Joyce Day ‑ continues with anecdotes

One summer day in 1944, I had been feeling unwell and had not set off for school at my usual time. Just as I was feeling better and about to leave my home in Ashtead the air raid siren sounded. I thought that I had better wait a while before leaving, but no sound of planes followed and I decided to set out. I cycled towards Leatherhead station as always, but, as I reached the garage where I kept my bike, an Air Raid Warden rushed out of the nearby shelter and tried to make me take shelter. I refused and hurried on. I sat in the train, idly looking out of the window at the low clouds. Suddenly I caught a glimpse of something travelling at much the same speed as the train, visible intermittently between the clouds and very low in the sky. I opened the window and could just hear the familiar drone of a doodlebug! We were past Boxhill station and fast approaching Dorking North when I lost sight of it completely. Emerging from the station. I was wondering why I could not hear a drone and realised that the probability was that the engine had stopped and the bomb would be descending. As I turned into Ashcombe Road there was an enormous explosion. I realised that the sound came from the direction of the school and I thought of all my friends and teachers immured in the shelters behind the school building. I stood at the top of the drive and felt I couldn't go in. I must have stood there for several minutes before common sense came to my aid and I realised that rescue vehicles would be arriving by now if the school had been hit and that it was hardly likely that all the shelters could be destroyed by just one bomb. As I reached the girls' quad, the All Clear sounded and the school began to come up out of the shelters. I felt really foolish. Not for long though as we soon learned that the doodlebug had exploded in the rec. so very close to causing the very tragedy that I had imagined

When I was in the VIth form, we ate at the third sitting where none of the teaching, staff were present. Theoretically, being the oldest pupils, we were supposed to receive the largest helpings. This had been becoming less and less the case and on one famous day, all the girls on our table were allotted about a dessertspoonful each of steamed pudding. Valerie Pratt asked us all to refrain from eating it and to keep our plates. Some did not join in, but about half‑a‑dozen of us accompanied Val to the H.M's door. She knocked and when Taffy Jones appeared she just said, "That was my pudding". He looked quickly at all our plates, whilst we felt like a row of Oliver Twists, asked if this was a regular occurence and then went straight to the kitchen. Within a couple of minutes, we were seated in front of enormous helpings. I was rather at a disadvantage as I hated fruit sponge pudding, but I womanfully ate my portion. We later learnt that certain shopping bags had each held a whole basin of sponge pudding. The problem did not occur again.

I remember the "Mock Election" after the war when we had five candidates. I had wanted to stand as "Labour" but was too late handing in my nomination as there was already a Labour nominee. So I agreed to be "Independent" instead. It was frightening, but fun in a way, to stand up and harangue my fellows. As there were four boys standing for the four parties, including a Communist, I took the line that women needed to be better served by their M.P.'s The Liberal candidate, (was his name really Buggins, as I seem to remember?) was a wonderful orator and I can still recollect his martial cry of, "Down with the bureaucrats!” Needless to say he won by miles. I lost badly, but briefly considered becoming a Liberal as they supported proportional representation and so many girls came to say that they would all have given me the second place vote if that had been possible! The Liberals certainly didn't win the real Election though.

Rosemary Dale (nee Blake, 1943‑51).

QUEENSBURY METHODIST CHURCH Beverley Drive, Edgware, HA8 5ND

Minister Revd. Rosemary Dale, MA, Telephone 0181‑205‑9446 (Home)

52 Limesdale Gardens 0181‑951‑4112 (Office)

HA8 5JA

At the Grand Reunion in 1992, one or two people said to me, "What's this Rev in front of your name, then?" Having just received this year's Dorkinian Newsletter, with another crop of "Where are you now and how on earth did you get there?" contributions, I now feel stimulated to add my pennyworth.

I have been a Methodist all my life, but I was nearly 50, with three children and one grandchild (now expanded to three) before the first thoughts of ordination began to creep into my head. That seemed such a ridiculous idea that I laughed at it, but it wouldn't go away, and when I was 55 I finally Went Into Circuit', which is a quaint bit of Methodist‑speak for a first church appointment.

I was sent to rural Derbyshire, with seven small churches (the largest had 60 members, the smallest 4) to look after, and I felt my life had really begun at fast! The job is a strange one, but it fits me like a glove (at least, I think so), and I have never been so happy in my life.

After seven years there, I was sent (again! it doesn't always happen like that ‑ most ministers get some choice) down here to London NW, where I am responsible for two churches with a combined membership of just over 200. Its very different from Derbyshire ‑ a high proportion of the church members here are ex‑patriates, many of them Africans, but with Indians, Sri Lankans, Fijians, Malaysians, Afro‑Caribbeans and others. Many are on various High Commission staffs, over here on short‑term contracts, and there is a great deal of coming and going, so that just keeping records straight is a considerable task. It is never boring!

Jane Pitts (nee May, 1947‑55).

Four years after finishing my French degree at Queen Mary College, London, I was married in 1962 to Chartered Surveyor, Michael. I moved up to Merseyside and we settled in Formby, near Southport which boasts an important colony of red squirrels on the sandhills and two long established (100 years plus) links golf courses: a difficult but scenic men's course constructed round the outside of a difficult but scenic women's.

For just about all my working life I have taught French and peripatetic cello, both part-time because this fitted in neatly with family life. I now work for the C.A.B.

We have two sons, now married. The elder researches and lectures in telecommunications (which word his 7 year old can even spell on a good day), at Queen Mary and Westfield; the younger is an accountant with Price Waterhouse in Toronto.

