War Chant 2

Sorry for a geriatric omission !!!!!!

The War Chant was :-

 

EE  Nicka DEEna  DEEna DEEna

EE  Nicka DEEna  DINEa DOE

OH   OH   HOPPity  OH

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS THE PETERS

War Chant 2

Sorry for a geriatric omission !!!!!!

The War Chant was :-

 

EE  Nicka DEEna  DEEna DEEna

EE  Nicka DEEna  DINEa DOE

OH   OH   HOPPity  OH

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS THE PETERS

War Chant

Season's Greetings to all.

When I arrived in 1934, we had a war chant which was shouted enthusiastically in support of PSS entrants in competitions.

Emphasis was on the parts in bold type and it went :-

EE  Nicka DEEna  DEEna DEEna

EE  Nicka DEEna  DINEa DOE

EE  Nicka DEEna DEEna DEEna

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS THE PETERS.

 

But during my time, Doc Freeman banned it, claming that it was based on an Australian chant and totally unsuited to the status of the school !!!!

War Chant

Season's Greetings to all.

When I arrived in 1934, we had a war chant which was shouted enthusiastically in support of PSS entrants in competitions.

Emphasis was on the parts in bold type and it went :-

EE  Nicka DEEna  DEEna DEEna

EE  Nicka DEEna  DINEa DOE

EE  Nicka DEEna DEEna DEEna

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS THE PETERS.

 

But during my time, Doc Freeman banned it, claming that it was based on an Australian chant and totally unsuited to the status of the school !!!!

wyke lodge boarding

Hi my name is Anna and I came across this website by chance! I have recently boarded at Wyke Lodge (2001-2003) and was so surprised to see all the old photos of the house - it was difficult when we were there to find out exactly what the house used to be like!

I dont know if many people are aware but the house is actually closing down this year and Symonds is just going to use the other two boarding houses instead. I would love to hear stories of what was life was like in the house in the past!

If anyone has boarded there then pls get in touch!

wyke lodge boarding

Hi my name is Anna and I came across this website by chance! I have recently boarded at Wyke Lodge (2001-2003) and was so surprised to see all the old photos of the house - it was difficult when we were there to find out exactly what the house used to be like!

I dont know if many people are aware but the house is actually closing down this year and Symonds is just going to use the other two boarding houses instead. I would love to hear stories of what was life was like in the house in the past!

If anyone has boarded there then pls get in touch!

Alison Burns?

Does anyone know any contact details / information on Alison Burns at Symonds from 83-85. Lived at Compton Down...

Many thanks

Simon Burdett

Also at Symonds 83-84 (cut short!)

Alison Burns?

Does anyone know any contact details / information on Alison Burns at Symonds from 83-85. Lived at Compton Down...

Many thanks

Simon Burdett

Also at Symonds 83-84 (cut short!)

Reply

Hi Jim
A potted history- as memory allows.
Western Primary---48-54.
Peter Symonds---54-59
Ordnance Survey Soton---59-65.
Married Jan Merriman---64
To Oz---65.
Final year class master—Tom Pearce.
With Frank Stillwell—Roger Williams—
John Merriman (brother in law)
Others---Lancaster—Grove twins—Shea—Marston—
Jarvis—Critchell mike—Barron enough!
Also on Mintys mailing list
Regards Tony.

Reply

Hi Jim
A potted history- as memory allows.
Western Primary---48-54.
Peter Symonds---54-59
Ordnance Survey Soton---59-65.
Married Jan Merriman---64
To Oz---65.
Final year class master—Tom Pearce.
With Frank Stillwell—Roger Williams—
John Merriman (brother in law)
Others---Lancaster—Grove twins—Shea—Marston—
Jarvis—Critchell mike—Barron enough!
Also on Mintys mailing list
Regards Tony.

Re: I'm off for a while

Hi Jim ... for some reason, known only to Microsoft, your address could not be found !!! ... have 'forwarded' my original message ... hope you get it this time

 

Doug

Note: forwarded message attached.

