pupils was greater than at any time in the history of the school, there being 315 names on the register at the beginning of the year, and a few less when the present term started. The decrease was owing to the return home of some of the evacuated boys, notable those from Surbiton who were with us for about a term”. One of the Surbiton Masters, Mr H I Dyer, is remembered for his new and witty translation of our school motto as ‘Au disce aut discede – Cram or scram’.
Among the new arrivals at the school at the height of the evacuation in June 1940, was Mr H F Green who many assumed was also an evacuee. But the work he did in raising the standard of science was “more than sufficient evidence of his ability as teacher and organiser. His zest and enthusiasm for the work in hand were infectious and there are many who have reason to be grateful for his readiness to help lame dogs over the scientific stile”. He was also been an athlete of distinction, gaining a Half Blue at Oxford and so he took over athletics in the school, with many successes.
Sadly, it was reported that Mr G D Feltham who taught chemistry and mathematics, died from wounds received in Normandy on 12th June while serving as a private with the RAMC airborne.
The sheer size of the school meant that the Speech Day 1944 had been held over two days, examination certificates on 22nd November for the Upper school, and the Lower school function on the second day.
The wartime lack of transport meant that most of the rugby teams matches had been against old rivals Barnstaple, who had unsurprisingly proved too strong for us, although “it is as well to remember that a school learns quite as much from its defeats as from its victories, and certainly the First XV has improved all along the line”. The team has also suffered a lot from injuries so it was a scratch team which lost 46-0 in the first away match and then lost 21-6 at home. Similarly, away at Shebbear, the team lost 40-0, although it beat the Old Boys 8-3 later on. The Colts team won only one of their matches. All rather surprising given the relatively large school roll at the time.
The Cadet Corps had attended a well organised County Camp at Honiton in August 1944 and in September a very successful weekend course occurred at Torrington on a Battalion basis.
The 1022 (Bideford) Flight, the local unit of the Air Training Corps, had used the school premises as its HQ since April 1942, had now ceased to have an independent existence, due largely to the lack of recruitment with not a single cadet enrolled in the last 6 months.
The ‘Many Cities’ series this time featured Bergen in Norway.
As usual, there was a long list of news of Old Boys serving in the Forces, this time covering an unprecedent four pages.
1946
Nearly nine months after the end of the war, the Editor notes in the Spring term “that the problems of peace are as distressing as those of war, with some ripple of the world’s storms has lapped our lives”. But nearly all the ‘displaced’ boys have left and we “would chronicle with gratitude the interest they continue to take in Bideford. Quite a number have returned to see us again and an even greater number have written”.
At the Speech Day “we were reminded that it is the duty as well as the privilege of every boy leaving school for larger life to equip himself for social service. Old Boys have distinguished themselves most gallantly during the war; we wish to see them behaving equally well in peace”.
Mr C J Smith left at the end of the autumn term; he joined the staff as long ago as Feb 1897 so he had been at the school a decade longer than any other member of staff, and he had received many presents from the school, the staff and the Governors and many tributes were paid. For a year he had not been teaching full time and “he still takes an occasional class”. He said that his 48 years had slipped by very quickly and he has seen no less than four Headmasters (Fergusson, Marples, Langford and now Stephenson) and it is impossible that a longer period of service with one school will ever be recorded.
But perhaps his greatest contribution to the school is that his efforts saved it from extinction! “In 1904 Bideford was left without a Headmaster and with only 17 boys on the roll. The question was actually debated whether there was scope for such a school in Bideford, and it was proposed to transfer the endowments to the Grammar School at Barnstaple. Mr Smith pleaded with the Governors, who finally asked him to carry on in an endeavour to build up the establishment again. This he did until Mr J S Fergusson was appointed Head and Mrs Smith helped heroically to the school going. Thanks to their efforts in nine months the number had reached 38. After that the school never looked back and by 1916 the numbers topped the hundred. But Mr Smith again had to carry on by himself during the war, when Mr Fergusson was called away on military duty, but by this time there was no question of the school succumbing”.
Since then, of course, school has grown to 200 in 1934 and even, in 1944, became 300 strong. “Hundreds of pupils have passed through his hands and it is rare for him to forget a single one of them. Nor have the boys forgotten. For many of them Mr Smith has been the school, and many a boy has entered BGS whose father had strong recollections of Mr Smith in the classroom. It is not too much to say that he has made a personal friend of all those he has taught, and now he has friend of many ages and professions scattered throughout the land”.
The Dramatic Society had been revived in December and produced two one-act plays for the school, and so new actors had to be found. Under Miss Goaman’s care, Form 1A presented the short comedy ‘Catherine Parr’, a story of a breakfast-time quarrel between Henry VIII and the last of his wives. The senior play was an adaptation from ‘Les Miserables’ called ‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks’. Both plays were due to be repeated before the general public at the end of the Spring term.
The ‘Many Cities’ series continued with Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast, while the 6th Form had to be contented, on their Form Visit, to Tor Point with Mr Penrose. After having to wait on some of the ruins of Plymouth a lorry eventually showed up to take them to a very large place, where “once inside you had a feeling that you lost your individuality and became one of a mass”. I think that is generally what the entry into any of the Forces attempts to do, does it not? The unique aspect of the trip, was a two-night overnight stay at this Royal Marines base.
The Old Boys Association had been dormant during the war years was due to be revived, and “made more representative of the old members of the school than it had been in the past”. There was news of a lot of Old Boys who had been demobilised or awaiting to be demobilised, and in particular, G J Norman had been demobbed after long service with RAF Coastal Command, had returned to the school for teaching practice before returning to Univ. College Exeter for his Teaching Diploma.
By the end of the summer term, it was clear that the OBA had indeed had a resurgence; it was evident from the vast number of letters received by the Editor that war had only sharpened the affection of Old Boys for their Alma Mater. Also,
