3 November 2006
Message for Old Taptonians for easy access to old photos of our School, teachers and pupils.
At present the only place for the storage of OTA members' school photos is on the OT website www.oldtaptonians.co.uk There is now another option open to us, Flickr, reputed to be the best online photo management and sharing application in the world.
To access the site use the following web address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ot1949/ (just copy and paste this into Internet Explorer and click on GO).
This will enable you to see the existing 39 photos (from 1930s thru 2006) I have already uploaded. If anyone wants to upload their own OT photos to Flickr or add comments to the existing photos just email me and I will provide you with detailed instructions on how to do it.
When you have had a chance to see the photos on the site I am sure you will agree that this is the right vehicle for us, especially since it will make it so much easier for me to organise and update.
Len Thompson
1 Orchard Gardens
Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 7LG
Tel: 01483 274535
Email: spireqs@btinternet.com

First of all I wish to acknowledge the assistance of Chesterfield Library in producing CDs/audio books of my two books 'Memories of Tapton House School' and 'Life Down t'Lane'. Below are 2 buttons for listening to parts of 'Memories of Tapton House School'.
The 1st gives gives the Foreword by the Duchess of Devonshire.
The 2nd is a memory of Peter Wagstaffe 'All was Beauty Part 2'.

Also below you will find 2 buttons for listening to 'Life Down t'Lane'.
The 1st gives part of Chapter 1 'Introduction and Background'.
The 2nd is part of Chapter 4 'Tapton House Grammar School'.

**************************

Two dates for your diary for 2008

1. OTA Picnic day at Tapton House Saturday Noon 28 June 2008.
(We hope the house will be opened for us to view the house and rooms again at 11.00 to 13.30)

THE OLD TAPTONIANS WAR MEMORIAL AND PICNIC
Well done Saturday 24 June 2006. I am proud of all the Old Taptonians who turned out for the event and the picnic; we have never had such numbers attending (over 100 - I will be issuing an attendance list when it is finalised). A special thank you to those who travelled from the USA and Canada to be with us. Photos of the event should also be available on enquiry.

THE OLD TAPTONIANS WAR MEMORIAL report by Des Baker

An unusual ceremony was held at Tapton House on Saturday 24 June 2006.
When Tapton House School was closed in 1991, some of its treasures were lost, and some of them were removed for safe keeping.
Among these was the School War Memorial, a fine wooden plaque which listed in gold lettering the names of eighteen Old Taptonians who lost their lives in the Second World War.
John Wilson, the brother of one of the young men named on the memorial, was the first to enquire about the plaque's whereabouts in the late 1990s, and more recently, with Old Taptonian Len Thompson, he established that it was in the storerooms of Chesterfield Museum,
Len who has done much research into the history of Tapton House and is the author of a book on the subject, then enlisted the help of the present guardians of the house, Chesterfield College, the archives staff at Chesterfield Museum and a number of his school friends.He arranged for the plaque to be restored by the Museum and at the same time obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission official certificates honouring the OT war heroes. He then tracked down as many as possible of the families of the young men listed on the memorial and invited them to the ceremony.
He chose the last Saturday in June, the date when Old Taptonians traditionally hold their annual picnic on the sunken lawn at Tapton, to have the memorial officially unveiled.
So Saturday's event brought together over 100 Old Taptonians and friends from the 1930s to the 1990s, including the families of those young men who lost their lives in the 1940s.
The Principal of Chesterfield College, Ian Murray, welcomed the visitors back to Tapton and Len himself gave a special welcome to the family members who had been able to come.
The Service of Remembrance and Dedication was devised in collaboration with the British Legion and conducted by the Rev Dr Stan Frost, himself an Old Taptonian. The Vicar of Holy Trinity, The Rev Chris Jackson also officiated. John Wilson, read a lesson from the Apocrypha. The Mayor of Chesterfield, MrsTrudi Mulcaster, led prayers, the Mayoress, Mrs June Brown, read out the names of the Fallen, and OT Keith Renshaw brought the ceremony to a close.
When the school was opened in 1931, its Charter was signed by a number of notable people: AV Alexander, First Lord of The Admiralty and a Principal Secretary of State; NJ Watson, Mayor of the Borough of Chesterfield; H Cropper, Chairman of the Education Committee; Violet Markham, Vice Chairman of the Education Committee and HG Stead, Education Officer. They decreed that the Charter should be read out on every anniversary of that date. On this occasion OT Des Baker had the honour of reading it out, this time in the presence of the Member of Parliament for Chesterfield, Paul Holmes.
Finally, Len Thompson presented The Mayor, The Mayoress and The
Principal of the College with copies of his two books about Tapton House and its School.
Then the Old Taptonians adjourned to the sunken lawn for their annual picnic!
Next on Len's list of items to be tracked down are the original framed Charter and the fine wooden lectern which stood on the stage at every school assembly.....

