David Singer 71-76

Remember me?

David Singer 71-76

Remember me?

Mr. Priestland

I was new to Mr. Priestland's 'O' level lit. class (Pride and prejudice and Pardoners Tale) when I spent Christmas with an uncle, who gave me a signet ring he had fashioned from a half crown - pretty neat. The first time I wore it to school, it caught Mr. Priestlands eye and he looked at it and then at the class with horror and, (with that unusual intonation of his) said "What's this, a form of thugs?". Thenceforth he greeted me with "Hello Knuckleduster Dick", that is is until I yielded and stopped wearing the ring.

 

Peter Churchill

Mr. Priestland

I was new to Mr. Priestland's 'O' level lit. class (Pride and prejudice and Pardoners Tale) when I spent Christmas with an uncle, who gave me a signet ring he had fashioned from a half crown - pretty neat. The first time I wore it to school, it caught Mr. Priestlands eye and he looked at it and then at the class with horror and, (with that unusual intonation of his) said "What's this, a form of thugs?". Thenceforth he greeted me with "Hello Knuckleduster Dick", that is is until I yielded and stopped wearing the ring.

 

Peter Churchill

Sixth form mutiny

Hi everyone

 

In an article entitled "How the sixth form seized an armoury and shut a school", published in "The Times" on Friday 24^th January 1997, Robin Young, "Times" columnist and former Symondian, describes an insurrection which allegedly took place at Peter Symonds School in the early summer of 1957. The so-called "mutiny" centred on the combined cadet force's armoury. Apparently, pupils supplied themselves with Lee Enfield .303 rifles, Bren guns, thunderflashes and blank and live ammunition and managed to bring all classses to a halt.

The upshot of all this was that once and for all the myth that "Corps" was compulsory and not voluntary was finally exploded.

I personally was not aware of any of this – I was in the RAF at the time and wonder if anyone else

a./ Has read the article

b./ Remembers the incident and can add a personal perspective of events.

Regards

 

Peter Churchill

Sixth form mutiny

Hi everyone

 

In an article entitled "How the sixth form seized an armoury and shut a school", published in "The Times" on Friday 24^th January 1997, Robin Young, "Times" columnist and former Symondian, describes an insurrection which allegedly took place at Peter Symonds School in the early summer of 1957. The so-called "mutiny" centred on the combined cadet force's armoury. Apparently, pupils supplied themselves with Lee Enfield .303 rifles, Bren guns, thunderflashes and blank and live ammunition and managed to bring all classses to a halt.

The upshot of all this was that once and for all the myth that "Corps" was compulsory and not voluntary was finally exploded.

I personally was not aware of any of this – I was in the RAF at the time and wonder if anyone else

a./ Has read the article

b./ Remembers the incident and can add a personal perspective of events.

Regards

 

Peter Churchill

Prefects Photo : 1951/52

Hi Jim,

 

John Forder and I when we met recently thought we recognized the following in this photo (from left):

 

Back row: John Sullivan, D? Gilson, Peter Bray, ? Pontin (possibly, Michael Whatmore, Peter Allcock, B? Hilton,(don' t know), Percy Candy, John Forder, Richard Wheatley, Peter Smith.

 

Front row: ? Hewlett, Alan Sanders, 'Barrel' May, Fred Johnson (Head Prefect), [Doc], Don Peckham, Ian Howarth, B? Henley?, Calvin Gaiger.

 

Does anybody know the others; indeed, have John and I correctly identified others than ourselves?   Or is all blurred by the mists of 50 years of time?

 

Regards

 

Peter Smith