Glencot school photo, early 1960s
Was sent this photo today by Sam Hunt, who lives in Somerset, showing the denizens of Glencot preparatory school, near Wookey Hole, sometime early in the 1960s. He is third from right, third row; my brother Gray, who would eventually become Head Boy, eightth from the left, front row; and I am seventh from right in the back row.
The school teetered between periods of intense learning (which I badly needed after weak schooling in Ireland and Cyprus) and, alternately, Harry Potter, Gormenghast and Lord of the Flies.
The headmaster, shown here with the adults, the Anthony Eden face and pocket handkerchief, was eventually committed to an asylum – which would have come as no great surprise to those of us who he routinely subjected to canings that wouldn’t have been out of place in a prisoner of war camp. But he also taught me a huge amount in key subjects, so I feel a considerable debt of gratitude to him, too. Complex.
Also at Glencot 62/3
Would be interested in seeing more photos and memories of the early 1960s. …..Generally a brilliant general education the school commanded by a terrifying Mrs Adams; the crazy drunk of her husband….the fishing, football, cornflakes with orange juice, thrupence bits used on Sunday’s. Any old pals out there?
Hello, my name is Mr. Walton L. Jennings and I went to school at Glencot in 1965; I was wondering if there are any pictures of the school and any complete school photographs around 1965 to 1967 with all the students and teachers? You may email me at waltonjennings@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you soon-Cheerio!!
ERIC MORGANS. Also at Glencot 60/63. Ninth from left front row.Yes very good education and sport.I was in school football team 62/63 season when we only lost one match against Millfield.Simons was our star striker. Remember the fishing and boating there, and the walks we used to have.Have been back there for a weekend stay at hotel.
Hi Eric,
I was in that team, Grenville (Bobby, due to his Bobby Charlton hairstyle) Simons was a good left winger. We went on from Glencot to Malvern College where we both played for the first XI and had a similar successful season. We also were selected to spend time at the Lillishall football coaching scheme.
I remember Ned very well and him coming into where we were having baths brandishing a cane! However I found Ma Adams very nice. Don’t forget how she made the school run until Ned was taken away – not a minute too soon!!
Curious. I wouldn’t mind hearing from fellow survivors – none of whom have I seen since I left school. One has to confront one’s demons.
I was there early sixties too- Ian Morgan, better than my first school that’s all I can say
Yup…recall well the elkington brothers & nesbitt. also recall teasing one of the elks by messing his countdown to end of term calendar which was stuck to the wall above his desk. it caused a hoo-hah & i was caned – a split one from the notorious cupboard of canes!!! the vicar in the photo mr secombe(?) suffered from shell-shock in 1stww. i’m sitting on the grass on the far left wearing glasses. beautiful setting in the mendips. i went on to bruton also in somerset. no regrets.loads of experience.
Thanks for the memories! Will forward to Gray, because I’m pretty sure I don;t remember the prank being pulled on me …
i took several photos at glencot. there’s one of mr.drew (dribbles) standing by a snowman some of us built in our grey corduroy shorts! a couple of pics of a swimming event with mrs adams & an elkington too i think. anyway. i had my 1st existential experience that i’m aware of, thinking to myself on the bank of the small river (axe?)
At Glencot for two terms in 1955 or 56 as a Cramer to get me through common entrance. Perhaps the best education for me, in a very lack lustre school experience.
I liked Adams as well as fearing him a bit. I felt that he liked me. The accounts of canes that I read here do ring a bell, but I don’t recall being a recipient.
Was he a truly inspired and able teacher, or just the right person for me at that time.
Anyone else from those years
Hi Ben, I don’t know if this site is still active but it’s worth a try! I also attended Glencot at around the same time as you – I think for a couple of terms in 1956 before going on to King’s School Bruton in the autumn of that year. Unfortunately my mother died in July of that year and I remember vividly being called up to Mr Adams’s office where Mrs Adams imparted the dreadful news. My father had died in late 1942 so I later was taken on by guardians who lived near Lympsham in Somerset.
