April 1997
OLD HUISH ASSOCIATION AGM 1997
The AGM was held at the College on Thursday 17th April 1997 at 7.30pm. This was my first AGM and I wanted to be able to report to Pat Bird anything relevant to his proposed '50 years on' celebration. In the event, it was a most inspiring occasion in several ways. Most importantly, the new Principal, Dr. Peter Avery, offered the warmest possible encouragement to Old Huishers to participate in the life of the College through its many public events. He also said that he would value their help and suggestions for furthering the development of the College as the leading provider of A-level education, and other courses, in the area, particularly having regard to their experience and understanding of local business needs and opportunities.Secondly I was able to talk to Rosemary Allen (daughter of Reg ('Nat') Allen), from whom I learned that the Old Fox's Association has been revived, about the possibilities of running a sister page to this one for Fox's girls. As noted elsewhere, Ann Nisbet in Leamington is interested in promoting a Fox's page on the Internet although she is unable to take it on herself.
Finally, my week was made on Friday by the unexpected appearance in College of two Old Huishers. David Mitchell called in the morning, later returning by air to Aberdeen where he is engaged in 'planning disasters'. He has the Web address and will be mailing me contact details on his return. We were also able to sell him (still only two pounds fifty!) a copy of the History of Huish's from which I have been quoting in the Huish History notes elsewhere in these pages. In the afternoon I was delighted to meet Peter Huish who is already on our contacts list as he too was in the area. Peter spends a week a month in the States and another in Europe and met both John Branchflower and Steve Harrison during his visit.
May 1997HUISH HISTORY VII
The Second World War years mark the end of the Goodliffe era and a period of uncertainty, both nationally and in the annals of Huish's. Before moving on however, there are a few loose ends to tie: Those who agree that the influence of Arnold Goodliffe remained a potent force well into the post-war period will probably need no reminding that in addition to the few pre-war masters already mentioned, many others continued to give dedicated service to the old school well into the fifties and even sixties: Hunt, Wickenden, Pleass, Bennett, Branton, Mitford, Trevett, Dickinson, Eele, Broad... and probably others. (Does my memory play tricks or should Sidwell be added to the list? Baker's History seems to suggest otherwise so maybe I'm mistaken).Secondly and rather less importantly, the 'bottom playground' and the Silver Street entrance must have been created in the late 30s. I've mentioned ('Old Huish Dinner') that Brewer senr. remembered only the one bike shed, and the school magazine for the Autumn Term 1939 includes the following resentful note ('Fifth Form Chronicle' pp 34-36): 'Nov.10. The authorities provide us with a new entrance as a substitute for a new school...' The same issue records three rugby matches. One, against Dr. Morgan's (lost 6-3), resulted in the side becoming 'so plastered in mud we did not know each other'. By the immediate post-war years the school had become 'soccer only'.
Mention of the School Magazine reminds me that the Ballad of the Bikeshed was discovered while I was searching therein for Arthur C. Clarke's 'first published work'. Those who have searched the World Wide Web for 'Huish' will have discovered a mysterious entry '1933' and on further investigation may have found there a reference to Arthur's first publication being in the school magazine that year. Regrettably my search was unsuccessful, possibly because so many contributors hid behind noms de plume! Those who are interested in the work of Huish's most famous Old Boy may however care to look for his entry under the Science Museum where items from the Arthur C. Clarke exhibition include a facsimile of his article on geo-stationary satellite orbits. From July 1977 there is also an official Arthur C. Clarke Foundation site at www.acclarke.co.uk
HUISH HISTORY VIII
Sparing every expense - I'm like that - I proudly present an eye-witness account of the War Years at Huish's, contributed by Clem (C.E.) Nettell.O.K. here goes - the early forties (sorry for the Yankee spelling).I started at Huish in September of 1941 having won a scholarship from Priory Elementary. My first "home room" was in the Scout Hut in the north east corner upper playground. Our "form mistress" was a Miss Macdonald, a rather young good looking blonde woman who had a disconcerting habit of sitting on one of the front desk tops in a most un-ladylike posture. (For those days anyway.) For an innocent eleven year old it was like "WOW". I think Miss Macdonald was only there for my first year unfortunately.
There were two other female teachers as I recall. Mrs Searle, again a young woman probably in her early twenties who taught English and who left during my second year because, it was rumored, of an overly friendly relationship with "Jack" Friend the Gym instructor who had been medically discharged from the Army.
The third lady was Mrs Rutt - yes, C.H."Ginger" Rutt's* wife. She was as highly respected as the ol' man himself. My wife, who was a good friend of Mary Rutt, the eldest daughter, and frequently visited their house at Halcon Corner seems to think that Mrs Rutt's mother may also have taught at Huish temporarily.
