K F W Tooley English’s /Beevor’s 1936 – 1940
Waking Call 7.15 am
Roll Call 7.50 am
All meals taken in the House
Chapel each morning (twice on Sunday)
No half-term holiday – sleeping out forbidden in term time.
99% of around 270 total in School were Boarders (Termly). Certainly no girls, pre school etc as today.
2 Exeats per term from after Sunday morning, after Chapel until before Sunday evening Chapel, (approx noon to 6.00 pm)
Full bath twice per week (supervised).
Tuesday pm and Saturday pm for sports.
Thursday pm for OTC training (World War One uniforms and rifles) ie Army – no Navy or RAF connection.
Saturday AM Lessons until Noon.
Most people stayed at School for 4 years. One Easter had to be spent in School not in holiday.
Traditionally every new boy had to repeat the names of all in the House in Seniority order – within three weeks. Each new boy allocated to a Prefect. Weekly task to clean brass buttons on his Corps uniform – plus his Army boots. If the Prefects’ room had any requirements (making up of the coal fire for instance) they shouted “Boy” – all had to line up in the passage and the last to get into line was given the task. Tuck Box contents into “personal” locker upon arrival. Mostly baked beans for heating (over open fire) into a metal mug. Tinned fruit spooned from the tin direct and Nestles sweetened THICK condensed milk. Put 2 holes into the top and suck!
Friendship with boys from other houses was discouraged – we only really met them in the form room (multi house).
Most enjoyable activity. We (after the 1st year/booked the Shed between Library and Armoury) for Football – four per side. Ball about 1/3 rd size – orangey red on medium hard. The last time that I saw this site it most inconveniently had an obstruction in the shape of a 25 pounder gun (spoil sports).
This followed by tea in the Tea Shop between the Tuck Shop and Clothing Shop. Run by the wife of the groundsman, Pots of Tea, crumpets, toast etc. Table to be booked before class, and only about six tables in all.
In winter we had an “in House” (Upper Classroom) silent black and white film show on Sunday night (friend’s projector). Housemaster (Fred English) used to come. Films received by post from Father, returned with following weeks order. Never a problem. Last film “The White Hell of Pity Palou (Paloo)
Upon Edward VIII’s abdication the House assembled in the Lower Classroom to hear the speech on a battery set.
With the Corps (on TV) we went to the Trooping of the Colour. Afterwards we were permitted to march, as a Unit, down the Mall towards the Palace.
New Chapel opened – only 50% as insufficient funds available until post war.
1st War casualty. In the black out a School House boy walked straight into a pillar outside the (then) new Classroom Block – not a pretty sight.
At the end of term 4 of us went straight to London. Film at Leicester Square Odeon/lunch Café de l’Europe/Crazy Gang show at the Palladium.
At Summer Term end we four went for a week on the Norfolk Broads (on a friend’s uncle’s boat)
Whenever possible 2 of us used to “unofficially” spend the odd half hour at a “lorry drivers’ pull in” on the Watford by-pass. Also “unofficially” we spent enjoyable matinees at the cinema in Borehamwood. It kept us quite fit as we walked everywhere.
Detention and “lines” etc were not on the agenda.
Get caught out, and you had a severe telling off and almost certainly a beating (usually 2 to 4, sometimes 6 hits).
Miraculously I was only beaten 4 times.
A. The Captain of the Lower Classroom, given permission by the Housemaster, publicly gave me 2 for undermining his authority by organizing a Table Tennis Tournament without his permission. This was pathetic as his first stroke hit his second in command in the face with great hilarity! (had to start again).
B. The School House Praes was a great cricket enthusiast. I enjoyed tennis. I played in an “in school cricket game” and we were in full control. Just before the end I decided to have a game of tennis on the court some hundred yards away. Thought that it was rather pathetic (3) when caught.
C. Bill Kennedy accompanied me once from his class for a beating in his room in School House. I had not studied his subject for an essay, and I wrote down a long spiel of nonsense. He called this VERBOSE RUBBISH - which it was. Note: I sat with Mr Kennedy in Chapel at a re-union. He remembered me well, remembered my occupation and war connections. Hope that he is still OK. A great man. I told him that he should have followed his father as Headmaster – surely.
D. Fred English beat eight of us for a ‘disturbance’ in the House – quite rightly. Note: I kept in touch with Fred and his wife for years. Sunday evening dinners included with my wife. A great man in my opinion.
Thank you, I had a very enjoyable time at Aldenham.