Tulse Hill School - Trips and Away Days

Reunions - House Photos - The School - Sports - School Activities - Away Days - Famous Faces - Teachers
Tulse Hill School sent pupils to a number of external locations for sporting, educational and recreational/cultural activities. Chief sites were Priest Hill Sports Grounds at Ewell, The Croft at Etchingham, and Davos in Switzerland. The school sent a cricket team to Jamaica, a Rugby XV to the US, and a drama production to Berlin. School trips around the UK were common. The Cadet Corps had regular annual camps. Memories, tales, and pictures now being sought for this section. Where else did the school go? Recognise any faces in the photos? Information will be gratefully received.

From the early 1960s, the School bussed pupils out to the Priest Hill Playing Fields in the Southern part of Ewell. On A232: between Cheam & Ewell. Sports played included soccer, cricket, hockey, field sports and the dreaded cross-country run.

1962 School Camp, Meigle Scotland - Kindly sent in by John Bates who attended THS 1958-1963 and was in Turner House, as usual can anyone put names to faces. Credit to Peter Chapman who took the majority of the photos sent in by John
Ten Tors in 1963 John was in the ATC and joined the RAF that year


Italy Trip (Top) and Aberfoyle - 1960's - Kindly sent in by Andrew Hume-Voegeli

	The Croft was Tulse Hill's study centre situated in the lovely village of Etchingham in Sussex. It was a former hotel, converted in 1971 during Ray Long's time as Head for the School's use and stood in 14 acres of its own grounds. Every Monday in term time a party of up to 30 boys with one or more teachers would leave the school to spend up to five days at the Croft on specially designed study courses. Activities for first-year students included visits to Bodiam Castle and Hastings, visits to farms and route-finding exercises using the Croft's own resources, which included an assault course. Cycling enthusiasts at the School would bike the 50 miles (80k) to the Croft and back some weekends. The Croft continues in operation as a Lambeth Council initiative.

Tulse Hill School Cycle team - off to the Croft 1980 ish?

*Rob Duncan remembers The Croft: It was probably early 1972 when a group of us 6th formers went down to The Croft on a Geography Field Trip under the tutelage of Mr Hastings. On arrival we were taken by Bob (Micky) Moon who, along with his attractive French wife, were running The Croft to make acquaintance with the horse that lived in the field at the rear of the Centre. As was his way, Bob offered £5 (a fortune in those days) to anyone who could sit on the horse for a minute. Well, even to this city boy, it was obvious that sitting astride the friendly nag would pose no problem. However it was Mr Hastings, eager to relieve his colleague of a bluey, who volunteered first. Getting up and astride the beast was deceptively easy and the first fifteen seconds passed without incident then suddenly and without warning the horse whipped its head around and bit Mr Hastings on the leg! Screaming with pain our erstwhile teacher leapt off the animal and Bob Moon, laughing like a man possessed, kept his money in his pocket. The rest of the week passed without any further incident (as far as I recall) until the evening before we were due to return. We were dispatched to Etchingham railway station to "interview" commuters getting off the trains to ascertain their travelling habits. This concluded successfully we were met by Mr Hastings and Bob Moon who suggested we might drop into the nearby Etchingham Arms for an end of week pint ( seems it was a regular thing with 6th years and Bob Moon!). Leaving the pub shortly before closing time Bob Moon informed us that it was forbidden to walk along the main road back to The Croft as it was considered too dangerous at night. ( More likely it was because we weren't exactly walking in a straight line!). Instead, we were to walk along the "B" road that passed the rear of the centre....not a problem we thought. Arriving at the field behind the Croft we carefully straddled the barbed wire fence ( careful not to leave any important equipment behind) and began to walk the last hundred yards up to the house. Then, in the pitch darkness, we heard it. The unmistakable sound of galloping horse's hooves. Unsure of the direction from which the animal was approaching or how far away it was we began to run for sanctuary. With the sound of the hooves getting louder we heard a dull thud behind us. Mr Hastings who, as it transpired, had been securing the future of THS gene pool by ensuring everyone had negotiated the barbed wire fence safely and was last into the field. In his panic and attempt to overtake his students he had tripped and was now shouting for help as the horse bore down on him and even above the sound of the snorting, blowing horse I could hear his words of encouragement that have stayed with me......."come back here and help me you selfish b**ds or you will all be in detention"! Needless to say, a rescue attempt would have been impossible as we were all helpless with laughter. I never did work out what it was with Mr Hastings and the horse......perhaps it was the facial hair. That's Mr Hastings' facial hair not the horse's! Rob Duncan was a pupil at THS between 1966 and 1972. A Wren House prefect from Year 5, he "never attained the dizzy heights of the Big Oak Leaves!"

