| Some
time after the retirement of
C.W.H.R. in 1937 and the arrival
of R.S.B., I was one of a small
group of boys bemoaning the fact
that things weren't what they had
been. We became aware that Herb
Chant was listening to us but,
trusting him, we continued with
our comments. Eventually, Herb
grinned and confided. 'In good
King Charles's golden
days.......' and we were all
silent for a moment. Then we
grinned and Master and pupils
commenced work. Old
Prescotians often compare the two
dispensations. I was chastised in
turn by both C.W.H.R. and R.S.B.
By the former when I was still
fairly new to the school:
chastised by the valour of his
practised right arm and trusty
stick. Unseen by Richie, Harry
Burrows had provoked me: seen by
Richie I had retaliated by
hitting H.B. on the head with my
Triennium and was duly punished.
By R.S.B. I was chastised by the
valour of his tongue; and how
sharp that tongue could be. He
had heard that I, the Head
Prefect, had been to Southport
and had stayed overnight with the
family of my girl-friend, Marie.
R.S.B. did not approve. Acidly,
he said, "Asbridge. these
gay (!!!) weekends are not good
for you.'
Marie
has been my wife since July, 1945
and we often laugh about this
episode. (R.S.B. was a bachelor!
Ed.)
|
