Stubbington At Ascot

I have just read this Mark, I do remember you. I also remember Arthur Moore, a vile sadistic bully. His spitting rages, his tongue, like a calcified dog turd, his dandruff, the personification of evil. I well remember asking my father as Moore helped take my trunk upstairs who "this smarmy man" was. My card was marked from that moment. If you had a talent for sports, but were crap at Latin, you were not picked for teams. I recall hiding war comics from him for fear that he was perhaps the "enemy"
Him hurling board rubbers, screaming, hair pulling was the abiding memory, his lack of self control, decency, humanity was just chilling. He was the first person I ever really hated, still do.
This is a strangely cathartic experience!
Time spent pointlessly "watching the clock" was a futile punishment- perhaps the food was intended as a punishment too?

John Renton, and his wife, were lovely people and there were others who were too- Mr Walters, Mr Byers, Mr Milroy, Mr Moffat Potts and Mr Field. I was in Huddart house. There was a bit of science when I left (early) in 1970.
I remember planting nasturtiums in my garden patch and, some years later, they had taken over most of the gardens.
I would love to hear from contemporaries (survivors), I know Paul Bogan became a human rights silk, George Moorhead is, I think, farming in Spain after spending time in Kenya?

Great to get a response from you. How many more people must have enduring hatred for Arthur Moore?! I think I remember your face. Were you from a farming background or was that someone else!.
A few years ago I joined a group or thread on Linkedin. It is called "Stubbington House School Alumni" and a number of people from our era found it and posted memories.(You need to log into Linkedin and search for the group conversation. You might like to look it up. It now has 60 members. There are stories about what happened to Andrew Walters and matron Sally Armstrong (tragic) and also Mr Byers who married the secretary Amanda Hogg (also tragic!). Plenty of memories of 'Dot cricket' and watching 'clock' and much else that I had forgotten!

Thanks for responding Mark. I am not on linkedin, not because I am a luddite (entirely) and, in any event, I am relatively easily found being a solicitor in southampton- it would be good to converse directly.
The other teacher who was totally vile was John Pilgrim who arrived rather quickly and left at about the same pace. I saw him as a down and out near the Imperial War museum when I was doing my law degree in the early 80s. I can remember him plying me with warm milk and rum when there were films in the barn.
I dread to think what may have happened to Andrew Walters, John Byers and their respective spouses- was one called Liz Harding Edgar?
The walls between the classrooms were very thin- what on earth was happening that allowed Moore to get away with his bestial shrieking- why did no other teacher intervene?

Indeed.
I am happy to exchange emails directly. I am at MWaller@Tanos.co.uk. Let me have yours and I can fill you in.

Mark

Just found this although it seems you were a contemporary of my brother - Steve Williamson.

I was there from the summer of 1970 until 1975 and have to admit your description of Arthur Moore is spot on. I recall lying awake for hours in fear on Sunday nights as we had Latin forst period on Monday, when he was at his worst. The best day of the week was Friday which was his one day off and Rention took over. If I recall rightly they shared Sundays. I met him almost 30 years after I left in the pavilion at Lord's. He was tiny ... I went and introduced myself and he was charming ... but it reminded me of how he talked to our parents before launching into us as soon as they had got into their cars. I guess in those days it was accepted by colleagues and people just got on with it.

I do recall two incident. The first was when one of our VIth form just snapped and went right back at him in a class. We were stunned but thrilled, albeit silently, and this boy just yelled. Moore sent him out and summoned his parents. We thought that was that but he stayed and just dropped Latin. It was close to CE but Moore was never quite as terrifying after that.

The second one was when a boy threw a large stone at Moore's study window from one of the dormitories (the first one on the left at the top of the stairs) while he was in there. The shot was too good, the stone too heavy and it cracked the window. We heard Moore raging round the corridors for what seemed an age but he never came in and, as far as I know, that was that.

Philip - I do remember Mr Pilgrim ... in my mind ( I was only 8 or 9 when he left) he was fat, sweaty and, with hindsight, utterly unsuited to be allowed near little boys. He used to hit boys over the knuckles with the sharp side of a ruler as a punishment.

He disappeared mid term without explanation. At the time we said it was because he was a bully but given what we all know now, I suspect he was far worse than that.

