Blogscrape

I’m pleased that Robin Hendy made it to the city -I remember him talking about bulls and bears in 3(b??)- he also had a Simplex gear on his bike while the rest of us had Benelux and we all aspired to Campagnolos. Happily shaking Robin’s memories of competitive selection for Dof E I am pleased to say that my daughter is working towards the Gold Award. She also attends a grammar school as did my son, both of them being duly selected at 11+ in 2003 and 2004.
I remember being upset that only sporting types were selected for D of E-still I suppose in the late fifties they were still looking for empire conquering types.I do remember Eddie Pearce-he was related to one of the maths teachers. I also remember Keith Swan. What i do find eerie is tha according to wikipedia Eddie Watkins is still around!! good luck to him -he must have done something right-wish I knew what it was!!

Happy New Year. I am impressed by your memories. I remember Edward Pearce who wanted to become a missionary. A few years later I spoke to him on a chance meeting at Waterloo station. Edward was working for the GLC. I went into the City and came across Keith Swan who was working for Paine Webber’s US arbitrage. Richard Day mentions the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I remember the school arranged a sports afternoon to see who would be eligible to enrol in the scheme. I got the Gold Award and received the medal from Prince Philip. I helped with the D of E scheme over the years and when I recount my competitive selection in the fifties, in this all- inclusive world my story is greeted with horror. From memory only, about 10 pupils were selected to enrol in the Award at Bronze level. In those days there was not a D of E scheme for girls.

That is the same Eddie Watkins,he left the school in around 1958 to teach at aschool near Esher.He and Fred Parrot were also in charge of boxing.I last saw Eddie playing squash at Surbiton Squash Club with an equally large genleman,quite asight.Correction as to Dave Ashwells portrait .Itwas of Edith Bidmead.By the way ,it is 85 degrees and sunny inCharleston,S.C.

For Richard Day in particular– for the rest of us in bemusement!! Was this the guy with the steel ruler who tried to teach us maths and woodwork??
He couldn’t have been 40 in 1956??!!

Eddie Watkins
Personal information
Full name Edward Watkins
Date of birth March 2, 1916 (1916-03-02) (age 92)
Place of birth Caerphilly, Wales
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Lock
Clubs
Bedwas RFC
Cardiff RFC
National team(s) Caps (points)
1935-1939 Flag of Wales Wales[1] 8 (48)

Watkins began his club rugby days with Bedwas before moving to first class side Cardiff. In 1935, Watkins was chosen by Cardiff to face the touring New Zealand team. Cardiff were hoping that a strong pack containing Watkins, Les Spence and Gwyn Williams would give the club an advantage against the All Blacks, but were soundly beaten in an exciting game.[2]

Watkins gained his was first cap for Wales in 1935 again against New Zealand. In a memorable game, Wales turned around a losing scoreline in the last ten minutes to beat the All Balcks 13-12. Watkins was not selected for Wales throughout 1936, but was back for the final two games of the 1937 Home Nations Championship. It was a poor campaign for Wales and Watkins, with Wales losing all matches during the 1937 campaign. Watkins was reselected for the 1938 Championship, playing all three games. The opening game was against England at the Cardiff Arms Park, and under the captaincy of Cardiff team-mate Cliff Jones, Watkins was involved in his first Home Nations victory. In 1939 Watkins took part in his last Home Nations campaign, and although missing the game against Ireland, he was still a member of a Wales Championship winning team as Wilf Wooller’s team lifted the trophey with wins over Ireland and Scotland.

[edit] International games played

Wales[3]

* England 1938, 1939
* Ireland 1937, 1938
* New Zealand 1935
* Scotland 1937, 1938, 1939

It’s late so I’ll be quick. Richard Day said what alot of memories stirred. We all spent 5 to 7 years on the top of St Marks Hill- in my case one in nine years of my life. Should we not put all of these memories down -it seems sad that all those years should go-the history of SCGS??

