The Staff
On the old web I tried to create a thread which contained details of all the staff which I could remember. I am attempting to do this again so please add (or correct) any that I have failed to recall or remembered wrongly. My years at the school were 1963 to 1967 and my memories are as follows: - Mr Foot - Headmaster - Mr Dodds - Headmaster - Mr Johnson - Dept Headmaster - Physics - Mr Oettinger - North Housemaster - Metalwork and Tech Drawing - made the high round iron table used for presentations - also built the most dangerous "car" I have ever seen which was tested by Mrs Dodds and John Lawry. - Mr Wigram - My Tutor - Music - used to clip his nails during the Sunday services. - Mr Hodge - Maths - Mr Goff - Chemistry - lived in flat over the workshops - Mr Roberts - maths and CCF - Mr Tom Weston - Latin - used to walk around the class with a big stick and always mentioned "999 Bogstick". - Mr Burrows - Housemaster West - Art. - Mr Goldsmith - History. - Mr Veal - CCF - Physics. - Mr Reynolds - "Body" - PE and Geography. - Mr Hall - "Little Ug" - Geography - Housemaster East. - Mr White - Housemaster Tulk - French. - Mr Mencher - English. - Mr Monell - English and Music. - Mr Stowell - "liberal studies" comes to mind but not sure what he really did. Also RAF part of CCF. - Mrs Stowell - nee Bach - Biology. - Mr Oakham - CCF - Geography (oops- Oecken). - Mr Thomas - metalwork - famed for his height, his go-kart and his Mini. - Mr Furlonger - former old boy - English. - Mr Judd?? - loud singer - involved in school plays. - Mr Parry - red hair - not sure of his subjects though. - Bert Butler - not strictly staff but an institution in his own right - his immaculate motorcycle combination - Mr Foot took more notice of him than of many staff! - The Bursar - sailing - burzarum - Miss Twineham - Oversaw catering in the mansion. Was she the grey lady? - Ellen - one of the mansion cooks who lived in Petersfield when not at the school and on who I had a huge crush - cost me a fortune in after-eights! I even made her an oak tub for her garden! Oh where is she now???? - Rose - the other cook in the mansion - at the same time - I seem to remember quite a few people fancied her. - The the sister at the sick bay - drove a Triumph Herald Never knew her real name - Please add to or correct as you feel fit.
RE: The Staff
Bob Crook, also did music, and smoked like a chimney.
Tony Parry did maths and chemistry, which reminds me, at some point a chap called Stapleton did maths too. Famous catch line "the pwobabiwity", in modern maths. Not that I seek to diss him.
Peter Cunningham
An affectionate salute to Mr. Cunningham One panted into his classroom after PE & frantic changing. He had a reputation of being hard on latecomers to his RE lesson, that was unfortunately for us just after PE, shower,changing. Also of course taught history to those doing A Level - probably very good at it. Nice man,but you didn't muck him about
RE: The Staff
Just a few more to add:-
Jonathan Hughes taught English and started about 1965.
Mr Robson who was PE and Geography.
Mr Curtis, aka Keyhole Curtis for catching smokers via keyholes, he was Biology and supervised the farm.
Mr Brian Stubbs, Chemistry and CCF.
Miss Garlic was the cooks daughter and was becoming attached to Mr Thomas of metalwork fame.
And of couse the 'Botley Boys' and the washing up, dribble in the porridge and all sorts of other tales!
My dates/subject
I mainly taught HISTORY (with subsidiary English) from 1967 to 1977.
Jonathan Hughes
Jonathan Hughes taught me History in one year, I think it was the 2nd year where one of the main topics was the French Revolution. I note this as my warmest memory was when he shows a film about the revolution and it got to a bit of guillotining, he stopped the projector, reversed the film over so we could keep watching the blood letting. I have another memory of J.H. which was that he was in charge of arranging the films we watched on a Saturday evening... some of them were really interesting and unusual films such as the european rather trippy animation 'The Fantastic Planet' - I told him I had seen it and it was brilliant... I was nearly lynched by almost everyone who thought it way too weird. Many thanks Jonathan - you were a tremendous influence!
