Newsletter - December 2020

[Rogernoble]

White Star Newsletter
No 16 –December 2020

Dear All

I would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and let us hope a more normal New Year. We are now at 125 members (30 September - 117). The decision to add letters to the editor / memories of Hillside has continued to liven things up so keep them coming. I would welcome more contributions. I seem to be running out of copy for the literary corner for the moment so have replaced it with something on the staff, this time on Tiger Redman.

Sadly we have recently lost George Birch and Nikolai Tolstoy has added some words in his memory:
GEORGE BIRCH
I first met George (or “GAB”, as we knew him by his initials) at Hillside School, when we arrived together at the beginning of 1944. Until his recent lamentable death, he was among my oldest friends. He was a striking figure even then, tall, handsome, and possessed of an exceptionally lively imagination. Whether he really sat on Ribbentrop’s knee as a child I have never discovered. But it was he who regularly spotted torch lights flashing in the woods outside, which he assured us gave away the position of German spies plotting against us. I believe it was he, too, who identified the bullet hole in a master’s bedroom door at the end of the landing on the first floor as the work of a Nazi assassin. He was also adept at decoding Nazi signals among the cracklings of someone’s primitive radio.
He was also a fount of wit. When we were studying Simon De Montfort under Mr Whitton, it was naturally George who christened the great Earl “Simon Demonfat”. Again, from time to time he would greet an incoming master: “good morning, Mr Sir, Sir! How are you this morning, Mr Sir, Sir?” I am unsure whether this is an appropriate moment, too, to recall his other greeting: “please, sir, can you tell me the Latin for a pine tree?” I can still picture him in bed engaged in racing silver fish across his blanket, or aesthetically pleasing his beautiful little pre-war Schuko car (a gift from Herr Ribbentrop?), which was equipped with working steering-wheel, headlights, and gears.
We remained staunch friends throughout our happy time at Hillside, which only came to a temporary end when he went off to Gresham’s, while I attended Wellington. However, within a few years we were in touch again. During his national service he served with the Rhodesian mounted police. He clearly enjoyed an adventurous time, of which I recall his recounting the following dramatic incident. Galloping through the bush on patrol one day, he entered a small glade, in the centre of which was poised a huge coiled serpent. It was too late for George to turn back, so without a moment’s hesitation he dashed on at speed round and round the glade. The curious reptile followed him with its gaze, until (as George cunningly intended) it eventually broke its neck.
After this, our ways parted for a while, when George attended Berkeley University in California, while I departed for Trinity College Dublin. Following George’s return, we resumed our friendship. I remember in particular a lively expedition to Dublin. There we stayed in an elegant little “hotel”, the principal hazard of which was being obliged to scatter anti-flea powder over our beds and floor. The fleas were not so popular with George as had been the silver fish.
Later, our prep school enthusiasm for re-fighting Cavaliers and Roundheads was renewed by the founding of the Sealed Knot. George, naturally, was always in the forefront of our assaults on the dastardly parliamentary foe. We also spent a corresponding amount of time revelling with the extremely attractive ladies whom we had recruited. (I was fortunate enough to marry the most beautiful of them!). On one occasion I remember walking with George and another friend garbed in full Cavalier costumes and long rapiers to buy drinks in a pub in the Gloucester Road. We three were all well over six foot, and our appearance attracted the admiring gaze of a toper seated at the bar. Somewhat awestruck, he asked who or what exactly we were. “We’re members of a cult”, responded George jovially. “Well, all I can say is that they’re very big people in your cult”, said our interlocutor. “It’s the cult that makes us big!”, boomed George.
Eventually, he disappeared to Australia. He had eloped with one of my sister Natasha’s flatmates, whom I seem to recall he had only known for a fortnight or so. I believe they were married, although not for a great deal longer than that. Eventually he married again, and after some years I visited him at his hospitable home in Melbourne. Nothing about George changed much over the years, and we always derived great pleasure from reminiscing over old friends and adventures from the past.
I was at that time giving lectures in Australia to sympathetic audiences supporting my battle against the infamous Lord Aldington, the 1989 court action being imminent. I vividly remember at one point feeling a temporary access of despair, when I envisaged (correctly) that the battle was likely to use up many valuable years when I could be continuing my writing career. I even expressed a momentarily despairing wish that I could abandon the struggle. “Chin up, Nick!” said George stoutly: “you’ll get through it!”. There was something very encouraging about George’s confidence, and thenceforth I did not look back again.
Later, we became allies in the struggle for UKIP, of which he was an enthusiastic member in the West Country. Any battle in which George engaged was I felt likely to end in victory, and so it appears about to be proved in this instance too.
Today I still see George as in memory he always seemed: tall, confident, and cheerfully optimistic. The horrid lockdown has prevented us meeting since last year, but we kept in regular contact by telephone. Fortunately, he had been rewarded for many years by the loyal companionship of Diane, who nurtured him through his tragic final illness. He was fortunate indeed in having set up home with her on the edge of beautiful Exmoor. However I do not feel he is far away, and am confident we will all meet again. At present, thinking back on nearly seventy years of friendship, I picture us once again trudging the length of Exmoor to camp in the Doone Valley, followed next day by an ascent to the summit of Dunkery Beacon. They were happy days. Would that they could return!
Nikolai Tolstoy

The Search
We are still struggling, well perhaps not so much this particular quarter, to find the remaining people on the “wanted” list so any help you can provide in finding them would be very helpful.

