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 5749 messages in our guestbook. <<< 1 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 1150 >>> Viewing messages 2281 to 2285. Email received today Reg Longman Hello Dave It's been several months since we connected and you forwarded David Wheatley's email address to me. David and myself exchanged some very interesting letters and he was very impressed with my book. I always felt a deep respect towards his father, even though I received my share of 'cuts', defaults and fines. I don't doubt I deserved everything I got. Just imagine the daunting responsibility it must have been, for Pinhead to control so many staff and as well, 240 teenage boys. I can only believe that we must have been a reasonably manageable bunch of boys or should I say 'teen aged terrors", now that I come to think about it. I have watched the Goldings DVD you kindly sent me Dave, and found it very interesting. It spans a great many years, even to the time when the school band was a brass band. I believe the film was made long before I attended Goldings and again after I had left. The CD too is also very good. The bugle band generally sounds just great. I noticed, that over the years some of the marching tunes had changed a little, but as I say, it all sounds very good and brings back great memories. I was, for perhaps a year or so, the silver bugler. I've placed the Goldings badge you sent me beside the other Goldings paraphernalia I have kept over the years, in my display table - a kind of coffee table or display case with a glass top - fortunately I trained as a cabinet maker at Goldings and although I didn't practise cabinet making for a living, I'm reasonably good at working with wood. Continued in message below 12 November 2012 Email received today Reg Longman continued Displayed in the coffee table is, amongst other things, my old Goldings green blazer crest,(which I have kept for the past 62 years) an old Goldings red hymn book (Jimmy James gave me), a Goldings reunion mug that John Baggaridge gave me, and as well, a loser's boxing medal I received in 1948/9, from a match in Leighton Buzzard. The medal has a story associated with it, which I mentioned in my book. From time to time friends and family ask me about some of the items in my souvenir case/table and with a great deal of pride I tell them about our beloved Goldings and the interesting life we had there. I believe that most of us feel rather fortunate to having been sent there. By the way, thanks for mentioning my book on your Guest Book, several copies were purchased by old Goldings boys, thanks no doubt to you. Did you ever read it Dave. I know there are some errors in it for instance it wasn't Mr DeBoec (the tinsmith teacher) who played the cornet. I can see who I thinking of as I write, but I can't really remember his name. The same chap also gave brass band lessons in the Rec Hut during our winter nights prep. In reviewing your Goldings Guest Book website, which I by chance discovered a short while ago, I see that the Goldings reunion was well attended. As the result of your website, I have been in contact with John 'Sammy' Sansom. I knew John, he was a senior in Somerset house when I was a junior. I remember him as being a rather a tall chap - (I myself, being a rather small boy) - and a nice guy. Canada, l like yourselves not doubt, is bracing it's self for a harsh winter, which is just around the corner. We can't complain though, as we had an extremely sunny and hot summer this year. Thanks again Dave for the items you sent me, it was very kind of you. Incidentally, if I should be paying or contributing anything towards these items, please let me know, I'll be only too happy to give something. Best wishes and kind regards Reg 12 November 2012 Peter Drummond I have just read Robert Smith's account of his stay at Goldings, I was at Goldings from 1962 till 1964 and I don't remember this harsh regime that Robert states was going on.My father, who is a Goldings old boy 1926/28 had me placed in Goldings for reasons I wont go into, but if such a regime existed he would not have put me in harms way. I notice that Robert states at the bottom of his diatribe that he spent sometime at two "workhouses", I took some time to look this up and I find that at the introduction national assistance in 1948 the final council run hostels, which were in london were closed 11 November 2012 - Kent Alan Dearman - Barnardo National Council What a sad, sad story regarding Robert Smith. We know that for some, Barnardos was not the best experience but for the majority it was, especially for those of us who were lucky enough to go to Goldings. Having said that, we all know that Goldings was not the best place to be during the 1930's & 40's or in the days of Jo Patch and the Rev. Corbett etc. There are many old boys still around who can testify to those days. Robert, are you sure these bad memories and beatings took place at Goldings ? I have serious doubts if this was the case. I was there from 1955-59 and do not remember such harsh treatment you descibe ever being meated out by any of the staff at that time. Yes we were punished for doing wrong, and deserved to be so, but not as descibed in your account of your time at Goldings. Child abuse is very much in the public eye at the present time and the truth must be told but I'm certain this was never the case at Goldings and I say that from the bottom of my heart. If this was the case, then it would be hard to understand why our old boys association is so strong today after all these years and that we have just had the 55th Goldings reunion which was attended by over 120 old boys, staff and their families. While I feel very sorry for the treatment you recieved(where ever it was)I also feel that some of your comments are an insult to the many staff who dedicated themselves to looking after us and giving us such a great start in life. You may not realise it Robert, but some of those staff members and their families are still alive and I just wonder how they will feel when they read your account of life at Goldings. As for our highly respected headmaster, Mr Wheatley(pin head)he would turn in his grave. I do wish you all the best for the future Robert, and hope you find some peace in your life. 10 November 2012 - Melton Mowbray Bob Robertson Well Robert you must have gone to a different Goldings than me, made to stand on parade ground near naked, beaten,who beat you, in your dreams, No Pinhead would never have allowed it, you came to Goldings with a BIG chip on your shoulder, I was at Goldings 53-59 and can honestly say it was the best home I had been in, I am proud to say I was a Goldings boy, my training held me in good stead all my working life. Robert get a life think how lucky you were to be looked after at such a fine school that gave you every opportunity dont complain that you did not take advantage on what was available 9 November 2012 - rain at last Australia <<< 1 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 1150 >>> 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 -