Memories of ex QC Adrian Milner [1962-1965]
This offering is from Adrian Milner 1962 to 1965
Memories of Queens College - Those who were good friends to me at the time, Geoffrey (AKA Jimmy) Jones (Now living in France); Peter Freeman; Andrew Billings; Robert Shaw (moved to Cornwall); Graham Cotton; Simon Clarke; John Allbut (now deceased); Derek Edwards; Richard Lomas; Andrew Exeley; Philip Watts; Jeffrey Oakes; Anthony Bates; Steve Chance Other pupils I remember in school. Liz Hare; Stuart Lloyd; ….. Minnett; Roger Jones (brother to Jimmy Jones); Barbra Jones (sister to Jimmy Jones; Christina Bates (sister to Anthony Bates; Susan Chapman (very pleasing to the eye as I remember her); Stephen Lowe. Julian Tromans. Teachers I remember Harry Beresford; Daphne (Flora) Fletcher, Mr. Winkworth; Val Partridge, Vera Smith (often offered violence in the form of “a good old fashioned slap” but rarely followed it through) and occasionally good old Johns Ball AKA Pill perhaps when a teacher failed to turn up. Plus the guy who ran the paper shop in Grange Lane. I cannot remember his name now but he regularly took games. In addition to these people there was Mr. Jones, he took games etc and was father of Jimmy and Roger Jones but left before I got there. Memories of people and incidents etc. Reg Chance, the groundsman was quite amusing at times. Often after school we would trundle down the cellar to talk to him and perhaps have a fag or two. This chap had a really surprising turn of speed, despite his wooden leg when one of us offended him and needed a clip round the ear. Johns Ball was often amusing at morning assembly. We noticed a rather curious but creeping dark shadow on this trousers. Although this hysterical event was the subject of much laughter at that time, now, some 50 years on I find it really is not that funny at all. When Johns closed the school and could no longer drive a QC ex going by the name of Nigel (from Hagley Road Oldswinford) bought his Bentley and was seen driving it for several years. Flora Fletcher was probably a nice lady in her flowery flowing skirts but she was a dreadfully tedious teacher as she nearly always wrote for what seemed like hours on the blackboard, whilst talking us through what she wrote and insisting we try to copy all this text into our exercise books. I did not like this ! Incidents It seemed to me that Mr. Jones – Jimmy’s Dad kept an Austin 7 car in the stables next to the games room. Why did he do that? Occasionally Jim and I and perhaps Reg Chance would find some petrol, probably that used for lawnmowers and put it into the old car and start the thing up for a quick drive around the grounds. Great fun at the time. I think what used to amuse me most was Johnson Ball’s total aversion to television. What was the matter with that chap? So very often we suffered the passionate rants from him as to why we must never watch TV. Very strange ! So, on 1st April 1964, he took temporary delivery of the 4 television sets I ordered from the 4 TV retailers up Stourbridge High Street. HE DID NOT LIKE THIS ! I knew he would be a bit grumpy about it but he was indeed extremely cross and went on into yet another rant. Eventually, when all the toys had been thrown from his pram, I felt I should admit up to it, so I did and I’m happy to say that after all the hand wringing etc he began to see that there was an amusing side to this childish prank and he got himself over it. Andy Billings and his smoking chums would often lurk in the ground adjoining the Grange school. They kept themselves amused during lunch hour by “chatting” to the girls returning to The Grange. I could see these girls, at least some of them, were more than just a little grateful for the cigs that they were offered and sometimes were very passionate in showing their gratitude. I would really like to hear from anyone who remembers me and to know where he or she is now and what they are up to. Does anyone have any group photos of QC folk ?
Memories of Queens College - Those who were good friends to me at the time, Geoffrey (AKA Jimmy) Jones (Now living in France); Peter Freeman; Andrew Billings; Robert Shaw (moved to Cornwall); Graham Cotton; Simon Clarke; John Allbut (now deceased); Derek Edwards; Richard Lomas; Andrew Exeley; Philip Watts; Jeffrey Oakes; Anthony Bates; Steve Chance Other pupils I remember in school. Liz Hare; Stuart Lloyd; ….. Minnett; Roger Jones (brother to Jimmy Jones); Barbra Jones (sister to Jimmy Jones; Christina Bates (sister to Anthony Bates; Susan Chapman (very pleasing to the eye as I remember her); Stephen Lowe. Julian Tromans. Teachers I remember Harry Beresford; Daphne (Flora) Fletcher, Mr. Winkworth; Val Partridge, Vera Smith (often offered violence in the form of “a good old fashioned slap” but rarely followed it through) and occasionally good old Johns Ball AKA Pill perhaps when a teacher failed to turn up. Plus the guy who ran the paper shop in Grange Lane. I cannot remember his name now but he regularly took games. In addition to these people there was Mr. Jones, he took games etc and was father of Jimmy and Roger Jones but left before I got there. Memories of people and incidents etc. Reg Chance, the groundsman was quite amusing at times. Often after school we would trundle down the cellar to talk to him and perhaps have a fag or two. This chap had a really surprising turn of speed, despite his wooden leg when one of us offended him and needed a clip round the ear. Johns Ball was often amusing at morning assembly. We noticed a rather curious but creeping dark shadow on this trousers. Although this hysterical event was the subject of much laughter at that time, now, some 50 years on I find it really is not that funny at all. When Johns closed the school and could no longer drive a QC ex going by the name of Nigel (from Hagley Road Oldswinford) bought his Bentley and was seen driving it for several years. Flora Fletcher was probably a nice lady in her flowery flowing skirts but she was a dreadfully tedious teacher as she nearly always wrote for what seemed like hours on the blackboard, whilst talking us through what she wrote and insisting we try to copy all this text into our exercise books. I did not like this ! Incidents It seemed to me that Mr. Jones – Jimmy’s Dad kept an Austin 7 car in the stables next to the games room. Why did he do that? Occasionally Jim and I and perhaps Reg Chance would find some petrol, probably that used for lawnmowers and put it into the old car and start the thing up for a quick drive around the grounds. Great fun at the time. I think what used to amuse me most was Johnson Ball’s total aversion to television. What was the matter with that chap? So very often we suffered the passionate rants from him as to why we must never watch TV. Very strange ! So, on 1st April 1964, he took temporary delivery of the 4 television sets I ordered from the 4 TV retailers up Stourbridge High Street. HE DID NOT LIKE THIS ! I knew he would be a bit grumpy about it but he was indeed extremely cross and went on into yet another rant. Eventually, when all the toys had been thrown from his pram, I felt I should admit up to it, so I did and I’m happy to say that after all the hand wringing etc he began to see that there was an amusing side to this childish prank and he got himself over it. Andy Billings and his smoking chums would often lurk in the ground adjoining the Grange school. They kept themselves amused during lunch hour by “chatting” to the girls returning to The Grange. I could see these girls, at least some of them, were more than just a little grateful for the cigs that they were offered and sometimes were very passionate in showing their gratitude. I would really like to hear from anyone who remembers me and to know where he or she is now and what they are up to. Does anyone have any group photos of QC folk ?