Hinshelwood

[Nogbad the Bad]

12 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

I must say, I don’t recall Mr. Osborne, unless he was the Housemaster replaced by Mr. Lucas.

Fortunately, I don’t recall any sadistic teachers, although I do recall the excellent ones you mention.

I never really had any close dealings with Messrs. Lucas (Blue), Trott (Green) or Warren (Yellow and, if I recall correctly, a keen ornithologist), but I do remember warmly Messrs. Booker (who, purely by chance, I met some twenty years ago, with his wife and daughter ambling around the Trocadéro esplanade in Paris) and, of course, the inimitable Eric Dean - do you remember his shoes?

The late Eric Dehn was my form master, French teacher and, though I probably didn’t realise it at the time, in addition to being my favourite ever teacher, one of the nicest men I have ever met - truly, a gentleman and a man of whom I still think of fondly.

I never studied German, sticking with Latin until O Level, and can’t really recall him, unless he was perhaps an elderly, bald man with glasses?

You were at BGS a few years before me, but you dispel my recollection that Mr. Lucas took over from Mr. Osborne, but I am at a loss to remember the sixth Housemaster during my time at BGS.

I mentioned previously the Blue, Green and Yellow Houses, I recall Cockett (Black) and I was in Metcalfe (Red), but who was the (Brown) Housemaster?

Was it Mr. Osborne?

Sounds like you were indeed fortunate Phil, I had personal experiences to back up @cidered abroad's assertion there were a number of bullies who posed as teachers. Some of it I have never forgotten but no point going into any detail half a century on.

We had what, up to a thousand boys, and maybe 80-100 male teachers, a set up that hadn't changed for hundreds of years, and neither had many of the dingy classrooms with their rows of old desks. Mind you the unpleasantness wasn't all one way, I can remember one teacher with a very large bulbous red nose, rumoured to be the result of torture by the Japanese during the war, getting terrible stick, and a very inoffensive maths teacher known as 'piggy' who was greeted with a cacophany of snorts and 'oinks' whenever he entered the classroom.

I can't imagine the change in atmosphere when girls were allowed in but it must have been very, very different.

On the subject of housemasters mine changed from Bunny Warren to Ian Rolling (also my form master) during my time there and I gather he went on to become something of a 'Mr.Chips', putting in about 40 years before retiring in 2007.

[Atyeo's lift]

Was the teacher with the nose 'Rudolph', my Latin teacher? I can't remember his surname. The houses in 1959 were Dehns, Trotts, Bookers, Lucas's, Osbornes and Meighs. When I left in 1964 Osbornes had changed to Warrens. By the way, for anyone interested all the back numbers of the Chronicle are now online with other items as well. Brought back many memories as I trawled through my years there.

[PHILINFRANCE]

40 minutes ago, Atyeo's lift said:

Was the teacher with the nose 'Rudolph', my Latin teacher? I can't remember his surname. The houses in 1959 were Dehns, Trotts, Bookers, Lucas's, Osbornes and Meighs. When I left in 1964 Osbornes had changed to Warrens. By the way, for anyone interested all the back numbers of the Chronicle are now online with other items as well. Brought back many memories as I trawled through my years there.

I assume we are talking about the same Latin master, Mr. Radford, who was also apparently an excellent tennis player in his younger years.

You may recall that, when he entered the classroom to start a lesson, he had a tendency to open and slam shut one of those old desk lids.

Any pupil disrupting one of his lessons, Heaven forbid, would be made to sit on the floor in front of him.

Edited December 31, 2023 by PHILINFRANCE

[Nogbad the Bad]

31 minutes ago, Atyeo's lift said:

Was the teacher with the nose 'Rudolph', my Latin teacher? I can't remember his surname. 

The name that springs to mind for Rudolph is Mr. Hamilton.

[TedsHeadIs Red]

No idea why this this thread has turned into a BGS nostalgia trip but for some reason I’m finding it quite interesting. 
Keep it up lads.