I went to Stubbington 1965-1969 as a weekly Boarder. Arthur Moore with more that a passing resemblance to the author of "Mein Kampf", was a man totally unsuited to be in charge of the education and mentoring of young men, I cannot think of any endearing quality the man had; interesting to see others have shared this view.

I was a contemporary of Paul Bogan, once receiving 4 strokes of the cane with Paul for some late night pillow fighting in the dorms, administered by Mr Moore!!. Similarly I was in class with George Morehead who I remember as an excellent all round sports player.

Teachers I remember are Mr Milroy, Mr Moffat Potts, Miss Maclean, Mr Field, an excellent cricket coach, Mr Byers who married the school secretary, Mrs Copeland the Matron whose son Sean was also a pupil.

I was in Scott House. My only academic achievement at Stubbington was the fourth form prize in 1969.

It was Mr Walters who married Miss Armstrong the deputy matron. Other classmates of mine were , Rupert Winship, Hugh Storey and Kevin Miller.

Ian Cox(ian.cox@highland.gov.uk)

In Sept 2019, I got this email, out of the blue. The sender asked to remain anonymous but agreed that I could post our correspondance, which I think are worth sharing...

"I wanted to write because I saw your description of Stubbington house on the Internet and I wanted to concur totally with your views of Arthur Moore. it is refreshing to see someone call him a bully. Your description of his behaviour is spot-on.
I was at Stubbington from 1967 to 1972 and I do remember you being in one of the classes above me. I was terrified of Arthur Moore and lived in dread of him for several years. Double Latin was an excruciating ordeal.
Moore was always a bit late for class and there was the perpetual hope that perhaps he wouldn’t turn up but then you would hear the footsteps and recognise his walk and your heart would sink.
I can still vividly remember some of his phrases screamed at high volume such as:
“TAKE THE VERB”.
He had impossible to answer loaded questions which he would scream at you like :
“YOU DID THAT DELIBERATELY JUST TO ANNOY ME DIDN’T YOU?” One could not say yes and stay alive and if you said “No Sir” he would just scream:”OH YES YOU DID, DO NOT ARGUE” or “DON’T BE IMPERTINENT BOY.”
There is an App for editing audio on my computer called “Audacity” and whenever I see it I hear Arthur Moore’s voice in my head screaming:
“YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PRETEND YOU DON’T KNOWN WHAT A GERUNDIVE IS. YOU DO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS DON’T YOU?”
He would pick on small groups of boys in adjacent desks and call them “The Idle twins” or the Heavenly Trio.”
You had to translate some Latin from a textbook and write it in your exercise book and then go up to his desk and show you what you had written. His head would lower to look at it and you waited in dread and after 5 seconds he would shriek his disapproval. Sometimes he would scribble so hard in red pen on your exercise book it would go through three pages. Sometimes he would would throw your exercise book right across the room.
We used to have to read out principle parts from memory. If you got it correct the oerson next to you had to read out the next one and so on. And if someone got one wrong he would seize on it and sarcastically shriek “OH YES TANGO TANGERE TANKI I’M A TANK! -NEXT”
I remember the fear in the dining room once a week after lunch when he would bring out a very old shoe polish tin which had about 15 numbers in it on little strips of paper. A boy would be chosen to select a number and then the unfortunate boy in each class whose number that equated to would have to bring all his exercise books for inspection and later be criticised, belittled and told off.
A boy in my form Kevin M***** was being badly bullied by him and Kevin had gone bright red in the face and I remember Kevin screwing up his paper and throwing it and walking out of the room. Arthur Moore just said to us very calmly “well where were we then?” and carried on but 10 minutes later left the room. Kevin had run away but was intercepted about a mile away from the school by the secretary. Later he said that Arthur Moore had been surprisingly pleasant to him when he was returned to the school. I think this was probably Stockholm syndrome!
He loved Greek mythology so we would ask him questions when he came in about Greek mythology to try and delay the dreadful point at which he would start the Latin class.
I still remember feeling flecks of his spit bouncing off my face as he screamed at me from inches away. It was a particularly frightening and unpleasant experience. There was always the smell of stale pipe smoke about him and in his study.
What kept one going was the thought that for the last year on reaching the sixth form Mr Byers would take over Latin and we would escape Mr Moore. Except when that time finally came for me we discovered to our horror that Mr Byers was leaving and Mr Moore would take us for the final year as well. On top of that we had extra Latin tuition with him one evening a week before common entrance.
To be fair I was quite good at Latin and got an A in common entrance. Moore was obsequiously friendly to me after that. Of my class of 12 boys there were only 5 of us at the end who still did Latin. Everytime some boy persuaded his parents to let him drop Latin it meant those of us remaining got picked on more often.
—————————————————————————————
I wanted to say congratulations Mark on becoming a teacher. I am glad something good came from Arthur Moore’s rantings. I am very happy for my recollections of Stubbington to be added to the same web site where I saw your description however I would rather it be anonymous for personal reasons. It has been cathartic getting these unpleasant memories out in the open! "

