[Misc] HCGS for boys. History of. the School.

[Neville's Breakfast]

I’ve enjoyed reading this thread. My Dad went to the school 1949-1956. He often spoke fondly of his time there and how it enabled him to go to university, something that would not otherwise have been possible.If he were still alive I would have this years Christmas present sorted.
He was hoping to get me in but by 1978 it had either already gone Comprehensive or was about to make the change and was not accepting applications from Mid Sussex.

 

[One Love]

I was In Gloucester so who was in Kent, Windsor or York?

Windsor

 

[whitelion]

Windsor.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I was In Gloucester so who was in Kent, Windsor or York?

Kent (I think) were they blue? York were red and Gloucester green?

 

[whitelion]

Kent (I think) were they blue? York were re and Gloucester green?

Yes that's correct.

 

[lasvegan]

York. 72-77
Never troubled the scorers academically nor on the sports field.
Hence my recollections surround mainly disciplinary action at the hands of Williamson and Land, weekly reports, suspension for expelling a kid out the window of one of the huts during a lesson about football refereeing, and celebrating every ASLEF strike as it resulted in days off for "the train boys"

Charlie Cope and "Poof" Brooks taught me nothing. Ironic that I love history and music now.
Rusty Reynolds gave me top marks for quantity over quality.

Gloucester. Vividly remember the window ejection.

Charlie was usually incapable of teaching anything after “lunch” at The Nevill.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Rusty Reynolds gave me top marks for quantity over quality.

Reynolds (I don’t recall him having the Rusty nickname when I left in ‘72) supported Piggy Balsdon on the Arran trip in ‘71. Unfortunately he had a fear of heights and had to go back to base on his own when we had to climb down a quarry. Good blokes, the both of them.

 

[The Oldman]

That's correct, I caught that direct train from Hassocks and back every day till leaving in 1962. A few days after I started at the school (early November 1959) I got a bollocking from a prefect for leaning out the window. He told me that a someone had been killed a couple of weeks earlier leaning out off the window just as the train was going into Clayton tunnel.

I never did find out if this was true or whether he was just winding me up. You know what prefects were like!

My memory suggests this was true as were the girl’s knickers being waved out of the train window.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Kent (I think) were they blue? York were red and Gloucester green?

Navy Blue and York were Maroon.

York for me.

And Rusty Reynolds learnt everything he knew from the late great Willie Pope

Les Hamilton Jr is still going strong and following his father Les Hamilton Snr in local politics

 

[knocky1]

Navy Blue and York were Maroon.

York for me.

And Rusty Reynolds learnt everything he knew from the late great Willie Pope

Les Hamilton Jr is still going strong and following his father Les Hamilton Snr in local politics

Had a drink with junior in The Stanley last Christmas. Great house master and has called me knocky since 1972.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Gloucester. Vividly remember the window ejection.

Charlie was usually incapable of teaching anything after “lunch” at The Nevill.

This guy ( [MENTION=12919]lasvegan[/MENTION] ) seriously led me astray

 

[Barry Izbak]

Reynolds (I don’t recall him having the Rusty nickname when I left in ‘72) supported Piggy Balsdon on the Arran trip in ‘71. Unfortunately he had a fear of heights and had to go back to base on his own when we had to climb down a quarry. Good blokes, the both of them.

I met piggy balsden in Haywards Heath in 1998 when he was campaigning for the Liberals.
He knew my history with the evil Bellotti and said "I know I'm wasting my time talking to you"

He was right . I asked him how they allowed a cnnuut like Bellotti in their party?

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Kent (I think) were they blue? York were red and Gloucester green?

Correct and Windsor yellow

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I met piggy balsden in Haywards Heath in 1998 when he was campaigning for the Liberals.
He knew my history with the evil Bellotti and said "I know I'm wasting my time talking to you"

He was right . I asked him how they allowed a cnnuut like Bellotti in their party?

Piggy visited the office I worked at about 10 years after I had left to do a reccy for work experience placements. Had a good chat with him. He was one of the few masters at HGS who had any time for me, and me for him. I think he is a labour councillor in Burgess Hill (or was).

 

[whitelion]

Piggy visited the office I worked at about 10 years after I had left to do a reccy for work experience placements. Had a good chat with him. He was one of the few masters at HGS who had any time for me, and me for him. I think he is a labour councillor in Burgess Hill (or was).

Wasn't he a Barnsley supporter?

 

[Trotty]

Still see Tony Balaton at Burgess Hill rugby club, one story he told us was that he taught Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin.

 

[Trotty]

That should have said Balsdon,

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Wasn't he a Barnsley supporter?

Eeee by gum - yes, I think that’s where he came from. Proper Yorkshire lad.
As for Jimmy Page - he went to Ewell Secondary School. Not sure where Barney taught before HGS.
Pleased to hear he is still around. I see Les Hamilton around a bit but don’t think many of the older ones are with us any more.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

'Poofter' Brooks.

You will recall how, when he was our form master, he allowed the Big Boys to use the classroom (the music hut) to play records at lunch time. Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Atomic Rooster. Happy days

 

[monty uk]

You will recall how, when he was our form master, he allowed the Big Boys to use the classroom (the music hut) to play records at lunch time. Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Atomic Rooster. Happy days

Yep. Part of our music education. Bang & Olufsen system. Pinched one weekend and Police fingerprint talc was on the door handle for months afterwards.