I continue to enjoy life very much on Merseyside with my Liverpool born husband. When brother Chris remarried some years back, Michael, as best man, much amused the assembled southern guests with local footy stories in the scouse which had come to him almost by osmosis from his earliest years. We make the most of our free time together, whether playing at gardening, tennis, or golf.

We also go regularly to Canford Summer Music School where I hope to give my cello playing another quick intensive fix, and Michael perfects his singing technique. So if you know someone searching for a good baritone soloist, just ask! I play in a chamber orchestra attached to the Metropolitan Cathedral. We perform in an excellent concert room somewhere inside the quite immense Lutyens crypt, on top of which was planted some 25 years ago for reasons of cost Sir Frederick Gibbard's design known locally as Paddy's Wigwam, or if you prefer, the Mersey Funnel!

Michael and I have been members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir now for the last 12 years. I always think of Dr. Morgan when our performance of Messiah after Christmas dances along at the speeds I so much enjoyed when at school. Our singing gives so much enjoyment, but is a huge commitment. The 1996‑7 schedule includes 26 concerts and the final one for this season is a performance with Libor Pesek and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Proms of Honneger's Joan of Arc on 27th July. It is an intensely dramatic and moving work. Do come and listen.

Joan Christie (nee Main , 1948‑53).

After having a Leatherhead gang reunion in August I decided to join the Association and handed my money over to Sheila. So now I am in possession of my first newsletter. What a thrill to see the school badge again.

We emigrated to Canada in June 1966 after living in Braintree, Essex for ten years after our marriage in 1956. We have one daughter Yvette who was five at that time. We soon discovered that the streets of Toronto are not paved with gold and we asked ourselves many times in those early days what have we done? But we were determined to make a go of it and set about going to work.

I went into banking since I had been with Barclays in U.K. and my husband Walter joined a major Canadian Brewery. We worked our way up and in my case I hope some of teachers (who probably despaired of my school work) will read this when I tell you that at forty‑five years of age I made it to the money market/trading of the bank and was toldI had to go back to school to take the Ontario Securities Commission course.

Yes, I passed! Not too shabby for an old D.C.G.S. student eh? However, after twenty five years at our respective jobs we were told that we were not needed anymore. So we decided to take company pensions and move on and realise a dream when we drove 6,700 miles to California and back. Taking in such sights as Mount Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, London Bridge in Arizona, Indy 500 race site, St.Louis Arch, to name a few. What a trip, which took us six weeks.

In closing I want to say Hi to Doc. Morgan in Australia to let you know that at the ripe old age of sixty, and Grandmother of three, I started taking piano lessons again. Also I still have my "78" record of the Hallelujah/Amen chorus' recorded at school. How many more copies are out there?

Finally I just wish "Denbies" would have opened their winery in 1948 and taken over those muddy fields where we had to run on cross country. But I bet Jo Secretan would have found another venue!

Janet Blackburn (nee Morris, 1949‑56)

With apologies for being 2 years late, the result of oversight, not reluctance to publish! - Editor

EXCHANGE VISIT TO GERMANY, JULY 1955

Some time ago The Dorkinian appealed for contributions from members based on past school events, and examples were quoted from old DCGS magazines. My conscience pricked a bit as I was among the five pupils involved in the first‑ever exchange with German pupils from schools in the Hamburg area in July 1955, which was one event referred to!

Now my conscience is burning as this July marks the, 40th anniversary of the first exchange and in fact very shortly my German exchange friend of 1955, Renate Hingst (nee Meyer) arrives to spend a few days with me to celebrate the occasion. Our husbands, Henning and Peter, who first met in July 1965, are included! In July 1975, after rather a long gap, we all met in Germany to celebrate the 20th anniversary, the "all" including two daughters apiece, roughly the same age; in fact, Renate and I are godmothers to each other's younger daughter, born within ten days of one another.

Readers will gather that Renate and I hit it off and have remained very good friends! We met up again in Paris in 1958, though we've never solved the mystery of how we missed one another at the Air Terminal when I arrived. Renate's offer of a bed persuaded my parents that it was all right for me to fly there to study for the summer, with no job and little money ‑ it took us three days to find one another!

Renate made up for this in July 1963, when I joined her for a holiday at her digs in St. Austell, Cornwall, where she had just completed a year as a language assistant. It was a wonderful break in my social work course ‑ even the weather was good!

Peter and I went to Trittau, Schleswig‑Holstein, Renate's home, in July 1965, when she and Henning had just got engaged. Photographs taken then show that we enjoyed what I'd enjoyed in 1955: playing table tennis outside the Meyers' lovely old timber‑cladded Forestry house, swimming in the

local lakes and at Travemunde on the Baltic, and visiting the beautiful city of Lubeck. In the intervening decade, its spires and towers, badly damaged in the war, had been restored. Peter was struck by the same transformation as he had vivid memories of war damage dating from his RAF service in Germany, ending in 1955.

It was our turn to be hosts in 1971, when both of us had a small daughter. Barbara and Laura were five when we met again, in Lingen, Ems, where Henning, an Army officer, was stationed. Our younger daughters were just acquiring speech then, and it was curious to hear them learning "cow" and "Kuh" respectively at one and the same time!