In the meantime Mrs Adams, whom I considered a despotic figure during my early days at the school, showed me true kindness in the intervening months before going on to King’s by making sure the new uniform and other accoutrements were ordered and a trunk packed for my new life there. I realised, as all my fellow students did, that the headmaster was on most occasions ‘the worse for drink, but I can’t remember being unduly beaten or mistreated by him. Maybe this was in the early days of the disease that eventually put him away.
Do you know if anyone keeps the records of those that attended the school. I would like to confirm the dates when I was there
Apart from the normal impositions of prep school boarding I remember the glorious setting of the school outside Wookey Hole in the splendour of the Somerset countryside. Certainly a consoling factor.
Hope this finds you, please share it with other past students if you think they might be interested. Regards John Oliver
Yes, I was sent there from Ditcham Park a junior school of Douai Abbey. 1952 to 1954. I was told that any boy from the prep school automacily gained entrance to Douai. Glencot was no more than a glorified playground. H and S issues did not exist. We had one girl pupil who lived locally. Adams was always drunk and did not teach.
I was there from 1965 -1966 coming from St. Pirans I found the more relaxed atmosphere really suited me, Adams was a great teacher and I loved playing with friends in the river. I am not sure I would have got CE.
I do remember the canings but in retrospect it seemed that he caned a relatively few boys very regularly. I was only caned once and felt more upset that I had ‘let him down’ and had to be caned than sorry for whatever I had done.
His drinking was an issue, I told my parents he was often drunk. At the time they laughed thinking he probably had just had a glass of sherry. After I left they started to put 2 and 2 together and were horrified they had sent me there.
I often wonder what precipitated the sudden closure of the school, there were number of rumours circulating.
As Mr Adams was a sadist (ref the cupboard of split canes and also the notorious rubber soled trainer) and an alcoholic (anytime after 4.0pm) it doesn’t surprise me that he landed up in an asylum. Mrs Adams oscillated from being a benevolent Grandmother to a volcano in a flick of a switch. Mr Drew (history?) was a pedophile. I somehow fluked a CE pass and came away relatively unscathed. I have a few photos of the place including school photos o summer 1962 and 63.
Name : Nicholas Gandy
Email : tjkailee@tiscali.co.uk
Message : Went there between 1961 to 1964. So surprised to read of the truth about Mr. and Mrs Adams…yes, I remember the assorted canes and the wrath of Mrs. Adams, also avoiding Mr. Drew. Ned was often drunk and used to come around the dormitories in the evening looking for any excuse to cane you. They (Mr./Mrs Adams) had an argument right in front of us in dorm 7 Which became quite physical! Shortly after that, Ned disappeared, to no surprise.
I find it somewhat strange to read the comments as I thought that only I remembered those years at Wookey, yet for all its misgivings, it was a better place than my previous boarding school! I wonder if anyone remembers me? Nicholas Gandy.
I was most interested to come upon your article about Glencot! I think you were a little before my time there, my sojjourn was between 1963 and 1967, but you probably knew my older brother, Ashley. Yes it was indeed a funny old place, but for all its prison like qualities and iron discipline I loved it there – except for my first term, a dark winter term when I was bullied mercilessly by the dorm captain after lights out. But after that I flourished and I liked the discipline and all the rules because it was such fun breaking them! And knowing that you were going to get a whacking from Ned if you got caught made it all the more thrilling! One developed a sort of resilience and cunning. I always liked the Spartan attitude crime and punishment – you weren’t punished for the crime itself but for being stupid enough to get caught! I’m presently writing a book based on Glencot and the tunnels beneath it which fascinated me and I would snek down there with a friend whenever I could. It was all that reading of The Famous Five I suppose which inspired me – secret tunnels and secret passages behind sliding panels. Glencot was made for such adventures and we were at the age when magic still existed for us! I loved the river and the woods and out of bounds excursions to the Mendips with my old friend Barkeley-Smith – a rogue if ever there was one! I was interested to read about your environmentalist career. The poor old Earth sorely needs healing and proper caretaking.
Hello hello Alastair my long lost dear friend.
So I’m a rogue eh. I’ll take that as a compliment.
I recall those nights in the woods, badgers and fun eh..
I emigrated to Australia in 1972.
Now live in far south NSW, on a 12 acre bush property, near the ocean, beautiful, peaceful, Retired now, playing lots of golf.