The Website and White Star Magazines
Martin Koronka has revised the web site which should now be much easier to use. You can also pick up the White Stars there as well. I have added all the old newsletters.
www.hillsideschool.org.uk
I have made a huge effort on the web site going through all my old emails loading everything which might be of interest. We now have all the White Stars and newsletters plus a much else so please sign up if you have not already done so.
We have been considering the longer term future as we have accumulated a lot of history and it would be a shame to lose it all when we have gone. Martin has prepared a detailed paper on what our options are. My admittedly amateur feelings on the subject are that Godalming Museum is probably the place to go with possibly something on Wikipedia. Does anyone have any contacts at the museum to get things started? I have posted Martin’s paper to the web site as “How to keep the Memories Alive”.

Photographs
For a long time we have been wondering what to do with photographs. In an effort to get everything on the web site in an orderly manner you will find I have opened a space in date order under “Annual School Photos” so that I can load the school photo and the hockey, cricket and football first team photos with names. In say 1960, which was my final year I have a full set. In other years I have entered what I can. On some occasions I have had to guess which year it is and the names of the players. If I have got these wrong please let know so that corrections can be made. Anyway there are many gaps so please, if you have photos, please help me fill in the gaps.

Lunch
We had arranged the bi-annual lunch for Saturday 20th June 2020 but sadly had to cancel. Once Corona virus is no longer an issue we will look at new arrangements. Jon Pedley kindly stepped into the breach and arranged an experimental Zoom meeting on the day instead. I approached this with a certain amount of trepidation wondering what we would all have to say after all these years. I need not have worried because, as my wife kindly said, we were still going strong after an hour and a half. It was good to see Cheng Kuo from Reigate among the participants. I will see if we can arrange something for the new year.

Sports
One recurring theme in these newsletters has been the assumption that Hillside, despite being much smaller than the other prep schools we encountered, was punching well above its weight on the sports field. With a lot of help from Robin and RHRW’s exceptional records I did some research to see if that was true. The results are interesting and cover the whole period of Hillside’s existence:
Football – Played 317, Won 186 (58.7%) Drew 37 (11.7%) and lost 94 (29.7%).
Hockey – Played 177, Won 90 (50.8%), Drew 20 (11.3%) and Lost 67 (37.9%).
Cricket – Played 311, Won 155 (49.8%), Drew 49 (15.8%) and Lost 107 (34.4%).
I think the figures speak for themselves but I would point out that RHRW was struggling in the last couple of years with low pupil numbers and the effect this had in the end.
Anyway the great coaching, including meticulous attention to basic skills and fitness produced the results. This in turn seemed to generate a perception that when we got on the sports field we were there to win.


Hillside Culinary delights
“The Proof of the Pudding”
As many of you will have gathered I have, for some years, had an obsession about Mrs Milton’s delicious Friday Stodge, of which I had somehow mistakenly got the idea of marmalade pudding. Anyway in the September Newsletter I made a last despairing plea for help. Enter Simon Watson with the suggestion it was bread putting. I treated this with a certain amount of scepticism as my wife has treated me regularly for the last fifty one years with a lovely bread putting based on a recipe handed down from her mother. It is however a lovely golden brown and did not resemble Mrs Milton’s darker creation. Anyway I put on my Sherlock Holme hat and started to investigate. The first stop was the font of all knowledge, that it is her indoors, who informed me that some people add dark syrup or molasses. She told me to look in our local bakers next time I was passing. This I did and the scales fell from my eyes as I looked at the spitting image of Friday Stodge. I bought a piece and I found myself going back sixty years with a big grin on my face. A big thank you to Simon and of course dear old Mrs Milton.
The Staff
Tiger Redman
Most pupils at Hillside knew that Tiger Redman had spent his early childhood in Barbados. The move from paradise to Britain seemed strange to a young boy at Hillside but when I asked him for an explanation his reply was very vague. He did, however, project fascinating photographs of the island to the school occasionally on dark winter nights. In 2018 I decided to do some research into his background. This is a short summary to whet your appetite…
Tiger’s father, Rupert C Redman, trained as a doctor at McGill University in Canada, but subsequently worked as a successful merchant at the family business in Bridgetown, Barbados. Rupert’s father, William R Redman had bought, in conjunction with friend Charles L Johnson, a provisions and grocery business in 1907. The partnership, Johnson and Redman, built this into a thriving business located in two premises in the town centre. These included a large department store and bakery. The company also marketed their own brand of rum, J&R, which was later acquired by Goddard Enterprises.
Rupert (30) married a widow, Olive Thompson (26) a Londoner, at the Register Office, Croydon on 14 April 1923. He was described on the certificate as both a doctor and a general merchant and Olive’s father (deceased) as a retired stockbroker.
Tiger Desmond Rupert Redman was born in Christ Church, Barbados, on 14 January 1924.

