Tony Underlin Remembers The Staff
Tony Underlin heard about this website for the first time
from a plug on Radio Northampton arranged by Peter Austen for the
Reunion for 2011. Tony had never seen this site before.
He got out his old copy of the 1952 School Photo, not realising that
it was on the site already, but evoked memories of the staff that he
met at the school in those days. His comments are below.
Sadly, Tony cannot make the reunion, but hopefully next year.
Tony's comments relate to the 1952 school photo. [go]
He has made comments about the teachers, starting from Mr Clements,
who is in section 2, 5 I, and going from left to right.
(Remember his comments about room numbers and corridors, relate to
the school in the old college buildings.
Mr Clements – taught History – came to work on an autocycle but
all of a sudden acquired a car and a new suit – rumour had it he
must have come into money.
Jack Linnel – took Tech Drawing and woodwork along with a Mr
Labrum. Jack demystified the learning of theorems in odd maths
lessons. I remember the smell of the glue pot with scotch glue.
Mr Williams – the odd ball who send messages to other teachers on
chocolate wrappers.
Mr Burns – the only time we had a lesson on the A floor.
Mr Duckett – I want 6 detentions this lesson – and he got them !
Pip Harris – and inspired teacher who made geography interesting
– also he predicted the unification of Germany – he didn’t know when
but he said it would happen sometime.
Taffy Newell – we watched an ink blob on the ceiling drying out
over Taffy willing it to drop, but it missed.
Gunner Wright – we were supposed to have RI and French on Friday
afternoon - I assumed the RI was also in French.
Percy Tomkins caught me swinging over the railing at the bus
stop and told me to report to Buzzer the following day. I got away
with that one and forgot to report.
Buzzer Howard – used to stand at the top on the stairs on B
corridor to watch prior to taking assembly in B16.
? Miss Glegg – wore low cut blouses and when ‘Hodkins’ who was
sitting at the front goggled eyed was asked ‘What are you looking at
boy’ – replied ‘Nothing Miss’ – to which she said ‘Don’t call me
Miss – Detention’ .
Miss Merrrick ? – Music – I remember her asking which key a piece
of music being played on a wind up gramophone was – Minor or Major.
Somebody said sergeant and was turfed out.
Bimbo Bennet. – Used to have English lessons in D 21.
Killer Lewis – 2 ½ times around the
racecourse – unless you had a friend in Leicester Terrace where you
could dodge a lap – or so we thought until Killer twigged and stood
at different places around the course counting us.Tony
also recalls:
Like most at school I can relate to a few interesting moments.
Can anybody remember the air raid shelter over the fence on the
lower playing field – or running the gauntlet though the ducts.
What about the monster slides when the playground was covered in
ice and the slope from the canteen also covered in ice. I also
recollect the metal work shop in the 1st year with the furnace which
blew red hot coke across the room if the blower was turned up too
high. Then there was the drum of oil for tempering steel. If you
hesitated plunging hot metal in the oil it caught fire. Another
favourite was to put hot metal on a bench and chalk ‘Hot’ – somebody
wouldn’t believe it and touch it a bit like wet paint. Have you ever
heard the stationary gear try to engage on a lathe when its running
– sounds horrible and guaranteed to cause excitement.
Another favourite was to put carbide in an ink well – the smelt
is unbelievable. A match wrapped in silver paper and left on a hot
radiator delayed the resultant bang.
I see from the web site that many of the memories are after my
time at THS and most of mine were at Georges Avenue site. Perhaps
the photograph will fill in some earlier years.
[Previous] [Up] [Next] |
