OV Tim’s Timely Return to King’s

OV Tim Richardson (Ch/Ca 40-49) recently relocated to Worcester City centre and took the opportunity to revisit King’s having not returned to the school site for many years.

Tim’s visit coincided with run-up to the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and he kindly shared his recollections of the day, including being given the afternoon off to join the celebrations in 1945 and being given permission to go up the High Street, usually a forbidden trip! During the War, Tim was in Choir School based in Choir House, now also known as the English Block. He recalled how, when the rest of the school was either at home or relocated to Criccieth, they remained on site to support the Cathedral’s activities – and spent many a night, sometimes two or three times a night, taking blankets and pillows down to the dining room in Choir House (now a classroom), when the ‘wailing willy’ siren went off to sound an incoming air raid. He explained that the Germans would use the River Severn as a guide, then Worcester Cathedral as a map-point to peel off towards Coventry and Birmingham. Tim also remembered what it was like in the sharp-collared ‘Eton Suit’, which you can see here in a photo taken of Tim in 1940, standing outside the back of Choir House, and Tim outside the same window 85 years later!

He was disappointed but not surprised to see the Fives Courts had been removed following lack of use – they are now minibus bays. Even in his day there were not many true Fives players: they preferred ‘Fives Cricket’ using a cricket bat and golf ball! The aim, with the most points, was to hit each of the three walls without bouncing, with many a resulting bruise to emphasise how difficult that was.

Tim noted that it was reassuring that some aspects of the site remained familiar, including Geography being taught on the ground floor of the geography block (Art had been taught in the eaves of that same building), and the Reading Room, also known as the Chappel Memorial Room, still had the reading newspaper shelf where they had been encouraged to read ‘sensible’ materials although comic books were much preferred. Similarly, Biology, or the Science Block as Tim knew it, was little changed while modernised; the most obvious change being the ‘old’ school gates replaced with newer, more secure, gates, though Tim did find the remainder of one!

Tim was impressed by the Keyes Building and the opportunities it offered all sports. Likewise, he found the Michael Baker Boathouse a great addition to the School, albeit admitting to King’s Head of Rowing, Jim Chalmers (Hon OV), that while rowing was a passion of some of his friends, his sporting love was, and remains, Cricket.

The view from the Michael Baker Boathouse over the river highlighted the extent of the great flood of 1947, which Tim remembered vividly. The waters reached so high, you could touch the river by simply leaning over the bottom wall of the School Gardens. 1947 was a memorable year as the school body was also struck down by Scarlet Fever, which Tim only managed to avoid by being sent home with German Measles!

Learning that the Firing Range was still a part of the school’s facilities greatly pleased Tim, not so that it was locked! He also shared that the Quad, between School House and the Geography block, had begun as a tennis court when he first arrived at King’s, but during the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign during WWII, this was dug up and replaced with a vegetable garden, keenly attended by the green fingers of many of the farming children attending the school.

Visiting School House, Tim found that his former dining hall is now the Matthew Armstrong Library. He shared with Librarian Annabel Jeffery (Hon OV) his delight at seeing the fireplace in the room had been kept as he remembered the Latin inscription from daily reading.

A brief sojourn in the newly opened Café 1541 in School House refreshed (and impressed) Tim, before a visit to College Hall. This was slightly curtailed due to the exams, but Tim was still able to pop his head through the doors to see the familiar room.

During his walk around the school, Harriet Dyke, Deputy Head, joined Tim for a chat, sharing with him the details of the current Houses and their colours, some of which were familiar to him, as were the names of the newer Houses.

This was the first of Tim’s visits back to King’s as there is still more of the site for him to see, including Castle House, which is now the Music School. It was, though wonderful for Alumni Relations Co-ordinator, Amanda Sutcliffe, to see King’s through the prism of Tim’s experiences and memories and how the older buildings have adapted to the different needs of the school as the years have gone by, and how well the newer facilities have blended in.

Tim added, “As it is some 75 years since I left King’s, it is not surprising there would be changes. However, I couldn’t have anticipated such a transformation. I was quite envious! It was certainly breathtaking, and in spite of the scope of the redevelopment, done sympathetically.”

We look forward to Tim’s next visit to King’s!