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T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 0 Dear Geraint robskj@gmail.com 12th August 2014 I hope you are well. Just had a very quick trip back to the UK in the summer and took the family to see St. Paul's Cathedral. Thought I'd be a bit cheeky and so I contacted the Stationers' Company to see if I could visit Stationers' Hall and managed a quick tour, which was very pleasant. Don't ever remember being given much of the history at school, so it was quite an eye opener. Hope to join the Dinner one day, if we can get the timing right! I was just wondering whether you had managed to get any further with chasing up an email address for John Watson. I may arrange a trip to Australia in the next year or so, and thought it might be an opportunity to catch up with him. I would be grateful if you could see what you could do. I have been trying for years to locate him and don't want to miss this opportunity. All the best Keith Roberts STATIONERS' EXIT THE ROYAL BLUE alex.flemming@websmartware.com 12th August 2014 Hi Geraint Judging by the quality of the magazine content you seem to be improving in your post as Editor. Congratulations! While reading the latest issue I was struck by the number of things, especially the near romantic recollections of a number of Old Stationers on matters I never experienced – like the Rowing Club and the Army Cadets. Most of all I was inspired by the probability of a re-birth of the school in name at least under the auspices of the modern term academy. During my period at Stationers' (1964- 1971) I entered the school having passed the 11+ to find a number of my new colleagues had not sat that examination. Having played for the Hornsey team at football a year earlier a number of my team mates were there too and quite a few people who knew whom I was too. There we were in our brand new royal blue caps and blazers 'Proud to be Stationers' although we had not learned the school song. We were soon introduced to strict discipline. My first two lessons brought teachers into my life who both announced: “You are not going to like me!” Messrs. Morris and Bartlett turned out to be excellent teachers, particularly the latter. We often wondered whether John Morris really belonged to this school environment. The wood panels listing benefactors, achievers (including H.W.Symons) on a panel in the library, the oil paintings of former headmasters and distinctly military manner of the staff added up to a rather special place. Commander Cutler as School Secretary rounded off the effect. Alas the ATC folded with the retirement of Fl. Lt. Lloyd so we were never able to use the shooting range. It was all awe inspiring, if indeed a trifle daunting. With all the traditions and obvious elite tendencies Stationers' was certainly a place to be for an inspiring young man. Things continued with some lingering and rather questionable rumours regarding the future of the school. H.Wilson Esq. had formed a government during 1964 with a small majority. This majority was increased heftily in 1966. From then on rumour soon became fact and from 1967 Stationers' gradually changed from an elite boys grammar school to a multiracial urban comprehensive. Forms 3, 4A and 5B became 3X, 4R and 5Z – the letter being the surname of the form master. There was to be no more grading either as streaming or in the form notation. Sporting prowess – notably running and athletics generally – improved for a short time with the influx of some wonderful athletes from the old Priory Vale. Marsden Hubbard and Mr. Salter were additions to the teaching staff from whom we benefited greatly. On the academic front access to Oxbridge became less of a topic and remedial work more the order of the day. Teaching secondary kids from other parts of the world, the 3Rs seemed to be the main aim of the school. As a member of the Upper Sixth I was supposed to spend any Study Period (official speak) in the school library. We understood that this was the instruction of the headmaster. When one day we were asked, no told to leave the library by a Mr. Craig who was introducing the class of first form lads to the concept of the book, things turned from bad to worse to unacceptable. We were studying for our A levels in an attempt to gain entry to university of our choice or the ones that had given us a so-called offer. Yet we had nowhere to study. I found myself a place at the back of the hall. Illegal by school conventions, yet there was no alternative. Indeed, things became so difficult that the Prefect contingent laid down its positions early in February - it was, of course, customary for the Lower Sixth to take over after the Easter break. G.N.Blackmore and his merry men were called to arms earlier than expected. Discipline had become a serious problem. The police seemed to be regular visitors to the school . Misdemeanours, we had not known before – such as drug pushers, pimping, a minor form of racketeering and extortion – became almost regular features of daily school life. The Headmaster and most of his staff had not been employed for this kind of situation. The pinnacle of power in the school R.D.Baynes once said of himself: “I am not the council's blue-eyed boy!” And for sure he had a major problem despite the lack of support from the council. A vast range of goals and abilities as well as a strong multi-racial and socio-economic backgrounds had to be accommodated. The school had grown in a short time from some 650 to almost 1300 pupils in two locations including a number of new single storey pre-fabricated buildings on the infamous wilderness and then a two storey structure on the second terrace. My fourth year was spent on the borders of Hornsey School (no more High there!) in a pre-fab and the Lower Sixth in an upper storey on the second terrace. No sir, this was no longer the Stationers' Company's School that I wanted to attend from the age of 5. Having grown up at the top end of Burgoyne Road (the other side of the railway bridge at Haringey West as was) I saw the boys in their royal blue blazers and vowed to be part of the crew – Wilson and his political agenda had other things in store. Even the last great investment assisted by the Company began to falter. Affectionately known by some as 'the language factory' the lab began to crumble. At that time there were more languages spoken in the school than the technical institution could accommodate! Thus, as a first year pupil attending his first prize giving evening at Hornsey Town Hall - as was – I remember being highly impressed by the huge number of new Oxbridge undergraduates from the School. Other new undergraduates were also in large number. It felt like about one dozen Oxbridge undergraduates from the school and the rest to universities, 20
