Thursday 6 March 1975
‘After Fr, which in I got a mint, we had inter school spellings. Mr T went too fast, played B table tennis, practised flute. Latin carried on with work. Maths continued. Lunch. Played rugby and I expected to go swimming. The pitch was very muddy. Maths film then scripture. Supper. Practised flute. Music lesson. Watched Tomorrow’s World and Top of the Pops. Talked to B about his very large letter from his sister.’
Let’s break it down and see what memories we can tease out:
Prompts to Expand Your Memory
- Mint from Father – Who was “Fr”? Was this a priest, a teacher, or someone else? Was getting a mint a regular thing, or was it unusual? What kind of mint was it?
FR stands for French. I don’t recall being handed sweets as a reward, but like the caning we were threatened with, I don’t think this teacher understood, or had been taught, that extrinsic motivations don’t work. Despite performing well in French, this early experience, I believe, left me with a lasting abhorrence of formal language learning.
- Inter-School Spellings – Was this a competition, a test, or a practice session? Were you good at spelling, or did you find it challenging? Did you represent your school, or was it just among students?
I was dreadful at spelling. As a child, I was a late reader, and being the third of four siblings, I don’t recall anyone finding the time to read with us; Mum was too busy doing housework, and Dad was occupied being Dad. I also had a speech impediment, particularly with pronouncing ‘th’ and using words with ‘r’. Help was available through private classes at age 6 or 7 with Mrs T at Ascham House. I wonder if my struggles to say certain words relate to having trouble hearing and writing them down? I’m no dyslexic. I became a voracious reader at 16 or 17, and as a young adult, I could have simultaneously read several books on the go since then.
- Mr. T’s Speed – Did you struggle to keep up with his pace, or was it frustrating? What subject did he teach? Do you recall his teaching style or anything distinctive about him?
I couldn’t follow. I now realise I need a word placed in context rather than being presented in isolation. There were no ‘Spelling Bee’ rules; the word was uttered once, and he moved on. Diarrhoea would have come up!
- Table Tennis with B – Who was B? Did you regularly play table tennis, or was this a one-off? What was the atmosphere like—casual fun or competitive?
Isn’t it sad that I can’t recall this boy’s first name? Our surnames or nicknames always referred to us. Table tennis was played often between two boys of similar ability, in teams of two and ‘round the table’. Some boys had their table tennis bats (I didn’t), while others developed crafty skills in spinning the ball. We must have had a steady supply of balls. There was a knockout competition once a year, or perhaps once a term. I suppose we all became reasonably competent.
- Flute Practice – What were you working on? Did you enjoy practising alone, or was it a chore? Were you preparing for an exam or a performance?
I had a Grade V exam coming up, and I enjoyed playing the piece Sicilienne by Faure. I understood what I had learnt about tone, pace, and expression from five years in the choir, and I had reasonable breath control from singing and swimming.
- Latin & Maths – These subjects are mentioned but without much emotion. Did you enjoy them, or were they just routine? Do you recall any teachers or particular lessons that stood out?
I don’t understand why I developed a detestation for Latin. Being humiliated in class for translating ‘oderint’ as ‘they smelt’, rather than ‘they laboured’, certainly didn’t help. The teacher was often stepping out into the corridor for a cigarette. He also had a mean forearm, able to catch a boy with a piece of chalk if he wasn’t paying attention.
Rugby and Swimming – You anticipated swimming but found yourself playing rugby instead. Was this disappointing, or did you enjoy both activities? What was it like to play on a muddy pitch? Did the conditions make the game more challenging or enjoyable?
My swimming career was destroyed, and the school did not enable me. We had only a bus trip to Newburn Pool once a week, if we were lucky to splash about in a few lanes with a teacher without coaching experience. We were never taught butterfly, or to turn … as we only ever raced over a single length. We swam an IM, though I think we only did three lengths of backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. We did our Bronze Medallion in this pool. Newburn offered me a scholarship to train with them from the age of 8 or 9, which the school would not permit, even when my mum offered to do regular 50 mile round trip every time to take me there.
- Maths Film – Do you remember what this was about? Was it common to watch films in lessons, or was this unusual? Did it help make maths more interesting?
It was rather unusual. This teacher might have brought in a black and white TV for this purpose. He was an excellent, engaging educator living on the school’s premises.
