A new year and another term in the 6th form begins today, Wednesday January 7th 1970, I'm still 16 and my 17th Birthday is on the 10th. Bloomin' freezing and it's snowing. There is reported to be a bout of Flu doing its rounds and Medway is succumbing, with lots of people clocking off sick.
Yesterday I'd heard the news on the telly that the N.U.T. union sent out their strike plans in letters of warning to local authorities, following the breakdown of pay talks on Monday the 5th. A hint of the extent of the new series of strikes came after the Burnham Committee meeting when Mr. Ben Johnson, president of the National Union of Teachers, promised that the number of schools involved would be "considerably larger" than in previous action.
The two week N.U.T. teachers strike will go-ahead in Gillingham next Monday. Everyone at Upbury is a bit confused as to what is going on this week as there seems to be hastily arranged staff meetings happening and alterations to time tables and subject study periods. Well it looks to me, as if prefects will have to do a bit of organising for themselves, running their days to come during the anticipated slack period.
Saturday 10th Due to a sudden thaw after the snow and ice this last week, it was a treat for myself on a trip into Chatham for records shopping. During the last month, the record departments in the stores were saturated with Christmas, novelty and reggae records. In the pop charts there were newer reggae 7" singles such as, Melodians "Sweet Sensation", Derrick Morgan "Moon Hop", Boris Gardiner/Byron Lee & The Dragonaires "Elizabethan Reggae". I figured that most were certainly soon to feature as tracks on the next batch of reggae compilation LPs. My route to Chatham was via Longhill Avenue, walking across the Lines which was now very soggy, passed by the Town Hall, then along Medway Street, into the High Street arriving at my destination the 'Pop Inn', adjacent to where the Empire Theatre once stood. Here after some listening, chose to buy an older release 7" reggae single "Pickney Gal" - Desmond Dekker (Pyramid label). Simple catchy raw tune with jingly, plucky rhythm guitar, solid bass, punctuated with organ, piano and drums. I also liked the group of young school-children singing on backing chorus, "Come ear, Pickney Gal, Come ear" as well as trying to decipher Desmond's patois lyrics. This was the last of the old school Jamaica sound reggae records I bought, until I had heard Burning Spear's roots music, half a decade later on.
Monday 12th January Two week strike begins for Gillingham Teachers
Wednesday 14th January Schools in Gillingham now suffering their second teachers' strike, may be hit by another soon. The 58 teachers who are now out until the end of next week in support of a pay claim, are to meet on Tuesday 20th to discuss the next step. These and other members of the National Union of Teachers will take a vote on whether they want an area strike. If they do, the National Executive will take a referendum of all its members in the area. If two-thirds say "yes" the resulting strike could go on indefinately. All teachers in the country are paying £1 a month and this is used to pay members who are on strike. All the 58 Gillingham teachers are getting full pay for the fortnight from their union.
16th January The 6pm news on the telly. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has taken direct control of Libya four months after a bloodless coup that brought an end to the monarchy under King Idris. Since the military coup of 1st September led by Gaddafi's "Free Unionist Officers", the country has been run by civilian ministers. But they were obliged to refer to the so-called Revolutionary Command Council on matters of state and twice threatened to resign.
Now the 28-year-old colonel has taken the title of prime minister and appointed four members of his council to his new 12-member Cabinet. Last month Col Gaddafi thwarted an attempted coup by his Defence and Interior Ministers and took charge of the main ministries single-handedly. Now he can delegate to ministers he feel he can trust.
An outspoken Arab nationalist, Col Gaddafi set about freeing Libya from what he regards as colonialism by ordering Britain to abandon its military bases in the country. But in an exclusive interview with the Times newspaper, he denied that defence contracts with the West would be terminated and said Libya was still interested in buying nearly 200 British Chieftain tanks. However he would not be drawn on whether they would be sent to the Egyptian border - along with 50 Mirage aircraft already ordered - to be used against Israel. "Until now there has not been any decision that war is to be the only solution to the Middle East conflict," he said. "Therefore since this question has not arisen yet, there is no need to answer it."
Egypt's President Abdel Nasser has been a great influence on the new leader and he has already strengthened ties with his Arab neighbour. He and his young followers have expressed his hope for a future where all Arab nations would be united under Islam.
Soon after the coup, he began a process of "Libyanisation" of commerce and industry. Non-Libyans were forced out of influential positions and even Latin characters were removed from street signs in the capital, Tripoli, and in Benghazi. This has had a damaging effect on the economy with skilled expatriates forced to leave the country to look for work elsewhere. However Libya's oil industry continues to thrive and she remains the fourth largest oil producer in the world.
As I had realised that I liked the Jamaican Rocksteady/Reggae rhythms, it was time to seek out more records to listen to. I was not going out with Liz anymore and I had no other girl lined up to go out with. More of my savings were withdrawn from the post office, to treat myself to the cinema, night out or some record buying. The Aurora Hotel in Brompton road, Gillingham, had a large dance hall and still held the regular Thursday night "Green Light Club" discotheque. I have forgotten the door entry price. Might have been 4/6d or thereabouts. Well, I thought I'd chance my luck and go there for a night, maybe find a new girlfriend outside of the school environment. I put on my suit, for I wasn't sure what to expect about dress codes at the hotel. After the walk along to the place, I could hear the music playing inside and saw a few casually dressed, mixed group of young skinhead kids, loitering nearby the main doors entrance to the club hall.
Feeling a tad intimidated by the tribal grouping of these younger boys and their mates, my steps quickened to the entrance to pass them by before they had a chance to react to my presence. Through the entrance to one side, there was a small lobby with a wooden counter, a woman was sitting behind the counter and that's where you paid to get into the disco/bar/ballroom. The woman ink stamped my wrist on payment. Once inside the hall, the atmosphere was more relaxed with some small groupings of older boys and their girls, on a night out with workmates. They had money to spend on smoking and drinking or any other vice you can think of. Looking about, around the club, no familiar faces from school did I see. Cripes! I'm on my own here. The huge disco sound system was blasting out stuff I'd never heard of, but sounded exactly like the strong base dance rhythms I had come here for to listen to. At first, I stood aside observing the groupings and how they were dancing, particularly the girls. The girls seemed to dance together in groups of two or three apart from the boys who mainly danced solo. The girls would then return and chat with some groups of boys for a break from dancing. Some of these mod girls were extremely good-lookers, they had obviously spent a lot of money and time preparing their outfits and makeup. I would have liked to go for a dance with them, but... I couldn't work out, in this club setting, if they had boyfriends within the groupings at the club. If they had found out that I was still at school, that would have been a huge handicap to getting anywhere near them.
The money in my pocket, was enough for a couple halves of ale for myself during the evening. I resigned myself, after the first drink at the bar, to join in with solo dancing when the floor filled up with more people. At least under cover of the crowd and low lighting, I could dance around, watching as the dancing girls passed closely by me. It worked out well, no troublesome flare-up's of loose tempers from possible jealous boyfriends. These boys seemed to me, taking the girls for granted, not showing much interest in them. What frustration for me, straining at the bit to get on with these girls, though I'd first have to wait to leave school, be in work, find new friends and grow up some more. It was an interesting night out in the human zoo, amongst the elder mods and skinheads. Later on I found out that group of girls I mentioned an interest in, were five go-go girls that until recently had regular dance routines for Reggae and Soul music at the weekly discotheque at the Penthouse Club, Rochester Airport. Now they had moved on to work their magic at a new spot, the discotheque at the Aurora Hotel Green Light club on Thursday nights. Their names were Lynne, Margaret, Lesley, Sheila, and Vicky. All were age 15, except Vicky 19.
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| Hairstyle fashions, the final cut done on me by Trendsetters, but that party is over |
Arguments v Arguments of the pay calculations, Who is right?
