Contents
Our Memories
A 70's Miscellany
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Contents
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Some Customs
Mock Election 1979
The York Washing Machine
I was remembering some of the strange break-time events. One of the worst was when a group of older boys would surround their victim, hold him by the arms and legs and throw him over the hedge by the sports block (which I think was the school garden). The hedge was quite high so I have no idea what the poor sod landed on!
Another pastime was the old prank of attaching a note to someone's back with 'follow me' written on it. It usually resulted in a
line of people following the unsuspecting soul around the school. According to my son this still goes on but the note now says 'kick me' - a sign of the times ...Sue Wilson (Pearson)
[In the Sixties (and perhaps before), it was customary for birthday boys to be chucked into/over the hedge. Ed.]
A mock election was held in 1979 (the Conservatives won, under the leadership of Bruce Edmonson). There was a 73% turnout. This photo taken by Nick Woods and appeared in the 1979 edition of the College Magazine (click thumbnail to enlarge).
"The person second from the right in this photo is Jane Vessey (Vessy? Can't recall the spelling). I don't remember much about her except that she was a day pupil, living in Little Melton (travelling on the same bus as me). I'm pretty sure the person with the loud-hailer was the SDLP candidate in the election, but I can't remember her name." - Ian Househam
"Second face from the left is, I believe, Elaine Bolton." - Peter Jordan
"Have just seen the note regarding names in the 'mock election' picture, the girl with the loudhailer is (Jane?) Richards and she was the candidate for the Labour Party [the 1979 magazine mentions a Helen Richards - Ed.]. She lived on Fifers Lane in Hellesdon and I was friends with her brother Graeme." - Philip Ribbons
"Just checked the website and saw the photo of the mock election, 1979. The girl on the far right is Siobhan Anderson. She was in my course for most years up through the 5th form." - Mike Wood
So that's (left to right): NK, Elaine Bolton, NK, Helen Richards, Jane Vessey, Siobhan Anderson.
Bob Mullenger or someone else decided it would be a good idea for York to own a washing machine to wash the house sports kit (everyone’s individual kit that is). One was duly purchased and installed in the staff flat. It was not sophisticated, but one where you put the clothes in the top.
A rota was drawn up and one sixth former would supervise the operation, one fifth and one fourth former would wash the clothes and a number of juniors would hang them out on lines behind Gloucester House and get them back in and distribute them when they were dry, by leaving them on people’s beds.
I do not remember doing anything but use the washing machine, so it must have been 1971 or 1972 it was purchased. In addition I do not know what happened when it rained. Washing always took place on a Sunday morning first thing and the matron, Mrs Saunders, would make sure people were up early to do this.
Once, for a joke, the sixth formers removed the washing machine and hid it in the boiler house under the kitchens, so a later start was made that day (and the sixth former supervising could get a lie in). The fourth and fifth years also took the opportunity to wash their shirts (which were nylon in those days) while no one was looking.
Norman Faircloth
Wymondham College Remembered
