Tuesday 1 September 2009

Britain in 1965 : a South London School called 'Eltham Green Comprehensive' and the confidence of youth

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The events I am about to unfold took place in the summer of 1965 at a huge secondary school, built to house 2,500 post Second World War, South London, baby boomers, called Eltham Green Comprehensive School.

My reporting is reliable, because the story was told to me by Frank, one of the participants.

A kind of tradition had started to grow up that, the Sixth Form school leavers would do something to disrupt the Head Master's speech in the school hall, the occasion being : 'Farewell to the Sixth Formers' in front of the  thousand pupils in attendance and relayed by the tanoi broadcasting system to the rest of the school, seated in their form rooms.
It had all been fairly mediocre stuff in the past, like planting alarm clocks in cupboards in the hall, timed to go off when the Old Man was into his speech or chaining the exit doors, so no one could get out.

This year would be in a different league and memorable.

The night before this Leavers' Service, 5 of the lads in the sixth form : Jim, Frank, Bill, George and Mick had a drink in the local Yorkshire Grey pub and, after closing time, and dressed in dark clothing, climbed over the school gates and made their way to the hall, where, by chance, they found a door open.

Once inside the darkened hall the tick of the clock startled them. They put their plan into effect. Bill stood on tables and chairs and placed an old fashioned loud speaker, out of sight, on the wooden sounding board, way up above the stage. A single wire was then run from the speaker, down the wall, through the door opening and along the corner of the floor of the corridor behind the hall and into one of the small music rooms. The wire was fed into an old fashioned reel-to reel tape recorder. A spooled tape was placed on the deck and connected to a blank spool. The lads then made their exit from the school.

After lunch the next day, the hall began to fill up. First the younger kids downstairs and then the Sixth Form in the balcony. It was at this point that Frank had been delegated to make his way to the music room to switch on the tape, which George had spent hours searching to record from a pirate radio station on the radio, was timed to play blank for 20 minutes. He noticed that the indicator light was on and so placed the leather bag of one music teachers against it and a tray of glasses on top for good measure. He then made his exit and went to the balcony.

The Old Man was well into his speech with the usual stuff about 'torch bearers' when the first blast of music came out of the hidden speaker :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ya_Gq8d4Q

The Headmaster sat down angry and perplexed. Teachers ran around like blue-arsed flies, trying to find from where the blast of music was coming and were unsuccessful. The kids were collapsed in laughter.
Two and a half minutes later Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's "Goodbye" finished. It was then that the Old Man made his big mistake. He got to his feet and resumed his speech saying that the perpetrators would be found out.

Unbeknown to him or anyone in hall or school, except the lads on the balcony, the tape played blank for another few minutes and then :

Here they come again, mmmm-mm-mm,
Catch us if you can, mmmm-mm-mm,
Time to get a move on, mmmm-mm-mm,
We will yell with all of our might.

Catch us if you can ......

Now we gotta run, mmmm-mm-mm,
No more time for fun, mmmm-mm-mm,
When we're gettin' angry, mmmm-mm-mm,
We will yell with all of our might.

Catch us if you can .....

Here they come again, mmmm-mm-mm,
Catch us if you can, mmmm-mm-mm,
Time to get a move on, mmmm-mm-mm,
We will yell with all of our might.

Catch us if you can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJYgNqOFBLk

With no guarantee of protection from unending interruptions, the Headmaster left the stage. He got the police in, but they could find nothing, since the lads had not forced an entry and caused no damage to school property.

The story of the lads' ruse spread to all South London school kids year and doubtless teachers, that year. Somehow they were doing what youth and the Dave Clark Five did in the 1960s when they shouted :

                           "We will yell with all of our might."
Our Sixth Form tutor seated with the sixth form on the balcony, Mr Callum, had said to Jim : "Nine out of ten 'Wilson'".

He was wrong, it was "10 out of 10".

The Headmaster got the police in, but they could find nothing, since the lads had not forced an entry.

Sadly, George, the mastermind behind the single wire and tape died in a motor accident just a few years after he played his role in this brilliant exploit.


