Latest News
Latest
Update 30 August 2022
From: Tim Hall
,
RE: HENRY GEORGE HALL AND THE SCHOOL SONG
Dear Jim,
Thank you so much for forwarding the lyrics and the score to our funeral directors (T. Cribb & Son). We are currently arranging the funeral for our Father – an Old Elysian – and at the end of the service we thought that this would be a very appropriate piece of music for us to leave with.
Henry George Hall – more commonly known as Peter ( an moniker given to him by his grandmother when he was a baby and stuck with him all his life, including parents, wife, work and friends. Born University College Hospital, London (Marylebone Road) 23.01.1934 and died 17.05.2022 (aged 88) in Basildon Hospital in Essex.
He started at William Ellis in 1945 and remained immensely proud of his school and his time there. Although extremely bright, especially numerate, he did not, despite the urgings of the Head Master, stay on for sixth form. Unfortunately his parents were set on the idea that he entered the world of work. He recounted to me that his maths teacher had said that he would get him in to any college at Oxford or Cambridge (unfortunately I cannot remember which one but the tutor must have had connections). The reason that we wanted to have the school song is that he would often sing it as he wandered around the house or whilst driving. He still has the tie, cap, school reports and Examination School Certificate at home and as his dementia took a stronger grip he would sometimes wear the school cap. My own daughter went to a local independent school whose ethos very much reminded him of the way he was taught and the guidance for service in later life.
Until Covid took a grip, he continued to meet up annually with old school mates in the South Bank foyer for a catch up – the drivers for this being Terry Richmond and Don Ford. Last Friday, one old school friend (John Mahoney) rang our office to relate the story of their hitch hiking trip to France when they were 15 or 16 – so around 1949. We are not sure our Mother would have agreed to let us go on such an adventure at that age! I knew parts of the storey but he kindly expanded on the trip and learnt about the escapade in greater detail. Our Father was a keen sportsman, particularly at football. He won the high jump at the White City London Schools Championships. He was offered a trial at Aston Villa but was counselled to reject this offer by his parents.
He went on to be a successful quantity surveyor, working for a variety of different companies before starting his own enterprise in 1979, at which both my Brother and I continue to work for today.
Once again, thank you very much for your kind assistance – I looked online and there are actually two copies of the book for sale.
Kind Regards,
Tim Hall
RE: William Ellis Book (Now available on the website for Old Elysians)
Jim Corbett
to Helen Wise (Great Niece of WH Davis)
Hi Helen
I've just sent the file via wetransfer.com. if you don't get an email from them soon saying its ready to download, please let me know. If you want a download of 'just' the WH Davis chapter let me know. Wetransfer is a free service so as long as we don't exceed 2Gb of documents on one occasion ( which we won't) we can do anything we like!
Helen Wise:
Hi Jim,
I have received the link and I’m very much looking forward to reading it. How interesting!
Many thanks,
Helen
To Peter Adams
Hi Peter
Can you let me know the years you were at the school and the name of the Headmaster during that period please.
Thanks
Jim Corbett
From: Peter Adams
Hello Jim, I was a pupil from 1958 to 1965 and my headmaster was Sydney Baxter.
Thanks for the quick reply. I’m keen to hook up with friends lost over these many years.
Jim Corbett
Dear Peter Now that you have completed our fiendishly cunning screening process
I can tell you that if you go to the online journal and membership page on the website you
will be able to submit your membership details online.
From: David Sontag
Morning Guys Just to advise that we received a membership fee from Peter Adams
yesterday. D
Peter Adams
Hello Jim,
I was wondering when you were planning your news update. I have special reasons for making contact with my old friends and classmates. I’ve waited all these years but find that time may appear to be running out. Hope you can help.
Looking to contact Peter Robinson and Ian Shaw.
Best wishes.
From: Jim Corbett
Hi Peter
Sorry it’s taking so long but I’ve started getting materials in order so another 10 days I would hope.
