Malcolm Smith's Family History Archive

---

Schooldays of

Malcolm  Archbald  SMITH

[Ref. S.1]

---

Confirmation 1955 Carols 1957 Worksop College

---

 

Worksop College

The chapel

 
Timetable 1954 Chapel Hymn Commemorative service

 
At the time Malcolm arrived at College, there were three compulsory attendances in Chapel on a Sunday and one during weekdays. In addition, Communion was available for those who had been confirmed. Malcolm immediately started taking classes and was Confirmed by the Bishop of Southwell on 19 March 1955 along with others.

During Malcolm's time at Worksop, the requirements for attendance in Chapel were gradually eased and the morning service had voluntary days before being phased out completely.

On Speech Day in 1956 after the opening of the new indoor swimming pool by Her Highness The Princess Royal, she attended a commemorative service in the college chapel. During the service Malcolm and his friend Brian Prince supported the Bishop of Shrewsbury as acolytes.

At the annual Carol Service, a boy from each year would read a lesson and this year Malcolm, representing the Lower VI form, read a passage from Isiah. As a School Prefect in his last term, he also read a lesson on several regular Sunday services.

On Sunday evenings, it was not difficult to 'cut it fine' when attending Evensong as the afternoon was free time. If anyone did arrive too late, they would not be allowed to enter Chapel but would sit in the organ loft where they could be seen. This happened to Malcolm several times when arriving back at school late after visiting his girlfriend in town. Luckily, these events passed with out his being admonished.

The School Chaplain, The Rev. H J Pickles, was a very relaxed and jolly fellow always with a smile and ruddy cheeks. He had a saying "Rock" when things were going well. After lights out on some evenings he would allow prefects to come to his room for a glass of 'cocoa' which was actually a bottle of Mackeson. A cigarette or two may have been lit. Presumably the theory was that it would stop boys purchasing alcohol and cigarettes and being seen by younger boys taking them.