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| Wednesday 21st January |
More memory of the strike weeks. The large wooden case box colour TV, mounted on a four castor wheeled trolley was in use frequently throughout the school, to fill in time in place of lessons to cover for when a teacher was out on strike. One teacher I remember, Mr Carroll, I did not know before this strike that he must have been a N.A.S. union member. Here he was in his Lab. continuing with our O level Physics course. I think that was the only studying I did during the strike. He would have been reluctant in joining the strike, if called out, and remained loyal to his principles to be there for to educate children above any other consideration. For us, at our age though, weren't too bothered, Wow! life was a party in the common room during the weeks after. We bought in records, drinks, takeaways. Even the 6th form girls loosened up, began to let their hair down and go a bit wild, joining in with us laughter, joking, fooling around. Great times for a while, but it's sad the teachers came back to work on Monday 26th January, demoralised without their pay claim being settled. The full school had returned and was hoping, and slowly organising towards operating as normal.
Monday 26th January The possibility of another teachers' strike in Rochester, Chatham and Strood has moved a step nearer but another stoppage in Gillingham now looks unlikely. The Rochester, Chatham and District and the Gillingham branches of the National Union of Teachers both voted overwhelmingly to ask the National Executive to hold a referendum to see how many local members would be in favour of an area strike in support of their pay claim. The Executive decided that a referendum should be held in Rochester, Chatham and Strood. But Gillingham where teachers at three schools ended a fortnight's strike on Friday has been left out. The Rochester, Chatham and District branch of the N.U.T. is sending out the voting forms tomorrow night. If two-thirds of the members who vote are in favour of a strike the National Executive, which has organised 283 referendums in different parts of the country, will put the area on a "strike list." And if the pay dispute with the Burnham Committee is not resolved, the teachers may be called out.
Wednesday 28th January
The next move in their pay dispute rests with the teachers, the Under Secretary of State, Education and Science, Miss Joan Lestor, said in the Commons this morning. Replying to a debate, she said Education Minister Mr. Edward Short had demonstrated his goodwill through the management panel, but the teachers' full claim could not be met. "Publicity had fastened on the weekly figure of £13 but it was a rate received by only a small number of teachers, probably for the first six months of their service and we thought it a rather bad figure," said Miss Lestor. Although the National Union of Teachers had expressed dissatisfaction with the arbitration arrangements, none of the teachers' panels had represented to the Minister that the arrangements operated against their interests.
The teachers national pay claim protest actions marched on with staged events, petitions, lobbying M.P.s and meetings all through the month of February. The remnants of winter through to March in school was a lull and I buried myself back into study work. I witnessed an incident in the upper long corridor, a 5th former Josephine Wheatley being given a groping by Clive Boothroyd. He had crept up behind her as she was walking along, then slipped both his arms each side around her waist and bosom. By the look of it, Jo and Clive, I think they had already started going out with each other because she seemed to be enjoying his attentions, ambling along the rest of the way to the main staircase. I had an invite from a 4th Year girl to her 15th birthday party held in Haig Avenue. There is a Haig Avenue in Rochester and one in Chatham. Which one was it? I arrived at someone's party, but that's all I know of the event. Who she was, I no longer can recollect? I can only imagine what took place there, given my track record.
The Upbury Manor middle school magazine during the term year 1969-70
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The genesis of this idea of a magazine for the middle school is not known. I guess it could have been the brainchild of the head teacher Mr McVie. If so, and delayed by his unexpected death during the last week of March 1968, this legacy project was launched in the following year 1969. The group of teachers responsible for organising it were Mr Willis, Mr Porter, Mr Fisk, Mr Hughes, and Mr Blewitt. It was such a grand project for the pupils to be working on and contributing to, and I only wish I could have been part of it, but was three years too late for me being age 17, a 6th form student, and soon to be leaving.
Here is MIDSTREAM number 1, thanks to Ian Hotham for posting his magazine photos online. I've made some picture adjustments to emphasise the pages and reimagined one page that was omitted from his posting, can you guess which page? The original pages are not numbered, and I had to think it through and present my interpretation of the magazine pages sequence.
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I did keep the only MIDSTREAM issues I had bought while at Upbury, number 1 and 2 of the magazine, stored them away for a few years after I'd left the school, before they were all unceremoniously thrown out one sad day, (along with my school uniform, ties, scarf, a large cardboard box full of six years worth of school work, dog-eared exercise books and CSE, GCE exams papers), into the Gillingham borough council weekly refuse bin collection, as the old school memories were gradually superseded by new experiences of a working life growing into adulthood.
If only I'd kept the lot of my old school documents, I could now know for sure when and how I came to make mistakes in my choices and actions during my school time. What a thought, but only in a dream, to then return there in a time machine, to fix events, re-live my youth and to enjoy much more the social life at Upbury in the lapse of time 1964 to 1970.
Some names remembered from various contents of the magazine issue number 2: Alison Hayter (3rd yr) and (4th yrs) Alison Birch, Linda Turrell. Also remember a magazine photo, of a small group lounging on the floor during a drama class, taking place in the assembly hall. One or more of the named girls were pictured there.
Is there anyone else from Upbury having knowledge of, or will post copy scans to me, of any issue of MIDSTREAM magazine circa 1970 or after? And for how long did this magazine project continue?
2nd March The 6pm news on the telly. The Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Ian Smith, has declared his country a republic, cutting its last link with the British Crown. The new Rhodesian Republic, came into being at 2301 BST yesterday, unrecognised by the rest of the world and barely noticed by Rhodesians themselves.
Mr Smith signed a proclamation officially dissolving the current parliament and introducing a new Republican Constitution. The ceremony took place at Government House, until last year the official residence of Sir Humphrey Gibbs and his predecessors as governor and representative of the British Crown.
The creation of the republic breaks an 80-year-old link with the British monarchy - but has been widely anticipated since Mr Smith unilaterally declared the country independent of Britain four years ago. Since then, Rhodesia has left the Commonwealth and been subject to tough international sanctions.
Mr Smith said: "Today is not such a tremendous day for us Rhodesians. Our Independence Day is the great day. "Rhodesia did not want to seize independence from Britain. It was forced upon us."
The real question now is whether a Rhodesian republic will gain any international recognition.
The chairman of Mr Smith's Rhodesian Front party, Ralph Nielson, said: "We have cut our ties as to whether or not a republic is going to make all that difference, I sincerely believe it will, particularly in the eyes of the rest of the world. "I believe various things are going to flow, improved trade and without a doubt, in time, diplomatic recognition."
The British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, has already made clear his Labour government will not recognise the new regime in Rhodesia. The United States has also indicated it will not recognise Smith's republic "under any circumstances".
An unsatisfactory compromise
With the N.A.S. union now taking a more strident part in militancy with a suggested new demand put on the table for a £200 annual increase. This looked to be the unions beginning to loose their unity of strategy of the whole campaign and so weakened the case of the teachers unified £135 pay claim. This blunder led the N.U.T. to finally agree on Tuesday 3rd March to a negotiated interim pay settlement of less than the £135. The N.A.S. union, some of the members were not that pleased with the outcome, but the time had run out and prolonging protest would serve no purpose other than further disrupting education and the exams in this school year.
6th March The 6pm news on the telly. The British Government has announced an indefinite ban on the importation of domestic pets. It follows the death from rabies of a dog called Sessan in Newmarket a week ago. The animal had been imported from Pakistan and released from quarantine on November 30.
British officials have become alarmed at the spread of the disease in Europe and because dogs like Sessan have begun showing signs of rabies after the existing eight month quarantine period. Until recently scientists believed rabies had an incubation period of no more than three months.
From next week, all dogs and cats already in quarantine, will have to stay in captivity an extra four months. There is to be an indefinite ban on the importation of any cats and dogs.
The new measures were announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Cledwyn Hughes. He said a committee of inquiry would be set up to examine Britain's policy on rabies. The ban and extended quarantine will apply until the committee has reported. He said: "I know we are a nation of dog lovers, so I greatly regret the hardship that will be caused to some, but our primary duty is to protect the public. "I could not forgive myself if a child was bitten or any life put in danger through any neglect on our part. We are dealing with a killer disease."
