Letter to Head Master

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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robert totterdell
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by robert totterdell »

Wurzel I've found them and will send an email.

Thank you so much. I didn't even know they existed - but I still expect CH itself to provide some money to them.

This may be the most important breakthrough - a little beacon of light into what for me has become a murky and mysterious, deep and dark swamp.

Thank you

Rob
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by DazedandConfused »

Robert, you are doing fantastic work that few would be able to take on in the way that you have. However, it concerns me that you talk about the needs of the many outweighing your own- please remember that you matter just as much as every other victim and to take a break, seek support in whatever form serves you best and make sure that you don’t forget to look after your own well being.
robert totterdell
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by robert totterdell »

I'm fine - tired and mentally exhausted but very determined and progress is now being made. But thank you for your concern. I just have a bad gut feeling that not all of the worms are out of the woodwork. Hayden is an issue for me as it's in my time but I am concerned with others (also from my time but onwards).

I think the chaplaincy has a huge question mark over it but it's Burr's boats that are in my mind just now and that is from the Martin trial.

Still a lot of questions and too few answers - these will only come from Old Blues unless I can get CH to IICSA. Working on it.

Rob
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by DazedandConfused »

I hope it’s in some way therapeutic for you to focus like this, I guess it gives you an outlet to channel your anger and frustration towards.

I don’t understand the reference to Hayden- who is he?

And can you share what about the boats came up at Martin’s trial? I don’t want to step into territory that could jeopardise future cases or get the forum into trouble, however I assume that the press could have reported on everything had they have wished to and then it would be in the public domain?
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Mid A 15
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by Mid A 15 »

DazedandConfused wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:11 pm I hope it’s in some way therapeutic for you to focus like this, I guess it gives you an outlet to channel your anger and frustration towards.

I don’t understand the reference to Hayden- who is he?

And can you share what about the boats came up at Martin’s trial? I don’t want to step into territory that could jeopardise future cases or get the forum into trouble, however I assume that the press could have reported on everything had they have wished to and then it would be in the public domain?
A Master who left very 'suddenly' in the early seventies. I'd better not elaborate for fear of compromising any legal progress. Not that I 'know' anything just gossip from the time.
Ma A, Mid A 65 -72
robert totterdell
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by robert totterdell »

Ok just one answer tonight and the other tomorrow - that's a good deal as I am knackered.

In the early 1970's (pre Mich term 1972) a master was 'removed' or suddenly left the school. He drove a white jag. This was Hayden.

The reason was (and there does not have to be a discussion as I now know it is right) he attempted to abuse or in the language of the time 'get it off' with a masters son who was attending at the school. The boy was good looking - well I guess pretty stunning as I remember him - that is the boy not the master. It seems unbelievable but there you are it is what it was.

Not his fault but it highlights what was happening.

Of course the son will not want to come forward but then perhaps he should.
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by Mid A 15 »

robert totterdell wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:25 pm Ok just one answer tonight and the other tomorrow - that's a good deal as I am knackered.

In the early 1970's (pre Mich term 1972) a master was 'removed' or suddenly left the school. He drove a white jag. This was Hayden.

The reason was (and there does not have to be a discussion as I now know it is right) he attempted to abuse or in the language of the time 'get it off' with a masters son who was attending at the school. The boy was good looking - well I guess pretty stunning as I remember him - that is the boy not the master. It seems unbelievable but there you are it is what it was.

The boy became a Governor in the new council but has since resigned as I asked Guy Perricone that he should attend the meeting with the redress committee.

Not his fault but it highlights what was happening.

Father was ............ Of course the son will not want to come forward but then perhaps he should.
Robert,

You might want to remove the father and name.

