OK---- Just a bit of humour,well it`s humurous now,but it wasn`t at the time!
The time being, November 1956,specifically Bonfire Night.We were told by the cadets who were there the term before, that they had been told by their predecessors who were there on Bonfire Night 1955,that the place had been attacked by the local Teddy Boys,throwing stones,clods of earth and generally being a pain.
Not again,"Not while we`re here" we thought.So--- After lights out, we crept out(all apart from a lad called Gummerson),(I wish I could remember his first name).After patrolling the grounds in the dark and being very quiet----Nothing!!!! and we all ended up sitting on the wall at the corner of Plasmawr and Fairwater roads with our legs dangling over the edge,after pushing our way through the thick Laurel and Privet bushes.The wall was only about two feet high on the inside but about five feet high on the outside,with a small stream running at the bottom followed by a low stone wall separating it from the pavement.Guess what? after a while some local talent walked by,whether by arrangement or accident I know not.
With a bit of chat by certain people and a lot of help they also ended up sitting on the wall.The road unfortunately, was quite well lit,so we were all in plain view,that is until the guy on the right hand end of the wall,the end nearest the college gate, suddenly hissed "Mr Keene" and dissapeared with a backward flip,closely followed by the rest of us,like a row of ducks at a fairground shooting gallery.
The rest of the sleepless night was spent wondering what was going to happen to us----
Duly, the next morning all those that had been out(apart from Gummerson--what was his name?)were summoned to Captain Roses` study.
Now having been there with my wife, just before the place was demolished, and having blagged our way in past the watchman,we had a look round and went to what had been Captain Roses` study.How small it seemed, and back in 1956 how we all fitted in I have no idea,must have been like sardines!
For the life of me I cannot remember the punishment we received(all apart from Gummerson that is---what was his name)
To this day I am convinced that the only reason we weren`t all given the push was because there were so many of us.
Oh I nearly forgot----Mr Keene had to help all the girls back down to the road on his own and that didn`t help our case at all!!
Can you remember all this Michael???