Best wishes
Jim
Dear Jim and Chris,
I write to thank you most sincerely for copying me in on all ‘matters website Elysian’.
I have no doubt that you both appreciate that probably 80% (if not more!) is beyond my comprehension BUT it inspires me in seeing what is being done.
In WW2 military terms, may I suggest our El Alamein or Kohima. The TURNING POINT?
Yours
Don
From: Don Ford Re: Hilary Don
Dear Jim,
Another one of my convoluted attempts to find someone who was so high-profile at the time and, yet, no one has seen or him since July 1952. What I have written about his possible residence in the USA has been hearsay.
My email to the Old Ignatians is to find out if he may have kept in touch with them. I await a response.
However, to ‘keep me off the streets’, I did some internet investigation and came up with a website for a Hilary Don as a Medical Practitioner plus the date of birth.
I will send the reference on by another email as I don’t have a clue as how to go about enquiring if he is ‘ours’.
As I have said, he was a delightful personality and an asset to the School.
Don
From: Don Ford
Subject: HILARY DON
To the Old Ignations Club
Any guidance that you may be able to give would be grateful appreciated.
Hilary arrived at William Ellis School, Parliament Hill in the Autumn of 1949 to study Sciences in the Sixth Form. From 1944 he is believed to have been at St. Ignatius College and only transferred to WES for his Higher School Certificate.
An outstanding Rugby player and Cricketer. He captained the School at first team level at both sports . Represented the School at Tennis. Also, he was School Captain 1951-1952.
He went on to University and qualified as a Doctor. Thereafter, it is believed that he migrated to the USA.We heard nothing of him post 1952.
It does not look as though he maintained any contact as an Old Elysians but I wonder if there is any record of him as an Old Ignatian?
I played cricket and tennis with him. The most delightful of contemporaries.
Don Ford (at WES 1945-1953)
Re: SCHOOL MAGAZINE
FROM:Don Ford
Hi Chris,
Many, many thanks.
Reason: My great friend and contemporary Frank Price/Gregory (1945 - 1953) is now very concerned’ about his !st X1 bowling averages for 1952 and 1953! We opened the bowling together for the two consecutive seasons.
Frank now lives in his ‘mountain eyrie’ in Malaga, Spain and has all the time in the world to ‘contemplate his past life’. Mad as Hatter.
However, as his UK Representative I said, for my sins, that I would try and see if any records are still available. I do remember that these averages were published in the School Magazine post each season.
After National Service in the RAF, Frank went on to LSE and then into teaching. He ended his days as Head of Moderns at City of London Boys Public School. I can vouch for his success there. When we were trying to find our 1945 ‘lost souls’ I contacted the School and had a most effusive reply from the Deputy Head extolling Frank’s abilities and success as a Master.
Like myself, he played on an ‘ad hoc’ basis for QPR (I have been in touch with David Sontag for ’nostalgia purposes') but, when he took up his first teaching post after National Service he played Rugby League for Normanton in Yorkshire.
As I say. A great friend from School days. Nutty as a fruit cake. But we did go to the same school after all. He was 1st X1 Football 1952 and 1953 (Captain), 1st XV Rugby 1951, 1952 and 1953 as well as his cricket appearances
Therefore, all help, gratefully received.
Oh, yes. If he isn’t an OE Member, I will quite happily point him in the 'direction of Membership'.
Don
On 3 Apr 2022, at 10:33, Christopher Willey wrote:
You are correct. Terry provided some which should be at the school.
I will see what I have listed, if I did so at the time.
Tony Savill has some mid-late 50s school magazines, which I have said I will take for the archive, so may have some here soon, if he will hand over.
My best
Chris
From: Don
Subject: SCHOOL MAGAZINES
Hi Chris,
Would I be right in thinking that if copies of old School Magazines do exist (and I mean back to the 1950s) that, if at all, they would be stored in the School Archives?