At present, there are about 2,200 dogs and 600 cats in quarantine in Britain. Imports of dogs and cats are running at between 3,000 and 5,000 a year. Last year, the Government raised the quarantine period from six to eight months after the case of a rabid dog in Surrey. Scientists fear the rabies virus has developed a longer incubation period - and is also being spread by wild animals, such as foxes on the Continent.
Coming into the pop charts were Jimmy Cliff "Vietnam", Bob and Marcia "Young, Gifted And Black" (the UK version with added Johnny Arthey orchestration arrangement), Maytals "Monkey Man". What a shame the excellent reggae song from Bob Andy, "You Don't Know", was never even released outside of Jamaica, and so all we had to listen to was his reggae pop duet warbling's with Marcia Griffiths.
The school days in March before Easter time, I first clapped my eyes on yet another very attractive 3rd year girl. I don't know where she had been hiding during the last couple of terms. Her name was Glynis Munns in the A stream class. She had very long fine hair, dark brunette, and being of medium build.
Not looking where she was going, her head was deep into reading an article in a "Jackie" a teen magazine, and had bumped straight into me as she was leaving through a door out into the corridor from one of her classes at breaktime. I was about to say to her "watch out you..girl", but too late she'd stumbled into my arms as I stopped her from tripping over. She blurted out "Sorry..umm". It felt wonderful having a girl in my arms again. We were holding on to each other for just enough time for me to want to see her again. Then letting her go on her way to her breaktime, I had already made my mind up to go ahead and ask her out to someplace for a date.
In the next days, each time after leaving the common room, going on prefect duty during my free periods from study, I watched a number of different corridors for a sign of her appearing again.
A week later, I had swapped duty with another prefect and was then back on patrol near the upper school cloakroom. There she was by the playground entrance sitting on the steps chatting with some class mates. My over enthusiastic pace of approach towards them sent most everyone there scattering away, like bandits from a burglar alarm, except Glynis stayed put. Wow, she had remembered our moment of last week! Sitting myself down beside her, jesting, my first words were "Did you enjoy your trip as much as I did last week?" Her face was now displaying a broad smile, she liked that one. I immediately followed on with "Are you planning another trip soon?" and "If so, then I'd like to go with you?". She'd got the message and with her head nodding vigorously in acceptance, looking into my eyes, was saying "Yes Yes".
We then went into the formal introductions, for we hadn't yet then known each others names or anything else. Cock-a-hoop, I was with this girl and I wandered off duty prematurely returning to the common room, on a high, babbling away like a dopey sod, to those bemused 6th formers, who were still there lounging around the place. Then standing up on the window sill, I yelled out of the window at the topmost room of the school, a long "Waaaaaahaaaay yeeehaa!" to all in earshot. Then quietly got down and made myself a nice cup of tea, resuming the normal social activities of the day, as though nothing different had just happened. Stephen Whitethread strolled over to where I'd parked myself and correctly understood what was going on. "You found another one, haven't you?", "What's her name then?" and so on, winkling the details out of me.
These are the fragments of memory remaining in my mind. Glynis lived in the end terraced house, number 129 Shakespeare road, at the corner junction with Byron road Gillingham. Her two younger sisters Heather and Deborah were still going to Primary school. Her mothers name was Kathleen, her father was Colin.
19th March The 6pm news on the telly. The leaders of East and West Germany have met for the first time since the country was divided in 1949. About 2,000 young East Germans greeted West Germany's Chancellor Willy Brandt when he arrived at 0930 at the East German town of Erfurt to meet Prime Minister Willi Stoph for talks on improving East-West relations.
As the two men crossed the square between the railway station and the Erfurt Hof Hotel, demonstrators shouted "Willy! Willy!". Then they changed their chant to "Willy Brandt!" to make clear which leader they supported.
The large crowds surprised both Western journalists and the East German authorities who had made every effort to keep the area clear of spectators. They even kept children at school who would normally have had the afternoon off. Demonstrators called for Mr Brandt to come to the hotel window. He did so for a brief moment before getting down to the serious business of talks with his East German counterpart.
This afternoon, Mr Brandt visited the Buchenwald concentration camp to lay a wreath in honour of the victims of the Nazi holocaust. On his return to Erfurt he was met with a small counter-demonstration of people demanding international recognition of East Germany, echoing a demand made by East German officials.
During the talks, Mr Brandt suggested recognition of East Germany would come after a long process of negotiation. He proposed a treaty to confirm the inviolability of East Germany's border and suggested the two countries join the United Nations. But there was little hope the talks would lead to an easing of travel restrictions for East Germans, made worse by the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. By the end of the day the two men agreed to meet again in the West German town of Kessel on 21 May.
My first date with Glynis was at the Easter school disco dance just before the end of term holiday in March. It was the same set up as the last October Halloween dance. Run and organised by volunteer staff and pupils for raising school funds. Glynis had her hair pinned up, earrings on, some make up and wore a floral print high neck long loose sleeve mod mini dress, dark flesh tights, with ankle strapped dancing shoes. Man, she was the business and I was the one that had seen the stunning young lady she truly was, that had until recently during schooldays been hidden under her uniform. The night passed away too soon in a euphoria of dancing with her and later on smooching in the cloakrooms with all the other new couples for the night also doing their thing there. I really miss those days, there's no other time in your life that matches such a special feeling. A final kiss goodnight, then she met up with her other girl class friends to walk home with, no doubt there being a lot of chat and gossip along the way.
The next morning session in the common room, the last before the holiday break, unexpectedly developed into a gathering of the newly curious, rather like a cheap media scandal celebrity press conference affair, me the subject of it and having to field nudge nudge, wink wink, laden questions of my night of passion with Glynis. Although they were pulling my leg, it highlighted to me just how far I had moved out the shadow of social exile of the time in form 4A1.
The Easter "Forrests" travelling amusements funfair signalled it's arrival in Gillingham, by a long convoy of colourful assorted vehicles, huge trailers and showman's and riggers family caravans in tow, all driving down Rock avenue. People came out of their houses to see the spectacle of the procession of vintage motor lorries and trailer tractors, including a steam powered traction engine. The funfair was to set up on the Great Lines for the week. The promo posters had been put up in most local shops in town, weeks before. This funfair had become over many years and seasons a welcome Easter and summer respite from an otherwise dull time. Gillingham, also held a smaller funfair and a fete in the main park, off Canterbury street, at least once a year during a summer season, along with quite a few other smaller events there. The times have changed since then, not for the better. The travelling funfair, park fetes, and other events have long ago vanished from our lives. At school looking out from the upper windows, viewing across the sports field, you could clearly see the amusements stalls and tents set up and the funfair rides being assembled.
This was going to be our nightly free meeting place all through the Easter week to see your mates who'd eye up girls parading themselves in groups, some trying to pull any one of them, be it from Upbury or any other of the local secondary schools. Girls were doing the same thing. The lure of the colourful flashing bulb lighting, the loud pop music blasting through the loudspeakers, a different tune playing from each ride in the fairground. The noise of the electricity generators, and the hubbub of the crowds, screaming girls in thrills and excitement of riding the Whip, the Waltzer, the Dodgems, the Chair-O-Plane, the Big Wheel and the pervasive smell of hotdogs with onions in your nostrils. Great nights!
5th April The 6pm news on the telly. West Germany's kidnapped ambassador to Guatemala has been shot dead. The body of Count Karl von Spreti was found in an empty shack 10 miles (16 kilometres) to the north of the country's capital, Guatemala City. He had a single bullet wound to the temple believed to have been inflicted by the left-wing rebels who seized him last Tuesday.
Count von Spreti was kidnapped six days ago as he travelled from the West German embassy to his home in the suburbs of Guatemala City. The kidnappers - said to be members of the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR) - demanded the release of 25 political prisoners and a $700,000 (£291,000) ransom but the Guatemalan Government refused to negotiate.
It was the second time a Central American government has refused to meet kidnappers' demands during the present series of political abductions on the continent. Last week the Argentines refused to intervene in the case of a kidnapped Paraguayan diplomat - he was later released unharmed.