We did better at face-to-face contacts in the eighties. In 1985 Laura, then aged 15, stayed with Renate and family at their then home in Borken, Westphalia, and in 1986, Barbara, 16, visited us in Stockport. In 1988, 1 fulfilled pleasant duties as Susanne's godmother by attending her confirmation and was reunited with her other godmother, Karin, an old schoolfriend of Renate's ‑ we have stayed in touch since. Susanne visited us in 1989 and later that year we both made it to Borken.

That was to be our last visit there because following the momentous events in Germany later that year, Henning was posted to Schwerin in the former German Democratic Republic and eventually he and Renate had a house built there. We had a fascinating week with them in 1993, visiting the Hanseatic ports of Wismar and Rostock, as well as revisiting Lubeck. It hardly seemed possible that we were able to pass over the borders Peter and I had both seen heavily guarded in 1955, though Peter had been allowed through at Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie.

I have asked Renate to record some memories of our school exchange, to include in this account. I wonder if she remembers the same things? Prior to the German group arriving, we had exchanged letters (once, I think). Apart from the sex of the pupils, I don't think there was much matching in 1955, just as well from Renate's and my point of view as no one in charge of matching school students today would pair up an only child (me) from a council house with the eldest of five children of a Master‑forester ‑ would they?

In fact, when she wrote before the exchange, Renate mentioned her younger brother Rolf and sister Sibylle but failed to say she also had twin sisters, Ruth and Antje, aged 18 months! She told me about them on the way home from Hamburg station. My German wasn't up to her level of English (we'd only been doing German with the late, and still very much missed, Al Wolff for two years) but I eventually twigged. It seemed the family was afraid I might not come if I knew about them! They were delightful.

Obviously, the letters written beforehand did not contain photos as I remember anxiously scanning the faces as Mr. Wolff led the party of German visitors up to the front entrance. (I suppose he had been to London to meet them ‑ we never asked! I recall being pleased when Renate was introduced and thinking she looked nice.

Also taking part in the exchange was Julie Holland, whom I met up with after the Reunion in April 1992. She told me she had kept in written contact with her exchange partner, Gisela, until a few years ago, when Gisela stopped writing. Pat Goodwin, who, I learned at the Reunion, now lives in Canada, was paired with Marie‑Luise but her exchange did not go so well as mine, as "Mausi"'s father was not very supportive. Renate and I were lucky enough to have fathers who were very keen for us to take part, despite or perhaps because of the fact that they had fought against one another ‑ in fact both were at El Alamein.

The other two taking part were Alan Woodward, also a fifth former, and Rita Tonelli, in fourth year. Where are they now, I wonder?

The German visitors came to school with us for a week. I have a photo to prove it! Renate must have found our way of life and our food strange but she never let on but ate everything and joined in everything with apparent willingness. The ten photos I have of her stay remind me that we went to London, punted on the river Wye, walked on Leith Hill and played tennis. It doesn't sound much for three weeks!

The train journey to Hamburg was long, hot and tedious. I remember only that Julie slept with her eyes open, that we were separated from our exchange partners and could reach them only with difficulty, and that we saw Cologne Cathedral, still war-damaged, from the station. I suspect that, despite using a book called "Deutsches Leben" (German Life), we were ill‑prepared for everyday life in Germany. Anyway, the way of life I met in the Forestry house was quite different from that which the other four experienced in their flats in Reinbek, a suburb of Hamburg! Renate's school in Bad Oldesloe was not part of Hamburg but she had heard about the exchange being organized and applied to join.

Living in a large house, with a large family and their dogs, meeting forestry students who were daily visitors to the house, was certainly a new and fascinating experience! The food was very different and at first I found it strange ‑ and it dawned on me that Renate must have had the same impression in Dorking. I got used to black bread, sour cream, gherkins, a variety of sausages, not all of which I liked ‑ liver sausage was my favourite. I still eat the gherkin slices from everyone else's Big Mac! I got to like the, thick raspberry jelly called Rote Grutze and mouth‑watering Lubecker marzipan, and Renate still sends me supplies! I have this memory of weekend meals of chicken (recently seen running round) or venison from recently shot deer at weekends, both delicious, but maybe it wasn't every weekend!

Renate's family were very welcoming, and her father was a man of humour ‑ not that my German was always up to his jokes! The days passed in what is now a haze of cycle rides, swimming in the lakes, visiting Renate's friends, learning new card games, etc. I recall vividly visits to Hamburg and Lubeck and being overwhelmed by the bomb damage, ten years after the war. The weather was fantastic and I enjoyed trips to the Baltic beaches, with their strange basket work chairs ‑ better than deck chairs!

The German school year started while we were there and it was a novelty, not entirely welcome, to get up at 6 a.m. to catch the train to Bad Oldesloe at 7 a.m. but there was a good sense of cameraderie on the journeys. School started at 8 a.m. and finIshed at 1 p.m. unless we were let off early because of the heat ("Hitzefrei"). In that case, there was time for a swim in the river as the train home was at 2 p.m. It was cold, though! We took sandwiches for mid‑morning break and were pretty hungry by teatime!

School was not dissimilar from DCGS but German pupils have to take a greater range of subjects for Abitur (equivalent of A' levels). It was rather surprising to find very tall, well‑built lads of 19 and 20 in the class!,.. I found it quite a challenge to translate directly from Latin into German. English classes were good fun, as Renate and her classmates, a number of whom had visited Britain, thought their teacher was arrogant and often inaccurate. The poor souls were struggling through ‘The Forsyte Saga’ and enjoyed it immensely when I was asked to read and had my pronunciation corrected by the teacher, e.g. he thought I should say "hearth" to rhyme with "earth"!

