Rope Hill Preparatory School Boldre Hants/Dorset

RE: RE: Rope Hill Preparatory School, Boldre, Hants/Dorset

I too attended Rope Hill, as a day boy whilst living at Brockenhurst and Milford-on-Sea. I have just astounded myself by running through a school photo of 1955 and remembering at least 2 dozen names - here are some of them: Cutler, Wynn, Pope (Maj and Minor), Jack,Collins, Dibden, Ralston (Maj, Mminor and Minimus), Sutton, Good, Withers(Maj and Minor), Griffiths, Marr, Givan, Clarke, Ellis (Groundsmans son), Burroughs, Jones, Bennett, Brown, Turville (Maj,Minor and Minimus), Carter, Bostock, Rhymes, Cattermole, Atkinson, Passmore, Bateman, Weaver, House, Hice, Bagnall twins, Slater, Jennings. I havnt a clue where they all are!! Withers Maj, my best buddy, killed himself, and Passmore is a New Forest Official I think (also wrote a book about Ashley Walk Bombing Range). Carter continued his father's watchmaking trade at Milford. My memories are Mr Arch and his fag-marked lips, always one on the go and continually rowing with Matron, and poor old Teddy Edwards's appalling French lessons which were mostly conducted entirely out of control up in the classroom by the Gym. Pity, because he was the nicest of them all. The most enjoyable time of the day was walking up the road to the bus stop and then mucking about on the bus ride home. This meant regular shoutings at by Mr Arch in his study the following morning, but we never learnt. To my parents' despair, I learnt nothing but enjoyed the cricket and eventually scraped a CE to Clayesmore School.