Ricky Jones offers up some memories
of PGS at War
- The
outbreak of World War II just days before
my joining PGS.
- Half-day
attendance until the completion of the
air-raid shelters.
- That
awful snowy winter of the 'phony* war,
1939-40.
- The
form being quite property ticked off for
cheering when a double period of Latin
was interrupted by the sirens and a trip
to he shelter.
- Collecting
anti-aircraft shrapnel after the raids of
previous nights.
- Growing
veg in the school allotments and the
holiday farm camps.
- The
poignant morning assemblies when
announcements were made of ex-pupils and
staff being killed or wounded in action.
- Herbie
Chant, to class, "Don't go home and
tell your parents that I've been teaching
you about Socialism".
- 'FAB'
Bailey, to me after I had remarked that
my atlas showed the pre-1936 European
boundaries. "I suggest you invite
the interest of the British Museum".
- Mr
Hough, to me in exasperation. "Like
another famous gentleman, Jones, my
patience is exhausted". (A reference
to Hitler's reaction at the rejection of
his 'final offer')
- In
trouble again, this time in RSB's French
class,-my wilful confusion of joli and
jolly and my uncontrollable giggles at
the concept of jolly flowers.
- Mr
Hawthorne's insistence on our use of both
inner and outer surfaces of the covers of
exercise books as a wartime economy.
- Also,
his 'gags', e.g., "Have you played
football recently, boy?" "Yes.
Sir."... "And did you
Win-stanley?".
- The
door handle coming off in Eddie Wood's
hand during his practical demonstration
of the Moment of a Force (I suspect in
retrospect that this was staged).
- Playing
in the two Shield final games at Goodison
Park in 1944 (a better performance than
one or two games I saw there in later
years - with 30,000 others! (pre-1980, of
course, in case Geoff Nulty reads
this).
|