ORIGINAL MESSAGE
NAME: Nick Dean
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 22 November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Does anyone else remember Cllr Percy Woodruff (correct spelling?) who was Chairman of Governors in the mid to late '60s? He was short and stout - a bit like Captain Mainwaring without the glasses - and slurred the 's' sound, so that 'boys' became 'boysh' and the Second Master was 'Mr Pearsh'. He also had a good line in double entendres. On Founder's Day he was in the habit of addressing pearls of widsom to those assembled on Stapylton. One year, no doubt concerned by what he perceived as a lack of esprit de corps, he complained that too many boysh were "taking out" and "not putting back in again". He then proceeded to relate this advice to the arrival of new boysh in the autumn: "Now there'sh your chance!" Such was the merriment that some masters used their mortar boards to cover their faces. The following year, the whole school was advised by the school captain that, if the chairman said anything we found funny, we were to suppress our amusement. Unfortunately Woodruff evidently thought that we had failed to take to heart his advice and so largely repeated what he had said the previous year - with predictable results! Even some parents didn't know where to look.
DATE: 21 December 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: Former pupil
Nick, I certainly remember Councillor Woodruff (I think you had the correct spelling). The man didn't know when to shut up and would blather on interminably - I suppose he was a typical politician!!! had he been a comedian he could have made a good living doing stag nights, his 'double entendres' were almost professional in their standards. I certainly remember the first Founders' Day that this performance took place (I think it must have been just after the London Borough of Barnet took over the running of the school from the Hertfordshire C.C. And thus a new chairman would have been elected). There was hardly a dry eye on Staplyton Field from youngest boy through oldest pupil to teachers. I am pleased I noticed your thread on this one as I have often thought of that day.
DATE: 07 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1964-71
I fixed up the PA system for that speech (it meant I could avoid the church service). People were doubled-up after he finished speaking having kept reasonably straight faces. I don't know how the school captain (was it Luke Dixon?) coped. Eric Shearly was straight on to the field afterwards "if I catch any of you with the new boys I'll ..." Percy reckoned he could speak without notes. He had the denture whistle you rarely hear these days - I can still do a Woodruff impression complete with the whistle.
DATE: 08 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Simon - I think it was a few years earlier because I had left by the time Luke was i/c on Founders' Day (1972?), although maybe Woodruff was looking for further repeat fees! My recollection is that Davernell was the school captain who advised us against repeating the previous year's titters - so maybe his predecessor (who?) was the first to enjoy this priceless entertainment. It was certainly performed a least twice!<
DATE: 08 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: student 1962-69
Simon, I have a feeling that I was in about the 4th form when this event took place and I believe that the school captain at the time was Spence - but I could be mistaken. Luke Dixon was not school captain until after I left so I believe was captain in 1970-1971.
DATE: 09 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
As it happens, I was Luke's Lieutenant for a term and left in December '71; so he must have been 71-2 (as a 7th former). His predecessor, for all or part of 70-1, was Steve Watson, who I think stayed on after Cambridge entrance. Which reminds me that his deputy, Phil Daffern (who was in my year), was to have taken over, but never returned in the autumn. If I recall correctly, there was a bit of uncertainty for a time as to his whereabouts, with Luke as acting captain. One thing I do remember from that final term was Tiger Timson's observation, more than once, that "the prefects seem to run the school these days". Leaving aside analogies with the present coalition, I was never sure whether this was a reflection on (a) our effectiveness and devotion to duty (unlikely), (b) perceptions of our presumption and arrogance (more likely) or (c) his dim view of the school's professional management (ditto). Happy days! (There is, incidentally, a prefect photo from late '71 in the Museum.
.jpg "Nigel Wood")
DATE: 09 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-64
Ah yes, the denture whistle; very sharply observed! I believe that Ken Dodd used to imitate it sometimes, but doubtless not using the same august archetype. Percy Woodruff was a key man at Totteridge Parish church. He was the 'server' at the Communion Service at crack of dawn (7.00 am ?) on Sunday, and read the epistle (I believe it was the epistle) at the later (9.00 am?) Communion service. He seemed to take himself very seriously, but who am I to judge?!
DATE: 14 January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-64
I'm beginning to think that I've underrated Percy Woodruff. In 1930 (when he can't have been older than his early thirties) his Banking for Advanced Students was published by Pitman. I don't suppose it was a ground-breaking intellectual analysis of the principles of banking - I haven't got round to ordering my copy yet - but it would have been a feather in the cap of a young man to have any book published by a well-known publisher. The same Percy G H Woodruff was, according to one website, the Mayor Elect of the London Borough of Barnet in 1967. I assume he did become Mayor. Quite an accolade - or am I being naïve?
DATE: 08 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
I've added to the next thread [108/96] a few thoughts loosely connected to this one. However, I'm prompted by my tardy and non-participatory visit on Founders Day this year [reply 152/31] to record two things relevant to the messages above. Looking at the gallery of photos near the old art room, I noticed that, if Davernall (correct spelling? I didn't take notes) was in fact school captain in the late '60s (not confirmed as there was only one photo per year and he is shown as lieutenant), his predecessor was M J Whittaker, of whom I have no recollection whatsoever [see reply 5]. The board of school captains in the hall (erected, I think, since my time) shows two names for 1971, P M G Daffern, as well as Luke Dixon [reply 7], although, if Daffern actually served in the role, it would have been for a few weeks only, in the dog days of Summer 1971, after the estimable Steve Watson had left. Relevant also to thread 108, I glanced at a picture from 1954 which included the Oldie's resident (now ex-pat) grump, W De'ath, as a sub-prefect in a line-up that included my uncle-in-law, Dave Shargool, who was school captain that year. I remember your uncle-in-law very well, Nick. I was a first-former during his year as School Captain. He had a rather fearsome reputation.
DATE: 11 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: student 1962-69
I believe that Andrew Davenall was School Captain in 1968. Michael Whittaker would certainly have preceded him, either in 66 or 67. Both boys were formerly students at Furzehill School in Boreham Wood, although they both lived in Elstree. Michael's sister Sally was in the same class as I at Furzehill, we were both in the year behind Andrew Davenall.
DATE: 15 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Just to say that Dave Shargool (School Captain 1954-5) [reply 8], who is 80 this year, was over from Canada recently with his wife and looking fit and well.