Comments on: School’s Out in London and Steve ‘Ginger’ Finch http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/ A blog about 20th Century London Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:01:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Tom http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-62827 Tom Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:11:17 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-62827 aaah this looks cool, no-one seems to want a riot at school now. I guess we've got better teachers, or maybe it's that instead of a cane we get expelled at the drop of a hat. aaah this looks cool, no-one seems to want a riot at school now. I guess we’ve got better teachers, or maybe it’s that instead of a cane we get expelled at the drop of a hat.

]]> By: Geoffrey Phillips http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-41309 Geoffrey Phillips Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:01:27 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-41309 I remember hiding on a roof in the back streets in St Johns wood. We stormed out from Quinton Kynaston School, one of the kid's Christian Rabbi pushed the ice cream van over, We heard a police car coming so we climbed up onto a roof and sat there for a while. when we thought it was all clear we climbed down. A copper crabbed me, my two school mates took off, I was marched back to school. About 1 month later I was sitting in a class room, during lunch break, playing cards with some other kids. (it was raining out side) A teacher walked in and said "put those cards away and get out of this room" I thought it was another kid mucking about so I said, under my breath, "piss off" I didn't realise the teacher was right behind me. He pulled me off my chair by crabbing my hair and pulling me back wards towards the door. As we passed a wooden stool I grabbed it and swung it over my shoulder and hit the teacher on the head and then I ran out of school all the way home to Primrose hill. I didn't go back to school for another week. finally Mum and Dad found out what had happened. The letter sent to my parents said that I had hit a teacher with a chair. the teacher was taken to hospital and was given stitches to his head. therefore you son has been expelled. "IT WAS SELF DEFENSE". The only school that would take me was Haverstock Hill in Chalkfarm. After that I didn't hear any more about the protest until recently. It was nice to read that we had the cain abolished. Sincerely, Geoffrey Phillips PS, David London do you remember this? I remember hiding on a roof in the back streets in St Johns wood.
We stormed out from Quinton Kynaston School, one of the kid’s Christian Rabbi pushed the ice cream van over,
We heard a police car coming so we climbed up onto a roof and sat there for a while. when we thought it was all clear we climbed down. A copper crabbed me, my two school mates took off, I was marched back to school.
About 1 month later I was sitting in a class room, during lunch break, playing cards with some other kids. (it was raining out side) A teacher walked in and said “put those cards away and get out of this room” I thought it was another kid mucking about so I said, under my breath, “piss off” I didn’t realise the teacher was right behind me. He pulled me off my chair by crabbing my hair and pulling me back wards towards the door. As we passed a wooden stool I grabbed it and swung it over my shoulder and hit the teacher on the head and then I ran out of school all the way home to Primrose hill. I didn’t go back to school for another week. finally Mum and Dad found out what had happened. The letter sent to my parents said that I had hit a teacher with a chair. the teacher was taken to hospital and was given stitches to his head. therefore you son has been expelled.

“IT WAS SELF DEFENSE”.

The only school that would take me was Haverstock Hill in Chalkfarm.

After that I didn’t hear any more about the protest until recently.

It was nice to read that we had the cain abolished.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Phillips

PS, David London do you remember this?

]]> By: James Bromwich http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-40365 James Bromwich Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:18:22 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-40365 I was a teacher at Rutherford and I remember the strike happening. Two things in particular first the shock of many teachers that such a thing could happen the sense of loss of control that a significant number of boys refusing to do what was siad and going off the premises; then the process of restoring order when the headteacher (Mr Lanham I think) went round the year groups to convince them that authority was now restored but they were sympathised with. I have never forgotten the boy (who was he?) who got up with every eye on him and quite rightly pointed out they would not have been listened to if they hadn't acted. Many of us opposed the cane but we knew the slipper was used I think mainly by the PE and woodwork staff. I was a teacher at Rutherford and I remember the strike happening. Two things in particular first the shock of many teachers that such a thing could happen the sense of loss of control that a significant number of boys refusing to do what was siad and going off the premises; then the process of restoring order when the headteacher (Mr Lanham I think) went round the year groups to convince them that authority was now restored but they were sympathised with. I have never forgotten the boy (who was he?) who got up with every eye on him and quite rightly pointed out they would not have been listened to if they hadn’t acted. Many of us opposed the cane but we knew the slipper was used I think mainly by the PE and woodwork staff.

]]> By: Joe http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-9693 Joe Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:16:12 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-9693 I was at Rutherford School at the time and remember the school strike well The slipper sucked, the uniform was shit and uncomfortable and the teachers tried their best, but the kids in those days were kept in control for all the wrong reasons. I was once there when an entire house was slippered. Yeah, good idea. The few teachers who gave a shit were worth turning up for. I was at Rutherford School at the time and remember the school strike well
The slipper sucked, the uniform was shit and uncomfortable and the teachers tried their best, but the kids in those days were kept in control for all the wrong reasons. I was once there when an entire house was slippered. Yeah, good idea. The few teachers who gave a shit were worth turning up for.

