D D M Attwell Allsop’s / Beevor’s 1934 – 1937
My parents took me to Aldenham School at the beginning of the term, the Housemaster, Mr Allsop met us at the front door, there were six new boys and we were allotted ‘shadows’ who showed us the ‘ropes’ of school life and looked after us for the first three weeks, then we were responsible for our own mistakes and bore the consequences. I should have called this “Forgotten Memories of Aldenham”?
Thanks to my Housemaster I had a very happy time there. He turned me round from an embittered rebellious schoolboy (some would call me an out and out rebel, a menace to society). But, in two terms my parents were astounded to see that I was a reasonable and responsible (?) member of the community. But trouble followed me around wherever I went, it was a case of, give a dog a bad name, quite unjustified in my opinion, if anything went wrong or missing, it was send or find David he is at the centre of most trouble. I think my Housemaster must have got reports from my Prep School of my misdemeanours. Matron was locked in her room so missing her breakfast, I was the one who was accused, but I did not lock her in her room but I had to take the punishment for it, which was six of the best using my slipper from my Housemaster. Although the punishment was just, this time I was not the culprit! I was the scapegoat some one had to be punished, so why not me?
I and several others were keen on riding so we were allowed to go riding three days a week (as an extra) providing we attended compulsory games twice a week, cricket in the summer mostly cricket nets practice for me, funny that the ball hit the stumps more than the bat (pay attention, Attwell!) it fell on deaf ears. In the winter it used to be hockey, the only ball game I liked or cross country running which I enjoyed, both of these sports helped me in the Army (1939 – 46).
On Friday, the square (quadrangle by the side of School House) used to ring out with military commands. The Officers were the teachers, the NCO’s were the senior pupils, the rest of the khaki clad individuals in army parlance “Bods” as they were called were the regular pupils. We attended basic arms drill, map reading and tactics. Sessions on the rifle range, were taken by an ex Sgt Major, a sarcastic individual. Having seen my white-washed target for the second time that day, he asked “Laddie do you just like the bangs?”. He was also the armourer and in charge of the armoury and the ammunition.
Life at school was very Spartan we were crammed into dormitories, washing faculties were at a minimum, the expression a lick and a promise springs to mind. We had stone floors, a fire precaution, and a threadbare mat beside each bed. It was so cold many of us used to use the mats as an extra blanket. It was not unusual after a frosty night for us to have a layer of ice on our water jugs (and our parents paid for it). But it has changed, life has changed dramatically, carpets, central heating and first class washing facilities, I was amazed.
Food was adequate but boring most of us had luxuries sent from home such as marmalade, butter, eggs etc. It is no secret what I had in my tuck box, thick condensed mild, baked beans, fruit cake, sweets, tinned fruit, jam and lots more. But we survived!
I only took part in one dormitory feast, why did we do it? Maybe it was a childish gesture, cocking a snook at authority.
Well, to go back to the dormitory feast, the Housemaster came in just as we were finishing “David, I knew you would be the ring leader”. He was right this time! I was only wearing a light weight pair of pyjamas. “David, give me your house shoe and bend over (yes it hurt) and the rest of you report to my study after breakfast”. They were lined up and given a lecture, so once again, villain of the piece.
What did our ‘feast’ consist of and was it worth it? We had jammy sandwiches, sardines, baked beans and tinned fruit washed down with condensed milk in out tooth mugs which were heavily flavoured with toothpaste. Horrible!
One day a representative came to carry out a survey on Mars Bars, having first obtained permission from the Headmaster. The survey was to find out which of the six centres in a Mars bar was each boy’s favourite and to mark a slip as to which they preferred. But, boys being boys several went round more than once! So castor oil was the order of the day (it was horrible).
One of the troubles with me is that I could never resist a dare. This led me to being labelled a troublemaker. One day during prep I foolishly accepted as a dare that I could not write “Lopper” the Housemaster’s nickname on his shoes. All attempts failed. He was sitting with his back to the fire, lolling in a wooden armchair with his feet on the table and his eyes closed. As I approached the table he said in a stern voice “David, report to my study after prep”. “Why? I have not done anything”. “No, but it’s what you were going to do”. I went to his study and fetched the cane from the corner as was usual. However, this time he said “put the cane back and draw up a chair, now this is your punishment. You are too disruptive in the Junior Common Room so I am moving you to the Senior Common Room perhaps they can knock some sense into you”. The first few weeks were very hard then they accepted me and I was tamed and turned over a new leaf. After all I was a senior now.
That summer a bone of contention came to a head, dress or undress for swimming. We were issued a very scanty sort of loincloth called Bimbags which caused embarrassment on several occasions! Being either too big or too small. So to avoid embarrassment at Sports Day we were all issued with proper swimming trunks.
There is one place I forgot to mention, the sanatorium run by a young very pretty Sister. The Doctor thought I had flu so sent me to the sanny for observation but the sister had been called to Ireland for personal reasons. I soon got better. Rumour had it that I had been malingering.
I think I left Aldenham under a scholastic cloud. The Careers Master saw me and said, “What are you going to do when you leave here, you are a Classical Scholar how about a position in the Church. Let me look at your records, dear me, I think not. Have you any ideas? No. Well come back in three weeks time”. Three weeks went by then he caught up with me and said. “Ah I thought you had forgotten, what do you want to do?” I replied, “I want to be an Electrical Engineer”. He replied, “You want to do what? Your parents have spent hundreds of pounds on a classical education and now you want to be an Electrical Engineer get out of my office and stop wasting my time”.