Our Territories

Channel Islands
England
Ireland
Isle of Man
Scotland
Wales

Our Categories

Home
Locations
Surnames
Articles
Library
Lookups

which he carried. He was quite self concious about this and often walked behind the blackboard to save his blushes. We all knew he was three parts cut for he often fell asleep before the end of class if he needed to sit out while we were carrying out some written work, we would have to wake him up to continue though sometimes if we were near the end of classes we would all slip out when our task was finished. And leave him dozing!

Engineering Drawing and Design were taken by Mr Williams who was the deputy Head of the Engineering department under Mr Thompson the Head. he was a particularly pleasant lecturer who had been with the department for many years. He put in a great deal of work with his class and certainly made us all keen to learn

Even though the first year of our course was reasonably easy and straightforward The Second year clearly was the time for sorting the Wheat from the Chaff we had to take over12 subjects and really gave me problems. In the spring term of 1950 had been a bad time for me. Marion had decided to break our relationship. The first year had been easy for me for I had already got my National Certificate during evening classes taken while I served my Apprenticeship in Colchester. I really had to knuckle down and face the music I got through more by luck than good judgement.

During our second year we decided to make a Pappae Machae Hogm for a student procession through Hyde Park This was to represent our founder Quinten Hogg

Tipical students we marched along carrying our “Hog” on poles with banners. We just march along singing and waving to the crowds who came to see us.

Each year the Polytechnic Engineering Society would give a Christmas show, which was called “The Annual Conversazione”. I was interested in dramatic and soon joined up with my fellow students. Bob Todd from the Electrical’s was really keen and we bothGot together to prepare a show for 1951 the show gave us a break from the heavy going of the 2nd year exams we took in the summer term. We went with our friends to the Victoria Palace where Bud Fanigan and the crazy gang were giving a really good show. We took notebooks with us and took notes and get ideas of the jokes and situations we could use in our own Christmas show.

We called the show “Hic Haec Hoc” or Drunk again a three-act play in one act and one scene by George Bernard Kaufshaw- Barryskind. Bob Todd was our producer John Goodwin was the Compere and the show started with a dance troupe “The Toddy Wally Follies” Who were we students in black stockings and can can dresses. The show included seventeen separate acts all quite crazy. We had the help of a number of girl students from other departments throughout the Poly, which we had got to know during our first two years at the Poly. Joan Dustan helped us with the dancing; Susie Horner, Angela Taylor and others were roped in to help with the costumes. These we made

at weekends during the term at my parents house. We always had a full house doing something connected with the Poly My mother saw to it they had plenty to eat and drink and the use of her sawing machine and advice on how to make some of these clothes.

It was at these times that I made some really good life long friends. Through these friends I got to meet Stan Hill who ran a small garage and repair works called Bridge Garage, Berkhamstead. Stan was able to offer me part time weekend work to help my student expenses. Stan owned wartime “Crew Bus”. He would only us it for summer

Previous | Index | Next