Owt 50 Old Wyves' Tales 50 - May 2006 Dennis J Duggan, Rock Cottage, Brook Street, Welshpool, Montgomeryshire
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Old Wyves’ Tales – Volume 6 (Issues 50-59) 50-1 OWT 50 OLD WYVES' TALES 50 - MAY 2006 DENNIS J DUGGAN, ROCK COTTAGE, BROOK STREET, WELSHPOOL, MONTGOMERYSHIRE. SY21 7NA TEL 01938 555574 07985 405365 EDITORIAL It seems a long time since OWT 49! I have been very busy with my various other clubs and interests, plus we are converting our spare bedroom into a study (of sorts) Stephanie's mother was very very ill over the past few months, and she passed away on May 7th; you will understand that took up a lot of our time. So all in all Wyvernians has been on the back burner for a while. This OWT should be something of a special edition, being issue 50, but alas it is the same tried-andtrusted format that has served us so well over the past few years. Our first reunion was in 1998, and if memory serves me correctly the first newsletter was written in the spring of 2001. That was quite a modest affair, and gradually developed into the current layout. I am making the usual plea for more material, which is still in short supply. If you feel able to contribute something then please do so as soon as possible. Richard Thompson (1949-56) has sent in a 6.5 page contribution to OWT, and this will be serialised in future issues. I would say that Richard's article is one of the best - perhaps the best - I have ever received. It offers an incisive look at some of the CBS masters of that era, and the references to OFT Bob Roberts are particularly fascinating. You have a treat in store. FROM STEWART SMITH 1936-41 Reading through OWT (this was written 2.2.06 - Ed) I was moved to write immediately. The obituaries mentioned Harold Swann (1936-41) Harold did not attend the 2005 reunion because he was abroad with his wife celebrating 40 years (I think) of marriage. We had spoken by telephone, and promised we would meet up sooner rather than later. Harold and his wife were regular ballroom dancers, as are Pat and I. We had discussed the possibility of them coming to the reunion early, with the four of us dancing together on the Friday evening. I am sad to learn this news. Reading the commentary of Dr Burrows, and your following comments, I too am appalled at the attitude of some people. Dr Burrows expresses himself much better than I can. Having been through some very troubled experiences in my life, over long periods of time, I have always been grateful for the schooling I received at CBS under Mr Crammer's guidance. Frequently unhappy about things at the time, later reflections ©2012 Wyvernians – www.wyvernians.org.uk Old Wyves’ Tales – Volume 6 (Issues 50-59) 50-2 enabled me to broaden my outlook to cope with the difficulties in front of me. Sometimes having to do my homework in the air-raid shelter during my last two years at school was not my idea of well-being - especially having to suffer the Carpenter wrath the following day! Later, in the building industry, it was the left-wing politics of Harold Wilson which destroyed overnight one of the finest training schemes this country ever had. The introduction of the minimum wage concept cancelled the building apprenticeship scheme on the spot. For 25 years I taught dayrelease boys - the less academic ones from both secondary modern and grammar schools, and there were many. I was one of them, and went into the trade - surveying etc - on leaving school. It took me four attempts, over five years, to pass my exams; you know how they are. 'We do not enter into correspondence...' etc. Well, I made them do just that! Not popular, but eventually successful. I would like to meet Dr Burrows, because I believe we have much in common. It was an Old Wyggestonian who dragged me into rugby from soccer, where I also met some Old Newtonians. FROM LES OSWIN 1935-39 Looking back at OWT 45 I was interested to see Don Manser's (1938-43) complimentary comments about Tommy Markham, our PT master. A memory of an interesting incident came back to me. This occurred immediately after I had left CBS at the end of December 1939. I was due to start work as a junior clerk at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, but by coincidence a message from Mr Markham reached my home the day before. This invited me to meet him at his house, and was something to do with the LRI (Communications weren't very efficient in 1939) My mother, who took the message, assumed it was something to do with my