T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 0 polytechnics and other colleges with a small remainder going to the City. This was the place to be! My own Upper Sixth Form of 1971 sent three 3 people to Oxbridge and a further 3 to university. What a change! I wondered if this was the goal of our Mr Wilson! In contrast to the official propaganda of the day, under this system achievement had been levelled down – not up! Maybe he just did not want us to emulate his own academic career! On a number of visits to the school I witnessed the gradual decay until on my last visit the old school had gone. The remnants were in the old Hornsey High Building with Stan Read in last post command. When I walked in – probably 1982 – I was almost accosted by a security conscious member of staff – the rumbustious Mr Williams – ex Priory Vale. I introduced myself as an Old Boy and he inquired “Do you remember me, Williams the Belt?” Stan Read in what I knew in Miss Curtis' study (that is another story) kindly received me and as a parting gift presented me with a print of an etching of the School soon after its erection. This print is now framed and on my study wall including a pound and five pound note. What is all this rambling about? I wondered if so many Stationers who left school before 1967 have any real picture of what life became like at school. Standards dropped everywhere and the disappearance of the school – in the end – had become no loss. Thus, I can only wish the new Academy and the endeavours of the Company well for the future . There once was a great tradition that was engulfed by the ignorance and lack of foresight of so many who felt they had to doctor with our educational structure. It seems that the test of time has proved them not so right after all. Let us hope that these politically and doctrinally inspired misgivings that brought down Stationers ' in Hornsey may never reappear to upset this new beginning. All we can do is hope at least there will be somewhere for this hope to reside. Kind regards Alex Flemming 1964-1971 I refer you, Alex, to Robert Baynes' book 'The History of the Stationers' School' Ed. STATIONERS FROM THE Dear Geraint PRIORY ROAD AREA peternolga@bigpond.com 13th August 2014 As always, I was delighted to receive the July edition of The Old Stationer. The two articles , 'Memories of Muswell Hill' and 'Stationers from the Priory Road area' raised many memories of my boyhood in the area. I was born in Palace Road, Crouch End, and in 1936 my parents bought a house around the corner in Carysfort Road. One of my earliest friends in the same street was David Hornsby, who was a year behind me at Stationers' and who sadly died a few years ago. Doug Smith some years behind me, also lived there. I went to Rokesly Infant School and later the Crouch End Primary School. The area was blessed with plenty of open space in which to kick a football or play cricket, the latter often played in the street against a lamp post. There were few cars then! We had Priory Park, the playing fields behind the swimming pool in Park Road and of course, Alexandra Palace at our disposal. I joined the 79th North London Air Scouts whose Den was in the playing fields. The Scoutmaster was Henry Brazier who ran a building company in Tottenham Lane. Other members of this scout group were DAVID HORNSBY, the HOLDEN TWINS and COLIN CHAPMAN of motor racing fame. We survived the blitz, the house being damaged a few times from a parachuted land mine exploding in the playing fields, a bomb falling about four doors from us killing a number of people, a V1 bomb in Park Road opposite the hospital and a V2 rocket in Cranley Gardens . I remember standing in the front porch with my father, who was an air raid warden, watching the searchlights seeking out German planes, the noise of anti-aircraft guns and the next day looking for shrapnel! Later in the war it was the peculiar noise of the V1 bombs, waiting for the noise to cease before they exploded on contact. NORMAN TAPLEY, another friend, lived in Priory Road. He attended Stationers' but left to go to the Mill Hill School and we lost contact thereafter. I have been fortunate in retaining contact with PETER SARGENT, MICHAEL SAUNDERS and GORDON ROSE. I was saddened by the death of PETER BULLEN from Peter Sargent. We all played for the OS Cricket Team and with the exception of Peter Sargent for the Football Teams. Peter gained fame as a Hockey Player. I had the privilege to be the first Old Boy to score a century for the club, Pelham Warner being the first player to do so. I left school and studied Engineering at the Northampton Polytechnic, part of London University and now the City University, I believe. ALEX MCKEON from Stationers', also studied at this college. We briefly corresponded some years ago after he went to the USA. After graduating, I had to do two years National Service in the RAF. I spent most of the time in Cologne, Germany as an officer in the Airfield Construction Branch where we were building airfields for the 2nd Tactical Air Force as a defence against the Russian threat. This was in 1954-55. Whilst in Cologne, I met Olga, a girl from Brisbane, Australia. She was working for the Australian Migration Office there. Little did she know she was working a one man migration scheme! I emigrated to Australia in early 1956 and we were married later that year. We celebrate our 58th anniversary in October. We have been back to England a number of times over the years, notably in 1983 when we attended the final gathering at the school before it was closed down and demolished. A very sad day for such a fine school. My years at the school were very happy ones inspite of the difficult times and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to attend the school. I was pleased to read that the Company is sponsoring a school in the future which will bear the Stationers name. The present strength of the Association is a clear indication that many feel as I do about the school. Geraint, many thanks to you and your colleagues for continuing to produce such a fine magazine. The two articles I mentioned, were outstanding and evoked many memories. Kind regards Peter Moses Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Class of 1953 anthony_cooper2002@yahoo.co.uk 19th August 2014 Dear Geraint I was interested to read the list of 'Class 1953' in the latest OSA magazine. I was at Stationers' from 1953-1960. By modern standards I just wonder how the masters got away with what they did and what 21
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