However, the FAR rebels have shown themselves to be the least prone to bluff of all the kidnappers. Guatemala has been in a state of almost perpetual civil war between right-wing military governments and left-wing guerrillas since the 1950s.
The Guatemalan Government has ordered three days of mourning as a mark of respect to Count von Spreti. However, their failure to intervene to save the ambassador's life has greatly angered the West German Government. West Germany's leader, Willy Brandt, has denounced the killing as an "infamous murder". In a letter, Mr Brandt accused the Guatemalans of "irresponsible behaviour" and "doing virtually nothing" to save Count von Spreti. West Germany has now recalled its remaining embassy staff from Guatemala and it seems likely the Guatemalan ambassador in Bonn will be asked to leave.
14th April The 6pm news on the telly. An explosion on board Apollo 13 has caused one of the most critical situations in American space history and put the lives of the three astronauts on board in severe jeopardy. The explosion happened in the fuel cells of the spacecraft's service module approximately 56 hours after lift-off. This resulted in the loss of Apollo 13's main power supply which means oxygen and water reserves are now critically low.
The safety of the three astronauts, Captain James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, is uncertain although NASA is hoping emergency contingency plans will ensure their safe return.
The cause of the explosion is not yet clear although it is understood it could have been the result of a meteorite crashing into the service module. It is unlikely the exact cause will ever be ascertained as the service module will burn up before the spacecraft's re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.
The crew are currently surviving on the emergency battery power supply of the lunar module, Aquarius. If the accident had occurred after the lunar module had been detached for the moon landing, the astronauts would have faced certain death.
The spacecraft's main computer has now been switched off to conserve what little power remains in the command module, Odyssey, as this part of the spacecraft will be required for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.
Plans have been made to "slingshot" Apollo 13 around the Moon and fire the spacecraft's last remaining booster engine to take it away from the Moon's orbit and bring it back on course to Earth. This is a highly risky operation and there is no back-up should anything go wrong. If all goes to plan Apollo 13 is due to splash down at approximately 1900 BST on Friday 17 April.
The Apollo 13 mission was to have been man's third Moon landing. The spacecraft was due to land in the Fra Mauro area of the Moon on Thursday 16 April. Captain Lovell and Mr Haise were due to carry out geological experiments on the Moon's surface as part of an ongoing project to establish the true age of the Moon. Rock samples taken from previous missions have been dated as being 4,500 million years old.
During the 33-hour Moon landing Mr Swigert would have been responsible for piloting the command module in lunar orbit. Mr Swigert replaced Thomas Mattingly as command module pilot just hours before the mission began after it was found that Mr Mattingly had no immunity after exposure to German Measles.
16th April The 6pm news on the telly. Protestant right-winger the Reverend Ian Paisley has won a seat in Northern Ireland's parliament. In the Bannside by-election Dr Paisley gained a winning margin of more than 1,000 votes. It was his second attempt to win the seat - at the last General Election he was 1,400 votes behind the then incumbent, Prime Minister Terence O'Neill.
This time the Bannside seat was vacant following Terence O'Neill's elevation to the peerage and his resignation as Northern Ireland's prime minister. Lord O'Neill's attempts to reconcile Protestants and Catholics had long led to him being berated as a traitor to the unionist cause by right-wingers such as Dr Paisley.
An added boost for Dr Paisley was the victory in South Antrim of his fellow Protestant Unionist and Free Presbyterian Church minister, the Reverend William Beattie. Their wins could spell problems for the reform programme currently under discussion in the Northern Ireland parliament at Stormont.
The province has been run by Protestant governments since the split from the Republic of Ireland in 1921. Its police force, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, is also overwhelmingly Protestant.
The current government, led by Major James Chichester-Clark, is negotiating a programme of social and policing reforms with Catholic groups. Both Ian Paisley and William Beattie campaigned on a platform of opposition to a new deal for Catholics. "The Unionist party led by Chichester-Clark has been deceiving and betraying us," Dr Paisley told cheering crowds after his victory was announced.
He denied his win was a victory for militancy in Ulster and said he would represent everyone in his constituency. But some Stormont MPs had forecast a win by Dr Paisley would mark the beginning of the end of the Northern Ireland parliament which is already fragmented between moderates and right-wingers. Many fear if the parliament at Stormont becomes any more fragmented direct rule from London may be imposed.
The Upbury School fund raising Fete in April was held in the lower school playground, on a Saturday I believe. My 2nd date with Glynis, the warm spring sun spreading joy, helping us forget about the examinations that were only 7 weeks away. I met her on the path by the assembly hall beside the swimming pool. My eyes popping out on stalks in amazement. She again, was a sensation in style. Her hippy girl look, very long hair dropping 4 to 5 inches passed the shoulders down her back. Wearing a bead necklace, a pale blue tie dye low cut halter vest, blue jeans and strap sandals. We kissed, then held hands, strolling on together in conversation.
In late April, the country was in preparation for the local elections and the forthcoming Parliamentary general election. In the 1970 general election, for the first time, 18 year olds were allowed to vote.
By 1970, Harold Wilson had been Prime Minister for six years. His Labour administration had a chequered record. Although Wilson could trumpet many successes in social reform, including the movement towards comprehensive schools and the Open University, Labour's handling of the economy had been poor. The devaluation crisis of 1967 had damaged Wilson's prestige, as had the second refusal by French president Charles de Gaulle to let Britain enter the Common Market.
The Government performed badly in local elections, by-elections (Labour lost 16 seats between 1966-1970) and opinion polls. Even Labour supporters had plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with Labour's record. These included the failure of Economic Affairs' Secretary George Brown's National Plan, Labour's attempt to put an end to poor industrial relations with the collapse of the "In place of strife" policy and Wilson's support of the Americans in the Vietnam war.
The Conservatives under Edward Heath were confident of victory at the next election, although the Tories were not without their own problems. Heath was not personally popular with the voters and Enoch Powell became a constant embarrassment to the Conservatives.
Powell, a member of Heath's shadow cabinet, was horrified by the number of people seeking to enter the UK and believed Britain would come to suffer from race rioting similar to that in the USA. Powell's intolerant remarks on immigration and his opposition to Wilson's race relations legislation forced Heath to expel him from the shadow cabinet.
The new Liberal leader, Jeremy Thorpe, was flamboyant and charismatic, attracting more interest than his predecessor Jo Grimond.
The month of May being here at last, I kept thinking, pondering about what next with Glynis? She was so much a lovable, exciting girl to be with. I knew that soon I'd have to leave her be, there being no next stage to form a relationship with her. But the distraction away from the momentum of subject studies in school in preparation for sitting the GCE exams in June was too powerful to break away from right now.
Thursday May 7th 1970 The changing scene in entertainment, a newspaper report:
Drag seems to be finding its way into Kent with some impact of late and there were some real "Birds of a feather" at the Aurora Hotel, Gillingham, last week for Ken Leamonth's Dragnet '70 contest.
The event drew a tremendous crowd plus television cameras from STV's Day by Day team. Cabaret was by Laurie Lee and from Kent "Rachel," otherwise Reg Dormer who at 6ft. 4in. must surely be the tallest dragster in the South at least.
Usually, the drag artist's during their performance, play music tapes or record discs for miming to. Laurie and Rachel use their own singing voices backed up by musicians the Phil Lee Combo.
As the elections approached Labour's fortunes began to revive. From the summer of 1969 the economy began to pick up as did the Government's standing in the polls. A good showing in the local elections Thursday May 7th 1970 convinced Wilson that Labour could win an early election, and late on Monday May 18th he announced the day was set for the General election polling day to be Thursday 18th June.
At lunch times, from out of Mr Browns art room, I could often hear the sound of the Norman Greenbaum record: "Spirit in the Sky" being played repeatedly. I have a hunch that this was a group of girls using it in practice for developing a dance routine for a school talent stage show. The more I heard it, that record grew on me, it takes me right back to Upbury whenever I hear it being played.
