Col B and bell ringing.

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:41 pm

During my time at the school it was the task of Col B to ring the bell at Big School to inform if we were to march into lunch with the band ( 3 rings without 6 rings and if raining 9 rings ). Now at breakfast the bell was rung at 7.30am but only 3 rings or 9. And at tea time the same. I remember ( because I did the ringing ) that for the houses further down the avenue we could also ring the firebell. I can still remember the joy of waking up to find it raining and knowing that soon I had the power of ringing the fire bell 9 times. 8 blasts of 2 second duration and the final one of about 10 seconds " the joy. the joy "

Strangely enough I was totally useless at everything else but managed over a two year period to rarely miss the times to ring.

The period would have been about 71-74. Does this still go on ?

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:47 pm

It is all automated these days - did you have to manually 'pull' the bell?

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:52 pm

Yep we pulled !

The side door at Big School on the right was left unlocked and the bell rope was placed on the right ( I think ) side of the main doors. In the same place was the fire bell and we were given a key to unlock the bell.

Used to function well, only problem was when one rang three bells and the band did not turn up.

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:56 pm

I don't know when it became automated but it has been ever since I have lived at the school (1992)

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:56 pm

Col B were responsible for the Chapel bell, (gong), in my day as well. I had that pleasure !

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:00 pm

I can still remeber the pleasure of walking to Big School early in the morning just before anyone else was around, I think the lack of privacy at the school was hard to take. And the fact that I got into the Dining Hall before the rest of the pack.

DavebytheSea · Post by **DavebytheSea** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:01 pm

Well whadya know? - chapel and the Big School bell. What a sense of power Col B residents must have had. I always thought it was Sergeant Usher or something who did Big School. Never crossed my mind that the guy pulling the bell rope in Chapel had to be from Col B. A bit like Mid A doing the drum majory thing, I suppose.

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:05 pm

Which just goes to prove how important we in Col B were in the day to day running of the school !!!!!!!! I had the power to decide if the band was to play or not..guesswork.... never thought to actually go and ask them !

Yep Col B was the elite of the elite.

DavebytheSea · Post by **DavebytheSea** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:07 pm

but we in Mid A could still decide whether to ignore you or not! No drum major, no band!

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:08 pm

efsis wrote:Which just goes to prove how important we in Col B were in the day to day running of the school !!!!!!!! I had the power to decide if the band was to play or not..guesswork.... never thought to actually go and ask them !

Yep Col B was the elite of the elite.

Were you Band-Captain, then ?

What were your years ?

'Bill' Bailey was 'God' in the 60's.

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:10 pm

DavebytheSea wrote:but we in Mid A could still decide whether to ignore you or not! No drum major, no band!

Well we in Col B let you have your 15 seconds of fame, AND we could see into the headmasters house !!

DavebytheSea · Post by **DavebytheSea** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:25 pm

What upstairs as well? Flecker's daughters in their bedrooms? GOSH

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:28 pm

There is a very crude joke bubbling under the surface of this thread....

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 2:29 pm

J.R. wrote:
efsis wrote:Which just goes to prove how important we in Col B were in the day to day running of the school !!!!!!!! I had the power to decide if the band was to play or not..guesswork.... never thought to actually go and ask them !

Yep Col B was the elite of the elite.
Were you Band-Captain, then ?

What were your years ?

'Bill' Bailey was 'God' in the 60's.

Err not quite..what I meant was that I sort of lurked around Big School and the road behind and if the band did not show up at the holy hour..six bells..and of course then they did show up..3 bells which caused havoc in the junior houses. ( the seniors never being on time anyway)

BA 69-70 ColB 71 ?-74 when I was asked to leave.

efsis · Post by **efsis** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 2:33 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:There is a very crude joke bubbling under the surface of this thread....

Well prick it and be done with it !

What I meant was that it was nice to be able to see a family eating nice food ,watching tv, being civilised and all the time in a pleasant warmth. While we mere mortals fought to be able to sit on the radiator ( piles or not )