King's College School

I was at KCS 1971-1977. A few months ago I had a very vivid dream which involved being lost in the corridors of the school. I decided to stop by and compare ground truth - it was amazing how accurately I had remembered parts of the place that I could not have recalled if I'd been deliberately thinking about it.

dsc_0077.jpg View of grounds from Ridgway: Pavilion and new science building. The Ridgway was the back entrance, but the one most used for those of us who arrived by train and then the walk up the hill. dsc_0078.jpg View of grounds from Ridgway; Science building and playing field. There were many sports fields, all of which I avoided to the max possible extent. I recall the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) quick-marching around this one while I set off to catch the bus for the alternative Monday volunteer activity - writing punch-card Fortran programs on the IBM 1130 at Merton Technical College. I never did get my 'Sky as seen from Tau Ceti' plotting program working right; Google Sky is hard to write on punch cards, especially when your color graphics device has physical felt-tip pens. dsc_0079.jpg Science buildings and new buildings, Great Hall and old school dsc_0080.jpg Old school, part of Junior School, and grounds

dsc_0081.jpg KCS Junior School. I was here in the red blazer for 2 years before C.E.; Mr Warburg taught us the rudiments of English and once gave us an illicit preview of calculus. The red uniform was a little embarrassing but at least at KCS there was no bullying, unlike my previous school. dsc_0082.jpg Science bldgs Here gangly Mr Smith (who reminds me now of Doc Brown in Back to the Future) did dangerous things with radioactive substances, while the more rotund Dr. Lewis, who played Hardy to his Laurel, looked on a little worriedly. dsc_0083.jpg Science bldgs. Here, to the left, also I gave my first public talk, to the KCS astro club, on 'Spacecraft Astronomy', at age 15. It was all downhill from there. To the right, I can still smell the formalin in the bio labs as our one female teacher - alas I don't remember her name now - made us pull dead frogs apart and draw pistils and stamens. She tried valiantly but my skills just didn't lie in that direction. Mr. Stokes, in Chemistry, looked wearily appalled as my lab measurements showed I had spontaneously created mass during a simple chemical reaction. dsc_0084.jpg New building - after my time I'm pretty sure

dsc_0085.jpg I don't remember what went on here dsc_0086.jpg dsc_0087.jpg dsc_0088.jpg Old part of school I recall as mainly admin, although there were a few classrooms. Here I took Russian from Mr. Bosworth so that I could read about space launches in Pravda.

dsc_0089.jpg Great Hall. School assembly here, and some classrooms. Johnny Evans sitting crosslegged on his desk telling us about the Paris riots of '68 during French class. Here also a teacher I now remember only as 'Noddy' destroyed any interest I might have had in the Bard of Avon for about the next 15 years. dsc_0090.jpg I think perhaps art class was here. dsc_0091.jpg I remember this area but not sure why dsc_0092.jpg Steps to Great Hall

dsc_0093.jpg Corridor from GH to old school. On the right was Graham Tingay's clasroom. Amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatus, amant.. Rote learning is great, I can still access all that stuff with zero effort. dsc_0094.jpg Courtyard in Senior School. We gathered here during breaks. dsc_0095.jpg Classroom buildings - Eddie Casale's Lower VI-C math class was to the right. He was also master in charge of the bridge club which was entirely composed of mathematicians. I don't think we actually won any of the matches against Dulwich, Harrow etc. but it was fun.

dsc_0097.jpg Canteen to porters lodge dsc_0098.jpg Classroms dsc_0099.jpg Classrooms off courtyard - in my day I think 5 form and prefects room dsc_0100.jpg I think this one was Mr Isaac's V-1 classroom. Was is Deutschland? Deutschland ist ein staat in VestEuropa...

dsc_0101.jpg Classroom dsc_0102.jpg Courtyard dsc_0103.jpg School notices dsc_0104.jpg Courtyard

dsc_0105.jpg Entrance to main classroom bldg dsc_0106.jpg View from Common side dsc_0107.jpg ditto dsc_0108.jpg Great Hall from Common

dsc_0109.jpg Old school from Common dsc_0110.jpg Old school from Common dsc_0111.jpg Passageway dsc_0112.jpg New school from Common

dsc_0113.jpg Wimbledon Common opposite KCS dsc_0114.jpg Wimbledon Common dsc_0115.jpg Wimbledon Common dsc_0116.jpg Wimbledon Common

dsc_0117.jpg Common dsc_0118.jpg Alley beside school - I'd forgotten about this dsc_0119.jpg

dsc_0121.jpg dsc_0122.jpg Alley approaching Pavilion dsc_0123.jpg Extra playing fields behind the school dsc_0124.jpg Playing fields

dsc_0125.jpg Pavilion walkway dsc_0126.jpg Pavilion walkway dsc_0127.jpg Pavilion across passage dsc_0128.jpg Passage under pavilion

dsc_0129.jpg Playing fields. There were also playing fields at West Barnes Lane - we took the bus down to play cricket. We weren't allowed to go home until the match was done, which led to some kamikaze tactics to the despair of the games master. dsc_0130.jpg Science classroom, looking spiffier than I recall dsc_0131.jpg Back on the common. We did cross country runs across Wimbledon common, but never caught any Wombles. I recall coming in 60th out of 61 runners. dsc_0132.jpg KCS from the common


