Bourne Senior

Comments from a former pupil

This is the Bourne that was in operation during the war years at Ruislip Gardens, based in what is today Ruislip Gardens primary school.. I attended during the 40s and left in 1945.

The Headmaster at that time was Mr G,G.( Horsey) Walker. Other teachers were Mr Tibbles a very big man ,ex Army Sergeant Major who always walked the school with a cane tucked up his sleeve. He taught maths and music. Mrs Tibbles his wife who taught English Literature. Mr Griggs. Sport. Miss Milburn who took P.E. The boys eyes used to pop out when she appeared in her shorts. Mrs Gould who taught Art, Mr Omant? who taught science and always nodded off during lessons and Miss Warner who claimed she could always tell who was playing up when she was facing the blackboard, as it showed in reflection on her glasses. She was a dead shot with chalk that was thrown at the culprit.

Other memories were diving for the air raid shelters when the air raid siren sounded. They were more like concrete tunnels with wooden seating. Many hours were spent in them and taking classes was very difficult. There was no facilities for the boys to take woodwork so once a week we had to attend the Manor school where they had a woodwork class set up. The Master was Mr Cox a very religious man
who gave us a good half hour of scripture before the carpentry lesson, In those days during the playground periods the favourites were Five Stones. Conkers (in season) marbles and a fairly dangerous game called Bung the Barrel. I might add that at that time we were 60 in a class which was hard on the teachers.

The picture below is that of an exercise book (now over 60 years old) that I was issued with as were all pupils.

They were all the same and each subject was written on the front. The word Knight referred to the house we were
in. The reason for various houses now escapes me.

Hi my name is Ken Lambert my twin brother Ron and I attended Ruislip school in Ruislip Gardens from just after the start of the war and we left to go to Acton Tec in 1945. We graduated from Acton Tec in 1949.

There were two pair of twins at the school at that time, us and the Jones brothers, we were the active and troublesome twins and the Jones boys were the nice quiet ones.

I remember well Mr Walker the head, we were caned by him often. He always carried his hankerchief up his left sleeve and I remember the light on his study door that said "Come IN" when we waited warming our hands on the radiator waiting to be caned. At assembly in the mornings he used to get quite angry and conducted the school with great gusto whilst we sang. I also remember Tibbles and his wife she would send us to her husband to get the cane. We ended our last year taking extra paid private lessons at Mr.and Mrs. Tibbles' home. We were their Nice students then. Our Mum and Dad paid well for our move to Acton Tec.

We also remember Mr Griggs who took us for gym and maths he used to wear baggy Grey pants and his legs were sort of double jointed so his calves stuck out at the rear of his legs.

My twin Brother Ron and I were always getting in to fights and after getting one beating too many we decided to arm ourselves with a sports sock each containing large pebbles as a weapon. We carried them tucked in our shorts.


Names of the Class Mates I remember well at the school: Billy Gunter who was a bit of an actor and was in the school play, Bobby and Pat Hase, Johny Bell, Eric Cook, Ronny Davies, Regie and Vicky Crawford.

Well I guess your name is Leon from the cover of the Geography book.
We were in 1b, 2B upper, 3B and 3B upper. We never got in to the fourth year we went to Acton Tec.
Well sir you must now be in your seventies like me what did you do with your life. Did you hear from any other Ruislip school boys ?



Regards:


Ken Lambert
Victoria BC Canada.


 

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