King edwards VII school.

[TWhits 11]

We named Red Fred after red lead or triplumbic tetroxide (Pb304). Latin teacher, think Watling - called him Marcus Gaslampus as he was tall. Spanish/French master, lived opposite us on Slayleigh Avenue - called him Spiv - can't remember his name.

 

Think "Red Fred" might have been "Alan Wilcock" and "Spiv" might have been "Victor Bramhall". Was it Red Fred (or a colleague of his) who came out with wonderful phrases such as: "watch the board while I walk through it", "you three are the worst pair if ever I saw one"?

[hillsbro 28]

We named Red Fred after red lead or triplumbic tetroxide (Pb304)...

That's interesting - we assumed that Red Fred was so named because of his red face (especially when he got mad). Marcus Lamp-postus (Edward Fairchild Watling) lived into his 90s, still translating Greek plays from a nursing home in Kent. His nickname alluded to the fact that he was tall, and also deaf as a post. The gay "Spiv" was Edward V. Bramhall - he is third from the left on the front row in this photo.

[strangerthe6 10]

Think "Red Fred" might have been "Alan Wilcock" and "Spiv" might have been "Victor Bramhall". Was it Red Fred (or a colleague of his) who came out with wonderful phrases such as: "watch the board while I walk through it", "you three are the worst pair if ever I saw one"?

 

I think it was Red Fred. My favourite was "Every time I open my mouth some idiot speaks"

 

I think he left to become organist at Carlisle cathedral.

[mikeG 16]

I think it was Red Fred. My favourite was "Every time I open my mouth some idiot speaks"

 

I think he left to become organist at Carlisle cathedral.

 

Strange change of career. Think Mr Wilcock also had red hair. He was a hoot.

Yes Spiv Bramall - lived opposite us on Slayleigh Avenue 1965 ish.

[hillsbro 28]

...Think Mr Wilcock also had red hair. He was a hoot...

I thought he had red hair but couldn't remember clearly, and b & w photos don't help. I do remember one occasion when he was supervising dinner and got so mad, shouting at the top of his voice - I thought he might burst a blood vessel. He certainly wasn't cut out to be a teacher, and a career change to cathedral organist might have been very wise.

[Richard B 10]

I was there from 62 to 69 and was taught by Red Fred (amongst others). Maths was his speciality and though he knew his subject well enough he was indeed a hopeless teacher, though I couldn't help rather liking him and to some extent feeling sorry for him. He must have gone through hell! His class room was on the top (third?) floor down at the end of the corridor and I recall one occasion where someone got bored with the lesson and climbed out of the window to take a stroll along the ledge three floors up! His classes were indeed riotous assemblies which were often silenced by teachers from neighbouring classrooms coming in to shut us up. I remember we collected his classic quotes and at the end of the year gave him a little book with the complete works including the three most often quoted as in previous comments, he was rather pleased I think. I recall many of the teachers mentionned above but my own personal favourite was Mike Wilde (Ringo) who taught us Biology and his style & enthusiasm ensured good grades at A level for myself and many others in my class that year. He was there for only 2-3 years and then moved on to Lady Manners school in Derbyshire if I recall correctly.

[hillsbro 28]

... Red Fred... His class room was on the top (third?) floor down at the end of the corridor...

Yes - it was Room A on this plan.

... Mike Wilde (Ringo) who taught us Biology and his style & enthusiasm ...

I quite agree - I didn't do Biology to 'A' level (Maths, Physics & Chemistry) but I'm sure it was Mike Wild's infectious enthusiasm for his subject that was largley responsible for my grade 1 in Biology 'O' level. He spent three years at K.E.S. and left to be Head of Biology at Lady Manners in 1966.

[pitsmoorlad 10]

... and there am I - 1959 input, class 4GL, front row, fourth from right - complete with hair..

 

....and there I am - 1962 input class 1/1...

[PaulSH 10]

I was at King Teds from 59 to 65.

Mike Wilde was a cracking teacher and so were the other guys who taught biology [JJ Head and Josh Fordham]. I only really got a grip academically when I came under their influence. Too many of the other teachers were either crap or sadists or both. Wightman has been mentioned but "Dusty" Rhodes [Geog] and Eli Vout [scripture] were others.

I remember Marcus Watling, who we [aged 11] used to wind up by just silently mouthing a reply to any question. He would immediately fiddle with his hearing aid to the entertainment of the class. Olly Johnson was another star bloke.

There was also an ace chemistry teacher who joined around 64, fresh from teacher training [?Lanky Allen] - he was a breath of fresh air after Jock [Poison Dwarf] Mackay. Willy Scobie was another terrific teacher - he was given the thankless task of trying to instill some culture into upper school scientists and did so remarkably well.

Strange days, strange place - but it gave me a fantastic education.

[hillsbro 28]

Hi PaulSH. "Poison Dwarf" - I like it, and very apt. John "Tonk" Allen was indeed a breath of fresh air. Tall and athletic, he took over cross-country running from Cedric "Herman" German, and in the 1970s he married a Danish orienteering champion. Willy Scobie was a great teacher and a good friend to me. In 1967 he went as a lecturer in "liberal studies" at an art college in Liverpool. Eventually he was forced out because, as he told me over the 'phone, "they wanted me to pass students who simply couldn't write". He became joint owner of an antique shop in New Brighton and died a few years ago. Oddly enough, a charcoal portrait of him is currently on offer via eBay - see here. .Eli Vout (I'll never forget his loud, blood vessel-bursting tirade after a disappointing set of exam results) trained for the ministry at Ripon Hall Theological College and also died quite recently. I last saw him on his way to the Billy Graham event in Sheffield in 1985, pushing one of his parishioners in a wheelchair. Perhaps he mellowed as he got older...

[PaulSH 10]

Hi Philip

 

Any idea what happened to Mr Allen? How long did he survive at KES? Where did he go after that?

[hillsbro 28]

Hi Philip - Any idea what happened to Mr Allen? How long did he survive at KES? Where did he go after that?

He left K.E.S. in 1973, which was about the time he got married. Unfortunately I don't know where he went from there - perhaps he moved to Denmark. He had organised an Orienteering Club at the school, just as he had revived the Fell Walking Group (originally started by J.S. Anderson) during our time at K.E.S.