Mention of "Molyneux" in the poem submitted by Jerry Grandage (53-58) as handed down to him by his father George Grandage (18-20) set me searching through Lionel Stephens' history of the College. "Little Molyneux", writes Steve, "was a small, energetic and excitable instructor who taught Signals.
On page 35 there is also this description of Molyneux, attributed to SC Bradley (19-22):
"He used to chase us round the Seamanship Room with a rope's end. He had an advantage over many of us because he seemed to be able to duck under the jackstay without bending, and so could catch up with the fleeter-footed cadets who were too tall. He had his leg pulled unmercifully and used to issue dire threats, the most serious of which was 'I'll call you by name in a minute!'"
Posted:
10/05/2012 15:00:24 by
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I attended Pangbourne in the 1950s and although I haven't tried to keep in touch over the years I've been receiving OP material such as the Pangbournian, writes Jerry Grandage (53-58) from Australia.
When I read in the 2012 issue that the O Society was requesting material for a new history of the College I recalled a childhood memory of my father George Grandage (18-20). He had fond memories of his time at the NCP in its earliest years and told me that a song used to be sung on leaving the College at the end of each term. It went something like this:
Riding home from Pangbourne
On a Western train
After weeks of learning
With Daddy Wet and Mayne.
No more Billy Binstead
No more Molyneux
No more eating dirty food
That makes you want to spew.
Not entirely complimentary I realise but no doubt there is other positive material to offset it!
(Editor: from Lionel Stephens' history of the College published in 1991 it is possible to identify two of those mentioned above. "Daddy Wet" might be Daddy Childs "a tall Marine." Mayne goes unmentioned. Billy Binstead is described as "Harry Binstead, a typical old salt, with a wad of chewing tobacco in his cheek. He was in charge of Seamanship and Boatwork. If he thought a cadet was not pulling his weight in the boat, he would unslip the tiller bar and wave it madly around threatening to inflict the miscreant with what he called 'tiller soup'." Binstead had been an Admiral's coxswain. "He rent the air with stentorian cries such as "Give way all!").
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10/05/2012 14:41:29 by
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When I was CCC of Hesperus in 1972, writes Les Vaizey (68-72) from France, I gave no punishments whatsoever, except (I was fond of doing a cross country run early in the morning before Brass, and taking a cold shower afterwards) for "inviting" the few lads in the Division who took advantage of the system to accompany me and discuss anarchist fundamentals.
That year we won the parade cup and the rugby, fencing and drama competitions - all without divisional peg, cuts, or drill.
Perhaps the only real punishment I gave was when I read out excepts of Nietzsche's Zarathustra before divisional prayers when "Holy Joe" Laxton came to indocrinate the gulible.
When I was CC, I refused to wear my strips, and therefore was supprised that I was made CCC. The Housemaster, Richard Norris who took over after Mike Atkins, must have had "mystic" leanings. I know he liked Kierkegaard.
As secretary of the Jacobins, the Ecleptics and the Literary and Fine Arts society, I should have had some influence on the young and nubile minds of the sensitive few. Our play " Adam and Eva" which I wrote, directed and acted in, won the Divisional Drama Competition and sported almost 30 actors. No one was obliged to perform and it worked. In fact I was the only actor who forgot his lines!
Still, the apparent look of total social conformity on the faces of most OPs I've come across must demonstrate my absolute failure in this one and only anarchist experiment at Pangbourne College.
Posted:
21/03/2012 14:11:56 by
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My father (RB 'Dickie' Richardson 33-36) used to recall Charlie Sewell, one of the Instructors in his day, saying "There's some Cadets round 'ere what's not pulling their weight and you two's one of 'em."
In my time I recall Tiger Knights greeting us on our first visit to Drake by "When I say 'Come Here' I don't mean walk, I don't mean run, I mean FLY."
WC ('Flush') Rimmer, Executive Officer in my day, used to call everybody 'Brother' (Brother Richardson, Brother Nicholson etc)
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10/03/2012 09:44:30 by
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I really enjoyed Sam Strachan's account of The Band in 1961-62. I left at the end of the Christmas Term of 1960 to join my first BI ship so wasn't part of it but have happy memories of Band activities in 1958/1959 and during my final year at the NCP.
I certainly remember two Drum Majors - Ian McVittie (1958) and David Ryder (1957) - as being very impressive. As for The Band in 1960, our Drum Major was Jonathan Priest. I have a photo of that Band with most of the names written on the back. We all look pretty happy in lovely sunshine. I think that Royal Marine from Deal had got us into pretty good shape!!
Here are some of those names: Ali (Fife), Bailey (Bugle), Slater (Fife), Armstrong (Drum), Walker(Drum), Lllewellyn (Bugle), Priest (Drum Major), Howard? (Fife), Garrard (Bugle), Malcolm (Bugle), Humphries (Fife), Griffiths (Bugle), Strachan (Bugle), Gavin (Drum), Givan (Drum), Ramsden (Bass Drum), Powell Jones (Tenor Drum), Hall (Drum), Shanks (Fife), Heron Watson (Fife), Vaudrey (Fife?), Dick Scott Priestley, Asquith and Herbert.
I have a couple of special memories with respect to the 1960 Band.
The first is that having achieved the giddy heights of a Silver Bugler in 1960 my right front tooth was extracted sometime that year and I had a "plate" inserted meaning that I could not put pressure on the mouthpiece! Hence the end of my coveted status.
All was not lost, however, as for some reason at the same time the cymbals player spot became open and the powers-that-be moved me into that role in the band! Indeed, I remember clashing the cymbals enthusiastically during the Seafarers' Service parade in London in November - one of my last performances with that particular instrument.
The other memory is of doing double duty on visits to village fetes in the summer with the Band. We would march around and play a few tunes for the crowds who seemed to really appreciate these smart young men strutting their stuff.
The double duty was due to the fact that the College vaulting team, of which I was a member, also put on dispays at these fetes. So after blowing the bugle in No 1's I would hurriedly change into my shorts and singlet and join the vaulting and club swinging team for a different display. Phew! The audiences loved it and Tiger Knights would always make sure that we were on our best behaviour and keep us out of trouble.
One of the more challenging vaults was a free roll over the high horse which literally meant that you flew over the top of the box from the springboard, hands outstretched, and then landed on the mats, tucked in your head and rolled away. I remember a lady in the audience shouting "There goes the little one! Just watch him fly!" Even though it was potentially dangerous Tiger was always there for us. The worst injury I can recall was to Lennie Loennechen (57-60) who dislocated his shoulder. Tiger promptly put it back into place with a jerk on the spot!
So that's my Band and double duty "Happy Memories" !! It is wonderful reading all the different memories and perspectives that have been published recently. With best wishes to every OP from cold and wet Niagara on the lake!!
Posted:
27/01/2012 09:14:56 by
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