The real story of that day in the summer of '65 :


Thursday, 20 September 2018
Britain is a country where old men, once lads, remember a summer's afternoon in 1965, in a school called Eltham Green and "We will yell with all of our might"

https://britainisnocountryforoldmen.blogspot.com/2018/09/britain-is-country-where-old-men-once.html

43 comments:

  1. Found this site by accident! I remember this as if it were yesterday - where I put my specs today is more of a problem. Am in touch with a few ex -students from this time and we are trying to contact more so we can do big reunion before we get too old/grumpy!
    Madeleine ( nee Lainchbury) Bardell

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    1. Any dates let me know ..Alan Waddell (Wadsy)

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  2. I remember Madeleine Lainchbury, you and I were in the same year. I've lost contact with all, except Frank Hickman. Let me know about any reunion. You might remember me as Joe Cooper.

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  3. I was the only black pupil in the school when it opened in 1956. I survived and is just writing up my experiences in my family history. Would like to hear from anyone who remembered Shirley Baker.

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    1. Hi Shirley I remember you and have lots of memories from 1957 I would love to share. If you read this and contact me through the site I will post an email address

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    2. Hi Paula. I've just found your entry and would love to catch up with you through email. I now live in Greenwich.

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  4. I was also there and I was known as "Aggy"

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  5. I was there when it was mr Davies, headmaster/ dr leering deputy head / mrs Betts headmistress, anyone else remember them ?

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    1. I remember Mr Davis, tall north country gentleman. I also remember the maths master Mr Murphy and the English master Mr Maynard for my class when I joined the school in 1957 - best wishes Paula Gore

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    2. Yes I remember them well. Mrs Betts was kind to me after she originally gave me a place at the school with some trepidation suspect!

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    3. I remembeted Mr Murphy very well.He used to send me out in the corridor when I giggled too much from nervousness but he wouldn't know that would be?

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    4. Yes remember them both, left in 1959 was a great school then

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  6. I was also there at the same time. I left for University in 1965

    Regards,
    Devendra (Aggy) Agrawal

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  7. I remember Shirley Baker. When I joined the school in 1957 there were two black girls, I remember one lived off the Lee High Road and wondered if this is Shirley

    Regards,
    paula Gore

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    1. Yes I lived in Dacre Park that ran from Lee High Road at the bottom to Lee Terrace at the top! It would be good to meet. I now live in Greenwich.

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    2. Hi Shirley it would indeed be great to meet. I am at the other end of the Jubilee line so no problem to meet up somewhere in South London, where I have not been for many years apart from visiting the 02! Would love to hear further from you on paulafgore@yahoo.co.uk. Best wishes. Paula

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  8. Does anyone remember Mr Bousefield an excellent physics teacher and Mr Beechcroft Chemistry teacher who used to come to school on a push bike and wear an dirty old mens trench coat

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  9. Ha ha, yes I remember the 'Peter Cook and Dudley Moore plus Catch Us If You Can ... event. Think I had one more year to go. Robert Corke was in the same year (sadly passed away some years ago) George Goble, Paul Jackson and Monica Croasdale to name but a few others.

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    1. Do you know what happened to Monica Croasdale after she left? Thank you.

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  10. I was in the lower 6th at the time and knew George and Monica and Robert. Other names that come to mind are Robert Carr, Peter Prekopp, Chris Ward.
    Jim E.

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  11. Also think that the Animals song "We've got to get out of this place" was also included. Brilliant laugh.
    Jim E

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  12. I was also in the lower 6th at this time as was my late husband. We told our daughters about this and now they have the proof. I also remember all the names previously mentioned. I am still in touch with a few school friends, two who are very close friends. They were good days.

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  13. I was there 63-68. During 67-68 I spent each day mostly in the art rooms with Richard Box and the "unique" Jim Riddock

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  14. You were from the younger bunch but I remember Jim Riddock. Hope you're doing well and enjoying life!

