Welcome to the Goldings Guest Book ** We APPROVE all messages before they are posted ** Add a message : back to Goldings.org : Search There are now 5766 messages in our guestbook. <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1154 >>> Viewing messages 16 to 20. Dave 62-65 Hello Roger welcome to the site 23 April 2025 Roger Davis | rogerpatdavis@icloud.com Back in 1962 I was an army cadet with 16 Coy at Hornsey. I and a fellow cadet camped in the grounds of Goldings when on our Silver DoE expedition. I remember it well; a flimsy cotton tent, it rained most of the night, got soaked and had to put a woolly on as trousers to keep warm! Happy days. 21 April 2025 - West Mersea, Essex AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL GOLDING OLD BOYS Having received a letter from the bank reference Goldings Old Boys Association to inform us of changes to their terms and conditions. These conditions now consist of our account being charge £4-50 a month plus further charges for transactions. So I am looking to change to a bank without charges but I’m afraid I am struggling, as most banks now charge a fee for running this type of account . I will keep you all posted how things are progressing any suggestions on how we can avoid these charges, would be very welcome from the old boys, please get in touch, as I have no intention of paying these charges. 16 April 2025 A story from John Horn As I recall the dugouts or air raid shelters were situated to were the sickbay was, about four in all just slightly back from the path that led to Golding's lane more or less on the edge of the top field and built parallel to the path mostly below ground level with earth packed on the top of the shelters. As I came to Golding's in 1942 they were by then out of use due to flooding, there were steps leading down to metal doors that were always kept padlocked we used the steps on the first shelter to have a drag out of the sight of prefects until they discovered our little den then we would after find another secluded place to have a fag. When I asked the older boys who used the shelters during the war they told me it was a bit of a fag having to get up in the night and march down to the dugouts in only there pyjamas and a gabardine the dugouts were cold and damp the only lighting was a couple of storm lamps hanging from the ceiling. In my years at Golding it was almost the same procedure when the sirens sounded get up put your gabardine on take your gas mask with you march down in double file through the governors apartments down a nice carpeted staircase to the library and games room then the prefects would take a roll call and report to the Governor if any boy was missing, we also went through the same procedure when we had fire drill. John Horn Aberdeen 42-45 9 April 2025 Dave 62-65 Well its April (Spring) The 'Flu Epidemic Not long after the beginning of the Spring Term 1959, about ten boys were suddenly "laid up" in Sick Bay with influenza. Not long afterwards more boys went sick. Soon there were so many that the Headmaster gave permission for the Somerset first bay to be opened as an extension to the Sick Bay. Still more boys came in and soon the whole of the Somerset floor was full as well as the Sick Bay. For the orderlies it was a very hard time when all Somerset was full, running to and fro with bowls of water for the boys to wash in, making the beds and sweeping and polishing the floors. Nurse Underwood from the Sick Bay was on duty all the time, except for an hour or two in the afternoon when a master took over. Like Nurse Underwood, Sister Offord was on duty all the time in Sick Bay. A week or two later the numbers began to dwindle as more and more boys went convalescent and they were able to close the small Somerset bay so that only the two big Somerset bays were left. Some nurses from the County Red Cross came to help us out, and we were very grateful for their help. Also we were very grateful for the help given by Mrs. Nunn, Mrs. Stackwood, Mrs, Maslin and all other members of staff and their wives. The 'flu epidemic as it affected Goldings was so important that it was even reported on the front page of a local newspaper. BRIAN BALL The Goldonian Spring 1959 2 April 2025 <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1154 >>> You can search this guestbook by: Message : - Name : - All : Please type some text: - Guest book sponsored by PC Home Help (01922) 626 366 - http://www.pchomehelp.net -