Were there any female teachers there? 

[PHILINFRANCE]

Does anybody remember Aubrey Harris, French master and quite a character in his own way.

A lot of people detested him, but I always found him very friendly and reasonable, provided he was afforded the respect he deserved.

He was also very interesting to listen to when talking outside of periods.

[Atyeo's lift]

1 hour ago, TedsHeadIs Red said:

No idea why this this thread has turned into a BGS nostalgia trip but for some reason I’m finding it quite interesting. 
Keep it up lads.

Were there any female teachers there? 

I had a maths teacher called Mrs Griffiths - she's the one I recall.

[PHILINFRANCE]

I recall a Czech Economics teacher and an extremely attractive Art teacher, occasional replacement for Mr. Burford?

[Nogbad the Bad]

 

59 minutes ago, Atyeo's lift said:

I had a maths teacher called Mrs Griffiths - she's the one I recall.

Think she must have gone by my time. I only remember the 1, in the 6th form.

Mrs. Anderson iirc, about 40 and while perhaps not a great beauty she had a good figure and her confidence must have boosted by the many admiring looks from the female starved boys.

[Nogbad the Bad]

2 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Does anybody remember Aubrey Harris, French master and quite a character in his own way.

A lot of people detested him, but I always found him very friendly and reasonable, provided he was afforded the respect he deserved.

He was also very interesting to listen to when talking outside of periods.

Yep, but hard to believe he was widely detested with such a comparatively tame nickname - Aubrey the Strawberry - at a time when many nicknames passed on through the years were very personal and quite nasty.

I've mentioned there were a few unpleasant teachers but it's fair to say many others were very friendly and fascinating characters with interesting lives pre BGS.

Mike Booker officiated at my entrance exam and was a great ambassador for the school.

As we were there at about the same time do you remember 'Piggy' Butler?

[Red Moseley]

18 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

I must say, I don’t recall Mr. Osborne, unless he was the Housemaster replaced by Mr. Lucas.

Fortunately, I don’t recall any sadistic teachers, although I do recall the excellent ones you mention.

I never really had any close dealings with Messrs. Lucas (Blue), Trott (Green) or Warren (Yellow and, if I recall correctly, a keen ornithologist), but I do remember warmly Messrs. Booker (who, purely by chance, I met some twenty years ago, with his wife and daughter ambling around the Trocadéro esplanade in Paris) and, of course, the inimitable Eric Dean - do you remember his shoes?

The late Eric Dehn was my form master, French teacher and, though I probably didn’t realise it at the time, in addition to being my favourite ever teacher, one of the nicest men I have ever met - truly, a gentleman and a man of whom I still think of fondly.

I never studied German, sticking with Latin until O Level, and can’t really recall him, unless he was perhaps an elderly, bald man with glasses?

You were at BGS a few years before me, but you dispel my recollection that Mr. Lucas took over from Mr. Osborne, but I am at a loss to remember the sixth Housemaster during my time at BGS.

I mentioned previously the Blue, Green and Yellow Houses, I recall Cockett (Black) and I was in Metcalfe (Red), but who was the (Brown) Housemaster?

Was it Mr. Osborne?

Iirc correctly the housemasters at my time were Lucas (blue), Osborne (yellow), Trott (green), Booker (black), Dehn (brown) and Mee or Meigh (red). 

[PHILINFRANCE]

On 31/12/2023 at 14:40, Nogbad the Bad said:

Yep, but hard to believe he was widely detested with such a comparatively tame nickname - Aubrey the Strawberry - at a time when many nicknames passed on through the years were very personal and quite nasty. As I said, I liked him, but many of my contempories really hated him.

I've mentioned there were a few unpleasant teachers but it's fair to say many others were very friendly and fascinating characters with interesting lives pre BGS.

Mike Booker officiated at my entrance exam and was a great ambassador for the school.

As we were there at about the same time do you remember 'Piggy' Butler? I do remember him (vaguely), but he never taught me, so I didn't witness the insulting behaviour you mentioned.