---

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Re: I'm off for a while

Hi Jim ... for some reason, known only to Microsoft, your address could not be found !!! ... have 'forwarded' my original message ... hope you get it this time

 

Doug

Note: forwarded message attached.

---

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- New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time!

Army Cadet Camp 1949

Hi Mick und andere !!!

 

Well I haven't seen your pic yet Mick, but I guess it will arrive soon !!! ... I will keep my word and send mine too ... mine was taken outside my house in Chandler's Ford ... I am as trim a taught now, as I was then ... I WISH  ... !!!!!!!!!!  ... (ONE day, I might even post an up-to-date pic of me)

 

Mick, you didn't say whether that was you or your brother on the far left on the pic of the group taken prior to boarding the bus to go to Warminster

 

All the best from Oz

 

Doug Clews

---

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- New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time!

Army Cadet Camp 1949

Hi Mick und andere !!!

 

Well I haven't seen your pic yet Mick, but I guess it will arrive soon !!! ... I will keep my word and send mine too ... mine was taken outside my house in Chandler's Ford ... I am as trim a taught now, as I was then ... I WISH  ... !!!!!!!!!!  ... (ONE day, I might even post an up-to-date pic of me)

 

Mick, you didn't say whether that was you or your brother on the far left on the pic of the group taken prior to boarding the bus to go to Warminster

 

All the best from Oz

 

Doug Clews

---

Yahoo! Personals

- New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time!

Peter Symonds mentioned on BAFTA awards ceremony.

Well nearly.

Billy Connelly was the subject of a special TV BAFTA programme last night. Jack Dee contributed to the fun by telling how he once met Billy at some function or other and the next day got suspended from school by telling one of his jokes to the headmaster's wife.

 

regards,

 

jim   

Peter Symonds mentioned on BAFTA awards ceremony.

Well nearly.

Billy Connelly was the subject of a special TV BAFTA programme last night. Jack Dee contributed to the fun by telling how he once met Billy at some function or other and the next day got suspended from school by telling one of his jokes to the headmaster's wife.

 

regards,

 

jim   

PSSW Hockey Team 1949/50

Hi All !!!

As I mentioned in a message to Jim Wishart about Cadet Camp, I was a 'Volunteer' for the 'Resurrected' School Hockey Team ... I say 'resurrected', because it is my belief that there was a Hockey Team in earlier years ... before WWII I think ...

Question ... does anyone have any photos of the 'resurrected' team of the 1949/50 era ??? ... a few names I can remember ... Pete Cox, 'Podge' Wheatley, Phil Lovegrove ... sorry to the others I can't remember ...

Hopefully, someone can come up with something ... I am sure someone must have clicked a shutter or two !!!

Doug Clews

Perth Western Australia

PSSW Hockey Team 1949/50

Hi All !!!

As I mentioned in a message to Jim Wishart about Cadet Camp, I was a 'Volunteer' for the 'Resurrected' School Hockey Team ... I say 'resurrected', because it is my belief that there was a Hockey Team in earlier years ... before WWII I think ...

Question ... does anyone have any photos of the 'resurrected' team of the 1949/50 era ??? ... a few names I can remember ... Pete Cox, 'Podge' Wheatley, Phil Lovegrove ... sorry to the others I can't remember ...

Hopefully, someone can come up with something ... I am sure someone must have clicked a shutter or two !!!

Doug Clews

Perth Western Australia

Doc Freeman's weekly talks

Here in the UK there is a short TV series on at present called 'The Theory of Everything' (8pm on Channel 4, Sunday nights). Last week they talked about Einstein and the Relativity Theory.  It reminded me that Doc brought the subject up in his talks and spoke with reverence of the mathematics involved. I got the impression that he had worked through it himself and was trying to encourage us to do the same!  I must admit I never got round to it.  The programme is worth watching though.

However I am of the school that believes that it is impossible to "discover everything". How do you answer the question "why is there something rather than nothing" in a scientific way?  You don't have to answer that question!!   

