THE NEWSLETTER OF BIRKENHEAD INSTITUTE OLD BOYS

Issue 5 March 2001

Edited by Harold Beckett, ''Little Haven", 1 Salem View, Oxton. Wirral. CH43 5UH Tel.0151-652-3782Designed and printed by Vie Swift Tel. 0151-334-9116E-mail biob@vicswift.freeserve.co.uk www.biob.hemscott.net

COMMENT

Some of us attended (ortaught at) B.I. when itwas called a SecondarySchool, some when itwas called a GrammarSchool and some when itwas a ComprehensiveSchool. Some of uswere housed atWhetstone Lane andsome of us atTollemache Road.However, all of us havetwo things in common.We all went toBirkenhead Institute andwe are proud of it. Inthis age of materialism,when it would appearthat money is "God", itis most interesting thatnearly 500 B.I.O.Bs.wish to be on the registerknowing there is nothingin it for them and therewill be no monetary ormaterial gain. In fact, itcosts money and/or time

and/or effort. To me thishas been most uplifting.

MILLENNIUMDINNER

This was held at CaldyGolf Club on 13th

October 2000. Judgingby the emails, snailmails and 'phone calls itwas a great success. 100B.I.O.Bs. attended andwere entertained to avery fine speech byTony Hudson C.B.E.(1942-50). HarryBurkett (1942-8) ran avery successfuldraw/auction, whichproduced £300 forcharity. There were twoin wheel chairs, five "ex-pats." and anoctogenarian's table ofnine B.I.O.Bs.

FINANCEBoring, boring, boring.For the sake of new

names on the register,there is no subscription.We depend solely ondonations to financeadministrative costs.These include phone,postage (500newsletters. u.K. andoverseas), printing costsetc. If you wish to makea donation, chequesplease payable toB.I.O.B.

TIESThere are still a fewB.I.O.B. no"Anniversary Tiesavailable. Cost is £11(inc. p.+ p.) £12overseas. Should youwish to order, pleasesend remittance to GregPandit, 107B, BanksRoad, West Kirby.CH48 OAB(0151-625-6601)

REUNION DINNER CHARITIES2001 The annual meeting

Through draws and will be held at PrentonThis has been fixed for auctions over the past 3 Golf Club on Friday 4thFriday 12thOctober, 2001 years we have raised May, 200l. Thoseat Prenton Golf Club. If £1067. This has been interested shouldyou wish to attend we distributed as follows:- contact Derek (Mick)suggest you put this date Age Concern £367 Turner (1946-50) 46in your diary to avoid a Alzheimer's Society £550. Cornwall Drive,clash of interests (e.g. Arthritic Research £150. Prenton. 0151-608-holidays) Thank you for your 5785. The golf is

generosity and very many followed by a dinnerMEMORIAL GATES thank to Dave (D.S.W.) which is open to allINGLEBOROUGH Jones (1940-46) for his B.I.O.Bs.,

ROAD magnificent prints and day/evening.artwork on the tea towels.

It has been noted that in CHANGE OFthe last 6 months these LADIES EVENING ADDRESSgates have been removedfrom the playing fields After much thought it has If you change your(now owned by Tranmere been decided to give this a address of 'phoneRovers). Has anybody miss this year. The reason number please adviseany knowledge of their is that it is the one event me by mail (notwhereabouts? These that has not been fully telephone). It is(together with the successful. Those who important you do this ifpavilion) were bought by attended in 1999 and 2000 you wish to receive thesubscription to appeared to enjoy it "AD-VISOR".commemorate the immensely. However,memory of those only approximately 60 NEWS, VIEWS,B.I.O.Bs. who lost their attended in 2000 which STORIESlives in service to their means only 30 B.I.O.Bs.country in the 1914-18 were interested. To make Please let me have yourwar. it viable we need an news. Are you famous

attendance of 100. I am (e.g. have you run theTEA TOWELS interested to know your New York Marathon,

views by 'phone, letter or have you been to theD.S.W. (Dave) Jones email. I need to know if North Pole, have you(1940-46) has designed a you would support a become a Knight?) -very fine tea towel Ladies' Night. If so don't be too modest!depicting eight scenes of would you like it in the Have you an interestingB.I. These are available form of a Buffet, a story for an article? Whatat a cost of £3-50p. Dinner, a Buffet Dance or do you think of the AD-(including p.&p.) UK. or a Dinner Dance? If I VISOR?, the Reunion£4 overseas. Apply to receive sufficient support Dinner?, the OldHarold Beckett. Cheques we will have a Ladies Instonians' Golfpayable to B.I.O.B. £1- Evening in 2002. If not, I Tournament? What could50p. from each towel sold will forget the idea. we do better? I want togoes to charity. know.