Not sure it should be on a public forum if the victim is reluctant but the name and father you have quoted is not quite correct.
Ma A, Mid A 65 -72
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by richardb »

I have edited Rob's post as the victim has lifelong anonymity which only he can waive.
robert totterdell
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by robert totterdell »

agreed
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by TMF »

There is a 14 year old line here:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=66&p=1256&#p1256
'b****r Hayden - one needed to avoid being invited into the white Jaguar'
robert totterdell
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Re: Letter to Head Master - the boat

Post by robert totterdell »

So leaving Hayden aside the question of the narrow boat(s) is interesting. I am going to be very careful with names here well no just how I phrase things. I will leave John to edit it but for safety it is said 'Without Prejudice'.

The first boat was called The Empress of Blanding(s). It was a joint ownership with Burr as a part owner. He and other masters from CH used to take boys on day trips (I think it was Sundays). The boat was moored at Slough I - yes, I never knew that Slough had a canal linked to the main network but it does. It must have been a long drive in those days. I went on one trip but it was quite good as one of the other masters (I think it was Shippen) made really good sandwiches and we had crisps. The bread was good not like the CH stuff that was always wet/soggy/elastic - particularly when toasted and put in the warm food trolleys.

Of course each boy was allowed to stear the boat for awhile. And of course this involved a master helping. I will leave to imagine how that help was given.

I went just once on a day trip but then was due to go on a full weeks trip in the Easter holidays - but I got dumped, interesting just after my key involvement with Burr. It's another story.

When Burr inherited from his mother he bought his own boat and had it moored at Napton about two miles from where I live now. The boat was called Belmont after his parents Prep school. He later replaced it with Theodore, again at Napton.

Burr was 'moved on' but he still entertained boys from both CH and The Reading Oratory on the new boat. He also entertained various masters.

Of the masters you may recognise some names: Shippen, Webb, Rev Atkinson, Durrent, Martin & Hayden.

I am not suggesting other than those who have been convicted that any were or have been involved in any form of sexual abuse - corporal abuse is a slightly different matter.

Some of these masters went on holidays on the boat as did various children from both CH and other schools. Both Husband and Dobbie attended at least once on the boat. Karim, to the best of my knowledge, did not.

I will leave you to work things out.

Rob
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Re: Letter to Head Master - the boat

Post by Vilified »

robert totterdell wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:59 am
Burr was 'moved on' but he still entertained boys from both CH and The Reading Oratory on the new boat. He also entertained various masters.

Of the masters you may recognise some names: Shippen, Webb, Rev Atkinson, Durrent, Martin & Hayden.

Some of these masters went on holidays on the boat as did various children from both CH and other schools.

I will leave you to work things out.

Rob
Before some of the more suspicious-minded on this site once again "work things out" to my disadvantage, I trust, Rob, that you will confirm that I volunteered the information to you that I had been on Burr's boat. Once! You had not asked.
I did not know anything about him, other than that he had previously been at CH, and was a friend of some of those who invited me along.
To say he "entertained" me is stretching things a bit. He owned the boat, and he agreed to letting his former colleagues bring along a new master on a staff-only jaunt.
There was, obviously, no suspicion attached to any of the staff involved, at that time, as far as I was aware; indeed, none has become known to me until the past few months, initially from the media then from this site.
I can't remember anything about the trip except that I didn't like Burr, who was 'up himself' and laid into me for letting the boat bump against a lock gate. And that it was my introduction to real ales. Can't be sure who was there, don't know where we went.
I felt that it was kind of my new colleagues to try to make me feel at home; and I appreciated that kindness.
And that is it!
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by J.R. »

richardb wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:28 pm The work you are doing is incredible Rob. You deserve proper recognition.

It is truly shocking that the school won't even pay for counselling for victims. It may claim to be reaching out to the victims, but it isn't reaching very far.
Short arms and exceedingly long pockets in my view.
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by AMP »

Not all of these masters overlapped at CH so do we know what the common link was?

Scouts?

Who was maintaining the friendships with the suddenly departed?

Into the early 90s (if other posts on here are accurate)

Assume it was Dodger who invited along Villified for his one and only trip whilst he was a master, with the acquiescence of an intermediary.

And who were the five registered keepers of The Empress?
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Re: Letter to Head Master

Post by J.R. »

The plot thickens, and it ain't because of Bisto !!
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