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  1. #21
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    Default Hillside School

    Quote Originally Posted by RobSpooner View Post
    I was at Hillsire from 1962 until 1966, my brother was there from 1960-65. I remember Mr Coates and his black lab called Souix, Mr Redman who always had a certain smell about him (!), Mrs Whicker was a sweetie to me. I was in Eagle house and Mr Whicker went into a rage when we won the gymnastics and cricket cups! I remember the swimming pool (Busbridge?) and changing room. I was a boarder, so was my brother. He became headboy. I was captain of hockey and also colours in cricket and football. Lots more to tell if interested?
    Dear Rob

    Great to hear your memories as well. I just missed you but was obviously there with your brother in 1960. I had forgotten the swimming pool. That was in the grounds of a big house but they had not heard of chlorine in those days and we had to share it with newts and god knows what else. I was delighted to hear you managed to upset old Whicker in the cricket house match. A chap called Phil Hall and I batted for two afternoons against Eagle. I must have been a complete bore as I only scored ten runs in all that time. Fortunately Phil was a bit more aggressive and we won by ten wickets. Whicker did have some connection with my housemaster at Dover College and I occasionally saw him there after I moved on. Anyway a great memory as I would be the first to admit that the experiences there had a very beneficial effect on my life.

    Roger Noble

  2. #22

    Smile Hillside

    hi Roger
    Thanks for the email! When we in Eagles beat Hawk's in the finals of cricket he nearly blew his stack ! And to cap that winning the GYMNASTICS as well ! Well.....!
    During my last term Mr Wicker suffered from shingles and was quite ill.
    I once had a detention and had to go to Mr Whicker;s study to be caned, not nice! Another time I had to go to his study to get a new writing book as my English writing book was full; he asked me to recite some latin
    and I said 'oh gawd' at which point he shouted at me about my 'common language, defiling GOD' ETC, 6 more 'whacks' and he told me he would not give me a new exercise book! So for the rest of the term I used my writing pad and old letters, and any homework was also done on bits of paper! Put me off latin for life! 'Ceasar ad bellun venit' !

  3. #23
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    Default Hillside Prep School, Godalming

    Dear James, Rob & Martin

    All your responses are bringing the memories flooding back.

    I am not sure on Mr Kobylanski. We had a French teacher who I was pretty sure was a refugee from the 1956 Hungarian uprising. If it is the same man I remember him particularly from his grass cutting. There was a mower (Atco I think) which worked on the same basis as a barber's trimmer. He used to cut the long grass by the pitches. One day he must have stumbled and the machine took over and stated attacking the trees at the bottom of the lower pitch. We all thought it was great fun.

    Another memory was Whicker's trusty bronze (or it might have been rust) standard vanguard estate. I remember putting the whole football team into it for the nearer away matches.

    On another occasion he put paid to my ambition of becoming a porn baron. I had acquired a book called "Blind Lust" for 2/6 which I then proceeded to rent out at a bob a read. I think had earned about 30 shillings but Whicker eventually got hold of it and I was marched up to his study where he informed me that he would have to write to my next school to tell them whether I was a sex maniac. He then opened the pot bellied stove in his study and proceeded to burn it. I do not think I have ever secured such a good investment return since. Anyway revenge was sweet. He confiscated a number of bottles of ginger beer ( I think home made) from one of our mid night feasts. I slept in the dormitory under his study and one night we thought World War Three had started when we heard a series of bangs. It turned out that one bottle had burst and set of the others. The merriment this caused was well worth the subsequent retribution.

    Anyway great to hear all your stories.

    Roger

  4. #24
    hillsider
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    Default Some very evocative memories

    Dear Roger, James and Rob,
    I think I arrived at the school in about 1966. By then Mr Whicker was very ill and the school rapidly turned into a strange version of Animal Farm. There were some very brutal boys and one or two odd temporary teachers who arrived from university and behaved in a very un-gentlemanly fashion.

    There were some very funny times though with a particular highlight being an end of term midnight feast in Nelson Dorm where we tried to toast some marshmallows in the fire place which we lit for the purpose. Unfortunately some embers slipped down the vent holes in the floor and we watched in horror as the litter and detritus beneath caught fire. Nine little boys stood in a sweaty line and pee'd down the holes in an attempt to put the fire out. Eventually Mr Redman (I think) found us and we set up a human chain with buckets from the scullery but all to no avail and the fire brigade turned up and did it properly. Fortunately our parents collected us the next day and we were never reprimanded.

    I too remember the filthy swimming pool and the ever ongoing money raising effort to build one within the grounds of the school. We were occasionally allowed to go to a farm belonging to one of the borders near Godalming where they had a pool and nine of us would cram into their Humber Imperial for the occasion (his name was Roger Head and he later visited my family on our own farm in Sussex). I wonder what he's up to now.

    The school closed after the end of Michaelmas term, I think in 1968, when my parents received a letter saying that a replacement for Mr Whicker, who had died during the previous summer break, could not be found and that the school would not reopen.

    That's one of the saddest bits as we were never able to say goodbye to each other or to get some sort of closure.

    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Noble View Post
    Dear James, Rob & Martin

    All your responses are bringing the memories flooding back.

    I am not sure on Mr Kobylanski. We had a French teacher who I was pretty sure was a refugee from the 1956 Hungarian uprising. If it is the same man I remember him particularly from his grass cutting. There was a mower (Atco I think) which worked on the same basis as a barber's trimmer. He used to cut the long grass by the pitches. One day he must have stumbled and the machine took over and stated attacking the trees at the bottom of the lower pitch. We all thought it was great fun.

