[This article was submitted by former pupil Dan Medlicott after a visit to the school]
I was a pupil at the school during 1950-54, and the Headmaster at that time was Mr Denmark. My introduction to the school was a bit of a shock.
In the evenings before going to bed, we had to leave our clothes on pegs downstairs whilst we went upstairs in our shorts. My first bedroom was shared with 18 others! So it was with envy I noted the present situation was single rooms with one’s favourite posters on the wall!
The next morning we had to run round the field twice before breakfast, which usually consisted of cocoa, porridge and thick slices of bread. The girls originally had to run round the field too, but it was stopped due to either shock or fatigue!
The discipline was strict, and some of the ‘supervisors’ were either ex-soldiers or policemen. Signing was verboten – we had to use our vocal chords!
I remember when the King died. Mr Denmark, with great solemnity, announced “Your King has died”, and for the second time in our history we were ushered into the Elizabethan Age.
The teachers I recall were Mr Whittaker, Mr Webb, and Miss Dickenson. The lady who used to darn our socks was a profoundly deaf person called Dorothy. Mr Dean pointed out a little room to me, and I was able to confirm that was where Dorothy used to mend our socks.
We did have a magazine called The Seagull, and a school song called One for All and All for One composed by Mr Whittaker. It sounded rather like a French revolutionary song!
Ah well, those were the days!
I remember those days