ps If anyone has any information as to the whereabouts of any of the above items please contact Len Thompson Tel: 01483 274535 or Eml: spireqs@btinternet.com

WW2 plaque being rededicated and unveiled by Mayor Trudi

2. Reunion at The Winding Wheel Friday 7.30pm 7 November 2008.
The 2007 event was well attended as usual
(advise Mike Stanford - OTA Secretary 01246 568181, if you plan to attend on 7 November 2008)

Item 1. The following were present at the picnic in 2002, having a lovely time, full of nostalgia:

Name Married Start Finish

Riggott Joan 1943 1946

Eyre Brian 1944 1948

Jackson Rita Austin 1944 1948

Rhodes Brenda Bilton 1944 1944

Buxton Alan 1945 1951

Clark Pamela Kemp 1945 1950

Maycock Sheilah Baxter 1945 1949

Hinchley Janet Heath 1947 1954

Leaney Sylvia 1947 1953

Beasley Joan Eaton 1948 1953

Barnes Pat Rusty 1949 1954

Coe April Hall 1950 1955

Delaney Pauline Ward 1950 1955

Drew Brian 1950 1955

Heaton Joyce Moulder 1950 1953

Ramsdale Pat Buckley 1950 1955

Yeldham Marion 1951 1956

Senior Allan 1953 1961

Ulyett Sandra 1953 1959

Longden Liz 1954 1960

Mathews June 1954 1961

Parkin Maureen Jones 1954 1961

Renney Margaret 1954 1959

Stanford Mike 1954 1961

Woodhouse Mick 1954 1960

Woodlisse Marian Gaffey 1954 1961

Birkin Barrie 1956 1962

Stokes Jean Birkin 1956 1962

Beasley Margaret 1958 1963

Hunt Judith 1958 1963

Booker Bill 1959 1966

Vintiner John 1959 1966

Constantino Mary Stone 1961 1968

Nash Hilary 1961 1965

White Gill Walters 1961 1968

Davenport Anne Bannister 1962 1967

Fitch Pat Duke 1962 1967

Constantino Angela Taylor 1966 1973

Dunford Maureen Bates 1971 1977

Bates Keith

Newton Gary 1974 1979

**************************
Article from Gloria Havenhand nee Wood (1956)

All of us remember the Christmas Carol Service at Trinity Church, Chesterfield, when the stone memorial depicting George Stephenson's Rockets 'chimney' dominated every visitor's eye and warmed the hearts of all. It was living history in 'an ordinary' school, in the Midlands, but distinctly illuminates how Taptonians need 'to touch base with history' - for I will share with so many Old Taptonians, a quiver stashed with memories, so colourful, so lively, so controversial.

Just like Stephenson's Rocket, to be educated at Tapton House School was to be ahead of time or out of step with convention - for its eccentric atmosphere was made even more extraordinary by its eclectic and eccentric staff.