 

[PHILINFRANCE]

On 31/12/2023 at 14:40, Nogbad the Bad said:

I've mentioned there were a few unpleasant teachers but it's fair to say many others were very friendly and fascinating characters with interesting lives pre BGS.

Mike Booker officiated at my entrance exam and was a great ambassador for the school.

This story is probably fictitious, but I am sure it could have related to either Mr. Booker or Doctor Mackay. 

An old man meets a young man who asks:

“Do you remember me?”

And the old man says no. Then the young man tells him he was his student, And the teacher asks:

“What do you do, what do you do in life?”

The young man answers:

“Well, I became a teacher.”

“Ah, how good, like me?” Asks the old man.

“Well, yes. In fact, I became a teacher because you inspired me to be like you.”

The old man, curious, asks the young man at what time he decided to become a teacher. The young man tells him the following story:

“One day, a friend of mine, also a student, came in with a nice new watch, and I decided I wanted it.

I stole it, I took it out of his pocket.

Shortly after, my friend noticed that his watch was missing and immediately complained to our teacher, who was you.

Then you addressed the class saying, ‘This student's watch was stolen during classes today. Whoever stole it, please return it.’

I didn't give it back because I didn't want to.

You closed the door and told us all to stand up and form a circle.

You were going to search our pockets one by one until the watch was found.

However, you told us to close our eyes, because you would only look for his watch if we all had our eyes closed.

We did as instructed.

You went from pocket to pocket, and when you went through my pocket, you found the watch and took it. You kept searching everyone's pockets, and when you were done you said ‘Open your eyes. We have the watch.’

You didn't tell on me and you never mentioned the episode. You never said who stole the watch either. That day you saved my dignity forever. It was the most shameful day of my life.

But this is also the day I decided not to become a thief, a bad person, etc. You never said anything, nor did you even scold me or take me aside to give me a moral lesson.

I received your message clearly.

Thanks to you, I understood what a real educator needs to do.

Do you remember this episode, professor?

The old professor answered, ‘Yes, I remember the situation with the stolen watch, which I was looking for in everyone’s pocket. I didn't remember you, because I also closed my eyes while looking.’

This is the essence of teaching:

If to correct you must humiliate; you don't know how to teach.”

Credit: Marie R. Harness

Edited January 2 by PHILINFRANCE

[Nogbad the Bad]

A fine moral tale Phil and good for you that you seem to have only positive memories of BGS.

As for me, having sworn never to return, I relented when my wife was interested to view it at an Open Doors day a few years ago.

The Great Hall, where of course we had assemblies and school meals, was accessible and what a hugely impressive historic building it is, even more so than I remembered. I recognised an old history teacher, a very elderly Mr Revil, as being on hand as a guide.

Just behind where Dr. Mackay stood at assemblies, there is now a large painting of him in his honour.

I'd recommend a similar visit to anyone, ex-pupil or not, but especially anyone who might benefit from exorcising a few demons of the past!

If you look on google earth there have been incredible changes and extensions since we were there, including a remarkable reinvention of what remained of the field after the 6th Form Centre was built and a huge gym/sports centre at the bottom of the field, where the cricket nets were. Also most of the houses opposite on Elton Road appear to be incorporated into the school now whereas it was only 1 or 2 for 6th form use in our day. Didn't get to see what the old gym, and 'Fives' courts, are now.

To keep it City related it's extraordinary how many keen City fans were at BGS, especially considering it was a Rugby only school and if you were any good it very often meant playing on Saturday afternoons, whether inter House, or for the school.

A number I knew at BGS have been regulars at AG ever since and are still STH's now.

 

 

 

 

 

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

A fine moral tale Phil and good for you that you seem to have only positive memories of BGS.

As for me, having sworn never to return, I relented when my wife was interested to view it at an Open Doors day a few years ago.

