20 March 2002

Girls at the school and other stories

I recently swapped emails with Bob and I thought the message might interest the whole group so here it is with his permission:-
 
Hi, Jim,
 
Thanks for the message. I can't remember how I first came across the list - I think was invited, but couldn't log in because I'd forgotten my Microsoft Passport password.  So many of the flippin' things!
 
My family has quite a long association with Peter Symonds'.  I went there between 64 and 70 and my brother, Ian, was part of what I think was the last full intake in 71.  More controversially, my mother attended between 45 and 48 when Doc Freeman was Head, Priestland taught chemistry, Tanner taught physics and Pongo Cox taught biology.  Pongo was still teaching when I was in the 6th, and lived across the road from us in St Cross.  My grandfather was a governor for many years, and also served on the Education Authority.  When he died, a memorial service was held in the Cathedral and it was a bit of a kick to be welcomed by the Headsmaster ('Jake' Ashurst) and ushered to my seat by the head boy.
 
Yes, I enjoy browsing the messages.  Some things bring back memories.  I remember being taught by Mike Batt's mum for a short while.  I also remember him breaking a wrist, I think it was, at sports day.  A year or two later and again at sports day, he caused quite a commotion, turning up in a flash car with a flash suit and a flash girl (or two)!
 
I never thought I'd want to remember those days!
 
Regards,
Robert (Bob) Crocker
 
A postscript:
 
Mum came to Peter Symonds' to study science because she wanted to be a doctor - not very fashionable for women in those days - and St. Swithuns didn't offer the science.  Obviously Grandfather was able to pull some strings, which helped.  Many years later, Mother and Father attended the meeting for parents of prospective pupils when I was due to join.  During Mr. Ashurst's address, he assured parents that 'Peter Symonds' is a boys school. Always was a boys school, always will be a boys school' (which was disproved in Mr. Ashurst's own reign, as there were two or three girls in the sixth form during my time).  This assertion caused a little amusement on the platform behind him, because at least two masters (Pongo Cox and Tom Pierce) were teaching at the school when Mother was there, and one or two more were pupils at the time.
 

Girls at the school and other stories

I recently swapped emails with Bob and I thought the message might interest the whole group so here it is with his permission:-
 
Hi, Jim,
 
Thanks for the message. I can't remember how I first came across the list - I think was invited, but couldn't log in because I'd forgotten my Microsoft Passport password.  So many of the flippin' things!
 
My family has quite a long association with Peter Symonds'.  I went there between 64 and 70 and my brother, Ian, was part of what I think was the last full intake in 71.  More controversially, my mother attended between 45 and 48 when Doc Freeman was Head, Priestland taught chemistry, Tanner taught physics and Pongo Cox taught biology.  Pongo was still teaching when I was in the 6th, and lived across the road from us in St Cross.  My grandfather was a governor for many years, and also served on the Education Authority.  When he died, a memorial service was held in the Cathedral and it was a bit of a kick to be welcomed by the Headsmaster ('Jake' Ashurst) and ushered to my seat by the head boy.
 
Yes, I enjoy browsing the messages.  Some things bring back memories.  I remember being taught by Mike Batt's mum for a short while.  I also remember him breaking a wrist, I think it was, at sports day.  A year or two later and again at sports day, he caused quite a commotion, turning up in a flash car with a flash suit and a flash girl (or two)!
 
I never thought I'd want to remember those days!
 
Regards,
Robert (Bob) Crocker
 
A postscript:
 
Mum came to Peter Symonds' to study science because she wanted to be a doctor - not very fashionable for women in those days - and St. Swithuns didn't offer the science.  Obviously Grandfather was able to pull some strings, which helped.  Many years later, Mother and Father attended the meeting for parents of prospective pupils when I was due to join.  During Mr. Ashurst's address, he assured parents that 'Peter Symonds' is a boys school. Always was a boys school, always will be a boys school' (which was disproved in Mr. Ashurst's own reign, as there were two or three girls in the sixth form during my time).  This assertion caused a little amusement on the platform behind him, because at least two masters (Pongo Cox and Tom Pierce) were teaching at the school when Mother was there, and one or two more were pupils at the time.
 