One day I cut my finger instead of a roll at breakfast and fainted. I was very embarrassed when Frau Meyer kept me at home and I had to put up with teasing by Renate's father.

One of the highlights of the stay was Renate's 17th Birthday on 19th August. Her mother, who still writes to me, is very active in her eighties and reads novels in English, very kindly invited the other visitors from Dorking, who arrived in Mr.Wolff's charge. I don't think Alan came though. There were at least fourteen girls at the party, including the twins! Photos show a range of 1955 teenage summer dresses Julie won easily with the latest A‑line fashion.

Can it really be forty years ago? Unfortunately yes! We've encouraged our daughters to make the most of opportunities for exchanges and visits to and study in other countries, and they have done so. Laura worked in the USA and did exchanges/study visits to Germany, Greece and Portugal. She's a Further Education teacher about to help lead a group of students visiting France! Meriel, 21, did an exchange to France and is now studying law in Brittany for a year. She's just spent three weeks in Spain, staying with a friend at University there.

Since 1975, we have received well over 30 guests through Stockport's twin towns' exchange programme, mainly young German and French people. For my part, that 1955 exchange to Germany must have started it all off, as well as leading to an enduring friendship.

Janet Blackburn (nee Morris)

3 Oakland Avenue, Stockport.

1.5.95

July 1956                      Rita Tonelli, Patricia Goodwin, Janet, Julie Holland

August 1955

Behind : Renate , Mary Cooper, Alan Weddun

In Front: Janet , Valerie Rees, Pat Goodwin

MEMORIES OF A STUDENT EXCHANGE VISIT

1955 ‑ 1995: forty years of friendship!

This summer it will be forty years since I first met Janet.

As my poor English had given me considerable trouble at school, my parents had decided to let me join a student exchange in 1955. So I spent three interesting and wonderful weeks with Janet and her family and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my stay.

I was impressed by the different school life though I had my own ideas about wearing school uniform and the way Latin words were pronounced in English! But I enjoyed going to Dorking County Grammar School, probably because of the fact that I was treated as a guest, not having to dread any marks. (So why not treat pupils as guests?)

What made my first stay in England so enjoyable was above all the generous hospitality and friendship with which I was welcomed by Janet and her parents. They showed me their country and their London.

Since then, England has attracted me again and again and I have grown fond of the English way of life and ‑ who would have guessed? ‑ of the English language. In 1962/63 1 spent a year as an Assistant Teacher at an English Grammar School and, much later, I helped organize and accompanied exchange visits to our English twin town.

This year's visit to England will be a very special one. I am looking forward to celebrating our anniversary with Janet in Stockport.

Renate Hingst (nee Meyer)

Pinnow/Schwerin

JULY 1955                                    Haddon Hall, Derbyshire May 1995

|| ||

V V

?? Margaret Renate Rosemary ??

Moore? Veillard Renate and Janet

Haddon Hall, Derbyshire May 1995

Janet Gisela Julie

Holland

David Earle (1949‑54)

Dear Madam,

The other day I received another envelope from you, I recognised the franking and knew what to expect even before I opened the envelope, what surprised me was that I received anything from you. I had intended to pay no further subscriptions but had not been courteous enough to tell you but my wife informs me that I should not be so miserable and pay up. I enclose a cheque for £10.00 for 1995 and 1996, I am not keen on annual Direct Debits and will do my best to send further subscriptions on time.

Acting on verbal instructions and bearing in mind I am writing anyway here are a few thoughts, memories and details. My wife (Elaine, sister of Roger Cullis who was at DCGS with me) and I have lived in Welling, Kent for the past thirty‑two years and, since my parents died several years ago and my in‑laws moved to the Isle of Wight, we have no links with Dorking any more. We went to the Lookout on Boxhill on our Twenty‑fifth and Thirtieth Wedding Anniversaries and looked out over the town that holds so many memories for both of us and later we walked down the hill, along paths we took when we were courting, and in to the town. We are grandparents now, both our children have left home and our daughter has three children of her own.

I attended DCGS between 1949 and 1954 and it seems a very long time ago! I did not stay on into the Sixth Form but left to serve my time as an Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy, two years full time at Kingston Technical College, a year at sea and eighteen months working in John Brown's shipyard in Clydebank. For four years after that I worked as an engineering officer on foreign-going motor tankers as a Junior, Fourth and finally a Third Engineer. By that time I was engaged and it was clear that my wife‑to‑be knew that my sea‑going days were over. I worked for five years as a Laboratory Technician in Deptford, but the general conception of a Laboratory Technician evoking a picture of test tubes and chemicals, is far from the truth. I worked on air conditioning and refrigeration units for road and rail vehicles and it was a good deal rougher than it sounds.

After that I became a Civil Servant, "Civil" as opposed to "Military" I hasten to add, I have never been very civil. I worked in what has recently become known as Facilities Management, mainly mechanical and electrical services, maintenance and minor new works. For twenty years I worked at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich before being transferred to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich and later to the Royal Artillery Barracks and other sites, all in Woolwich. After having been personally assured by Michael Heseltine, in writing, that we would never be privatised we were privatised. This "sell off' has recently been the subject of some controversy as the buyers sold for £40M+ what they had bought for about £ 11M, but none of the profit found its way into my pockets I am afraid. By a series of sideways moves involving what is known as TUPE I now work for a large private company, who didn't really want me, doing the same job that I was doing before but with more modem equipment.

