Happy Days
A Memory of Whitchurch.
My name is Selwyn Ball, I was also a border at Whitchurch Grammar School in the fifties, and i well remember . Ian Jolly, James Cracknell, Malcome Davidson, and many others .We in fact shared the same dorm. I was a poor scholar and consistantly held my position of bottom of the class through the years. I really didn't fit in to well with many of my class mates but i think it was being with guys like the above that made my schooldays acceptable. I believe we were all in the army cadets together.I remember well how on occasions you could be selected to ring the school bell between lessons, and it surprised me , the first time i rang it just how heavy the bell was, and it certainly made one hell of a din.I was in Kent house and was selected to play for the school rugby team simply because i was spotted by Mr Johnson making a fluke tackle which seemed to impress him, but i was never built to really play rugby because i was painfully thin them days. We had a relatively good bunch of teachers, and i got on pretty well with all of them except a guy who taught latin a subject i could never see any value in, an now that i am 74 I am more convinced of its uselessness, as i have never once in my entire life had to revert to its use.. I spent most of my spare time helping the gardner who was a really decent guy, and i picked up many useful hints in gardening from him that has served their purpose over the years. I left school just before my sixteenth birthday. I would be very pleased to hear from anyone who may remember me, it would be interesting to know how others have faired over the years. My email address is ball28@btinternet.com
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I dont remember you very well. I think you posted a comment about living in America a while ago.
I too am 74 and still working! However retire this year. The guy who taught latin was mr. Cambridge, I liked Latin I dont remember the bell at all so obviously never rang it. I played rugby too in the colts, mr Johnson was the second master next to Tate. Mr Youatt. I have never been back either, have you? Thegardener was called Ned and he wore metal stretchy things below his knees to hold his trousers up. I remember Jolly, Outen, Malcolm Davison, Rocky Worboys, James Lewis as boarders.My email address is joecracknell@hotmail.com and I live in Bath.
I received an email from you but it went into junk and was wiped before I could read it! I don't really remember you but I correspond with another guy called Phillip Ball who is the same age as us. Are you in the school photo 1955 and I can point him out. I know you, you are standing next to Caswell? and next but one to Malcolm. Harry was Harry Williamson , he had a wobbly eye if you remember. Yes James Lewis was my pal , he joined the bank in Cheltenham. I have been a ships pilot most of my life(Shetland, Libya, Nigeria and finally Angola) I am retiring next month! Did you ever meet the king and get his autograph? I was 5 years working in the Bahamas/Florida on a ship but never got to Texas, only Mobile Alabama. I have never seen the school again or met anyone. Its easier to send an email to me at joecracknell@hotmail.com then I can reply to ball28. Where does 60 years go? Regards James
In my year there was a Robert Hulbert who left after 3rd form to go to Priory I think, and a Robert Saunders who came as second form and was there when I left.
Teachers, particularly the house teachers I remember, one was a Teasdale I am sure, the who seemed a younger guy I cannot remember his name. History teacher was Simpson, Griffith I think was geography, Math was Johnson with his plus fours, French teacher I think was Hayden but not certain. Art was a man nick name Bunny.
I am 72 now and living in Montana, US, been in US since 1980 (hence some 'American' spellings!). Work at a small college. I will email you separately and hope we can some how get a few more on here.