I replied...
"Really good to hear from you, I recognise the ‘cathartic’ emotion. I felt it too, when I wrote it down. A bit like “me too” I suppose! I think everyone who knew him should do it.

Do you recall the scene in “Life of Brian” when the roman soldiers catch someone writing graffiti on the walls and instead of arresting them they correct his latin…? The dialogue is so reminiscent of Arthurs style, shouting and bullying… “take the verb” and “don’t you remember the gerundive” that I feel sure someone on the Python team must have been taught by him!
Nice to hear from you.
Mark"
and he responded...
"Thank you so much for your reply. Yes there is a certain “Me too” about it, we survived!"
That is funny you should mention the “Life of Brian” scene with the Latin. I had forgotten about it but it did resonate at the time."

I went to Stubbington in 1980-81. I was a weekly border and Stubbington was my first exposure to England. I'd grown up in Singapore and my mother and I moved to the UK while she studied for the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. It was so strange and the staff was for the most part quite kind to me. The notable exception being Moore who was as racist, elitist and sadistic as any man I've ever met since. I had to catch up on French, so learning Latin wasn't an option. I had to sit in his Latin class and catch up while Moore regularly made snide comments about my upbringing and berated a chap called Packenham (I think) about his inability to learn the simplest grammar.

I did enjoy the Rentons. They were very kind and often went out if their way to make sure I was adjusting well.

Mr Renton was proud of the fact that Scott was an old boy. A bit too much for my mother whom, after having heard the Scott story for the fifteenth time asked if he was the one "that got lost".

I went to Stubbington in 1980-81. I was a weekly border and Stubbington was my first exposure to England. I'd grown up in Singapore and my mother and I moved to the UK while she studied for the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. It was so strange and the staff was for the most part quite kind to me. The notable exception being Moore who was as racist, elitist and sadistic as any man I've ever met since. I had to catch up on French, so learning Latin wasn't an option. I had to sit in his Latin class and catch up while Moore regularly made snide comments about my upbringing and berated a chap called Packenham (I think) about his inability to learn the simplest grammar.

I did enjoy the Rentons. They were very kind and often went out if their way to make sure I was adjusting well.

Mr Renton was proud of the fact that Scott was an old boy. A bit too much for my mother whom, after having heard the Scott story for the fifteenth time asked if he was the one "that got lost".

Thanks, Raoul, for your post and your memories of Arthur. So many of his pupils, like us, must have stories to tell of that obnoxious man! When I read your account so many memories come flooding back. I never told my parents at the time, or even later, what was going on. Why do victims often bottle up the guilt of others and blame themselves? Gosh!, to think that they were paying for the abuse we got! It feels right that the injustices we experienced are being recorded at last!