    Another memory was Whicker's trusty bronze (or it might have been rust) standard vanguard estate. I remember putting the whole football team into it for the nearer away matches.

    On another occasion he put paid to my ambition of becoming a porn baron. I had acquired a book called "Blind Lust" for 2/6 which I then proceeded to rent out at a bob a read. I think had earned about 30 shillings but Whicker eventually got hold of it and I was marched up to his study where he informed me that he would have to write to my next school to tell them whether I was a sex maniac. He then opened the pot bellied stove in his study and proceeded to burn it. I do not think I have ever secured such a good investment return since. Anyway revenge was sweet. He confiscated a number of bottles of ginger beer ( I think home made) from one of our mid night feasts. I slept in the dormitory under his study and one night we thought World War Three had started when we heard a series of bangs. It turned out that one bottle had burst and set of the others. The merriment this caused was well worth the subsequent retribution.

    Anyway great to hear all your stories.

    Roger

  5. #25

    Default Hillside

    Roger - I think you are probably right about 'Koby' being from Hungarian uprising. He used to ride an ancient lambretta and on one icy day took me on the pillion for a spin! no crash helmets then, just short grey flannels, no gloves - boy was it fun!
    A distant uncle of mine drew up one sunday on the drive in his open top E type bright red jag - drunk! he had a very early record player in his car which was blaring out 'itsy witsy yellow bikini' at full volume! I heard the racket, saw it was him and ran and hid in the wood.
    After about an hour I went back to find Mrs Whicker waiting for me! Uh oh, I thought i'll get sacked. She was beaming! She told me only that i had missed my uncle and that Mr Whicker had 'seen him on his way'. They had phoned my parents to tell them that a 'tipsy gentleman was on the way to see them.....'!!

  6. #26
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    Default R.H.R. Whicker's Hillside

    Quote Originally Posted by RobSpooner View Post
    Roger - I think you are probably right about 'Koby' being from Hungarian uprising. He used to ride an ancient lambretta and on one icy day took me on the pillion for a spin! no crash helmets then, just short grey flannels, no gloves - boy was it fun!
    A distant uncle of mine drew up one sunday on the drive in his open top E type bright red jag - drunk! he had a very early record player in his car which was blaring out 'itsy witsy yellow bikini' at full volume! I heard the racket, saw it was him and ran and hid in the wood.
    After about an hour I went back to find Mrs Whicker waiting for me! Uh oh, I thought i'll get sacked. She was beaming! She told me only that i had missed my uncle and that Mr Whicker had 'seen him on his way'. They had phoned my parents to tell them that a 'tipsy gentleman was on the way to see them.....'!!
    Hello Rob
    Have just come across this series of Hillside memories - & glad at last to find an old Hillsider who I knew ! Did you see my article in The Bridge (Busbridge Paris News) of 2013 (jan-feb, & mar-apr)? I too had been wondering after RHR & the end of that brilliant epoch we enjoyed - I was a hawk (yes ok !), but we were both in the first XI for football (1964 & 1965 & cricket 1966) ...great memories....thrashed 10-0 by King Edward's Witley in '64 - they'd bolstered their team with 15yr olds; regular beatings of Barfield & a cracker against High Trees at home (15-0) - they chose us as a small school & thus anticipated an easier match, ahhh well ! But RHRW what an inspiration to us all - & MrsW too. Some of the best days of our lives, methinks...would be happy to share more of all those days ! - Jamie Gurrey (Guzz !)

  7. #27
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    Default

    Hi David, I was at hillside school godalming between 65 until closure in 69. Have just recently picked up on this mail and been in contact with Martin. I have the usual annual school photo's during this period and the older one of the school when illustrated under 'crownpits'. I would be interested if you have any other photo's of the house itself/inside or grounds from during your board. Even in its former life when your uncle Hamish was headmaster. I picked up from the white star of 65 that your uncle returned to visit the school at the athletic and speech day from that year. Bernard

  8. #28
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    Default

    Dear Bernard
    Thanks for the message. I certainly have a copy of the football 1st Eleven 1960 and seem to remember a whole school photo from about the same time. I do not do Facebook but will try and send copies to you and everyone else.
    From your message it sounds as though Martin is getting organised. I would be happy to compile a list of names and addresses if everyone would like to send their name and contact details to roger.noble1@btopenworld,com.
    Another thought was that we always used to have a day off on Whickers birthday 10th March. Anyone want to meet up for a lunch (London?) to toast the old fellow?
    Roger

  9. #29
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    Default Hillside Prep School, Godalming

    Dear David, James and Rob

    Martin and Bernard are building up a Facebook Page and I have forwarded all my photos to them to assist. I am also compiling a list of all the people we have located with hopefully their contact details. Martin, Bernard and I are liaising by email and if you are happy to send your email addresses to [email protected] we can include you in our search. Rob we would love it if your brother was on the list as well.

    We are in the early stages of perhaps meeting up for a lunch (London??) on Whicker's birthday on 10 March.

    Roger

  10. #30
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    Default Hillside Prep School, Godalming

    Dear All
    I have just visited Martin and Bernard's great facebook group entitled Hillside School Godalming 1941 to 1969. There are already a number of evocative photographs but it would be great to get some more. Let's all help the two of them by adding to what they have started.
    You may remember that it was Whicker's birthday on 10th March so if you are interested please email me on [email protected] and see if we can organise a get together (London?).
    Season's greetings to you all.
    Roger Noble

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