employment, and didn't expect me to be late home. Mr Markham and his wife wanted me, and other school leavers, to form a Christmas carol party. The idea was to visit homes in Leicester and collect as much as possible for the LRI, which was one of the most successful voluntary hospitals in the country. I recall setting off from their house after having our fill of mince pies, Christmas cake and warming liquid refreshment. I can't recall the financial result, but I will always remember the warmth I felt for the Markhams and their charitable gesture. Goodness knows what time I eventually returned home; it was the early hours of the morning. I was soon aware of my mother's concern as to the whereabouts of her loving son, and she had tried to find out from the LRI. If I'd had my mobile phone there would not have been a problem! I believe the carol concert was recorded in The Wyvernian, March 1940, and perhaps our editor can tell us how much was collected (I have checked, and we have a copy of the relevant magazine. The choir consisted of Smith EF, soprano; Taylor, soprano and emergency bass; Dyer, RA ?; Needham, contralto; Lee A J, ©2012 Wyvernians – www.wyvernians.org.uk Old Wyves’ Tales – Volume 6 (Issues 50-59) 50-3 Falsetto; Watson, tenor; Oswin, crooner; Docherty, organist and choirmaster. The sum of £4.2.3d was raised - Ed) FROM MALCOLM R DAVIES 1959-66 One person who popped into my mind recently was Ian Butler. He had a reputation as a bit of a rascal, and joined the police force when he left CBS. I bumped into him some years later and decided to throw a legal question at him. Did my car, registered in 1965, require seatbelts? The answer was yes. I asked if a car built between 1955-60 required seatbelts, and the answer was no. But my car had been imported from Jersey, and was made pre-1965. Ian was quite categorical. The law stated registered, not built. Rapid search for suitable belts. I met him again when he was a sergeant. It was a Saturday night, when a stock car meeting clashed with a football match. It was the era of mass punch-ups. He cheerfully bragged he had been lucky to draw the stadium, with three constables, so expected a peaceful and enjoyable evening. He had a good chuckle when a group of fans asked about eateries. Their vehicle was a time-served hearse. The fittings had been removed, and there were piles of cushions instead of seats. The black and gold drapes at the windows were still in place. Ian wondered what customers in the restaurant would think, and more to the point what would prospective customers make of a hearse parked outside. The vehicle was a regular visitor to the stadium for some years, but it was fitted with seats and decorated with stickers and transfers. Nicknames. Frank Bourne taught French, but his looks - and moustache - inspired the name Luigi. W M Mann was known as Willy Mon, as we already had a Bill Sykes. This fitted nicely with the initials WMM. As to train-spotting in schooltime I have already said this took place at half term and bank holidays with said Frank Bourne, and someone from the sciences whose name escapes me. FROM PETER MARKHAM 1946-51 Thank you very much for another interesting edition of Old Wyves Tales (OWT 48) However I must reply to Horace Coates re my previous request for news of professional sportsmen. I think he misunderstood what I was trying to say. In fact I agree with his sentiments regarding the merits of amateur versus professional sportsmen. What I was trying to say was that if someone who had attended CBS and then played for Leicester City, the County Cricket team or the Tigers, they would be better known to the general public than someone who was involved in amateur sport. Horace, and myself for that matter, prove the argument. I was well aware of, and respected, Horace's achievements as a swimmer while attending CBS. ©2012 Wyvernians – www.wyvernians.org.uk Old Wyves’ Tales – Volume 6 (Issues 50-59) 50-4 Nevertheless I do not know if he continued with swimming after he left school. Did he continue - as a competitor, coach or administrator? As far as I am concerned Horace must have lost contact with local sport not to know I am the wrong person to start singing the praises of those involved with amateur sport, as I have been involved for the past 52 years and continue to travel the world as a coach and administrator in supporting my branch of athletics. Keep up the good work. FROM TREVOR LYNE 1953-58 Career: Desford Tubes (TI) metallurgical engineer 1965-2000; currently part time Court Usher.