After the bus dropped us off in the High street somewhere near Gun Lane, we then crossed over into the lane walking along there a short way until turning to the left side into Brompton lane. Glynis and I then had an uphill walk, for it led directly to Broomhill Park. Thankfully St. Nicholas Hall was not at the top of the hill. The disco we went to, was a local community fundraising event. All volunteer run and similar to the school disco's, donated records being played, soft drink refreshments, fun games and all ages catered for etc. The amateur DJ, though, was a bit pedestrian in lining the records up for playing on the deck. After a each dance, we were left in waiting some while for the next record to start playing. I guess that his disco record feeding assistant wasn't being helpful to him that night. Despite this drawback, our night of dance and smooch went down well, the community event was so very friendly and enjoyable to be in. Oh, we returned home to reach her front door around 10:25pm. I was now worrying about it and what her mother would say to me. Glynis had the key, and with a quick kiss of goodnight, she let herself indoors. Her mother was waiting, then warmly thanked me for taking Glynis out for the evening. It was goodnight from Mrs Munns, I walked down into Byron road, and on into my home in Rock avenue. Quite pleased that I'd made a good impression on her mother, I sank into my bed and a night of wonderful dreams of love and peace.
I worried for Glynis, she might have been in trouble from Potts over that trifling incident. She later came to see me at break, I asked if there had been questions about me? "No, he just shrugged and got on with setting the classwork, the moment you left". Mentioning the film showing at the Classic, that's when I asked her "do you fancy going to see it in there Saturday at 5 O'clock? It's an U cert film." She replied "Yeh alright, I'll tell my mum this evening." I then let her return to her mates waiting in the playground.
My 4th date was now set up. Arriving early at the Classic, some 15 minutes before the show, anxiously waiting for her outside the cinema foyer. I knew deep in my soul, it was going to be the last date. I'd be kind of hoping for a no show event because I couldn't face her emotional upset (coward I was) of saying to her "we had to stop seeing each other." Evidently her mum had approved for Glynis to continue dating, for on her arrival with ten minutes to spare only prolonged the sweet torture. She had dressed down to a basic casual, little amount of makeup, plain black T shirt, shoulder bag and blue flared jeans, hair still down, stud earrings, strap sandals. To my relief, she had been given the money for the ticket and for some ice cream or refreshments whatever. I liked her mum, very thoughtful for the both of us. We entered and I bought the tickets to the stalls, making our way into the back end rows, around five rows from the back. Her scent was masked by the smell of the cinema's building interior fabric materials.
People were still moving about to find their seats, when the house lights dimmed to low and the screen curtains opened up for the start of the program. Adverts were on, the Pearl and Dean run of ads. I was getting rather tired of them, and looked at Glynis to see if she was showing signs of becoming bored already. Then on came the local ads, one was an invite for to "come for a splendid evening out for a meal at our restaurant, you'll receive a very warm welcome and top service from our friendly authentic chef and waiting staff, so do please come along to share your evening with us at the..." Ling Ting Wu restaurant 101 High street Chatham (fictional name and address). That raised a chuckle in me, Glynis then glanced at me, and more cheesy ads like that one followed. By then I was beginning to be sounding like Muttley, wheezy sniggering, uncontrollably, trying to stifle the mirth. These commercials were so laughably awful, and in the final advert...
A mans voice from the era of 1940's newsreels was the voice-over in this short advert for a supermarket store. It was as funny as Mr Cholmondley-Warner, Harry Enfields' comedy newsreel creation, he had invented in the 1990's. The film quickly highlighted scenes showing some products, in sync with the spoken commentary script.
"Come Co-operative shopping
For the best in groceries
Choice CWS butter
Delicious Wheatsheaf cheese
Prime bacon
For top quality foods
Plenty of special offers and dividends
Come Co-operative shopping
At High street, Gillingham."
That did it, I guffawed. Glynis and some people in the nearby seating turned around looking towards my direction, puzzled by the commotion. Managing to quickly calm myself back to normal, Glynis wanted to know why I'd been laughing? Replying to her, "I'd have to answer that another day, not here". Leaning over, I kissed her cheek to reassure her, then later after the film trailers were shown, the main feature was on.
"The Love Bug" is next on...
Fidgeting in our seats to find a comfortable position, the film "The Love Bug" was running. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this film, as did Glynis. Crammed full of such good fun and action, by far and away the best and the first film of the 'Herbie' series. The story is simple, interesting, very funny with some poignant moments. The entire cast from comedian Buddy Hackett (my favourite), Dean Jones, David Tomlinson, Joe Flynn, Michelle Lee and the rest do well throughout the film, but it's the special effects stunts scenes of Herbie that steals the show, quite cute and endearing for a car is Herbie. The support film was titled, "Mosbury's Marauders" which being an American Civil War yarn, but my mind really wasn't engaging with the film. My concern was, what can I say, to let her down gently and end any further dating with Glynis? I've only myself to blame, being only a novice at this game, serves me right for indulging with girls that are too young.
My memory of her has gone completely as to the result of that's evening's ending, she does not appear in any future scenes in my mind. I'd like to imagine that I chose not to say anything that evening that would have spoiled our last date. From the present day, thinking back to more than fifty years ago after that last evening, the course of events would be, just leave her alone and not ask her out for another date? Young Glynis would soon find some boyfriend her own age to lavish attention on her. There was no doubt a long queue of schoolboys with interest in her.
1st June The 6pm news on the telly. The Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, has been hit in the face with an egg thrown by a Young Conservative demonstrator. The raw egg, thrown at close range, hit him on the forehead and bounced onto his jacket where it broke.
It was thrown by Tory supporter Richard Ware. He had waited nearly an hour to make his protest, outside the Wealdstone Labour Hall in north-west London, over the cancellation of the South African Springboks cricket tour. The tour was called off on Home Secretary James Callaghan's orders afer he raised fears of mass demonstrations against apartheid. During the 1969 rugby tour, matches were frequently interrupted by protesters.
The Labour leader shrugged off the incident as a sign the cost of living could not be as high as the Tories were suggesting if people could afford to throw raw eggs.
Earlier in the day Mr Wilson had faced heckling from a crowd of around 500 gathered to greet his arrival at the Holborn and St Pancras South constituency in north London. One woman shouted: "He's even put a tax on ant eggs for goldfish." Another man retorted: "Goldfish are a luxury."
When Mr Wilson was later hit by the egg, he quipped: "If they are fighting the cost of living in Harrow, obviously eggs must be cheap enough to throw about. "If the Tories get in, in five years no-one will be able to afford to buy an egg."
Although his government has been dogged by economic crises, culminating in the devaluation of sterling three years ago, there have been signs of recovery recently. Chancellor Roy Jenkins introduced a series of indirect taxes in 1968 and a pay rise ceiling of 3.5% which have helped improve the economy to the extent Mr Wilson felt it was safe to call an election for 18 June.
The polls have all been predicting an easy victory for Labour and Mr Wilson. The campaigning so far has focussed firmly on the two main party leaders, Mr Wilson and Conservative Edward Heath.
Although Mr Wilson has developed a reputation for one-liners at the daily news conferences, it was Mr Heath who got the better of him this time. Asked about the egg incident, Mr Heath replied: "This was a secret meeting on a secret tour which nobody is supposed to know about. It means that men - and perhaps women - are walking the streets with eggs in their pockets, just on the off-chance."
The part of the story continues about the next Upbury girl. In the month of June, during one of my wanderings around the school in my duty as a prefect, I chanced upon some unusual activity when in the vicinity of the dining hall. A 4th year class group was holding a mock political election campaign hustings in the assembly hall. I listened in on the party speeches being made to the small audience that had been press-ganged into attending. A girl, one of the candidates, in turn, rose from her seat on the stage to take her position at the rostrum. She introduced herself as "Ann Howe", the Liberal candidate. After only speaking a few paragraphs from her notes, I soon realised she was good at public speaking, so much so, I was soon entranced by what Ann had to say for herself. Franz Mesmer could not have done a better job on me, all I could see was a heavenly vision of Ann from then on.
