Post by Les on Dec 11, 2017 15:41:14 GMT
Maidstone I remember it well:
Hello all - great to come across this page (and Mr Page!) and read the memories.
I started at MGS in 1958 and Mr Page was my french master; from memory I believe his form room was No.12 on the ground floor of the main corridor and next door to mine (Mr Caley's).
He certainly did have a great sense of humour and I too can remember enough French to get by even today thanks to his teaching style.
One thing he used to do was to assume a wicked grin and begin scribbling something on the bottom of the blackboard - just what I cannot recall but it always made us laugh.
Later we had Mr Wilcox for French in one of those freezing huts - he used to use a bell for a round-the-class quiz and if we used a word that had already been said everyone cried out "Deja eu!" (sorry for omission of accents!)
I also remember 'killer' Kemp (and his smelly pipe!) I lived in Wheatsheaf Close by the fire station in Loose Road, as my father worked at the Godlands, Tovil, HQ of Kent Fire brigade.
I used to catch the trolleybus from opposite the fire station and as 'killer' lived farther along Loose Road he would occasionally see me there and stop to pick me up in his (even then) old green Riley.
I also got an occasional lift from Mr Gutteridge who had a much newer Wolseley (I can even remember its number: WTO 85) and later a new teacher, Mr Alexander, who had a posh new Triumph Herald.
I had cello lessons with a Miss White, largely to get out of PE with Mr Wyeth, and used to carry my cello up and down the stairs on the trolleybuses.
I also remember stopping at the tuck shop for a packet of Oxo crisps and a bottle of pop to supplement the morning bun (2d - supplied by Pocock's bakery) and free bottle of milk (Primrose & Len) and the sometimes rather inadequate one shilling lunch (paid weekly to Mr Keats sitting halfway up the stairs!), perhaps of steak and kidney pie and greyish boiled potatoes (with very little meat) followed by semolina or gipsy tart.
The tuck shop, of course, was run by the CCF Sergeant (whose name I cannot recall).
I was in the CCF and can still remember the smell of the rifle range, above the cycle sheds and tuck shop.
Later whilst I was there, from about 1960, the first of the now much more extensive new buildings were being constructed and when lessons were held anywhere near the windows had to be closed when the dumper-truck came anywhere near!
I still have my old Journals and copies of the school magazine but even without them, Stuart, I remember you as a prefect (one of the quieter ones!) and would love to see your books.
Sadly I don't remember the naked man outside the library, however!
I was also I member of the railway club, run by Mr Newcombe (also the librarian) and subsequently joined British Railways as a clerical officer, finally being able to retire (as a Control Room Manager) after 31 years' service in 1996, aged 48, and never looked back.
It has been great looking back at MGS, though