Slindon College is an all boys boarding school, situated on the south downs in west sussex.
I spent 6 years at Slindon College, from the start of year 8 (1995) - the end of year 13 (2001). The last 2 years were bed and breakfast style as I was going to Chichester College, as part of an ever decreasing 6th form.
Slindon College had changed a lot during the 6 years that I was there.
Ghost Stories
In the early years there were tons of ghost stories, of which these died down over the years, which is a shame because now the juniors can sleep easily at night. Some of these were:
1. That Lady Beaumont (I think that how you spell it) would wall the halls once a month (I cann't remember which day it was). One night in year 9, my dormitory was Norfolk, the door opened on its own. We (about 6 of us whose room it was) knew no-one had pushed the door open as there was a light sensor aimed at the floor infront of the door (this was because of some stairs about 2m from our door). The light didn't turn on and the door stayed open for about 4 minutes, plus as far as we knew no-one was in the hallway (we didn't dare check, being **** scared). The only logical thing it could have been was the wind going though the building, but whether it could push a door open and keep it open for a few minutes, and do this just once while the dorm was ours, is another matter.
2. In another Junior dorm, Beckett, a mouse being chased by a cat would run out of the concealed fire-place pass the bunks, pass the radiator and into the priest hole.
3. The building reportedly has a lift shaft, used by the owners of the house before it became a war hospital and school. Anyway, reportedly one of the female servents was murdered in the lift and you can hear her scream for help, once again on certain nights. NOTE: The entrances have been cealed up, but reportedly the actual lift still remains and is rusty, another reason why it woulded be used.
4. That someone drowned in one of the ponds in the grounds, I believe its within the ornimental gardens.
5. That you can see some one where the old stable block used to be before it bunt down. This is also National Trust Property and Private.
6. As I said earlier the building was a hospital during the war before it became a school. With this in mind I'm sure that many other people have died there, and that ghost stories about them have know all but been forgoten.
7. Also there's a bomb shelter that still exists today which can be found at one of end ends of the rugby pitch. I'm sure people also had the change to die there too.
6th Form
As I said earlier, during the 2 years of 6th form numbers were decreasing. Year 12 started of 6 of us (me, Murray, Jan, Anthony, Brian, Christian), but after Jan sadly died of serious brain damage due from a 'hit and run' incident, Antony left. Then in year 13 Brian whet to uni, while Christian went to work of the post office after 3 years at college doing the same 1 year course and failing it (the year in which he left as also the year that the course wasn't taught any more), he also failed the entry tests to become a signal box operator on the rail network.
Jan Poppinghaus
Jan was a good friend to everyone who tried to do some thing, Jan hated slackers. When he come from Germany in year 9, he couldn't speak 1 word of english. Over time be became better at english than some of us whose primary language is english. He was very competitive in the sports arena, especially at basketball. Academically he was good, but in maths me, Jan, Anothony and Chris Brown, we had psyhological competitions inthe unit tests. And I remember after doing the triganomitry(?), which I fail (0%) about 3 times before passing, Jan said "Finally there's something I'm better at than you".
Anthony and Jan had made plans to share a flat in Chichester the term after Jan died.
The last time I saw Jan alive was on a friday (2 weeks before half-term) and mum had given us a lift back. Jan was slightly upset that afternoon because he was dropped from the college basketball team. The next Monday I saw Jack (1 year below) who was on work expirence and said "Did you hear about Jan", I said "yes" thinking he ment about being dropped. When I got back to Slindon about 7 hours later I then found out that Jack ment Jan was in an accident.
Funnies
1. One ex Slindon pupil made it to the national papers. While his mother was recoving in hospital from an operation, he sold her car. With the money he made from the sale he took his girlfriend to Belgium for a 'dirty weekend'. They stayed at a 5 star hotel, he bought her a neckless (dimonds i think), and did a few other things. After about 4 days the money ran out, so it was time to go home. When his mother got out of hospital and discovered what had happened she took her son to court. The judge in the case ordered the son to pay for a new car and to pay for his mothers travelling expenses to and from work.
2. Koyn (I cann't spell) during 1997, when Dean (Slindon's 1st gappie) said that his brother Scott was coming over the next year, asked Dean what his brothers surname was.