From reading other letters that you have published in the Newsletter it would appear that I must be one of the few old pupils who hasn't become a doctor, a missionary, a financial wizard, saved the world or passed on the valuable lessons learned at DCGS to later generations. I find that I know more of the Staff that are mentioned than I do the pupils but I do remember Louise McFadyen as a very attractive young lady, I wonder if either of us would recognise one another now. I remember James Clegg, who was surely the Rev James Clegg when I was at school, noted for giving me a two page essay on Blasphemy as a punishment. Still, it made a change from the normal subject of Foul Language! Most of the reminiscences you have published consist of fond memories of the Sixth Form and the Staff. Recently there has been mention of Dr Moore‑Morgan, Mr Bradshaw, Mr Howard and Mr Rowlatt, all of whom I knew although I was never taught by Mr Bradshaw. What amazed me was the content of the articles, what was written was not how I remembered them, but I will say no more than that. Perhaps time has lent enchantment to some of the writers.

As mentioned above I was never in the Sixth Form but still retain vivid memories of the school. On my first day in September 1949 I remember huddling in a miserable mass of boys in the middle of the Boy's Quad when the bell rang and apparently sucked all the other boys into the building. We had no idea what to do or where to go and stood there bewildered, eventually someone noticed that there were no First Form boys and Mr Charlie Goffin sallied forth into the rain to get us. He seemed to blame us for not knowing where to go and his forbidding figure in the flapping black gown terrified me!

I was put in Form 1C with Miss Burton as our Form Mistress, she was a pleasant lady and a good teacher, I remember her using board compasses to draw circles instead of the vaguely circular freehand efforts of people like Mr Woodman and Mr Howard. I also remember she had a rather old fashioned phrase she used when telling us to get our books out, "Get out your text books, exercise books, pens, pencils and blotting paper if such you possess". I wonder how many other people remember her saying that.

I remember wearing a very strange blazer for the first term but it fell apart quite quickly and I always wore the alternative grey herringbone tweed jacket after that, together with the mandatory cap which I raised politely to Miss Burton as I overtook her on the way to school each day.

One remembers strange things, in the Sixth Form at that time there was a boy called "Smiler" Smith for obvious reasons, what a very nice thing to be remembered by. In those days boys were called by their surnames only and girls by their Christian names, so much for political correctness, so I can remember nicknames like "Wiggy" Bone and "Moosher" Wright but I have no idea what their Christian names are. First Form boys stood at the left front of the Hall during Assembly and had a very good view of the Prefect's legs trembling with nervousness as they read the lesson to the assembled school.

There were two separate playing fields then, one for boys and one for girls, as well as two separate Quads, there were even supposedly separate staircases at either end of the main building. Apart from the athletics track, sports facilities were separate as well, boys played football and cricket, girls played hockey, netball and tennis. Some boys played tennis after school which resulted in Mr Dryer (our Latin Teacher) putting a notice on the boys notice board to inform us that "Boys wishing to play tennis must use their own balls".

I remember an Art Mistress coming into the room and informing us "Miss Tucker's away today and I'm Mrs Worthy. Don't call me 'Miss' because I object". Not surprising really as she was about nine and a half months pregnant at the time. Art was not one of my better subjects, the highest mark I ever got was 38% and that was after Miss Tucker surveyed my daubing for some time before asking which of the four questions written on the board I was attempting. Foreign languages were not a strong point either but I remember that none of the Latin teachers were able to translate "Esto Fidelis" satisfactorily, it was not "Be thou Faithful" or "Ever Faithful" but perhaps "Always on the fiddle" was closer. Many years later on a beach near Istanbul I was talking to a beautiful young creature called Eugnon and how I wished I had paid more attention in French. After she had informed me of the whereabouts of her aunt's fountain pen and I had mentioned the weather the conversation came to a stumbling halt. Perhaps Mrs Dupays was right, "Earle, vous parlez Français comme une vache Espagnol!" she advised me on several occasions together with derogatory comments about my accent.

I went through Form 2, Form 3, Form 4 and Upper 5 Science with Form Masters and Mistresses including Mrs Longley, Miss Goodall and Mr "Flash" Davis before sitting GCE "0" Level examinations. I remember telling Mr Ashby that I would not be taking Woodwork but it didn't seem to worry him as he had no great faith in my handling of edged tools. I am no carpenter but I think he would have been surprised if he could see what I have managed with wood over the years. I remember Mrs Dupays telling me I was "a dead cert failure" for the French examination and that it was "a waste of the County's money" paying for me to enter. Mr Howard greeted us as we left the Hall after the Algebra Examination by telling us that "it was so easy even Earle should pass!”. Mr Titmarsh told me that I stood no chance in Geography as I had attempted Question 2, which we had not covered, and I had drawn no contour maps or rainfall charts. I actually passed all the seven subjects that I sat with what was noted as "All good marks, last three very good" by Dr Trefor Jones on my little postcard, it must have broken his heart to have to write that.

This letter seems to give a very different view from the somewhat rose‑tinted image normally portrayed in "The Dorkinian" so will almost certainly be of no use to you but might amuse for a while. Some time ago I nearly attended a two day re‑union but decided against it at the last moment. My brother‑in‑law attended and said that I really ought to have gone as I would certainly have been the fattest person there! As I was always on the thin to skinny side at school I doubt anyone would have recognised me.

I wish you and all the other Committee Members good luck in your endeavours.

