2 July 2008

Who was in my class, in Windsor Boys school between 53 and 57? I stayed at Balmoral House(housekeeper Tovy, housefrau frau Killermann) and the headmaster's son was in my class. His sirname was Aspinal. Do any of you remember a crosscountry runner and schoolboxer with schoolcolours? This was me, gingerhaired boy called Peter Austin Hines.

Peter Austin Hines (B53-57)

2 July 2008

I did not go to WBS though both of my brothers did (one expelled). However I did go to Gatow the same time as Tony Higgin(lapsed member) and although I kept in touch with Tony for a number of years thereafter we lost touch. So Tony, if you happen to see this message or if anyone else has Tony's contact details then I would be obliged if you could contact me. I now reside in the ROI. I noted the mail from Sheena Kiel, she was in my class in Gatow.

Chris Livingston

3 July 2008

Peter Austin Hines(pronounced Hinz i am reliably informed)i emailed Richard Spencer today re your posting, he enquired if you remember Jock Sandison, you started at WBS the year i was born!but we do have a connection, Frau Kellermann, she was a tough old biddy i recall and was quick to remind us "Zis iss not der vay ve do hozpital corners" i was always in awe of her ash tray, it had a swastika on it. she used to smoke like a train and used those fag holders with a crystal tube in it that filtered out the goo, me, i preferred filter tips and smoked heaps in the bog at midnight, blowing the fumes down Soester Strasse, given caning was the punishment for having a fag i think we were very brave......maybe stupid.. oh well,great days.

Ian Pulford (B64-66)

3 July 2008

Ahhhh smoking - we even had a ration card, I rem quaking during a dorm search knowing there were 60 State Express taped up under the locker - they were not found. Anyone recall that secret room behind the Roman Catholic Chapel - go up right hand staircase to the top then clamber over beams until you came to a wall (breeze block I think) which had a large brick removed allowing you to get into a small room with a window and a couple of chairs. I wonder if the teaching staff really knew about the place but just turned a blind eye.

Bill Craswell (C62-65)

8 July 2008

Hi everyone. Just got back from a little break on IOW with son and granddaughter. Had to catch up with messages. I laughed at Bill's message about smoking. I was caught twice, the second time was I think with Lyn Dillow. We were caught one Sunday afternoon (viz Weekend) and sneaked up to the School Block Toilets and were puffing away at german fag out of the window (they used to smell awfull, think they were called Juno and untipped). The Art Mistress (whose name escapes me)must have followed us up and as she came stompming the corridor she shouted out "Is there someone smoking down there." We froze, she stormed in and it ended up we were both sent to the Headmistress Miss Evans on Mon morning. Miss Evans said she was going to write to our parents. So Lyn and I ended up composing a letter between us to send to our respective Mum and Dad. Needless to say we both got a right rollickin. The funny thing is though, Miss Evans did NOT write to them, it was just a threat. No more was said about the matter at School ever again. I think back now and it was rather strange because if you think about it she probably new we would tell our parents before she had written and that was punishment enough. Although at the time we were stood in her office she had a packet of Benson and Hedges on her desk, and was dying to dare I say it ask her to hand them round (lol). She actually was a great Headmistress, rather chubby lady with dark black hair, tied in a bun. She was also a JP. Over to you Pam Ross - you remember her (Deputy was Miss Feerick).

Jean Cavanagh (Cooke) (StJ65-68)

Its only when you look at the staff postings on here and see that they were there 20 years compared to our 2 or 3 that you realise they must have seen it all before - we were like lambs to the slaughter !- Bill

9 July 2008

Yes, Jean, I remember Miss Evans well - she came from a non-teaching background, as I remember, so had a tendency to appeal to pupils' better nature! This didn't always materialise :-) I think the art teacher you are thinking about was Miss Elliott - I had lessons with her once, I was desperate to draw and paint, but she wanted us to cover boxes with material and embroider them. She was most impressed with my embroidery and gave me a glowing report, after which I decided to rebel and put my foot down and insisted on drawing and painting. So I sat in splendid isolation on one side of the class, doing my stuff, whilst the other girls embroidered quietly. I was given the silent treatment by Miss Elliott after my rebellion, and no longer such good reports, but I was quite happy. No doubt you also remember the "Spring Festival", Jean? This was because Miss Evans was Welsh and wanted to recreate something like an Eisteddfodd, so we got given daffodils for winning - one year there weren't any available, so we got plastic ones instead. Best wishes Pam

Pamela Ross (StJ63-68)

9 July 2008

any one out there remember me

Tracey Ashton (C77-81)

12 July 2008

celia begley.just a quick line,to see how your doing.its been a while,thats victor a grandad again for the 5th time.a wee boy.on holiday in august for 3weeks we will have to meet up.all of us doing well.same with you i hope.c ya W.D.x

William Donaldson (S74-77)

14 July 2008

Hi Bill, didn't know you were one of the few (Catholics) or were you just nipping up there for a fag! Have to say that I wasn't aware of a secret room up there but I was expelled from the chapel for reading a Beano comic in the back row. I remember walking over to breakfast one morning to see a dustbin inverted over the flagpole above the Catholic Chapel. How a dustbin was manhandled up the roof was beyond most people's imagination. Anybody want to own up for that one and tell us how it was done? The hierachy was not amused!

JohnFisher (H65-68)

14 July 2008

Hello John, I was just up there for a smoke. As to the bin, I didn't see it but I do recall a story about a guy that used to get out of the dormer window and go along the roof by all the other windows then get back in at the other end - was it made up I wonder or maybe he put the bin there...

