PAULINE RELATIVES
Francis and Patrick with their Father
THE ELDER NEATES Out first ball – Francis Neate (1953-58)
I
started at Colet Court aged 11 as a Foundation Scholar in the Upper Remove. It was something of a shock initially after 4 years at a small boarding school. At St Paul’s there were boys who were cleverer than I was. I was also initially bullied, verbally not physically. Fortunately, I was good at games, so the bullying stopped quite quickly. I respected without liking or disliking the masters in the early years. I remember Bo Langham (Master 1916-60) fondly, despite his being in charge of boxing. Bill Williams was
the boxing coach but he had other jobs to keep him active. One was to coach the Under 14 Rugby team, so I had to deal with him in my first term in the senior school. My main problem was that I could not, or rather did not want to, tackle. I regarded this chore as one for those who could not catch, pass and kick a rugby ball. Bill Williams had other ideas and in the course of my first term, I learned to tackle. I suppose I was taught a method, but the main problem was courage. Bill seemed to know about that, so we had a relationship of sorts. I think I started to grow up at the start of my third year in the senior school, when I encountered Buster Reed OP (Master 1947-72). I never felt quite comfortable with Buster, although many others liked him. What was undeniable was that the Colts Rugby team (and Buster) was where it all mattered, and I was captain. In time I made my way to the 1st XV where Phil McGuinness (Master 1951-87) and John Allport (1937-42 and Master
1953-87) were jointly in charge. I liked and respected both enormously. That was my first year of three in the Upper 8th, mainly learning Latin and Greek. That was the system then and it did not fail me, although I tend nowadays to believe that there are better ways to acquire an education. I learned to respect Wol Cruickshank (Master 1947-73) greatly, while disrespecting Pat Cotter (1917-23 and Master 1928-65) who was too full of himself. But the two of them got me to Oxford, so I can hardly complain. I took up Fives at the senior school in order to get out of boxing, but I was too much of a chicken to refuse to box in the Green Cup when told that otherwise my prospects of Club colours would be in doubt. My first year as a Fives player gave me one of my greatest humiliations. As a natural ball player, I was good at Fives, or at least I thought so until the first match against St Dunstan’s. Eric Marsh was their number one, who subsequently became England champion for some »
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