Alan Rice (FS 49-54) recalls his introduction to the school in 1949.

“The day before the start of the 1949 Michaelmas term I travelled by car with my parents to St Bees and it was in the late afternoon when we left Whitehaven for the last stage of our journey.

About two miles from school, where the valley can be seen in its form, with deep and steep sides, I mentioned that the grass was extremely green by comparison with that in the region of Nottingham. At that stage and that age, I did not correlate the verdant pastures with the considerable rainfall to be encountered in West Cumberland.

Some time later, I got used to the weather pattern which seemed to be almost invariable, irrespective of the time of year. I would wake in the morning at around 6:30 and the view through the windows, since the beds were low and the window-sills high, was of a near cloudless blue sky. By the end of the first lesson at about 10 a.m., the sky was overcast, grey and the rain was frequent.

Though the really fine days were few and far between, we did occasionally experience some warmer weather. The recognition of fine weather was not, however, left to individual assessment: a notice would appear (at least, on the Foundation notice board) stating simply, ‘It is now officially hot’. That was permission for all ranks to go about without a blazer. I cannot remember what the rules dictated for the resumption of the blazer – probably for lessons, dinner, prep. and prayers.

Stephen Edwards (FN 52-57) recently wrote about his loneliness after his father had left him at Meadow House. Mine was a similar experience. With my parents, I was welcomed to Eaglesfield by the Housemaster, Cyril Wood (who taught  Chemistry) and his wife. We unpacked my trunk and found my allocated bed in the top floor dormitory (with a view of the Isle of Man on a clear day). We then had tea and cakes together in the Wood’s living room and it was soon time for my parents to depart. I well remember looking at the diminishing view of the car as it reached the fork in the road and turned out of sight on the Abbey Road. It was an isolated and lonely moment.

I made my way down to the beach and was fortunate to meet the Rev. Kennedy (the Divinity master and school Chaplain and known by the boys as ‘Punch’ Kennedy). He introduced himself and spent a considerable time talking to me, explaining various aspects of school life. Other ‘new boys’ from Eaglesfield joined us and the loneliness was gone. Time for dinner and to get to know each other: those fellow pupils whom we would come to remember for the rest of our lives.”

 

 

 

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The St Beghian Society    
St Bees School,    St Bees,    Cumbria,    CA27 0DS.

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