How DID Brute Get His Name

I've heard several different versions of how our former teacher, form master, house master and

mentor got his nickname. These range from an affectionate corruption of a character from

Kipling's Jungle Book, to some other derivation from his scouting background, but rarely from the

School itself. Certainly, he had it when my uncle, that great cricketing talent, Valentine ('Val')

Sherman, went to the school in 1933 only 2 years after the School opened and Norman had started

as a master, at only his second school.

To set the record straight, I'll tell it the way he told me last week. It probably won't put all those other versions to bed, those versions which we fancifully like to hear, those versions of which legends are made, but here it is anyway.

Dorking County School had been formed from the amalgamation of the old Boys' and Girls' High Schools, and for the first year or so segregation of the boys and girls was maintained in the 5th Form. A year or so after the start of the School, (that would be about 1932), two girls came up to 'Sir' and suggested to him that as they were studying Julius Caesar at the time and as 'Sir' was 'an honourable man', they wanted to name him after Shakespeare's character, Brutus. With all the wiles of young women (it must have been: how else could anyone have put across in such a pleasant manner such a seemingly unflattering name?), Norman agreed. Indeed, he may even have been flattered. Anyway the nickname stuck and a legend was born. And it can't be said of many people that they're a legend in their own lifetime.

When Norman returned to the School in 1945 after the war, he found that 'Brutus' had been contracted to 'Brute'. And he has been known as that ever since.

John P Gent

Janet Roodbol‑Birkin (1956‑63)

One of the nice things about the newsletter is that one's own memories are so often sparked off by something mentioned by another member. Take Louise Cooper's contribution to the Autumn Newsletter, for instance. As a first or second former, I was also in the House Play referred to ‑ as a squirrel, complete with ears and bushy tail!! The costumes required a lot of ingenuity and many hours of needlework by various Mums.

Moreover, Louise's brother Ian was in the same form as me (and such was his personality that I didn't remember the fact that he only joined us for the sixth form ‑ in my memory he seems to have been around for much longer than that).

By further coincidence, Ian played a major role in a Roberts House Play, in which the Sun fell in love with January, playing havoc with the weather. Ian was the weather‑man, full of good advice such as "ne'er cast a clout till May is out"; Jet Thatcher played the sun, a girl named Janice (I think) played January, Dave Bailey was Jack Frost, and among those playing the various months were Barbara Wareham, Sarah Perry (looking most artistic in mauve draperies), Catherine Riches, Parn Kirby, Mick Viner and yours truly as April, if my memory serves me right, clad in a short yellow tunic. Well, I had the legs for it at the time My apologies to the other players, whose faces I recognise on the photograph but whose names escape me. And we won the trophy!

I was unable to attend the AGM last year, but I did have a very short trip to Dorking in September ‑as a direct result of Dorkinian activities. At the Reunion I had got into conversation with Kristin Payne (riee Maule), who was head girl when I was a mere first former, way beyond my reach at such celestial heights! We discovered that we both live in the Netherlands, and Kristin offered me a seat in her car one weekend in September, as she was attending a reunion dinner of her year, to be held in Surrey. My sister Pamela was away that week, but a quick call to Anna Cooper (nee Wardle) assured me of a bed right at the hub of things, as Anna now lives in the middle of Dorking. Kristin picked me up on Friday evening and we made our way down to Calais and ‑ yes! ‑ through the Chunnel, which was something I'd sworn I would never do. Incidentally, this was before the fire.... Actually it wasn't a bit scary, but it was most odd to drive in on the right at one end, and drive out on the left at the other. I woke up to glorious sunshine, and had a lovely leisurely stroll around Dorking for most of the morning, including a visit to St. Martin's Church, where I had attended Sunday School and been a member of the Youth Club over 40 years ago. While strolling around, I ran into a NATO‑colleague whom I'd last seen over 25 years ago ‑ she still lives in Paris and was visiting her mother who lives in Dorking. Talk about coincidence ‑ food for thought for "Celestine Prophecy" addicts. In the afternoon we went to an amateur performance of "Pygmalion" ‑ good, but not up to Miss Barter's production all those years ago ‑Pamela, you were a much more impressive Mrs. Higgins! On Sunday, another hot, sunny day, Anna and I walked up Ranmore, where we were able to take a peek inside the church as the morning service had just finished. A friendly churchwarden even dug out the marriage register for me, which includes the record of the marriage of one Janet G. Birkin to one Adriaan J. Roodbol, 5 July 1969 ... We walked further along Ranmore, then back through Westcott where we stopped at a pub for much‑needed liquid refreshment, then back along the foot of the Nower, passing the house I'd lived in from the age of 10 until moving to Paris at 20. Most of the Netherlands being as flat as a pancake, I could feel muscles I'd forgotten existed. A late lunch and a pleasant drive to Folkestone completed a wonderful sentimental journey.

Gillian MacTaggart (nee Coppock) ‑ 1975 - 1982

1975‑1982: Joined Dorking Grammar School which became Ashcombe a year later, enjoyed the school life up until my sixth year, when reality plus slight disillusionment set in. ‘A’ levels not as successful as I would have liked, so I took a year out and worked for the infamous Friends' Provident (who didn't?).

1983‑1987: I decided that qualifications were necessary, so managed to get myself on a Business Studies course at Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University). The course involved 3 work placements and in my final one I met my now husband, Dougie. I graduated from the course with a 2:1

1988‑89: My first real job, liked the people but hated the job, so I moved on.