Not for them the carping on of education, education, education! They were not into jam tomorrow or the next day - for TODAY had 6 hours of solid teaching from which you derived 6 hours of solid learning. We surely all remember that first week?

How unfit we were, breathlessly climbing that worn grassy hill every morning, besporting our over-full satchels - why didn't we leave most books at school? Pride and ostentation feel no pain do they? (And that School Charter - declaring and decreeing its noble men and gracious women who had, over 200 years, dwelt in and loved this house. Loved a school, I thought - loved school at all - the word madness buzzed through my head then!)

Tapton gave me my first encounter with batmanesque teachers, bedecked in flowing gowns, strutting their importance along corridors and sweeping the floor as a practical extra. Gowns commanded automatic respect and attention. You could hear a pin drop. Whatever the subject, maths, sciences, languages - infective words such as "example, exceptional, expectations and exceed" took on high meaning - which for me anyway, kicked my idle soul into a new, exciting experience of my life + education per se was the fulfilment of this - not the promise.

Remember the class of 1956? There has to be the other 102 souls out there somewhere. We were a tripartite lot separated into T, H and S forms - that's right - ensconced in Rooms 3, 4 and 5 respectively. No one separated by ability yet!

The first term was a slog towards the dreaded School Report due at the end of the Christmas Term. I well remember handing over this brown envelope to my father. I waited for what seemed an eternity - "Hmm, second in class, you've only made it to second. This is no good, nobody remembers or cares who came second - only who came first!" I wonder how today's social workers would handle my father - for the rest of the class seemed to have provoked the same response from their parents too!

Nasty medicine the truth! A tough regime at school - but an even tougher one at home. Work or wilt!

We were after all, at Tapton, "born to the purple". Our scarves and ties were a vivid purple, black and white. Phil Wildin (that revered Senior Mistress) dreamed of attiring her girls with purple stockings and purple berets (this hated piece of uniform). The girls were aghast of her radical and outrageous ideas - but worse was "to come".

Upon the publication of DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover (unexpurgated edition at last) she seized the nettle. She marched along top corridor, waving the novel high aloft - dramatically beckoning over the balustrade for all her English pupils to come now - to her room! (Remember her hidey-hole? Through the book-store (next to the Biol-Annexe) and up two steps into her inner sanctum?)

What sin had we all committed - it had to be gross - it was! She was filled - yeah, consumed with passion - She accused us of gross misconduct. Giggling, whispering, and sniggering about media sensationalism. "Out with it," she demanded, "let's hear it - F***!!"

We were frozen in shock. How could she? We thought better of her (Why I don't know - weren't we narrow minded brats?) She parade up and down - remember, by now, 'extras' in the form of a crocodile had crowded outside the book store and wound down the stone stairs, ears straining for the use of the dreaded word. "You have all this word - now, when I use it or DH Lawrence uses it in prose - you become juvenile and immature!"

"DH Lawrence came from a mining community (Eastwood, Nottinghamshire)" she exclaimed, "he is using language in print as it is used in conversation in his family life or working life - it is even used on The London Stage - I tell you all."

It took several days for this brainstorming act of hers to fully sink in. I still hate the F-word - but ever since that moment, I have been unmoved and unmotivated by it. All of us, despite our street gossiping, never heard of such boldness at Chesterfield School or St Helena School - believe me, we would have known!

You know; the penny only dropped when I set out on my own teaching career, firstly at St Marys High School and then St Helena (Holy of Holy's), that I suddenly identified specifically WHY Tapton has made us all so bold, so confident, so communicative, so cosmopolitan!

Taptonian staff were molten - not compartmentalised or blinkered to one subject or interest only.

How many of you smile (nay - grin) when the name Mr Woodhouse is pulled out of the hat? What a lovable maniac teaching biology in the most extra-orbital way known to the whole galaxy. He also took us camping, mountaineering (I stayed at the bottom with the derelict gossipers), camping, cave exploring - together with all the photographic apparatus and genius he had to offer en route! We lost him to Tasmania - their gain!