As for the school. Great old imposing grey “prison”.
Horrid, I hated it, ghastly place, awful teachers and I hated Mr Adams.
I was one of his ‘favourites’.
Caned more times than I can recall. for whatever petty reasons.
Well do i recall the fear when name read out after supper.
I knew what was in store for me, there was no escaping.
I try to forget the nightmare.
A pretty little blond boy I was, his play thing.
Bloody drunken bastard, a pedophile.
Ma Adams, hated her as well.
Humongous fat woman who could land such a hefty blow I saw stars.
I failed at just about all my studies. ha ha ha.
Latin, FFS, used to get half a mark, for spelling my name correctly, damn.
Loved the pool table in the foyer.
Climbing onto the roof and carving my name in the lead flashing.
Exploring the basement.
Sneaking out of the dorm.
Orange juice on the corn flakes..YUK!
Football matches, was the goal keeper at some time. What was I thinking.
Lots of fun times, but always overshadowed by the ‘fiddling’.
Yep I was always in some kind of petty trouble..
Reckon it was so Adams could have his way with me after a canning.
My great joy was when he found out and removed from the school.
Wasn’t removed just because he was a drunken bastard. I know that as a fact!
I’d love to hear from you Alastair.
(Hi John. Sorry I don’t remember you. Please give Alastair my email address. Thanks.)
Don’t remember many of the other kids. Your brother vaguely.
And now much memory of the school has faded, repressed eh.
Your old school buddy,
Brian Barkeley-Smith.
Hello Brian. Amongst all the memories of Glencot that I have read on John Elkington’s blog, yours resonate more with me than any of the others. I was at Glencot for only a year from the winter of ‘65 to the summer of ‘66 and have tried to block out of my mind the terrible things that went on there. On the whole the ‘crammer’ education for most of us was good. I would never have made it through CE without it and the spartan existence toughened most of us to excel in sport to a degree that many of us thought impossible.
But at what price? Adams would have gone to gaol today for what he did to us boys and an asylum was a fortunate escape for him. I am very sorry to have read of your own experience which by sheer luck I managed to avoid, but I knew what he was doing. You will recall that at times he insisted on beating boys with shorts and underclothes down and being so drunk could not raise his arm to thrash but still had the strength to fiddle. Bastard.
If I remember correctly you were standing in a short queue outside his study one evening waiting for yet another beating when you saw, through the half open door, what he was doing to the boy before you. Brave as a lion you burst into his study screaming at him and before he could catch you, you ran the whole length of the school to the bedroom of his monstrous and bitter wife to tell her what he was doing. I remember the shouting throughout the whole building as if it was yesterday, as this vast obese woman came rolling down the corridor, while all of us, alarmed by the sheer noise, had to shelter in the dormitory doorways to prevent being trampled on by her. She was screaming “not again you fool” as they collided at the top of the stairs where she struck him so hard that he fell back into his study. I always admired you for what you did.
There were many other victims after you and that was the main reason that, thankfully for those that may have followed, the school closed down. That, and poor financial management which was one of the reasons we
were so poorly fed. I remember eating nothing but bread and butter for days because the food was so bad and today still eat a lot of bread and butter as if for survival.
I had a girlfriend some years ago who knew Miller, the antique dealer who bought the school and turned it into a hotel. She accepted an invitation for both of us to stay over a week end and I went with mixed feelings of fear and curiosity. By coincidence, the room I was given was the very room of my dormitory some 50 years previously. I did n’t sleep at all that night and could n’t wait to get out of the place.
It will be of little comfort to you but there is no doubt that your action and that of others that followed you will have contributed to the eventual closure of the school and the banishment of that evil bastard to the hell he deserved.
Hi Simon,
Can’t say I recall you, but then I hardly recall anyone from those troubled school years. But your kind words and memory of my actions make me feel proud and special and bring a form of solace to me after all these years, I thank you so much. Indeed it was place of extraordinary contradictions, a magical place, the building so imposing on a young mind, and then the underlying reality of the dark belly of abuse and sadistic behaviour by those who were supposed to teach us and guide us.
