Brian Beames (1945-50) writes:
“On one occasion Freddie Lay, having borrowed his wife’s Francis Barnett (I think it was his wife’s, but am not certain why I think that) sat astride it, successfully started same and put it into gear, whereupon the manual gear lever came adrift !
I don’t know what happened after that because I made myself scarce, being a bit concerned that, being the only boy in sight it must have been my fault — and it wasn’t. I was guilty however of laughing my head off. Happy days of long ago.”
From the school magazine, “Past Presidents”, Vol LV ii, April 1963, No 177
Past President of the Old Oxford Citizens’ Society
Frederick Charles Lay (1908-15) was the first Old Boy of the School to be its Headmaster.
On leaving school he saw war service in France with the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. He returned in 1919 to Jesus College to take up a Science Exhibition and to read Chemistry. Later he was senior science master at Liverpool College, first Headmaster of Wellingborough Grammar School (1930-37), and Headmaster of Doncaster Grammar School (1937-44) where he saw large extensions to the School carried through and completed by the end of 1940.
It was the wish of many Old Oxford Citizens to have an Old Boy as Headmaster when Mr Badham retired, the more particularly for the projected move of the School after the war to Marston Ferry Road.
The Governors appointed him Headmaster and he took up his duties in November 1944. Circumstances beyond local control prevented this programme from being fulfilled.
He was President of the Old Oxford Citizens’ Society in 1949.