Contact info
Merry Christmas! Tried to call you but can't find phone #, please send with email address. Thx for the card, yours is enroute. Note "new" name, now 5 yrs. Hope you are well. We are 1/2 HR. From Detroit airport, come visit sometime; we will do same if/when we get to England. Look for letter w/updates, traveling US first. Take care, Jonathan. Carolynt
Staff in the latter days
I can see that a lot of the staff mentioned here were from the 1960s. I was there from '74 to '79. I wonder how many I can remember: If I can't remember the first name I just call them
Mr...... Harry Burrows - art and maths - The original West House housemaster
Arthur Oetinger - TD, Workshop and I think in the early days P.E. (that might be a mistake)
Roy Oetinger - son or Arthur, came back as a master teaching TD and Workshop and Design Engineering
Paul Pfferti - (pronounced ferty) - Music and French also my housemaster.
Norman Keith Douglas (he went by Keith) - Chemistry
mr Hardy - English
Mr Yates - P.E. and Geography - he beat me over the head so hard once, I nearly passed out.... whats the statute of limitations on doing him for assult!
Ralph White - French and German
Mr Oeken - German and French
Mr. Stapleton - Maths
Ian Ford - Physics and Maths
Mr Weston - latin - I only lasted one year as I was truly rubbish, but I owe most of what I know about grammer to Mr. Weston
Mr Curtis - Biology
Mr. Hall - Geography
Jonathan Hughes - History - he was a memorable 'Modern Major General' in the Pirates of Penzance.
Mr Dodds - the head of course - also German and R.E.
Mr. Thomas-Davies - English
Mr. Burley - (miss spelt elswhere I think as Burleigh) - English I think thats all I can remember
RE: The Staff
Angus Palmer OT 330 at the school from 1953 to 1958 I can add
Handel Goddard Maths teacher in my time and a very nice man
Mr Christopher - Chemistry quite bizarre
Miss Biggs tried for two years to teach me the piano, without any success whatever
RE: The Staff
The school sister was actually called Sister Thompson, she smoked more in a day than all the boys put together could afford in a week. There was a second Mr. White who taught Biology, is the listed Mr.Oakham actually Mr Oecken who whilst running the CCF also was the school German specialist (no luck with me though) as well as teaching RE. There was also a truly inspirational History teacher called Green (no relation) who left in 1960 and Tony Stowell also taught History when he wasn't standing as a Liberal for Parliament. He also drove the biggest car in the school (a 4.zillion litre Jag) and had to wash his gown frequently because our lot regularly emptied half a gallon of Quink down his back from our fountain pens as he strolled around his classroom beneath the Assembly hall.
RE: The Staff
T.C.Green who joined Sept.55 & left Dec.59
was an inspirational history teacher. He also of course was mainly P.E.,but also taught geography alongside Mr. Hall. I had him for maths in first year Form T, before going to Harry Burrow who was very good at maths teaching.
But Green's history was memorable.
RE: The Staff
I think this is Tony Stowell:
http://www.google.com/search?q=tony+stowell+Cotswold+Writers+Circle
Speaking of Mr. Curtis, did anyone remember the gales of laughter when, during the course of a film, one of the actors peeks through a hole in some rifle butts, and jumps down with fear when some weapons open up, saying "that's the last time I ever look through key holes". The audience erupted into that kind of braying laughter with which we had all become so familiar.
He tried so hard once to convince me that he knew I had been smoking, and said that I reeked of it; I wouldn't give in and said he was mistaken. In face of such insistent denial he had to give up.
In my later training the concepts of proof and beyond reasonable doubt figured prominently.
Does anyone remember Mlle Pierre de Savinette (sp?), who taught French for a while, presumably as part of some degree?