I attended as a weekly boarder in 1983 to 1984, i stayed just shy of a full school year.
My grandfather was a Navy man and my mum was divorced so she sent me to Stubbington to get rid of me for the week. I hated every second i was there. I was 7/8 years old and felt like i was being punished.
To be fiar my problem was my situation woth my parents and not with the school but because i was known to have divorced parents and no-one believed my grandfather was in the Navy and i didnt know anything about my father (my mum wouldnt discuss him and i was too young to remember him) so it seemed to me that everyone looked down on me.
Strangely though i find it the most memorable school i attended and most of the memories both good and bad stayed with me.
I remember a teacher called French who was a rugby player and was famous for picking up a table and throwing it at a student (i heard, didnt see).
i remember the large room with chairs and a tv where we weeklies waited for our parents to pick us up and i remember a large window where i used to sit on the sill leaning against the glass just looking out hoping that my mum would come back for me.
we have orange juice and biscuits after sports and the toilets were very big with long metal chains to pull. they looked like they were in an old stables.
the dinner hall was big and when i saw hogwarts on tv it reminded me a little of that dining room.
I always sat opposite some African boys who had table manners that me me wretch. one day there was the fashion of peeling all the white off of a boiled egg and then bouncing the yoke on the table like a ball.
there was an old teacher who spoke to us at meal times and he seemed to be respected. I dont remember his name but he smoked a pipe with a very strong smell. i liked that smell.
i think he was the same teacher who used to read James and the giant peach to us as we sat on a carpet in a small book filled room but i might be wrong about that.
my dormitory had a large painting (print perhaps) of a boy who stood by his gun at Jutland. i remember thinking that i didnt mind fighting or dying but the noise of the guns would be unbearable for me.
we used to play hide and seek with a torch. i wasnt very good.
i was probably wrong about the noise of the guns because my bed was under the fire alarm and one night i was awoken by a teacher furiously shaking me awake. i looked around and the dorm was empty. everyone was outside (i think) or maybe in the dining hall... because there was a fire. eveyone blamed Matron if i remember correctly.
the funny thing was that the alarm was right over my bed, i saw it every night and yet it didnt wake me!! the teacher who shook me looked a little panicked so i always wondered how serious that fire was.
i remember fighting with sticks in a wooded area and going for walks on the roads outside the school and playing rugby (but i was useless).
The headmaster was a kind old gentleman who had a scar on his back that we all saw when he went swimming. he swam a lap first and then we were alowed in. A boy next to me said he had been a commando and the scar was from an enemy bayonet but i didnt believe him. anyway i couldnt believe that a commando would ever get stabbed in the back.
i dont remember any names unfortunately except for the name French.
All in all I half loved that school and half hated it. I often wish I had attended in better circumstances.
Anyway I am sorry that the school has gone.

Thanks, Alex, for these memories. It is striking how many of us have vivid memories of those days.
I remember that painting. I think it had the words "They boy stood on the burning deck..." wtitten beneath it which is from a poem about the battle of the Nile. I always thjought it a strange picture, depicting a horrible death, to hang in a dormitory for 8 year olds!
Do you remember the names of the dormitories? (Cornwall, Jutland, Drake, Wellington were a few.)
There was a small chimney fire in the Matrons area when I was there, (before your day.) The alarms were all hand wound in those days, and I remember the excitement when the fire brigade arrived. The firemen axed a hole in the laundry room floor to check the fire was fully out and the hole remained there until I left four years later in 1968!
Thanks for posting.
Mark

I was at Stubbington House 1966-1971. Terrible memories of Arthur, Pilgrim. The Spanish staff were nice. My mother was a divorcee and dated Mr Renton. Ruth moved out. We went on a 2 week holiday with him on the River Thames. The affair spluttered. Ruth moved back in. John probably saw me as a daily reminder of that and was ruthless. He told an entire class that I was stupid and would not amount to anything. I became a bit of a recluse afer that. I became friends with his son, Nick, who dated my sister. He died in New Zealand aged about 19. The painting was of Cornwall VC and is by Frank Salisbury.

Thanks for posting.
I remember you (and your mother when she visited the school one time). Her relationship with the Rentons must have been very hard for you. Disgraceful that he took it out on you. What a lot of disfunctional people these prep schools used to employ! And to think our parents were paying for what they thought was a better education.
I never really told my parents what went on at Stubbington. I don't think they would have believed me! However, I must admit it changed my life because after seeing Arthur and others trying to teach, I became passionate about good teaching and learning and spent a career teaching and managing state comprehensives - that is proper schools!

I was at Stubbington 1970 - 1975 and can certainly concur with many of your earlier correspondents. Arthur Moore was a truly awful teacher whose rantings could be heard throughout the school. I was very fortunate in that most of my Latin teaching was done by Adrian Arnold, later deputy head of Lancing who, as a teacher, was several cuts above the others. He also taught Greek and History. Other teachers included the York brothers one of whom was deadly accurate with a piece of chalk for inattentive students, Swann teaching English, Walters (RE I think) and Mr Field(s) teaching Science. The latter was fanatical about cricket and, during the summer term, we would try and persuade him to put on his portable telly during Test matches thus alleviating the tedium of double Chemistry. Pilgrim, teaching French I think and a sadist of the old school, fortunately wasn't there for most of my time.
Possibly due to having to endure very little Moore teaching or general abuse, I enjoyed my time there overall (day boy then weekly boarder). Renton was a bit bonkers, in a genial way, and the place, away from Moore, was a bit like that too. He had a huge bull called Bosworth which used to roam the same fields as the boys playing games! Fortunately it too was benignly genial. Through the woods was one of the Ascot girls' schools (St Mary's possibly) and it was strictly verboten to cross a certain line in the woods in that direction. The exact location of the line was never actually known though!