Father and son. L to R. Rupert C Redman (credit McGill University, Canada, 1915 Yearbook); Tiger Redman aged 15, in 1939 (credit Rossall School, England); Tiger Redman at Hillside School, Godalming in 1969 (school photograph)
Tiger first attended the Convent School in Bridgetown (1929 – 33) and then The Lodge School (1933-37) also in Bridgetown. Notably, in early 1933 he sailed into Plymouth, England with his mother. They stayed in Penge, south east London presumably with friends or relatives, for 5 months before sailing home from Dover. Tiger’s parents, who were both British subjects, had already decided that Tiger should be educated at a senior school in England. They chose Rossall School in Fleetwood , a fee paying school founded in the early Victorian era as a sister school to Marlborough College. It ranked alongside Radley, Lancing, Wellington and Malvern.
Rossall School’s archivist reports that Tiger “joined Rossall in the summer term of 1937 and left in the first term of 1943. He was in Dragon House. He came to the school on a scholarship, and whilst here was a school monitor in his final years”. In 1941, aged 17, Tiger was permitted to join the Home Guard and shortly afterwards submitted an application to join the Services. He appears to have been called up in 1943 and records show he was appointed 2nd Lieutenant (Emergency Commission) in the Indian Army on 15 April 1944, a position he still held in 1945. As there is no record of a unit or service number for him, it is probable that he never saw active service.
Like so many others, Tiger lost the opportunity to attend university after WWII and the 1948 electoral records show that he was living, and presumably working in central London. The following year he was recruited by Mr Whicker to join the teaching staff at Hillside School, Godalming where he remained until the school closed in July 1969. William Nigel Coates, his long-time colleague, didn’t join the staff at Hillside until 1953.
Tiger then took up a new post at Orley Farm School Harrow where he taught mathematics and was housemaster of Hopkins. He even introduced BBC computers to the school although then in his fifties. Tiger was very popular there, just as at Hillside, living in a school flat over the road from the school. He taught for 21 years at each school, retiring in 1990. He kept in touch with Mrs Kathleen Whicker in Godalming, staying for a few days before travelling to Barbados on visits to his parents.
Tiger had developed a close friendship with the headmaster at Orley, Mr Justin Davies, and Tiger bought a house near Justin’s family in March, Cambridgeshire. The family has very fond memories of Uncle Tiger, and they went on holiday together a number of times
Tiger died in January 2006 in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, aged 82. He had listened to classical music avidly during his retirement and left his extensive collection of CDs to Orley Farm School.

Andrew Harvey
23 December 2020


Literary Corner
STALIN’S VENGEANCE – Nikolai Tolstoy
The Final Truth about the Forced Return of Cossacks after World War II
In the June 2018 newsletter I reviewed Nikolai’s 1974 book the Victims of Yalta which told the story of the Allies complicity in the forced repatriation of some three million Russian prisoners of war, slave labourers and Cossacks to horrible deaths in Russia. The motive for this was the veiled threat that the Allies might not see the twenty five thousand allied prisoners of war that the Russians had liberated in their advance on Berlin. The book raised the hackles of the Government and ultimately lead to a libel trial with Lord Aldington which Nikolai unfortunately lost. Interestingly Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave a TV interview with his comments on Nikolai treatment by the court (See Hillside web side). At the end of the book Nikolai laments the fact that he could not get access to a number of Russian files. Nikolai subsequently found this much easier that he expected and this has enabled him to go to this latest book which will be published early next year. For anyone who read the Victims of Yalta I am sure this is essential reading.
The dedication in the book is an interesting comment on the chaotic events in Russia a hundred years ago.
I dedicate this book to a fearless and devoted Englishwoman, Lucy Stark, who exactly a hundred years ago saved my youthful father Dmitri from death or slavery at the hands of the Bolsheviks.

