ARCHIVES
THE PREFECT TEAM 1969-70
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50 YE A R RE UN IO
th June 2020
Save the Date: 27-28
In 2020 it will be 50 years since the pupils on
the left and their fellow 1970 leavers (only the
prefects are pictured), left Pocklington School.
There are already plans afoot for a reunion in
Pocklington on the weekend of Saturday 27
and Sunday 28 June.
If you left at the end of the sixth form in 1970
or in the fifth year in 1968 and you would
like to come to the reunion or receive more
information about it, please contact Rachel in
the OP office to register your interest.
Back Row L-R: Dennis, Leaf, Rowley (RIP), Clarke, Hainsworth, Watson, Griffiths, Mathieson, Barker, Brunt, Farquhar,
Sellers, Shouler, Bumstead (RIP).
Middle Row L-R: Lamb, Farrer, Shimmin (RIP), Meredith, Kneeshaw, Marshall, Deas, Thompson, Robinson, Calder,
Brookfield, Taylor, Barber, Horner, Townsend, Bradshaw, Richardson.
Front Row L-R: Mumby, Pearson, Baines, Woodhead, Guy L Willatt (Headmaster), Price, Wilkinson, Hashagen, Fewson.
SETTING THE WAR RECORD
STRAIGHT:
James H Eggleshaw, Second
Master of Pocklington School
1938 – 1976
By David Stather (49-57).
It is now more than 20 years since the death of
James Eggleshaw, who is still remembered with
gratitude and deep respect by many of his surviving
former pupils. He was not only the Senior Classics
Master, but was very active in coaching in several
sports and in promoting the love of music and
literature. Several of his pupils were lucky enough
to go with him on trips to his beloved Italy, where
they saw parts of that country that are unknown
to the average tourist, but which gave them a much
better appreciation of the culture of that country.
He served the school for 38 years, interrupted only
by his army service during the Second World War.
It is about that War service that I wish to say
something, because it seems to be widely believed
that James Eggleshaw spent his War years as a car
park attendant. This belief is incorrect. It falls to me
to correct this misunderstanding because for some
time he served with my late uncle, Col. Charles
Stather, in the work of securing Arab co-operation
with the Eighth Army in North Africa – work which
was considered of sufficient importance to get Mr
Eggleshaw promoted to the rank of Major.
What seems to have occasioned the “car park
attendant” myth is the obituary for J H E published
in The Pocklington School Magazine of 1996-1997
which stated that, when he was called up to the
Those who are already planning to come are:
Phil Wilkinson, Stephen Deas, Eric Robinson,
David Horner, Michael Taylor, Neil Calder and
Nick Bradshaw. See pages 22-24 for details of
the reunions that have taken place over the last
year to give you a flavour of what it is like –
people often feel nervous about meeting up
with their old school friends after so many
years, but these worries soon disappear and
everyone has a great time, so do come along
and join in.
Armed Forces at the beginning of the Second World
War, Mr Eggleshaw was assigned to be a car park
attendant. That may have been so (the story could
only have come from JHE himself), but the obituary
also went on to say: is pleasing to hear that Pocklington has even
greater attraction.
1945. Issue 6. July – December, p.6 recorded the
return of masters on War service and that
Mr. Eggleshaw is literally “in the air”.
When the War Office discovered that their car
park attendant, apart from having a 1st class
degree in “Greats” (Greek and Latin at Oxford
University), was also a fluent speaker of Italian,
French and German not to mention the few other
languages of which he had what he called a
“smattering”, they rapidly commissioned him and
he became Major Eggleshaw and was heavily
involved in rehabilitating displaced persons in Italy
after the collapse of Italy. 1946. Issue 8. July – December, p.22: We are pleased
to welcome Mr Eggleshaw back…
Thanks to Maddie Hourrigan (12-19) for her
research which has uncovered these reports from
over 70 years ago.
War-time school magazines reported his progress:
1941. Issue 3. June - Dec. p.33: J.W (sic) Eggleshaw
finds the disciplinary course in the R.A.O.C.
more strenuous than teaching classics at
Pocklington….
1942. Issue 2. January – June, p.31: J.H.Eggleshaw is
now training at an O.C.T.U.
1943. Issue 1. January – June, p.28: J. Eggleshaw, who
is now a lieutenant serving in Africa, tells us that
he is busy learning Arabic. He writes from a
disused macaroni factory, where he controls an
Arab labour corps.
1943. Issue 2. July – December, p.27: J. Eggleshaw
has been organizing civilian labour for the
Services in North Africa and Sicily. This has
taxed his tact to the utmost owing to the variety
of temperaments and prejudices he has had
to meet. Although Sicily with its many classical
associations has special interest for him, it
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