School Days

A Memory of Rugby.

I was a pupil here for my last three years at a Grammar school from 1949-1952. The school had a strict uniform policy, navy blue blazers or grey suits and we were obliged to wear our school caps and were forbidden to attend school without a tie until the headmaster gave permission. We had two afternoons a week to play sports. Cricket during the summer and Rugby in winter. To compensate we had school on Saturday mornings! I was a member of School House whose master was Mr (Nogger) Nason who also taught geography. Cross country running was another sports activity and the 4+ mile course was pretty exhausting.
I still have a group photo of the 1952 general sixth form before we left for the big wide world. I always thought this was an excellent school, sometimes referred to as Lower Rugby School. However its reputation has varied over the last sixty years. The last time I visited Lawrence Sheriff School it was undergoing an extensive refurbishing programme.
My early memories include attending free picture shows held on a Saturday evening in the main assembly hall using an electric projector. It was where I saw the first version of "39 Steps" with Robert Donat. The most successful houses were Caldecott and Simpson - I can't recall the name of the fourth. I now remember it was Tait!
I was at school when it was announced that King George VI had died and Princess Elizabeth hurried home from her honeymoon in Kenya to assume the Royal throne.