Lucy and my father in Moscow, 1913

Letters to the editor
Dear Roger,
Many thanks for an enjoyable read. On one point: Mr Whicker did use the cane, but I never heard of anyone being the worse for it – save at the event itself! It was used at every school I attended, and as they say did us no harm. However, why I mention this is that one evening when we were in his study, he had to leave us for some reason. Being criminally-minded by nature, the group of us waiting there explored his cupboard, where we found a lead-loaded bludgeon – it used to be called a Penang Lawyer, and I carry mine still on occasion. Probably Mr Whicker had it for use in his special constabulary duties. However, we were convinced that it was what he used when caning us!
Best wishes,
Nikolai (Tolstoy)
Hello Roger - this is another wonderful read. Congratulations for putting it all together.
I was so disappointed when my computer severed my Zoom connection. Ironically, since then (as a local Councillor) I am required to attend meetings by Zoom regularly. I still suffer the same indignity and get cut off from time to time (Censorship perhaps!). Indeed, a colleague is visiting this afternoon to see if he can find a glitch - in readiness for a zoom this evening.
In my self-regard, I am still trying to clarify when I left Hillside. I left early to be diverted to Hurstpierpoint Junior School as a boarder - reason unsure (perhaps parent need me to vacate, especially as Keith was by then boarding at Epsom). It was suggested that concern over my ability, or otherwise, to pass Common Entrance meant that taking this short cut may ease my passing to College. Whatever, it seemed to work albeit my academia remained limited! I have now decided I must have been 8 or 9 years old, so left in 1949/50. That would equate to Keith going up to Epsom - he was some 4 years older.
A final slightly amusing memory (others may materialise in time - who knows) is that I recall my Mother attending Hillside regularly and joining Mrs Whicker is a series of frantic sock darning sessions. Make do and mend really did prevail.
No 'woke' discarding of property in those days. I despair at so much these days.
Take care. I am now going to read White Star again, to further relish the content.
Best regards
Ian (Pilcher)
Ed – This is not the first time I have of Mrs Whicker roping in mothers for sock darning sessions. No wonder the Whickers were managing to keep the fees low.
Hi Roger,
An excellent read Roger, thank you very much.
I still have my Hillside scarf complete with a little moth hole or two as well as my old boys tie.
Hils still has a pair of my white cricket ankle socks complete with my name tags which my mother carefully sewed into all my school clothes as instructed. She elected to do it with Cash’s woven name tags as it was cheaper than Gorringes (not Gorings) doing it when they bought me all the school clothes.
Ed. I have to confess I had no memory of an old boys school tie so thanks to Bernard:


Bernard (Jupe)
“The Legend of the Penny Blacks”
From memory I would suggest that a great many of us were avid stamp collectors. This probably gave rise to the legend of the penny blacks. RHRW used to save all the stamps that arrived on incoming letters. This resulted in the rumour that there were boxes of penny blacks somewhere in the school. I did quiz Robin on this but I think he was diplomatically suggesting that my attention must have been wandering to Friday Stodge or something like that and not the maths lesson. I think he was telling me RHRW would have been collecting them while in nappies. Another myth sadly shattered!
Roger
Among the recent crop of people we have located is Peter Gordon who some of you may know from the Guildford Hockey Club. Peter started as a player and rose through the ranks. When I contacted Peter I was rather surprised when he said he knew I was a member of the 1960 Football team. His response was
Roger, I also had copies of all the White Stars. For fun I attach some rather old photos, but with recognisable faces.
Rgds
Peter Gordon










Peter Gordon
Ed – Peter was able to fill in further details.
The close relationship with Guildford Hockey Club saw old Hillsiders Peter Yates (1966-70), Michael Whicker (1971 – 73) and Peter himself (1998 – 2010) all serving as club secretary and Peter captaining the 1st Eleven in 1998/9 with Douglas Barnes also in the team and Michael Whicker captaining the 2nd Eleven. Looking at the Club web site today it is clear that Peter is a highly respected elder statesman there.
I did enquire how Peter had a acquired a complete set of White Stars. While still teaching at Charterhouse Nigel Coats rented a room in the Gordon house and stayed there for many years until Peter’s parents died and the house was sold. Peter stayed in close contact and helped him until his death. Apparently the room that Nigel had at the top of the back stairs at Hillside he used during term time.
Pal’s corner
Jack Fuller has now located ten of the 1963 hockey team, but he is still anxious to locate Jonathan (?) Weale to get the full team. Can anyone help? A possible clue is that his father owned the bicycle shop in Godalming.
We have also accounted for ten of the 1960 football team. Can anyone help on the last member Tim Gibbs who was last heard of as a publican in Sutton. I have written to his sister but so far without success.
Xmas
Christmas would not be the same without some cracker jokes so:
Q “why couldn’t Joseph and Mary get in touch with their friends this Christmas?
A “Because there was no Zoom at the inn”.
Complaints to the editor will be ignored.
Roger Noble
roger.noble@btopenworld.com