Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Spyway! ('47 to '53)

What memories ! All conquering rugger side under (Sir) Alan Outram - Tea with (Lord) David Sainsbury - being stabbed by the (Earl) Charlie Shelburne (heck we were posh)- filching a whole packet of tobacco from Geoffrey's stache and smoking myself sick up a tree in the Drove - cricket team scoring 12 all out against Forres (Geoffrey drove us behind Nine Barrow Down and made us walk home then proceeded to mow the grass with the Jeep all night long in the ugliest rage I ever saw) - Eric's hairbrush......the most painful instrument of torture ever devised - dreaded Dancing Ledge before I could swim then absolutely loved it when I learnt - the rest after lunch in summer lying on my tartan rug between the upper and lower pitches reading Biggles. Lobster at the Trocadero when mum and dad came down to take me out. Pedalos at Studland. The smell of Hadrel and linseed oil in the carpentry shop. The walk to Tom's Pole on a blowy winter's day. The smell of cricket balls in the porch. That spine tingling thrill when Eric came in to morning prayers with a list of pupils to ask us how we were going home and how our luggage was going. Then the sweets and the taxis and the little train from Swanage and with one bound we were FREEEEEEEEE!

Cold Baths

Will never forget the initial shock of cold baths as soon as you woke up in the morning - usually in the summer months - when a prefect would push you upto your neck and hold you down. Then a long walk which seemed miles for a 6 year old down to the gates at the end of the drive and back (strictly NO running) and finally 12 breathing exercises which could not be rushed. All this BEFORE breakfast - I don't believe human rights existed in those days!