 

regards,

jim  

Doc Freeman's weekly talks

Here in the UK there is a short TV series on at present called 'The Theory of Everything' (8pm on Channel 4, Sunday nights). Last week they talked about Einstein and the Relativity Theory.  It reminded me that Doc brought the subject up in his talks and spoke with reverence of the mathematics involved. I got the impression that he had worked through it himself and was trying to encourage us to do the same!  I must admit I never got round to it.  The programme is worth watching though.

However I am of the school that believes that it is impossible to "discover everything". How do you answer the question "why is there something rather than nothing" in a scientific way?  You don't have to answer that question!!   

 

regards,

jim  

Army Cadet Camp 1948

Hi all !!! ... I have just posted 4 photos of the CCF Army Section 1948 Camp contingent ... apart from Mr Hammond and Mr Pearce, the only other people I recognise are Peter Cox (Cox P.E.) and Paul Tipple (Sgt) ... the ex KRRC RSM is in civilian dress standing in front of the 'Guard Squad', but I regret I cannot remember his name either ... I must be having a 'Seniors Moment' ... hopefully, there is someone out there who can fill in some names ... I would be very pleased to be able to identify people ...

All the best from Western Australia

Doug Clews

Army Cadet Camp 1948

Hi all !!! ... I have just posted 4 photos of the CCF Army Section 1948 Camp contingent ... apart from Mr Hammond and Mr Pearce, the only other people I recognise are Peter Cox (Cox P.E.) and Paul Tipple (Sgt) ... the ex KRRC RSM is in civilian dress standing in front of the 'Guard Squad', but I regret I cannot remember his name either ... I must be having a 'Seniors Moment' ... hopefully, there is someone out there who can fill in some names ... I would be very pleased to be able to identify people ...

All the best from Western Australia

Doug Clews

'unlikely' members

Recently we have had a couple of instances of what I call 'unlikely' members joining. They have no connection with the school and join mainly for some commercial or other maybe suspect reason. I remove them as soon as I find out but the first message they write gets sent out to all members. I like to be as liberal as I can in running this list and will continue to allow joining without vetting but if anyone feels

that I should change the policy, let me know and we can think about it.

regards,

 

jim,   

'unlikely' members

Recently we have had a couple of instances of what I call 'unlikely' members joining. They have no connection with the school and join mainly for some commercial or other maybe suspect reason. I remove them as soon as I find out but the first message they write gets sent out to all members. I like to be as liberal as I can in running this list and will continue to allow joining without vetting but if anyone feels

that I should change the policy, let me know and we can think about it.

regards,

 

jim,   

School Band 1948

oThe chap on the far right on the front row is my brother David Cound

 

 I am John Cound 1951-1953 . We moved up to Loughborough in 1953 so I had to leave. We lived at 52 Hatherley Road, nice and close to school. I remember one evening I was practicing football on the playing fields opposite my house which we got to through the allotments opposite Cooksie,s house, when Imet up with one of the Harrison brothers who was prbably 4 or 5 years older than me. He challenged me to try to score a goal from the penalty spot with him in goal. I was a very keen footballer at the time,however the upshot was that I placed right in the corner of the net! Strangly I was alittle embarrassed as he was one of my heros at the time. Does anyone remember Charlie Wayman ,Saints inside right and very prolific goal scorer at the time?

 

John Cound

School Band 1948

oThe chap on the far right on the front row is my brother David Cound

 

 I am John Cound 1951-1953 . We moved up to Loughborough in 1953 so I had to leave. We lived at 52 Hatherley Road, nice and close to school. I remember one evening I was practicing football on the playing fields opposite my house which we got to through the allotments opposite Cooksie,s house, when Imet up with one of the Harrison brothers who was prbably 4 or 5 years older than me. He challenged me to try to score a goal from the penalty spot with him in goal. I was a very keen footballer at the time,however the upshot was that I placed right in the corner of the net! Strangly I was alittle embarrassed as he was one of my heros at the time. Does anyone remember Charlie Wayman ,Saints inside right and very prolific goal scorer at the time?