10 March 2002

3-Tonner / Farleigh Mount Field Days

Read Steve Drake's posting re school holidays and was reminded of other trips out in the 3-tonner.  Mostly CCF field days to Farleigh Mount (haven't been there for years!), but also further afield on occasions.  The worst of the thing was that, if the flap in the front of the canopy was open, Hetty or Pete (or whoever else was in the cab) could see you so you couldn't get away with having a smoke.  However, if you closed the flap, the back filled with exhaust fumes and you couldn't smoke for coughing anyway!
 
On the subject of field days to Farleigh Mount, I recall that we were issued with 5 (or maybe 10) rounds of blank .303 ammo and were told we had to capture a 'machine gun emplacement'.  Those unlucky enough to man the machine gun were issued with twice as many rounds as the rest of us.  On the command, the attackers proceeded to move towards the target using whatever variation of crawl you could do whilst remaining reasonably clean - though some were less fussy about this than others.  During this process, the heads of a number of unfortunate daisies would be blown to pieces.  Eventually, the exercise would be called to a conclusion (not, usually, because the target had been captured, more that the supervising officer was bored to tears) and then we would be marched back to school.  If we arrived early enough, rifle cleaning was then the drill.  Can anyone tell me, was Peter Symonds' solely responsible for the extinction of the Farleigh Mount daisy population, or did they recover?
 
Any other memories of Field Days?

3-Tonner / Farleigh Mount Field Days

Read Steve Drake's posting re school holidays and was reminded of other trips out in the 3-tonner.  Mostly CCF field days to Farleigh Mount (haven't been there for years!), but also further afield on occasions.  The worst of the thing was that, if the flap in the front of the canopy was open, Hetty or Pete (or whoever else was in the cab) could see you so you couldn't get away with having a smoke.  However, if you closed the flap, the back filled with exhaust fumes and you couldn't smoke for coughing anyway!
 
On the subject of field days to Farleigh Mount, I recall that we were issued with 5 (or maybe 10) rounds of blank .303 ammo and were told we had to capture a 'machine gun emplacement'.  Those unlucky enough to man the machine gun were issued with twice as many rounds as the rest of us.  On the command, the attackers proceeded to move towards the target using whatever variation of crawl you could do whilst remaining reasonably clean - though some were less fussy about this than others.  During this process, the heads of a number of unfortunate daisies would be blown to pieces.  Eventually, the exercise would be called to a conclusion (not, usually, because the target had been captured, more that the supervising officer was bored to tears) and then we would be marched back to school.  If we arrived early enough, rifle cleaning was then the drill.  Can anyone tell me, was Peter Symonds' solely responsible for the extinction of the Farleigh Mount daisy population, or did they recover?
 
Any other memories of Field Days?

07 March 2002

the site is now searchable

hi,
I am surprised but I have managed to provide a search engine for the site. It is at the bottom of the Welcome page.  Tell me how you get on with it.
jim wishart

the site is now searchable

hi,
I am surprised but I have managed to provide a search engine for the site. It is at the bottom of the Welcome page.  Tell me how you get on with it.
jim wishart

01 March 2002

amending photo descriptions

hi,
I have amended the settings to the photo albums so that members can alter the title or description of any photos.  For example you can add a note to the effect that you feature in the photo which should be more direct than adding a message to the board.
You can also delete the photos but lets hope that nobody feels inclined to do that!
regards,
jim wishart  

amending photo descriptions

hi,
I have amended the settings to the photo albums so that members can alter the title or description of any photos.  For example you can add a note to the effect that you feature in the photo which should be more direct than adding a message to the board.
You can also delete the photos but lets hope that nobody feels inclined to do that!
regards,
jim wishart