Bill Craswell (C62-65)

18 July 2008

Bill Craswell's posting about smoking seems to have evoked a good response, i used to go to great lengths to hide my fags, taping them to the underside of draws was one, inside the toilet systern in a plastic bag was another, i stil can not believe we used to fag on in the bogs in the wee hours of the morning along with a midnight feast of marmite sanwiches with food smuggled from the dining block, i never got caught smoking but came so close once i needed to lie down for an hour because my legs were shaking that bad, the thought of a caning had that effect on plebs but it didn't stop us, foolish? no, just young and bullet proof.

Ian Pulford (B64-66)

18 July 2008

Dan Shuttleworth here any one remember me. At last got my head round this inernet bis must be down to the school I went to.

Dan Shuttleworth (E63-66)

20 July 2008

I have just heard from German friends we made in Hamm (45 years ago!!)that the buildings of Windsor School (Windsor Boys School)have been demolished. Can anyone confirm this?

One or two other bits of news. I went last year to Bill Greer's 80th birthday party.(Housemaster Caernarvon 1965-68) I play golf with him in East Anglia nearly every week. We still keep in touch with David Ross, Head of P.E.And with Brian Birkby, John Feilding (Chaplain in the sixties) and with Mike Wylie's widow Joan, who lives near Cromer.

Mike Capey (C63-70)

22 July 2008

WHAT?? they knocked it down, they could have at least told us first so
we could have placed bids for some memorabilia, i would have loved one
of those orange bed covers or even a bit of parquay flooring from the
dorm floor, still there are a lifetime of memories that are with us
all, fading on a daily basis, if the memorabillia was available what would
you have on your list,

Gez Gilmer (M73-77)

22 July 2008

Actually in 1965, I was a American student in the Windsor Primary (Mr. Goddard was my headmaster)while my brother Randy was in the Caernarvon House. My experience as an American student in the British school system in the middle of Germany is still very memorable and I am 53 now! At Christmas, I am still in touch with Mr. Goddard. Thankyou so much for making my year in Germany so special for myself, my brother, and my dad, George Hudson, who was on the faculty as well for a year advising all the American students in the Windsor Boys School, the Windsor Girls School, and the Windsor Primary School. You ROCK!!!

David Hudson (C65-66)

22 July 2008

Is your dad, George Hudson still alive? I remember him well. He was
well respected by all, including the Headmaster Mike Wylie, who died two
years ago. We still keep in touch with his widow Joan.

Mike Capey (C63-70)

23 July 2008

WBS Demolished ???

To paraphrase the Vogons

"There's no point in acting all surprised about it. All the planning
charts and demolition orders have been on display in the local
planning department, so you've had plenty of time to lodge any formal
complaint and it's far too late to start making a fuss about it now."

“I'm sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take an interest in local
affairs that's your own lookout”

Joking Aside, for those that are interested here’s a few links to the
plans.

http://www.o-sp.de/hamm/plan/uebersicht.php?pid=15&S=alle&L1=..%2Fstart.php&art=B

http://www.o-sp.de/upload/hamm/plan_begruendung/15_begruendung_02_098.pdf

As far as I can gather only the Main Teaching block, Dining Block and
the Gym are to remain.

Phil McGregor (C73-76)

25 July 2008

I must admit, it is a shame part of our lives has been razed to the
ground. However, the memories that we all cherish from our time at the
schools either growing up there or being on the staff will stay as long
as we want them to. Maybe more reason to bring the reunions
closer together and the possibility of `local` get togethers for
various parts of the country (UK). I am up for a Yorkshire area `cup of
tea` with any of the Wibbles and Wobbles as I once heard us all referred
to on BFBS radio. Hello, to anyone who remembers me as a Werl day bug
in the late 70`s.... KGM

Keith Moralee (M77-81)

27 July 2008

Oh yes memories are still there, they can't knock them down. Noticed
too there is a new group on Facebook for Windsor School Hamm :-)

As for caught smoking! My backside was a regular ;-)

Andy Quigley (E76-82)

27 July 2008

Any body out there remember me? Alan Henry the toerag. Always in
trouble for something or other!

Alan Henry (H70-75)

29 July 2008

Re room by Catholic Chapel,I found this to be very convenient when
the girls came over for inter school dances.Was I the one to go over
the roof???.Note to Bob Jordan was I maybe one of your biggest pain
in the butt.

Dan Shuttleworth (E63-66)

29 July 2008

Is it not disappointing that the buildings are being demolished or
used for something else.. Time passes.. we do not own the buildings, or
for that matter with all. The independantly wealthy patrons of both
schools,.. perhaps it would have been up to us to do something about it? I
enjoyed most of my time at school.. hopefully made some interesting
friends and aquaintences..As school goers I believe that we all had a
wonderfuuly differant time..nothing was black or white...it just was.. the
way it was. Regards

Sheena Catriona Keil (M70-74)

30 July 2008

For Mike Capey and others worried about the demolition of WBS:- I'm still in touch with Ray (Dr) and Angelika Carey who still live in Hamm. As you may know they retired to a'new' German house in Fasanenstraße. They have told me that Windsor Boys' School still stands! The Stadt want to relocate the Feuerwehr there as it needs a larger site. Do you remember its rather cramped present position - near the Stadtbad? However, the good residents of Soesterstraße (and others nearby) are objecting because of the potential noise factor. An interesting tit-bit ... Ray tells me the front field hosts a small circus every year and Angelica added that the car firm, BMW, have shown interest in part of the WBS grounds! You should subscribe to the Westfälischer Anzeiger/Hammer Zeitung!

Tony Fox (E67-81)