Mark Porter

It is sometimes the case that you question whether the memories of young boys are realistic or perhaps whether there is exaggeration for effect, you may wonder if this is the case with the memories of those on Mr. Moore. I can assure you they are not!
I taught at Stubbington House in the Summer term of 1983 and whereas the appalling Mr Moore gave inspiration to Mark Waller so that Mr Moore could be shown how teaching should be done for me it just put me off for life. I kept a diary of my time there and it is true to say that it is, nearly forty years on, hard to believe! Mr Moore was about the most odious man I have ever met, I found it hard to teach in the next door classroom to him as the shouting was off the scale and continuous and rendered any concentration impossible. It is difficult for people nowadays perhaps to understand that private schools in those days were completely unregulated and free to employ any psychopath, paedophile or idiot - that is how I ended up there (an idiot and cheap not the other categories!) Don't worry however as there were also two psychopaths, including Mr Moore and one paedophile. I well remember Mr Moore shouting at the young boys as they shuffled into morning prayers and one boy (I thing his name was Balasuriya), was sitting outside not moving. When Mr Moore shouted at him to go into chapel the boy informed him that he was a Zoastrian to which Mr Moore said "what can you do that is religious?" Balasuriya said "we wash ourselves Sir" to which Mr Moore replied, " well go and have a bath". One day at morning prayers the senior master (and alcoholic) collapsed in a drunken stupor and was taken off. Mr Moore said to me "do you think it is because I am short and he is very tall that I never noticed the alcohol on his breath?" I replied that that may have been the case but he would need also to have been very short-sighted to miss him bouncing from wall to wall towards the Chapel every morning! I have many other recollections which I will share if anyone is interested - Mr Renton (nice man, mad as a box of frogs) getting the boys to carry the metal implements back to the school from the games fields in the middle of a lightning storm; Mrs Renton blacking out the v signs with a marker pen from the school photograph, Mr McCluskey being summarily dismissed for making a boy, Amos, kneel at his feet, whilst he was armed with a cricket bat and getting the youngster to beg for forgiveness and the rota of staff set up by Matron to make sure the paedophile teacher was never alone with a pupil. After one term I moved to another school near Newbury, which was little better

Thanks, Eliotarms, for your comments. I had hoped that one day a teacher would contribute to these memories, so I was very interested to read your comments.
Sometimes, I wondered if it was only the pupils who noticed!
I left Stubbington in 1968 so it is terribly sad to realise that it was still going on in 1983.
I hope others will contribute to these memories.

Mark,
Calling me a teacher is pushing it a bit! - I had just left University at 21 years of age and I was contemplating doing a PGCE - I wish I had been more proactive in protecting / informing on what was going at the school but I suppose I just thought it was normal! After my summer term at Stubbington House I went to the south of France for a holiday and found myself in a dodgy night bar near La Croix val Mer at about 2 in the morning - I heard a voice saying " Hello Sir ! What are you doing here?" It was a boy of about 13 called Yeardye who had just passed common entrance and left Stubbington - he was there with his sister Tamara who was 15/16 years old - she became very rich and famous...

Hi Mark, I think we communicated some years ago on the Linkedin site but this new forum appears more active.
I was at Stubbington from 1972 to 1977 (Scott) - exactly the same period as the writer whose comments you posted anonymously (at his behest). I have to say I concur with all views expressed about Moore in all the postings and don't think I can add any more to the description of him. Although to add to motivating descriptions; his favoured portrayal of me was "Bone idle" !!
I remember the incident with Kevin M very well and also recall he was also unlucky at cricket - one time having missed a catch and the ball then knocking out a few front teeth!
One of your postings referred to the term "Heavenly Twins" used by Moore - On a number of occasions, I was one half of these twins - paired up I remember on separate occasions with messrs. Sharpe, Heywood, Skinner and Barnes. Oh happy days!
I would add that the Renton's were always very friendly and hospitable - I recall staying with another pupil during a summer half-term and cycling to the Renton's house and enjoying refreshing swim and chilled cordial and cakes. (hopefully memory not playing up!)
The dorms I recall were: Cornwall, Cunningham & Drake. Jutland, Wellington, Trafalgar? and Malta. Think I am missing the one in between Cunningham & Drake.
Anyway nice to reminisce and look forward to other postings.
Simon Martin

Thanks for posting. So many memories come flooding back.
I think it is important and cathartic to share our memories.
Mark

Wow, this has brought back some memories. Thanks for posting your accounts. I was a weekly boarder, which I loved. I enjoyed my time at the school.

