Dr. Tom Smith - 1959 Submitted 26/10/2001
The school was honoured by a visit from several Old Lincolnians in October. Sir David Blatherwick (former Ambassador); David Colvin (former Ambassador and School Captain 1959-60); Chris Pickering; Geoff Eastgate (Captain of Cricket); David (Dusty) Miller; Howard Phillips (son of John Phillips, English master); Tom Atkin (from Australia) and Peter Harrod all joined Lincoln School in the 1950s. Ms Rylands-Bolton showed them round the school so that they could revisit their old haunts such as their Art room (now an English classroom) and the staffroom which is now the languages workroom. They remembered how a pall of smoke emerged from this room as many of the teachers in those days smoked pipes! The stories of ghosts haunting the ‘top corridor’ took on a new significance when the Old Lincolnians revealed that two of the classrooms were used to house First World War patients who weren’t expected to recover from their injuries.
Laurence Ratigan 1955
Submitted 24/11/2005
I left in 1955, my brother Hugh in 1961. In those days we didn't have first names, just surnames to teachers and nicknames among ourselves; mine was Jim. Scanning the wonderful school website, I'm struck by the size of the school - we were only about 300 boys - but more than that by the change of discipline. We were not encouraged to relax. Every boy had to wear the tie, and the cap too on journeys to and from school. We observed silence when a teacher entered, and if it was Mrs Ward or Mr Franklin the head, we stood.
The arrangement of classrooms was very different then. After five years we were separated as two species. Those studying classics in the sixth form had the best room in the building, first floor west end, facing the road - and bureaux! We who did science were housed as far from them as
possible, beyond the chemistry and physics labs, along the corridor running north from the east end of the cloisters. We had the desks the other classes had discarded, deeply carved and often with broken lids. Some suspected a bias against science.
But it's also delightful to notice what has NOT changed in fifty years. The school façade is the same, maybe cleaner, and the two playing fields are there with a third added. Though the old hall is smaller, I recognize the panelling around the stage, and in the Gym the vaulting-horse on the left, the benches too, look familiar. I wonder if there are still services in the Cathedral once a term, with the entire school trooping along East Gate en crocodile. Although Mr Franklin was a clear and careful speaker, when he read the lesson he would somehow lose his aitches: "'E that 'ath ears to 'ear, let 'im 'ear".
As for the other teachers, does anyone recall Weary Williams - very old, very Welsh, and taught Latin to the lower school? Or Bunny Baker, who rather before his time encouraged religious debate in class? Or Johnny Philips, who taught English? He had a marked south-west accent and would shout, "Yew spoke? C'mere, boy!". He would then extract a full confession while forcing you to stand on tiptoe in front of the class, by twisting the hair above your ear. Such things were legal and almost acceptable, for we knew he had our interests at heart. Or Alf Sutton, mathematics, with a south-east accent, whose calculus lessons echoed with "D woy boy D eckss"? My sister comes to Lincoln for the Music Festival and tells me that Jim Shirley and Barbara Heathcote the secretary still attend it also.
I went on to do a physics degree at Aberdeen University, then worked as a health physicist for AEI at Trafford Park before moving to Derby for a career in computers with Rolls-Royce, taking early retirement in 1994. My wife Marianne is still working, and we have three sons. I'd be interested to hear from any of my contemporaries. I keep in touch with John Naylor and we hope to meet Colin Semper. My brother Hugh still works as a top librarian at Edinburgh University.
Neil Croll - 1956 Submitted 21/08/2003
I attended the Lincoln School 1948-1956, and would be delighted to hear from any acquaintances, friends, even enemies, of that vintage, especially fellow-member of RC and VI Classical (1953-56).
After leaving school (one of the saddest days in my life), I read
Classics at Nottingham University, graduating BA (1st-Class Honours) and PhD. From 1960-62, I was Assistant Lecturer in History at Loughborough College (now, I think, Loughborough University). Then, I saved my skin by emigrating to Australia as Lecturer in History, University of New England, Armidale, NSW.
Just before the lynch-mobs arrived, I re-moved myself to Western Canada where I was Professor and Head of Classics at the University of Calgary (Alberta) 1965-97, when I retired with Emeritus (Latin for "Deserves to be out") status and the rather more solid honour of election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Since then, I have re-invented myself as a freelance newspaper-magazine columnist and scribbler of short stories, mainly mysteries, with about 30 so far published. Add these to the trees killed by my more academic 12 books and some 600 articles/chapters/reviews, etc. Apart from Greek-Roman-Byzantine stuff, I dabble in the 18th-century (did an edition of Samuel Johnson's Greek and Latin Poetry, Duckworth, London, 1995), and the perhaps rarer field of Albanian history, language, and literature.
Mindful of all those years at the railway end of Sincil Bank, I remain loyal to Lincoln City FC and still look first for the Imps' results each week, along with those of my other 'team of choice', Nottingham Forest.
