Pastimes 1

Pastimes, clubs and societies

Angus Willson: From my time at Friends’ School I remember many talented and creative people. The credits page shown is from the 1973 issue of the school magazine. Simon Greaves was a huge influence on the two previous issues, as where Ben Cheese and Julia Whatley from the year above. It was great fun working on the school magazine and it involved those in a wide span of year groups. This is an often overlooked feature of boarding education. As the magazine production process had moved from hot-metal to offset-litho we were given tremendous flexibility – we also had considerable editorial freedom.

I have continued to enjoy working with designers and printers in my various roles in compiling and editing publications for use in schools. And this is despite the continuing pressure of deadlines and proofing errors.

Your contribution?

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David Stuckey: Am I right in thinking that you helped to edit that rag with Nick Dakin called ‘drop-out groan’?

Jonathan Richards, Paul Brewster, Geoffrey Barnard, Jonathan Clamp, Huw Gray, Giles Norton.

Photo by Simon Colbeck.(caption corrected)

Simon Colbeck: Louis Mair (see photo in learning) was famous (in my memory) for being apprehended by the police at a twilight Festival of Light (right-wing moral crusaders) meeting on Saffron Walden Common. He had just enlivened the proceedings with loud fireworks. I was a cowardly accomplice who escaped unseen.

Tim Watts: Sad to hear that the cross country route has been developed. I remember walking to the copse on Sundays and lighting bonfires. Talking of which, do you remember the time in the fifth form when we ignited a huge pile of weed-killer and sugar on the playing fields (in those pre-terrorism days you could still buy that type of weed-killer). Wasn’t it in the shape of a swastika as some kind of protest against the repressive school policies? Right on comrades!

Angus Willson: You were well known for your pyrotechnic tendencies… including lighter fluid flaming down the concrete stair cases!

Fiona Wood [Adler]: The Pet Shed – I think this formed a dual purpose probably inherent in it’s title!! The escape for the homesick child who preferred the company of harmless hamsters or… well, it was marginally warmer than outside!

La Coume – …eating peaches straight from the tree; getting very badly sunburnt on the backs of my knees whilst digging out the hillside for the pool and having to wear long socks thereafter; and Jonathan Clamp’s excellent entertainment on his guitar in the evenings…very atmospheric.