I was at the school between 1976 and 1981. I do remember Arthur Moore. I gave up Latin in 1980 and became a member of the idle gang. I remember he always shouted in Latin lessons

"Find the subject and the verb, and then read from left to right." I never got physically hit by Mr Moore. I remember Mr Kelloe, a very tall french teacher, hitting me with the sleeve of his teaching gown. I remember the matron Mrs Shackleford, who was lovely, who later married Mr Barling, another teacher. Mr Phillips arrived in 1979, a south african french teacher, who took over as head master, after Mr Renton retired.

There were good teachers to like John Willis, who taught English and Mr Halford who taught geography.

I remember they replaced butter with baking fat when they ran out of money. I also had food poisoning which they called a "bug going around".

They always had school sports day during the finals day at Wimbledon so earplugs were everywhere. There were four houses : Scot ( green); Montague (Yellow), Huddart (Blue) and Wharchope (Red).

I was there between 81 and 84 huddert house and I think Wellington dorm in new block.
The school had a massive impact on me - thankfully I avoided latin and Mr Moore but I still remember him and him shouting at any body and every one!

Mr Renton " hmmmmmm ruggggger" - gave me the corner stone sport for my life, my shoulders and my knee do not forgive him! And Dicky Sadler busting my nose with his head at Lambrook.

Mr Field in the science room, could still walk you to it. The blinds drawn and the light coming in through the tears and showing the dust in the air. The smell of pipe smoke. The white polystyrene and spring atom model that he just to push around. Amazing atmosphere and best teacher I think I had there. Really made me interested in science. I remember him showing films in the science room that were much better than the school prize of the scott of the Antarctic film yet again!

Going to away games in the landrovers - another life long love that I was introduced too. All had safari roofs for some reason series 2 and 3 long wheel base wagons.

Learning to score for cricket in the hut by the drive behind the school near the nets.

Cherry pie served in metal tins that we used for dog food at home at the table. Getting food poising and throwing the pie back up followed by every one in the dorm. Mr Tobenhouse not knowing what to do as sickbay was full. Mr Tobenhouse - the cool teacher, played a couple of songs each night after lights out for us. The night of the fire - yet again in the laundry underneath the sickbay, TB came in and said quite calmly "get up there is a fire" and we put on our dressing gowns and went down to wait for the fire brigade.

I see no one has mentioned Mr Barclay Jones!

Was clearing out my old family home and came across my old tuck box with my school number on it - 77. And my old blazer and school tie - looks like I was really small back then.

It always good to hear memories from old Stubbingtonians., but I was especially delighted to receive a message today fromk Philip Lea, (of my era, 1968-1973), who had spotted the old alma mater in Kenneth Brannagh's recent film "Belfast".
If you see this film, (the story of Brannagh's own childhood during the troubles), look out for the scene in the hospital ward (which was filmed in the Stubbington dining room) and also a scene in a school room. There is a very brief shot of tyhe front of the school as well.,
Regards, Mark Waller

Sorry - I got my dates muddled! Philip and I were at Stubbington from 1963-1968. - Mark

So pleased to find this thread! I was at Stubbington briefly (for just over a term - I'm pretty sure it was the Spring Term of 1970). This was my first experience of boarding, and I hated it, hence my swift departure! My memories are very vague, although, like everyone else, I do remember Mr. Moore as a cruel, vile bully... the two names that stand out in my memory are Paul Bogan, because we played in the front row together (I can't remember if he was a prop and I was the hooker, or the other way round) and Steve Williamson, who I remember as my only close friend while I was there. I remember him as being very good to me and very kind, and supporting me through what was a very miserable experience. I saw Steve's brother has posted above and I've messaged him directly. He probably won't remember me (it was a long time ago, and only a term) but if anyone else sees this and knows Steve, do let him know I'm still grateful for his kindness. And of course, if he does remember me and want to get in touch, I'd be happy to hear from him, if only to say 'thank you' in person.

