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MY LAST DAY AT SCHOOL
Written on 19 July 1963
By Peter A. Douglas
Pupil at Trinity High School, 1956-1963 It dawned grey. Today I knew that everything
that I did, everything that was usual, would be for the last time.
It would be the last time that I would straighten my school tie or
put on my green blazer. At school, too, there would be the
same accumulation of superlatives: the last assembly, the last duty,
the last time. After the final assembly several of us retired
to the Prefects' Room to collect all our kit from the shelves in the
Senior room. I put away my plimsolls, worn for the last time last
night at Cricket Club.
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Colin
Skears |
Hugh
Thompson |
Jock
Meldrum |
Ian
MacIlravie |
I cleaned up some old exercise books,
every page a memory. Also old exam papers and text books which
I presently gave to Mr. Meldrum. I did not feel like playing
chess, so I watched Robert Lacey playing with Colin Skears, Hugh
Thomson, and several others.
(Hold your mouse over any photo to read the caption. It normally
contains the date that the photo was taken).
 We were still in there when the bell for break rang at 10:45.
Roderick Farey was sitting by me. As the minutes of break
ticked away, the vociferous cries of the school could be heard from
the playground. The rumour over the last few days had been
that Farey, next year’s Deputy Head Boy, and not a very popular
prefect throughout this year, was going to be thrown into the
fishpond. The cries that we could hear evidently summoned
Farey's presence in the playground. Naturally he was reluctant
and declined, despite Ian McIlravie's efforts to pull him out.
It was then that I left the Prefects' Room in order to see the
disturbances I went into the Library where I had a perfect view of
the green turmoil which jostled and shouted as it moved from the
playground, below the cloakrooms, into the grass quadrangle.
Then, to my right, through the window I saw Farey appear, with
several prefects about him, on the top steps leading from the Music
Room. Amid the cries of the tumult beneath, two or three fifth
year boys went up towards him. He was grinning nervously.
They seized him and dragged him down the steps and across the grass
towards the fishpond, which was murky and weedy. He now began
to struggle and fight, and his expression was now one of incredulous
fear and vain terror.
 At this I opened the window, stepped out on to the ledge outside,
and jumped to the ground. I began to make my way towards the
writhing mass of bodies that surrounded the victim. There was
a muffled splash, but the crowd hid the incident from me. The
deed accomplished, the crowd quickly dispersed and there emerged
from its centre the sorry and bedraggled figure of Farey.
Behind him I saw Adrian Hoffman swinging punches at the fifth
formers about him. Farey, though the centre of attraction
still, was now a solitary figure, accompanied only by the amused
gazes of the retreated mob. I was standing with a fifth
former, and Farey walked towards us. We were discussing the
fact that we did not think that they would really do it – but they
did! He walked sloshingly and clumsily in our direction with
an expression of amazed disgust on his face. His twisted
clothes were highlit by their wetness. He turned and went up
the steps towards the Library entrance, and his sloshing footmarks
went up the steps and then right towards the Science Block, this
side of the lavatories. It seemed that his quick yet undecided
walking were preventing him from losing his temper. That was
the last I saw of him for a while. There were several prefects
on top of the steps in the playground, and I joined in their
discussion. We then let the school in after the break was
over. First and second formers were peering from the rooms in
the Tower Block.
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Adrian
Hoffman |
Alan
Pooley |
Pip
Thomas |
Michael
Eyton-
Jones |
John
Tero |
John
Courtney |
Bernard
Brown |
Valerie
Humber |
Bob
Jones |
Ian
Calder |
 After break I went down to the Prefects' Room again. We
discussed the Farey incident and Pooley went to his house to fetch
some dry clothes for him. Farey showed himself after break,
changed and almost proud now, as if some kind of hero, worthy of
praise and honour for undergoing what he had. Pip Thomas, Nick
Thomas, Lacey, Mac, Eyton-Jones, John Tero, and John Courtney had
taken off their school blazers and ties and put on their "civvies"
to go out for a drink. Then Mr. (Gunner) Wright was seen to
come past the window, as if coming down here about Farey.
Quickly they ripped off their jackets and put their blazers back on.
I've never seen anyone move so fast! But he did not come down,
so they changed back and disappeared to the White Lion and were not
seen until about two o'clock. I watched Bernard Brown, Valerie
Humber, Bob Jones, Ian Calder, and Robertson playing brag for about
an hour. At lunch time I went down to the shop for a fruit
pie, some crisps, and chocolate. Later on Dave Betts played
Roger Barnes at chess.
 Just before two o'clock I was waiting by the Library for Mr. (Spike)
Clements. By the Staff Room I handed him several history books and
then he chatted with me at some length. We walked up to Room 3
and then to the Library and he talked about university, but I
eventually got away from him and went out to help with entrance.
I then returned to the Prefects' Room. By this time, Paddy
Davies etc. and his boozing companions had come back. We sat
about the room for about half an hour before the end-of-term
service. Nick Thomas' and M. Eyton-Jones' breath stank of
beer, as, I suppose, did the others', and they were deliberating
jokingly on the consequences of bidding the Head Master, Mr. Howard
(Buzzer), farewell in that condition.
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Paddy
Davies |
Buzzer |
Peter
Drinkwater |
After the inevitable couple of hymns and prayers, the school was
dismissed, beginning with the first years. The staff had
gravitated to the rear of the Hall and we were dismissed at the end
and we shook hands with them: Mr. Harris, Mr. E.G. Bennett, Mr. R.
Bennett, Mr. Meldrum, Mr. Hartwell, Mr. Timms, Mr. Baker, and Mr.
Hill. Peter Drinkwater praised Mr. Baker for his impression on
the school, and Mr. Hartwell then took a photograph outside of Lacey,
Jackie Ambler, Drinkwater, and myself.
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"Pip"
Harris |
Mr E G
Bennett |
Mr R
Bennett |
Ian
"Jock"
Meldrum |
Harry
Hartwell |
Tiger
Timms |
David
Baker |
Mr
Hill |
We then returned to the Prefects' Room and made a final gathering
together of our effects. MacIlravie had brought a gun, which
he let off with a loud report – it was only a starter's pistol!
We bade each other our final farewells to seven and three years of
friends. Val Rhodes had her autograph book.
As I went out of those gates with Bob Lacey on our mopeds I left
behind me seven years of my life. I did not exactly feel sad,
but rather sentimental. We delivered John Wright's report book
and school magazine, and went home by way of Boughton Green Road and
Moulton. It was a sunny, warm day now. On my arrival home I
found some correspondence from my Leeds University; half an hour ago
I had just left one life behind, to be greeted bluntly by another
life to come.
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