Ray Tasker

27 September 2023

Dear David,

Many thanks indeed for sending me the annual newsletter, which I always look forward to receiving. This year, a gremlin entered the labelling system, so that the addressee was incorrectly shown as “Raymond G R G Taylor Esq”, but fortunately the main address was correct. I hope you can amend, so that I do not run the risk of missing out on future editions!

I was glad to hear that the Collegiate Masters group are still holding their bi monthly get togethers. I first became aware of this from Hugh Hollinghurst when I met up with him about 10/11 years ago – after a gap of almost 40 years. I can picture all of the five masters you mentioned. Woodwork finished at the end of the third form after my hopeless performance and so I never had the pleasure of being taught by John Butler. David Blackledge, I believe, taught French but I remember him for helping out at training with the junior bantams rugby team – he used to drive an unusual small exotic French car, if memory serves me right. I only had one French lesson with Keith Bradbury – he was standing in – but I credit him with improving both my French and English pronunciation! He taught me how to pronounce the French word for ‘sea’ correctly and not the Liverpudlian ‘meeeeer’! His other claim to fame was in marrying my 4A form mistress, Miss Allinson, who was the subject of schoolboy fantasy!

After learning nothing (except Archimedes Principle by heart) from ‘Ma Hill’ in the third form, it was a pleasure to be taught for physics-with-chemistry up to ‘O’ level by Bob Brown. His demonstration of how to excite the electrical particles on an ebony rod ‘went down a storm’ within our class of pubescent boys! He was also renowned for needing to use a cigarette to light the Bunsen burner (which cigarette would need to be inhaled pre and post the ignition of said burner).

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Hugh Hollinghurst, who guided me in class and on the rugby field over all the time I attended Collegiate. Known as ‘Happy Harry’, he inculcated in me an enduring love of classics and along with Russell Woodward both served as role models in my formative years.

I also read of the passing of the last chairman of the governors, Ralph Slater from his son, Ian. Ian’s elder brother is John Slater who was my contemporary. He was a fine athlete and modern linguist who was also Vice Captain of School.

While in nostalgic mood, I ought to mention David Winsland. He will not know me, as I was only a third former when he was Head Boy, but we used to travel to school together – seated apart on the number 46 bus from Spellow Lane!

Can I end by thanking you and Ron for the time and effort in producing the newsletter. It is always read voraciously and evokes a great pride in my alma mater.

Best wishes

Ray Tasker.

1964-1971