Hi, I was at Stubbington house from 1981 to 83. Just 2 short years but I remember them so well. Arthur Moore - I think his nickname was Hitler? – I did Latin and his ranting and screaming ( until the spit was flying out of his mouth). I remember it was frightening, but we also found it hilarious because it was so ridiculous. The really scary guy was John McCluskey aka Psycho. Strangely enough, I liked the guy - he came out with some anti-establishment pearls of wisdom, he was well-read but at the same time he had a very dark and bitter, angry demeanour. The rumour was that he was wanted by the police. He was Scottish I seem to remember, terrifying beyond Moore's cartoonish outbursts - but he could be very funny at the same time.And yes he had to leave because of an episode involving Grant Amos, who was one of my best friends. Amos was a lot of fun, I stayed with him and his family at some point I think, they lived in Bournemouth.
I remember Balasuriya ( Matron nicknamed him Bally-hi)
Mr Renton was a lovely guy, such a contrast to Moore.
I remember raiding the tuck shop at night, tucking our pyjamas into our socks and filling our pyjama legs with sweets, such a laugh! I think I had to own up and got the slipper from Mr Renton for that.
Mr Tobenhouse was great, he shared my love of music and would borrow cassettes from me.
I remember the Hyman brothers?
My best friend was Simon Guest, we both got up to quite a bit of mischief. There was Joel Corrigan too.
There was Paddy the grounds man who lived in a caravan in the school grounds, we said he was Mr Renton's secret brother.
Mr Field, Science, suffered with shingles, smoked a pipe and just seemed weary of it all.
Mr Phillips, from Zimbabwe I think, taught French, became head.
Mr Halford, Geography, he was really nice.
I really liked Mr Quatermass - he taught English and loved rock music. He smoked roll up cigarettes - in class! Teachers just smoked left right and centre!
Anyway, I have good memories of the place and was sad to see it is no more when I returned to Ascot recently. Hi to anyone who was there '81-83!
Simon.

Oh and waking up in the dorm in the mornings, steam coming out of our mouths , it was that cold!

Thanks for yor memories,Simon.
I left in 1968 so it is amazing to think that 'Fatty Field' was still there and no less weary! In my day he taught just Geography and there was no Science on the curriculum at all! It was only when I 'discovered' the Sciences at my public school at age 14 that I found something I could do and be successful at. Learning at Stubbington was, for me, a confidence sapping, self esteem dissolving experience of unrecognised effort followed by perpetual failure.
Sciences saved me! When I chose my O level subjects the option grid only allowed me to drop Latin if I took up Biology to add to my Physics and Chemistry. Oh joy! I never looked back, and now (after getting a scholarship to Oxford), I can reflect on a successful career as a scientist, and enjoy my retirement!
Let's keep those memories coming! Mark

Christ boys, to think that up until 10 minutes ago I had always believed that my terrible, horrendous struggles with Moore were my fault ! Due to my own weakness ! That everyone else was ok . I kept it a secret because I didn’t want the other lads to think I was wet !! This is .. this is .. well I don’t have the words. I’m absolutely gobsmacked . Maybe now I might even be able to find a bit of compassion for my younger self .. that terrified weekly boarder from 78-81 . And Daru ! Wow we were great great friends and I’ve often thought about him and C how he was doing. This is simply incredible.
So I loved sport , playing with Stints and Jakes Hayton and Bruce and de Bruin and oh so many others the names will come to me. Housemaster young guy with beard whose name will also come to me . Moore ruined it all for me. I loved John Renton and Field and quartermass and mr turner the kiwi football coach but John really really should have done the right thing and got rid of that cowardly little psycho Moore .
I’ll come back here once I’ve remembered much more.
Lads do you know how I may find team photos from 79-82 ? I’ve lost them along the way and would just love to see them again.
I do remember being in love with Miss Hubbard the junior matron . Oh having my hair searched for live by her was just heavenly .. oh my God .. better go.
Thanks guys

J

Leonard,
I am so glad you found this site. Recalling those days has been a cathartic experience for so many of us. A bit of a 'me too' moment, really! I hope you will contribute a few of your memories and I look forward to reading them. Mark

I agree with Mark, it's certainly been a very worthwhile and cathartic experience reading everyone's recollections. Please do keep them coming.

