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



Added 13 July 2016

#339850

Comments & Feedback

Hi Selwyn,
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.
Hi Jim . It was great to hear from you, and i never ever thought i would ever here from anybody i was at school with. I remember you pretty well, and all of the guys you mention. I have clear memories of much of my school days. Yes i now live in Shropshire and often pass the school when i am out and about. I think you and i were in the same dorm, am i right in thinking we had some guy called Harry , somebody or other as our senior, not that anybody took a lot of notice of him. I think Davidson was in our dorm and Ian Jolly, and i rather thin James Lewis was a ginger haired lad. Well Jim I hope the years have been good to you. When i left school i never achieved any dizzy heights, but i did go on to become one hell of an Elvis fanatic, which as led to me spending a fair bit of time in Memphis ,Tennessee and lovely days at Gracelands. I found that the majority of my family were in Texas, and enjoyed my time over there with them,in Southlake Dallas, Big Spring, San Antonio and many other places. But that's enough about me, i sure would like to know how you have faired through the years and i would like to keep in touch. As sooh as i can i will update you with a few photos of myself . You be sure to take good care of yourself Sel
Hi Selwyn,
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
Well you two are hogging the comments here so it would be good to hear from a few others who were boarders during the 50s in particular. I do remember you Jim C., and I remember your good friend (as it seemed at the time) James Lewis the lad with red hair. Selwyn I'd love to see I photo of you from back then, or something to jog my memory. I was two forms below you and Jim C., and remember a lot of boys - both Jolly brothers Ian being the youngest. Same form was a boy last name Page and his dad was a pilot of jet planes who is seemed did a 'fly over; a rugby game one time, waggling wings as he came low above the field. Malcolm D. I remember very well and even visited him one time several years later, I think in Market Drayton living with his mom still. I was with another boy who was in the same form as me for three years name Richard Kerswell who lived in one on the small villages in Shropshire.Boy I do remember Rocky Warboys very well, I think he was only there a year. I remember boys from the form below you - Givens or Governs or the like, and ICE (Ian Edwards). I think there was a boy who came name Simon Buiserret, and I am thinking he had red hair too.
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.

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