Obit in today's Times. Fossilised fish-hooks......
Heard it on Today this monring Me too. Odd, cos the world described in his books was about as far as you could get from my childhood.
Happy childhood memories of reading his books. Sometimes in the airing cupboard; don't know why - warm and comfy, I suppose.
I went to a boarding school from 1979 - 1984 [1]. Although there were marked differences, mainly due to the era, there were a lot of similarities. Particularly in the terminology, common currency, avoidance of petty rules and general japery. [1] Steyning Grammar School, Sussex (appropriately). Boarding house (3 houses) of 100 - 120 boys, day school ~3000 mixed. State comprehensive.
No, at the time each local education authority must have provision for X number of places. Don't know if its changed, probably not. It was predominately Forces (like me), out of the country types (Parents working abroad), child care issues for some and others because it would "do them good"; there was a number who were there at the behest of local authorities to take them out of their home environment.
It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember (The Older Gentleman) saying something like: Fully Approved. -- Dave GS 850 x2 / SE 6a SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3 FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10
Clergy children, too. I could have gone to boarding school. I was pretty sure it wouldn't as much fun as Jennings and Darbyshire's school, so I said no.
****! As I was typing I know there was something odd about the spelling and I couldn't quite remember. I thought it was just the "a" making it different from Derbyshire. It's been 20 years since I picked up the books, though.