 

John Cound

Boarders 1968-75; Re-union 2003-Aug-23/24

Tim Lavender was the driving force behind this re-union; Tim, Mark Wastie and I met at the ButterCross on Saturday morning and renewed our acquaintance with the Cathedral, Stockbridge Road, Inner Fields and the Outer Fields (the old cricket roller is STILL there!).  Walking through Kelso garden, we were invited (by the current owner of Barton Seagrave, now a private house), to view the old dormitories in Barton Seagrave where Tim, Mike, Charlie Ramble et al spent our second year.

 

Later in the afternoon, Nigel Megson joined us for a pint an the Jolly Farmer and we then adjourned to the King Alfred pub.

 

In the evening Tim, Mark, Mike and Mike's wife Lesley collected Charlie Ramble at winchester railway station and we then met up with Phil Bromley at the White Horse in Otterbourne.  En-route back to Mike's home in Fair Oak, we dropped in on Nigel's barbecue.

 

A brief selection of photos is attached.  Mark Wastie is departing imminently for Australia and we are thinking about the future re-unions.

 

Mike Hindson-Evans (Mike Evans, PSS 1968-1975)

Attachment: Hyde Tavern - Mark, Mike, Nigel 2003-08-23.jpg

Boarders 1968-75; Re-union 2003-Aug-23/24

Tim Lavender was the driving force behind this re-union; Tim, Mark Wastie and I met at the ButterCross on Saturday morning and renewed our acquaintance with the Cathedral, Stockbridge Road, Inner Fields and the Outer Fields (the old cricket roller is STILL there!).  Walking through Kelso garden, we were invited (by the current owner of Barton Seagrave, now a private house), to view the old dormitories in Barton Seagrave where Tim, Mike, Charlie Ramble et al spent our second year.

 

Later in the afternoon, Nigel Megson joined us for a pint an the Jolly Farmer and we then adjourned to the King Alfred pub.

 

In the evening Tim, Mark, Mike and Mike's wife Lesley collected Charlie Ramble at winchester railway station and we then met up with Phil Bromley at the White Horse in Otterbourne.  En-route back to Mike's home in Fair Oak, we dropped in on Nigel's barbecue.

 

A brief selection of photos is attached.  Mark Wastie is departing imminently for Australia and we are thinking about the future re-unions.

 

Mike Hindson-Evans (Mike Evans, PSS 1968-1975)

Attachment: Hyde Tavern - Mark, Mike, Nigel 2003-08-23.jpg

Peter Symonds 1962-69 @ Kelso House

There seems to be a 'black hole' in the nostalgia during the time that we "baby boomers" were at Peter Symonds, except in the Obituary Column, where we can read that those Masters we used to look up to (and despise whilst we were doing their Detentions!) are no longer around.  Does anyone else remember the day the plugs were stolen from the basins in the downstairs toilets at Varley Hall, and Headmaster John Ashurst collected a penny (1d) from every boy in the school to pay for their replacement?  Or when one boy, as a punishment for misbehaving in the Gym, was made (by 'Neddy' Bray) to run naked around the quad in the snow for 30 minutes whilst the rest of Class lower 5P finished their lesson?!  I did  not knick the plugs, but it was me streaking in the snow!  Was anyone else there? (No photographs exist of this event - I hope!)

Joe Brown (now a mostly reformed character, known as Andy Brown)

Peter Symonds 1962-69 @ Kelso House

There seems to be a 'black hole' in the nostalgia during the time that we "baby boomers" were at Peter Symonds, except in the Obituary Column, where we can read that those Masters we used to look up to (and despise whilst we were doing their Detentions!) are no longer around.  Does anyone else remember the day the plugs were stolen from the basins in the downstairs toilets at Varley Hall, and Headmaster John Ashurst collected a penny (1d) from every boy in the school to pay for their replacement?  Or when one boy, as a punishment for misbehaving in the Gym, was made (by 'Neddy' Bray) to run naked around the quad in the snow for 30 minutes whilst the rest of Class lower 5P finished their lesson?!  I did  not knick the plugs, but it was me streaking in the snow!  Was anyone else there? (No photographs exist of this event - I hope!)

