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 the various masters during the period 1941 – 1945. Old (very old) school reports gave me the following.
Form Master for Remove Mr Searson
Form Master for 3A Mr L Bielby
Form Master for 4A Mr A R Masters
Form Master for 5B (Summer Term) Mr P.K.Swire
Form Master for 5B (Spring Term) Mr Rowland
but I don’t recall much about any of them except that I think P K Swire was younger than the other masters. One term we had a young lady, I think she was a trainee teacher. She didn’t last long though.
On Wednesdays Clement Danes School (evacuated to Oxford from London) used the school buildings and we went to an old school building off The Plain just for Wednesday mornings, Wednesday afternoon was sports. One master did not approve of the move and instead of lessons he would read a detective story aloud to us. The book was “Felo de Se” by Austin Freeman. I remember the book but I do not recall the master’s name.
Why was the first form called Remove, and what happened to form 1? Didn’t understand it then and I certainly don’t now.
At the beginning of the war there was no School Kitchen and we went for lunch to the British Restaurant at the other end of New Inn Hall Street. The British Restaurant, also known as Municipal Restaurant, was a government organised place where you could get a good cheap meal in spite of rationing. I think it was in the Church Hall of the Methodist Church. There was a piano there and Michael Ford (1941-45?) used to play it. He later joined the BBC, eventually became a Radio Producer at Birmingham, but sadly died about 10 years ago.
Does any one remember seeing the play “The Monkey’s Paw” performed in the school hall about 1943 ish. Don’t recall who was in it but I do remember enjoying it.
Are you sure you are right about the School Song? I’m sure that at some time between ’41 and ’45 we were taught the School Song and it wasn’t as quoted. Don’t recall much of it but there was something about “Saint Giles, Saint Clement and Saint John” in it and further on “City of Oxford sons awake”.
That’s enough of my ramblings. Keep up the good work, you are doing a fine job. I look forward to Newsletter No 5.