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ORIGINAL MESSAGE

NAME: Steve Lucas  Steve Lucas

DATE: 13 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71 (Leicester)

Happened to chance upon this website! On the matter of teachers... There was also:  A Miss Apple who taught Maths in the 60s - always absolutely covered in chalk dust.  A Miss Wimpress (mid 60s), who taught Geometry to 1st and 2nd years, Scripture to 2nd years and Poetry to any 3rd years who would listen (none actually).  A Mr Fox (Neil?) who taught Maths (very well) in the late 60s/early 70s and who also managed the building of sets for the school play during that period.   A Mr Fairclough who taught woodwork when Mr Gould moved on to greater things. Fairclough was a bit of a brute and whacked people with half inch dowelling if they had transgressed what was a very low tolerance level.  A Mr Boot who took over Eric Crofts' post (Biology/Zoology/Botany) when Eric left to go and work for the National Trust. Boot lasted about a year and could not control classes at all. Eric Shearly had to intervene once when Boot's class made so much noise that ES heard it all the way over the other side of the back playground. (I confess to being part of those decibels).

Of teachers already discussed on this site:  Mr Gould also taught Psychology (yes, really) for a short experimental period when I was in the Upper 6.  Jordan taught English. Kobish taught me Maths and also Ancient History - a strange mix perhaps but he was a good teacher.  He was N. A. Kobish if memory serves.  Wright was known as 'Taffy' (being Welsh; little imagination from the Boys!).  In my year Mr Fry was known as 'Frizz' (combination of name and occasionally unruly hair).  Sam C0cks taught History and Scripture as well as Geography - he was my form master for 2 years in Room U. A pupil called Richard Traub bought a pair of Sam's trousers at a jumble sale and they measured 56 inches around the waist (presumably he had outgrown them!). Sam once wrote for one boy on his end of term report for Geography, "He does well to find his way home".  Sid Clark was, I believe, a reserve for the GB team for the Rome Olympics (shot putt obviously!).  Lowe (I think it was David Lowe) taught a bit of Physics as well as Chemistry.  My fondest memory of Tiger Timpson was at a Past v Present Rugby match where he arrived bout 20 minutes late and asked a group of us what the score was. Someone said "Nil-nil, Sir", to which he replied "Already?"  We stopped wearing School caps in either '67 or '68, can't remember which but it did coincide with Saturday school ending.

1st REPLY

NAME: Nick Dean  Nick Dean Nick Dean gallery

DATE: 15 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Great to see this from Steve because my own memories are contemporaneous. Mrs(?) Apple was Zoë and when I first saw her name in a staff list - Mrs Z Apple - it looked quite improbable. Vera Wimpress was, I think, a retired headmistress (seemed like a stern Sunday School teacher) and probably should have remained as such. In 1C Eric S was alive to the situation, while doing nothing to undermine her, of course. However, he generated huge laughter on one occasion when he told a boy who professed ignorance of something mathematical, "Good God, if Mrs Wimpress heard you say that, she'd go through the roof!". I had forgotten Derek's Fry's nickname and, even at the time, I'm pretty sure I thought it was 'Fritz', whereas Steve's explanation of 'Frizz' makes that far more probable. I have no recollection whatever of Fairclough, which is probably a good thing as he sounds the opposite of the highly esteemed and equable Martin Gould.

It's clear from the various memories of Martin Gould that he was a highly and multi-talented man. The thing I most remember about him was his mischievous smile, which could be fine-tuned to suit the occasion. In 1C he conveyed a look of sympathetic despair when I produced a piece of handicraft that failed to resemble to table lamp. During a physics lesson he was persuaded to show a reel-to-reel scientific film backwards so that we could watch some liquid jump out of a test tube. (His bemused look on that occasion suggested that he thought us a pretty sad bunch.) Just occasionally, he could get a bit tetchy, as when a boy keep calling out duing a maths lesson and was told rather crossly to put his hand up. This provoked a sardonic interjection from another boy: "Up where?" At this the entire form, Gould included, collapsed into prolonged, helpless laughter, after which the lesson continued as if nothing had happened.