Thanks
Don
From: Don Ford
To David Sontag
Subject: QPR
Dear David,
Are you sitting comfortably because this a long and convoluted story which concerns myself and Frank Price - both 1945-1953. By the football season at WES Spring 1953, I had been in the 1st X1 for three years and Frank for two. He was Captain in the last year.
Frank had played for London/Middlesex Schools and myself for the AFA Public and Grammar Schools.
Frank lived behind the ground at Loftus Road and supported QPR.
In the summer of 1953, Frank decided to do his National Service first and then University. Me, being academically idle, was awaiting call-up.
He invited me to a trial with QPR which took place in the July/August of 1953. We were both offered Amateur terms only because of the unpredictability of our futures (I like to believe that). Whilst Frank went directly into the RAF and I never played with him again, I was diverted into the Merchant Navy being based, initially, in the Royal Docks in London.
During this period which ran from September 1953 to July 1954 I played for QPR midweek only when needed in their ‘A’ side. I may be wrong, but I seem to recall that we played on the old Co-op ground on Western Avenue.
This A side consisted of Young Aspiring Professionals, those recovering from injury, old retainers such as Bert Addinsall (bandaged from knee to ankle) and ‘enthusiastic Amateurs' like me and who they didn’t have to pay and were called upon when necessary. A veritable motley crew.
I only played the one season before having to go and do some ’serious sailing'.
Unfortunately, Frank and myself remain anonymous within the Annals of QPR FC. I have searched all their playing records and find that we did not exist. Absolutely no record at all.!
Could have all been a dream, I suppose - apart from the scars down my shins!
Regards.
Don
RE: QPR
FROM: David Sontag
What a lovely story Don.
My initial thought was that Frank must have had a pretty tricky journey to school every day coming all the way from Shepherds Bush, must have taken ages unless his dad took him by car.
I loved your story, it had particular poignancy for me 'cos I have supported the R's since I was a lad, pre my WES days - were you told? [Yes. Ed] The first game I saw live was in Jan 67. I went there on the tube from Holloway, got out at White City and followed the crowd, couldn't imagine a lot of 12 year olds being allowed to do that now though. In those days there was just the old wooden stand in Ellerslie Road, the opposition dressing room was on the half way line and the team came out there, Rangers changing room was roughly on the edge of the Loftus Road end penalty area and they came onto the pitch from there. The South Africa road side was just a muddy bank with the infamous wall that ran alongside the pitch at the bottom of it and that’s where I watched the game from. Rangers played Reading and won 2-1, I know Jimmy Langley netted a penalty but can't recall the other scorer (and who cares who scored for Reading). A couple of months later I went to Wembley (with my dad) and watched them come from behind to beat WBA in the league cup final - the first ever 3rd division side to win a Wembley final. Great days and a great team, the one that was runners up to Liverpool in the first division in 74-5 were only a good team, as Stan wasn't as good as Rodney!
I have a book of all their players (up to a point) and you are correct that you are not in it! I guess your goalscoring feats were not as prolific as Mr Addinall. The Western Avenue location for the 'A' games seems plausible though, I think Rangers training ground used to be along there too at one point? Although your scars might have faded I'm sure the memory of those times hasn't, what a great and memorable experience.
Once a hoop always a hoop.
Best wishes
David
SPURS
From Don Ford
Hi Jim,
This is the problem of having ‘association’ with Spurs’ supporters!
My contemporary, John Stuart (1945-1950), has reminded me that someone we knew well at WES played for Spurs but we are now having difficulty pinning down all the details.
Name; ‘Ninky’ Farmer (we can’t remember his first name). Probably 1946-1951. A Forward. Played during the 1950s but had ceased to play by the 1960’s when I met him in the City.
Can you ’turn up’ anything on him?
Don
From: Jim Corbett
Hi Don
I can’t find a Farmer in the listings of Spurs first team players of the fifties. Are you sure it was Farmer because Tommy Harmer (b. Hackney 1928) who you probably recall as a footballer was a star of the Spurs side in the late 50’s before going to Chelsea and then joining their coaching staff under Tommy Docherty. He might have attended the wartime Emergency School.