The next few days, I started going down the main staircase from the 6th form common room each day to attend the morning school assembly. Specifically it was to have a look at this wonderful girl I'd discovered. It was a mad dash to the hall each day because I had gate duty, reporting latecomers at the lower school entrance on Marlborough road. Ann wore her school uniform Summer dress of coloured pale pink/grey stripes, with her long flowing straggly locks of strawberry blonde hair, she was real cute, though being unaware of me observing her because I was standing a few rows off one side at the back of the hall. My feelings of her were confusing, it wasn't physical but found she had something about her, making me strongly drawn to her. I must find out!
9th June The 6pm news on the telly. King Hussein of Jordan has survived an assassination attempt after gunmen opened fire on his motorcade as it was driving near his summer palace. The king was said to be unharmed but it is understood his driver was wounded in the attack, which took place in the town of Sweileh, 12 miles (19km) northeast of the capital, Amman. One report said the king jumped out of his car and fired back at the attackers.
The shooting follows two days of fighting between Palestinian guerrillas and Jordanian troops in and around Amman in which up to 400 people are said to have been killed. The city is surrounded by Jordanian troops with Palestinian gunmen controlling the city centre and main routes.
Fighting has also spread to the airport and passengers flying out of Amman today have told of a porter killed when he was hit by a bullet as they got onto their plane. Earlier Amman Radio denied reports the army commander-in-chief, Major-General Nasser Ben Jamil, the king's uncle, had been killed in the violence.
Palestinian guerrillas blame the Jordanian army for the latest flare-up in fighting, saying it is a direct result of the heavy shelling of Palestinian refugee camps.
Following the 1967 war with Israel, Jordan lost the West Bank of the Jordan River. Thousands of Palestinian refugees fled into Jordan, swelling the refugee population to two million. From their new base in Jordan, Yasser Arafat and his Palestine Liberation Organisation began launching military operations against Israel, drawing bloody reprisals that killed and injured Jordanians.
Feelings of anger among Palestinians have been exacerbated by King Hussein's involvement in Middle East peace moves which have involved talks with Israel. The leader of Al Fatah, the largest of the Palestinian guerrilla groups, has said any Arab Head of State trying to reach a peaceful settlement with Israel will be murdered. King Hussein has survived an attempt on his life before. When his grandfather King Abdullah was assassinated in 1951, he was hit by a stray bullet in the same attack.
Last October the government revealed details of a plot to overthrow King Hussein. Two months later 14 members of the Islamic Liberation Party were sentenced to death. A second plot to topple the king was uncovered in March and there have been recent rumours of another US-backed plot to replace the king with his brother Crown Prince Hassan.
18th June 1970: Dry sunny and very warm
At the end of the election day, Edward Heath won a remarkable victory and the Conservatives were once more returned to office. The Conservatives won 330 seats to Labour's 287. Overall there was a swing of 4.7% from Labour to the Conservatives. The Liberals won just 6 seats and the Scottish and Welsh Nationalists also did poorly, despite their strong performance in by-elections.
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| A double duo Bumper Picnic spread |
'Baker's' radio TV shop I believe was gutted by a fire in April the following year, then opened a new shop as "Barnaby Recordings" on the busy corner junction of Gillingham High street/Victoria street/Railway street opposite the railway station. Later, there was a fire sale of the undamaged vinyl records, salvaged from Bakers. The Invicta Co-op owned the Baker's shop building and so they held the sale in the main Gillingham Co-op department store, the record department which I think was on the 1st floor. I went there, had a good look sorting through, and bought about a dozen 7" singles and E.P.s, all good as new and in original sleeves, some dating from the early 1960s. Lots of records of PYE international (Red/Yellow label), SUE label, Blue Horizon, Island label pre 1967. It was a collecters dream Aladdins cave.
25th June The 6pm news on the telly. The United States has launched its latest plan to bring peace to the Middle East. US Secretary of State William Rogers announced his initiative to encourage the Arabs and Israelis to stop shooting and start talking at a news conference in Washington.
Mr Rogers said he hoped the plan would be carried out under the guidance of United Nations mediator Dr Gunnar Jarring and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. The peace effort will attempt to resolve the so-called "war of attrition" which has been raging between Israel and Egypt along the Suez Canal since the Six Day War in 1967. Recent strategies by the US Secretary of State to end conflict in the region have been rejected by all sides.
Mr Rogers said the objective of the initiative was "to encourage the parties to move to a just and lasting peace". He refused to give details of any military assistance which might be offered to Israel or to divulge any further details of the plan.
But the US later confirmed it was pressing for a cessation of hostilities for at least three months and wished negotiations to be based on the UN resolution 242 - passed at the end of the Six Day War. Under this declaration, Egypt and Jordan should acknowledge Israel's right to a secure existence behind recognised borders. In return, Israel should accept the principle of withdrawing from occupied territory.
The Israeli authorities have not commented on the proposals, but Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser is reported to have been scathing of the plans.
26th June The 6pm news on the telly. Riots have broken out in Londonderry after it was revealed Bernadette Devlin had been arrested. The Mid-Ulster MP was to address a meeting in Bogside before handing herself in to police after she lost an appeal against her December conviction.
Miss Devlin, 23, was sentenced to six-months in jail for her part in the Bogside riots in 1969. She appealed against the decision but the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal rejected her application earlier today.
Speaking just before her arrest Miss Devlin said: "I was involved with people in defending their area. They were justified in defending themselves and I believe I was justified in assisting their defence." "If the same circumstances rose again I would have no problems helping them again" she added.
The police decided to arrest Miss Devlin at a roadblock just outside Londonderry in the hope it would prevent any violent protests. But the plan backfired when news of the arrest reached the waiting crowds at Bogside. Violence flared as youths threw stones and quickly escalated to the use of petrol bombs. Soldiers responded with CS gas. More than 20 soldiers are reported to have been injured. Four have been taken to hospital.
Brigadier Alan Cowan, Commander of the Eighth Infantry Brigade said: "It is very sad indeed. There have been many weeks of quiet and now things are going backwards again instead of going forwards." The area around Bogside has now been sealed off to prevent further trouble.
Miss Devlin was convicted on three charges of incitement to riot and one of rioting. She has now been taken to Armagh jail to start her sentence.
The G.C.E. exams were now over with for the year, and Ann remained on my mind, my brain was frazzled. I'll have to make a move. My other duty again was patrolling the school corridors and cloakrooms at break times, and this is where I first approached Ann to ask her out. I was actually very nervous about how to do it, I agonised over what to first say to her. There would not be any corny chat lines from me. There would be no other way, the truth must be told upfront to her from the very beginning of when I first noticed her at the time of the mock election in the hall.
As Ann was approaching me, by the cloakroom, I called out her name. She didn't know me from Adam, and had a look of surprise expression form on her face. As she walked to me, I gently took hold of her elbow, leading her into the depths of the cloakrooms. My voice quivering "Ann, I want to say something". We sat down on the bench seating. She listened. It was a long full confession, taking all of her break time in the telling. It covered everything I'd done and felt about her, since that mock election she had taken part in. "Will you be my friend, have some times together?". What could one say, after hearing a proposal, somebody has just spilled out their heart and soul to you? Ann responded "Yes", then the tears of joy formed in my eyes. She could see the emotional mess I was, but had to return to her class. It was agreed to meet again to talk the next day.
Here is what I think I remember of her family in 1970. They lived in a terraced house at 168 Gillingham road, not far from Livingstone Circus. She had two brothers and a sister, all younger. They being Tim, Steve and Kay. Might of moved to Gillingham from London at the beginning of the 1960's
Meeting with her the next day, again quietly in the cloakrooms, chatting on, getting to know each other. Most of the next few days we did that. We shared the same tastes in music. One Saturday, I gave her some new albums to listen to at her house. They were "Bumpers" and "Picnic, a breath of fresh air" together with Deep Purple's new "Black Night/Speed King" single record for which now seems an odd choice to make an impression.