OLD INSTONIANS'GOLF SOCIETY

LETIERS

JOHN WILLIAMS1943-48

In the Summer 2000 issue ofAd-Visor you printed a list ofVictores Ludorum from 1922to 1958. My father likemyself, was a pupil atBirkenhead Institute and wasa keen sportsman who wonthis medal in 1920. 1 do notknow the exact years he wasat the school but assume itmust have been between1913 and 1920 and his namewas John Trevor Williams.For your interest, I haveattached two photocopies ofthe medal. The front faceshows his initials, IT.W.,inscribed on a gold centresurrounded by silverdecoration and the back ofthe medal is printed with thefollowing inscription:"Birkenhead InstituteChampionship 1920".Although of poor quality, Ihave also attached somephotocopies of picturesshowing him participating invarious school activities. Iam afraid that this letter doesnot fall into your "undersixties" category but I hope itmight be of some interest.

LEIGHTON HILL1931-38

It was pleasant to have aconversation with you andmany thanks for issue 3. Iwas at the Institute in the30's, at the time the schoolchanged from soccer torugby. For a time I playedboth games, even getting a

game with the second XI. Asa third former I can recallwatching with greatadmiration those who playedfor the first XI. A name Iremember was Milligan -played in goal I think.Another name was WillieClare I thought he was astupendous swimmer andgazed in awe at histremendous splashing racingdives. I recall with affectionsome of the names of mastersof that time - A.O. Jones("Bummy") taught chemistryand with whom later in life 1had many happy games ofgolf at Prenton. Charlie Moat- French, who caused me tojoin the chess club in order tostay in his good books."Biddy" Harris - History,who would always talk abouthis days in Palestine, TigerLewis who had a reputationin Welsh rugby and so on.Among those I grew up withthrough my school years werePaul Simpson, a brilliantscholar but alas now dead,Ron Ceha no longer with us,Ken Carr of rugby fame, BobLowson, one of the bestcentres I've met, Frankau - aLatvian - wonder whathappened to him? Ray King -a good cricketer, (later playedfor Tranmere Rovers),A.C.(Ace) Williams - a goodwicket keeper but a warcasualty. Then there wereArthur Taylor who relishedcross-country running; AlecBlackbum who became avery important decoratedperson at Cammel Laird. Icould go on, but mustn't writetoo much. I played rugby for

the school; we were apretty successful team. Irecall playing against theO.Bs and being picked upand dropped on my head -one of my grandsons, astalwart of Derby mini-rugger , says I have neverrecovered. I playedschool and O.B. rugby.Ken Paige used to pickme up in his Ford Popularand I entered a new worldof rugby. The WilsonBrothers were captain andsecretary and changingconditions wererudimentary, I rememberone of the brothers beingsent off for stamping! Ienclose a copy of a photoof that team -, all theirnames I can't remember,but Gordon Hosker hadtaken over as captain atthis time. 'The wararrived and with it manygood things - tennis clubdances and golf matches,rugby and many goodteam-mates andopponents went forever.

GRAHAM EDW ARDS1947-51

My memories ofB.I. notonly recall the fabulousNancy Price but alsothat confusion whichbegan after breakfastand the hope that, on the'bus ride to school, thestunning "Val" (fromthe unglamorous brown- uniformed Holt HillConvent), wouldmanage to be closeenough for discomfort!

-

But my detentions weremany and various, despiteliking Dickie Richards,Thynne, WEW,JohnnyParis and Dickie Harris plusMonsieur Joubert and Mr.Bailey, who played theSabre Dance so well. I waslater to learn properly fromJewish friends, whyHerman Turner (andbrother) of Victor Ludorumfame was able to missprayers every day as all mychurns realised howprivileged he was. A sort ofanti-Semitism in reverse!But, when writing that "awise man has riches withinhimself", I wrote anexplanation which indicatedthat passing exams meantmore wages (a fact 1 trulybelieved). I later realisedhow appropriate that hasbecome.

