R Rae

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AMP
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Re: R Rae

Post by AMP »

He was Fourth Master in my day, behind THK and HFS.
Moved up to Third when THK retired.
They must have been bewildered having to sit next to Cairncross in Chapel.
What a pygmy.
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Re: R Rae

Post by richardb »

Companies House has a Robert Rae recorded as director for a 10 year period of a block of flats in Horsham.

The date of birth would make him 93 which sounds right.

There is no record of a Will in the last 5 years so it sounds as though he is still with us.
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Re: R Rae

Post by jhopgood »

J.R. wrote: Sat May 09, 2020 1:17 pm But I seem to remember he did have a habit of rocking his chair back on the rear legs.
And falling over
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Re: R Rae

Post by Avon »

AMP wrote: Sat May 09, 2020 2:42 pm He was Fourth Master in my day, behind THK and HFS.
Moved up to Third when THK retired.
They must have been bewildered having to sit next to Cairncross in Chapel.
What a pygmy.
Who?

It’s worth remembering that THK and Rae were in the senior management team during the period of endemic child abuse. It’s my view that they were effectively unfit-for-role sinecurists at that point, and perhaps this explains why they are being spared the ire that Sillett, Cairncross and Poulton are rightly attracting.
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Re: R Rae

Post by Foureyes »

Should this not be moved to the 'reminiscences' section?
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Re: R Rae

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In my years at CH, I can honestly say that whilst I remember Rocker as a member of staff, and I knew him by sight, I do not think that I was ever once in his presence or heard him speak, not having been in his House or a class that he taught, or even a game that he refereed. I knew him mainly by reputation as a very good Maths teacher and the driving force behind the RAF section of the CCF and Wing Cdr, the RAF section generally were the most disciplined of the CCF sections (one of the reasons I avoided the RAF section, far too serious for me at the time) except of course when us Navy lot faced Chief Bradley. The Army lot were let down by the Signals lot.

In terms of his reputation generally, a good teacher and one who didn't suffer fools gladly (and he was in a target-rich environment), and generally highly thought of and respected all round. Those who were taught by him were, I think, fortunate.

Once incident I did hear about c. 1981-2 was that in the year below me, a Third Former iirc, a cheeky chap not in my house, perhaps Mid A or B, with a continental surname, one of the less serious types, decided to hide during Rocker's Maths lesson in one of the cupboards that were on the wall to the corridor with sliding doors. He squeezed himself into the space before the lesson and got some classmates to cover for him with the pretext of a dental appointment. He managed to conceal the sniggering (as did they all) but he moved and the sliding door popped out under his weight and he tumbled out of the cupboard with a clatter mid-lesson. I could picture the scene in my mind's eye and I can imagine the trepidation as the lad sheepishly picked himself up. The outcome, I don't recall, but it didn't reflect badly on Rocker.
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J.R.
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Re: R Rae

Post by J.R. »

MrEd wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 6:59 pm In my years at CH, I can honestly say that whilst I remember Rocker as a member of staff, and I knew him by sight, I do not think that I was ever once in his presence or heard him speak, not having been in his House or a class that he taught, or even a game that he refereed. I knew him mainly by reputation as a very good Maths teacher and the driving force behind the RAF section of the CCF and Wing Cdr, the RAF section generally were the most disciplined of the CCF sections (one of the reasons I avoided the RAF section, far too serious for me at the time) except of course when us Navy lot faced Chief Bradley. The Army lot were let down by the Signals lot.

In terms of his reputation generally, a good teacher and one who didn't suffer fools gladly (and he was in a target-rich environment), and generally highly thought of and respected all round. Those who were taught by him were, I think, fortunate.

Once incident I did hear about c. 1981-2 was that in the year below me, a Third Former iirc, a cheeky chap not in my house, perhaps Mid A or B, with a continental surname, one of the less serious types, decided to hide during Rocker's Maths lesson in one of the cupboards that were on the wall to the corridor with sliding doors. He squeezed himself into the space before the lesson and got some classmates to cover for him with the pretext of a dental appointment. He managed to conceal the sniggering (as did they all) but he moved and the sliding door popped out under his weight and he tumbled out of the cupboard with a clatter mid-lesson. I could picture the scene in my mind's eye and I can imagine the trepidation as the lad sheepishly picked himself up. The outcome, I don't recall, but it didn't reflect badly on Rocker.
Remembering Mr. Rae, as I do well, I can only imagine the outcome as DIRE for the miscreant.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: R Rae

Post by loringa »

J.R. wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 7:43 pm
MrEd wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 6:59 pm
The outcome, I don't recall, but it didn't reflect badly on Rocker.
Remembering Mr. Rae, as I do well, I can only imagine the outcome as DIRE for the miscreant.
Knowing Mr Rae from after your time JR, I think experience had mellowed him. He didn't have any problem keeping order and we were a Deps / Grecians' class but he was never, in my opinion, in any way terrifying. He's not the only one who seems to have mellowed over time. Richard 'Killer' Fry always struck me as a gentle soul and a real gentlemen; reminiscences elsewhere indicate that he was much more fierce in his earlier days at Christ' Hospital when and where I believe he gained his nickname.
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Re: R Rae

Post by jhopgood »

loringa wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 6:24 am
J.R. wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 7:43 pm
MrEd wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 6:59 pm
The outcome, I don't recall, but it didn't reflect badly on Rocker.
Remembering Mr. Rae, as I do well, I can only imagine the outcome as DIRE for the miscreant.
Knowing Mr Rae from after your time JR, I think experience had mellowed him. He didn't have any problem keeping order and we were a Deps / Grecians' class but he was never, in my opinion, in any way terrifying.
I agree. I cannot remember any master, except from Bogey Fryer, ever showing their temper. Unless, of course, you include flying chalk, for which Rae was famous.
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