Michael Jones came at 11 years old and went through two forms,  3G with Miss V. Hill (BA) and Lower 4 Red with Mr Whitty.  He dropped from equal 9th in form to 21st in form before he left.   

Normally when a boy leaves in the lower forms there is virtually no record of his activities beyond place in class and the war years exacerbated this because very few photographs were taken due to the materials being used in the war effort.  However, I have found two mentions of Michael in the archives besides the register.  

 Firstly, Miss Hill produced a big Junior Dramatic Society play, “Fat King Melon” by AP Herbert which was very well received.  “Performed by 2B, 3R and 3G, its delicate wit and satire went above the heads of the juniors present at times, and one may suspect , of the actors themselves”. “The afternoon’s success was due in large measure to Miss Hill, who acted as general organiser and producer.  The Lighting was ably done by Mr Brown and M Jones”. (School magazine April 1944).  We had several female teachers during the war, covering for the masters who were called up and Miss Hill became Mrs Cornford before leaving in 1946. 

Secondly, Michael is noted in the school Cadet Corps records as passing his A’ Cert Section Lead exam in 1945 and gaining his “Stripe”.  His record also shows that he got a First Class in his Musketry exam and that he was very conscientious at attending meetings and Camp.  His teacher that year, Mr Whitty, was seriously wounded in the 1st WW and was known for his cracking war stories.  Every Armistice Day, Captain Whitty would suspend his teaching and tell his classes of his experiences in France, and I know that this had a great impact on the boys in his classes because they still mention it now, as older men. 

One of Michael’s contemporaries in the JTC, John Atherton, left us a copy of a photograph of a JTC exercise which he dates 1944-5 at Wollaton Hall (CC0031).  Michael would have been involved but we don’t have names so can’t identify him.  However, I thought it would give you a taste of the fun he probably had. 

By Ms Yvette Gunther (Archivist)