Nick (C.N.) Jones 1958-63
I arrived at Durlston in the summer of 1958 just before my 8th birthday.
My abiding memory is one of continuous summer – largely due to the benign quality of Pat Cox’s headmastership. In retrospect he may not have been as fully in control of every aspect of the school as he might have wished, but as an example of upright English good sense, good nature and honourable behaviour I can’t think of a better role model.
I remember endlessly drawing skies full of Lancaster bombers in the art class run by Miss Taylor, strange, half underground bolt holes in the grounds (do they still exist or has Health and Safety meant they’ve been banned?), the wonderful firm but still mother-substitute matron (Miss Tewson?), the school shop run bringing back enormous penknives (surely no longer allowed!), wearing dungarees with one shoulder strap always undone, Sundays in the New Forest with my parents, woodworking, model making, reading GA Henty and John Buchan (although that might have been later!) in the library, tipping my sprouts out of the dining room window and dreading being caught (sorry!), cakes for the whole school on birthdays, the choir processing into the chapel…………..
The key I think was the way the school found to celebrate the achievements of all the boys however modest. Apart from the Stevens brothers who had favoured son status with Pat C (I was very amused to see a photo of one of them with Colin Cowdrey on the school website – surely after getting on for 50 years they’re not still being talked about in hushed tones?!), which seemed to be accepted without any rancour by the rest of the school, everyone was more or less equal.
My own talents were fairly limited, reasonably good at maths (100% in Algebra at common entrance under Mr Beavis’s guidance being a never to be repeated academic distinction!), nor much of a sportsman although I did get my cricket colours as a legspinner/batsman, and a more enthusiastic than talented actor in school plays and Rev Nelson-Wrights Rose Garden summer evening events (Orsino in Twelth Night ). One year my Vive La verse ran “Jones is an actor we all must agree” so maybe I’m underselling myself or maybe Pat C was being characteristically kind! (I’d like to be able to say that Pat C had described me as the best actor “since the war” – his highest accolade - but alas no!)
My acting carried on at Tonbridge but I was never cut out to be a professional actor. However I did end up working in the theatre, for getting on for 40 years now. Initially as a technician and then working my way up through various backstage management roles to MD/CEO. I can’t say that Durlston set me on that course but I’m sure some of the self-confidence needed to make my way in life has been provided by the benevolence of the whole Durlston experience.
Durlston is certainly my Blue Remembered Hills – and, although there were no girls in my day, more Swallows and Amazons than Lord of the Flies!
Nick (C.N.) Jones 1958-63
