40s and 50s Memories
and none of us knew if we were going to be
able to get back.
When Bishop Fox moved to Gatcombe we were
like some very large extended family and I'm
sure the family life of Gatcombe was infinitely
better than the large dormitory existence of
the main College. To be called in Big School
to collect your prize on Speech Day, was
something to remember with pride, when you
knew that your Mum and Dad were there, as
well as your friends, Mums and Dads. Those of
us with siblings at St Katherine's were permitted
to attend Sunday lunch there occasionally (after
being inspected by Miss Hartnell). Overall, it
is true to say that the life of the whole School
centred very much around the Chapel and
Chaplains, Father Dawson and Father Miles
Sargent.
On leaving King's in July 1948 I first made
copious notes on the results of the Olympic
Games but kept away from visiting London, and
then had a very happy but energetic holiday with
my father walking and climbing in Switzerland.
I did not get to the top of the Matterhorn but
managed to reach the Solvay Hut.
R. J. Pagett
Returning to Somerset it was then essential
that I obtain some remunerative employment
that would allow me to study for a BSc degree
as an external student at London University. I
obtained a position at the Clevedon Research
Labs of the Medical Research Council. The
work in hand was on the manufacture of
penicillin, streptomycin, and other antibiotics.
This gave me the opportunity of studying at the
then Merchant Venturers College in Bristol. I
eventually arrived at the time to sit my two final
papers which were to be taken at the LSE in London. I travelled to London by train (the
07:13 from Yatton) and presented myself in
good time at the Examination Halls of the LSE.
There were two papers in the morning. The first
paper was a doddle, the second an absolute
and utter disaster.
I left the LSE, found myself in the Strand
and decided to calm myself by having lunch
in Slaters Restaurant. It was a good lunch.
Leaving the restaurant I crossed the Strand and
noticed a large poster in a window of one of the
buildings It was a copy of the Earl Haig poster
from the First World War "Our Country Needs
You". I entered the building and after an hour
or so came out with large amounts of literature
and information, made my way to Paddington
to catch my train home. By the time I was back
at Yatton I had decided that if I would have BSc
(failed) after my name (in fact I have an external
BSc, London), I would make application to the
Recruiting Officer of the British South Africa
Police at Rhodesia House, 429 The Strand,
London to join that Police Force.
On an October afternoon in 1951, I and five other
recruits left Southampton at 4.00pm aboard the
RMS Stirling Castle, next stop Madeira and
then Cape Town. A three day train journey
found us in the southern city of Bulawayo
where we were met by a smartly turned out
Sergeant in the uniform of the BSAP. I seem to
remember he had quite a large moustache and
introduced himself as Sgt. Dick Warwick (OA)
ex BF. His duty was to ensure that we were
of the same number as we had been when we
left Southampton, and that we were safely put
on the train to Salisbury that night. On arrival
in the BSAP Training Depot we attested for
three years. Training began the next day and
included fitness, judo, drill, musketry, law, first
aid, driving, and equitation.
After six months we were Policemen and
ready to meet the world. I was posted to
the Equitation branch where I undertook the
training of new horses for the Force. My duties
included being a member of the Police Display
Team and we toured the country giving displays
at Agricultural Shows and Trade events. Time
then arrived to do some Police work and I was
posted to a series of country districts mainly in
the northeast and east of the country.
63