I got seriously into canal restoration during my time as post graduate/lecturer at Oxford, specifically the Kennet and Avon. I ended up going to Australia before having fully completed it as a through route. However, I borrowed a friend’s boat and “did” the K&A a few years later but was most disappointed when I got to a lock where I …
Bruce Morton, CHSB 1959-1965
I was born in London but all my forebears came from Scotland, something of which I am fiercely proud. My family moved to Felpham and I went to Northcliffe Preparatory School. Following my 11+ I arrived at Chi High at 10½ in 1C. I had already studied individual subjects, including Latin and French, for three years and advanced to 2A …
Geoff Wills (1943-1952) on Cricket, his life at School and after
English Schools Cricket Association (ESCA) 1951-1952 I was both honoured and elated to be selected for the ESCA senior XI in the years 1951 and 1952, especially as in the latter year I was appointed captain. I understand that ESCA was formed in 1948 and in those days only two matches were played each season – one each against the …
Random thoughts and recollections – Barry Capon 1947-1955
School caps They had to be worn at the time of entering the school gates. If not worn then there were consequences – detention or lines I think. If in later years you were elevated to being a prefect you wore a yellow hooped cap and if you were school captain or deputy school captain the cap had a yellow or …
More memories of a Chichester evacuee by Monty Clarkson Old Thorntonian (1935 -1942)
I believe the following were evacuated with the school: Messrs Evans, John, Jeremy, Gribble, Lambert, Haill, Bacon, Cossins, Collins, Collings, Cooper, Dix, Cundall, Read, Summerton, Wigley and Bramble. Mr Morgan was seriously injured in a car accident near Oxford when driving back from holiday in Wales to rejoin the school for the evacuation. He never came back to teach but …
How lucky we were to live as Englishmen in England
“How lucky we were to live as Englishmen in England”. Please visit the “From our Archives” section to see a video posted by Ian Walters some time ago.
More Memories of a Chichester Evacuee – Peter Lawson Old Thorntonian (1936 -1941)
We met on Friday 1st September 1939 at 8.30am and travelled to Balham (S.R) with haversacks and small attaché cases, to arrive in Bognor just after mid-day. In crocodile formation we marched, full of excitement, to the Social Centre/Theatre opposite the Pier Head, where we were “’selected” by “locum parents” and put into small groups for billeting. I was lucky, …
More Memories of a Chichester Evacuee by Ron Hercock Old Thorntonian (1935 -1940)
I joined the school at a small village named Pagham, about six miles from Bognor Regis and a little farther from Chichester. There was no place where we could have any teaching, and so we had none. I was billeted over a mile from the village itself and therefore had little to do with anyone from the school except …
Oceanos – a real life Poseidon
Keith Upton (1955-1962) A weekend cruise from East London to Durban along the South African coast On 3 August 1991 my wife Jeanette and I flew down to East London with my 4½-year-old daughter Lauren for a one day cruise back to Durban on the Oceanos liner. We left my 6-month-old son Wayne with friends, one car at the airport …