Philip E Nash died in 1968 from heart trouble, which had caused him to retire early from Denstone College in 1967. An Open Scholar of University College he came from Ambleside in 1938 to replace Mr G E Churchill as Senior Classical Master. He was an inspirational teacher with a special interest in rugger and… Continue reading Philip Nash
Month: November 2025
H N N Waterman
Laurie Bates, apparently an Old Boy but of whom we have no record, wonders why no mention is made of Mr Waterman, who was a Latin Master at the School. Anyone remember him? Laurie, incidentally, lives in Paignton. Anyone remember him? PS – A few hours after this item was placed on the website, we… Continue reading H N N Waterman
Ben Atkin
B C (Ben) Atkin died in 1966. He retired from the School after a bout of ill health, and lived in Iffley, near the parish church. He was a Scholar of Hertford, and joined the School in 1932 as Senior Mathematics Master but left two years later for Beaumont College. In 1941 he returned gave… Continue reading Ben Atkin
A V Kiley
Mr A V Kiley taught Metalwork for some years at the School until leaving in 1966 was appointed Headmaster of an Infant and Junior School in Rochester in 1970.
The School Song
by John Gaskin (c. 1955) John Gaskin writes: The precise origins and authorship of the School Song (see Newsletter 4) were never known to more than a tiny handful of people: F C Lay and Jimmy Soulsby are long since dead, and it would be a pity for the knowledge to perish unrecorded with me.… Continue reading The School Song
Malcolm Williams’ Rare Poetic Talent
by Richard Coleman (1953-60) Richard Coleman (53-60) writes: “In my memory Malcolm’s most singular claim to fame came during an English lesson in 2A. Jock Sutton obviously thought that the country’s total preoccupation with the coronation had gone too far and urged us to write a poem celebrating the conquest of Everest. Malcolm stood up… Continue reading Malcolm Williams’ Rare Poetic Talent
Introduction of Rugby into the School
by John Everett (1927-36) John Everett (1927-36) writes: “I joined the School (aged 7) in September 1927, when the main sport was Association Football and the School had a strong 1st XV. This continued to be the case until the early 1930s, when Mt T H Fallows, a mathematics teacher, decided to try and introduce… Continue reading Introduction of Rugby into the School
The School in Wartime
Writer unknown (1941-45) When originally published Mike Chew apologised that he had temporarily mislaid the name of the author of this item, but would acknowledge its provenance in due course, which he never did. “Sua culpa”, as he said at the time.“Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the latest COSA Newsletter I was trying to remember… Continue reading The School in Wartime
COHS in Wartime 1940-45
by Brian Gumm (1940-45) Brian Gumm (1940-45) writes: Looking back over some sixty years or more, my recollection of the COHS in war time was surprise that the process of education proceeded in a more or less orderly fashion with few interruptions due to the war raging across Europe. This I am sure was not… Continue reading COHS in Wartime 1940-45
Three Memories
from Jim Fleetwood (1946-51) Jim Fleetwood (1946-51) writes: “I was just looking, quickly, over the COSA website and thought I would pass on a few memories from my schooldays. These are, in fact, culled from correspondence with Mike (Jeff) Jeffery. The vague “We” is used to protect the not-so-innocent. 1) In Form 1A(? – we… Continue reading Three Memories