Sad to say school is mostly only a reflection of the world at large, for now as an older man, retired, I look back and realise not much has changed. Greedy selfish arrogant born to rule mentalities. Abuse still runs rampant in the world, especially in the so called “elite” schools.. “I’m gonna Fluck you before you Fluck me”. Sick minds.
The old boys club, etc., well damn them all to hell I say. They are a cancer on society.
Ok my friend, here’s wishing you and all of us who suffered at the hands of those bastards, all the very best and trust that life has not been too arduous and that some measure of happiness and contentment has been achieved.
Cheers….
Brian
I attended Glencot school 1970-72 . I remember Mrs. Adams and that sweet kitchen lady . I can remember Mr. Evans our math teacher and Mr. Gould our short-sighted English teacher and football couch . In short , the six terns I served in that hole were a real nightmare .
Hi Mohd,
Your stay at Glencot I think coincides with mine. I was there only for one term (September 1972 until December of the same year), mainly to learn English . I somehow think your name rings a bell. You certainly reminded me of the names of Mr. Evans and Mr Gould and of course how can anyone attending that school forget that horrendous Mrs. Adams. For the duration of the time I was there, I don’t think I ever saw a smile on her face. Attending that school was certainly one of the painful experiences of my life.
Best,
Hamid Bahai
I was at Glencott for the Winter and Summer terms of 1971, there to cram for my CE’s prior to taking my exams for Public School. I well remember Mrs. Adams and her heavy hand. The Math teacher, Rev. Clayton Evans, a firm supporter of Aston Villa FC. Mr. Gould and his alarming facial tic, acquired in some military conflict, but what I really remember was the terrible food, we were constantly hungry, and served the most awful examples of English cuisine, ‘faggots’ is the dish that comes to mind. On the other hand they were academically brilliant, a wonderful educational establishment. Mr. Adams was by then confined to the attic but he would roam the hallways at night calling for the missus. I have quite a few polaroids of when I was there with the other inmates, all in all it was a memorable place.
I attended from July 53 to Sept 54. Can’t remember how many students there were but about a third came from overseas (I had come from Perth, Western Australia). Took a while to fit in I’d have to say. Strange place; others have accurately described the Adams duo so I can’t add anything further. Far too many memories both good and bad. The best time was Sunday afternoons when we were ‘let out’ for a few hours and headed to Ebbor Gorge, a wild,magical place which we had to ourselves and played hide and seek etc. I believe these days it is crammed with visitors at weekends. Having passed the C.E. exam I went on to boarding school in Taunton. On a visit to the U.K in the nineties I drove down to Wookey but of course much had changed since the fifties. They say don’t look/go back as you will be disappointed. I think that is good advice.
Fondly remember playing football. Often wondered what happened to all the school photographs. Now living in Nunavut, Canada.
David
I was at Glencot around 1966? compared with the previous school Glencot was Heavan,
for some reason despite knowing the consequences were going to really hurt,
I couldn’t resist filling the piano with books,Mrs Adams raised her great hands
announced the hymn followed by a tuneless thud, Ma A got to her feet and stormed out,
if that was not painful enough ,I then put drawing pins on the hammers making a ping pinging noise our head mistress was furious!
I remember barricading the dorm door to keep pillow fighters from a rival dorm out,
the door burst open scattering chairs an beds,it was a much greater force than pillow fighters,
it was Mrs Adams,not best pleased.
I remember meeting mrs Adams after leaving the school,she was a really lovely woman
Martin Miller who ran the School as a hotel had a photo book,I wonder what happened to it.
it would be really good to hear from others who experienced this extraordinary place
I can’t find myself in this photo but I’m pretty sure I was there around that time. Recall Mr Adams beating my arse to a pulp in one of his drunken moments. And Mr Drew the ‘fiddler’. Sad to have such memories but there it is.
Hello All,
I’ve come to this most interesting, and often horrific, story-line via our travel blog. In an odd-way I feel connected and wish to share.
We visited Glencot House about 2009 when it was operating as Miller’s Guest House.