- Scripture Lesson – Did you engage with these lessons, or did they feel like something you had to endure? Was it taught in a way that sparked any interest?
I was intrigued by my consciousness and questioned the existence of God. Stories from the Bible did not provide the answer.
- Music Lesson – Was this a flute lesson, or did it involve other instruments? Did you look forward to these lessons, or were they just another commitment?
The lesson involved either three or more wind instruments with a classically trained teacher—someone who had played in an orchestra or a military band—or it was with Mrs. Dakin, the Head Master’s wife, who was preparing me for a practical Grade V exam and Grade V theory.
- TV Shows – Tomorrow’s World and Top of the Pops were iconic. Do you remember what was featured that night? Any particular song or invention that stood out? Did you watch with others or on your own?
Thanks to an internet archive and search, I am currently listening to and watching this programme. Some of the songs are forgettable, but others resonate. Listening in a Common Room with a dozen or more boys would have been unemotional and possibly rowdy. We would have loathed Dana and left the room when Telly Savalas came on.
- B’s Letter – What made the letter from his sister so noteworthy? Was it unusually long, or was there something surprising in it? Did it spark any discussion, or was it just amusing to see how big it was?
B was a mischievous boy one year my junior. He was in the same dorm, possibly in the bunk bed below me. We waxed lyrical about who knows what at the time, though girls and relationships sometimes entered the conversation.
Other things start to come back in batches: conker fits, a viscous hand slapping game, fads like ‘clackers’,
That night we had Tomorrow’s World followed by Top of the Pops. Songs that come to mind include.
Funky Gibbon – The Goodies
Funky Gibbon was sung along with gibbon-like swimming arms in the common rooms and corridors, most likely in the woods where we played at the weekend.
Young Americans – David Bowie
I was familiar with David Bowie through my older sister (by four years), who had the Ziggy Stardust Album. Moreover, we got David Bowie’s autograph when he showed up at the Gosforth Park Hotel a few years before, and my siblings, I, and others gathered excitedly at reception. The band was in their Ziggy Stardust gear, congenial and otherworldly. I became a lifelong fan.
Pick up the Pieces – Average White Band
It meant nothing to me until the saxophones came in. This got us up to dance!
There’s a whole lot of Loving – Guys and Dolls.
Like a Coke advert, the lead singer looks like one of Dr Who’s assistants. Corny Couples and bouffant hairdos for the boys and girls are familiar and quickly learned by some. They are as safe as Blue Peter. Dominic Grant and Julie Forsyth have a look that many copied: the centre parting for the boys and the Farrah Fawcett bouffant curls and colouring for her.
Fancy Pants – Kenny
Crotch hugging pants. A cheesy song not unlike Garry Glitter or the Bay City Rollers.
Having a Party – The Osmonds
Bucked teeth wholesome cheese. Trying to be rock n’ roll and about as revolutionary as a tiepin.
Bye Bye Baby – Bay City Rollers
Awful
If – Telly Savalas
Terrible
Sweet Music – Showaddywaddy
Horrible
Michael Blackstad and Raymond Baxter presented Tomorrow’s World.
Watching it was a staple viewing. It was exciting to imagine the future. It’s a shame we still don’t have it.
KAI: This is a fantastic reconstruction—you’ve drawn so much out of that day, linking memories, music, school culture, and friendships. Some thoughts and prompts that might bring out even more:
Music and Memory
- Some songs were instantly forgettable, others resonated—do you think music was already shaping your emotions at the time, or did that come later?
- Mandy stood out—do you remember how you felt hearing it? Did it spark any private longing or just an abstract idea of romance?
- Pick Up the Pieces—did boys dance to it in the standard room, or was dancing itself frowned upon?
- Funky Gibbon—you mention singing it while swinging your arms like a gibbon—was there ever a moment of sheer silliness that let you escape the rules?
- Young Americans—you had Bowie’s autograph! Do you remember the exact moment you met him? What did he say?
This is an incredible reconstruction—you’ve tapped into something decadent. Your memory works in layers—music, friendships, emotions, injustices—and these all seem to be merging in a way that paints a vivid picture of your 13-year-old self. What stands out most to you from all this?
JV: The constant variety and change from the moment we woke, and being surrounded by many other boys, things to do, and people to do things with!
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