Now I am semi-retired I am thinking about starting a small website for the Stubbington Ascot years as it seems to be bizarre this part of our lives has been airbrushed out of history. I have old school photos and some papers ... plus some copies of the Stubbingtonian magazine and an old school cap!! If anyone has other ephemera please let me know. The more I can get the more likely it is I can do something.

Have been very interested to read the threads on this having been forwarded them by Graeme Bateman. I think I was at Stubbington from 1980 to 1983 and actually have good memories of the place!!
Arthur Moore - was a bully, but relatively harmless (in my opinion!). I recall his cricket net batting coaching well "Four runs - MISSED!" as I missed the ball! He also smoked a horrible pipe all the time.
Mr Berkeley-Jones - Probably should not have been allowed to teach young boys. He used to like watching us in the showers.
Mr Renton - Nice chap - taking us to away matches in his Land Rovers.
Mr Quatermass - Nice chap, but smoked horrible roll up cigarettes!
Miss Hubbard - Leonard (or I recall you as Jason I think whose parents owned a hotel in Maidenhead??) don't be embarrassed about Miss Hubbard - we all liked her!!! I also have quite a few old team photos which I can scan.
Mr Phillips - From Malawi I think? One of the few decent teachers.
We were crap at sport and got beaten in most matches, but I recall playing rugby in the snow and cricket matches where if the team scored more than 30 runs it was a major achievement.
Acting in the play - The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew?? Packenham, Bateman, Price, Keeble all performed.
British Bulldogs in the area outside the new classrooms.
Sports day always clashing with the Mens Wimbledon final.
I am sorry if others have bad memories and experiences, but I enjoyed my time there.

Glad to hear from you. All memories are welcome.
British Bulldog still going in 1983?
Wow!¬ Another dormant recollection resurrected!
Mark

I was at Stubbington from 1978 to 1982 - ended up there as we had moved down from Edinburgh that Easter and dad drove us around until we found a school to take me.

I remember Mr Kelloe use to put conkers in the sleeves on his academic gown and whirl them around his head, then bring them crashing down on to either the desk or our heads.

He also had a weekly dictation test where answer/question #7 was always - a la campagne / in the countryside.

Tim is spot on: Mums + Dads crammed into the TV room on Sports day to watch Bjorn Borg rather than us!

We used to take the michael out of Mr Field for allegedly always saying 'When I was in the MCC' and bending our legs with each word - a phrase he never actually said.

Careering around Berkshire in the back of a LandRover to away matches

The scar on Mr Renton's back was rumoured to either by being gassed in WWI or shot in the lung - doubt he was old enough for WWi

Paddy + and his caravan - Portugese/Spanish chefs - massive round-the-table table tennis matches - Piers(?) Tobenhouse / Mr Quatermass / Mrs Budd / Mr Barclay Jones (PWJB)

There was an older femaie teacher who had the new intake in the shed/Nissen Hut(s) - can't remember her name

I was in Montagu (Yellow) - don't remember the dormitories having names

Yes, I do remember Mr Field's obsession with the MCC! - and that was in 1963-1968!

I went to Stubbington House from 1967-1972
Someone mentioned Mr Renton's scar. He fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944 where he lost a lung.
Someone else who was a world war 2 hero was Major Edwin Payne. He fought in Normandy and at the Battle of Arnhem. His obituary is worth reading and is below. Very sad he should be hounded in later life by yobs with no respect for the old.
https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/9588626.lyme-regis-war-hero-edwin-payne-dies-aged-91/
Now in my 60s and retired I have a much greater interest in history and I regret not being able to have talked to Mr Renton and Major Payne and learned first hand about
their experiences.
Incidentally Mr Renton coached the first eleven cricket team. When we were batting we would wear pads and gloves but to liven things up he would come into to bat, no pads, no gloves and he would face fast bowlers fearlessly and hit them for six.
His son Nick was a very nice guy in his late teens and drove me and others up to the Lake District at the end of term where we had a week walking the hills. Tragically he was killed in an accident in his early 20s.
Mr Byers won Mastermind in the days when the host was Magnus Magnusson and the questions were really difficult.
I saw recent memories written by Phillip King and Stuart Smith, both of whom were in my class and I remember well and would like to communicate with.
Chris Sharp