RE: The Staff
I am desperately trying to locate Janet Brader who married Mr. Reynolds a teacher at Ottershaw in the 1960s. They had their wedding reception at the school. I am doing this for ex colleague of Janet's before she moved to Surrey. This person is terminally ill and would like to make contact with her if possible. I would be grateful for any information. Thank you
My email address is i.wilson2@ntlworld.com
RE: The Staff
My memory is obvously failing - the Mr Judd I listed in the opening to this thread I think was in fact Mr Stubbs - was he not a bit proud of his voice? or was that someone else? There was also a teacher who lived in the house opposite the workshop who had a rather good looking girlfirend who visited him often - we tried to monitor their activities from the radio club window but their net curtains always defeated us. He later went to teach at Rugby school but I cannot recall his name.
RE: The Staff
Yes, I think it was Mr Stubbs, who also sang in the school production of the Mikado. Pretty fine voice I believe. Sometime before I left his wife and he finally conceived, and everyone celebrated this at the end of an assembly, clapping and calling. ISTR he taught chemistry. A very kindly man.
Mr. Stubbs
I remember being at lunch in the North House dining room. Each table would have a member of staff at one end and a prefect at the other. No-one wanted to sit next to the member of staff so the two positions nearest were usually allotted to a first or second year. I was in the middle of the table when one of those sat next to our guest teacher, Mr. Stubbs, asked him what his favourite things in life were. Mr. Stubbs, (loudly); "A cup of tea, an apple pie and good shag". That moment alone was worth the fees.
RE: The Staff
Does anyone remember Verner Volkner the German maintanence man who lived in a cottage down the road beyond west house with his wife and young family in the 1960s?
RE: The Staff
Why yes - but until you mentioned him I had completely forgotton. He used to wear a blue boiler suit most of the time I think. Are there any more forgotton staff?
RE: The Staff
There were several "behind the scenes" staff whose names are long forgotten, the sewing room ladies who saw to all the laundry and patched up well worn uniforms, the two groundmen who apart from tending all the sports pitches and equipment also took charge when we had to do Estate Work and lastly the two barbers we dreaded seeing every other week in the Mansion who gave us those terrible haircuts an inch above the ear.
RE: The Staff
As I read the contibutions I get a few flickers of memory - Mr Hartley? lived in the white house on the right mid way between the mansion and tulk - not staff but played the serpent amongst other things at several concerts.
MR Hartley
Mr Hartley lived in a cottage on the Estate called 'Woodwind.' He was a professional musician and his main instrument was the bassoon. Each Autumn term in the late 1950s he would gather together some of his musical friends to form a wind ensemble and they would give a concert in the Mansion for the benefit of staff and boys. He was not a member of school staff and as far as I recall was simply a private citizen who happened to live in Ottershaw Park. MG
RE: The Staff
Also anothe german student - red hair and flaming temper to match - once in the library she slapped young Beresford (East) very hard across the face for cheek - left quite a red mark I recall!
Kenneth John Cable
Any information on John Cable would be appreciated. He is an old school chum who was last heard of teaching at Ottershaw in the early 60s.
John Cable
I think he runs a B&B on Mull.............
The Staff
1965/66, Miss Barke aka "Bella", used to teach biology and was the first female teacher I believe. She ended up marrying Anthony Stowell, there was another guy who taught English, quite amusing, and always came to the classroom smoking, played rugby. "Daddy" Oet. used to smoke in Tech Dwg class!
Bella
I remember her, tightly tied back blond hair, very refreshing!
Mr. Burrows' nickname was
Mr. Burrows' nickname was "Josh" and he used to deliver the most deadly of "Josh knocks" to your head when you were not looking. Would be arrested today.
I think Burrows had the knick
I think Burrows had the knick name Flatty, as we all thought he had a flat lung?
