Page 49 - Old Ratcliffian 2020 Edition

Recent Ratcliffe leavers George Linnett at university. Alex (pictured, left) said: “I Leicester. With no mobile phones in those
(20), Harry Culpin (20), and Alex Bown worked for three months at the Birstall days, all our parents could do was inform
(20), worked for the NHS Track and Trace at COVID Testing Centre – the biggest in the College. On arrival, my brother and I
a variety of testing sites in Leicestershire, the UK. I worked in test assistance, as were kindly ushered to the Infi rmary, where
prior to taking up their respective places well as traffi c management. Working with we were isolated until travelling home the
hundreds of patients a day allowed me to next morning. The teaching staff were
witness, fi rst-hand, the impact that the quick in preparing appropriate homework OR NEWS
virus has had on individuals and families for us both. Our parents made it easy for
alike. The team on site worked tirelessly to us to get on with our work while enjoying
make the testing process as comfortable as some free time at home, even though they
possible for all of the patients. It was a very knew little about my brother’s A Level
fulfi lling experience, and I was delighted to Science or the O Level subjects that I was
be an essential part of COVID-19 testing studying. Despite spending two weeks
for the NHS.” away from school, we both did very well in
the public exams, and it’s a great credit to
the College that, before the days of online
Peter Coxe (72): “The recent update from education or home-schooling, we were
the Association about the pandemic has enabled to continue with our education
triggered a memory of my alma mater. with great effi ciency. Thankfully, we
In 1970, during my Fifth Form Easter did not contract the virus, but the wise
holidays, my sister was possibly in contact precaution prevented risk to the domestic
with a person suffering from German staff and others for whom that disease
measles (rubella). This was unknown until might have had serious consequences.
after my brother and I had boarded a train This anecdote provides an earlier, albeit
from Exeter to Birmingham, on our way to small, instance of quarantine.”

RATCLIFFE REVISITED

Peter Tams (56), Old Ratcliffi an and Past President of the Ratcliffi an Association, visited the College
on Thursday 30th January. Peter was accompanied by his son, Richard Tams, who is a governor at
Ampleforth (pictured together, right). Shown around the College by Development Director Andrew
Yell (82), Peter was delighted to be back in the grounds of his old school. He was very impressed with
the transformation of the Lockhart Garden, recalling his old days spent in the Square. He added: “I
had a most enjoyable day at Ratcliffe and would like to thank Andrew for his kind hospitality, which
Richard and I so enjoyed. I cannot say what a great joy it was to see my alma mater in such good shape,
and we were so impressed by the members of staff that we met. Thank you for the time that you
generously afforded us, and I wish you well in your continued dedication to Ratcliffe and its future.”
Tom Murtha (Jnr) visited Ratcliffe in December, meeting up
with his old friend, Fr Anthony Meredith (57) during his visit
(pictured together, left). He was delighted to be back at the
College. Tom is the son of Tom Murtha (Snr), who was the Head
of Maintenance at Ratcliffe in the 1960s. Tom Jnr also worked at
the College each summer between 1966 and 1973, when he was only a teenager, painting the walls
and windows in the many corridors while the students were not in the school. The family lived on a
council estate on the outskirts of Leicester at the time. Fr Morris was the headmaster, and Tom Snr’s
time at the College coincided with that of Fr Meredith, who was, then, a very young priest.

Meeting with Association Manager Sarah Gretton, Tom Jnr recalled how all of the maintenance staff
lived in Sileby and cycled to work at that time. He also recalled his greatest accomplishment: putting
the roof on the old boathouse with his brother-in-law, who also worked at Ratcliffe; the boathouse
the roof on the old boathouse with his brother-in-law, who also worked at Ratcliffe; the boathouse
was subsequently sold in later years. He also fondly remembered Herbert and Jeff, two old builders
was subsequently sold in later years. He also fondly remembered Herbert and Jeff, two old builders
who came in to work during the summer, who are, sadly, both now deceased.
who came in to work during the summer, who are, sadly, both now deceased.
Tom Jnr recalled a sign on the College gate saying “Vagrants welcome to come in for food”. They were fed in an area which now houses
the Catering Department Offi ces. Tom Snr modernised the College’s heating system in the ’60s by moving them over to oil. Tom Jnr
remembers the huge oil tank which used to sit in the area just outside the Catering Department back doors, by the current barrier. He
and his team were based in the Boiler House, which is in the same area. This is where they worked and ate.

Tom Snr was a devout Catholic and a great boxer, and he trained the East Midlands Catholic Boys’ Boxing Club, which he was very
passionate about. He also told his son about a time when he was asked to dig a grave for a member of the Rosminian Order who had
passed away overnight, as the usual groundsman was off ill. This unfortunate, but very amusing, story has been updated by Tom Jnr, and
it can be read in full on the Ratcliffi an Association website, www.ratcliffi anassociation.co.uk.
The Old Ratcliffi an 2020 49