There are at least two varieties of bed frame in use.  Counterpanes were very faded ex-Royal Navy issue, complete with central anchor design.  Wardrobes and chests of drawers were wartime utility issue.  Can anyone remember the colour?  Grey-green or blue comes to mind.  We each had a tiny bed-side mat and the floor was brown lino.  The lights at the side (complete with pull-switches) were positioned originally over the hospital beds.

This photo brought back memories of my last year at WC. The bed just to the left of the door to the end room was mine for the year 1960/61. James Grogan had the bed on the other side of the door with the square-framed bed-head. As I recall the drawers and wardrobes were painted a pale green. The end room in that year was a common room for sixth formers. We each had a desk in there where we studied after lights out for the rest of the dormitory.

Even as Upper Sixth formers we had a strict time for going to bed of 10.30pm. I remember I was in the end room a few minutes after that time one night and I heard a scuffling outside and I quickly put the light out and nipped into bed. A few minutes later Charlie Parker came in to the dormitory and asked who had been in the room. I owned up and said it had been me and I had some prep. to finish for the next day so I was a bit late getting to bed. He seemed to accept that (although I don't think he was convinced!) but I haven't until now owned up to the truth.

Radios were totally forbidden in the school in those days but I had a home-made transistor radio, made for me by Anthony Ellis. He made a number of these with very simple materials; a soap dish, a graphite (I think) rod with a coil for an aerial, a couple of transistors, a few bits of wire, a battery and an earphone seemed to be all they consisted of. I used to listen to Radio Luxembourg, especially the Top Twenty on Sunday nights from 11.00pm to midnight. I used to keep the radio hidden in the back of a small locker which we each had beside our beds. On the night in question I had dropped the radio and I needed to see what I was doing to put it back together again, hence I was in the end room when Charlie was walking past. The radio was never discovered but I can't think what happened to it after I left.

Alan Sidell

Entrance corridor with side rooms leading off.  There are plans of the layout on the Maps and Plans page.  The double doors led out onto the enclosed covered way, with Dorm 26 on the other side.

Contents The Gallery Topography - interiors Dorm 27 (Annexe) 1963