1988‑90: I worked for a local division of Lucas in their Marketing Dept doing market research which I loved. 1988 was also special because Dougie and I got married. In 1990 he changed jobs and we moved north of the border where we have been staying ever since.

1990‑92: I worked for a local fabric manufacturers in their Sales Dept and in 1992 gave it up to have our older son, Calum.

1993 to present day: Euan our second son arrived 11 weeks early in September 1993 and has made his presence felt ever since!!

At present I enjoy being a housewife and getting involved in the local children’s groups and church life. However, it may be that Dougie's work will be taking us abroad in the near future which is one of the reasons I have been prompted into joining 'The Dorkinian Association'. Something I have always intended to do but children have a wonderful way of distracting your attention (what an excuse)!!

BRIEF ENCOUNTER = Robert Miller

When war was declared in 1939, the Sydenharn Girls School was evacuated to Dorking, in order to share the Dorking County School (now the Ashcombe School) building for their lessons. As a result, the Dorking pupils had to attend school in the morning and the Sydenharn pupils in the afternoon; however extra homework made up time lost at school.

After a few months, 'Pixham Firs', a large house in Pixham Lane, was taken over by Sydenham School. With a thorough 'spring clean’ by the girls they were able to use these premises for their lessons ‑ but still used the County School building for some of their activities. This arrangement continued until they returned to Sydenham in 1945.

Incidentally it may be of some interest to relate that Miss Turner, the Headmistress of Sydenham School, did not approve of any social contacts between her girls and the boys of the Dorking School! An ex‑Sydenham pupil now living in Dorking told me that one morning she was called up before Miss Turner to be told that she had been

seen riding her bicycle in Dorking High Street with one of the Dorking boys, and that it must never happen again!

At our 1992 Reunion at the School some may have seen a video, taken from a wartime information film, featuring the Sydenham Girls School during their stay in Dorking.

MISS WINIFRED RIGBY

It is with sadness that we have to record the recent passing of Miss Winifred Rigby in Church Stretton at the age of 91.

Miss Rigby was educated at West Kirby High School for Girls and subsequently trained as an art teacher at the Liverpool School of Art. Following appointments at Long Eaton Grammar School, Derbyshire and Sidcot Boarding School at Winscombe in Somerset she joined the staff of the Dorking County School as Head of the Art Department in 1941, later to serve as an extremely capable and much respected Deputy Head for 25 years. During 1957 Miss Rigby held the post of acting Head with distinction following the departure of Dr. Trefor Jones to the Latymer School.

Staff and pupils alike knew that Miss Rigby would stand no nonsense and was not one to "suffer fools gladly"; her strident call of "Must you!" in class immediately brought idle chatter to an abrupt halt and remains an abiding memory, but her strict demeanour belied a genuine desire to see that all her pupils did well. She was always a safe stronghold in adversity, a person to whom one could turn in any difficulty and be sure of both sympathy and help, and will long be remembered with sincere affection.

Many former pupils who displayed an aptitude for Art will have cause to be grateful for her guidance and encouragement as they fashioned their future careers. The strength of the Art Department, which Miss Rigby built up, was exemplified by a tradition of frequent distinctions in 'A' level examinations and several Sixth Form Scholarships in Art and Architecture.

Miss Rigby returned to her beloved Shropshire on retirement in 1966 and was able to enjoy for many years her chief recreation of walking in the beautiful countryside.

Peter Mills

Mrs MARION JONES

We also report with regret the recent death of Mrs Marion Jones at Winchmore Hill, wife of the late Dr. Trefor Jones, Headmaster of DOGS from 1943 to 1957. PM

ASHCOMBE DORKINIAN GOLF Harold Child, calling all golfers

Our 1996 Autumn Meeting took place at Clandon Regis Golf Club on 26th September on a decidedly overcast day which deteriorated as time went by into conditions that rapidly became wet and windy, but neverthless sporting.

After anticipating the highest turn out to date, numbers dwindled for various good reasons, which resulted in only ten members participating. We were very pleased to welcome our first lady golfer, Brenda Oliver, who was able to show her ability to master the course in a better manner than most of her male counterparts. John Culton arrived from Royal Birkdale and promptly showed his capability and we thank him for making the long trip. Many thanks to all

members who telephoned or wrote with apologies for absence and to Bernard Burbidge, for his part in offering us his members day and making us all feel at home.

The individual Stableford competition was on this occasion coupled with an aggregate drawn pairs competition which encouraged all participants to keep going for the sake of their partner. Results were as follows:

Individual ‑ Winner ‑ John Culton (on countback)

‑ Runner ‑ up ‑ Harold Child

‑ Best front 9 holes ‑ Bernard Burbidge

‑ Best back 9 holes ‑ Brenda Oliver

Drawn Pairs ‑ Winners ‑ Brenda Oliver & Harold Child

Our next meeting will be on TUESDAY 13th MAY 1997 at Chart Park, Dorking, when it is hoped that more members will participate in the fun.

The possibility of holding an autumn meeting at either Slinfold Park Golf & Country Club or Fernfell Golf & Country Club, Cranleigh is at present being pursued but details of their offers are not to hand at the time of going to press.

If you are interested in joining us at Dorking, even at this late stage, please telephone Harold Child on 01306 885831 for details.

OLD DORKINIAN FOOTBALL CLUB - Peter Mills, Hon. Secretary.

