Were you a part of the early 1970s student unrest about “unpleasant school dinners, caning, and the conformity of school uniforms”?
According to this report, we at QK were not a happy bunch: “On the 4th May 1972 about 200 boys aged between 11 and 16, put down their pencils and rulers at Quinton Kynaston School on the Finchley Road near St John’s Wood in north London. It was the start of a protest about unpleasant school dinners, caning, and the conformity of school uniforms. The boys swarmed over the school wall and not knowing really what to do next decided to all go home.” According to Len Clark, Everest-Phillips” was most likely a head of year.
And, from February 1973: Unrest must have resurfaced the following year. Here is Deputy Head Len Clark’s February 1973 school closure letter to parents.
Read about punishment in schools in our History section.
Well, we won – in the end!
Happy days 🙂
I have been reading the fascinating posts regarding Quinton in the 70s , my name is Paul Fuller and i attended at that time my best friends was Chris Hunt , Jeff Cottchings,
Steve Frost,Ray Cummings and Graham Windsor
I also knew Graham Mcpherson “Suggs” he was one year younger than us .I remember the head master Mr Holt and Mr Clark who used to dish out the canings .
Can anyone remember the roll shop which was across Finchley Road .
If Anyone can remember me please mail me paulgodsfish@gmail.com.
Hi Paul, you may like to add your details to the mailing list. You can do this via the link at the bottom of any web page (red triangle).
Btw, Len Clark still attends our annual drinks!
Regards, Rob
Oops! haha Never mind, it was all a long time ago now and quite funy in retrospect
Laurence
Hi Lawrence,
I remember as a prefect the charge of the “ light brigade “ !
We where patrolling the school, keeping the peace, as such ; I think there was Jim O’Connell, Ray Stevens (?), Roger Conti, and a few others. As we walked under the hall/canteen area there was a rumbling noise which got louder, and louder and we realised it was coming our way !
Then all of a sudden, at least 50 kid came screaming towards us, we were kids also but sixth formers.
We really thought this was going to turn out very badly, as their were kids from other schools, who had come up to Kynaston. But luckily for use they were from our school and when they notice us there turned around and ran back from where they had come.
I have to say we all laughed it off but there was a few raised heart beats that day !!!
Wishing you well and be safe in these days of C-19.
We also made the Guinness Book of Records . Sorry no copy but this image is from a North American Publican. Our record latest from 1973 until 1977.
Sorry can’t remember all in the team but there was :
Chris Robinson ,
Simon Potalski (think that’s the correct spelling of his surname ? He also punctured his lung in the last six hour section with me !!? ) Ray Steven’s ( ? ) and myself, Derek James. Not sure if there are any photos, Tim Watson can you help out ?
Hi just a note on the tiddlywinks marathon of 1973, there were two others Laurence Caluori and Simon Gould. Seem to remember a lot of hangers on making the most of staying overnight in school, Mark Elder etc. Cheers Lol Caluori.
Re the school strikes. I happened to be School Captain at the time (the first one ever with long hair!), and I remember one day a whole load of pupils refused to come back into school from break, and though I and prefects tried to encourage them they just ignored us! Then a large group ‘bunked off’ school and went and rampaged through Swiss Cottage, as I remember, causing chaos and alarm. It was all bit pointless, really, as it didn’t achieve anything and they call just trailed back to school or went home afterwards. But the Head, Mr. Holt, went almost ballistic – I remember in assembly next day he ranted on about ‘bringing shame on the school’ etc. I felt a bit embarrassed – but honestly, what could I have done? lol It was all just part of the atmosphere of the time, I suppose.
Hi Lawrence, sorry for your embarrassment, I was one of the culprits, I do do remember next days assembly trying to keep a low profile, it didn’t work, later that day being read the riot act by Lennie Clark.
Hallo. Really pleased to find this site! I’m so impressed that old Kynaston boys have gone to the trouble of remembering their school like this. Any old Quintinians who’d like to do the same for our pre-QK days? Perhaps they could both be on the same site, as we ended up being one school?