So many memories being stirred up.Masters- Eddie Watkins pretended o teach us Maths in the 2 nd form,ithink he got a free pass because he played for Cardiff when they beat thAll Blacks in 1938.Harris-Ide lived on ahouse boat at Hampton Court.Fred Parrot agreat teacher(english).Alan Cadogan taught biology,and A level botany,also ran Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme,he told me that I would never make it at University,well ,asI tell my children,Inow have more degrees than a thermometer.Mo Morris taught biology,andzoology,and ran the 2nd xv.Which reminds me I played for the Old Surbs 3rd xv in the early 70’s with no less than 5 Courtneys,also Roger and Conrad King,and Alan Dowsett.Still get a kick out of listening toG&S,remember going to the Railway Tavern after aperformance dressed as a pirate or some such.How strange(queer?)that Doig could pull off an opera at an all boys school.Alan robinson ran the lighting as I recall.He and I were at Edinburgh together,we wre the first to head so far north,although we were joined b y the Kanis brothers and Paul Latham,and my brother in law’s brother David Baldwin ended up further north in Aberdeen. The isolation which was brought about by having such a large cachement area for the school I think was aproblem for all of us , those that lived in my area were Terry Loftus,Ian Scott,Rich Goddard,and David Ashwell.I have lost contact with all but Dave Ashwell,he as already mentioned lives in Malibu,where he paints ,extremely well(who can forget his famous portrait of Edith Bidwell).

Some poor kiddy came in with a similar exscuse when hi s mum’s washing machine flooded the kitchen and he stopped to help clear up the flood. “Jack” Skene (geography-in that big room in Braemar)had ajob to keep a straight face!

Colin Munday’s recollection of Jock Lonsdale reminds me of his famous phrase used to excoriate a pupil that mis-pronounced a word - “Forty million Frenchman can’t be wrong” he would bellow as he then gave the correct pronunciation version of the word.

I also recall, after the move to TD, John Junor, a fussy little man with a whiny voice that taught math. I remember one occasion when Steve Spooner turned up late to his class. He was returning to school after a few days absence because his home in West Molesey had been flooded and he had not been able to get to school.

Junor snapped at Spooner “where are your books, boy?” to which Spooner responded with a totally deadpan delivery.. “They’ve been condemned, sir”.

We all cracked up, it was hilarious. Junor had no answer to that one. Spooner’s books had been contaminated by the flood waters and the health authorities declared them unusable…LOL

It was the most original excuse I ever heard during my school years.

apologies to Keith Piggott for my description of him! I’m quite stunned that “himself” appeared on cue!
I had a felling i had got it wrong and Keith’s email confirmed it. However I am now of the opinion that I was thinking of Harold Picton,who left probably 1959-60?? regarding physical descriptions Bas Hewson was of the opinion that I had a green beard -ah the warped eye of the cartoonist!!
Kind of Will Hartje to give me the credit for the Mikado set -however Imust say that although I was heavily involved the credit for the best part of the set design and painting must go to Howard (Nelly) Neldrett, who was also an accomplished musician being a guitarist with a group called”TheGremlins”.and wowing the audience at a competition with his saxophone playing. Wow that was one sentence.
The other SCGS group was “The Electrons” starring Nick Graham and Dale Wrightson and tall kid with fair hair and glasses.

Happy New Year

Dave Littleproud

apologies to Keith Piggott for my description of him! I’m quite stunned that “himself” appeared on cue!
I had a felling i had got it wrong and Keith’s email confirmed it. However I am now of the opinion that I was thinking of Harold Picton,who left probably 1959-60?? regarding physical descriptions Bas Hewson was of the opinion that I had a green beard -ah the warped eye of the cartoonist!!
Kind of Will Hartje to give me the credit for the Mikado set -however Imust say that although I was heavily involved the credit for the best part of the set design and painting must go to Howard (Nelly) Neldrett, who was also an accomplished musician being a guitarist with a group called”TheGremlins”.and wowing the audience at a competition with his saxophone playing. Wow that was one sentence.
The other SCGS group was “The Electrons” starring Nick Graham and Dale Wrightson and tall kid with fair hair and glasses.