Joe Brown (now a mostly reformed character, known as Andy Brown)

Recent Awards

Cogratulations to Charles ("Chas") Taylor and Phil Lovegrove on their recent awards !!!

 

I have photos of both Chas and Phil in their younger years, but I would not like to "publish" them on here without their approval ...

 

Charles, yours is with your Dad and a group of BRCS Cadets, (3 ex PSSW including yourself) and Phil, yours is at a Tramps Supper in the Ritchie Hall in Chandler's Ford back in the days of the "Odd Bods"

 

If you are happy, then please let me know and I will "release" them !!!

 

Cheers to the two of you and well done !!!

 

Doug Clews ... Perth Western Australia 

Recent Awards

Cogratulations to Charles ("Chas") Taylor and Phil Lovegrove on their recent awards !!!

 

I have photos of both Chas and Phil in their younger years, but I would not like to "publish" them on here without their approval ...

 

Charles, yours is with your Dad and a group of BRCS Cadets, (3 ex PSSW including yourself) and Phil, yours is at a Tramps Supper in the Ritchie Hall in Chandler's Ford back in the days of the "Odd Bods"

 

If you are happy, then please let me know and I will "release" them !!!

 

Cheers to the two of you and well done !!!

 

Doug Clews ... Perth Western Australia 

trouble accessing the site

hello,

I am having trouble accessing the site. I am not recognised by MSN on my own computer and I don't seem to be able to join any site with a new name. I have switched off my firewall program and done a virus check without any improvement. I am using my son's computer at his home which seems to overcome the problem but that is not a permanent solution. If anyone has any ideas I'd be pleased,

regards,

jim 

 

   

trouble accessing the site

hello,

I am having trouble accessing the site. I am not recognised by MSN on my own computer and I don't seem to be able to join any site with a new name. I have switched off my firewall program and done a virus check without any improvement. I am using my son's computer at his home which seems to overcome the problem but that is not a permanent solution. If anyone has any ideas I'd be pleased,

regards,

jim 

 

   

The Old Symondians Society newsletter

Hi everyone,

 

I have just added the latest edition of Mike Conlan's OSS newsletter to the site here

We are now up to 99 members! Should we throw a party when we get the ton?

 

Best regards,

 

jim  

The Old Symondians Society newsletter

Hi everyone,

 

I have just added the latest edition of Mike Conlan's OSS newsletter to the site here

We are now up to 99 members! Should we throw a party when we get the ton?

 

Best regards,

 

jim  

The School Cap

 

Does anyone know when the School Cap ceased to be worn? Was it worn from the earliest days of the school?

Some boys, who perhaps inherited theirs, had classier-looking caps than the type my mother bought for me when I joined the school. That type was possibly a "Utility" version originating during the war years. I hated caps in general but found the Peter Symonds cap of the time with its garish alternate segments of bright yellow and blue, particularly loathsome (the yellow, incidentally, turned greenish when rained upon for the first time). My mother loved it though despite the fact that the combination of garish cap and short-back-and sides haircut made my sticky-out ears even more prominent.

In summer, especially around Founders Day, the better-off sported straw boaters, do you remember that? I never manage to aspire to that but later on I did get a new cap (was my head swelling due to increased knowledge I wonder?) and the design of this cap reverted to the earlier one I had seen on some of the prefects when I joined the school. The "new" cap was of superior quality and much more expensive to boot. Good business for that little shop in the High Street which today would be at risk of being reported to the monopolies commission. Regrettably the first day I wore it, probably some time in 1952, an older boy enquired whether it had a "Whee" in it, took it from my head and threw it through the air, gleefully shouting "wheeeeee". It fell in a puddle.

The School Cap

 

Does anyone know when the School Cap ceased to be worn? Was it worn from the earliest days of the school?

