Tom Bird recalls Ron Garton but also includes photos from a Duke of Edinburgh's trek to Petersfield...
"Here are a couple of photos of the Duke of Edinburgh expedition to darkest
Petersfield, in 1965? That's another story!""
From left to right, Mike Bayliss, Tom Hilton, Patrick Nobes and Ron Garton taken on the final get-together at the Park Lane site in 1989 before demolition and redevelopment.
Dear Michael.
I see that the SOP site grows apace!
I'm not surprised at the interest in Mr. Garton, I'm sorry I just couldn't bring myself to calling him Ron, or even Ron Garton! He was a fascinating character, that in a funny kind of way I am quite fond of.
I arrived at Price's in 1960 along with F.E. (Francis) Thomas from Castle St. Junior School in Portchester. F.E. was a very bright boy and my friendship with him was pivotal in that I worked hard to try to keep up. He also had a wicked sense of humour and was fascinated by Mr. Garton. F.E. was an excellent mimic,and I wasn't too bad either. We quickly picked up on all the mannerisms on offer from all the staff, especially in the chemistry lab on the first floor.
With baited breath we waited for the inevitable It's your job to do these
things...to know these things ...etc. It got so bad that one day when the
great words were spoken I burst into brief but loud hysterical laughter, went
purple in the face no doubt, and tried to pretend I had a particular interest in
the bottle of conc. sulphuric acid in front of me, while there was a long and
deafening silence in the room. He just carried on after a while, I felt so
guilty.
Another gem was his routine with a gas jar of oxygen, which with a great
flourish he would open...You can rekindle a glowing splint!... he would
declare in triumph. I sadly forget his routine with hydrogen, but I do
remember his best joke...
I don't remember precisely how it went, but the essence of it was that it
concerned a cup of tea. This cup of tea was fortnight tea...long theatrical
pause while boys scratch their heads... and again in triumph he would
declare...It's too weak!
F.E. and I produced a spoof newspaper in our third year called ..THE
FACTS... a tabloid based on the Mirror and the News of The World. He wrote
the vast majority of it, fictional fantasies about particular members of
staff, but the starring role was to go to Mr. Garton, of course. The story
about him was illustrated by a drawing of the top of his head emerging
through smoke and fumes, based on the famous photo of St. Paul's in the blitz,
and I believe this may have been the origin of the nickname Dome Head shortened
to...THE DOME.
Well my handwriting was better than his so I copied out his prose. It was
passed around boys and of course was soon confiscated by a master. I was
convinced that I would be expelled before the end of the day, for they would
quickly recognize my handwriting, but nothing happened. Some days after, another
master , it may have been Mr. Mullard was seen sniggering at this libelous rag
hidden inside his class notes, whilst we were all getting on
with writing something during a class. No more ensued, but I wonder what
circulation it had achieved amongst the staff?
Whilst we were in 5R, F.E. Thomas produced a slightly less libelous newspaper
called Remnants from the Remove, that would have been 1965, certainly predating
The Black Lion.
Perhaps you might like to add these things ( It is, after all, your job to do
these things) to the site.
Best wishes
Tom Bird.