Mr Savitz didn't languish in his genius of 10 languages (whoever heard of anyone speaking Latin fluently anyway?). No, lingua Latina held the secrets of Roman philosophy and its licence to renew and muse the soul, sexual and scientific rites that literally ignited our adolescent imagination to new heights. We all, not, just wanted to go to Rome - we now needed to go!

Dorothy Lowe (that two-toned sock wearing Geographer) filling every inch of Room 9. Two-toned? Oh yes - a grey sock on the left foot and a blue one on the right or whatever combination had been pulled from the drawer.

The class of 56 must remember when Dorothy Lowe and Phil Wildin swept into Tapton's drive entrance every morning. Dorothy driving - Phil deeply inhaling her 10th fag since breakfast, whilst drenching herself in Revlon's Intimate perfume in preparation for the war zone to be fought that day.

How many of you were beckoned (nay ordered) into the boot of that Black Consul - "Just in time to give us extra grip, de-earhh's"

Often crunching through 5 to 6 inches of snow up the inclined drive. However 3 or 4 of us got out in 1 piece remains a mystery, but what fun.

Back to Dorothy Lowe. Overshooting her Geography lesson well into morning break, she had again mounted her favourite hobby-horse - the state of the Economy and Economics generally.

"Free handouts from the State - to you lot - and you don't even appreciate it!" She was referring to free school meals in Junior Schools.

"But it is not free!" I protested (just 12 years old). "That milk is free - How dare you argue with me?" She screeched. "It's not," I continued (fearing for my life by now) "it's paid for by our parents and millions of taxpayers."

"But it's free to you," she screamed and raced up to my desk (back row of course), wrenched an exercise book from my hands and skimmed it frizzbeesque out through the back window - and ordered me "like a dog" to retrieve it for my insolence.

"You threw it - I'm not fetching it". "Ye Gods", this incident still increases my heart rate - at that moment it must have been pounding and throbbing in terror.

Punishment came as a matter of course - fully deserved but 10 out of 10 for her, for during that lunch time she dragged me out of room 9 (2000 lines and showered me with apologies for all to hear at the top of the staff stairs? She held court and from this balustraded altar still holding me by the blazer sleeve, she declared to the school that Misses Pennington and Woodhall agreed with me and the rest of the staff were still deep in argument, but at this stage the Male Staff Room had no opinion to speak of, naturally.

She ranted and raved (as she did normally about free speech and how she encouraged it and this could only happen in her 'comprising lessons'. She declared at full puff that this was the stuff of democracy and hence Tapton - but I still must complete the 2000 lines in Room 9 - for this was food for the soul! Now done with glee.

I was later to remember this academic and social scrum with Dorothy Lowe, when in later life, I too seemed to be ranting or ranted at, in Council Chambers, Government Committees, Party Conferences or TV interviews - Face Facts - Face your Aggressor - and Face the Punishment (if it comes). Tapton House bestowed us all with confidence from every conceivable source, good, bad or sad.

Which now precipitates the jewel in the crown when reflecting on Miss Wildin and Lowe.

Fidgeting and whispering by the whole objectionable back row in Phil Wildin's lesson, had its own retribution - NOT LINES!! Please note. She congratulated us on our obvious verbosity and would hear no refusals to her offer (demand?) to The Debating Society (after school of course).

We had been caught straight on our Achilles heel - our verbosity was only for us - we couldn't speak publicly - we would dissolve on the spot!

After our first attendance, we were mockingly calling each other say, "Miss Wood, Miss Raybould - you have the floor etc - etc!" when Phil Wildin appeared seemingly out of a floor board and showered us with her wide-eyed admiration. Our undiscovered talents must not be wasted - The Debating Society - needed this new troop. She promptly arranged our debut as Proposer, Seconder, Opposer and Seconder the week AFTER NEXT! "Ye Gods!" Walls did have ears at Tapton - and unbeknown to Newton - light did turn corners. We had been caught - again.