Yes, Mr Boot(?e). I felt a bit sorry for him because he was clearly miscast as a schoolmaster and it's a wonder how he came to be appointed. I remember being told of his losing his temper during one lesson and assusing his pupils of "guffawing" him. This sent people scrambling for their dictionaries, following which the word became a feature of our lexicon. On Speech Day, TBE referred to his departure in a single sentence, "We also said goodbye to Mr Boote", although I remember thinking that he could have made a good joke about giving Boote the boot. (I had cause to recall this irreverent thought some time later when 'Bo' Morris drew our attention to the chapter in A J P Taylor's Habsburg Monarchy which describes the only sensible remark of the Emperor Ferdinand of Austria as having been, "I'm the Emperor and I want dumplings!". In a witty footnote Taylor explained that he had actually asked for noodles, but for a noodle to ask for noodles would be, in English, an intolerable pun!)

2nd REPLY

NAME: Paul Buckland

DATE: 16 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1962 - 1969

Whilst I hesitate to disagree with Nick, I have a recollection that Mrs. Apple's first name was Zena. The other female teacher who has not so far been mentioned is Dr. Perry, who taught French and, I think, English. Should any boy raise his hand and say "miss...!" she would immediately retort "I am not miss, I am doctor". Neil Kobish is mentioned, and in our year he was always referred to as 'The Rabbi', which was strange as I believe his father was a Methodist minister. He was my form master in the 4th form and taught me Latin right through to O-level. I suspect when I started at the school he had only been there about 1 year. There has been some mention of Ms. Affentranger who, I seem to remember, taught German. It was rumoured that she was going out with Mr. Jordan who taught English. I believe that he lodged in the house of Barbara Cartland, who lived over towards Hertford. One man who has not received much of a mention is TBE. He had an exceptionally difficult job in following EHJ whose tenure had lasted 32 years and I suspect had an uphill job in the Common Room with the old guard. In my opinion he was a thoroughly decent man trying to drag the school into the 1960s and, I fear, against a large opposition. I always remember 'Sam' C0cks referring to "the headmaster, of course I mean Jenkins...." And that would have been in '67 or '68.

3rd REPLY

NAME: Nick Dean  Nick Dean Nick Dean gallery

DATE: 17 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Grateful to Paul for the clarification re Mrs Apple. I'm pretty sure that a number of us referred to her as Zoë, but that may have been a sort of speculative nickname - I doubt we knew many names beginning with Z! I think Fox was Bruce [see original message] and that Mr Boote's initial was D. Although I was never taught by her, I believe Dr Perry was known as 'Ma' because her initials were MA.

4th REPLY

NAME: Steve Lucas  Steve Lucas

DATE: 18 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Yes, I remember 'Ma Perry' after that prompt from you guys. I am almost certain that Boot did not have an 'e' on the end, and I am sure (this site has re-initiated some grey matter memory banks!!) that his first name was Alan. Seeing your correspondence, Nick, reminded me of your magazine Jackpot and also a magazine that Nick Chance and I did which was called Blast Off. I seem to recall Jackpot ran for quite a few issues but Blast Off was banned after just 2 thanks to an uncomplimentary cross-sectional diagram of school custard (false teeth dropped in, impenetrable foam layer etc). Nevertheless, we sold a few copies at the very first School Fete (1966 on the same Saturday as England played Argentina in the World Cup quarter Finals).  Finally, TBE was indeed a nice chap - had a few German and also English lessons from him. He was, I believe, a staunch Labour supporter which would not have gone down well with the old guard. His son Stephen Edwards was the same age as me and we were in the same class at Junior School (Underhill).

