More news from Old Ealonians

BOAT BUILDING IN MELBOURNE

Tom Chapman (1952 to 59) writes from Melbourne, Australia, to describe his latest venture - building an Annapolis Wherry, a thoroughbred amongst rowboats   

(JH Ed)

First, here is his email:

One day three of our year visited the old school as was not uncommon for old boys. I think we were Peter Chatterton, David Bradshaw, and me. When we met up again with Sainsbury-Hicks he was reminded what a troublesome bunch we were when we reset his newly installed traffic lights that were supposed to direct traffic through his office.  A member of staff burst in during our conversation and realizing that the Head was busy beat a hasty retreat making some comment that he must have misread the lights.  Hicks was quick to note that his system had always worked until some lads from 52/59 came by.  He then went on to confide that our year was a particularly talented and mischievous year.

As he began to recall some of the highlights I realised that there were certain amongst us who figured very prominently in establishing our reputation.

This week* I learned of the passing of two of our special friends who certainly were vanguard bearers of our reputation.  I am of course referring to Rodney Girdlestone and Fred Batten – Trog and Fred-the “Two Ronnies” of our year.

Personally, I did not become a close friend to either of them until later in our school years (they were Modern and I was Classical) but later in the 5th and 6th forms I began to become involved in their incredible creative spirit.  They were not alone and often not the lone instigators of pranks, but they certainly added flair and risk taking to some of our crazy activities.  The amazing thing is that so many of our year were incredibly smart and managed to combine high academic achievement with sophisticated fun making.

Fred was not a straightforward person – he was small in stature and very smart with a wicked sense of humour that clearly antagonized some staff members.  Bill Tew found Batten (and Peter Chatterton) utterly impossible and for some period refused to allow Batten to remain in the classroom.  His famous “out you go” still echoes in my mind.  I was never sure what Fred actually did to tip old Tew over the top but he really did have it in for him.  Hicks confided (and it was confirmed by Mrs. Largey – school secretary and mother of Patrick) that whenever there was a major crisis and a staff meeting was called Tew would announce “mark my words Batten or Chatterton is at the bottom of this”.  He was probably right but the lack of teacher attention did little to hold Fred back in the sciences.  

At the instigation of Bradshaw, Fred agreed that he was correctly sized to test the theory that a person could be squeezed into the 4 door lockers if the floors were removed.  Just as the theory was proven and Fred was vertical inside the cabinet, who should come along but Bill Tew.  Every attempt to keep Fred quiet failed and Tew’s face when he heard the voice in the cabinet was amazing and when he opened the middle door and a hand fell out left him white with rage.  Hicks told us that it was one of the funniest days in his life at EGS when Tew burst into his office and with an ashen face and explained that he had just found Batten inside one of the lockers.

Who could forget the day that Hicks entered the Ealonian room to find the Bolero at full tilt and Fred and Trog doing a brilliant interpretation of Flamenco with their blazers rolled up but lacking castanets. Hicks really did admire them behind his blustering attempts to assert authority.

Tom Chapman

In memoriam

Fred Batten and Rodney (Trog) Girdlestone.  

Two of the great characters of the 1952 -59 pupils at Ealing Grammar School for Boys.

By Tom Chapman