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So off we went to breakfast to recount the night’s deeds to our
classmates and to an otherwise normal day. Towards the end of
breakfast, an announcement came from the balcony (separating
the Third and Fourth Forms from the Fifth and Lower Sixth)
asking the occupants of St Aloysius to return to their dorm
without delay. The hilarity of the previous night rapidly dissipated
– we were in little doubt of the reason for this non-negotiable
request, and yet were curious about what might await us.

We were met by a staff member (religious order in those days)
and an array of mops, cloths and buckets. We would be able to
return to our normal daily activities once the mess had been
cleared to his satisfaction. Strangely, I remember nothing about
the clean-up, except that the dorm was spotless after our efforts.
We likely re-ran the events in conversation for some days after,
but The Great Apple Fight was never repeated. Well, it wouldn’t
have been the same.

Who, I wonder, was the genius who bought the apples?

Anthony Cutler (73)

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Anthony Cutler (73) pictured at Ratcliffe, aged 13

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