We, a week later decided to go and see a film together at the Classic cinema, on the last day it was showing on Saturday 25th July. This being the first day of the school summer holiday, and also was the day after I had just finished my school life at Upbury Manor. The A certificate film was "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", the great classic western tale starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, and Strother Martin. Ann and I met up outside the Classic cinema, first to sort out sharing the ticket cost, then went in, finding a seat in the stalls. It was quite crowded that evening and had to squeeze by people to reach the vacant seating in the row. I think we spotted some groups of Upbury pupils dotted around the place. After settling down, and the lights dimmed for the show start, I knew what was soon coming next, the local adverts! I'd previously mentioned these to Ann and that I'd probably be having a quiet chuckle fit, when these ads are shown, so don't think I'm mad. I think she understood. We absolutely loved the film, projected in Panavision (widescreen), it was a gem. I think of Ann, and the happy memory of our evening, every time that film is shown on TV. To end with, an odd choice coupled with the main feature, a mismatched support film titled "Happening In White" (Happening in Weiß). A zippy sports documentary made in Germany about skiing and sledding in St. Moritz and the pleasures of the jet set while surfing in Hawaii. It featured some time lapse and super slow motion effects. Only of interest to jet setters.
A sting in the tale, during the following Saturday, that's when a hand delivered letter was pushed through our letterbox flap, dropping onto the inside door mat. I walked out of the kitchen, along the hallway to the front door. Picked up the letter and it was marked 'To Andrew'. I ran into the front lounge to look out of the window, just in time to see the back view of Ann, wearing light jeans and a jersey top, walking towards the Montgomery road junction, by the wood bench seat and tree on the little triangular island of grass. Then she had vanished out into Rock Avenue heading in the direction of the top road, the A2 Watling street.
Well, I sat myself down wondering what this is all about?
Opening the letter and started reading a real shocker. It was unbelievable, my heart shattered. I cannot after all this time remember the exact written contents, but here is the gist of it. Ann, deeply upset, thought it best not to see me any more. The reason being that I already had a girlfriend, Glynis, as I had been seen with her in the Classic not that long ago. As Ann also had been seen with me in the Classic, she has now found out about me and Glynis. Ann thinks I'm a two timing cheat and that's the end of it with her and me.
Sitting there, stunned, the letter still in my hand. My thoughts racing, trying to understand how this could be. I read it all, again and again, hoping that the words would change and it didn't really mean it was over for me. Then I thought, well who were these unnamed girls or one girl that had told Ann a selective version of the real story? Chinese whispers, malicious gossip and manipulation? What and who could be at the bottom of this? I know I can't remember exactly when I stopped seeing Glynis, but I do know I wasn't going out with her when I first asked Ann out. I can't believe Glynis would a be a shit stirrer, it must be someone else? One of Ann's friends? It remains a mystery.
It hadn't entered my head to let Ann know that I had previously been going out with Glynis. Perhaps I should have mentioned that fact in my confession during my first meeting with Ann. But then again, my confession was solely about my feelings for Ann and nobody else. The G.C.E. exams stress in June, waiting in anticipation for the dreadful August results, I had run out of time, in shock, unable to pull myself back onto my feet to sort the mess out with Ann. School days were over. She slipped out of my life.
Upbury Manor Scoop: Hempstead girl and the Twydall boy
Unveiling the rumour of a classroom romance involving
Kevin Garlick and Gillian Chisell
The background story of Kevin Garlick has already been well covered by his school friend Gerard Lynch, within his Upbury Manor Days blog. An excellent summary character description of schoolboy Kevin, was as him being a tough well built lad, containing an essence of an 'Oliver Hardy' about him when it came to approaching females. To give balance, Gillian has been absent from her part in the Upbury tale and so it should be told. I'll run with this and at the same time hopefully provide a bit of fun and amusement for both Kevin and Gillian. (If ever they get to read this).
Some special attraction drew these two together, no one knows for certain when this development happened. What circumstances, where and when did they first meet and discover a bond? More speculation being that it would have been as from spring/summer term 1970 in class 4A2 and then following up into their 5th year group 1970/71 school year at Upbury. Classroom and freetime study periods provided the ideal time to get closer to one another.
Gillian, once was a platinum blond bob haired, short little girl wearing NHS glasses. Blinking, goggle eyed through them as an 11 year old 1st former at Upbury in September 1966, she had now grown into quite a cheeky, beguiling and shapely young lady in her 4th year school uniform. I can vouch for this, as I recall encountering her a number of times during my prefect duties in the 1969/70 school year. My school hymn book had plenty of names scrawled into it by pupils (mostly girls) before my school days were behind me. I can name some of Gillian's mates in her 4th school year, they being the Doyle twins (Angela and Linda), Trudi Nicholls, and Linda Brown.
The Upbury-Las sing 'Give Him A Great Big Kiss'
Gillian:When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V!Here comes my guy walking down the streetLook how he walks with a dancing beat (da-da-da-da-da)Thick wavy hair, a little too long (da-da-da-da-da)All day long he's singing his songAnd when I see him in the streetMy heart takes a leap and skips a beatGonna walk right up to himGive him a great big kiss, mwah!Tell him that I love him, tell him that I careTell him that I'll always be thereTrudi:Well, what colour are his eyes?Gillian:I don't know, he's always wearing shadesLinda:Is he tall?Gillian:Well, I've got to look upLinda and Trudi:Yeah? well I hear he's badGillian:Hmm, he's good-bad, but he's not evilThe Doyle Twins:Tell me more, tell me moreGillian:Big bulky sweaters (tell me more)To match his eyes (tell me more)Dirty finger nails (tell me more)Oh boy, what a prize! (tell me more)Tight tapered pants (he's so cool)High button shoes (he's so cool)He's always looking like (he's so cool)He's got the blues (he's so cool)And when I see him in the streetMy heart takes a leap and skips a beatGonna walk right up to himGive him a great big kiss, mwah!Tell him that I love him, tell him that I careTell him that I'll always be thereTrudi:Is he a good dancer?Gillian:Whaddayamean, is he a good dancer?Trudi:Well, how does he dance?Gillian:Close, very, very close!The Doyle Twins:Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh
Kevin lived at 43 Waltham Road Twydall and Gillian lived at 12 Pine Grove Hempstead. Outside of school hours, it would not be easy to meet up without firstly hopping onto a Maidstone and District bus travelling into Gillingham town centre. Gillian would of used a service number 17 single deck bus from the nearby Hempstead road Post office, to ride to Gillingham bus depot at Nelson road. If she were lucky, her father might have given her a lift into town in his car, when on his business as a plumber. As for Kevin, the ubiquitous M & D double decker bus services numbers 1,1A,1B to Gillingham bus depot were a lifesaver in those days, whether seeing Gillian or any of his mates that resided in the town centre. In the Medway towns during the 1960s, for the young, apart from pubs there were many diversions and places to meet in: cinemas, club discotheques, parks, Top Rank ten pin bowling, park and village fetes, dance halls, seasonal travelling funfairs, coffee/milk bars and cafe's, youth clubs, house parties and sports. It's a wonder we ever got any studies and school homework completed on time (or at all).
The tale of Kevin and Gillian is based on a memory from one of the last conversations I had with Gillian during our last meeting in August, 2007. This was relating to a boyfriend at Upbury, she claimed was named Kevin. I cannot recall if she said he was Kevin Garlick? But she did mention that they, as a couple, were often teased by some classmates who made mocking Laurel and Hardy references towards them. The cumulative effect of this was to end their relationship before the end of the 5th year school term. If I'm wrong, then do contact me with correction and the story will either be withdrawn with an apology given or be updated appropriately.
After leaving school, the end of the third week of July, I felt the great loss at being cut off from all the social life of the school and of losing a growing friendship and promising romance with Ann and all the other opportunities on offer being all conveniently in one building. Onwards now to find another life to live.
My final thoughts on education...
The Upbury Manor school pupils were graded into 7 class streams of perceived development stages and ability for each of the year groups between the ages of 11 - 15. During our years of attendance, these streams were labelled in order of ability as: A1,A2,B1,B2,C1,C2,D. Previous to that, they were labelled as: A,B,C,D,E,F,G.