(Miller of Miller’s Antiques & Gin). If you are interested of photos from that era; I invite you to.
https://www.ablogvoyage.com/glencot-house/
It was / is an incredibly lovely location and I can see myself – as many of you probably were – trundling through he woods and splashing about the stream. There was no remaining energy from Mr. and/or Mrs. Adams and/or Ned. A bucolic vibration permeated. An amazing restaurant was in the dining room; where one looked out over the panting like landscape. (David Cameron was at the table by the window and the waiter prophetically noted … “that man going to be the next Prime Minister.”)
We received word (via a post comment) that Glencot House was privately purchased in 2011; we are not aware of by whom.
We wish everyone the best during this time of Covid-19.
warm regards
Ethan R.
Frank Caralps at Glencot 1960 to 1962
Some of us had classes housed in one of three Caravans, that were pretty cold in winter and when “Ned” Adams did the rounds in the evenings during Prep time, he sometimes had a dab of green toothpaste on his lips, to try and disguise the smell of booze from draconian Ma Adams who had quite a temper, but could occasionally be quite sweet. She virtually ran the School. After Matron “Gasbag” left, we got a sweet young nurse in her early twenties, as replacement, that we all lusted after. Yes Drew was a pedofile, old Mr Lang alias “Shanghai” rather amusing, Mrs Williams who taught us French was great and very friendly.
We were actually quite a few from Chile; Myself, Robert Leighton, John Dunston, and George Kenrick; he went on to Millfield College, but alas a heavy smoker he died of lung cancer about 10 years ago. I went on to the Oratory School in Woodcote. Also Derek Cooper, who was there around 1957-58 so a bit older, went on to Malborough College and now retired he lives near Billingshurst, West Sussex. I have his address if needed.
Pissing around/ Rowing in the two wee boats in the river, was great fun, the visit to Fry’s Chocolate factory where we gorged oursleeves and later the visit to Wills Tobacco in Bristol, where we pocketed many handfulls of fags, off the produccion line and later smoked them, hidden behind the tall bamboos, on the far side of the river, close to the Weir.
Now, I gather that Glencot is a Boutique Hotel, crammed full of antique furniture, as its owner also has an antique shop in Notting Hill Gate.
Nice to hear from all you guys. I also have a copy, of the above photo and appear in it, just behind and between Ned and Ma Adams.
Lets keep in touch…………if we ever survive, this dreaded “Chinky-Pox”
Hi Guys. What are we called, Glencotonians. Fond memories for the most part of my time there, 61 to 63. I can recall some of the names above like Caralps and Chetham plus some other names that such as Gregory and Lawrence. Arrived at the school mid term from South Africa and left about September 63 for Sydney, Australia with my parents. I am still living in Sydney retired and enjoying it with my Australian wife. Some memories include the school choir in the local church and the swimming carnivals. Always placed in freestyle and backstroke. I beat Lawrence a few times but mostly he was in front. I also remember Mr Adams taking me to Wells Cathedral on a few occasions to sing a hymn solo from the Canons pulpit. And on your birthday you chose your closest friends to be on your birthday table.
My experiences of the legendary punishments came to head one term when my father was summoned to the school as my infringement frequency could no longer be tolerated.
Frankie, let me know if you get this, Gray
Add Brian Barkley Smith, my brother Nigel Monteith and myself David Monteith, all of us from Chile.
David.
Some of the names above were at Glencot at the same time as me. In fact John Chetham and I met up after a 50 year communication gap and we had quite a laugh at all the goings on and all the strange behaviour of the staff. Some fun times there and some scary ones too when Ned was on the whisky and Mrs Adams who hated Ned blew her top. I remember throwing my pink hat out the train window on my final journey home.
I was at Glencot from Summer term 1963 to the end of 1964, after which I went to Allhallows, near Lyme Regis. It was certainly a bizarre experience. Ned was on his way out by then and Mr Laing became a stand-in head. I recall Mrs Adams as fierce but with an underlying kindness – having had a mad, alcoholic husband to contend with, along with running the school, she’d have to be pretty formidable. Beautiful surroundings for two summer terms. If anyone else is from that era, let me know
I might well of been at Glencot at the same time as you
Glencot was a bizarre experience. Ned was on his way out by then so I missed the worst excesses of his reign. I recall Mrs Adams as fierce but with an underlying kindness – having had a mad, alcoholic husband to contend with, along with running the school, she’d have to be pretty formidable. Beautiful surroundings for two summer terms. If anyone else is from that era, let me know
Should have mentioned, my time was Summer 63 to end of 64.
