Page 73 - Old Ratcliffian 2020 Edition

Day began with Mass in the Chapel. This was a so-called ‘Low Mass’, conducted entirely in Latin by a priest and a server or two on the
main altar. On Sundays, there was additionally a mid-morning ‘High Mass’, with bells, incense, and music, plus a sermon in English.
On Sunday evenings, there was Compline, followed by Benediction. I became a competent ‘Low Mass’ server and could rattle off the RATCLIFFE’S PAST
Confi teor at amazing speed.

During the week, we wore grey suits (long trousers, of course), and black suits on Sundays; the latter was an innovation by Fr Leetham,
with a view to raising the overall tone once a week. All 200 of us ate in the impressive Refectory, seated on benches at three long tables,
each of which was dedicated to one of the three ‘houses’ into which we were divided: Lockhart, Arundel, and De Lisle. Prefects and the
headmaster had their meals at a separate high table. From the gallery at one end of the Refectory, during breakfast, a boy would read
aloud a chapter from one of the Gospels. A powerful voice was needed for this function. I was eventually selected as a reader and got
used to booming out words slowly and clearly.
Other things that kept us occupied included, naturally, sport. We played rugby football in winter and cricket in the summer. Hockey was
introduced in the later 1940s. The school had a quarter-mile running track, and there was also boxing. On Saturday evenings, we had
a fi lm show – one full-length fi lm, and at least one ‘short’. This was one of the highlights of the week. At a time when much popular
music on the wireless originated in the USA, these Saturday evening shows supplemented our introduction to American lifestyles and
language. On Sunday evenings, the so-called Literary Society met; this was actually a debating society for members of the Senior School,
which was very enjoyable. Apart from the weekly debates, we once held a mock general election. I headed the Communist Party and
coined the hilarious slogan ‘Down with the Lava-Tories’.

Fr Leetham was fond of stage productions, and pupils were encouraged to perform in plays, which he directed in a forceful, and
sometimes quirky, fashion. I was lucky to be in a number of these enjoyable shows. Fr Leetham also taught French to Sixth Formers. There
were only three of us in the class, and lessons took place in his study, where he would smoke a pipe vigorously whilst holding forth on
the attractions of 17th-century drama.
Ratcliffe also helped to secure me (and many contemporaries) in our religion. We understood it, we experienced and took part in its
often-magnifi cent liturgies, and (thanks, in my case, largely to Fr Leetham) we were capable of withstanding the shocks that were
to come. And, unfortunately, still continue to come. I’m grateful to Ratcliffe, and it has been very enjoyable in recent years to meet
up annually with a group of men (and their wives) with whom I shared classrooms, playing fi elds, and dormitories 70 years ago. These
include Douglas Chamberlain, Paul Simmons (51), Nick Mayne (49), Gerald Della-Porta (49), and John Wolfl e (49).

Anthony’s memoirs can be read in full on the Ratcliffi an Association website, www.ratcliffi anassociation.co.uk.

THE BOAT CLUB: A BLAST FROM THE PAST

Alan Oakey (69) recalls his days at Ratcliffe, when he was part of the now
‘defunct’ Boat Club. He said: “The ‘brains trust’ from over 50 years ago –
myself, Richard Tweed (69), and Bob Pike (67) – have come up with all but
one of the club members’ names. This photo (right) shows the 1966 1st, 2nd,
and 3rd IVs. Back row: Alan Oakey, Vance Hall (68), Bob Pike, Tony Poels
(67), Gerald Garcia (67), unknown, and Steve Astbury (69). Middle row:
Mike Piercy (66), Kevin Costelloe (67), Pat Curran (66) (captain), Stan Mak
(67), and Hugh Richardson (66). Front row: Richard Tweed, Charles De Fours
(68), and ‘Mucker’ Barton (67).”

Christopher Devereux (66) added: “When I was at Ratcliffe, the Boat Club
fl ourished, regularly rowing on the River Soar. I was a cox in the second-crew
boat and, if my recollection is correct, one of the club’s boats (a four) was
named ‘Baillon’; I believe that this was to commemorate the OR fi ghter pilot
Paul Baillon (32), who was killed in a Spitfi re crash.”
The photo below shows the 1st IV at Peterborough Regatta in 1968. The team consisted of Richard Tweed (cox), Alan Oakey (stroke),
Steve Astbury (No 3), Vance Hall (No 2), and Charles De Fours (bow).

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