images of portsmouth grammar school
TRANSCRIPT
Images of Portsmouth Grammar School
Part Two: CCF, Drama & Music
The CCF
Membership of the CCF was
compulsory, until the Profumo cut
backs of 1963. Corps activities
were generally resented at the time,
but regarded fondly in retrospect.
This Evening News feature
concerned the Naval Section’s
Field Day on Monday 18 March
1963, when cadets were tested on
the Royal Marine Assault Course at
Eastney. Mike Westbrook is the
fellow tangled in the barbed wire.
1963 was the Centenary Year of the
PGS CCF, and was celebrated in
fine style on Friday 31 May with a
Parade and General Inspection by
Field Marshall The Viscount
Montgomery of Alamein (alias
‘Monty’). This is the programme
cover from that event.
This rather non-descript
photograph by Vernon Runnacles
(Tim Runnacles’ father) shows
Monty (looking away), the
admiring parents, and the massed
ranks of the Corps at Hilsea on
Friday 31 May 1963.
This is another masterpiece (?) by
Vernon Runnacles, showing a naval
platoon shambling along during the
Centenary Parade. The infamous
glider rests on one wing-tip in the
background.
Here are the massed ranks of the
CCF during the Centenary Parade.
Monty is there, somewhere!
(Photograph by V.L. Runnacles).
This rare colour view shows Monty
carrying out his Inspection: Peter
Barclay is in the centre background
and the Provost, the Rev. Porter-
Gough, is in the right distance
(wearing the clerical collar).
(Photograph by Jan Drozd Senior).
In this view the CCF glider is being
prepared for a possible take-off.
(Photograph by Jan Drozd Senior).
In this view, the Naval Section’s
whaler is being prepared to set sail
across the grass of Hilsea Playing
Field! (Photograph by Jan Drozd
Senior).
David Hall and Jan Drozd pose
outside Jan’s house in Craneswater
Avenue prior to the Centenary
Parade in 1963. Both cadets seem
rather overawed by the prospect of
being inspected by the hero of
Alamein, but look at those creases
and that blanco! (Photo by Jan
Drozd Senior).
Rather self-indulgently, here is
Runnacles dressed in full Naval
Section finery on 31 May 1963.
The photograph was taken by his
father in the back garden of his
Widley home, immediately prior to
going on parade before Monty.
(Photograph by V.L. Runnacles).
Inspection of the Naval Platoon at
the 1964 Annual Inspection. Alan
Wright is in charge, with John
Grant and Jan Drozd being
‘inspected’. In the background is
the Headmaster, Dennis Hibbert (in
bowler hat), plus Peter Barclay and
John Hopkinson in typical poses.
(Photograph by Jan Drozd Senior).
The PGS Artillery Section and its
25-pounder – stripped down to
every last nut and bolt…. again.
Amongst the participants in this
April 1963 scene are Mike Walker,
Peter Betteridge, John Thorp, Brian
Curle and Dave [?] Hodge.
(Photographer not recorded: picture
supplied by Brian Curle).
School Drama
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1957
In 1957 the Lower School staged
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer
Night’s Dream in the (Old) School
Hall. Here is an enactment of
Pyramus and Thisbe, the ‘play
within a play’. Cast members seem
to be drawn mainly from Upper
One. The push-along dog and the
portable wall are noteworthy!
(Wright & Logan photo).
Here is some dramatic action
during A Midsummer Night’s
Dream. Mike Winstock, as Bottom
the ‘rude mechanical’, is hidden
beneath the donkey’s head, created
with great expertise from papier
mâché. (Wright & Logan photo).
Runnacles obviously bought this
photo of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream to recall his virtuoso
performance as The Wall,
separating the lovers Thisbe (Bill
Henderson) and Pyramus (Mike
Winstock). This scene was re-
enacted (sans brickwork) at the
Reunion on 8 May 2004 (see Part
Seven). (Wright & Logan photo).
Toad of Toad Hall Academic Year
1957-58
This picture shows the cast of Toad of Toad Hall. The claim was
made by the contributor of this picture that this was the ‘Lower
School play of 1957’. However, as we know that the play of
1957 was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this production dates
either from the Autumn Term of 1957 or the first half of 1958.