My only memories of my time at Glencot, between 1961 and 1963, are of the heavy snow in 1963 and also of watching the first manned space rocket orbiting the earth, from the garden at the front of the building. I also remember walking into wookey to go swimming.
I was at Glencot I seem to remember between 1958 and 1960/1 and remember many of the events mentioned . I was caned at least 3 times a week always in my pajamas at bed time and remember that if one showed any signs of pain walking away down the hall Adams would call you back and administer a further whack .Will always remember the dreadful fish and mash mixed for Friday lunch which I invariably tipped into one of the large vases on the mantlepiece -had more bones than I thought a fish had to start with! I also recall Mrs A had 2 spaniels one of which had a dreadful skin condition . I was then to go on to Kings School Sherborne Gloucestershire and managed to see my school days out with no further whacks .
I have also been to stay at the house when it was an hotel and actually had Adams office as my room now thankfully minus the cupboard full of canes very weird to say the least .
When I told my father many years later of the many beatings I suffered there he was appalled and very upset that he had deposited me there so young . Hey ho but such is life.
Hello Gordon,
Long time etc. I had forgotten you were at Glencot as well as Kings and we must have been there at the same time.
It would be good to meet up again as we haven’t seen each other for many years.
Don’t know if this will work?
Cheers
Roger.
I went to Glencot in 1969. I was the only “Yank” there that year. Anyone else there that same year?
Hi Guys and James when you said you were the only yank I immediately remembered. I was at Glencot in 1969 for a year of cramming before going to Allhallows, Rousdon. Remember well the irate Mrs Adams and the caravan classrooms in winter with gas heaters that made your eyes water from fumes. Really surprised that nobody got carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hello Chaps
I have been reading all your comments with great interest as they confirm my memories of Glencot. I was there for 4 terms from Xmas term 1957 to end of 1958. During a visit to Wells las weekend I called in at Glencot which is now a private house. The owners spend most of their time in the Cayman Islands but the caretaker kindly let us look around.
The food was indeed diabolical and I well remember Mrs Adams standing behind me saying ‘Don’t you dare be sick’!
I still have the school photo taken during summer 1958.
I reckon I was at the school September 1964 aged 7 – leaving 3 years later. Last term was made head boy.
Mr Adams was taken away in an ambulance as we watched from the dormitory windows.
I liked playing football as we had a good team.
I remember birthdays where you invited your friends to a special tea. Otherwise the food was not good. Especially ‘fish muck’
Boarding school has not done me any favours. Glencot taught me how to misbehave. I did make some friends but can’t remember the names. Brown brothers, Baker and a Yorkshire boy?
Get in touch if any of you remember me.
Hello all you Glencot survivors.
I was there between 62 -64 before going on to Kings Btuton. So many of what has been written here brings back vivid memories of a time best forgotten but so vivid in ones memory.
What seems strange is that one never thought of complaining !! It just seemed to me then what school was all about.
I vividly remember a chap called ‘ Rolley’ who always seemed to end up after lights out in Adam’s study… Adams would come in to our dorm at light out and look at Rolley.. ” are you going to be canned tonight ? ” and inevitably he would be.. I was what you might call a ‘ good boy ‘ but was canned at least once a week… it left its mark, both physically and mentally.. now one has to pay for such treatment !!! .ha ha.
I was terrible at just about everything except sport and making things like model planes .
The food was terrible ( orange juice on cornflakes ) included but one never complained even to parents ..!!
I remember the caravans and the ‘ fiddler ‘ but strangely it is all filled away as part of life one doesn’t dwell on.
Met up with Michael Herlihy last year , he went on to KSB with me and now lives in Australia.
Strange times indeed but I think it probably toughened one up for the future.
Would love to hear more from any other incumbents of that time..
