Comments on: BATCH 1944

By: Full School photo after 78 years! | Old Cottonians Association

Full School photo after 78 years! | Old Cottonians Association — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:31:58 +0000

[…] Click here for : The 1944 photo and interesting comments […]

By: Mark Wood-Robinson / passed on | Old Cottonians Association

Mark Wood-Robinson / passed on | Old Cottonians Association — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 05:13:28 +0000

[…] of yet another Old Cottonian passing away this 14th. Here is a message from David Wood-Robinson about his brother Mark. Our condolences to the family. My brother Mark Wood-Robinson who was at BCS from 1940 to 1945 […]

By: We are saddened by the demise of Mr. Ram Advani | Old Cottonians Association

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 10:27:18 +0000

[…] Lucknow’s iconic bookseller Ram Advani passes away. Ram Advani was Bursar at Bishop Cotton School in the mid 1940s […]

By: Geraldine Grimshaw

Geraldine Grimshaw — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 18:58:46 +0000

In reply to Michael Wetherfield (BCPS 1942-3; BCS (Curzon) 1944-5).

Hello Michael,

Just found this website last night and saw the photo of my father Douglas Horner on the 1944 Prefects photo. Wonderful.Did you know him ?

Kind regards, Geraldine

By: Geraldine Grimshaw

Geraldine Grimshaw — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 21:01:04 +0000

The photo of the school prefects in 1944 shows my father Douglas Horner. He often spoke with great fondness about his time at school mentioning friends called Witty White and Lumbo Evans. Sadly he died two years ago aged 85.

Geraldine Grimshaw(nee Horner)
East Cholderton
UK

By: Brian Walker

Brian Walker — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:08:42 +0000

The Photo is definitely 1944 as, in 1945 Mr Priestley was HM of the Prep School and would have been seated next to Mrs Sinker. They are Mr & Mrs Eccleston.Four along from the Ecclestons are the Priestleys with Mr Olliver a further two places to the left.The only ones on the right of the photo that I can identify are, 3 from Canon Sinker is Keith Percy, and myself seated on the front row squatting down second from the official party,(In the light gray suit.)I can’t identify many of the pupils though. It must be old age.

By: Dennis Willey

Dennis Willey — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:21:11 +0000

From Dennis Willey (Rivaz, 1941-43). I was fascinated to see the photos of the school in 1944, especially the Prefects, amongst whom is my brother, Edward Willey. Sadly he passed away several years ago. I have not seen these pictures before because I left BCS the previous year when I became
caught up in WW2. Although my parents and brother remained in India for several more years, I was never able to return.
While I was at BCS I took many photos which I still have- together with several School Magazines which my parents saved. I also have a copy of the whole school photo of 1942, with Lord Linlithgow sitting at the front.
I must admit that I am now an old man (and so a very O.C.).To any of my contemporaries who are still around, I send good wishes.
Thanks again for the memories.

By: Editor

Editor — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 03:46:04 +0000

8th July 2012 UPDATE [an email exchange between Barry Williamson and Mark Wood-Robinson] :

Dear Mark, Many thanks for the wonderful photos of BCS which I've only just seen. We've been in Bristol since we came back from Simla in 1968 as very young teachers. Are you in Bristol? I would love to see the other photos you have of BCS. One of our pupils from those days has written the history of the school and books about Simla so I know he would be interested too. All the best ( I envy your fitness !) Barry Williamson Hello Barry, Thanks for your Email about my old BCS photo. Unfortunately I have stuck the original down in one of my albums so I can’t see the back but I don’t think there is a date there. The photo was taken by Kinsey Bros of Simla, I think probably in the summer of 1944 as we left Simla to come home to Britain in the dreadful January of 1945. I say dreadful as the snow brought down the Simla rail station and we had to catch the Kalka train further down the line. Our train to Delhi was so delayed that we looked like missing our connection to Bombay, and then our boat home, and so my father, who was on the Railway Board, phoned through to Delhi and they held the train so that we could make the connection! Those were the days! Incidentally I have just discovered that there are internet references to Kinsey Bros, including: http://betterphotography.in/2012/01/11/ashok-dilwali/ So the photographers changed ownership the next year. I scanned the photo myself and have also scanned some smaller ones taken at about the same time on my little camera, as attached. I think the shot of roofs must have been taken from our house in Chota Shimla, called Kirsten Hall, which my father rented, and where my brother and I went most Sunday afternoons during term time and also for the long Winter holidays of ‘43 and ’44. The two earlier winters of ’41 and ’42 we spent in New Delhi as in those days the Government, including the Railway Management, moved up and down for the Summers and Winters. However in 1943 my father, who was in charge of “Standardisation”, bringing all the disparate sections of the vast Indian Railways together, decided to keep his department in Shimla for the long cold winters. We learned to ice skate there! You mention a pupil who wrote books about Shimla, not Raaja Bhasin, I suppose, who wrote the marvelous book “The Summer Capital….” Well I could go on, but must dash as life is very full at present! With best wishes, Mark Wood-Robinson. Click these pictures for a larger view

By: MANJIT DAYAL

MANJIT DAYAL — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 07:20:13 +0000

Its ITS WONDERFUL TO SEE THE OLD PICS OF SCHOOL AS ALSO COTTONIANS FROM 1944 AND ALL THE ARTICLES THAT FOLLOW SO I REQUEST ANY ONE OF YOU (COTTONIANS) HAVING PICTURES AND WISH TO WRITE THEIR BIT DURING THEIR YEARS AT BCS WOULD INDEED BE MORE THAN WELCOME, THANKS !!

By: Anil Advani

Anil Advani — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 05:51:33 +0000

I recognize my uncle, RAM ADVANI, in this picture. He is seated 14th to the right of Canon Sinker. Ram Advani later left BCS to resume his interest in literature and to re-start his text book supply business which he still runs now. “Ram Advani Booksellers” is really quite famous in Lucknow. http://www.uppercrustindia.com/posts/60/Ram-Advani-Booksellers.html
There appears a mix-up of dates in the article on Ram Advani though.

Ram Advani wrote back in confirmation and his comments:
“Thank you Anil. This photograph is memorable. I recall most of the members of the staff and a few others. I am there as well. In fact I went over and brought Lord Wavell in the liveried school rickshaw. I recall Bishop Sinker asking me to write down a speech and I told him I don’t know shorthand. Thank you, this is a valuable addition to my photograph album.
Affectionately,
Ram”

I will be asking him to assist list out the names of the others he can identify in the photo and will post a follow-up message.