Those were the days

I remember early one morning I was cold and half asleep, pulled up the blankets around me, I still felt cold I lifted my head off
the pillow, and couldn’t believe it I was in the middle of the parade ground with Mr Snowden shouting at me “what you doing
here boy.”
Robert Puzey. Somerset. 1965

We were allowed out for a day off on a Wednesday. This one Wednesday we had been out into Hertford , on our way back just
coming past school block, (I’ll admit we were a bit noisy it was our day off) when Corbitt jumped out of the school window, he
gave me a bloody good hiding, and told me “never make a noise outside my class room again.
Bill Roe Aberdeen 51 –56

My time at Goldings you used to get bonus for good work in the carpenter shop, my mate went up to get his money they gave
him half a crown, when I went up they gave me sixpence, so one week I asked why do you always give him more than me,
“because you’re always pxxxxxx about” said Mr Farnham

Henry Peete Aberdeen 53-57

Feeling a little unhappy my first days at Goldings I went to Mr. Newton and told him “Mr. Newton I don’t like it here everyone
keeps picking on me” Mr. Newton’s reply “Get a piece of 3 by 2” in other words get on with it.
Bobby Mac. Somerset. 63-66

Remember Glad all over The Dave Clark Five when it was played we all used to beat the tables “Bump, Bump” Glad all over,
yes I’m “Bump, Bump” Glad all over, and Bob Newton used to shout at us to shut up.
Mick Crowe. Cairns. 59-62

Me and you Dave were told by the older boys to go to the orchard and get some apples. Off we went through the
hole in the wall, over the orchard wall, and up the trees stuffing the apples down our jumpers. When I heard this
one almighty scream I’ve been *^-*^-* stung by a bee. That was the end of us scrumping we were over the wall
dropping our apples on the way, by the time we got back to the dorm we’d got none left.
Bobby Mac. Somerset. 63-66

Being in the gardening we used to have to take up the fruit and veg to the kitchens, as we crossed the courtyard all the lads used
to pinch the fruit as we went passed, we couldn’t stop them, there’d be nothing left by the time we got to the kitchen, and we’d be
for it.

Paul Walkeden. Somerset. 63-65

I was Drum Major in the band and every where we went Goldings was the best, now you get ten points
for tossing the Mace in the air, so I tossed this Mace, up it went high it came down and I missed it. I was
Bl***y sacked the next day.

Henry Peete. 54-57

When a dance was held in the gym, they used to bring girls into the school for us to partner. Our first Winter it had snowed
heavens hard and the snow was thick on the ground. When the girls arrived on the coach , me and Dave were hiding behind the
gym and as they all stepped of the bus we pelted them with snow balls you can imagine the state of them by the time we were
finished they were soaked. We were both banned from the dance for weeks.

Chris Horsenell Somerset 62-65

I remember the whole of Somerset being treated with Sulio for nits, and it was you Blower.
Angus McGeoch Somerset 63-67

Pinhead had us all out “who called the cook a %*&%” and a voice at the back whispered loudly “who called the %*&% a cook”
Pinhead totally lost it and dismissed us all.

Brian Perrier. MacAndrew. 62-64

I hated sports , but especially Football being played in the Winter I could never understand why we were made to
leave a warm centrally heated classroom and walk all the way up top field to play football in rain, hail, or snow, and
there I would be with a few boys similar to me huddled under the trees freezing cold, and there would be Blower
and the like kicking the ball around doing kick ups like they were loving it, not feeling cold at all.

Tony Angell Somerset 62-64

I used to watch the milk being delivered in the big churns, Heavy they were, and to move them the men used to lean them on the
side, and balance them, then roll them along with their other hand. So I thought I’d have a go, I did!! the next minute there was
Milk everywhere all over the courtyard.