Happy New Year

Dave Littleproud

I was there during the transition from Surbiton to Thames Ditton (62-69) Remember the G&S operettas well, I was in Patience (chorus), The Mikado (Peep Bo),and Yeoman of the Guard (Kate). We’d put on three performances to full houses each Christmas. The operettas died when the school moved to Thames Ditton and Doig retired.

David Littleproud created much of the scenery for The Mikado, good job Dave…:-)

Chris Rippingale was in my year though I’m not sure we were ever classmates but I have some recollection of him.

To add to the teacher’s list were:

David (Bernie) Shaw math - about the only normal member of the staff

?? Curtis french

R D Major geography and music - assisted “Nutty” Bolt with the G&S operettas

Other things I remember - Ken Bidmead was a Hull City supporter, Bernie Shaw was Brighton and Hove Albion Fan, he commuted from Brighton!

Didn’t play in the rugby team- I was a football fan/player and didn’t like rugby much also had other obligations on weekends (competitive sailing), but I did run in the cross country and athletics teams and was in the school choir.

My first (2B) form teacher was “Sid” Capper. he was just like Mr Magoo, what a riot, the next year it was “Keats” Cocks, he wasn’t any less senile and just as deaf.

In 1962 I would get to school early that I could train spot outside the School entrance above “Surbiton Cutting”. The line there was the last line using steam trains on mainline passenger services in England.

The school changed drastically in character when it moved, it lost it’s sense of tradition.

Incredible Surbiton (Villiers) 53 to 60 great place.
Proud to have gone there.
Also greatest rubgy team around, remember Ecclessone and Harris in the centre doing the scissors. Davies the coach, chem master. I played on wing as I was fast on track, 220 and 440 yds, got relegated to seconds after doing a big up and under, under our posts.
I am still in contact with Steve Triggs. lives in Phoenix Arizona, Bob White unfortunately died last year in USA. also was very friendly with Ray Cawthorne and the Aussie Burhop. The “brag” club. Colin Munday and I have recently re established contact.
My mother is still alive and living in the famous party house, 2 weeks I seem to remember, glad you all had fun. I remember mother remarking on her return how clean the house looked. Took two days with lots of mucking in by all to clean the place. The next door neighbours never spilt the beans.
As Colin says I now live in Mexico, still mining, after being in Zambia 10 yrs and Cairns, Oz 20.
I remember Doig and his glasses, Sid Capper and his fag and Fernyhouse, french masters. Also Bidmead, who said that with 12.5% in Latin in the lower fifth, that Latin was not my subject. Wish I had studied it a bit better as would have made it easier in S America. Capt Hillier and Major Lefevre Maths
I was in the G & S operas!!
Happy New Year to All Old Surbs Urbs

Keith Piggott

Go Surbs Go!!
This site is getting interesting–yeah yeah I know it’s christmas -haven’t we bunch of saddoes better things to do? probably yes, but christmas is atime to think of friends and get gooey. Any way today 30 Dec I had coffee with an old Surb, whose daughter is friends with my daughter -they both go to the same school.
In reply to Colin Munday I remember most of the names on his list-all big boys to me. Keith Masters was headboy during my first year 1956-1957. What happened to John Oborn? a very nice fellow who ran the Christian Union. some time aftwer I left SCGS I bumped into Brian Cresswell in Kingston-by then I was ahead taller!
Anyway Colin you should ask Dave Ashwell if theres any room in Malibu-must be warmer than Pennsylvania.
This year I have had dinner and a pub session with Roger Taylor, first meeting in 40+ plus years, however Rog and I go back before SCGS to primary school(Latchmere). I’v also spoken to Stefan Dreja, Hugh Williams and John Beck.
For Richard Day–was Keith Piggott a chunky rugby player, dark hair that stoodup in a semicrewcut, heavy beard- also worked part time delivering groceries by van for a shop in Berrylands?
A pleasure to know that a former member of staff is around. I wonder what happened to those guys?
It’s true Ihave other things to do!!
Happy New Year to you all and I hope more join in!

All the best

Dave