**John Ford recollects The Croft:* Trips to The Croft** were always good for a laugh. In the Spring of 1973 Mr Pinching, then head of the 6th form, took a group of us down there on a British Constitution revision weekend. On the last night we decided to have a bit of fun with Mr Pinching who had a reputation for being rather formal and straight. He was never seen, even at The Croft, without a tie on. We suggested to him that we would like to take him to the local pub for a drink. He happily agreed, presumably thinking that this was an adult gesture from boys beginning to show some maturity. How we were to disappoint him. Whilst he was in the pub with a group of lads, one of us, who shall remain nameless, got into his bedroom, filled his bed with huge dollops of toothpaste and then neatly remade the bed. On returning to The Croft Mr. Pinching waited, as was his habit, until all of us were safely tucked up in bed. Eventually he retired to his room. After a short pause we heard an angry shriek. There was then another longer pause, he had to put his suit and tie back on. He then dashed around all of the rooms, which by then were throbbing with hysterical laughter, uttering dark threats against the culprit. Poor Mr Pinching. He always blamed me for the incident and told me I had little chance of passing A' Level British Constitution. In fact, the only one to get a higher grade than me was none other than Linton Johnson (now Linton Kwesi Johnson.) Halcyon days indeed. *John Ford - THS 1966 to 1973 - (Wren) House Prefect in the 4th form, School Prefect in the 6th form but stripped of his oak leaves by one David Bargery because he was judged too indisciplined!

But now the Croft faces a bleak future! David Holloway reports from East Sussex: The early Tulse years of Crofting saw the biggest numbers of visits here but this year will come close with nearly 1,100 pupil/students visitors. Over the 31 years of The Croft's existence that makes nearly 30,000 folk out there, well some are still youngsters, who have stayed here. I'm a little sentimental and sad though because once again, yes it happens every few years, we are under the Lambeth cuts cosh. There is a proposal from the Education Department to close us down at the end of August 2002. This is the last day of term and we have had a meeting here involving a Councillor who is keen to see it stay open and someone with fund raising experience. The easiest solution is to force the Council into changing its mind but it's not that simple. There has been a history of neglect over the last 10 years, basically since the end of the I.L.E.A. and Lambeth now cannot afford, they say, to make the necessary repairs. We need Lambeth to dig into their pockets and make the place shine and we'll be off and running again. The alternative, apart from closure, is to set up a Trust. Any support we can give David at The Croft - part of the THS memory - will be appreciated.


Germany -The Black Forest ... 1959 **Nigel Cromey provides a few pictures*** There were 23 THS guys and 3 teachers - Messrs Cunningham, Dobson, and Ryan - on this 1959 trip to Germany. *Nigel Cromey was one of the original THS inhabitants, having been a student 1956 to 1960. He still meets with some THS pals from the 50s

Ian Rudd* recollects the experience of Aberfoyle 1962, Miegle 1963 and Davos 1965/66 Scotland: Aberfoyle in 62, Miegle in 63 All sleeping in dormitories (ex-army layout). There was a kit inspection every morning after breakfast. All beds made up with sheets and blankets folded at foot of bed (army style) and lockers checked for tidiness. Hut points were awarded/subtracted and I seem to remember some punishments awarded. All food was taken in huge dining hall, usually a packed lunch was provided as we were all out on various trips during the day. I remember a very long walk up Ben Lomond, despite having been warned not to drink from streams some did at one point only to find a rather decaying sheep just up stream, some very green faces. Mr Goffe led the trip and we had sleet and hail en route, lovely Scotland in August. I also went on two skiing trips to Davos in (I think) 65/66 memorable for our introduction to red wine and its effect on 14/15 year olds. Some broken legs also, one of the party got pushed of the edge of the long piste from the hotel down into Davos, ended up in the trees with a bent leg and got stretchered off the mountain. The story was that he was pushed off by some German skiers but this may have been a war story!! * Ian Rudd was at THS in Faraday House from 1961 to 1968. Ian was Faraday House Captain in 1967/8. His father was active in the PTA and became a lifetime member of the Tulse Hill Charitable Trust

