Tag: Annexe Fire

by Tony Argyle (1941-46)

Tony Argyle (1941-46) writes (again with real ink) from Pearce, near Canberra in Australia.

Do you remember putting milk bottles or chalk dusters in the grand piano? I recall many a time when Mr Bielby had to stop in the middle of “For those in peril on the seas” to remove these various objects which made a dreadful din on the piano strings.

Who tried to set light to the “Annexe”, that overflow place at the bottom end of George Street? A belting was going to be given to the whole class in alphabetical order unless the culprit owned up. This did not appeal to A A Argyle nor my mate Brian Abrahams. However the culprit did own up and we were spared.

Remember blowing up condoms purchased from Wesley Lloyd in New Inn Hall Street? There was a door there with ”Consultations Gentlemen” on it.

Remember the harvest camps at Kelmscott near Lechlade? We had to get there on our bikes and were paid five bob a week for really hard work.

New boys used to have to “Kiss the Cross” on the old city wall before being ducked in the bogs.

I remember taking my dinner money over to Morgan’s cake shop when school dinners did not appeal.

“Spud” Taylor: Does anyone recall the following song?

 
Let us with a Litesome mind
Praise old Spud, for he is fine
For his jock-straps, Eh endure
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Off to Norfolk Island in the middle or the Pacific next week for some R & R after a knee replacement and a dose of DVT.

Offer of a glass or five of good Aussie wine to any old boys still stands. Trying to get my oldest mate Brian Amos to come over, but the wimp won’t fly. Have told him that it’s a b—-y sight safer than his driving. 

by John Corbey (late 1940s)

John Corbey (late 1940s) writes:

“The Annexe was adjacent to Gloucester Green, facing Worcester College Gardens. During the war it was designated for use as a mortuary, if there had been deaths in the area around Gloucester Green due to enemy action. It had been a dispensay at some earlier date, and was well situated for its new purpose, being close to the fire station and the entrance to the bus station. Luckily it was never required aa a mortuary.

The School probably began using the ground floor as an annexe some time after VE Day in 1945. Certainly during 1946 and 47 4B and 5B “enjoyed” maths lessons there under the tutelage of Ben Atkin.

The Fire

I am not sure of the precise date of the Fire. Ben had the key to the room where our maths lesson was to take place. Ben was late and there were some thirty of us gathered in the entrance hall awaiting his arrival. Just off the hallway was the door to the locked cellar, but idle hands and a penknife soon removed the screws and access was gained to the cellar.

There was no electric light, but daylight filtered down through a grating, and a dozen of us explored the many rooms below. Most were almost empty, but in the furthest cellar were a number of exposed X-Ray plates. One of our number used a cigarette lighter to ignite one of the X-Rays, which smoldered, rather than illuminate the area. Ben eventually arrived, the X-Ray was stamped out (apparently) and off we went to yet another “boring” maths lesson.

Later that day news spread round the School that the Annexe was on fire, followed by an announcement that it was only smouldering. The Head demanded to see all those who had been in the cellar that day. No one confessed to having cause the smoulder and Freddy decreed that we would all receive six strokes.

I was first and painfully took my punishment. I think Colin Britton followed me. Anthony Wilson then decided to confess that it had been his cigarette lighter. After giving us all a stern lecture, he told me that my name would be removed from the punishment book. In a way, however, I had been equally culpable and deserved the punishment. The marks took at least a week to disappear.

Postcript

The Annexe then became a servicemen’s cafetria where one could get a cup of tea and a sandwich long after the Stowaway, Ross Cafe and similar haunts had closed for the night. The cafetria ceased to function in the mid fifties.

These are my memories of the event after some sixty years, and both Brian Amos and Colin Britton can confirm the details.

(Ed. To add another view to this story, read this reference to the fire in the Annexe by a boy who was in the same class but not directly involved.)