I certainly remember most of those you refer to in your Huish History VII - Dickinson, Wickenden, "Bummer" Eele, "Froggy" Trevett, Hunt, "Bobby" Pleass and of course Capt Mitford.
Had a very unusual experience with Capt Mitford whilst in the fifth form. Four of us, Jimmy Telling (former Taunton and Somerset rugby player) Mike Short, Barry Wagstaff and myself were reported by a "prefect" for some minor infraction. We were told to report to the master of the day in what was known as the dungeon (past the Chemistry Lab. and down the stairs to the left.) The master of the day proved to be Captain Mitford who was well known for meting out punishment with a clenched fist. Jimmy got his, Mike got his, I got mine but before Barry got his we were picking the Captain up off the floor. When he fully recovered he indicated he was going to report Barry to "Ginger". None of us ever heard any more about the incident but I do believe that Captain Mitford's approach to people his own size changed considerably.
Enough of my rambling.
Your memory does indeed serve you right. Mr Sidwell* should be added to the list. He was one of my favorites (Yankee again!) and had it not been for his teaching me Math I might never have been prepared for a career in accounting.
Others who you might not be aware of were:
Mr Baker - A dapper young man who walked with a very definite bounce to his gait.There were at least two more whose name I can't remember. One was the Art teacher (his name started with De......, man with a very bald pate) [That would be Mr. Desa - BP] and the other was the Music Master. The music room was located in the lower playground with the bicycle sheds. (If I remember correctly when I first went to the school there was only one shed - on the north side).
Mr "Fingers" Allen* - Taught 5th form English while all the time manipulating his fingers. In later years I believe he was involved with the Football Referees' Association.
Mr "Cheeser" Hayes - Physics teacher. Had a wicked right cuff to the ear.That's about all I can think of at the moment. If anyone else comes to mind I will get in touch. Hope I haven't bored you too much.
Incidentally, you asked me my wife's maiden name. It was Patricia Mear and she lived on Bridgwater Road just along from the Rutts.
Footnote; * Could quite often be found in the Phoenix - a well known watering hole close to Huish Lane.
Enjoyed reminiscing,
Kind regards,
Clem
HUISH HISTORY IX
There are just one or two footnotes to Clem (C.E.) Nettell's recent contributionMiss MacDonald, the 'good looking blonde', is referred to as 'Mrs.' in Gordon Baker's History:
"...but gradually ladies helped out in greater numbers. Mrs. MacDonald, BA., took over French, for instance." (p.85). We find, too, that boys were taken daily to the Victoria Restaurant on the Parade for a mid-day meal. (This was where Dixon's now stands. The restaurant was, I believe, upstairs and subsidised meals were available to all). The dining room at the end of the top playground must have come later but was certainly in place by the late forties.The caretakers then were Mr. and Mrs. G. Porter who had a cottage on the site and served sticky buns at break time through a window in the passage leading to the gym. They had 'five sons of their own' (Baker) but lost one shot down in a raid over Germany. Many much more recent Huishers will remember Maurice Porter, one of the five sons, and his wife, as caretakers at the South Road school, and later college, premises.
The school magazines for the war years carry lists of old Huishers serving in the forces but, no doubt due to emergency regulations, details are sparse. Sports and scouting continued and boys were organised into fire-watching teams taking turns to spend nights at the school. Windows were sealed as a protection from broken glass and blackout curtains provided. These were anxious times indeed but in the event Taunton escaped relatively lightly. However, we read that steps were taken where possible to replace gas with electricity and sand buckets and stirrup pumps were, naturally, provided and stocks of fuel were laid in. The fire watching teams of 'at least one master, and half-a-dozen senior boys', were on duty every night of the week and at weekends.
Elsewhere in the 'History' are references to Belgian refugees having their fees remitted, to the reception of evacuees from other grammar schools and to the Head's resistance to a wholesale influx of refugees and to lending boys for work in agriculture (that was Goodliffe; the 'History' records that Rutt relaxed the policy regarding agricultural work) which he had tried and found unsatisfactory in the Great War. With over 500 boys in the school 'War Savings' exceeded £3,600 by midsummer 1942.
The 'dapper' Mr Baker referred to by Clem Nettell, who was of course the author of the History of Huish's, actually left the school for a time and returned after about three years' absence. Although he taught French his subject was Geography and it was as Head of Geography that he eventually retired. I'm pretty sure that 'Bummer' Eele was later known as 'Bomber' but I never knew why. 'Fingers' Allen became known, for some reason, as 'Nat'.
.....end, created/updated 14 Sept1997