David Palmer recalls a 1960 “flogging” and his sister’s application to be assistant secretary,
The public “flogging” that both Robert Rix and Norman Mills mentioned was because the boys being caned were caught shoplifting in a shop in Sidcup. The manager agreed with Father McIver not to prosecute them if he dealt with them. A caning was a better option for them than a criminal record.
I could probably filled a chapter in the book if I had known about it!
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My sister was interviewed for the position of assistant to Frances Lovett. She had passed her secretarial course at St Joseph’s with distinction so was definitely qualified. However as she was only 17 it was felt she would be too much of a distraction for Lower and Upper 6th.
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In 1999, 6 of us from the 1960 intake and 5 other friends, were celebrating our 50th birthdays. We hired the school assembly hall for a joint party on the 22nd May. Negotiations for the rental were conducted with Frances Lovett and the party was a great success. The 6 from school were myself, Denis Preston, Patrick Driscoll, Jim Merron, Tony White and Richard Webster. Several other past pupils of the school were also present, and a few others who were invited were unable to attend.
Also unable to attend was Brian Pratt, the art teacher. He had an art exhibition in Rye earlier in the year which I attended. He had already committed to an event on the same night as the party.
I remember this incident very well. The shop concerned was Murray’s which was a tobacconist/confectioners and was just next to the 21A bus stop about 4 shops along from Sidcup Police Station.
The son of the owners Bernard Murray was a pupil at St Mary’s. There was a lot of negotiation involved as a criminal record would have prevented entry into many jobs including the Civil Service, Banking etc.
Father McIver ( Leo) arrived at Assembly – I believe it was a Monday morning with the cane under his left arm. The usual murmur ran around those of us assembled as recent ‘crimes’ flashed before our eyes. I cannot remember Leo ever being more annoyed – he was livid.
The culprits were called to the stage two came up but the third lost his nerve and ran from the hall through the swing doors. The caning was administered with all the ferocity Leo could muster. I remember that blood was actually running from beneath the fingernails of one of the recipients. Whether from the severity of the strokes or because Leo had managed to catch the nails ripping hem back! *I don’t know what happened to the ‘runner’ he never appeared subsequently for a public flogging. Mr Murray was in attendance to see ‘justice’ administered. Also there asa ‘witness’ was a senior copper from Sidcup in full dress uniform. I always remember he looked as sick as a parrot. He had obviously not been subject to Fr.s Yorky or Mugsy as Discipline Masters.
* Those of us like me who walked along the edges of the rules always kept our fingernails cut short to avoid this consequence. Yorky, in particular would always aim to hit the very tops of the index, middle and ring fingers . If he hit nearer your palm he would growl ‘Missed’ and that stroke would not count.
My own public flogging followed an incident on the rugby field. we were playing Christ the King at Blckheath. They had a particularly ‘dirty’ fly half – he was also their captain – who knocked me about in my first match when I was a green 14 year old. I determined to ‘get him’ the next time we played them.
The chance came as he tried to step inside our fly half and he was still looking to his left when I tackled him driving my shoulder into his guts. I can still hear the air escape from his lungs and he folded in half totally winded. My sisters had attended the match as supporters and were standing next to Mugsy on the touchline. Sadly my younger sister shouted ‘Do him John’ There was no penalty as it was a perfectly fair tackled I just caught him ‘tidy’ as they say in Wales.
On the Monday morning Leo arrived at Assembly with cane so somebody was ‘in for it.’
He started his homily ” On Saturday one of the boys at this school gave a disgraceful exhibition on the Rugby field.”
I was called up and given 6 strokes in front of the assembled school. Not sure if Christ the King complained or if
Mugsy ‘turned me in’ following my sister’s shout out either way I felt rather aggrieved.
Fortunately I had recently cut my nails.
I don’t suppose any of this will get past the censor but it has got this injustice off my chest after 62 years!
Looking forward to Saturday
I determined to ‘get him’ if the opportunity arose