5th REPLY

NAME: James (Jas) Cowen  James & Ayleen Cowen James Cowen galleryThen & Now

DATE: 18 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63

This thread amidst so many other themes is new terrain for the Sam C0cks appreciation and non-appreciation societies [see original message]. Sam the geography teaching or non-geography teaching man, depending on your point of view, we know more about than Sam the teacher or non-teacher of scripture and history. I for one would like to know. Was knowledge imparted in an effective way? In the words of Delia Smith encouraging her Norwich supporters a while ago from their now surviving again in the Premiership "Let's be having you!". Incidentally I for one rejoice to see another contributor on the site in the person of the originator of this interesting thread. Well done! Maybe more will join in.

6th REPLY

NAME: Alan Pyle  Alan Pyle

DATE: 20 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1948-1953

Sam C0cks was my first form master 1b and therefore led my introduction to QE's day to day Looking back he gave me a life long enjoyment of maps and geology. Those deft coloured chalk marks drawn to make rock layers and the 'erosion' by swift erasure with the blackboard rubber. He could be withering. I achieved 1 out of 10 for a late homework as I had got my name right on the paper. So many stories in lessons which we got to know were repeat performances for each year. One I recall was of a passage about the impact of the railway on East Anglia. It suggested to Sam that... (voice) ... "The citizens of Norwich stood on the platform as the first train rolled in and said; The Olden Days are Over".

7th REPLY

NAME: Vic Coughtrey   Vic CoughtreyThen & Now

DATE: 20 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1954-1959

I haven't done any calculation but I reckon Sam C0cks is the most discussed former QE teacher on this site.  There are so many anecdotes and comments about him scattered throughout so many threads that I was thinking of asking contributors to restrict any further replies concerning RMC to those threads in which he already appears. Then I had a better idea. I'm now in the process of garnering a wide selection of comments about him from across the site and placing them in a new thread. You will still be able to contribute replies about him or including him, to any relevant thread but you will also be able to add to the new RMC thread. Comments extracted from new replies in other threads may also crop up in the RMC thread. Unlike with most other threads there will be no licence to wander! It will enable you to see much more easily if an anecdote you were thinking of relating has already appeared on the site.

8th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  Stephen Giles

DATE: 21 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64

Eh?

9th REPLY

NAME: Nick Dean  Nick Dean Nick Dean gallery

DATE: 21 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Oh dear - Jackpot ! Steve [4th reply] is probably the first person to have referred to it publicly for 42 years! In 1971 TBE (who we seem to be agreeing was fundamentally quite a good egg) took me aback with some nostalgic references to it when I went up to receive a prize (for history) at Speech Day. Coincidentally, I came across some back numbers a few months ago when I was searching for memorabilia for my 60th birthday do. The most recent issue, number 27, was dated July 1967, but I know there was at least one more because Sam C0cks declined to buy a copy - "Noh!!" - when he became our form master that autumn.

Given the technology available now, it looks terribly amateurish: typing on a stencil with a pre-war Imperial, using the sharp points of dividers to do sketches and nail varnish to make corrections. However, it was quite exciting to discover coloured paper and blue ink. The contents were probably too law-abiding for our own good, but Bernie P did depricate the editorial direction on one occasion ("too much pop and that sort of thing"). Issue 23 contained, inter alia, articles about 'The Golden Shot' (we seeemed to like the Golden Girls), opium ("next month: cocaine and coca wine"), the death of Tommy Simpson during the Tour de France, Rosie Casals (then primly referred to as Rosemary), Carl Wilson (Beach Boys), tne water opossum, and - heaven forbid - the Daily Mail. There were pirate radio schedules and the lyrics to Silence is Golden by the Tremeloes (yuk!).  The Beatles' All You Need is Love/Baby, You're a Rich Man was number one in the 'Jackpot Groovy Ten', with the Troggs' Hi, Hi, Hazel being a tip for the top (I don't think it quite got there).