Jim
Don Ford
Thanks, Jim. No, Tommy Harmer, I remember only too well as a skilful ball-player, and Tommy Docherty ’drove me into the ground’ at his training sessions after he had retired. A fitness fanatic!
I would suspect that “Ninky’ did not progress beyond the Reserves. I think that he played at Outside Left which takes us into the George Robb/Cliff Jones eras.
John Stuart recalls “Ninky’ telling him about his encounter with Sailor Brown at Charlton when Sailor threatened to ‘put him into the Stands’ if he tried to pass him on the outside again! This would have been the Reserves.
We are lost in anecdote and apocrypha.
Did Fred Titmus play for Watford?
Frank Price and myself (both 1945-1953) played for QPR for one season but never got beyond the mid-week third team as Amateurs.
Peter Gooding 1950-1958 played for Aldershot round about 1960 when he was on National Service.
Sports photos appeal
The Old Eysians’ Club is keen to augment its archive pictures of WES sport. We have been publishing sports groups and pictures of games in progress for many years, within the Club’s newsletter and Journal, and all of these are now held in either print or digital form with the school/Club archive, along with numerous others not yet published. The collection, as it now is, mainly comprises formal WES team groups, predominantly of 1st teams, but with some 2nd teams and other team formats.
A recent review of OEC newsletters and more recent Journals going back 20 years for school cricket included pictures of 1st XI photos for 1904, 1934 and 1935, and, thereafter, a fairly comprehensive run from 1947 to 1953, effectively covering the Lockwood era. After that period, it was only possible to find one joint school/OE photo for 1960.
The Journal editor is very keen to increase our record of school sport images for the period from 1953, from the start of the Sidney Baxter headship to date (yes, to date, where appropriate permissions apply!), not just for cricket but all team competition games, including school chess. In this edition (or, In the upcoming edition) of the Journal, we profile WES and ‘OE’ players from the Lockwood and early Baxter years in cricket, table tennis and chess, against the undisclosed but vibrant background of other famous contemporary WES sporting names, such as Fred Titmus, Tim Selwood, Frank Vallender, Tony Crockett, and Alf Newman. We would like to continue our sporting excursions, for publication in the Journal, and for possible future display on our Club website. This, we hope, will also assist the Club and school in the potential augmentation of our shared WES archive.
So, if you, as readers and viewers, have WES sports photos or OE sport photos not already shared with the Club, dig them out and send them in (but, with regard to more recent pictures, subject to relevant permissions!) and let us know if you are aware of other possible sources of them, by contact with the Journal editor via the website messaging section.
Leonard Klahr
Hi Jim,
It was great to receive this and hear that there is life in the Old Elysians yet!
Not sure you intended not to blind copy, but as a result my brother, Harry, who now lives in Israel, was pleased to be contacted by a few old boys from his years, one of whom has also settled there!
From: Peter Zentler--Munro
Jim,
I've just come across your email.
You left out one vital bit - the address of the OE website.
I think my brother, Patrick, frequented the Witches - could I have the address of that, too, please?
Peter Zentler-Munro
WES 1964-72
Brian Pocknee
Hi Jim
I trust you are all keeping well, and thanks for the quick response. You
have a very good memory about my career - although the email address may
have jogged your memory! I´ve had it since my kids were small, so about
25/30 years and have never changed it.
I´m semi-retired, living in north west Spain since March 2019, but continue
to organise a dairy cow conference and some expert witness work in the UK.
Not sure if OKA know but Nick Read (66-73) died about 20 months ago. He
was an illustrious professor at Edinburgh University - mycology.
I´ll scan some photos and send through.
Keep safe and well. And thanks for OEC work.
Cheers
Brian
Note: Brian’s Pictures are now in the website’s picture galleries. So too are some pics from Steve Chadwick and through him we are in touch with Lewis Stanton…both 65-72.