E. Wynne Hughes regularlytold us that "MannersMakyth Man" but hebrought the school fromsoccer to rugger and had theaudacity to rub the soccer-boys' noses in it, byretaining one set of goalposts on the ground atIngleborough Road. Thereis no doubt that Rugby wasintroduced because it wassupposed to be a game forthe higher class of the so-called educated boys at B.I.I was appalled then as I amtoday, for being a welleducated person surelymeans to be able to behaveproperly on and off thesports field and not fit intothe pattern dictated by our"class-ridden country". I

have always thought thatmuch of the covertbehaviour in the scrum wasmore reprehensible than theantics of some footballersbut players like Ron Yeats,Alec Young, and JohnWhite, who becameprofessional footballingcolleagues and friends(when I was privileged toserve as a national servicesubaltern and play alongsidein various Army andCombined Services XI's).were every bit as sporting asany rugby or cricketplayers. B.I.old boys had along history of soccerplaying which I suppose ispartly because the schoolwas situated in an area ofBirkenhead much morelikely to have a soccerplaying culture. Did the oldboys have no influence?

I suppose we should lookback and ask what it wasthat caused the school tocease to exist - and I thinkthat perhaps some of usshould be ashamed, for hadwe been Harvard,Birkenhead School,Manchester University andothers, the governors, theold boys and the teachers,would surely never haveallowed completeextinction! Many will recallthe elation of passing the 11plus and gaining their firstchoice at BI, so how was itthat the school never quitehad the strength to stay inbeing? In closing what apleasure to hear about MissCojeen's 90th 'birthday. Shewas always diplomatic,

helpful and calm whenwe had personaldifficulties, as well asbeing someone pleasantto talk to whilstawaiting the cane fromthe man who probablywas, as Graham Vaheyreported in the lastissue, a poor role modeland a frightful snob!Graham graduated fromand taught at UMIST',was a professor ofmanufacturing at~SEAD,andisnowChairman ofTRANTOR Vehicles.

RONwmTMORE1936-40

Idly wandering aroundthe web, when Iwondered if OldInstonians featured and10 & behold we did! Iam an Old Instonian of1936 to 1940 vintage. Inow live in Australiaand had a schooling inwhich I performed witha signal lack ofacademic distinction,although I did manageto pass the Royal Navyentrance exam in 1940at 15 and went to helpChurchill defeat Hitlerand later Hirohito.Served at sea in theNorth Atlantic, IndianOcean and at Okinawafrom 1943 until the endofWW2 as an AirOrdnance Engineer inthe Fleet Air Arm. In1948 started flyingtraining, but half way

through decided I did notwant to spend the rest of mylife as a latter day Bigglesand became a GeneralService Seaman Officer.Having married anAustralian woman in 1947,in 1950 I transferred to theRoyal Australian Navy andin 1953, specialised inHydrography and had thepleasure of serving in theRAN Hydrographic Servicefrom junior surveyor to thetop job of TheHydrographer RAN.Retired from the navy in1975 as a Commander.Consultancy, Privatepractice and a 17 yearlectureship in Hydrographyand Law of the Sea at theUniversity of New SouthWales followed, until 1992when I retired from allforms of income earning

labour. In 1993 the RANHydrographic Service askedme to join a research teamwhich I did, working fulltime until 1995, since whenI have worked at home forthem. I come to UK andcoastal Europe twice a yearas I am on the Council ofthe Hydrographic Society,an international body, onwhich I representAustralasia & Oceania. I dohave an Old Boy's tie, but Ifear it may be out of date indesign as I bought it ateither Robbs or Alansons inGrange Road in 1957 - it isstill wearable !!! I havebeen through the registerkeeping in mind the relevantdates and the only person Ican guarantee I remember isStuart Huntriss: we bothlived in Pensby. I used toopen the batting for the 2nd

WHEREARE mEY NOW?