France...1966 **Chris Pocock reports* I went to France** for a week with a teacher called George Willis (I think) - we all stuffed ourselves with pancakes and got smashed on vin rouge. Then on the way home we were given packed lunches which included little sachets of runny jelly. We opened them and then put them on the edge of the open train windows until we were passing through a station at which point we'd thump them shooting the jelly over unwitting French commuters! The final triumph of that trip was buying bottles of green pop called "Pschitt" - you can imagine what a bunch on 12 year olds would do with a name like that - I think they still sell it. *Chris Pocock was a pupil at THS in Blake House from 1964 to 1970.

Davos '67 - Tony Roper on right?	Davos '67 - Johnie Maggs right? Who else please
Switzerland - Davos...1967 **Tony Roper writes about Skiing at Davos:* Sloshing and Yodelling around the Swiss Alps in 1967 Back in the beginning** of our fourth year, we were fifteen years old, I guess, we decided to go on the School trip to Davos. It was a 24 hour trip by rail, with sleeping cars and then ten days hotel and skiing in the Swiss Alps. Sounds good but it was very expensive and all my parents could do to raise that amount of money. How much? Thirty-five pounds!!! As representatives of Tulse Hill School, the pride of the comprehensive school system, we did not disappoint. The first thing we did was all buy Johnnie Walker scotch from the duty free on the ferry. Then on the train we partied all night drinking scotch and coke and smoking cheap mannequin cigars while searching the train for French girls. Early in the following morning the train pulled into Basle, Switzerland where they were having some kind of carnival. No problem, we bought a load of beer on the train and joined in.... Where was the supervision on the trip? Oh it was there but the three teachers in charge gave us a little latitude here and there. Mr Blake, Mr Page and Dick Weir.....thanks. I remember Mr Page was the real ladies man, rumour had it that he had dozens of girlfriends in Davos from previous school trips. He would disappear into Davos every night and return on the first ski lift in the morning. He was the teacher who jumped off the bus going to the Ewell Sports Fields to chat up the girl in the greengrocers at Mitcham. Sorry Brian if you ever read this but to us teenage boys that was so cool!! Highlight of the trip has to be when a bunch of us got into a night club and drank and danced the night away with some Swiss ice skaters. I remember the champagne an red wine (MIXED!). Now that's what I would call a good comprehensive education!!! *Since leaving England in 1976 to move to California, Tony Roper has travelled extensively throughout the US and South America. He now works for the BMW car company in Vancouver in Canada.


Belgium - Blankenburg ...1975 **Brian Doyle fills in some blanks about that trip:*** The pictures below were taken on a school trip to Blankenburg in Belgium in 1975? The teacher in charge was Mr Tyler, (Dickens house master) who is asleep on the coach coming home. The other picture shows Mr George (English teacher & a really great guy) in the bar of the hotel we all stayed in, most nights were spent in that bar or one near by. The beer we all use to drink out their was a brew called "Trappist" very nice & strong. Drinking out there is legal at 14 so it was all OK. A Good time was had by all, The other teacher on the trip was Mr Robson (science)a great guy. *Brian Doyle was at THS around 1975

Italy...1978 **Simon Fulker recollects an Italian Skiing trip:* On a skiing trip to Italy in my 1st year (Jan 1978), a class mate of mine, Phillip Shilling, used to go to the top of the slopes, take off his skis and then kick them down the mountain as fast as he could, desperately trying to hit someone. He went through 3 pairs in the 7 days we were there! At the end of that ski trip, on the way home, there was an 18 hour flight delay and we were all housed in a budget hotel. The next morning a funeral went past the hotel front, and all the THS boys threw their croissants and rolls out the windows on to the hearse. At the time we thought it was our way of helping the deceased have a nice THS send off, perhaps looking back I'm not quite so sure. The school party then preceded in stealing anything that wasn't nailed down in our hotel rooms. A 5th former, called Leon I think, and part of the Millwall F-Troop, stole 2 bedside lamps and 3 pictures off the wall plus numerous ashtrays. One of them lamps was mine by rights!! Simon Fulker was a THS pupil from 1977 to 1983*

