Dear John
I attach a few memories of my time at King Edwards for your admirable
collection. I got your name from an e-mail from Steve Barton and read
extracts with great interest. I have not yet perused in detail the
photos but expect to find some including the Dernie brothers - perhaps
you overlapped with Ken.
Regards
John Dernie
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MEMORIES OF KING EDWARD VI RETFORD
JOHN DERNIE 1955 – 1962
I went from the Abbey Boys School in Worksop to K.E‘s Retford along with
Peter “Butch” Kenworthy, Bill Cooley, Joe Lane and Mervyn Platford. I was
following in the footsteps of my brothers, Eric 1939 -, and Ken 1946 -.
The former was a better scholar and the latter a better athlete as I was
reminded by the various teachers who taught all three of us! However, I
managed to end my time there as Head Prefect.
I recall many of the teachers mentioned elsewhere.
“Tash” Illingworth with
his pedestrian paced bicycle (with occasional new tomato box to carry
exercise books) accompanying us to the baths where on occasion he was known
to chase, naked, those boys who lingered too long in the water. He also
threw mint imperials at noisy pupils which tended to add to the mayhem
“Maths” Jones, following a detailed calculation on the blackboard calling
out “Check the logs, check the logs! We appear to be flying at
minus 500 ft!”
“Bull” Charlton, self proclaimed best spoken English man at the school and
someone who required miscreants to stand on the desk and intone “Little
boys should be seen and not heard. I am a very little boy and Mr Charlton
does not even want to see me” I wonder if he lived long enough to see his
beloved Durham cricket team join the county elite. He did see, with tears
in his eyes, his much rollered cricket pitch complete with cross and daisy
chain, destroyed to make way for new buildings.
“Bo” Beasley whose hearing impediment meant he could not detect where sound
was coming from. Hence his call of “Shut up that boy” whilst looking in
completely the wrong direction.
“Chemistry” Jones who once brought his collection of ancient wine glasses
for pupils to handle and admire. A great act of faith by a first class
teacher.
Headmaster, John Gover, who said “Sounds like Physics then, Dernie” on
hearing my A level results and “Sounds like London then, Dernie” on hearing
my failure at “O” level Latin ( forced to do this along with all of 5J as
a necessary entry qualification for Oxbridge). Thanks to McNeil Watson who
recognised lack of enthusiasm amongst some of us and concentrated on the
more ambitious.
And, of course, “Mac” McFarren. Where to start! His regimentation of
assembly with a clip round the ear for anyone who failed to take up the
appointed place. His office or “Sanctum Sanctorum” where he had a collection
of canes including “Whistling Willie” and “Weeping Willow” His inebriated,
very late, arrival from the Railway Arms for the first lesson after lunch
which consisted of the latest “epsipode” of Troddles and Charlie Cash as
recounted to my brothers years before. His constant battles to prevent
Worksop bus boys dashing across the then A1 to catch the 15.45 which
passed near the school and thereby avoid the trail into town to catch the
16.15. On one famous occasion when Cyril, the bus conductor, who allowed
him onto the bus step only, as Mac refused to pay, rang the bell, and
threw him off at the Station! Finally I attended the Old Boys Dinner in
my role of Head Boy. Mac, now retired, staggered to his feet and, mid way
through John Gover’s report on the achievements of some Old Boys, told
us of an Old Boy who was in prison in the USA on a fraud charge! (a story
my elder brother confirmed later)
Strangely my school memories are so much clearer than those of my time at
London University. Perhaps a sign I enjoyed the former much more than the
latter. I am now long retired from a career, mostly with ICI (remember them?)
and enjoying that retirement near Chester.
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