The cast comprises:
Back row (left to right): Andy Anderson, Andy Park, Jago, Mike
Dore, David Hall, Mik Moore, Mike Price, Christopher Fletcher-
Campbell, Philip Barrett, Julian Birch, Graham Wingate and John
Lunt.
Front row (left to right): Graham Abraham, David Verdon,
Graham Talbot, Clive Sibson, —?—, David Childs, —?—, Mike
Ellery, Rowntree, and John Shepherd.
Macbeth 1959
In 1959 the Middle School staged a
performance of Shakespeare’s
‘Scottish Play’ under the direction
of Trevor Conway. Here is the
complete cast and helpers on stage
during the dress rehearsal. (Wright
& Logan photo).
Macbeth (Alan Berman) looks on dubiously as the three witches and
Hecate develop their vile potion. Alan Berman gave a strong
performance in the play, but despite suggestions that he might one
day tread the boards professionally, he chose the safer path of
becoming a solicitor and – less conventionally – Honorary Danish
Consul in Portsmouth. His appearance was marred by a splodge that
was painted on his chin to represent a beard – it was such a pity that
the next best thing to a real beard was not obtained from The Stage
Door in Marmion Road. The three witches (left to right) are Paul
Brown, M.I.V. Dore and Tim Runnacles. I.M.G. Hedges played
Hecate, Queen of the Witches. (Wright & Logan photo).
The Winter’s Tale 1964
The School Play of 1964 was Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.
Here is the set for Act II of the play, painted in record time by
Runnacles, and depicting the coast of Bohemia (since when was
Bohemia on any coast?). In the foreground, Tom Burnham (right
way up) and Peter Stemp (inverted) engage in some horseplay.
The photograph was taken by Runnacles after the last performance
of the play on Friday 20 March. On the afternoon of that same day
Runnacles had bought a Kodak Retinette 1A 35mm camera, and
(other than a few experiments with older non-35mm equipment),
this was his first ever colour picture. The Kodachrome slide from
which this image was made still proudly bears the reference ‘001’.
Also taken on Friday 20 March
1964 was this picture of the
backstage crew of The Winter’s
Tale. Many familiar faces are
recognisable here, including (left to
right) Peter Hartman, Mike Smith,
Gerry Anderson, Julian Birch, Peter
Stemp, Martin Waldron, Steven
‘Ox’ Limburn, Mike Price, David
Fawkner-Corbett and Martin
‘Vardi’ Lippiett; John Shepherd is
sitting on the floor. (Runnacles’
photo).
An inn was incidental to the story
of the play, and with strong
attention to Bohemian detail, we
elected to call it The Puking Vole.
The sign has somehow survived all
these years, but the vole was
manifestly not throwing up the
contents of its tiny stomach.
(Runnacles’ photo).
The Happiest Days of Your Life
1964
John Dighton’s The Happiest Days of Your Life was staged by the
Sixth Form as its play of summer 1964. The performance set a
new precedent when PGS joined forces with Portsmouth High
School for Girls, so that for the first time female parts could be
played by the real thing, rather than boys in drag. The theme,
about boys and girls schools being merged, was an appropriate
farce for the first joint production. This official view from the
show by John Grant (Senior) depicts Tom Burnham sharing a
tender moment with Susan Mitchell during the dress rehearsal on
Monday 20 July 1964.
Rosemary Errington, playing a
school mistress, displays portraits
of her school’s staff to Chris Clark.
The school ‘mistresses’ depicted
here were actually (left to right)
Eric Sutton, Jasper Nowell, Dennis
Hibbert and H.W. Ogden; all had
been craftily disguised by G.F.
(‘Gray’) Abraham. (Photograph by
John Grant {Senior}, Monday 20
July 1964).
Here is the complete cast of Happiest Days, showing (left to
right): J. E. (‘Jon’) Webb, Sarah Jarvis (PHS), T.A. (Tom)
Burnham, Susan Mitchell (PHS), P.C. (Paul) Brown, M.W.B.