The Great Hall, where of course we had assemblies and school meals, was accessible and what a hugely impressive historic building it is, even more so than I remembered. I recognised an old history teacher, a very elderly Mr Revil, as being on hand as a guide.

Just behind where Dr. Mackay stood at assemblies, there is now a large painting of him in his honour.

I'd recommend a similar visit to anyone, ex-pupil or not, but especially anyone who might benefit from exorcising a few demons of the past!

If you look on google earth there have been incredible changes and extensions since we were there, including a remarkable reinvention of what remained of the field after the 6th Form Centre was built and a huge gym/sports centre at the bottom of the field, where the cricket nets were. Also most of the houses opposite on Elton Road appear to be incorporated into the school now whereas it was only 1 or 2 for 6th form use in our day. Didn't get to see what the old gym, and 'Fives' courts, are now.

To keep it City related it's extraordinary how many keen City fans were at BGS, especially considering it was a Rugby only school and if you were any good it very often meant playing on Saturday afternoons, whether inter House, or for the school.

A number I knew at BGS have been regulars at AG ever since and are still STH's now.

 

 

 

 

 

Wow! When I mentioned Mr Osborne with reference to the Blackpool cup match, I never expected to get this amount of memories. I really enjoyed Lower School but in Upper School I struggled and when I was kept back a year(doing second year twice) as with a birthday of 31 July, I was youngest in the class. Add to that I had a rotten time as a teenager, taking plenty of days off "ill". Passed 5 O levels but if I had not been so unhappy, perhaps I'd have gone to uni like so many of colleagues who all appeared not to have any teenage unhappiness. Now kids get help but then we were just ignored as lazy. I know I broke my Mum and Dad's hearts as Mum did evening cleaning, Dad working overtime to pay for my fees.

It took an unmarried mother who I fell for seven years after leaving school to make me realise how fortunate I was compared with her.

All through that part of my life, I found most happiness at Ashton Gate and following the team away as often as I could. When I can't go to AG then screw the lid down.

[KernowRed]

Came across this photo in the depths of my PC.

Now that was training, good fun as well.

Atyeo pulling, riding Hinshelwood, Thresher and Watkins.

[cidered abroad]

9 hours ago, KernowRed said:

Came across this photo in the depths of my PC.

Now that was training, good fun as well.

Atyeo pulling, riding Hinshelwood, Thresher and Watkins.

Well I started this thread because of a chance hearing of the Brighton goal scorer in a recent match with the name of Hinshelwood.

And now to see this photo of City players who I watched and admired has brought tears to my eyes. I watched them playing for City but also knew them on trains home after away matches and when some of them were playing cricket at our local playing fields in the summer. All of them were willing to give us some time with conversation and jokes. They belonged to us and we belonged to them and Bristol City. I never dreamt then as a teenager that I would still remember them as if it was yesterday. How anyone who has supported a team can change to another one is beyond belief. City forever.

[Red Moseley]

On 04/01/2024 at 16:46, cidered abroad said:

Wow! When I mentioned Mr Osborne with reference to the Blackpool cup match, I never expected to get this amount of memories. I really enjoyed Lower School but in Upper School I struggled and when I was kept back a year(doing second year twice) as with a birthday of 31 July, I was youngest in the class. Add to that I had a rotten time as a teenager, taking plenty of days off "ill". Passed 5 O levels but if I had not been so unhappy, perhaps I'd have gone to uni like so many of colleagues who all appeared not to have any teenage unhappiness. Now kids get help but then we were just ignored as lazy. I know I broke my Mum and Dad's hearts as Mum did evening cleaning, Dad working overtime to pay for my fees.

It took an unmarried mother who I fell for seven years after leaving school to make me realise how fortunate I was compared with her.

All through that part of my life, I found most happiness at Ashton Gate and following the team away as often as I could. When I can't go to AG then screw the lid down.

For the former BGS pupils on this thread, in case you are not aware the BGS Chronicles are now digitised and can be viewed on line. You can now look back on your teenage exploits, or in my case the lack of them.