,
RE: HENRY GEORGE HALL AND THE SCHOOL SONG
Dear Jim,
Thank you so much for forwarding the lyrics and the score to our funeral directors (T. Cribb & Son). We are currently arranging the funeral for our Father – an Old Elysian – and at the end of the service we thought that this would be a very appropriate piece of music for us to leave with.
Henry George Hall – more commonly known as Peter ( an moniker given to him by his grandmother when he was a baby and stuck with him all his life, including parents, wife, work and friends. Born University College Hospital, London (Marylebone Road) 23.01.1934 and died 17.05.2022 (aged 88) in Basildon Hospital in Essex.
He started at William Ellis in 1945 and remained immensely proud of his school and his time there. Although extremely bright, especially numerate, he did not, despite the urgings of the Head Master, stay on for sixth form. Unfortunately his parents were set on the idea that he entered the world of work. He recounted to me that his maths teacher had said that he would get him in to any college at Oxford or Cambridge (unfortunately I cannot remember which one but the tutor must have had connections). The reason that we wanted to have the school song is that he would often sing it as he wandered around the house or whilst driving. He still has the tie, cap, school reports and Examination School Certificate at home and as his dementia took a stronger grip he would sometimes wear the school cap. My own daughter went to a local independent school whose ethos very much reminded him of the way he was taught and the guidance for service in later life.
Until Covid took a grip, he continued to meet up annually with old school mates in the South Bank foyer for a catch up – the drivers for this being Terry Richmond and Don Ford. Last Friday, one old school friend (John Mahoney) rang our office to relate the story of their hitch hiking trip to France when they were 15 or 16 – so around 1949. We are not sure our Mother would have agreed to let us go on such an adventure at that age! I knew parts of the storey but he kindly expanded on the trip and learnt about the escapade in greater detail. Our Father was a keen sportsman, particularly at football. He won the high jump at the White City London Schools Championships. He was offered a trial at Aston Villa but was counselled to reject this offer by his parents.
He went on to be a successful quantity surveyor, working for a variety of different companies before starting his own enterprise in 1979, at which both my Brother and I continue to work for today.
Once again, thank you very much for your kind assistance – I looked online and there are actually two copies of the book for sale.
Kind Regards,
Tim Hall
RE: William Ellis Book (Now available on the website for Old Elysians)
Jim Corbett
to Helen Wise (Great Niece of WH Davis)
Hi Helen
I've just sent the file via wetransfer.com. if you don't get an email from them soon saying its ready to download, please let me know. If you want a download of 'just' the WH Davis chapter let me know. Wetransfer is a free service so as long as we don't exceed 2Gb of documents on one occasion ( which we won't) we can do anything we like!
Helen Wise:
Hi Jim,
I have received the link and I’m very much looking forward to reading it. How interesting!
Many thanks,
Helen
To Peter Adams
Hi Peter
Can you let me know the years you were at the school and the name of the Headmaster during that period please.
Thanks
Jim Corbett
From: Peter Adams
Hello Jim, I was a pupil from 1958 to 1965 and my headmaster was Sydney Baxter.
Thanks for the quick reply. I’m keen to hook up with friends lost over these many years.
Jim Corbett
Dear Peter Now that you have completed our fiendishly cunning screening process
I can tell you that if you go to the online journal and membership page on the website you
will be able to submit your membership details online.
From: David Sontag
Morning Guys Just to advise that we received a membership fee from Peter Adams
yesterday. D
Peter Adams
Hello Jim,
I was wondering when you were planning your news update. I have special reasons for making contact with my old friends and classmates. I’ve waited all these years but find that time may appear to be running out. Hope you can help.
Looking to contact Peter Robinson and Ian Shaw.
Best wishes.
From: Jim Corbett
Hi Peter
Sorry it’s taking so long but I’ve started getting materials in order so another 10 days I would hope.