Our gossip column reported that, at lunch, Martin Gould (one of our keen subscribers, I recall) had poured salad cream over his pineapple flan, mistaking it for custard (true story). In the end it all became rather Blue Peter-ish and died a natural death, but here, for what it's worth, is the sketchy cover from that Summer of Love issue. I'm not sure if the figures are supposed to be anyone in particular, but they look a bit like the Small Faces.

10th REPLY

NAME: Nigel Wood  Nigel Wood

DATE: 21 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-64

I find this thread fascinating. Even though I left QE in 1964, and could not have met all the teachers mentioned, so deft and so amusing were the descriptions, that I feel rather as if I had. As I've said on another thread, I had huge respect for Martin Gould, who tried to teach me Engineering Drawing. What did he go on to do, and is it true that he died young? Alan Pyle sheds new light on Ralph C0cks. I wonder whether, in the ten or so years between his teaching Alan and his teaching me he had become cynical and disillusioned? I think, Vic, that a dedicated RMC thread is an excellent idea. I have some basic biographical material which I'll post.

11th REPLY

NAME: James (Jas) Cowen  James & Ayleen Cowen James Cowen galleryThen & Now

DATE: 24 May 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63

I find all these references to lady teachers in the mid 60s fascinating [see original message and first 4 replies]. When I left in 1963 there were none as there were also no ladies at the Cambridge college I attended. In this thread and some others there are references to Misses Apple, Wimpress, Affentrager, Swan and Doctor Perry. Since then there has been an even greater increase, as witnessed at last year's Founders Day. I look forward to seeing all the ladies at this year's Founders Day (440 years on since founded) and recommend attendance by all others who are able to make it. There will be another School v OEs match including a snack and drinks bar apparently. Of course lady teachers at the school are not new. Some older OEs may recall lady teachers in the 2nd World War years (Misses Hobbs, Stevens, Hardy and Sims as well as Mrs M Vaughan Thomas and Mrs Winter ('Snowball') referred to elsewhere on the site.

12th REPLY

NAME: Nick Dean  Nick Dean Nick Dean gallery

DATE: 11 August 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Hearing a rediscovered recording by the Riot Squad on Radio 2's Sounds of the 60s (10/8) reminded me that this band played at the school after the fete in 1967. They were supported by the Art Movement, about which, like Manuel, I know nothing (their presence confirmed in the July edition of Jackpot, referred to at 9th reply above!) This supersedes my comment elsewhere on this site that the Pretty Things were the only band I could recall performing at an 'official' gig at the school in my time. In fact, thanks to Steve Lucas' recollection [reply 4] that the 1966 fete coincided with England's World Cup QF against Agentina, I realise that, in my mind, I had been conflating two fetes, thinking that there was just one in 1967 (at which I distinctly remember someone requesting that See Emily Play be dedicated over the tannoy to Miss Payne, Headmistress of the Girls' School.)

13th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  Stephen Giles

DATE: 14 August 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64

My band which also included Mick Allen and Dave Ward - both OEs from 1957-64 era, played in the school hall for a dance on one occasion, probably sometime in 1964. Does anyone have any photos?

14th REPLY

NAME: Derek Scudder

DATE: 16 August 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64

I saw the Riot Squad [see reply 12] in Rimini in 1966. My first trip abroad with a couple of friends. A fortnight's package holiday for around £33. The group were playing in a venue with the old Italian name of The Red Lion. It was a small bar with a huge marquee attached. We were there a few weeks after the World Cup final and the 'clientele' were 50/50 German and British, but it was all very good humoured. I have very sketchy memories of the night as the standard drink was Asti Spumante at 2/6d a bottle. We were drinking it like beer. Result - mega hangover. But the band were good and I remember being impressed we were getting to see a band I had seen on television not long before.