Xl with a chap calledVick, but whether it isthe Mick Vick in theregister is anothermatter, as he has nodates against his name. Ilook forward to hearingfrom you and perhapsmeeting up with yousome day, as in myannual Apr/May visit toUK I always stay in myold home areaNannerch, Flint. Theother visit is usuallySep/Oct, but then Inormally go to mainlandEurope for relaxationafter my Councilmeetings.Memory Lane. Ron -do you recall a brushwith Tiger Lewis in theMemorial Hall inOswestry in the winterof 1939/40)

Ted Wood 71 Stu Lichfield 78 Bert Thomas 72G.A. (Gas) Smith 72 Dave Docherty 56 Bill Keating 60Norman Bovd 73 Tonv Doveston 65 Alan Bramwall 65Graham Baxter 76 Alan Parkinson 64 Barrv Doveston 59Peter Probert 77 Bob Bladon 70 Garv Silk 43Paul Shakespeare 43 Neil Foster 43 Steve Tavlor 43Paul Waters 43 Trevor Bowen 43 Steve Evans 43Roger Fairclough 43 Paul Grannon 43 Garv Wigfield 43Neil Gardner 63 Keith Hitchell 43 Brigadier Harold Higgins 65Tom Gill 67 Colin Roderick 63 Colin Rankin (Police Insp.) 65Stan Davies 80 John Kitching 70A keen scouter

If you have any news (address/phone number or you know they are deceased) please letHarold Beckett know.)

D.I. HEAD PREFECTS

1935 C.A AlIdis 1953 M. Marston1936 I.S. Melville 1954 AS. Hodgson1937 G.R Edwards 1955 KW. Jones1938 I. Roberts 1956 T.J Walsh1939 I. Roberts 1957 RF. Salmon1940 K.I.C. Vincent 1958 T.H. Harris1941 G.E. Foxcroft 1959 AG. Harding1942 L.T. Malcolm 1960 R Peters1943 B.E. Ware 1961 KC. Harding1944 P.J Harris 1962 AK Jones1945 D.N.A Osbome 1963 L.KSmith1946 JE. Morris 1964 E.L. Pye1947 RE.P. Wright 1965 P.Parry1948 KO. Gore 1966 JB. Gunson1949 AA Smith 1967 P. Whitehead1950 JR Morris 1968 P.M.O'Hare1951 JR Morris 1969 P.M. De Santos1952 T.S. Hodgson 1970 JR Jones

OBITUARIES

lan MacDonald (1941-48)Prenton

Died September 2000

Tony Eccles (1939-44)Prenton

Died .January 2001

Basil Cliff .Jones (1938-44)New Zealand

Died September 2000

GONE,BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

[------------------------~==========================------------------~~

OLD INSTONIANS' R.U.F.C. 1957·8

OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

ChairmanE.G. Williams Esq.

Vice-ChairmanKI.Smith Esq.

Hon. SecretaryG.A.Thomas Esq.

Hon. TreasurerE.E. Jackson Esq.

Hon. Press Secretary1. Kitching Esq.

Hon. Membership Secretary1.R Lamb Esq

1st XV CaptainE.T. Wood Esq.

2nd XV Captain1.W. KeameyEsq.

Hon. Team SecretaryR Howard Esq.

Hon. Fixture SecretaryS.B. Huntriss Esq.

[Details supplied by Bob. Howard (1942-49)]

STOP PRESS

Register of B.I.O.Bs.

We now have 488 on the register, which is within a very small stone's throw of ourtarget of500. Hopefully, in issue 6 we will be able to report we have reached ourtarget.

Will the 500th B.I.O.B. be aged 40 or aged 90? Will he live in Wirral or will he reside13,000 miles away in New Zealand? Will he have found us via the Internet? Will afellow B.I.O.B have introduced him? Will he have discovered us via "The WirralChampion"? Will he have heard about us on the grapevine? It is fascinating and onlytime will tell.

Reverend Sidney Y. Richardson (1922-28)

Sidney is one of our latest recruits and is 90 years of age and likes to be known as'SYR'. He is a very interesting character who was a founder editor of the ''VISOR''and was responsible for giving the B.I. Magazine it's name. Before becoming a"Rev." he was a schoolmaster and deputy head. He has written his autobiography -more about him in issue 6.