(Mik) Moore, Linda Parsons (PHS), C. R. (Chris) Clark,
Rosemary Errington (PHS), G.R. (Geoff ‘Gnome’) Thompson,
Carol Brockman-More (PHS), A. J. (Alan) Wright and Julia
Ratsey (PHS). Note the incomplete backdrop: Runnacles was
supposed to be painting this, but had not completed the task in
time for the dress rehearsal line up, as photographed here on
Monday 20 July 1964. (Photo by John Grant Sr.).
During the lead up to the play we thought that it would be a
good idea to show the cast ‘begging’ people come and see the
production. This action took place in the school yard on the
evening of Monday 13 July 1964 – although this colour view
was not used in the publicity and has probably not been seen
before now, even by those depicted. The dramatis personae are:
(standing, left to right) Rosemary Errington, Susan Mitchell and
Anna Lendrum (all PHS), and (kneeling) Linda Parsons, Paul
Brown, Carol Brockman-More, Mik Moore, Chris Clark, Geoff
Thompson and Tom Burnham. (Runnacles’ photo).
This is the black and white version
of the ‘begging’ photo of Monday
13 July. This picture was used with
a suitable caption, and was
displayed on the school notice
board under the entrance arch.
(Runnacles’ photo).
This picture was also taken on
Monday 13 July and shows Carol
Brockman-More, Chris Clark and
Tom Burnham, all united by a
single scarf. (Runnacles’ photo).
This was the piece of scenery
missing from the cast photograph.
Runnacles completed this section at
4 p.m. on Tuesday 21 July 1964,
three and a half hours before the
curtain went up. It was
photographed in December of the
same year, just prior to being
painted-over for the School
Dance’s Wild West theme (see Part
One). (Runnacles’ photo).
This is a ticket for the Happiest
Days, printed by David Fawkner-
Corbett.
Likewise printed by David
Fawkner-Corbett was the
programme for The Happiest Days
of Your Life.
Apart from the begging
photograph, Runnacles was also
responsible for the poster
advertising the play. The High
School temptress was fictitious,
and was in fact based on a portrait
of French chanteuse Françoise
Hardy that graced her extended
play record C’est Fab.
A Man for All Seasons
1964
The School Play of December 1964 was Robert Bolt’s A Man
for All Seasons. Here is the complete cast and backstage crew,
lined up for Wright & Logan photograph on Monday 14
December 1964. The role call is as follows:
Back row (left to right): T. Kidd, Keith Ferguson, Jan Drozd,
S.C. Holmes, Ian Murray, C.W.P. Grundy, Mik Moore, R.J.
Clark, James Loader, John Morrison, G.R. Thompson, G.D.
Webber and John Grant.
Middle row (left to right): A.P. Mighell, I.A. Baillie, Gerry
Anderson, John Shepherd, Graham Abraham, David Owens, —
?—, Melvin Tomlins and Geoff Marks.
Front row (left to right): Martin Waldron, John Ford, Bill
Aldridge, Ray Allen, Colin Goble, Peter Hartman, Mike Price,
Tim Runnacles, Tony Allen, Ian Ventham and Chris Evans.
A scene from A Man for All
Seasons, staged in December 1964.
The minimalist set was noteworthy.
(Photo by Wright & Logan, 14
December 1964).
Two of the backstage crew for A
Man for All Seasons, photographed
in the ante-room to the New Hall,
comprising G.F. (‘Gray’) Abraham
(left) and A.R. (Tony) Allen on the
right. (Photograph by Tim
Runnacles, Monday 14 December
1964).
A ticket for A Man for All Seasons.
You Never Can Tell
1965
This photo is believed to have been taken by John Grant
(Senior). It was taken on Sunday 18 July 1965 and shows
the complete cast and crew of You Never Can Tell at the
dress rehearsal. The identities are as follows:
Back row (left to right): Sheila Wallace (PHS), Geoff
Thompson, Susan Cooper (PHS), Mary Silk (PHS), Peter
Hartman, Bob Clarke, Judy Sawyer (PHS), James Loader,
Patricia Miller (PHS), Robin Fawkner-Corbett, John
Shepherd and Geoff Webber.