Jimmy James. Mount Steven 45-48

It’s great to reminisce and be reminded of all the pranks and laughs we used to get up to like; Scrumping with our pillow cases for
apples, and pears!! ha! ha! Borrowing the gym ropes under the stage, and swinging over the river down the road from the school!
Even getting the 'CUTS' from, 'Pinhead' wearing three pairs of pants for getting caught smoking in the dorm was a laugh, (poof
that magic dust sure came back to bite me in the butt)!! Ha! Ha! And what about the 45 gal tank ride to 'Birds Island' that sank

in the middle of the river! , and I nearly had a flipping heart attack when I first heard that bugle in 62.
Alan Sibbons Aberdeen 62-65

When the MacAndrew wing was opened part of my living quarters were converted to toilets exclusively for the use of Princess

Margaret, unfortunately they were not used, there is an outstanding bill forwarded to the Royal Family.
Pop Steele Goldings 56-67.

As every one knows, certain boys were chosen to wait table to Pinhead, they all then took turns, my turn came as I came up the
Passage. The senior boys would hide in the alcove, and take an egg or sausage by the time I got to pinhead there would be nothing
left, and I’d be sent back to the kitchen for more, and the get a R%$**%* off the cook.
Angus McGeoch Somerset 63-67

Do you remember dogs alley when the last boy after gym to get dressed, had to run the gauntlet of 2 lines of boys and we hit them
on the back with a slipper, if you hit them in the wrong place you had to do dogs alley yourself. It was always the spare (new boy)
who was last.

Tony Angell Somerset 62-64

“Is there anybody there”, “Is there anybody out there” , “Knock once for yes, and knock twice for no” ,
“Is there anybody there”, “The tables wobbling”. Do you remember when we used to play the ouija board
sitting round a table in the dark, frightening ourselves to bloody death.
Paul Walkeden Somerset 63-65

I remember being digs eye when the lads climbed the tower and flew the skull and crossbones from the flagpole. Pinhead came
past so quick thinking I started to cry, what’s wrong Perrier and I replied my uncle Died today (which incidentally was true) he
then told me “stay there and compose yourself young Perrier”. Later when Pinhead discovered the Jolly Roger flag he called the
fire brigade, and told them to get it down, at which point they refused, because it wasn’t a danger to anyone. That skull and
crossbones stayed there until the weather fetched it down.

Brian Perrier MacAndrew 62-64

One day Miss Roe who worked in the dining room, was on her way down the passage way towards the kitchens. I was down in
the Boiler room drying my sheets, as we all remember you could hear anybody walking down the passage way, so I thought this
was an opportunity to have a good laugh, consequently I put the sheet over my head and with appropriate timing confronted
Miss Roe with this Ghostly figure, as you may or may not know Miss Roe was a spinster ,and I think perhaps that was the first
time she was blessed with an Orgasm. No thanks was offered by Miss Roe for her joyous moment, but proceeded to report me for
this incident, for which I was given similar fate commonly called Jankers.
(Moral of this story don’t give spinsters joyous moments without permission.)
John Hunt Aberdeen 49-52

I came to Goldings 1951 with my mate Ernie Dawson on the train to Hertford and guess who picked us up at the station
Mr Whitbread (the Albion Man)

Bill Roe Aberdeen 51 -56

Bobby Mac was helping me build a new fence last year, having a break as you do, and sitting reminiscing about Goldings, and
earlier times I told Bob about going on holiday with my previous home to Goldings, (Hammerwich) instead of going to
Dymchurch with the rest of the school, “I went to Llanmadock Bob in Wales” “no you didn’t” said Bob “you went to Portmadock”
the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and goose pimples on my skin, Bob was right “how on earth did you know that?”
“You told us about it in the sitting room when we all got back”. The strange thing about the story is I don’t remember Bob at
Goldings, and he had always assured me we were great friends when we were at the school. He was right and we are now.

Dave Blower Somerset 62-65

I don’t know if anyone remembers but when I took swimming in the School swimming pool, because I couldn’t swim I used to
always carry a long bamboo poll in case any one was drowning, because I couldn’t jump in to save you.
Pop Steele.

When we entered the dining room we were allowed to talk and chat as long as we liked, while we had our meal, but when the red
light came on we had to be silent. If you were caught talking you would be reported, and you would not be allowed free time on
Sunday you would have to work.
George Loftus.

