PLATT REVISITED

by OAs of the 1920s & 1930s

 

FOREWORD

 

It is almost nine months since Tim Butterworth, Head of History, first conceived the idea of collating the memories and memoirs of those OAs who attended the School in the two decades that divided the two World Wars.  In his original plans Tim envisaged a booklet that would serve to provide an insight to those fourteen and fifteen year old pupils who sought to master the complexities of Britain in the first half of the Twentieth Century for their GCSE.

 

In the eventuality, Tim’s initiative elicited far more and in the following pages there are many wonderful anecdotes that will carry the reader far beyond the surface and will in many cases, reveal tellingly just what it was like to be at Aldenham between 1919 and 1939.  There are stories of friendships and of fear, of humour and sadness, moments of great personal insight and others of impersonal observations from a distance.  One theme, however, runs through all these accounts and that is one of great affinity and affection for Aldenham then and now and above all a proud, justifiably, determination to pass on to the Aldenhamians of to-day an appreciation of all that Aldenham has to offer, then and now. 

 

Aldenham is extremely grateful for being allowed to share these memories from so many contributors.  For many of these contributors, the effort to recall their days at Aldenham was a painful experience, both mentally and at times physically.  I would like to assure them that they have been read many times already and I know that they will be read far more often following publication.  Their hopes and their experience will be respected and enjoyed and it has been a real pleasure and a definite privilege to play a part in their publication. 

 

Inevitably there are a number of people, in addition to the contributors themselves, to whom heartfelt thanks are due and without whose patience, time and enthusiastic support this pamphlet would not have been possible.  Mrs Beryl Masters, and in the latter stages Mrs Heather Sherman, were unstinting in their endeavours to transcribe a variety of scripts, handwriting and dulcet tones of oratory to the vehicle of the computer.  Alex Henchley, once again, has kindly and generously offered his technical skills without which this publication could not have happened. 

 

In the final reckoning, particular thanks go to Molly Barton, Secretary for the OA Society.  From the start to the finish of project, Molly has been the driving force.  Her determination, patience, unfailing good humour and her cheerful and never failing efficiency have been beyond measure.  Ours thanks particularly to her as she contemplates inviting contributions for the War Years, as her next project. 

 

If we need a reason to justify this booklet can I quote verbatim the entry from R G Hunt (Allsop’s/Beevor’s 1929-1934), ‘Congratulations on undertaking this work.  I shall look forward to seeing the finished book.  As far as I am concerned my memory is so bad these days that I just cannot recall even what happened two or three years ago.’ Allow us, Sir, to be of service!

 

One final apology.  If there have been errors in the interpretation of the original scripts, I do apologise as I do also for any failures in proof reading.  At the end of the day those mistakes are mine and I hope contributors and readers alike will allow me the privilege of favourable interpretation.

 

John McAllister
August 2002

 

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS  
 

SCHOOL HOUSE ODDS & EVENS
F E Burlingham Johnson	1939-41
D G Corble	1922-25
A A Crassweller	1937-41
P H Crassweller	1929-33
R T Gill	1929-34
M Harris	1936-38
J B N Heather	1935-38
R H G Hoff	1938-41
C R Hollway	1933-36
C T Isolani	1931-36
R W S Jolly	1938-40
J S Langford	1929-31
P G McCormick	1933-36
J P Mead	1937-42
G G Prall	1936-40
J S Scott	1928-31
H E N Starr	1934-37
A C Stewart	1934-37
B S Thompson	1935-38
F J A Watson-Baker	1935-40
R M Wingfield	1935-39
GILBERT’S / COX’S (McGILL’S)
R Allden	1934-36
E J R Bird	1930-35
R Browne	1929-32
J Debenham-Taylor	1934-36
P M K Michell	1934-36
T M Palmer	1936-40
K E Flatt	1933-36
K J Randall	1934-38
P C Rayner	1937-39
M J F Shaw	1934-39
B F Standen-Thomas	1935-37
J R Thirkettle	1937-41
ALLSOP’S / ENGLISH’S (BEEVOR’S)
D D M Attwell	1934-37
W D Blackburn	1927-32
P A F Calaminus	1929-31
J M Haylock	1932-37
A O Holt	1933-36
D O Holt	1929-32
R G Hunt	1929-34
M R E Kerr	1936-39
C Maddox	1926-30
A W M Rooke	1921-24
D Sayer	1920-23
M R Sharp	1937-42
K F W Tooley	1936-40
MEAD’S (PAULL’S)
R G C Bathurst	1934-38
D N E Evans	1936-40
N Gillman	1931-35
T A Hampson	1932-35
J P Perkins	1933-37
F N Pusinelli	1933-37
H G Reading	1937-42
A T Scowcroft	1936-39
J E Sharwood-Smith	1934-36
J H Snaith	1933-38
D M Titcombe	1930-33
P Vincent	1936-40
J M Webb	1935-40
R T C White	1925-29