Happy Days!!!

A Memory of Frensham.

I was a pupil at Downshill School, Dockenfield Manor, sent there in 1946 or 42 at the age of 6½ or so. The headmaster was a small, self-important and often sadistic man. Of the other masters, Major Faro was a born sadist - "a double execution (caning or slippering) for you tonight, Kennedy -; a Mr Nihoff, a nasty, rigid Dutchman. Goodies: Albert William Franks, helpful, nice man but very much in the shadow of the baddies; Miss Saunders, gentle; Mr Kennard Davis (alfresco cowboy songs in the evening, good guy, friendly); Miss Thompson, matron (permission to listen to Dick Barton, evenings, in her room). Too many canings, too much bullying. Worst case: a caning from nasty little Mr Hastings - in front of the whole school - meted out to a very young Czech pupil, Peter Vogel, caned on his hands, which were covered in chilblains. He was screaming, but Hastings finished the job, 6 strokes on each hand. Trouble was, at the age of 6 or 7 or 8, you just accept whatever's going. No, perhaps not the best years of my life.