Best wishes
Jim
Dear Jim and Chris,
I write to thank you most sincerely for copying me in on all ‘matters website Elysian’.
I have no doubt that you both appreciate that probably 80% (if not more!) is beyond my comprehension BUT it inspires me in seeing what is being done.
In WW2 military terms, may I suggest our El Alamein or Kohima. The TURNING POINT?
Yours
Don
From: Don Ford Re: Hilary Don
Dear Jim,
Another one of my convoluted attempts to find someone who was so high-profile at the time and, yet, no one has seen or him since July 1952. What I have written about his possible residence in the USA has been hearsay.
My email to the Old Ignatians is to find out if he may have kept in touch with them. I await a response.
However, to ‘keep me off the streets’, I did some internet investigation and came up with a website for a Hilary Don as a Medical Practitioner plus the date of birth.
I will send the reference on by another email as I don’t have a clue as how to go about enquiring if he is ‘ours’.
As I have said, he was a delightful personality and an asset to the School.
Don
From: Don Ford
Subject: HILARY DON
To the Old Ignations Club
Any guidance that you may be able to give would be grateful appreciated.
Hilary arrived at William Ellis School, Parliament Hill in the Autumn of 1949 to study Sciences in the Sixth Form. From 1944 he is believed to have been at St. Ignatius College and only transferred to WES for his Higher School Certificate.
An outstanding Rugby player and Cricketer. He captained the School at first team level at both sports . Represented the School at Tennis. Also, he was School Captain 1951-1952.
He went on to University and qualified as a Doctor. Thereafter, it is believed that he migrated to the USA.We heard nothing of him post 1952.
It does not look as though he maintained any contact as an Old Elysians but I wonder if there is any record of him as an Old Ignatian?
I played cricket and tennis with him. The most delightful of contemporaries.
Don Ford (at WES 1945-1953)
Re: SCHOOL MAGAZINE
FROM:Don Ford
Hi Chris,
Many, many thanks.
Reason: My great friend and contemporary Frank Price/Gregory (1945 - 1953) is now very concerned’ about his !st X1 bowling averages for 1952 and 1953! We opened the bowling together for the two consecutive seasons.
Frank now lives in his ‘mountain eyrie’ in Malaga, Spain and has all the time in the world to ‘contemplate his past life’. Mad as Hatter.
However, as his UK Representative I said, for my sins, that I would try and see if any records are still available. I do remember that these averages were published in the School Magazine post each season.
After National Service in the RAF, Frank went on to LSE and then into teaching. He ended his days as Head of Moderns at City of London Boys Public School. I can vouch for his success there. When we were trying to find our 1945 ‘lost souls’ I contacted the School and had a most effusive reply from the Deputy Head extolling Frank’s abilities and success as a Master.
Like myself, he played on an ‘ad hoc’ basis for QPR (I have been in touch with David Sontag for ’nostalgia purposes') but, when he took up his first teaching post after National Service he played Rugby League for Normanton in Yorkshire.
As I say. A great friend from School days. Nutty as a fruit cake. But we did go to the same school after all. He was 1st X1 Football 1952 and 1953 (Captain), 1st XV Rugby 1951, 1952 and 1953 as well as his cricket appearances
Therefore, all help, gratefully received.
Oh, yes. If he isn’t an OE Member, I will quite happily point him in the 'direction of Membership'.
Don
On 3 Apr 2022, at 10:33, Christopher Willey wrote:
You are correct. Terry provided some which should be at the school.
I will see what I have listed, if I did so at the time.
Tony Savill has some mid-late 50s school magazines, which I have said I will take for the archive, so may have some here soon, if he will hand over.
My best
Chris
From: Don
Subject: SCHOOL MAGAZINES
Hi Chris,
Would I be right in thinking that if copies of old School Magazines do exist (and I mean back to the 1950s) that, if at all, they would be stored in the School Archives?
