Kevin Mulqueen's Guestbook

Stoneham remembered
Kevin Thanks for posting your Stoneham blog – you and I were contemporaries, I too went to Stoneham in 1963, from Norcot School in Tilehurst but left in October 1966 when my family moved away. The names you mention ring many bells, both staff and pupils and encouraged me to look out my old copies of the school magazine. Other names I recall include Beaumont, Bartlett and Burt, also Jenner and Jones. You are right about Paul Hodder, I played rugby with him and both he and Honey went on to be selected for England. As for Radley, he seemed to win everything and I have a picture of him leading the school athletics team with me two rows back. You mention a school trip to Europe. I think I was on the same trip and amongst the various photos I took I do have a couple of group pictures of various boys. Thanks again for reawakening memories from 60 years ago.

R.I.P Mike
Saddend to hear the news about Mike. At Old Swinford 1975 to 1982. My last year was in Founders, I remember our study being on top floor right next to Mike's flat and him complaining about the cigarette smoke that used to seep into his bedroom. Fond memories a kind fair man who was taken far too soon. R.I.P Mike

I woz there
I was there from Sept '62 until april '66. I was in 1C,2C,3C but because I was going to leave at Easter'66 I had to go into 4D to give someone else a chance. I remember most of the teachers you mention. Paul Hodder was a year below me, in the same class as my brother Don. Other teachers I remember was Mr Grinter P.E. Mr Archer aka Sturmey. (cycle gears) Mr Cooper History aka Hank because he wore glasses similar to Hank Marvin. He offered to teach me the clarinet after classes but all I wanted to do was play football. Fool! When I started school meals, I was put on the same table as Bingo and "fitzy" and became mates with them. They were a year older I was. Sadly Steve died in a cycling accident soon after leaving school. I only knew a couple of grammar boys. Steven Harvey who lived opposite me in Southcote Lane and Philip Baker. I really enjoyed reading your account of the school at that time. Excellent.

Happy Days
Again happy memories of my childhood in Reading. I attended St Michael’s Primary School in Tilehurst Having been a border line11+ attended E.P Collier School in Caversham. Oh Happy Days! Thanks Kevin for the memories

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Mr. Stebbing
This article brought back memories of my 3 years at BISC. Mr. Stebbing was my eng language teacher all 3 years. What has stayed with me about him is how beautifully he gifted us the English language… he made it artistic and robust at the same time. And his handwriting was classy! I’m pretty sure he joined us for a few badminton sessions after school where I saw a different relaxed , jovial side of him. All in all I’m in gratitude of him and only wish the best in his soul journey!

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Bob Wood had a lasting effect on my life.
Hello Kevin, I really enjoyed your piece on Bob Wood. I remember him vividly as my English teacher at Oldswinford (1963-70). It's a peculiar fact that I have remembered him more than any other teacher, for good reasons. He created in me a lifetime's excitement with books, and also with the physical act of writing with a fountain pen. His reading aloud of 'King Solomon's Mines' had me enthralled. I couldn't wait to get to class to hear the next chapter. His love of Keats became my love of Keats too. I adored 'Cider with Rosie'. His odd facial twitching in class was endlessly parodied by the students, of whom he seemed only incidentally aware. He and Peter Mansell have remained with me all through my adult life, and fed my intentions of becoming an artist and musician. Bob had the most beautiful italic handwriting and would annotate our essays at length in his large red gorgeous characters, very carefully and slowly rendered. I loved to watch him write. He had a variety of pens for this, each yielding a different result. Peter Mansell introduced me to classical music. He played his record collection during art classes, and as a career artist, I do the same, thanks to him. He was also an excellent watercolor artist and that also became my medium. I was pushed out of the arts and into the sciences early at school, but my real education was already in place. As an aside: My daughter is a professional writer and artist, and in a way, thanks to those two characters.

Neighbours 1981 to 1983
Hello Kevin, we were neighbours to your mum from February 1981 to November 1983, having bought number 34 from the the son of Mrs Wiggins after she had passed away. We paid £17,250 for it and it was a stretch for us to obtain a mortgage for it. Our house was a mirror image of yours, and when we moved in it was un-modernised- still having an outside toilet, and a small bathroom upstairs. Rather than build an extension to the rear to house a downstairs bathroom, we removed the dividing wall between the rooms above the kitchen and installed a full bathroom there, so we had just two bedrooms. We then knocked the outside loo into the kitchen, bricked up the door and installed a window in the end wall looking out into the garden- I say garden, but initially it would have looked out into the ramshackle lean-to shed that had been built up close up against your mum's bathroom wall. When we removed this shed, it exposed the wall of your mum's bathroom which was not in the best shape. We wondered if it had been built when the shed was already there as it had not been pointed properly on our side. We spoke to your mum about this, and our builder rendered it for her. When we moved in there was a structure at the end of the garden made out of curved corrugated iron sheets that was being used as another shed. We wondered whether this had been an Anderson shelter. Anyway we cut that up and replaced it with a wooden shed. We can only remember there being one apple tree in our garden when we moved in and it produced a poor crop of not particularly nice apples, so we removed that too. Your mum was very friendly to us from the start, and gave us her old washing machine when she upgraded to an automatic one. It was a hot tub with an agitator and used to jump across the kitchen floor when in use, and had an electric powered mangle on the top. It was a great boon to us at the time as it saved us going to the launderette at the bottom of the road. We well remember your cat Monty as having a very powerful stare- when we first moved in he scared the life out of us when we opened the curtains to the rear sitting room to find him sitting on the window sill. On the other side of your mum's house at the time we lived there was John Wyeth's motorcycle repair shop. He was a friendly guy and would give me advice and help with the various old bangers I drove when they refused to start. At weekends there would often be large number of bikers hanging around outside his premises, but they never bothered us. We have fond memories of the first house we bought together in Hatherley Rd and my wife Tracy shed a few tears the day we left. Thank you for your interesting account of your early life "next door" All the best Paul

Old Swinford Blues !
You were my block master , Founders I think you also used to dole out our pocket money 25p a week ! Keep safe Mr Mulqueen you were ace ! 👍loved the poem …but not quite Hardy

I was a student
Thank you for this write up of Mr. Stebbing. It occurred to me that I might find something about him on the internet. I was a student for part of a year at BISC and remember his dramatic retelling of the story of Gilgamesh and of Alexander's journey to Siwa to this day. It was really gripping stuff and I always imagined he was really a drama teacher. He didn't think much of my written efforts but I really did appreciate his classes! They say you never forget a good teacher - and it is true!

Fascinating journey
When I look back at my education at International schools, I feel that the teachers at International school brought their own curiosity to their students; their open-mindedness to experience different cultures to their students. In essence, the teachers were the perfect students of life - exploring, growing and expanding their perspectives. After reading about your journey, I believe that my education at BISC was a game-changer for me because of teachers like you and your journey. I felt I was taught how to keep growing, how to keep expanding horizons and never settle for one narrative as the universal truth. I do believe my education was richer because of the experience and this zest for vibrant cultures that you and your colleagues brought to our class.

It was through Derek Hepworth that I met Ken when he was about to move to a static park home. He was very good company indeed. And certainly a great character. Derek came into my life in Leicestershire and later I stayed with him below the Castle on the outskirts of Prestiegne. Had lovely walks. I would love to get in touch with Derek again if this is possible. I am in Northamptonshire and able to drive. I am slightly over 35!! Aren't we all. Best wishes to you. and keep safe.