Middle row (left to right): Dave Brown, Jim Richards, Geoff
Foley, Alan Hill, Julian Birch, David Owens, Graham Harman,
Colin Goble and Jan Drozd.
Front row (left to right): Elizabeth Barnard (PHS), Brian
Curle, George Carter, Peter West, Ron Sprake, Graham
Abraham and the Flunge, Annette Cooper (PHS), Tony Allen,
Bill Aldridge, Tim Runnacles, Christine Rolfe (PHS) and Mike
Curran.
This colour photograph by Tim
Runnacles is a bit blurred, but it
may be the only colour picture
taken of the cast of You Never Can
Tell. It was taken on 18 July 1965
and shows (left to right): Sheila
Wallace, Geoff Thompson, Susan
Cooper, Mary Silk, Peter Hartman,
James Loader, Patricia Miller,
Robin Fawkner-Corbett, John
Shepherd and Geoff Webber.
This is an official view of the
action in You Never Can Tell,
probably taken by John Grant
(Senior). It shows Susan Cooper
and Mary Silk on the set of the play
on 18 July 1965.
This photograph by Tim Runnacles
shows Peter Hartman in his role as
James Valentine, the dentist, in You
Never Can Tell. (18 July 1965).
Geoff (alias ‘The Gnome’)
Thompson poses for this
underexposed photograph in the
ante-room to the New Hall on 18
July 1965, prior to going on stage
in You Never Can Tell.
(Photograph by T.V. Runnacles).
Mary Silk played Gloria Clandon
in You Never Can Tell. Mary was
Head Girl at PHS in 1964-65; here
she poses very prettily in the ante-
room at the New School Hall (now
known as the David Russell
Theatre) on 18 July 1965.
(Photograph by T.V. Runnacles).
This picture shows Elizabeth
Barnard, who was wardrobe
mistress to You Never Can Tell,
holding aloft the Flunge, which had
been devised by Graham Abraham
and served as publicity mascot for
the play. The picture was taken on
Sunday 18 July 1965. (Photograph
by T.V. Runnacles).
Cooper and Cooper: this picture
shows Annette Cooper attempting
to add years to Susan Cooper for
her role in You Never Can Tell. The
picture was taken during the dress
rehearsal on 18 July 1965.
(Photograph by T.V. Runnacles).
Sheila Wallace appears to have
encountered the effects of nitrous
oxide as she larks around during a
free moment in the dress rehearsal
of You Never Can Tell on the
afternoon of Sunday 18 July 1965.
The dentist’s chair, a prop for the
play, was parked outside the New
Hall on this occasion. (Photograph
by T.V. Runnacles).
Here is a view of Patricia Miller,
being readied for her role as Dolly
Clandon. Her sleeve receives an
adjustment from Christine Rolfe,
almost out of the picture on the
right. (Photograph by T.V.
Runnacles).
Patricia Miller, dressed for her part
as Dolly Clandon, before the dress
rehearsal of You Never Can Tell on
Sunday 18 July 1965. (Photograph
by T.V. Runnacles).
Graham Abraham’s whimsical
Flunge appeared on the tickets,
resulting in a round ticket that must
have been a major chore for
somebody to cut to shape, hundreds
of times over.
Graham Abraham also designed the
programme cover for You Never
Can Tell, but he evidently resisted
the temptation to utilise the Flunge,
preferring a more Shavian image
instead.
Musical mementoes
Those who attended PGS in the late
1950s will never forget Maestro
John Davidson’s Choral Society,
membership of which was virtually
compulsory. As a memento of
those times, here are the tattered
librettos of the 1957 and 1958
productions (respectively) of
Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem
and Handel’s Messiah.
Morning Assembly was one of the under-rated aspects of PGS
life, but who now can forget: the chance to hear the piano
preludes (played by John Davidson or Eric Sutton) that
presaged the arrival of the Headmaster and his staff; the earnest
biblical lessons read by a prefect; Canon Heritage’s
imprecations that “God Bless Africa”; and, of course, the
hymn? We used Songs of Praise, and here is one of the best of
them all, No. 202 For all the Saints, set to a fine unison tune
by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and invariably sung on 1st
November (All Saints Day).
Continued in Part Three