Burrows
He lost part of his lung serving in WW2 as far as I know
The Staff
I can't see Harry Sharp on the list. He joined the staff in January 1951, as the first specialist PE teacher, at the same time as the large intake of pupils prior to the completion of new West House. He lived with his family in the first floor flat on the back stairs of the main building, which was transferred to the cooking staff after he had left. As a RAF Pilot reservist, he was largely instrumental in the establishment of the school ATC, initially as a wing of the 11F Squadron at Brooklands and invited some of the cadets to fly with him in Tiger Moths and Chipmunks. No takeoffs or landing, but we did learn how to keep the aircraft level, gain height and make turns, at the same time as getting a bird's eye view of the school . Harry was also very involved with the formation and success of the school swimming and athletics teams (with Ralph White) in the early 50s, whilst introducing many of the new intake to rugby and PE displays.
Harry Sharp
In one PT class Harry Sharp decided to ask one of us (I cant remember who) to take the class. Whoever it was made such a hash of it that I started laughing and couldnt stop. We were all lying on our backs on the floor at the time. Mr Sharp came and trod (hard) on my chest. That shut me up
Maths teachers
Mr Parry was a maths teacher I think. Mr Hodges was my Maths teacher
I remember a cook or kitchen
I remember a cook or kitchen helper Named MIMI she was lovely.. she said that she would have Fiels's "Guts for garters" if he yelled at me again at the sunday morning reprimand session, in Oet's small office. I seem to remember that Harrison_Ball had a thing going with her!! And also he was demoted from Prefect to Sub Prefect, was that because of his association with her? How terrible it all was because the remaining Prefects were very nasty to him after he was demoted, maybe they were jealous. Does anyone have any recollection of this??
The Staff
I`m surprised nobody has mentioned Arthur `Jake` Buttery, deputy Headmaster and Master of West House. He was one of those truly unforgettable characters who gave many boys their love of Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton. He was not everyone`s idea of a schoolmaster - a very regular customer at The Otter and a rather scruffy appearance belied a character which no doubt stood him in good stead while he was waiting to be evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk. (Info from Tank Commander Reg White - French teacher) Another name I don`t see is Roby Johnson - Physics. We used to think it was funny to see him standing at the blackboard blinking heavily all the time. Someone mentioned this in a French class and again Reg White told us that Johnson suffered from snow blindness during a failed attempt to climb Everest in 1938.
Accuracy please!
In the interest of accuracy, the French teacher was RALPH White and the other master was ROBEY Johnson.
Many thanks for those
Many thanks for those corrections Jonathan
INNACCURACIES
Catering Staff 1960ish
Anyone recall Joy Lovell? I met her while she was working as "head cook" in the early 60's
Staff from 76-79
I remember many names from above, and some that spring to mind from my time are: Mr Burleigh ( English Lang & Lit ) he had the small classroom behind the stage of the main hall. Mr Ford (Maths) my tutor. Mr Marjoribanks (East Housemaster) a lovely man , always smiling, reminds me of a smaller Brian Blessed. Mr Hughes (PT) a Welshman who introduced me to my love of Basketball and Athletics.
The Staff
The above comments trigger off other recollections: Sid Ayling was the school maintenance man. I have this feeling that he may have electrocuted himself. I hope not. Miss Thompson the chain-smoking nurse and friend to Dennis Hall. Did she not say, 'if you don't make your bed properly you and I are going to fall out'? I hope so. Robey Johnson, and this I did hear him say, 'There's no such thing as suction in science'.
'Boggy' Johnson
My abiding memory of Mr Johnson, who inspired a solid appreciation of Physics which was to become useful in later years, was him leaving his podium mid lesson and peering over the bench, where (I think) Paul Hards (East) had been rocking back and forth on his stool until gravity had overtaken him whereupon Hards had landed heavily on his back. In Johnson’s best Yorkshire (?) brogue: “Aw Hard’s, are you hurt lad ?” “No Sir” “Pity”
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