Favourite teacher

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

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J.R.
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Post by J.R. »

Paul N wrote:
Spoonbill wrote:Peter Wright - utterly brilliant teacher and the only maths teacher in recorded history who wasn't a total b*stard.
Oh I don't know, quite a some of the maths teachers I had were fine:

Bogey Fryer, who apparently took his life after being forced to retire.

and

Tony Waller, who, and I did not know this at the time, paid for my pocket money because my parents could not afford it.
Absolutely correct. Never did get to the bottom of why he was asked to retire. Must have been about the time of C.M.E. Seaman's retirement. I understand he got a position of teaching maths at another school and for some reason, shot himself. He was my housemaster in Col. B. Rather scary but a very fair man.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Post by Paul N »

J.R. wrote:Absolutely correct. Never did get to the bottom of why he was asked to retire. Must have been about the time of C.M.E. Seaman's retirement. I understand he got a position of teaching maths at another school and for some reason, shot himself. He was my housemaster in Col. B. Rather scary but a very fair man.
When I was there (76-83) Bogey Fryer was getting on a bit, but still refereed rugby matches, in what seemed an ancient pair of rugby shorts. Apparently being half Welsh, half English, he was selected to play for both England and Wales, and of course chose Wales.

My understanding was that "plastic face" Baker, the not entirely popular headmaster who replaced David Newsome, for some reason or other would not allow him to stay on after he reached 65. Bogey Fryer, who had gone to CH as a pupil, and taught there from pretty much straight after university, shot himself with a shotgun, whilst laying over the railway track, just to make sure.

I guess his world of CH had disappeared with the forced retirement, and he couldn't live without CH.

All this is second hand though, as it took place after I left, so apologies if it's inaccurate.
Maine B, then Lamb B, 76-83
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Stan
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Post by Stan »

This news on Bogey Fryer has shocked me. I haven't kept up much with CH news over the years. I remember he had a son called Tim who went to CH while I was there.

Does any one remember Pete Brotherton, I 'm sure we used to call him 'smooth'. Not so sure about his teaching but was a great guy. He helped to run the fishing club at the school.

Ron Lorimer - sorry people but I can't get excited about him. He didn't like non-conformists.
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Post by AndrewH »

Stan wrote:This news on Bogey Fryer has shocked me. I haven't kept up much with CH news over the years. I remember he had a son called Tim who went to CH while I was there.

Does any one remember Pete Brotherton, I 'm sure we used to call him 'smooth'. Not so sure about his teaching but was a great guy. He helped to run the fishing club at the school.

Ron Lorimer - sorry people but I can't get excited about him. He didn't like non-conformists.
Shocked me too. He had another son called Andy who got his School Colours (Rugby) sometime on the UF if remember correctly.
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Post by Mid A 15 »

Stan wrote:Ron Lorimer - sorry people but I can't get excited about him. He didn't like non-conformists.
That's right he didn't but he wasn't a bad bloke really once you got to know him. He was my Housemaster in Mid A. He would let us watch Match Of The Day in his study and often give us a beer. That might sound tame to you youngsters who had the Grecians' Club but I'm talking about before that!

I also met him at a friend's (from CH) wedding some years after leaving CH and, with neither of us really knowing anybody other than the groom, his brother and parents, we both had quite a few beers together which passed the time enjoyably enough!
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Post by loringa »

Stan wrote:Does any one remember Pete Brotherton, I 'm sure we used to call him 'smooth'. Not so sure about his teaching but was a great guy. He helped to run the fishing club at the school.
He was my Housemaster in Col A and I agree that he was a good bloke. Something obviously happened to him, however, and he suddenly ceased to be the Housemaster although he remained as a teacher. I'd like to make the point that there was absolutely no hint of any sort of impropriety, probably some sort of personal crisis. His place was taken by Mike(?) Williams I think.
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Post by Stan »

Whilst on a roll:
Many references have been made about Chris Nicholson in other forums. He was a popular teacher in Leigh Hunt A. I remenber that a group of us thought his slippers had seen better days and decided to buy him a new pair.
At the time it seemed to be a good idea. Problem was that his old slippers had hard, shiny bottoms which meant that we could hear his characteristic shuffling noise as he approached the dorms. Not that we would be doing anything untoward!! His new slippers had much softer bottoms, almost silent - he caught us out a few times.
I also recall the times when the teachers in Leigh Hunt A would send any naughty pupil to the shoe lockers to get a plimsol from which they would get a whack on the arse. The word 'crack' comes to mind but???
Pete Webb was the worst. You had to get a large size and the familiar pattern of the Dunlop Red Flash would leave its mark afterwards. Ouch!
Chris Nicholson was much more reasonable. He didn't mind you getting the smallest plimsol available and there were some really small shoes to choose from.
I don't think he took any pleasure in this activity.
Dickie Dawe: he had eyes in the back of his head. I think all the teachers I knew had some redeeming feature except DD. Enough said.
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Post by AndrewH »

Stan wrote:Dickie Dawe: he had eyes in the back of his head. I think all the teachers I knew had some redeeming feature except DD. Enough said.
I had him for English when I first joined the school, as a teacher he was OK.
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Post by Paul N »

Stan wrote:Chris Nicholson was much more reasonable. He didn't mind you getting the smallest plimsol available and there were some really small shoes to choose from.
I don't think he took any pleasure in this activity.
I had Bomber Nick in 3A but now I know that he gave out cracks my opinion has changed of him. It's officially child abuse now, and was morally then.

