Boulevard Nautical School

[Peter Markham]

Hi John, thanks for your interesting message. The wooden shed alongside the School would be the Fishermans Mission to which we used to resort at lunch time. As you say, Capt.Allison was not a good teacher. Bill Davis was the tops, and when I was there Mr Hutchinson who hailed from
Goole and kept bees invited us to look into the mysteries of algebra and trigonometry even up to calculus, what's that? I don't know even now. It is good to remenisce, Albert Avenue baths for our bronze medal in lifesaving. One winter the heating failed, didn't matter we still had to go - Peter Markham

[Gulliver]

Hi Guys.It's fascinating to hear about your experiences at the Boulevard,at quite young ages too.You certainly seemed to have had a 'priveleged' pre-sea education there!

But,very interested in Peter's comment especially;

'Do you remember that strange contraption at the top of the stairs,it was the solar system in a large case,that had all the planets moving in their orbits,the only drawback,I never saw it working,it was broke.'

An ORRERY is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system ,in a model usually brass. In a darkened room with just the brass sun illuminated it can also show reflections of eclipses of the sun and moon. They are typically driven by a large clockwork mechanism with a globe representing the Sun at the centre, and with a planet at the end of each of the arms.

I had to look this up,but they were named after the 4th Earl of Orrery,an Irish peer who sponsored one of the first inventors to build one.

No orreries today.....only planetariums?
I've never seen one,only in a pic(below).

Gulliver

[Ernest Fletcher]

Hi Humber,
Don't remember dancing lessons, I still can't dance! Two left feet and the wife says that whe I try it's like dancing with a plank!!
Used to love playing cricket on the playing fields above Anlaby road. (There is a fly-over there now!)
And loved Hull Fair every year, great fun.

Capt Jones is the one whose name I couldn't remember. The story about Sven was that at some point in his life he was a wrestler and body builder with masses of muscle. You remember that he used to speak with a wheeze, it was said that it was because all the chest muscle turned to fat in later years and caused lung problems. How much of that is true or invention by the boys I have't a clue!

By the way, and old mate of mine may have been at the school same time as you, Russel McClean, do you remember him?

[Ernest Fletcher]

Hi Peter,
With reference to your comment about real names, when I first joined the site I used the navigator 4 until I became familiar with the site and was comfortable with the members. I haven't yet found out how to change it, although some-one put on the site about this subject an opportunity to change it. I registered my interest but it has't been changed. Still most people know my name by now as I sign posts with it.

Regards
Ernest Fletcher

[David Brook]

Greetings to one and all.

I was at B.N.S from 54 to 56 - best school years of my life. Joined Shell as an apprentice. Left the M.N as 1st Mate in 66 and went into aviation until I retired.

Once did a website on the old school but whilst it had plenty of hits could never find anyone to help me maintain it so let it drop. If anyone is interested in resurrecting it please get in touch and would work with you to get it up and running again.

I organised a couple of re-unions, mostly for my class but others were welcome to come along.

I have the names and contact details of quite a number of old boys from various years – if you would like me to add yours to the data base please let me know and tell me what information you would like me to give to anyone who asks for your contact details.

Have quite a collection of newspaper cuttings and photos. Eventually will pass these onto Hull museum.

Hope the foregoing does not sound as if I am blowing my own trumpet just wanted to say that it would be a great idea to keep the memory of the school alive.

For those of you who knew ‘Ticker’ Tolson (English) you may not know that he crossed the bar in October of this year (2009)

Regards to one and all and may your sailings be smooth.

Brooksie

[Peter Markham]

Thanks Ernest for your comment. I like to see the names of those who correspond on the site, that is the only way I can recognise if the writer is someone I knew at BNS. I really enjoyed my time at the Boulevard and find it very enjoyable reading the comments of others who attended.

[john meekin]

Hi,was,nt Mr Evans nickname "Trigger Nick"Iused to enjoy the time downstairs in his lab,but I developed a mental block when it came to mechanics,I just could,nt get my head round velocity rarios e,t,c.Mr Jones was always going on about his time at Pangbourn(a far superior establishment),Mr Tolson was great,a good teacher,the last time I saw him,he was on the Generation Game with his daughter,he was a headmaster by then in a Hull school,it was sad to hear he had "crossed the bar",Best regards to all,John

[robin sexton]

hi Ernest in sunny spain (where exactly)
I was there from Sept 64 to sept 67 joined my first ship in South Shields with Bryn Cutsforth,Bryan Smith and John Barrett.
I have just found this site and would love to hear from any of the old lads.
I lost all my old photos of school but we were the first to start playing rugby league with the science master as coach because olf football mad Mr Mahon liked football instead.
I will look at the sits again cause I have to go now.
I loged down Division Road,just around the corner from school so you may remember David Chivers and binkie(or)Binkavich they were at the same house a Mr and Mrs Taylor
Bye for now
Robin Sexton
I never liked RE or that teacher that used to hit you with the ruler,remember,otherwise I have great memories of those years and the first time I hitch hicked home from five ways after school on a Friday?

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day Robin and welcome tot he site. If you care to list all your ships with some dates you may well hear from some who knew you. So sit back with a cold one and enjoy the voyage.

[Ernest Fletcher]

Hi Robin
I was there from '61 to dec '63. Lodged down Beverly Road for a while but finally settled on St Matthews Street just round the corner from school (and brothels!) with the Bloomfields. We seemed to spend most lunchtimes either at Georges barbers (a cig and a match for a penny!), or at the billiard hall on Hessle road.
Joined Buries Markes (Capt Allison said no-one else would take me) and sailed on La Hacienda on 15/12/63 for Brazil, Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

By the way, I live in the province of Almeria 35 minutes inland from Mojacar near the town of sorbas.

Cheers for now