15th REPLY

NAME: Steve Lucas  Steve Lucas

DATE: 19 August 2013

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

Art Movement [reply 12] had one top 20 hit in 1968 with a track called Loving Touch; they then, perhaps unbelievably, became Roy Orbison's backing band until the mid-70s. With regard to other bands at the school, School Dances were started at some time and I distinctly remember a band called Geranium Pond playing at such a 'do'. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic scene at the time and even performed with painted faces! You can find two of their tracks on YouTube. Dogs in Baskets was their best known track. I also saw Geranium Pond at the Blue (?) Anchor in Islington once upon a time supported by an outfit with the fine name of 'Mint Tulip Army'. While writing, and referencing requests at school fetes, there was one occasion when the Spencer Davis song Keep on Running was requested for Larry Lowe in tribute to his strange keenness for cross country running.

16th REPLY

NAME: Paul Wright

DATE: 29 July 2014

CONNECTION WITH QE: Taught Latin 1963-69

Martin Gould [see original message and replies 1,9,10] died at a very early age. I remember him joking that Sam C0cks' car had a floor specially strengthened by Cammell Laird.

Rosemary Affentranger married Peter Jordan, and they were later divorced.

17th REPLY

NAME: Michael Vinson

DATE: 29 January 2015

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1944-1951

I've sent a picture for the Museum of the choir of St. Mary's Church, East Barnet around 1946. There is a fair sprinkling of QE boys but there is one there who was not a pupil but went on to become an assistant master: Martin Gould [see original message & replies 1,9,10,16]. In 1949 Martin was a co founder of the St. Mary's Young Peoples' Fellowship.

18th REPLY

NAME: Nigel Cole

DATE: 24 January 2016

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-1971

Anyone remember Derek Fry's Scottish country dancing sessions, and his turning up only to the last rehearsal of the orchestra before a concert? There was Mr Pirella, also called Mr Umbrella, who didn't last long. Who was the evil physics teacher? Mrs De'Ath who taught French for a while, was she a relation of Wilfred? Graham Smith called Grotty due to his habit of wiping his nose upwards. Then there was HG Thomas, an OE himself, my first form teacher and much later also taught my son - a strange parents' evening that term. Mrs Wimpress was known, I think, as Mrs Windbag - how original were we? The saintly looking Mr Pearce in room P and his attempts to teach RE. Does anyone recall the son et lumière at Founders Day? Sam C0cks featured on them with his dire jokes about borehamwood. Pretty ghastly place really at that time with its legacy/pretence of being ex-public school but the odd bits of humour and minor rebellions seemed to make it more or less OK. Can't say I was the best product either! Welcome to our website, Nigel! There's quite a lot about 'Poker' Pearce and GL Smith on the site - see the list of former staff. As for Sam C0cks (the 'o' has to be replaced by a nought to fool porn filters in libraries), there is so much about him that he has his own thread

19th REPLY

NAME: Nick Dean  Nick Dean Nick Dean gallery

DATE: 27 January 2016

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71

I certainly remember the son et lumière [reply 18], though I tend to associate it with the Hobbies Exhibition, rather than Founder's Day. It was a pre-recorded sound revue, supplemented by a physical mock-up of the school. Windows would light up to accompany particular sketches; so, for example, Room U would be lit for material relating to Sam C0cks. Nigel mentions Borehamwood, and, indeed, my only specific memory is of a script in which Sam ascertains that (a) a boy is secreting a bicycle chain under his desk; and (b) he hails from Borehamwood, a revelation that provokes an uncomplimentary observation about boys from that part of the world. I can't recall much else, except that one item ended with Mr Wren in hot pursuit of Mrs Swan. This went on for a few years in my time, but I think eventually it was banned, presumably for being too disrespectful.

20th REPLY

NAME: Nigel Cole

DATE: 28 January 2016

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-1971

A bit off topic but I was at Underhill Junior, evidently the same time as Steve Lucas (and John Ward, also at QE) and remember TBE's son Stephen too. TBE lived in Quinta Drive - can't recall why I'd have gone there but imagine it wasn't for being a good boy.

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