Caludon Castle School

Raymond Gamble Hi don't know if anyone remembers my mate Raymond Gamble who went to Caludon Castle 1958-1962. Any info gratefully received. Rich M

I was at cally from 64 to 69, started at chester then preston. mr tilley was the head. I remember beb brown for french, put me off for life, and mr creek was my house master, i recall playing chess with him and took his queen after 5 mins, he gave me a credit slip or whatever they were called in those days. went to Coventry connecticut in 68 on an exchange trip, are they still going. Some pupils in my class were mike healy, chris smith, jed flanagan, alan docker, brent kirton, john hillyer, charles brookes, roger henderson, many names forgotten but if I remember i'll add them later. Ted Titt, lovely man lived near me and was a friend of my dads, he caned me for smoking in the toilets, but never told my parents, a real lovely chap.

I have read elsewhere of Beb Browns passing. Died in October and still in mortuary in December, had no family or friends. I do remember him as a loner at school, always sat in the language lab on his own eating by himself. Sad end.

Hi Wimero, I

Hello & welcome to our forum, SirH Thank you for your post.

Hmmmm Beb Brown! The man terrorised me for French lessons during the early 80's. Of the teachers I had he's the one I can still remember very clearly, and all for the wrong reasons I'm afraid. I used to think he took great pleasure in seeing the fear in a 12 years olds eyes. Loathing comes to mind!! As an adult I can see that his manner was just his way and nothing was personal, but the thoughts can still give a little shudder. I didn't take French as an opted lesson as you can imagine

I went to Cally in whatever year as I have a bad memory. But I still have my school report somewhere and I am 65 this year. I remember being in Berkeley, Blob Davies, Hank Johnson, Mr. Knight, Tilley the big boss man and as a librarian I recall the name of Mr. Tidy running the library. I believe Caludon was the first comprehensive school to have a language lab. I opted to learn French instead of German with I forgot his name. I got a low CSE in French. After serving my apprenticeship at Bristol Siddeley in Parkside later to become Rolls Royce (1971) I worked for 20 years as a skilled inspector before setting up as a furniture shop owner after my brother Allan helped me. Then after selling the lease became a self employed taxi driver. Then left Cov for a new life in Tenerife. Worked as a DJ (as I did for 30 years in Cov) including the Locarno with Pete Waterman and The TIC TOC. Barman, supermarket worker, photographer, but the best job was as a jeep safari driver and English guide, taking people up Mount Teide and to the next island La Gomera in a Land Rover Defender open top jeep after 20 years shut up in a factory!! Bought our dream house in the mountains 850 feet above sea level with no English people within miles. Learnt to speak Spanish the hard way. Lost my work due to the recession. Relocated to Germany and like it here. The beer is cheaper than the bottled water. And to be honest the Germans are not what you see hogging the sunbeds, they are very polite here. Where would a complete stranger talk or let alone buy you a drink in the UK if they had never met you? The moral of the story? I should have learnt German as I now live here. Oh well ce la vie!!

Hello & welcome to you DAVID MARLEY I knew several members of staff, some of who you mention. Mr Tidy, the librarian also encouraged cycling, & often invited youngsters from various schools to go with him on weekend trips, using YHA facilities from time to time. Thank you for your post.

Have just stumbled across this fascinating site. Like at least two of the contributors - Greg and Walrus - I joined the school from John Gulson. In my case I went into the Second Year and into George Turner's Preston House. George's father, I am told, was the inventor of the Pigeon Racing Clock. Can Roger confirm this? I played Rugby for school teams, beginning with the Under 13s who won the Malcolm Cup at Coundon Road in 1955 and ending as Captain of the 1st XV when I was in the sixth form. The outstanding player in my year was Bill Oughton who played for England Under 15s against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park. Another very good player in our year was Terry Pateman whose father had - I think - played for Cov. I am in complete agreement with those who said kind words about the late 'Ted' Brown. He had a fearsome growl but was an excellent teacher as was 'Dai' Davies (Latin), 'Pee-Wee' Williams (English), 'Cliff' Hands (French), 'Harry' Gildert (Maths) 'Gypo' Rickard (Geog.) and D.C. Turner (also Geog.). I am still in touch with my 'A' Level History teacher Peter Searby who later taught at Cambridge University. Like another contributor, I remember H.H.T's public canings. The stage in Hall became a kind of scaffold. Horrifying! He was, though, a fascinating character with his red tie and beetling eyebrows. Some of his poems have been anthologised (e.g. in K. Baker's, Faber Book of War Poetry.

