After purchase of flowers took photoes of ancient building that housed, for a while, my old school. During its eight or so centuries of existence (it received it's Royal Charter from Richard II in 1379 - partly for being a very old established foundation even then) it has been housed in four different buildings in Wisbech - all of them still in public use. After leaving Elisabeth- who is another old pupil of the above school - it's been taking in both sexes as pupils for around forty years now- we headed homeward. Arrived just before seven p.m. Nearly wooden hill time now - so Goodnight All.
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It was sheer chance that I found the opportunity to see the earliest school-room. I had gone to the church after school to have a quick six-penn'orth (2.5 new pence)on the organ which had 3 keyboards, 2 banks of pedals and 2 vast panels of stops (bourdon and double-diapason were my favourite earth-shakers) only to find it was already in use by Ian Campbell, a class-mate who was cramming for a music exam. ( He of the 1926, 1.5 litre Alvis open-top tourer of which I am still jealous!) The organ had an electrical blower and any member of the public could pop a tanner into the slot to operate the blower for half an hour and play the grand beast of an organ which had recently been completely restored and modernised. I left Ian practicing and rambled round to the East end of the church to pass the time until the next slat-seated omnibus to Lakesend was due.
I was privileged on that evening some 50 years ago to find in the East Porch of St. Peter and St. Paul's church in Wisbech that a mason had left his ladder in place giving access to the loft above the porch. I duly availed myself of the opportunity to view the lofty school-room where the Grammar school was situated when it received its charter from King Richard II. I did not at the time appreciate its noble proportions and ancient architecture, but I felt enriched and honoured to absorb its august and academic atmosphere.
Hello Crowbard. That large room over the South porch is now easily accessible via a modern wood staircase, and is still in use as (I think) some sort of record office. I am still vaguely in touch with Spiky Campbell, although, as there were two Campbells (brothers about three years apart, as we were) I may well not be thinking of the same Campbell as you. When I say 'in touch with' I mean that I know his favourite watering hole where he can usually be found. Can't remember the name of it, but I could direct you to it.
Warm regards, Mike.
P.s. Inever knew that EITHER of the Campbells ran an Alvis ?
You're not thinking of Sir Malcolm of that ilk are you? I never knew him, but anyway he ran a Bluebird.
I believe 'Spiky' was the senior Caledonian brother but I cannot be sure. Ian was very slightly 'gat-tothed' as Chaucer would say. He wore NHS gig-lamps and definitely had somewhat spiky hair despite the copious Brylcreem he applied to it.
He drove down to Lakesend in the Alvis one weekend and allowed me to drive it up to W.H. where I believe you were quite busy saying hello to Ann lots of times.... you were probably saying goodbye to her lots of times after Ian and I buzzed off in a 1926 two-tone red and cream open topped Alvis which must prove love is highly discriminating if not actually blind.
Yes, that does ring a very vague bell. Memory works in strange ways (when it works at all). Roy has just given me a copy of a photo taken at Lakesend School circa 1950/51, and he can name all the children on it, whilst I managed 4/5 of them.
By the way the Campbell I'm 'sort of' still in touch with is the senior one of the brothers. He acquired the nickname Spikey because he was the first person in our group to have a crew cut- rather suited his persona, I thought.He's a good chap, hasn't changed much.
Your right, Mike. Memory operates by guide-lines all of its own choosing - it certainly brooks no rule! I may have been wrong about the two-tone red and cream, it's possible my memory conflated that colour scheme from a 1940's MG saloon which I also covetted outside a motor car sale room for£60/10/8d on the Eastern edes of the Wisbechian sprawl
Hello Carl, I seem to remember Tim having a 1940s sports car something like that in the late 60s/early seventies. And in the mid sixties Ann and I ran a 1940s Triumph Roadster, a three seater, with two 'dickie seats' in the rumble. I over-wintered it for a couple of years in the trap house at Welney to save money. At that time it was something of an achievement if the engine started when needed, and even more of an achievement if/when you arrived at your intended destination; and we all ran a series of clapped out, fairly stylish old bangers. Happy days.
Nearest I got to stylish was a Triumph Spitfire in an unfortunate shade of orange - still it complimented the rust!
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