I arrived at Hydneye House at 8 years old. John my brother came in his sixth year! He arrived under Brodribb.
Maltby was head master/owner for my first two years. A druid like character, a bit of Dumbledore. His son David was killed ten years earlier in the Dam Buster raid, an honoured war hero. His wife whose name escapes me made an effort to take a personal interest in us individually and even sent me letters after I went to Stowe.
Maltby was a medieval character with blue veined hands and a gruff unapproachability that set us up for institutional officership. Churchill was unquestionable and Clive in India was in the bookshelves. Christmas carol singing was a strong experience set up in the great central hall with the oak panelled stairway to the dormitories used to accomodate everybody. We were about sixty boys at the time. The music master was another Harry Potter character though not at all evil.
Timpson at the carpentry shed next to the gym had a wood stove going with horse hoof glue on the go. Mr. Tanner bought a green Sunbeam Talbot and was always seen to be sporting a dew drop from his aquiline nose.
The four years I was there seemed a complete waste of time, I simply put up with it, having no wriggle room anyway. Stowe was more of the same and I could not wait to get past it all and get on with being myself. And I did.
I love reading other people's memories of Hydneye.
