A (second) "Derek Long" Letter

From: Derek Long (19??-??)
Date: January 2016
To: Webmaster
Subject: Mr. E. D. Mansell

N.B.  Derek sent us a similar item last month - That was about Mr. W. S. Griffiths  -  Here's hoping that there is more to come :-)

This is a photocopy of an article from Esmeduna dated July 1955, sent in by an Old Boy (named Derek Long)

Thank you Derek for this second piece of memorabilia.  We seem to remember that Mr Mansell had the nickname "Mobe".  Once again, there seems to be a complete mystery as to the origin of this name.  Can any member elucidate this matter for us?

Of course, some masters are remembered for other things than classroom activities - Mobe will always be remembered for his " Scout Troop", like Chalkie will always evoke memories of "Chalkie's Army" :-)

Cheers Webmaster

Hi Webmaster
I noticed the query footnote to Derek Long's letter about E.D. Mansell. He was my form master during my 4 years in the sixth form, first VI ? Classical, then VI ? Classical, lower, middle & upper benches. I was told that he acquired the name Moby or Mobe through his enthusiastic recommendations of Herman Melville's Moby Dick to his pupils. His brother by the way was an Air Vice-Marshal. He drove a pre-selector gear box Armstrong Siddeley saloon; I once asked him how many cars he had had, and he said, 'The last five have been Armstrongs.' Many teachers in those balmy pre-war days seem to have had private means to back up their meagre salaries.

John B. BENSON,