Well, well, well - Old Caludonian. Glad you found us and I agree this site is fascinating and welcome, hope you find all sorts of friends and goodies here. Ah! the pigeon racing clock - no my father didn`t invent it, but his father and two uncles were all watchmakers and did invent "a" pigeon racing clock, which I remember as a round bronze sort of contraption about six inches diameter and maybe 10 inches or so long with multiple dials and apparently a revolving back end, with holes in it where the rings off the pigeons were inserted as they came in. It sat on my grandfather`s sideboard for years? I believe they touted it around the continent, I know Belgium was mentioned. Do you remember John Knight - he was a house master that came from John Gulson. Dai Davis and Ben Vickery were great friends of my father (I once played rugby with them at Kenilworth - front row - never again) Did my father coach rugby?

So, what can I say of GWT? He was strict to the point of being positively intimidating. I don't think anybody ever attempted to take advantage. A smile from him was like Olympic Gold! However, as you worked your way through the school, his fundamental kindness gradually revealed itself and he was really committed to making his house the best in the school. He always turned out to support us in house matches. I don't remember him coaching rugby (Messrs Cooper, Davies & Evans did that) but I think he ref'd the Staff v 1st XV games; on one occasion missing a blatant case of violent conduct! I was playing at No. 8 and at a set scrum received a fist on the chin from a front row member of the opposition (3 stitches at Cov. & Warwick). At the end of the game the perpetrator confessed, claiming that someone had grabbed his b***s! I cannot for a moment believe that this was a pupil. It certainly wasn't our No. 8! Anyway, I attach a House photo, taken, I think, in 1956. Staff (from L to R) 'Moggy' Morris, 'Jack' Ashton, GWT, 'Fritz' Hands, J.B. Duggan.

Thanks for the photo Old Caludonian, I have very few of him and I`m sure my daughter, the family historian, will lift a copy for her records. Ever read "The Art of Coarse Rugby" by Michael Green? The episode you describe sounds as though it came straight out of its pages.

Like you, Roger (thanks to Dai Davies), I played for one of the lowlier Kenilworth teams and, therefore, have not only read but practised 'The Art of Coarse Rugby'! You also asked about your Dad's pal Jack Knight. Alas, I was never taught by him and what I chiefly remember was his height (imposing) and his (I think) Nottingham Univ. scarf (Tom Cook had a similar one). He was a good cricketer who in one stride could be half way down the wicket. My brother tells me that he, Jack, was a regular at John Gulson OB's dinners well into old age. Some others have mentioned Mr Challis's Rolls-Royces. We called him 'George' but, apparently, he was Gerald. They, the Rollers, were the most remarkable automotive feature of the school in the 50's, eclipsing even Geoff Callow's pre-War Jaguar (Geoff was a pupil, son of Alderman Callow). One of them has been immortalised in Literature. My pal, fellow Prestonian, Rugby player and near-contemporary Brian 'Bryn' Morley (who had a distinguished career as a botanist in Australia) makes reference to 'George's' Rollers in his book on Proust's Plants. In the Preface, Bryn thanks - "Gerald Challis, senior master of French and German" who "introduced me at school to the literature of these worlds" and who "owned, much to my lasting admiration, a black 1938 Hooper-bodied Rolls Royce Sports Saloon, one of only four made...". Bryn is not the only Ph.D. botanist among my Caludon pals - Ian Marks is another. This must say something for the Biology teaching at the school in our day.

Not been on this site for a while. I was at Caludon from 1966 to 1973. I think we can all recall the poor and inspirational teachers from our school days and so it was with some sadness that I read the posts on B E Brown and his sad end. I can see how some may have found his manner somewhat intimidating, but his enthusiasm for his subject and his capacity to motivate, if you showed sufficient interest, could not be questioned. He certainly inspired my interest in the French language and culture. Caludon had a good few inspirational and devoted teachers. Names already mentioned here, Ted Brown, Geoff Bennett, John Knight, Geoff Gillett all taught me and are fondly remembered. However perhaps the biggest inspiration to my educational development was 'Gyp' Rickard who remarked to me in the sixth form one day that he did not consider me university material. It was with great satisfaction that four years later I graduated from Warwick University. Thank you, the late 'Gyp' - but no respect.