Life in Canada is most congenial, enhanced beyond description by my long-suffering wife of 38 years, Janet, and our two children, Alexander (a sort of Sir Humphrey Appleby in Canada's newest regional government in the frozen north of Nunuvut (Think Nanook of the North...), and Martha, an accomplished Cellist with the Cleveland Orchestra, also a chamber musician and teacher of note, being Adjunct Professor at the University of Akron, while still finding time to get married last year, thus enabling me to combine her nuptials with a long-desired pilgrimage to Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (That's enough Baldwiniana: ED).Shall now sit back and wait for the e-pistles to roll in.
Linda Motton - 1962
Submitted 26/11/09
I left in 1962, the same year that Mr Lake and Mr Martin ("Nimrod") left. I remember that Mr Martin shook hands with every leaver that year and knew us all by name. I think that we all had great respect for him and for what he had achieved at the school. Not the greatest academic at school, my career has been varied. Local Government, the Civil Service, a Motel owner and the Life Assurance Industry where I became a senior executive. I am retired now and live near Manchester. I have one son who, at the time of writing will shortly be called to the Bar. I remember with affection and gratitude many of our teachers. Trevor Mays who tragically died, Mr Lake (why did we call him "Nobby"?), John Wells-Cole (who I saw from the hotel register was staying at the same hotel when I was on honeymoon in Yorkshire in September 1967); Mr Bailey with his biscuit bar in the woodwork room during morning break, Maggie Ward with her gramophone and puppet theater in the art room, The Rev "Bunny" Baker, Sarge (you'll get a wet shirt) Perry, Mr Watson, Mr Shepherd, Mr Duguid, Mr "Ringo" Rangely and Cliff Hewis. I also remember well Mr Sexton and the endless note taking in the biology lab and Mr Shirley and those beautifully drawn diagramatic maps in the geography room. Why did Mr Akester always seem to be at his wits end?! Not a complete list I know, but perhaps they may like to know that many of the things which they attempted to teach me have been very useful from time to time over the years. Chris Bean, Richard Parker, John Colam, Keith West, "Tiddy" Plaskett and the rest of you. Where are you all now? Remember the runs - three miles via the quarry, five miles via Nettleham? The school fetes and Nimrod negotiating the rope walk? The opening of the W.E.Withers pool? The services in the cathedral? Looking back, there were some really great times and a great school which it is a privilege to say I attended. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who remembers me and can be contacted via the Friendsreunited.co.uk site.
//www.christs-hospital.lincs.sch.uk/LCHSweb/bonnettdavid@hotmail.com
Charlotte Clay - 1995
Submitted 03/12/2001
After leaving LCHS in 1995 (was only there for sixth form), I left with an A in Geography, and a B in both English & French, and went to Reading Uni, where I studied BSc Geography & Archaeology for a year, before leaving as I really didn’t enjoy the course and had ran out of money by the end of the first year! Bad mistake, but never mind.
After that followed several jobs, retail manager in London & Reading, Customer services supervisor for a large courier company in the south. I married in 1998 and my surname changed from Sylvester (I'm sister of Jayne, Vicky & Rachael who also went to LCHS) to Williams. 1999 due to the ever increasing cost of living in Reading, we unfortunately had to move back to sunny Lincoln, where I am now a PA to the managing director of a professional sound & lighting company in Lincoln, and also website manager for the company.
Along the lines I have also managed somehow to become a DJ at various clubs around the country, which is fantastic fun, take up the bass guitar, become an avid film addict, and have acquired far too many pets.
Memories of LCHS? The group I used to hang around with, namely, Louise Simpson, Stan Saul, Hannah McGill, Greg Nicholson, Christa Ibbotson and several others. Tuesday nights at the student night at Kiss with most of the rest of the upper sixth and then walking back up Steep Hill in the early hours of the morning. My geography teacher (who's name i forget), Mr Korolyk (who did a fantastic job of persuading my mother to buy me a guitar for my 18th!), and numerous other events and people.
If anyone can remember me, do get in touch, especially Louise Simpson, wherever you are!
Richard Foster - 2000
Submitted 13/02/2002
I left L.C.H.S. in 2000 with A levels in Biology (A), Chemistry (A), Maths (B), and General Studies (C). I have fond memories of lessons with Mr. Newnham, Mr. Mitchel, Mr. Baker, Dr. Avison, Mr. Young, and Mr. Edgar. On leaving, my first port of call was Nottingham University, where I studied Bsc. Biology for three years gaining a 2:1. I never really liked Nottingham as a city, and by that point had set my heart on a career in Medicine. It was time to move on. Two summers spent in the States, where I met medics at American medical schools, gave me the confidence to apply to medical school here. I also gained a wealth of experience working at St. Barnabas' Hospice (as a volunteer) and the County Hospital (as an auxillary nurse) b/n 2003 and 2004. I had three offers from medical schools, all south of the Watford Gap (GKT, Southampton, and St. George's London). I am now in my second year at Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas' Medical School in South London. I'm having a wonderful time and next year I start clinics. I ultimately want to work as an Accident and Emergency doctor, hopefully in the London area - I'm aiming high for the London Air Ambulance! I just want to say a big thanks to all the teachers at L.C.H.S. who helped me on the way to where I am today!