Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

This section was setup in August 2018 in order to move the existing related discussions from other sections into this new section to group them together, and separate from the other CH-related topics.

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Maddleton
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by Maddleton »

Whether or not management were aware of the specific acts of abuse, Dobbie's grooming activities (which in themselves were wholly inappropriate even by the standards of the time) were certainly common knowledge.

Anyone in Mid A in the mid to late 90's will remember some of the bizarre things he was allowed to get away with: individually photographing everyone in the house for unspecified reasons, extra-curricular art appreciation groups in his study dedicated exclusively to Lucien Freud nudes including the memorable advice that this was what our mothers looked like, the portrait he commissioned of a particular boy, the well documented alcohol dispensing to favourites late at night in his flat are just some that come immediately to mind. There are many others.

Far from hiding any of this type of activity, he revelled in it. He peacocked around the school like a public school teacher peadophile from central casting. The idea that his conviction came as a surprise to anyone in the school at the time is laughable. Most of my contemporaries in Mid A from the time would readily be able to identify his "type" even down to his preferred hair colour.

The common reaction to finding out two teachers had been arrested for offences in the 90's was not to wonder which two teachers they were, it was just to wonder who the other one was.
Scazza
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by Scazza »

Maddleton wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:09 pm Whether or not management were aware of the specific acts of abuse, Dobbie's grooming activities (which in themselves were wholly inappropriate even by the standards of the time) were certainly common knowledge.

Anyone in Mid A in the mid to late 90's will remember some of the bizarre things he was allowed to get away with:.......
Back in 89-90, kids were openly drinking in Dobbies chaplains house every weekend, watching 18 cert films, generally a weird, inappropriate atmosphere which I didn't hang around for. It had been happening for a while by then as far as I knew. Staff must have known as most of the older kids did.

I can't think of a less appropriate house tutor than Dobbie apart from the master (Webb?) who the whole school called pedo and who was promoted a year or two after. Its farcical. What's the opposite of safeguarding again?
wagenman
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by wagenman »

Maddleton wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:09 pm The common reaction to finding out two teachers had been arrested for offences in the 90's was not to wonder which two teachers they were, it was just to wonder who the other one was.
Exactly, that was certainly my reaction. When considering who the other one was it wasn't those names already known which sprung to mind either.
Molesworth 2
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by Molesworth 2 »

Somewhat ironically, given the current circumstances he finds himself in, I remember him referring to the ‘inmates of Middleton A’. I suppose these days he will be getting to know the inmates from C Wing.
LHA
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by LHA »

The only thing I remember him reading in Chapel was a piece about a man spending his first night in prison, who initially feels a sense of optimism, but then is overwhelmed by despair! Ironic

just found it online.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HTl ... or&f=false
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by richardb »

LHA wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:13 pm The only thing I remember him reading in Chapel was a piece about a man spending his first night in prison, who initially feels a sense of optimism, but then is overwhelmed by despair! Ironic

just found it online.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HTl ... or&f=false
Was he looking in a crystal ball when he read it?
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marty
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by marty »

Last edited by marty on Wed Jul 18, 2018 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We’ll see about that.
yamaha
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by yamaha »

Is that the same day as Karim's sentencing?
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marty
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by marty »

No. Karim is being sentenced on 9 August.
My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We’ll see about that.
wagenman
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by wagenman »

marty wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 1:09 pm Not commenting. Just FYI.
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/vi ... 1002787338
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postwarblue
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by postwarblue »

Here is RM as a Grecian, sandwiching Cherny and his crew with his contemporary Barnard (thank you Julian):

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=2601

Barnard (last remembered from RAF CCF Corps Camp tent at Cottesmore 1953) and Martin were contemporaries and friends of mine. RM was a (notably clever) form-mate until our paths separated as Deps (Arts vs Science).
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hound of the baskervilles
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by hound of the baskervilles »

Maddleton wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:09 pm Whether or not management were aware of the specific acts of abuse, Dobbie's grooming activities (which in themselves were wholly inappropriate even by the standards of the time) were certainly common knowledge.

Anyone in Mid A in the mid to late 90's will remember some of the bizarre things he was allowed to get away with: individually photographing everyone in the house for unspecified reasons, extra-curricular art appreciation groups in his study dedicated exclusively to Lucien Freud nudes including the memorable advice that this was what our mothers looked like, the portrait he commissioned of a particular boy, the well documented alcohol dispensing to favourites late at night in his flat are just some that come immediately to mind. There are many others.

Far from hiding any of this type of activity, he revelled in it. He peacocked around the school like a public school teacher peadophile from central casting. The idea that his conviction came as a surprise to anyone in the school at the time is laughable. Most of my contemporaries in Mid A from the time would readily be able to identify his "type" even down to his preferred hair colour.

The common reaction to finding out two teachers had been arrested for offences in the 90's was not to wonder which two teachers they were, it was just to wonder who the other one was.
afraid the exact same can be said for those of us who were there in the 00's too. granted I had links to the 90's via family but was still fairly widespread knowledge.

been a while since i've posted here - but wanted to say that the discussion here is SIGNIFICANTLY more enlightening than reading anything trotted out in the press and wanted to thank the efforts of all members to bring the facts to the forefront in these difficult cases.
Michael Baskerville - Maine B 99-05, Gr E 05-06.
yamaha
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by yamaha »

Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases
Post by postwarblue » Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:44 pm

......... RM was a (notably clever) form-mate
plus, as a master: humane, generous and diligent with a tremendous ability for teaching.
RemedyLaw
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by RemedyLaw »

Just a thought...but has there been any discussion as to whether CH ought to be included in the Residential Schools investigation as part of the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) ?
AMP
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Re: Management knowledge of the Husband/Dobbie cases

Post by AMP »

I believe the school has petitioned to be included
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