EVERSLEY COURT – A MOSAIC OF MEMORIES

James Hazelden (EGS 1954-63)

The annual cross-country run…Voluntary Fund which was compulsory…The School Play “Down Wiv Skool” produced by Michael Morley…Boys vs Masters soccer matches at The Saffrons…Cricket nets at the top of the “back field”…Weather monitor on the forbidden lawn…The day it rained fir cones from the Prefects’ Room…Mr Rabbitt, Maurice Romans’ predecessor…Picture in the school hall – Still Life With A Green Jar; by Ravilious but which one?…The Gym!!…2P Gardens alongside the canteen (2P was the form hosted by Dizzy Dyer in the “Prep”…

Michael Gilsenan’s speech at the Winter Garden (speech day) as Head Boy – “No man is an island”…Mr Ward (Reginald Bertin’s predecessor)…CCF Field Day…Trips across to the Technical School for extra classrooms for us “baby boomers”…Mr R Davies, Geography master prior to Vernon Davies…John Harrison plus pipe in the Library (pens, biros, Bics, Parker 51s poised ready for action)…The “Whispering Gallery” between the Geography rooms… Neville Hortop’s rather risque joke at end of term regarding a pool of water: H2O? No, K9P…The “Alpha” stream…Mr Platt, Second Master before Mr Owen…Chris Lumb, us Uppertonians’ star cross-country runner…The day Dave Taylor wore fluorescent socks to school…Mrs Newall, head dinner lady (cost 1/- per day!)…Older members of staff, namely Messrs Bonfield, Standidge & Bosley …Sports Day at Princes Park Oval, especially sprinter Graham(?) Satchell…

Contemporaries no longer on this mortal coil – Bob Martindale, Roger Sundby, Reginald Martin, Jim Pepper, Alan Phipps, Chris Deadman and cousin Mick Kelly…Nick Barlow’s during the school carol service “And lo the angel of the Lord came down”…Prefects who awarded me 100 lines – Howard Spencer, Robin Quaife, Dave Petherick…Rex Shaw for saying “Stand up boy!” to which I replied “I am Sir!”…School colours at the top of long grey socks…Auction of unclaimed lost property at the end of term…”What is the chief export of Wales?” “Schoolmasters, Sir!”…The caretaker, Mr Greenwell…Other guitarists who encouraged me – Mark Aylward, “Pop” Allchorn, Gerry Edwards Mike (?) Sellings…What was that pink plastic thing always put in the cricket bag?…The introduction of a one-way system to avoid congestion on the stairs…

Nick Mallion and Chris Pinder, not seen since 1962, who I traced to attend my 50^th birthday party…Cycle Proficiency Tests including certificate and free reflective tape…The only female teacher, Miss Perkins, who taught French…Overheard outside the staff room: “Well Vernon, looks a nice day for the rugby match.” “Any day is a nice day for rugby!”  (courtesy of Dick Plant, my fellow pro musician)

Final thought: anyone who visits the new Eversley Court (flats) will be cheered that the site bears a striking resemblance to the original, including stonework from the school. The L shape is still present, as are the lawn and the back field (now a car park).