Thanks
Don
From: Don Ford
To David Sontag
Subject: QPR
Dear David,
Are you sitting comfortably because this a long and convoluted story which concerns myself and Frank Price - both 1945-1953. By the football season at WES Spring 1953, I had been in the 1st X1 for three years and Frank for two. He was Captain in the last year.
Frank had played for London/Middlesex Schools and myself for the AFA Public and Grammar Schools.
Frank lived behind the ground at Loftus Road and supported QPR.
In the summer of 1953, Frank decided to do his National Service first and then University. Me, being academically idle, was awaiting call-up.
He invited me to a trial with QPR which took place in the July/August of 1953. We were both offered Amateur terms only because of the unpredictability of our futures (I like to believe that). Whilst Frank went directly into the RAF and I never played with him again, I was diverted into the Merchant Navy being based, initially, in the Royal Docks in London.
During this period which ran from September 1953 to July 1954 I played for QPR midweek only when needed in their ‘A’ side. I may be wrong, but I seem to recall that we played on the old Co-op ground on Western Avenue.
This A side consisted of Young Aspiring Professionals, those recovering from injury, old retainers such as Bert Addinsall (bandaged from knee to ankle) and ‘enthusiastic Amateurs' like me and who they didn’t have to pay and were called upon when necessary. A veritable motley crew.
I only played the one season before having to go and do some ’serious sailing'.
Unfortunately, Frank and myself remain anonymous within the Annals of QPR FC. I have searched all their playing records and find that we did not exist. Absolutely no record at all.!
Could have all been a dream, I suppose - apart from the scars down my shins!
Regards.
Don
RE: QPR
FROM: David Sontag
What a lovely story Don.
My initial thought was that Frank must have had a pretty tricky journey to school every day coming all the way from Shepherds Bush, must have taken ages unless his dad took him by car.
I loved your story, it had particular poignancy for me 'cos I have supported the R's since I was a lad, pre my WES days - were you told? [Yes. Ed] The first game I saw live was in Jan 67. I went there on the tube from Holloway, got out at White City and followed the crowd, couldn't imagine a lot of 12 year olds being allowed to do that now though. In those days there was just the old wooden stand in Ellerslie Road, the opposition dressing room was on the half way line and the team came out there, Rangers changing room was roughly on the edge of the Loftus Road end penalty area and they came onto the pitch from there. The South Africa road side was just a muddy bank with the infamous wall that ran alongside the pitch at the bottom of it and that’s where I watched the game from. Rangers played Reading and won 2-1, I know Jimmy Langley netted a penalty but can't recall the other scorer (and who cares who scored for Reading). A couple of months later I went to Wembley (with my dad) and watched them come from behind to beat WBA in the league cup final - the first ever 3rd division side to win a Wembley final. Great days and a great team, the one that was runners up to Liverpool in the first division in 74-5 were only a good team, as Stan wasn't as good as Rodney!
I have a book of all their players (up to a point) and you are correct that you are not in it! I guess your goalscoring feats were not as prolific as Mr Addinall. The Western Avenue location for the 'A' games seems plausible though, I think Rangers training ground used to be along there too at one point? Although your scars might have faded I'm sure the memory of those times hasn't, what a great and memorable experience.
Once a hoop always a hoop.
Best wishes
David
SPURS
From Don Ford
Hi Jim,
This is the problem of having ‘association’ with Spurs’ supporters!
My contemporary, John Stuart (1945-1950), has reminded me that someone we knew well at WES played for Spurs but we are now having difficulty pinning down all the details.
Name; ‘Ninky’ Farmer (we can’t remember his first name). Probably 1946-1951. A Forward. Played during the 1950s but had ceased to play by the 1960’s when I met him in the City.
Can you ’turn up’ anything on him?
Don
From: Jim Corbett
Hi Don
I can’t find a Farmer in the listings of Spurs first team players of the fifties. Are you sure it was Farmer because Tommy Harmer (b. Hackney 1928) who you probably recall as a footballer was a star of the Spurs side in the late 50’s before going to Chelsea and then joining their coaching staff under Tommy Docherty. He might have attended the wartime Emergency School.