The streaming system seemed sensible and workable enough if you were going to leave school at the end of your 4th year at age 15. In the 1960's, it didn't seem to matter much, when leaving school without exam qualifications. There was no difficulty in finding employment, an apprenticeship or a place in further and higher education colleges.
In the four years of my secondary education from 1964 until the end of spring/summer term of the year of reaching school leaving age, school pupil end of term progress report and assessment sheets from the teachers were issued bi-annually for the autumn/summer terms for us to keep. Each pupil report was hand written on a single printed form design foolscap size paper sheet, then sealed in buff colour, name addressed envelopes, before being handed out (envelope sealed) for each pupil to take home or alternatively mailed direct to parents if a pupil was out of school through illness or other reason. All throughout my time attending school, the leaving age was 15.
Various designs of single paper sheet Upbury Manor pupil progress report forms
Kent County Council report form CS445 and the reverse side
The instigation of a pupil progress report book, might have begun in the year 1965 when CSE exams were first sat, the report books being likely to have been first issued at Upbury as from September 1965 and thereafter to all new pupils joining the roll. That explains then, why I and my generation of whom had entered the roll of Upbury before 1965 were the last there to be kept on the paper form progress sheet reports throughout our school life. And also explains why the form sheet design style was variable, as when the official K.E.C. supply of printed form report sheets (ref. CS 445) became short in supply or out of stock and then some makeshift report form had to be custom typed at Upbury for a batch run of sheets to be duplicated using the school administration secretary's office equipment or by using the letter press, which could possibly have been operated by Mr. Peters.
Some types of copy printing technology that were in use for duplicating forms
Much later in life and looking back at my years of education at Upbury, I began to question as to whether the class streaming system worked properly, in my case, because I felt that I was a failure at the end of my 4th year. On the face of it I seemed to be a success, starting in class 1B2 then gradually moving upstream during the following years to 2B1,3A2,4A2,4A1. So why wasn't I feeling elated after reaching the pinnacle of the school to class 4A1 with Mrs Fysh as my new form teacher?
To open up an explanation, highlighting the flaws in the system, I'll give examples of failures in education. During my 4th year at Byron Road Primary school from Autumn 1963 to Summer 1964, we began to be taught French language and I remember we started a course using a learning book called "Bonjour Charles" to do exercises and tests from. However, there were not any kind of end of term exam reporting in this subject. At Upbury Manor, I had to wait until the Summer term of 1966 in class 2B1, before I could have the opportunity to be taught French again. Those in the A1,A2 streams had begun to have French lessons at the start of their first year. That two year gap from 1964 proved it really was a bit too late by then to start again, and I'd lost interest in it. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, and moving into the A stream, always trying to catch up to ever higher standard levels, with Miss Lakes' extra tuition, I managed to get reasonable grades in written French work, not good in oral though with an accent. I later dropped the subject in 1968 at the 4th year term end.
A similar story concerning Technical drawing. Those in the A streams started the subject in year 1, I would have to wait until my 3rd year to be taught this subject when on moving up into the 3A2 class in the Autumn term of 1966. Mr Elsegood admitted in his term report, that I was having some difficulty catching up. Not easy when the class has a two year head start above you. That subject, I also dropped in 1968.
Every time of moving upstream during those four years, I had to contend with the poor continuity of teaching levels, often having a different teacher for a subject and finding that I missed out on a vital part of the coursework, and ever trying to adapt to their particular methods and styles. After each promotion to a higher stream, I'd be the newbie on the block, having to watch my back for an attack from any direction. Some classmates test you, trying to catch you out, looking for weaknesses to exploit, probably to cover for their own insecurities.
My journey through the class stream system was not to lead into any choice of career path or any ambitions towards higher education, even after I'd stayed on, passing time through the 5th and 6th Forms at Upbury. Nothing that was advised to me at career guidance sessions, ever fired any desire in me.
So here is the long sequence of progressions that lead to the disaster of my performance in class 4A1:
Starting with;
- Class 1B2 1964 Form teacher Mrs Rose
- Autumn term (I did well, came 8th from top in class)
- Class 1B2 1965 Form teacher Mrs Rose
- Summer term (I'd cracked it, came 2nd from top, promoted upstream next year term)
- Class 2B1 1965 Form teacher Miss Lake
- Autumn term (I did well, came 6th from top in class)
- Class 2B1 1966 Form teacher Miss Lake
- Summer term (I'd cracked it, came 2nd from top, promoted upstream next year term)
- Class 3A2 1966 Form teacher Mr Hedges,
- Autumn term (Absent term days, Not so good, came 18th from top in class)
- Class 3A2 1967 Form teacher Mr Hedges,
- Summer term (Absent days, missed some exams, I did badly, came 26th from top in class)
- Class 4A2 1967 Form teacher Mr Thompson,
- Autumn term (I'd cracked it, came 2nd from top, promoted upstream next term)
- Class 4A1 1968 Form teacher Mrs Fysh,
- Summer term (Just scraped by, came 30th from top in a class of 35)
Staying on into;
My confidence slowly returned but not fully during my fifth year. The sixth year is when I found my feet and voice, fully expressing myself with girls. As I was not doing any A Level stuff, I never served a 7th year into the upper 6th form of 1970/71. August 1970, is when I revisited Upbury to receive the O level exam results. Mr Rye, with us all gathered in a group in the 6th form common room, gave out the results we had long been waiting in nervous excitement for. Any poker faces present, would soon morph into one of glee or grimace depending on the results achieved. When it was my turn, oh dear, the Physics result screwed my face up into a Les Dawson gurner. I had known that I had fluffed one exam paper through sheer mind blanking terror but was hoping I'd done enough to get a pass doing well on the other papers. A sympathetic sounding Cyril said to me "I'm sorry you boobed son". Then he asked if I would like to re-sit the exam in November. My only answer was to slowly shake my head, as if I'd just been outbid at an auction and was declining making a higher bid to the auctioneer. After the last of the results were given, some of the group left to return to their homes and no doubt relayed the news good or bad to parents. The remaining boys and girls, we spent the rest of the afternoon chatting in the common room where refreshments and snacks were also served. That was the last time I visited the school.
- 5th Form 1968/69 Group Head Mr Dan Willis
- (Going through the motions of some CSE and GCE subjects, a yawn)
- 6th Form 1969/70 Group Head Mr Cyril Rye
- (Appointed to position of Prefect, enjoyed the socialising, oh and GCE subjects, boring)
My confidence slowly returned but not fully during my fifth year. The sixth year is when I found my feet and voice, fully expressing myself with girls. As I was not doing any A Level stuff, I never served a 7th year into the upper 6th form of 1970/71. August 1970, is when I revisited Upbury to receive the O level exam results. Mr Rye, with us all gathered in a group in the 6th form common room, gave out the results we had long been waiting in nervous excitement for. Any poker faces present, would soon morph into one of glee or grimace depending on the results achieved. When it was my turn, oh dear, the Physics result screwed my face up into a Les Dawson gurner. I had known that I had fluffed one exam paper through sheer mind blanking terror but was hoping I'd done enough to get a pass doing well on the other papers. A sympathetic sounding Cyril said to me "I'm sorry you boobed son". Then he asked if I would like to re-sit the exam in November. My only answer was to slowly shake my head, as if I'd just been outbid at an auction and was declining making a higher bid to the auctioneer. After the last of the results were given, some of the group left to return to their homes and no doubt relayed the news good or bad to parents. The remaining boys and girls, we spent the rest of the afternoon chatting in the common room where refreshments and snacks were also served. That was the last time I visited the school.
It's my opinion the streaming system was defective in providing a seamless transition in academic subjects teaching level for those pupils being promoted up a grade. There was an absence of a standard support system of extra tuition for pupils. This seemed to have negative effects on a pupil achieving a good outcome to their full abilities.
Before the secondary school, compulsory leaving age of 16 years was implemented in September 1972, a British ITV weekly current affairs television programme was broadcast on the 16th December 1971. It contained quite an accurate, thought provoking, illuminating portrait of the operation of the state education system at that time and of some possible changes and local alternatives in consideration and discussed by those involved, the parents, teachers and the children themselves.