dsc_0077.jpg View of grounds from Ridgway: Pavilion and new science building. The Ridgway was the back entrance, but the one most used for those of us who arrived by train and then the walk up the hill.	dsc_0078.jpg View of grounds from Ridgway; Science building and playing field. There were many sports fields, all of which I avoided to the max possible extent. I recall the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) quick-marching around this one while I set off to catch the bus for the alternative Monday volunteer activity - writing punch-card Fortran programs on the IBM 1130 at Merton Technical College. I never did get my 'Sky as seen from Tau Ceti' plotting program working right; Google Sky is hard to write on punch cards, especially when your color graphics device has physical felt-tip pens.	dsc_0079.jpg Science buildings and new buildings, Great Hall and old school	dsc_0080.jpg Old school, part of Junior School, and grounds

dsc_0081.jpg KCS Junior School. I was here in the red blazer for 2 years before C.E.; Mr Warburg taught us the rudiments of English and once gave us an illicit preview of calculus. The red uniform was a little embarrassing but at least at KCS there was no bullying, unlike my previous school.	dsc_0082.jpg Science bldgs Here gangly Mr Smith (who reminds me now of Doc Brown in Back to the Future) did dangerous things with radioactive substances, while the more rotund Dr. Lewis, who played Hardy to his Laurel, looked on a little worriedly.	dsc_0083.jpg Science bldgs. Here, to the left, also I gave my first public talk, to the KCS astro club, on 'Spacecraft Astronomy', at age 15. It was all downhill from there. To the right, I can still smell the formalin in the bio labs as our one female teacher - alas I don't remember her name now - made us pull dead frogs apart and draw pistils and stamens. She tried valiantly but my skills just didn't lie in that direction. Mr. Stokes, in Chemistry, looked wearily appalled as my lab measurements showed I had spontaneously created mass during a simple chemical reaction.	dsc_0084.jpg New building - after my time I'm pretty sure

dsc_0085.jpg I don't remember what went on here	dsc_0086.jpg	dsc_0087.jpg	dsc_0088.jpg Old part of school I recall as mainly admin, although there were a few classrooms. Here I took Russian from Mr. Bosworth so that I could read about space launches in Pravda.

dsc_0089.jpg Great Hall. School assembly here, and some classrooms. Johnny Evans sitting crosslegged on his desk telling us about the Paris riots of '68 during French class. Here also a teacher I now remember only as 'Noddy' destroyed any interest I might have had in the Bard of Avon for about the next 15 years.	dsc_0090.jpg I think perhaps art class was here.	dsc_0091.jpg I remember this area but not sure why	dsc_0092.jpg Steps to Great Hall

dsc_0093.jpg Corridor from GH to old school. On the right was Graham Tingay's clasroom. Amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatus, amant.. Rote learning is great, I can still access all that stuff with zero effort.	dsc_0094.jpg Courtyard in Senior School. We gathered here during breaks.	dsc_0095.jpg Classroom buildings - Eddie Casale's Lower VI-C math class was to the right. He was also master in charge of the bridge club which was entirely composed of mathematicians. I don't think we actually won any of the matches against Dulwich, Harrow etc. but it was fun.

dsc_0097.jpg Canteen to porters lodge	dsc_0098.jpg Classroms	dsc_0099.jpg Classrooms off courtyard - in my day I think 5 form and prefects room	dsc_0100.jpg I think this one was Mr Isaac's V-1 classroom. Was is Deutschland? Deutschland ist ein staat in VestEuropa...

dsc_0101.jpg Classroom	dsc_0102.jpg Courtyard	dsc_0103.jpg School notices	dsc_0104.jpg Courtyard

dsc_0105.jpg Entrance to main classroom bldg	dsc_0106.jpg View from Common side	dsc_0107.jpg ditto	dsc_0108.jpg Great Hall from Common

dsc_0109.jpg Old school from Common	dsc_0110.jpg Old school from Common	dsc_0111.jpg Passageway	dsc_0112.jpg New school from Common

dsc_0113.jpg Wimbledon Common opposite KCS	dsc_0114.jpg Wimbledon Common	dsc_0115.jpg Wimbledon Common	dsc_0116.jpg Wimbledon Common

dsc_0117.jpg Common	dsc_0118.jpg Alley beside school - I'd forgotten about this	dsc_0119.jpg

dsc_0121.jpg	dsc_0122.jpg Alley approaching Pavilion	dsc_0123.jpg Extra playing fields behind the school	dsc_0124.jpg Playing fields

dsc_0125.jpg Pavilion walkway	dsc_0126.jpg Pavilion walkway	dsc_0127.jpg Pavilion across passage	dsc_0128.jpg Passage under pavilion

dsc_0129.jpg Playing fields. There were also playing fields at West Barnes Lane - we took the bus down to play cricket. We weren't allowed to go home until the match was done, which led to some kamikaze tactics to the despair of the games master.	dsc_0130.jpg Science classroom, looking spiffier than I recall	dsc_0131.jpg Back on the common. We did cross country runs across Wimbledon common, but never caught any Wombles. I recall coming in 60th out of 61 runners.	dsc_0132.jpg KCS from the common