My House

B3 (Part II)

‘We had to have a cold shower or cold bath each morning, which, in the winter of 1947, was quite an ordeal as the bath was run the night before and often had ice on it.’

Having read Jane Green’s (B3 1982-84) article about a relatively recent B3, I thought I would put together some memories of my time there in the late 1940s.

After a year in A1, I moved across to B3. I have no idea why that House was chosen, but it worked out very well. In our first year there, we lived in House Classroom, the biggest room between the Housemaster’s study and the changing room and showers. Other notables were the Head of House’s study, a tutor’s room and the House Matron’s room, which contained the formidable Mrs F.

Upstairs were the two long dormitories, sleeping about 35 boys in each, with showers and a bath at the end. We had to have a cold shower or cold bath each morning, which, in the winter of 1947, was quite an ordeal as the bath was run the night before and often had ice on it. Likewise, windows had to be partly open at night, which meant the snow blew in and onto our beds. As a junior, you started in the dormitory at the right-hand end of the corridor and gradually you worked your way closer to the showers.

Out of interest, recalling that awful term of 1947, the extreme cold meant that hardly a single sports game was played. Then, into the second half of term, a mass of boys and staff had flu, so we were sent home a fortnight early – no complaints, I think! The House was well placed for the playing fields, squash and fives courts, and a cycle shed. Our Housemaster, Arthur Dee (CR 1929-53), was an amiable Australian bachelor who kept a close eye on us. However, he did once beat me for having laughed about a member of the Common Room who had just given me a note for having laughed at him. Having administered the punishment of four strokes of the cane, he said, ‘Oh, you are wearing corduroys: have two more.’

We moved into studies after a year, so only came back to B3 to change for games or for evening prayers in the Housemaster’s study; we called him ARHD after his initials. On summer evenings, we were often allowed to swim, naked in those days! There were, of course, no girls in College, though we had the occasional dance in the Town Hall and at St Mary’s Calne. So rampant hormones were somewhat starved, but we worked them off with games every afternoon, Corps or cycling miles around the archaeologically studded countryside. These were five happy, action-packed years, in which one made a mass of friends. Sadly, not many of them are around anymore. Finally, and perhaps obviously, there was no TV, Internet or electronic communications in those days, but we managed without. Also, of course, traffic on the A4 was about one tenth of that of today, so life was much quieter and one could cross the road much easier.

I have very fond memories of my days in B3 and they stay with me even now as I approach my 90th birthday. Robert Selby (B3 1944-49)