Best wishes to you all… Mike Long
I was also a pupil from 1960 to 1966, I recall a few names mentioned & am in touch with Anthony & Alistair Ashford Brown, the matron was Mrs Cox & the reverend was Mr Seagull, I found extracts written by the Reverend in the archives of the church in Wookey Hole however could not find what had happened to him in later years. The area surrounding Glencot was indeed wonderful & a dream to explore. There were two caretakers I don’t recall their names, one had a black Labrador called Bess whom I adored. I after one canning session had to be taken to hospital & still bear the scar on my wrist, the police were involved, but I’m unaware of the outcome. I also remember Mr Adams & Mar A having a huge fight & police, ambulance etc & the last we saw of him. Basically it was an awful introduction to school & life in general, but we knew no different & in those days you daren’t speak out of turn.
Working through another downsizing attempt, I came across my old pink Glencot school cap, sending me down the rabbit hole of memories and an instant end to downsizing. I had to Google Glencot School and so here I am. I think I arrived at Glencot following a long hospital stay in late 1959, I was 10 years old. Coming from my local primary school, Glencot was a bit of a cultural shock. In later years my parents admitted they felt a bit guilty about launching me into such an alien environment with little preparation. Reading through the memories of other survivors has rung many bells for me. Faces from the school pictures and names flood back to me as well as the memories of the beautiful setting of the school, the caravan classrooms, the river, the boats, the monstrous Adams duo, “fiddler” Drew, dreadful food, the sports. Memories of incidents are sparked off for me when reading through other people’s experiences. Watching old black and white movies on the TV on wet Sundays, the visits to Wookey Hole caves, the long walks around the lanes. On one of those I remember we found a copy of Health and Efficiency in a hedge, It was full of pictures of naked people but with all the interesting bits blanked out. I became fiddler Drew’s reliable linesman for football matches, so got to go with the football team to all the local schools and to enjoy the after match teas. I managed to avoid Drew but clearly remember him and shudder at the thought of the damage he must have done. I was the bell ringer for a while, and stood on the balcony ringing the hand bell at the end of breaks. I remember making balsa wood boats and sailing them across the river. I remember refusing to eat the grey sausages and was made to sit in the dining room on my own until I ate them. I think this started me on the path to vegetarianism. My grandchildren love the story of grandpa’s grey sausages. I think the river was used for something by the paper mill in the village because at times it disappeared in what looked like bath bubbles or sea foam, probably highly toxic by todays standards, or maybe not when I hear about sewage full rivers of today. Do I remember going to see Ben Hur in Wells? I do remember the visit to Fry’s chocolate factory and Will’s tobacco factory, the visit to the brush factory, and the cheese factory with huge rounds of cheeses reaching up to the high ceiling. I loved the visits to Well’s Cathedral. I cannot remember the name of the music teacher and his wife who taught Latin (was it Warrell?) but remember him telling stories about playing the Cathedral organ. I vividly remember reading about the Cuban crisis and being told it might be the end of the world. I don’t remember the Adam’s bust up but what I do remember is my father’s intervention. I was good friends with Peter Wood. (you might have seen him complaining on national TV about Brexit stopping him from selling elvers to EU countries) He is Number 15 in the 1962 school photo. We spent weekends together and his and my parents became friends. Following an incident (I don’t remember what it was) I mentioned it to my parents on a weekend we we let home. My father rang Peter’s parents and found that Peter had told of the same incident. My father asked me more questions and I told of Ned’s drunken behaviour, the evening touring of dormitories and indiscriminate whacking. Peter’s and my father decided to confront Ned. We were driven back to school and they immediately had the meeting with Ned. I distinctly remember hearing my father drive off as I lay in bed that evening and worrying about what the next day would bring. Ned was not to be seen after that and although I dreaded what might happen I don’t remember Mrs Adam’s attitude to me changing. My father told me some time later that they had given Ned an ultimatum, Get help or they would go to the police. I left Glencot at the Christmas break of 1962 so I shouldn’t figure in the 1963 school picture. Maybe my experience was not as traumatic as others. I have had a career in public health, retiring from the WHO in 2006 and am now living in Denmark. I look back at my Glencot experience with both horror as well as nostalgia. It was a cruel and crude place in some respects and would not survive in todays very different world but I also remember the friendships and fun.