Ten Tors Walk - THS teams were there in the early days - anyone got any info ? Hiking around the hills of Dartmoor in the rain appealed to some. The Moor has long been used by the British Army as a training and firing range. Approximately 156 square miles (400 square Km) of the moor are owned or leased by the MoD for military training, and three ranges are used for much of the year for live firing exercises. In 1959 three Army officers felt that the Moor would provide a challenge for civilians as well as soldiers, and Ten Tors was conceived. In the first year 203 boys and girls took up the challenge - and the Army thoughtfully suspended firing exercises... The Ten Tors event - in parallel with the Jubilee Challenge - takes place one weekend in May, every year, and is now limited to 2400 individuals - 400 teams of six teenagers. The teams, depending on age and ability, face hikes of 35, 45 or 55 miles between ten nominated Tors over two days. The intention is that the teams shall be self-sufficient, carrying everything they need to survive two days on the Moor. And survival is a real part of the Ten Tors challenge

Music and Arts Trips *Mike Stevens writes about the footlights Working up a storm in Berlin** In the late 1970s THS had our biggest Drama success of the years I knew, when the school's version of "The Tempest", adapted as a Caribbean Musical, was selected to represent Britain at an international Youth Arts Festival in Berlin. To limber up for the big occasion, the production toured various venues in the UK first. The staff team who got all that together were Liza Wright (Drama), Ron Pite and Guy Richardson (Music), Trevor Rawlins (Art), Roger Dale (Media Resources Officer) and Peter Boon (Technician). Mike Stevens taught at THS 1971 to 1989. Visit his excellent home page at http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/*

Geography Field Trips **Bob Morrisey remembers the 4^th Year Geography Field Trip to Charlbury, Oxon (in 1968 or 1969) and 5^th or 6^th Year Geography Field Trip to Aberystwyth (in 1970)* Field Trip to Charlbury This excursion was organized and conducted by Bob Moon (then known universally as “Mick”) and other teachers now lost to memory. The object of the exercise was to study the limestone formations of the Cotswold scarp to enhance our “O Level” map reading skills. We stayed at the youth hostel in the village of Charlbury, luckily there were no non THS people staying. The hostel building was old and, as a nod to safety regulations, a fire escape was provided in the form of a rope which could be thrust out of the upstairs dormitory window. The charms of Charlbury were soon exhausted by several of the lads, who decided that an unscheduled, and very secret, mission should be mounted to exploit the night life in the nearby town of Witney. Lights out came to the dormitory, and it was clear that several young geographers were missing. Bob Moon and his team decided that a trap should be set, and were patrolling outside the building. Spotted by the returning explorers, those within decided to assist by lowering the fire rope from the dormitory window. I believe the explorers, now turned mountaineers, were caught half way up the rope, in somewhat intoxicated condition. The ensuing evenings were spent provoking the local lads. Our team of likely lads, all adhering to the skinhead doctrine, would taunt the locals as “greasers”, always hoping that the Taunted were less well armed than themselves. This continued for a few nights until, sweating and out of breath, our people came racing up the hostel drive closely followed by a Landrover full of locals spoiling for redress. I am not sure how bloodshed was avoided, but it was probably timely intervention on the part of a bewildered staff. Tony Taylor mentions in his hilarious description of a school trip to Avebury, that Bob Moon and himself drank in the saloon bar, while MVM drank in the public bar. This must have been a tradition for Bob Moon as, in Charlbury, the pupils used the King’s Head while staff used the pub across the street. A very neat solution! The hostel was complete with a small sweet shop. It was always locked when not open for business – until the last morning when we were loading the vans for our return to London. Someone had left the door unlocked and there was nobody about! I guess it took all of three minutes to strip the shop of everything portable, and the last person out neatly locked the door. The journey home was quite a happy affair, with plenty of soft drinks and Mars bars to go around. I do believe that even the teachers partook without knowing the circumstances. It is not clear if the complaint reached THS before, or just after, our return, but we were paraded at the school in the hope that someone would own up. Of course, nobody ever did and we were all levied a portion of the repayment to the youth hostel. Field Trip to Aberystwyth...1970 Well, we actually stayed in an out of season holiday camp in the next valley to Aberystwyth. It was April 1970, freezing, and Apollo 13 was limping back to earth. This trip was less thrilling than Charlbury, I guess because most of the “interesting” lads had left by then. There was no pub in the holiday camp, but there were several over the steep cliff path which led to Aberystwyth, about a mile away. I have memories of stumbling back over the cliff path in the pitch dark, with the sea crashing on the rocks, many feet below us to the left and startled sheep scattering further up the cliff to the right. Retracing our steps next morning as part of the “official business”, we were able to spot the half sheep eaten puddles of vomit which were deposited just a few hours before. There always has to be a last day, and it is only natural that souvenirs should be on the shopping list – but just what should one take home? It was decided that the Welsh flag adorning the camp gate would be eminently suitable and a team detached themselves to liberate it. Unfortunately, nobody had a sharp enough knife to hack through the rope and the time spent was plenty for a local farmer type to come boiling down the track unleashing a torrent of, what we must assume, were Welsh expletives. The flag stayed in Wales, we went home. I think it was Mr Clare who drove the van we were in, and it turned out that he was from Worcestershire and needed to stop at his house there. We were unleashed on the village, and decided that the local scrumpy was the very thing to slake our thirst. This went all unchallenged, but what we were not expecting was that Mr Clare had no intention on stopping on the way back to London, and he didn’t. I have never been so uncomfortable before or since. Arriving back at Tulse Hill, the goodbyes were short and sharp. The gorse bushes by the main entrance took the immediate brunt. Bob Morrisey was at THS 1964 to 1970 and now lives in America.*