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  15. I was at the school when it first opened in the 50s. My friend Kathleen both were at school at Eldham Primary previously. My name is Monica , I have often wondered what happened to Kathleen. I know she started off at the lower end of the school but so bright she was soon in the top end. Although very vast I thought it was a good school. Did not like the bottle green uniform. I am in my mid 70s now.

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    1. Monica! Al Dix here. A Roan boy and neighbour. Do get in touch via www.509arts.co.uk….

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  16. Remember it well..and just shared this with 2 others at EGS in the summer of'65.

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  17. Now have shared with a further 5 who were at EGS in 1965 and remember the day...very well

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  18. Those records would be just as appropriate for today..We've got to get out..of lockdown. Catch us if you can..and unfortunately..Goodbye..goodbye

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  19. I was there from 1964-1968. I remember that occasion well - especially ‘catch us if you can.’ Lucky to have the wonderful Rony Robinson for my English teacher. Recognise so many of the names mentioned! Having transferred from a boys only grammar school to a mixed comprehensive I was emotionally all over the place. Fell for so many super girls, the first being Jill Lerpiniere and lastly Gale Bourne. Wonder where they are now? So many happy memories of a wonderful school.

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    1. Just seen this and cried !!!!

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  20. I was there '62 - '66 low 'A' stream. Names I remember include Phil Saker, John Salisbury. Geoffrey Stowe, Richard Ackland, Jean Shane (with the mini-skirt!). Jan Skelton (my sister) was also there about 4 years before me. I'm retired and 70 next year :-(, living in Bracknell.

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  21. I was there 64 to 68 and in Honesty house. With two others mapped the acoustics of the assembly hall to fit speakers in areas where sound quality was poor. I removed art teacher miss Caddiwold, what was beforehand anybody k ow ? I recall biology teacher Mr Buckley,English teacher Mr Holland, OR teacher Andy Richardson, where are they now and lost contact with two school friends Gary and Michael Milton. Where are they now ? I loved Fifty yards away at the time and my Nan and grandad lived right next door in queenscroft. My dad worked on the school as a brilliant plasterer. Brilliant school and brilliant teacher.

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  22. I was one of the teachers in the hall at the time and
    like many of my colleagues had mixed emotions as the events unfur led.We were as amused and intrigued by the prank as the
    pupils but at the same time felt sympathy for Mr Davies who was clearly embarrassed by the incident. He was coming to the end of a distinguished career in education, was very proud of the school he had set up at Eltham Green and saw it as a lack of respect.
    He could not sit back and enjoy the joke with the rest of us in the hall. Happy memories of my time at the school!
    George W.

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  23. Pauline Bodfish3 July 2023 at 16:58

    I was there in 1957 and Mrs Masters was our form teacher. mr Maynard took us for English and Mr smith for music who set up a special music group does anyone remember??

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  24. Mr Bousfield Physics teacher

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  25. I remember tha incident I was at EGS from 64-67/68 played football and athletics for the school some good
    Friends were Gordon Case Wentworth Carter Mick Young Bill Steven's and a whole bunch of girls who used to.join us on the bus from Yorkshire grey
    Joe Lewis

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  26. Mick Young is my brother , I went to EGS in 1966

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  27. Just picked this up over Xmas whilst skirting around internet. I remember this event though not in the hall at the time. Was it Jim Ruddock who decorated the then 3Tuns Blackheath? I haven't kept in touch with folk which is a shame but life moves on. I remember Mr White House master H house and whilst visiting Hebden near where I live the place we stayed at on school trips. A couple having Sunday luch asked why I was inquiring about the place. Ah Chalkie White from EGS,they exclaimed. Kevin Jacobs (Jacko or Jack heavens knows why)

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  28. Looking for Jeff Goodwin who was at the school 1962/63. Does anyone know where he may be now? Would really like to communicate with him.




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  29. Hi I went to EGS from 1958 to 1962/ 63 my name is Keith Venables I played hockey for the school with bomber Morton also looking for a good friend Dot Wade she used to live at lee green by the tigers head also Pamala Brooker Iremember the engljsh teacher Mr Bluet known Chetanne

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