| Class of the sixties |
| Hello May I introduce myself my name is REG BOTTERILL Old boy from GST 1957-62, (The same year Mr Grant started), I have just found your site today Fantastic. It really brought back memories, I was transported back in time for a good hour or so, even found myself pulling boats up that hill for winter storage. I really must thank you for setting up the site.. I have many memories of my time at the school, plus a very good school photo from about 1960 which I will scan and email if you wish. I have ALL the names of my class and many other names from other years. My father attended the school back in the 1914-1918 period (I think) along with the man who was caretaker during my time. The school set me in good stead to join the RN in 62, where I spent the next 32 years, finishing as a Lt. Cdr. in 94. I am retired now, but still look back on those days as some of the happiest of my life. Not many kids could say they went to school in PARADISE. Some of the names from school that I remember from my year... Brian Atkinson, Billy Bradshaw, John Briggs, David Carsey, John Danby, Malcolm Drury, Terry Edson, China Elliott (Fishing Skipper) John Gunster Bobby Mainprize (Fishing Skipper), Plillip May (Master Mariner) Eddy Sheader Brian Webster, Eric Mason, Brian Yarker, Tommy Matson, Gabber Nicholson (Fishing Skipper), Mac McGovern. Other names from different eras... Archibald Andrews, Colin Woof, Trevor Romans, Tony Crisp, The Elstob Twins (Christopher and ?? from Bridlington). Memories.... We used to play a game called Gabba or Gabber. An old school book would be rolled up tight and then soaked in water, someone was nominated as "it" and the idea was to throw and hit someone else with this very heavy thing. They then became it and we started all over again. I remember that that thing really hurt if it was thrown correctly. There were no rules it was a mean game and was not really allowed either. The 12 bore cartridge story One thing I remember in metalwork with Bruiser Main was when Billy (Blondie) Bradshaw put a live 12 bore cartridge in a vice and hit the centre with a hammer and file tang. It went off like a bomb, the pellets shot out and pebble dashed the top of the forge near the door, Damn lucky no-one was hurt. Bruiser went ape as he never saw who did it. Boy did we suffer for that!!!! Anybody know why he was named bruiser? Maybe because of his habit of nipping the back of your thigh or bicep if you were out of line especially in Tech drawing if your dimension arrows looked like " Zulu Spears Lad". |
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| In our days Bruise Maine was the piano player in morning divisions, in fact he used to teach music!!! But he always carried a cane around with him and whilst playing the piano he used to lay the cane on the open top of a very upright piano we had. It was not unusual for the cane to slowly work its way accross the top of the piano due to vibration, he was a very enthusiastic musician, and drop down inside it.The results were always well received, and caused lots of laughter. He never seemed to learn, it happened lots of times, I wonder if he did it on purpose? Captain Tribe was the most feared, though only because of his position as headmaster, he used to teach trigonometry, horrors!! He had a strap similar to the scottish schoolmasters!! Mr Grant was probably the best liked of the teachers at the time. |