Derek Hawgood* had the brain cells jogged by the story above ... he too remembers the 4^th Year Geography Field Trip to Charlbury, Oxon (in 1968 or 1969) and a few mates, their scooters and lovely grub! Field Trip to Charlbury II I well remember the Field Trip to Charlbury Youth Hostel in the late 60s and the group of boys (skinheads) who caused havoc in the Village. I believe someone even nicked the fag machine which was full of Players No. 6 and Rothmans and all of the sweets too. Yes, I was one of them! I recollect winding up the greasers and all the locals chasing us back to the Youth Hostel! Two mates who also went on the trip were Melvin ? who had an old green Vespa and Tony ? who rode a Lambretta Li150. I rode a mauve and white Lambretta SX225 with "Derek Streatham" across the flyscreen. Other memories include going down to the bakers by the Hop Poles Pub and buying for lunch a Cornish pastie and a Teacake for 1s6d. Fun times remembered putting Plastic Padding in the locks of the classrooms and being in the School fencing Team alongside Tony Sinclair and Stephen Gallant. *Derek Hawgood was a pupil at THS until 1970. He lived in Valens House, a maisonette just across from the School. Lucky individual, he would get his mark in the morning and bunk off back home!

Sport Trips **Mike Stevens remembers an unintended sporting outcome* Cricket in Jamaica - 1970s** "I can't remember the date (maybe late 70s) but the School raised money to send our Cricket First XI on a tour of Jamaica. They lost every game of cricket they played, but won every game of football!" *Mike Stevens taught at THS 1971 to 1989. Visit his excellent home page at http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/