The Club are approaching the end of another highly successful season with the Senior XI needing only a single point from their remaining 2 matches to become champions of Senior 3 of the Old Boys' League. This will give them automatic promotion to Senior 2, the highest stage they will have ever reached in their 67 year history. Their playing record to date is P. 18 W. 12 D. 3 L.3 Goals for 47, against 18, Points 27 Four notable home and away victories have been achieved over Phoenix O.B. 2‑1, 0‑4, Wood Green O.B. 6‑0, 1 ‑5, Old Vaughanians 4‑0, 0‑3, and Glyn O.B. 2‑ 1, 0‑3,

The Reserve XI, with 3 games to play, are holding on to the second promotion spot in Division 1 (South) with a playing record of P. 17 W. 11 D.2 L.4 Goals 36‑23 Points 24. They have also gained 4 home and away victories, over Clapham O.B. 4‑1, 1‑2, Old Reigatians 3‑2, 1‑3, Old Wokingians 3‑0, 1‑2, and Old Meadonians 3‑2, 1‑4.

The Reserve XI have also reached the semi‑finals of the Dorking Charity Cup where they will now meet Mickleham away. Previous victories have been achieved against Brockham 6‑1, and Old Reigatians Reserves 0‑1 following a penalty shoot out at the end of extra time.

The Third XI, with 1 game to play, lead Division 4 (South) by a single point from Fitzwilliam O.B. whom they play in their final match at Pixham. The O.D.s have scored an amazing club record 94 goals from 21 matches (W.15, D.2, L. 4, goals against 37), including a 14‑2 victory over Old Wokingians IV at Pixham.

The Fourth XI occupy a safe mid table position in Division 6 (South), but the Fifth XI seem unlikely to avoid the threat of relegation from Division 7 (South).

The Veterans XI, under their captain Paul Etheridge, have enjoyed a reasonably successful season winning 2 of their 3 regional round ties in the Jack Perry Cup. Unfortunately they were unable to progress to the quarter finals on goal difference. They concluded their season with an entertaining game against a Crystal Palace F. C. President's XI containing a number of ex professional players, before a crowd of at least 100 at Pixham. The O.D.s were far from disgraced in losing by only 4‑3 with BRUCE KENNEDY from our Senior XI scoring a hat trick.

LATE EXTRA! First Team Champions of Senior 3

Reserves Runners‑up Division 1 (S), and promoted

THE SCHOOL'S BEST EVER FOOTBALL TEAM?

Looking through my School "records" of which I was a prolific keeper, I came upon the First XI football results for the Year 1949‑50. They may be of interest to readers and the question is prompted ‑ can any other "Years" better this performance?

M.D.Dobson [Centre‑Half]

Dorking County Grammar School

First XI Football Results

Year 1949‑1950

Wimbledon Technical College Away 2‑4 Win

Ruskin GS Away 0‑8 Win

Guildford Technical College Away 2‑3 Win

Sutton CGS Away 1‑5 Win

Godalming CGS Away 0‑6 Win

Epsom CGS Home 3‑0 Win

Guildford Technical College Home 6‑3 Win

Sutton CGS Home 3‑2 Win

Guildford Grammar Away 3‑3 Draw

Epsom CGS Away 3‑3 Draw

Godalming CGS Home 6‑0 Win

Oxted CGS Away 2‑6 Win

Wimbledon Technical College Home 3‑2 Win

Guildford Grammar Home 5‑2 Win

Played 14, Won 12, Drawn 2, Lost 0.

Goals; for 64, against 22

Of seven School Prefects, six were 1st XI players.

OLD DORKINIAN CRICKET CLUB ‑ Dave Wilcockson, Hon. Secretary

Following last season's excellent results with 20 wins, O.D.C.C. start their 49th season on May 3rd. A three match tour to the New Forest is planned for the week commencing 7^th July and the usual tournament will be on Wednesday 23rd July at Meadowbank. Anyone requiring further information concerning fixtures or who is interested in playing should contact Dave Wilcockson on 01306 883428.

The fixture list is set out below.

SATURDAYS SUNDAYS

May 3 Frensham A 2.00 May 4 Westcott H 2.00

10 Nutfield H 2.00 11 A 2.00

17 Old Cats H 2.00 13 Bookham H 2.00

24 Reigate Pr. H 2.00 25 A 2.00

31 A 2.00 Jun 1 Chobham H 2.00

Jun 7 Blindley Ht H 2.30 8 Gi1tec A 2.30

14 Forest Grn A 2.30 15 Whyteleafe A 2.30

21 Newdigate A 2.00 22 Nutley H1 H 2.00

28 A 2.00 29 Stoneleigh H 2.00

Jul 5 Wimbledon A 2.30 Jul 6 Ockley A 2.30

12 Old Cats A 2.00 13 Downsiders A 2.00

19 Wocdmsterne A 2 .00 20 N Holmwood A 2.00

26 Oakwood Hl A 2.30 27 Newdigate H 2.00

Aug 2 Reigate Pr A 2,00 Aug 3 Woodmansterne A 2.00

9 A 2.00 10 Nutley Hl A 2,00

16 A 2.00 17 Thamesfield A 2.00

23 Giltec A 2.00 24 Fa1con H 2.00

30 Wimbledon H 2.00 31 Bookham A 2.00

Sep 6 Blindley Ht A 2.00 Sep 7 Westcott A 1.30

13 Warnham A 2.00 14 The Bourne A 1.30

20 Frensham A 1.30 21 A 1.30

27 A 1.00 28 A 1.00