Reminiscences Reminiscences
managed to get a place in Booker’s house rugby team as I progressed through the School but never achieved selection into the house cricket team. Which was a shame as I rapidly developed an affection for the game which endures to this day.
I was at the school from 1937 to 1942, I was going to take the entrance exam but unfortunately the day of
the exam I fell ill with scarlet fever. But I was allowed to take the exam on my own when I recovered. I was interviewd by Mr J.E. (Joey) Barton, the then headmaster, I think I must have been the last pupil he enlisted as he left just after. I started at the school under the new headmaster Mr R.W.Moore. Strangely enough the year I left !942 he also left to become Headmaster of Harrow. In my last year I was on the fire watching rota on a Sunday morning there was two of us and we were there in case of an air raid and incendiary fell on the school. There were Stirrup
It so happened that the congregation of St Michaels on the Mount Without who had been bombed out of their Church building and were holding morning services in our Great Hall. This particular Sunday being nice and sunny they were having an Alfresco Breakfast in the School yard and unfortunately(!!!) some spray drifted over to the yard. I wonder if they thought it funny that there was a sudden short shower of rain from a sunny sky. Oh well. Best wishes to all.
Robert Simmonds (1937-1942)
Michael Booker Pumps with buckets of water and sand placed at various points around the school. We used to go round checking all were in good order, and on one occasion we thought we would practise using them and tried using a pump on the flat roof of the science wing.
Bristolienses - Issue 60
Early in my summer term in the Removes Michael Booker approached me as I was reading the House notice board for confirmation that, again, I would not be representing the House at cricket. “Austin”, he said, “have you looked at the First XI notice board?” I said I had not. A strange question, as there had never been any danger that I would feature there. “You should”, he said, “there is a notice that will interest you”.
Growing up, and attending the local primary school in Knowle, I had never been a sporty
child - my interest lay in books and I read voraciously. Attending a school where team sports formed an important part of school life came as something of a shock. I never achieved distinction. I
I proceeded to the First XI notice board and scoured it for items of relevance and interest. I couldn’t see anything that could possibly concern me. I scoured it again. Towards the bottom I saw a small typed notice saying that the First XI was in need of a scorer and applications were invited from interested parties. “That must be it”, I thought and tentatively approached Michael Booker for confirmation. “Yes”, he said, “it’s a job that would really suit you.” I applied and, to my astonishment, my form master passed me a note saying that I had been appointed.
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