1953 – The Old Boys Club

THE OLD BOYS' CLUB

President - - S. SLINGER, Esq.
Hon. Secretary - H. B. Cook
Hon. Treasurer - S. V. WHITE

Committee :  W. G. ELLIOTT (Headmaster)   

 H. RIDLER
T. V. PRATT
T. E. SMITH
G. GAGG
F. ALLEN
D. M. DICKINSON  J. MARKS
E. J. FENNER
K. BLANCH
S. KING
S PEGLER  

Life Members:  H. A. CLARK  R. H. ROBINSON

The dinner, on December 11th, 1952 was a happy affair graced this year by R. C. Perry-Uncle Bob. Having been brought into touch with the School again by his article on Athletics in our last number, he made the journey from Blandford, where he was just completing his teaching life. In retirement, he hopes to turn more attention to his art and athletics! In fact, this season he completed honourably in the Dorset twenty mile roadwalking Championship. He looks no older than when he left Stroud, and moves very well for a man in retirement. That a violin found its way into his hands after dinner goes without saying. Fortunately, Tuck's Hall does not include a swimming bath, or we really believe the guest of the evening would have dived in. All Old Boys who are interested will find Uncle Bob delighted to hear from them. The address is : .R. C. Perry, Avening, Nursery Road, Blandford, Dorset.

Are you listening Clarence Partridge, Dennis Amor? At Blandford, a member of the Town Council, is Lt. Col. P. P. King. He sends his best wishes, by Uncle Bob, to you.

Old Boys' Notes

"Outward Bound" Training School.
Several Boys old Boys of Messrs T. H. J. Daniels' Apprentice School have had the privilege of attending courses at the "Outward Bound" Schools at Eskdale and Aberdovey. Planned to discover and develop qualities desirable in young colonists and leaders, these severe courses follow the general lines of Battle School and Commando Courses. The members are soundly tested in Athletics, Seamanship Climbing and Leadership.

Gerald Clarke has won Silver Medals in the Hundred, Half, Two Miles and Long Jump, with Honours in the high Jump and Standards in the Weight and Javelin. John Clark won Silver Medals in the Two Miles, and half, Standards in Mountain Rescue, Javelin, High Jump and Seamanship. These require only a Qualification in Swimming for a General Medal. P. Walker, in his good general result, scored an especially good Two Miles, being very close to J Clark. Unlike these three, R. Ireland went to Eskdale where his Half in 2 minutes 6 seconds gained a Silver Medal but not 1st place in the race. The winner has our congratulations ;he must be good. Since their return from Everest, the successful members of Sir J. Hunt's party have visited Mr. Eric Shipton at the Eskdale School and climbed there. D. Elliott, W. Lewis and several others have returned with useful records.

The 1953 Gloucestershire Junior Athletic Champion over 440 yards is Gerald Clarke. Hearty congratulations.

Herbert Barton (1938-42) has qualified by passing the Final Examination of the Institution of Municipal Engineers.

W. H. Morgan (1935-39) of Oakridge is now a Flying Instructor (R.A.F. Rhodesia)

C. A. Merrick (1933-37) is now on the teaching Staff of Wednesbury Technical College, after War service in the R.A.F.

S. J. Pegler has gone as Station Officer to Worcester City Fire Service.

Gordon Tuck (1934-38) of Frampton Mansell Glebe, now of Chalford, won the Culver Cup this year at the Cotswold Scramble at Nympsfield.

D. West and R. Allen (1946-50) are at Combermere Barracks, Windsor, in the Royal Horse Guards. After their course in the Regt.. Riding School and training on Armoured Cars, they nevertheless had to march in the Coronation Procession.

David West (1947-51) writes of the Coronation from his Unit, The Royal Horse Guards, at Windsor. Rehearsals included sword drill every day for four months, a weekly route march round the Great Park, and two full dress rehearsals at 5 a.m. (05.00 hours !).

The great day was easier because the Royal Horse Guards paraded at. 10.45, joined the return procession to march in breeches, jack boots, breast plate and helmet-possibly as he says most difficult No. I dress for marching. He did not see the Queen until 9 p.m.(21.00 hours) being then off duty. The R.H.G. received a rum issue to drink Her Majesty's health-for many the chief feature of the day.

Congratulations to Mr. A. C. Walker (1928-32) on becoming Headmatsre of Brimscombe Secondary Modern School.

During the holiday a very old Painswick Old Boy visited the School. He is Mr. Kimberley who was one of the original party who came to Downfield when the classes from Lansdown and Brimscombe occupied the new buildings. In the R.N.A.S. in the First War he won the D.S.M., and in R.A.O.C., later R.E.M.E. he in France 1939-40, then Gibraltar, Malta, India and Bunma; as Major. In the former war a mishap with a Mills' bomb and a Cup projector, cost him, from his pay, the price of a new rifle. The Zeppelin, at which he fired, remained unscathed.

J. Marshall (1945-49) has completed four years in the Royal Navy, with much service in H.M.S. Eagle. The Navy is, in his phrase, "a man's Paradise"

J. Rudge (Life Guards), J. Horwood, P. Coleman, R. Ponting and R. Young, all of the R.N., have recently visited the School.

R. Toombs is now with the Ministry of Supply in Lancashire.

H. Hunt (1943-47) of Frampton is 2nd Electrician on a New Zealand ship, the Ruahine. F. Gardiner (1934-38) has gone to Canada after a short stay here since his return from Rhodesia.

P. Ford (1939-43) has gained the Higher National Certificate (in Thermo-Dynamics, Machines and Strength of Materials). P. Darby (1943-47) also gained this qualification in the same subjects. Both attended Stroud & District Technical College.

C. Stagg, of Brimscombe, is now Hon. Sec. of the Stroud Valley Motor Cycle Club.

We have heard from J Creed, N P B Dean, P Doel, B. Coles, J. Whiting, W. Beard, D. Hunt who are serving overseas.

R. Young has served for some months in the Implacable, as Stoker Mechanic. He visited the Med. in February last, but at present is at Weymouth in the Training Squadron with the Editor's godson. He was at Spithead for the Coronation Review.

Kenneth May, M.I.E.E., and at this School 1914-18, addressed Stroud Rotary Club on the 21st March on "The Severn Barrage Hydro-Electric Project". His stimulating talk roused keen discussion.

When E. Morgan (R.N.) attended a course on Salisbury Plain he found that P.O. Kenneth Coleman of Amberley, Morgan's own village, was an Instructor. Morgan's course went with a bang (it concerned small arms) for his Instructor and he travelled together at weekends, on one Monday being "adrift" for four hours owing to the ice on their roads. Morgan had the pleasure of standing back while P.O. Coleman spoke up. ("Stopped a rocket" is the military phrase.)

Obituary

R. Lavis F. W. Peters A. Turk A. G. Wood

It is with great regret that we record the deaths of the four Old Boys named above. The former three all endured long illnesses, of several years in each case, with the utmost fortitude and, what is often harder, with steady cheerfulness. Richard Lavis died as the result of his War Service, Alan Turk could not complete his School course, and Bill Peters, after a serious operation in his infancy, never knew full health.

Of A. G. Wood it is hard to speak yet. He died with stunning suddenness in a terrible accident; we shall miss him every day at the times he used to pass.