THINK ABOUT THIS
We all stand in houses in our three lines, looking up at Pinhead and his staff, as they looked down on us thinking what kind of
lads are these, marching into the mess hall to stand by your chair, waiting for the order to sit, not a word to be said just sit there
and look at your mate over the table till your house was called now its your turn to grab a plate, and pass along the counter then,
they plonking it on your plate you might say no, but you still got it hoping some one will bag it off your plate housemasters
walking, and standing around watching over us to make sure all was well, Skip behind his counter, and Nobby Clark walking
around a slap on the head, and the order to leave, have I missed any thing out, not really just made me think some times when I
am eating what life is all about.
Not much more to say about eating in the mess hall or should I say dinning room
think on, Somerset no. 8. 62 – 66
Bobby Mac Somerset 62-66

When Goldings was closed myself and other Verney Lads went down to the Lodge gates, and tied them shut, we
put up a big sign “The Doors are now closed” making the point of Barnardos motto an ever open door. (Carrots)

Angus McGeoch Somerset 63-67

In 44 when I was at Goldings, We were in the Chapel for Sunday service, when we heard a Doodlebug go over with the
unmistakable putt, putt, then silence. We ran out of the Chapel to see where was bombed. When a car screamed to a halt in
North Road because the Air raid wardens thought the Chapel had been bombed and the boys all killed. It wasn’t the Chapel or
Goldings it was the wash in Hertford Town near the Castle Cinema.

John Horn Aberdeen 42-45

At Goldings myself and a couple of others formed a group called The Echoes, named because where we practiced in a long
corridor above the ablution block or in the bathroom, at Goldings the sound used to Echo, Just as the curtain opened
our lead singer had stage fright and we had to go and get him back after he tried to run off.
Another occasion with the group Myself Mike Hultum and a couple of others went to London with our
guitars on our backs, when we were approached by some girls, who asked us “what group are you then”
we told them we were the Echos and we were on our way to the recording studios…
(I don’t think they believed us)
We also went with a party to see Joe Brown in London, and one of the Masters (I can’t remember which one) said take your
guitars with you lads, “he may let you do a turn on the stage”… My god we were proper thicko’s in our quest for fame.

Dave Blower Somerset 62-65

Remember I remember that show but I remember the other act with Joe Brown it was Lenny the lion. After the show I

remember us all queuing up for his Autograph (Not Joe Browns – Lenny the lions autograph) How sad is that.
Bobby Mac Somerset 62-66

Does anyone remember the exercise in the Gym, were we used to have to go all around the Gym without our feet touching the
floor, then when we had mastered that we used to try to do it faster than anyone else, I loved that exercise.
Brian Perrier. MacAndrew 62-65

In my last year at Goldings Macdonald left as Governor and I remember Mr Wheatley becoming Headmaster in his place. Along
with our new headmaster came his son David, and David was allowed to play us boys at snooker in the games room, (now David
was allowed to practice whenever he had a spare minute but us boys could only practice once a week if we were lucky) we never
won him not once.
“How are you David if you’re reading this we’ll have to try again! ”
Bob Whibley. Cairns 43-46

During the war years food was rationed even at Goldings, and during this one period we ate nothing but bung (cheese) every day,
every meal sandwiches, pie, cheese and pickle, omelette all cheese. One day in the dining room our dinner came out, it was cheese..
and a boy took his knife wedged it in a crack and started to flick his knife making a springing noise then another boy did the same
and more and more boys joined in until all the dining room were taking part. Then food was thrown at each other and around
the room, Goldings was having a Cheese riot. The fuses were switched and the riot continued.
Bob Whibley. Cairns 43-46

Do you remember the sayings Skip had, the most memorable being “hands of your *$&*” on with your socks”. Another was after
waking you he would stand looking out of the window, and say “What a lovely day for a murder”. Then there was “Ah never mind
eh”. He was a lovely man.
Colin Davies 58 - 60

Being very small I was the one who had to climb through the window at the cinema and lose everyone in for free, this particular

Saturday t was just me and our Harry So I climbed in and snook through ,I thought this is a good film, and sat down for a minute.
Ages later I remembered blimey our Harry’s outside waiting to come in, when I opened the door he said wer’ve you been I’ve
been out here for ages.
Bill Roe Aberdeen 51 -56

I think of Goldings old boys David as my brothers but we all had different mothers
Brian Perrier MacAndrew 62-65