Peter Worrall

“A quick summary of the stories that spring to mind. They make me look like a bit of a reprobate but most of the time I was a very law-abiding schoolboy!…

Being the back half of the donkey with Alistair W as the front half in the nativity play in the gym with many local parents and all the teaching staff in the audience. When our big moment in the limelight came the two halves became separated and proceeded to wander around the stage looking for each other much to the audience’s hilarity! Being covered in a big grey blanket I had no idea where I was going. Mary Wilcox always enjoyed reminding me of this whenever I saw her in later years.

Escaping the grounds for an illegal trip to the sweet shop. As we quickly walked down the lane from the school gates to the sweet shop in Lyne, Mr Williams came along the road behind us in his car. Thinking he hadn’t seen us we jumped into the drainage dyke by the road. He slowly pulled up and leant across from the drivers seat asking us to get into his car to be taken safely back to school. We were soaking wet and covered in algae! Unfortunately I can’t remember who my partner in crime was.

Happy days in the ‘Shrubbery’ over the weekends where we built hideout huts that became little homes for various groups of friends. I remember also in those days thinking that people who smoked were cool so while out of sight of authority in the shrubbery, we tried to make our version with autumn leaves rolled in newspaper. They never stayed alight thankfully!

Mark D, a weekly boarder(?), although only about 11 at the time was being trained to fly. I remember one particular school match (either football or rugby) when a Tiger Moth biplane suddenly appeared over the pitch and started dive-bombing! Mr Snape who was supporting the Fan Court team from his bubble car wasn’t amused and started waving his walking stick in the air and shouting at Mark D to fly away. I think Mark probably became a top hero for a while for such a daredevil stunt.

Beyond that I just remember very happy days and feel very privileged to have been part of it.”