Some boys, who perhaps inherited theirs, had classier-looking caps than the type my mother bought for me when I joined the school. That type was possibly a "Utility" version originating during the war years. I hated caps in general but found the Peter Symonds cap of the time with its garish alternate segments of bright yellow and blue, particularly loathsome (the yellow, incidentally, turned greenish when rained upon for the first time). My mother loved it though despite the fact that the combination of garish cap and short-back-and sides haircut made my sticky-out ears even more prominent.

In summer, especially around Founders Day, the better-off sported straw boaters, do you remember that? I never manage to aspire to that but later on I did get a new cap (was my head swelling due to increased knowledge I wonder?) and the design of this cap reverted to the earlier one I had seen on some of the prefects when I joined the school. The "new" cap was of superior quality and much more expensive to boot. Good business for that little shop in the High Street which today would be at risk of being reported to the monopolies commission. Regrettably the first day I wore it, probably some time in 1952, an older boy enquired whether it had a "Whee" in it, took it from my head and threw it through the air, gleefully shouting "wheeeeee". It fell in a puddle.

Class of '71 reunion 14th June 2003

35 of us got together and still managed to recognise each other after 32 years . The evidence is being loaded into a new album on this site . Please see if you can spot any of us in the photos !!

 

Keith

Class of '71 reunion 14th June 2003

35 of us got together and still managed to recognise each other after 32 years . The evidence is being loaded into a new album on this site . Please see if you can spot any of us in the photos !!

 

Keith

Re: A child's book

Anybody who survived flying the 'electric kite' would be the right stuff to face the Luftwaffe!
============================================================
From: "jim wishart"
Date: 2003/05/15 Thu PM 07:21:38 GMT
To: "peter symonds, winchester, unofficial nostalgia corner"
Subject: Re: A child's book

-----------------------------------------------------------

New Message on peter symonds, winchester, unofficial nostalgia corner

-----------------------------------------------------------
From: jim wishart
Message 3 in Discussion

I have now had a chance to browse the BOP annual and it has been really enjoyable. The articles are so evocative of the age, the twenties. Here are a couple of instances.
There was a 'Hobbies' page. November 1922 had a design for a pump for a model steamer. It started-
"Those boys who possess a model steam-boat, or who contemplate making one, will be a trifle bothered about the business of a pump, no doubt. It is a well-built model steamer that does not leak at the propellor shaft, and no matter how well built, if the weather is rough, the boat is bound to take a quantity of water aboard.....
....to the boy who knows how an oscillating cylinder works, the picture will explain itself. To others, a little explanation is needed....
[Well, even after sixty years, the picture doesn't explain itself and the further explanation is quite dense! I suppose what I am saying is that maybe we expected more of our teenagers in the twenties?] Another item in the same hobbies section included an article on 'Making an electric kite'.
It starts- "Would you like to possess an 'electric kite, or in other words, make yourself a kite capable of flying to a considerable height and drawing down to the earth the free electricity from the atmosphere in visible form, so that it can be seen flashing and sparkling like a miniature lightning storm? It is very readily done, and forms a most amusing and instructive thing..."
It goes on in several paragraphs to describe the venture and then finally, maybe after the editor has seen the contribution at a late stage says
"Simple and easy as this sounds, you must be careful in flying such a kite-- particularly in thundery weather. At all times, the string ought to be passed over an iron or metal railing after leaving the hand, and it should never knowingly be flown when thunder is near"
Times change don't they?

jim


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============================================================

Re: A child's book

Anybody who survived flying the 'electric kite' would be the right stuff to face the Luftwaffe!
============================================================
From: "jim wishart"
Date: 2003/05/15 Thu PM 07:21:38 GMT
To: "peter symonds, winchester, unofficial nostalgia corner"
Subject: Re: A child's book

-----------------------------------------------------------

New Message on peter symonds, winchester, unofficial nostalgia corner

-----------------------------------------------------------
From: jim wishart
Message 3 in Discussion