Jim
Don Ford
Thanks, Jim. No, Tommy Harmer, I remember only too well as a skilful ball-player, and Tommy Docherty ’drove me into the ground’ at his training sessions after he had retired. A fitness fanatic!
I would suspect that “Ninky’ did not progress beyond the Reserves. I think that he played at Outside Left which takes us into the George Robb/Cliff Jones eras.
John Stuart recalls “Ninky’ telling him about his encounter with Sailor Brown at Charlton when Sailor threatened to ‘put him into the Stands’ if he tried to pass him on the outside again! This would have been the Reserves.
We are lost in anecdote and apocrypha.
Did Fred Titmus play for Watford?
Frank Price and myself (both 1945-1953) played for QPR for one season but never got beyond the mid-week third team as Amateurs.
Peter Gooding 1950-1958 played for Aldershot round about 1960 when he was on National Service.
Sports photos appeal
The Old Eysians’ Club is keen to augment its archive pictures of WES sport. We have been publishing sports groups and pictures of games in progress for many years, within the Club’s newsletter and Journal, and all of these are now held in either print or digital form with the school/Club archive, along with numerous others not yet published. The collection, as it now is, mainly comprises formal WES team groups, predominantly of 1st teams, but with some 2nd teams and other team formats.
A recent review of OEC newsletters and more recent Journals going back 20 years for school cricket included pictures of 1st XI photos for 1904, 1934 and 1935, and, thereafter, a fairly comprehensive run from 1947 to 1953, effectively covering the Lockwood era. After that period, it was only possible to find one joint school/OE photo for 1960.
The Journal editor is very keen to increase our record of school sport images for the period from 1953, from the start of the Sidney Baxter headship to date (yes, to date, where appropriate permissions apply!), not just for cricket but all team competition games, including school chess. In this edition (or, In the upcoming edition) of the Journal, we profile WES and ‘OE’ players from the Lockwood and early Baxter years in cricket, table tennis and chess, against the undisclosed but vibrant background of other famous contemporary WES sporting names, such as Fred Titmus, Tim Selwood, Frank Vallender, Tony Crockett, and Alf Newman. We would like to continue our sporting excursions, for publication in the Journal, and for possible future display on our Club website. This, we hope, will also assist the Club and school in the potential augmentation of our shared WES archive.
So, if you, as readers and viewers, have WES sports photos or OE sport photos not already shared with the Club, dig them out and send them in (but, with regard to more recent pictures, subject to relevant permissions!) and let us know if you are aware of other possible sources of them, by contact with the Journal editor via the website messaging section.
Leonard Klahr
Hi Jim,
It was great to receive this and hear that there is life in the Old Elysians yet!
Not sure you intended not to blind copy, but as a result my brother, Harry, who now lives in Israel, was pleased to be contacted by a few old boys from his years, one of whom has also settled there!
From: Peter Zentler--Munro
Jim,
I've just come across your email.
You left out one vital bit - the address of the OE website.
I think my brother, Patrick, frequented the Witches - could I have the address of that, too, please?
Peter Zentler-Munro
WES 1964-72
Brian Pocknee
Hi Jim
I trust you are all keeping well, and thanks for the quick response. You
have a very good memory about my career - although the email address may
have jogged your memory! I´ve had it since my kids were small, so about
25/30 years and have never changed it.
I´m semi-retired, living in north west Spain since March 2019, but continue
to organise a dairy cow conference and some expert witness work in the UK.
Not sure if OKA know but Nick Read (66-73) died about 20 months ago. He
was an illustrious professor at Edinburgh University - mycology.
I´ll scan some photos and send through.
Keep safe and well. And thanks for OEC work.
Cheers
Brian
Note: Brian’s Pictures are now in the website’s picture galleries. So too are some pics from Steve Chadwick and through him we are in touch with Lewis Stanton…both 65-72.