Andy Mercer recalls: During my time at the School I remember going on a rugby tour of Wales (staying at Mumbles) . As we left one of our star players forgot/did not have any boots ! so new boots were required. We lost every game except one on our tour. This would be about 77-79. There was also two trips to Europe. One staying in Holland. I think the town was called Valkenberg (?) near the border with Belgium and Luxembourg both of which were visited. The second trip was to Germany with a school from Norbury to St Gore which sits on the Rhine. ps: Mark Coker might remember the rugby trip Andy Mercer was at THS 1974 to 1979.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme **Rob Duncan warns about the dangers of taking the piss ...* A Shocking Story - 1971** During what was probably my Fifth Year, we took part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Silver Award Scheme. One of the activities was to complete a two day hike. This involved map reading, arriving at a pre-arranged point, camping overnight and carrying on the following day. All went well until one of the lads in my group Paul Lockwood (Paul, where are you now?) decided to leave the warmth of his sleeping bag during the early morning to "take a leak". The first the other lads knew of this was when we were woken by a blood curdling scream followed by a stream of expletives. Worried for our friend's safety we hurriedly poked our heads out of the tent to be greeted by the sight of Paul, naked except from his underpants, running around in circles whilst firmly clutching his lower parts. Was this some kind of a new sexual perversion we wondered? It seems that Paul had wandered a little way from the tent and had proceeded to "relieve himself" against a nearby fencepost. Unfortunately for him, the wire fence that the post supported was of the electrified type and Paul had received several volts which nearly blew his wedding tackle half way across the field. *Rob Duncan was a pupil at THS between 1966 and 1972. A Wren House prefect from Year 5, he "never attained the dizzy heights of the Big Oak Leaves!"

**Paul Lockwood winces as he is reminded about that same electrifying moment! ...* A Shocking Story Pt II - 1971** Other memories. Geography field trip to the 'Croft'. Spending hours at the station doing a survey of bloody trains coming in and (not surprisingly) trains going out. Rob Duncan and I managed to get hold of some miniature bottles of whisky and brandy from the nearby pub (aged all of 14), and spent a couple of hours getting warm inside. Yes it was me that got the shock up through a stream of piss, taking a leak in the dark whilst on some camping expedition down near Arundel. Thanks for reminding me Rob!! It actually happened- but who crapped in the student teacher's handbag! Not surprisingly never to be seen again. *Paul Lockwood was at THS in Wren House 1966 to 1974.

**Frank Ryan and the lads make an exhibition of themselves! ...* Tales from the Museum - late 70s** While I was in Mr Pratt's Classic's class trying to understand Latin ( he was better know for allowing you to stay in his classroom in break reading Asterix books !). He informed us we would be going to the British Museum on a school trip to visit a Roman exhibition that was on at the time. Doing the usual high jinks on the underground by bunking our fares running down the escalators and me performing my Joey Deacon impression to everyone on the tube ( see Simon Fulkers profile on Friends re-united site for more info), I began to grab hold of the emergency stop lever to yank it before an extremely irritated Mr Pratt clipped me around the ear. Once in the Museum and doing our usual of eyeing up the girls and generally causing an nuisance, someone had left off a stink bomb in the front hall, this caused the fire evacuation signal to go off, causing total disruption. Only one group were not allowed to leave and that of course was Tulse Hill School. We were frog marched to some benches, upon which Paul Coles asked me why I had left a stink bomb off, I of course denied this but had no witnesses to this effect. We were informed that Tulse Hill school was no longer welcome there by the Head of Security and they would be getting in touch with our Headmaster. The journey back was very frosty especially from Mr Pratt's point of view and I did feel a bit sorry for him as he was not a bad teacher just a bit pompous. Even my impressions had no effect. Six of us were taken to the Headmaster's study ( who was out at the time) and interrogated, but nothing was every revealed. We all had to write letters of apology to the Museum. Paul Coles admitting letting of the stink bomb on his profile on Friends reunited, and I only mention it here as the fact is I now work at the British Museum and would be a higher grade if my letter of apology was not still on file- yes they keep everything here. It does exist! Trips to Bath with Mr Pratt were just as bad, but we never meant really any harm, just high jinks. *Frank Ryan was at THS in Dickens House from 1977 to 1982.

	St Pauls Cathedral 1958 L to R: Samuleson, Cornellius, Tommy Tomlinson, teacher, maybe Canadian ?, Billy Breed, Albert Wright, ? Keeble at back.

	Latin Trip to Colchester 1967 Left is Steve Basten, Right is Mike Przepiora. Photo via Steve Kulka



.

St Pauls Cathedral 1958

Latin Trip to Colchester 1967