I have now had a chance to browse the BOP annual and it has been really enjoyable. The articles are so evocative of the age, the twenties. Here are a couple of instances.
There was a 'Hobbies' page. November 1922 had a design for a pump for a model steamer. It started-
"Those boys who possess a model steam-boat, or who contemplate making one, will be a trifle bothered about the business of a pump, no doubt. It is a well-built model steamer that does not leak at the propellor shaft, and no matter how well built, if the weather is rough, the boat is bound to take a quantity of water aboard.....
....to the boy who knows how an oscillating cylinder works, the picture will explain itself. To others, a little explanation is needed....
[Well, even after sixty years, the picture doesn't explain itself and the further explanation is quite dense! I suppose what I am saying is that maybe we expected more of our teenagers in the twenties?] Another item in the same hobbies section included an article on 'Making an electric kite'.
It starts- "Would you like to possess an 'electric kite, or in other words, make yourself a kite capable of flying to a considerable height and drawing down to the earth the free electricity from the atmosphere in visible form, so that it can be seen flashing and sparkling like a miniature lightning storm? It is very readily done, and forms a most amusing and instructive thing..."
It goes on in several paragraphs to describe the venture and then finally, maybe after the editor has seen the contribution at a late stage says
"Simple and easy as this sounds, you must be careful in flying such a kite-- particularly in thundery weather. At all times, the string ought to be passed over an iron or metal railing after leaving the hand, and it should never knowingly be flown when thunder is near"
Times change don't they?

jim


-----------------------------------------------------------

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============================================================

A child's book

Hello,
This isn't a Peter Pips story but it is pure nostalgia so maybe it's allowable?

In 1943 when I was seven, my brother Peter and I were packed off to our aunt at Overton in north Hampshire for a month or two. I think our mother had to have an operation. Our uncle was a gamekeeper for Portals the banknote paper people and we had a great time helping the beaters on pheasant shoots, picking bluebells and generally running riot. Uncle had a copy of a Boy's Own Paper Annual that he may have had as a present as a boy. We pored over it with delight spending much time studying the pictures and reading the stories. When we left they gave us the book and we treasured it. Then, some years later, the book went missing and since then I have been looking for it. With the advent of the internet I thought that I might have a good chance of tracking it down. I contacted many booksellers without success. Then, feeling fully recovered after an op. last August, I decided to try to find the book in the British Library and yesterday Anne and I took the train to Euston and walked the short distance to the Library. It's an impressive place isn't? After having some trouble with the very clunky computer system we ordered a bunch of the volumes and sat back and waited at our desk. Oh joy, the fifth one, volume 45 of 1923, was the one I was looking for. I recognised every picture and I found the hairs on my neck tingling! When we got home to Northampton I checked on the internet and found a bookseller in Cromer who had a copy for £16. So now I wait with happy anticipation for the postman's knock on the door.

 

jim   

A child's book

Hello,
This isn't a Peter Pips story but it is pure nostalgia so maybe it's allowable?

In 1943 when I was seven, my brother Peter and I were packed off to our aunt at Overton in north Hampshire for a month or two. I think our mother had to have an operation. Our uncle was a gamekeeper for Portals the banknote paper people and we had a great time helping the beaters on pheasant shoots, picking bluebells and generally running riot. Uncle had a copy of a Boy's Own Paper Annual that he may have had as a present as a boy. We pored over it with delight spending much time studying the pictures and reading the stories. When we left they gave us the book and we treasured it. Then, some years later, the book went missing and since then I have been looking for it. With the advent of the internet I thought that I might have a good chance of tracking it down. I contacted many booksellers without success. Then, feeling fully recovered after an op. last August, I decided to try to find the book in the British Library and yesterday Anne and I took the train to Euston and walked the short distance to the Library. It's an impressive place isn't? After having some trouble with the very clunky computer system we ordered a bunch of the volumes and sat back and waited at our desk. Oh joy, the fifth one, volume 45 of 1923, was the one I was looking for. I recognised every picture and I found the hairs on my neck tingling! When we got home to Northampton I checked on the internet and found a bookseller in Cromer who had a copy for £16. So now I wait with happy anticipation for the postman's knock on the door.

