Memories from Dave Thorneycroft (1958-1965)
I thoroughly enjoyed the new material on the web site. I missed
seeing many of my immediate classmates and friends at the first reunion
so it was good to see photographs of some of them though in different
contexts.
I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of Bob regarding Nobby
Clarke. We were the 1962/3 5th year group that Nobby had the bad luck to
preside over and get into some sort of shape for the summer O-levels. He
never flinched from the task in hand, much to our frustration at the
time but with hindsight, the fairness and consistency of his iron
discipline, in the face of continual challenge, was a model of
professionalism. I am not proud of the fact that after reflecting on a
35 year career in education I cannot recall a group in any of my schools
exhibiting worse behaviour than the 3C, 4C and 5C that I was a guilty
member of at Trinity!
Picture the Tech Drawing room, this may be difficult for the girls
because of those unenlightened times which made it a male preserve, rows
of 5th formers standing to attention at their tables and Nobby walking
slowly round giving them the intense scrutiny of a sergeant-major on
parade. This was morning registration uniform inspection! Length
of hair, ties and colour of socks seemed to be the preoccupation of
staff at that time and Nobby took this seriously. I am sure Tony
Clarke, who had a fashionable mane of black hair, won't mind me saying
that the battles he had with Nobby over whether or not it was touching
his collar, were legendary and always to our entertainment.
I'll recount an amusing tale involving Nobby, the Tech Drawing room and
5C on another occasion, but if Nobby is still with us I would like to
say, Sir, that your example of professionalism was as shining as your
immaculate Morris Minor car!