Page 65 - Old Ratcliffian Magazine 2017

64 R RATCLIFFE’S PASTATCLIFFE’S PAST 65 65
64
R
RATCLIFFE’S PASTATCLIFFE’S PAST

RATCLIFFE’S PAST THE WARTIME AT RATCLIFFE

Below are some memories of Ratcliffe during the Second World
War, written in 2004 by John Richard Roskell Attley (46), who
FORTY YEARS SINCE GIRLS STARTED AT RATCLIFFE died in January this year.
“The winter of 1940 was extremely cold, and rationing was in full
force. One of the first incidents to stick in my mind as a twelve-
In his Headmaster’s Report, given at Prize Day in 1976, Fr Baxter year-old was the announcement, made in the Refectory after
(38) announced that the governors had ‘recently decided to supper, that an Old Ratcliffian named Peter Peace (38) had
offer places to a small number of girls in the Lower Sixth Form, been killed (I think, in the Battle of Britain). He was a young pilot
from September 1977’. So, this academic year marks the fortieth officer of nineteen, and he had been at Ratcliffe the year before.
anniversary of the first girls at Ratcliffe. This has always stuck in my mind over the years - particularly the
irony of his own name, and the tragedy of his death.
We all had interviews, and twelve were offered places to join in
September 1977. We came to the College earlier in the year to That winter, the staff resurrected what appeared to be vintage
meet each other and Mrs Joan Crooks (the first Housemistress), wooden skates, originally from the First World War or earlier,
to see the School, and to talk about our uniform and life for us at which we strapped onto our shoes and skated on Squire’s Pond.
the College. In the end, nine of us made the grade and started in The ice was reputed to be a foot thick. We were urged not to
the Sixth Form in September 1977, with one other joining later in congregate in large groups, though, as when we did, ominous-
the year. Many of us had connections with the College through sounding cracks appeared!
fathers, uncles, brothers or cousins. At the time, I remember there
being about three hundred boys in the School and nine of us. Each morning, we were woken at, I think, 6.45am (it seemed
like the middle of the night) and went to Mass. The Chapel was
It was a shock for many; most of the girls had been at all-girl completely dark (because of the blackout), except for candles,
Catholic convents around the country, where some of us had which were shaded, and on several occasions, the shades caught
been classmates. Many of the boys hadn’t had girls in their fire. Breakfast was at 8.15am. There was always bread and
classes since junior school (if ever), and the staff, too, were something else, such as dried egg, with some sort of ‘sausage’
predominantly Rosminian priests and brothers, or male lay staff meat. Other things were served (perhaps even bacon) on special
who weren’t used to teaching girls. It was a very big change to days, such as the Immac. On this day, there was always a banquet
the life of the College, and for the original nine of us. in the evening, with entertainment from the gallery, and we were
even allowed extra sleep the next morning.
As the first girls, we were told (in no uncertain terms) what Pilot Officer Peter Peace (38)
was expected as far as behaviour was concerned, and on the I have memories of queueing up outside the Nurse’s Office
whole, we were very well behaved (your secrets are safe with during the winters, with various complaints - usually only colds, When there was an air raid warning, we would go down to the
me!). During our two years at the College, we all formed lifelong but if you were lucky, you’d be sent to the Infirmary with flu for a cloisters, where there were stacks of mattresses, and stay there
friendships with some of the boys - several I count as my dearest few days’ rest! If you had an infectious disease, you went to the for the night. This happened many times. We spent the night of
and closest friends to this day - and two girls went on to marry L to R: Antonia Hollingsworth (79), Anne De Graeve (79), Lolade Mosaku Outer. I remember being there – I think that I had the mumps. the Coventry raid in the shelter, sitting around the edges of the
their boyfriends. Weddings were not only reserved for us girls, as (16) & Mary-Anne Pilkington-Oates (79) at the London Dinner There was a fire there, and we used to make toast on it. We were old gasometer on wooden benches.
our Housemistress, Mrs Crooks, went on to marry Dr Beaver, the completely isolated from the School, and could be there for a
Chemistry teacher. I have much to be thankful for from my time at Ratcliffe. I truly week or more! We had sweet coupons which we could spend at the Tuck Shop.
hated my previous school, where I had been since I was ten. I I think the articles for sale were pretty unremarkable, but I do
was always thought to have been weak academically, and I did
poorly each year. At Ratcliffe, I was happy, settled, valued and remember, on rare occasions, consuming Coconut Buttons – a
favourite of mine. There was also an abundance of carbonated
nurtured, and my first end-of-term report showed what a huge
improvement I had made. Not only did the College help me to dandelion and burdock in big bottles, presumably made from
ingredients from the local fields, so it was readily available.
achieve academically, but I also flourished personally and grew
in confidence. I soon learnt how to deal with the ‘male of the The groundsman in those days was Mr Sherwood (Sherry). When
species’, which was great training for my future career in a job
almost totally occupied by men. we had some spare pocket money, we would ask Sherry to bring
us some cakes from the bakery in his village, and we would give
him orders for one or two penny cakes. He was a great friend, and
My personal thanks go to the brave governors of the College I don’t think he was ever found out - until now!
and to Fr Baxter for making the decision, over forty years ago,
to allow girls into Ratcliffe. Thanks also to my fellow ‘first’ girls There were some lighter moments at Ratcliffe during the war,
for their support and friendship throughout our time in the Sixth
Form, but especially to my dad (an OR himself), who was brave and all in all, we were lucky to come through it unscathed. We
were certainly taught self-reliance and the meaning of discipline,
L to R: Teresa Masters (née Flowers) (79), Francesca Papadakis (née enough to allow me to start at the College when my mum wasn’t
della-Porta) (79), Antonia Hollingsworth (79), Moira Murray (née Roche) so sure. Happy days. which prepared us for the future. When I finally left Ratcliffe in
(79), Mary-Anne Pilkington-Oates (79), Anne De Graeve (79), Henrietta 1946, the trunks were packed in the cloisters. Br Mullins had
Hobkinson (née Van Heesewijk) (79), Catherine Ross (née Dodson) (79) organised the train timetables for boys to go all over the country,
& Jane Hayes (79) Anne De Graeve (79) Boys dining in the Refectory
and the war was finally over.”

Register online for our new website: www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk Register online for our new website: www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk

The Old Ratcliffian 2017.indd 64 07/12/2017 11:17 The Old Ratcliffian 2017.indd 65 07/12/2017 11:17