40s and 50s Memories
mother of three daughters and a Thai speaker
on board. I don't speak Thai.
My days at King's are so long ago but I consider
myself very lucky to have been at such a happy
school. I do remember Mr. Unmack addressing
us in Big School to warn us about "Cabbage
Patch Relationships" and I believe this was just
before a dancing "match" with the local girls
school.
I was sad when my father decided that as I
would never get into university I should leave
King's. I was hoping to make the 1st XV in the
next winter season. However, I did get to play
a lot afterwards, for Hove RFC, Hull and East
Riding RFC, Lagos RFC and the highlight of all
for Southern Nigeria against the North.
Tennis with Henry Chaun stood me in good
stead all my life as wherever I have travelled
I have always taken my racquet and had the
entrée to clubs all over the world. Luckily, too, I
am still healthy.
R. CAKE
Meynell 1958
Richard Cake spent six years at King's in
Meynell House. He left in 1958. His lasting
impressions are best expressed in his own
words at the close of his story of his later life:
I wasted a couple of years at Bournemouth
Tech studying 'A' Levels but decided against
Dentistry and eventually joined Hoovers as
a management trainee. You learn a lot about
yourself and the general public selling vacuum
cleaners on the doorstep, I recommend it to all
undergraduates!
Hoover Inc., an American company, made me
and several hundred others redundant as they
changed their policies. That was in about
1964/5, I think. Still living at home, I was a bit
stuck for a career until a sailing friend suggested
I might like to study law. My five 'O' levels were
then just enough to get me into law school and
another sailing friend offered me Articles ( for a
premium of £200) in his sole practice in Poole.
Dinghy sailing
I duly qualified as a solicitor after six years
although I should have taken five but I had
flunked a few exams. I became a partner in the
firm of R.S. Hawkins, which, when amalgamated
with another Poole firm, became known as
Hawkins Greenwood. In due course, I became
senior partner there and eventually ended up
as a partner in Dickinson Manser, the firm I
ended my Articles with. I retired from practice in
2012 and remain a consultant.
As you may note sailing has been my passion,
dinghy sailing in particular, in Fireballs and later
the more classic Y W 14ft Dayboat, in which I
have won eight national championships.
I was Commodore of Poole Yacht club from 1984
to 1987, as was my father in 1973/1976, and
due to my long connection with Poole Harbour
I was appointed a Harbour Commisioner by the
Minister of something or other and served on
the Board for 12 years between 1986 and 1998.
I have a wife Anne-Marie and three children,
Caroline a solicitor in Wimborne and Poole (with
Jacobs and Reeves), David a stockbroker in
Poole (with Redmayne Bently), and Christopher
an entrepreneur/builder, also in Poole.
My brother John, also at King's, each year lives
six months in Simonstown, South Africa and
six months in Hedgend, near Southampton. He
made his name in sailing, gaining two Fireball
World Championships and going to the Munich
Oplympic Games as reserve Soling helmsman.
I still live near the harbour in Poole and still race
my 35 year old wood clinker dayboat.
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