 

jim   

The Fives Courts

Does anyone know what happened to the two "Fives Courts" which were roughly in line with the block that began with the Biology Lab and ended with the room where CANY taught Geography and from which they were just a few yards stroll? In the Rugby Fives Association listing, there are Rugby Fives courts in Winchester (at Winchester College) but no mention of there being any at Peter Symond’s College. There are apparently no Eton Fives courts at all in Winchester according to the Eton Fives Association so I assume those at Symonds are gone.

Did we play "Eton" or "Rugby" fives? Did we play fives at all? During my time at the school I only ever saw the game played once and that was when I was on "Pre’s DT". Meanwhile the two courts just sort of stood there. You could climb on to those wooden platforms and watch nobody playing the game, or you could use the place to experiment with smoking (when one should perhaps have been in Mr Yates’ class). You could also compete at running up the wall and putting a chalk mark to show how high you got and you could use it for practising the harmonica (the acoustics were pretty good), but you didn’t generally play fives. Heck we didn’t know where to put our hands on the special gloves and ball and we had no idea of the rules! So, why did we have Fives courts at all and when were they built? Was it perhaps after "The College" built theirs, a simple case of keeping up appearances?

Peter Churchill

The Fives Courts

Does anyone know what happened to the two "Fives Courts" which were roughly in line with the block that began with the Biology Lab and ended with the room where CANY taught Geography and from which they were just a few yards stroll? In the Rugby Fives Association listing, there are Rugby Fives courts in Winchester (at Winchester College) but no mention of there being any at Peter Symond’s College. There are apparently no Eton Fives courts at all in Winchester according to the Eton Fives Association so I assume those at Symonds are gone.

Did we play "Eton" or "Rugby" fives? Did we play fives at all? During my time at the school I only ever saw the game played once and that was when I was on "Pre’s DT". Meanwhile the two courts just sort of stood there. You could climb on to those wooden platforms and watch nobody playing the game, or you could use the place to experiment with smoking (when one should perhaps have been in Mr Yates’ class). You could also compete at running up the wall and putting a chalk mark to show how high you got and you could use it for practising the harmonica (the acoustics were pretty good), but you didn’t generally play fives. Heck we didn’t know where to put our hands on the special gloves and ball and we had no idea of the rules! So, why did we have Fives courts at all and when were they built? Was it perhaps after "The College" built theirs, a simple case of keeping up appearances?

Peter Churchill

something for a dark winter evening!

Jack Dee is an old Symondian so I feel safe in reproducing his entry in this week's Radio Times-
"An ice-cream man was found dead in his van, covered in hundreds and thousands and raspberry syrup.  The police reckoned he'd topped himself."

 

jim   

something for a dark winter evening!

Jack Dee is an old Symondian so I feel safe in reproducing his entry in this week's Radio Times-
"An ice-cream man was found dead in his van, covered in hundreds and thousands and raspberry syrup.  The police reckoned he'd topped himself."

 

jim   

New pages on Peter Symonds site

Hello everyone and a happy new year,

 

I have posted some new pages on the site which have been produced by David Ward, an

older Symondian.  They report his experiences in the late thirties and forties in Winchester

and so cover the war period.  They should interest the older boys! They have there own button

on the left hand side of the introductory page.

David lived in Stanmore, quite near to our own house in Battery Hill.  There is to be a reunion

of Stanmorians[?] on February 8th, contact Jean Shawyer on 01962 868 683

if you are interested. 

 

best regards,

 

jim        

New pages on Peter Symonds site

Hello everyone and a happy new year,

 

I have posted some new pages on the site which have been produced by David Ward, an

older Symondian.  They report his experiences in the late thirties and forties in Winchester

and so cover the war period.  They should interest the older boys! They have there own button

on the left hand side of the introductory page.

David lived in Stanmore, quite near to our own house in Battery Hill.  There is to be a reunion

of Stanmorians[?] on February 8th, contact Jean Shawyer on 01962 868 683

if you are interested. 

 

best regards,

 

jim