]]> By: Olwen Mprgan http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-1901 Olwen Mprgan Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:44:02 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-1901 Good to see the photographs but the public side of the SAU was always on a loser. The clandestine side, though smaller in scale, was *much* more effective. The SAU cell at St. Dunstan's College (SDC) in Catford ran a 2-year covert operation of espionage and sabotage against the school establishment in general and R. R. Pedley, the HM, in particular. Actions by cell members - notably the 1970 Speech Day operation - destroyed Pedley's standing within his own profession, which added much to the stress that brought his death in 1973 - two years after the cell members left. There is also some circumstantial evidence consistent with the view that Philip Cooper, Head of Music at SDC, (d. 29/10/71) was poisoned by an unknown pupil who had access to the technical assets that the SDC SAU cell had collected (among them keys to every door and cupboard in the school). If the SDC SAU cell had focussed on public demos, we would soon have been crushed. Acting covertly was much more successful - so much so that our security was never broken throughout our operations. Pedley was one of the most vicious of all public school heads. Helping him to an early death by destroying his professional reputation was one of the SAUs greatest but least-known achievements. As for Cooper, since he was a predatory sado-masochistic paedophile, if it was an SDC SAU cell member who took him out, that trumps anything else that the SAU ever did. As it was the security of the cell was never broken Good to see the photographs but the public side of the SAU was always on a loser. The clandestine side, though smaller in scale, was *much* more effective.

The SAU cell at St. Dunstan’s College (SDC) in Catford ran a 2-year covert operation of espionage and sabotage against the school establishment in general and R. R. Pedley, the HM, in particular. Actions by cell members – notably the 1970 Speech Day operation – destroyed Pedley’s standing within his own profession, which added much to the stress that brought his death in 1973 – two years after the cell members left.

There is also some circumstantial evidence consistent with the view that Philip Cooper, Head of Music at SDC, (d. 29/10/71) was poisoned by an unknown pupil who had access to the technical assets that the SDC SAU cell had collected (among them keys to every door and cupboard in the school).

If the SDC SAU cell had focussed on public demos, we would soon have been crushed. Acting covertly was much more successful – so much so that our security was never broken throughout our operations.

Pedley was one of the most vicious of all public school heads. Helping him to an early death by destroying his professional reputation was one of the SAUs greatest but least-known achievements. As for Cooper, since he was a predatory sado-masochistic paedophile, if it was an SDC SAU cell member who took him out, that trumps anything else that the SAU ever did.

As it was the security of the cell was never broken

]]> By: Linda O http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-1309 Linda O Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:35:13 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-1309 I started at Holland Park in 1972 and my brother was at Quinton Kynnaston. I was part of this protest and I remember having no idea what it was about! Holland Park was quite the school. There was at least one class where the teacher left the room for the whole period and left us to do whatever we wanted. I mean there wasn't even any pretense of giving us something to do. There was a lot of dope smoking and alot of Chelsea moneyed folks kids. Thanks so much for the wonderful pics and the memories. I started at Holland Park in 1972 and my brother was at Quinton Kynnaston. I was part of this protest and I remember having no idea what it was about! Holland Park was quite the school. There was at least one class where the teacher left the room for the whole period and left us to do whatever we wanted. I mean there wasn’t even any pretense of giving us something to do. There was a lot of dope smoking and alot of Chelsea moneyed folks kids.

Thanks so much for the wonderful pics and the memories.

]]> By: marty g http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-728 marty g Thu, 28 May 2009 13:56:37 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-728 My school Dyson Perrins in Malvern Worcs had a mini riot in 1975/6 protesting against the teachers locking us out of the school at lunch time. The teachers were locking us out as they were also on some kind of strike. Most of the school (probably 1000 pupils) charged out and ran around the roads near to the school and then went home. I remenber the teacher going crazy to find the organisers. Every body who joined in got detention. I didn't as I never joined the riot due to being in detention at the time. My school Dyson Perrins in Malvern Worcs had a mini riot in 1975/6 protesting against the teachers locking us out of the school at lunch time.
The teachers were locking us out as they were also on some kind of strike.
Most of the school (probably 1000 pupils) charged out and ran around the roads near to the school and then went home.
I remenber the teacher going crazy to find the organisers.
Every body who joined in got detention. I didn’t as I never joined the riot due to being in detention at the time.

]]> By: nickelinthemachine http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-724 nickelinthemachine Thu, 28 May 2009 08:56:52 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-724 I've got a film researcher friend who looked for the relevant TOTP at the BBC and the one with Rod and Alice appearing on the same programme has been wiped. They've got a best of the year episode but that's it. I’ve got a film researcher friend who looked for the relevant TOTP at the BBC and the one with Rod and Alice appearing on the same programme has been wiped. They’ve got a best of the year episode but that’s it.

]]> By: wikipedia http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-723 wikipedia Thu, 28 May 2009 04:34:54 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-723 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Union_of_School_Students http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Union_of_School_Students

]]> By: mh http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/05/schools-out-in-london-and-steve-ginger-finch/comment-page-1/#comment-720 mh Wed, 27 May 2009 23:23:43 +0000 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/?p=895#comment-720 Steve Wilson, is this the Top of the Pops ep? Can't see any fists, wish I could! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWx9eyqf7Sk&feature=related Steve Wilson, is this the Top of the Pops ep? Can’t see any fists, wish I could!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWx9eyqf7Sk&feature=related

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