There was no onus at all for any teacher at CH to dole out corporal punishment. It was entirely their own decision - he could have given out a detention or a drill, he chose to beat people. Enough said.
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Post by Mid A 15 »

Paul N wrote:
Stan wrote:Chris Nicholson was much more reasonable. He didn't mind you getting the smallest plimsol available and there were some really small shoes to choose from.
I don't think he took any pleasure in this activity.
I had Bomber Nick in 3A but now I know that he gave out cracks my opinion has changed of him. It's officially child abuse now, and was morally then.

There was no onus at all for any teacher at CH to dole out corporal punishment. It was entirely their own decision - he could have given out a detention or a drill, he chose to beat people. Enough said.
I disagree Paul.

You judge people's actions by the standards of the time not today in my view. At the time under discussion corporal punishment, rightly or wrongly, was in vogue. Some teachers probably did derive some sort of pleasure from inflicting pain but others, like "Bomber" as Stan describes, went through the motions and the punishment was therefore the indignity of being beaten rather than the physical pain.

CWN was a superb teacher and should be remembered as such.
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Post by Richard Ruck »

AndrewH wrote:
Stan wrote:Dickie Dawe: he had eyes in the back of his head. I think all the teachers I knew had some redeeming feature except DD. Enough said.
I had him for English when I first joined the school, as a teacher he was OK.
Likewise.

He was also something of an ornithologist, and later held weekly lectures on the subject for Deps. This included looking for birds around the grounds, trips to Warnham nature reserve etc.
Ba.A / Mid. B 1972 - 1978

Thee's got'n where thee cassn't back'n, hassn't?
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Post by Mid A 15 »

Richard Ruck wrote:
AndrewH wrote:
Stan wrote:Dickie Dawe: he had eyes in the back of his head. I think all the teachers I knew had some redeeming feature except DD. Enough said.
I had him for English when I first joined the school, as a teacher he was OK.
Likewise.

He was also something of an ornithologist, and later held weekly lectures on the subject for Deps. This included looking for birds around the grounds, trips to Warnham nature reserve etc.
That's right!

I remember a trip to Warnham Ponds with the ornithology club which Dickie ran to watch the water fowl.

I can also endorse the fact that he was an excellent English teacher. I exceeded expectations at "O" level in English thanks to him to such an extent that I took the subject at "A" level when, sadly, I reverted to my natural level!

My other memory of Dickie is watching him bat against the Prep with a sawn down bat but still whacking the ball over the trees and halfway down The Avenue!
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Stan
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Post by Stan »

Mid A 15 wrote:
Paul N wrote:
Stan wrote:Chris Nicholson was much more reasonable. He didn't mind you getting the smallest plimsol available and there were some really small shoes to choose from.
I don't think he took any pleasure in this activity.
I had Bomber Nick in 3A but now I know that he gave out cracks my opinion has changed of him. It's officially child abuse now, and was morally then.

There was no onus at all for any teacher at CH to dole out corporal punishment. It was entirely their own decision - he could have given out a detention or a drill, he chose to beat people. Enough said.
I disagree Paul.

You judge people's actions by the standards of the time not today in my view. At the time under discussion corporal punishment, rightly or wrongly, was in vogue. Some teachers probably did derive some sort of pleasure from inflicting pain but others, like "Bomber" as Stan describes, went through the motions and the punishment was therefore the indignity of being beaten rather than the physical pain.

CWN was a superb teacher and should be remembered as such.
I wouldn't want 'Bombers' name dragged down by this. He was a great teacher, a nice approacheable guy and it was a pleasure to be in his class and have him as a housemaster.
I, for one, do not hold anything against him and go along with the view of what was acceptable or the norm when I was at CH should not be judged against today's values.
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Post by Brian »

DavebytheSea wrote:OK - Cecil Cochrane! He never actually taught me, but he gave me a lifelong love of music and an appreciation of its significant role in worship. His reputation may have become somewhat tarnished in his latter years, but he was a truly gifted and dedicated master. Thank you Corks! RIP
Great Housemaster.
Introduced me to a life-long pleasue in music.
Wonderful Madrigal Camps.
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Re: Best teacher

Post by adlop »

Paul N wrote:Richard "Killer" (Killa ?) Fry - dominated meals but in reality had a heart of gold and was a superb Biology teacher. I sincerely hope he is still around.

Mongy Torkington - how could chemistry lessons be anything but exciting with him doing things like accidentally igniting an oil covered lump of phosphorous with a pair of tongs we had only just finished heating up to red hot whilst he was up stairs getting Richard Fry to open the phosphorous bottle for him.
My two favourite science teachers, My Fry blew a hole in the desk doing the magnesium thing, Mongy set fire to his desk, electrocuted himself, filled the room with smoke but most importantly always patiently explained where i had gone wrong in experiments.
Last edited by adlop on Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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