Our debut was not just dreadful - it unrehearsed and unresearched. It highlighted the pain of public speaking to the unsuspecting. Never Ever did anyone in our tribe take 'The Michael' again - but ever onwards and upwards, we were taken back to Phil Wildin's Room and in modern-speak, it would be spinned as 'Embarrassment Counselling'! At that time (about 1959) it was known as the "Don't Quit Now Scene."

Months and months passed - So much of her personal time she dedicated to us. Our tribe was smaller by now. There are always losses on the route to Jerusalem, but smarter by experience. Why did she continue to waste her time on us? Her regime flew straight from a barrack square - rigid rehearsal time, strict timing schedules, current affairs understanding and at least half an hour per day oral delivery. Don't forget the timing - timing - timing - as No. 1. "You say everything with a silent pause," she reiterated, courtly King!

Eleven months later and she entered those willing, for The Mitchell Debating Prize and the following year - The East Midlands Debating Trophy was carried back to Tapton.

By now, Phil and Dorothy were agreeably confident to be seen in public with us. AS a reward we were transported on Branson's Coaches to The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford. It was a dark winter's evening.

Half an hour into the performance Dorothy Lowe was in emotional melt down when one member of the cast plunged his hand beneath his bulging cods piece and plucked out a coin from beneath - She shrieked for half the stalls to hear - "Did You See That - Did You All see what HE did - Do Something Phil!"

Phil Wildin did.

Not one jot of notice did she take of Dorothy, but asked her immediate brood if she was with THEM. The natural actors were not on stage that night.

You know, it has been traumatic to be objective about any experience at Tapton. We are all subjective products - unique individuals from its many moments. It is quite normal to spot an Old Taptonian at 500 paces. They change people, the work place, they change the serious to the fun!

Where else could you in the 50s and 60s have seen Science lessons encompassing Whittington Sewage Works and nappy science at dear old Robinson's? To whom dare we divulge the statistics of gambling at the roulette wheel and black jack, as taught in Concise Mathematics? Then, those bedfellows, English, History and drama were never separated and reached their accolade as the Drama of the Year 'Murder in the Cathedral' - being presented in Chesterfield and Darmstadt, Germany to wonderful reviews.

Lastly - do tell me - every one of you! How come that in 1956, we were of a many and mottled background? The children of railwaymen, fitters, shop assistants and dinner ladies being united cheek by jowl with those whose parents were managing directors, headmasters, restauranteurs and publishing executives - yet all, having the same opportunity to achieve their chosen path in life.

Purple is the colour of Kings and Queens - the colour of Nobility - perhaps that is why the school charter honours the NOBLE men and GRACIOUS women who have dwelt in and loved this house.

Would this nowadays, be thrown out with the politically incorrect bathwater?

Frankly, I couldn't give a damn!

N.B. Is there anyone out there from this Year? Please ring or write.

**************************
Marion Yeldham (OT 1951) reports that the Chesterfield and District Civic Society
has recently erected a plaque on the house to commemorate its most famous resident:
George Stephenson
Three cheers for Marion.

Old School photos (more to come when I have time)
Tapton House front
Garden
Tapton House from SE
Markham Graves
Tapton House south door
View from Tapton House
1930s photo
1935 Prefects photo
1940s photo
1941 HCauser photo
1947 Dancing Princess photo
1947 Netball photo
1948 AthleticsWeb photo
1948 Bonfire Dancing photo
1948 South American Dancing photo
1949 Camping at Flamborough photo
1950 Pam Allen/Len Thompson photo
1952 Margaret Gaughan and Donald Frost photo
1952 St Joan Sylvia Swallow photo
1953 Football Junior photo
1953 Football Senior photo
1958 Hockey team
1960 Autumn June Reddish photo
1960 Social June Reddish photo
1966 Athletics photo
1966 Gym photo
1966 Hockey photo
1966 Prefects photo