What Goes Around Comes Around. Ghosts of the Past Again.

Vest said...
It seems little snippets of my memoirs are filtering around the world, this is about the severe punishment meted out at my naval college when I was a youngster. Even using fictitious names for the college and staff it now emerges that the person whose grandfather was the perpetrator has communicated with me and requires more info. The message reads.

Ed has left a new comment on your post "A Dire Warning To Would be Drug Traffickers": July:08, archives.
---------------
Thank you very much for posting your info about the Naval training school. I think I know which one it really was as my grandfather was the flogger mentioned. I am sorry to find out he was such a nasty character but would love to know more about him please get in touch if you can - my email is (censored)

Sunday, 14 September 2008 10:39:00 AM EST.
---------------
Replying to your request for further info on Flogger Campbell.
The title 'Flogger' was not known to me while I was a student.
It surfaced within a pamphlet written by a former student whom I knew. At the moment I am franticly searching for it among my hoarded treasures. From it I gathered, that the school experienced a major insurrection around 1949, Many boys 'doing a bunk' and eventually being caught were severely punished with many strokes of a large rattan cane by yours truly, it seems he was brought to book, however, I shall search for this info and send on should I find it.
Captain Campbell the school supervisory officer, was a former Lt/Cmd retired when I went there 16:12:1936 - 7:1:42. He was called up during the war but returned shortly after the death of Admiral Sir Edward Eaton-Ellis (hope I got the name correct ) Pop Admiral as he was called filled the war time gap as the school boss.
The Con job. Ok now I shall inform you it was *I Leslie Jxxxxx Bxxxxxxx who wrote the book mentioned shortly.
Hope the info which follows this letter will be helpful.

You may contact me also at,* (censored)*

--------------------



The gymnasium at Watts



There is no doubt that the Barnados sea schools were very good and very successful. On the discipline front the procedure at Russell Cotes and then Parkstone as it became was the usual defaulters' report and then between three and six 'cuts' in the gymnasium over the horse, in private but with the inflicting Petty Officer plus three officers. No ritual or special dress and executed very formally and properly. At Watts up to 1926 it was done with trousers off and the boy strapped over a four-legged horse and biting on a lump of cloth, and always with either the entire school or the defaulter's division mustered to witness it. Afterwards it was over either naval shorts or P.E. shorts in the gym. Cdr 'Flogger' Campbell was in charge between 1934 and 1940, and then back again in 1943 following a war wound. The wound did not appear to impede the movement of his right arm! He usually meted out the canings himself in his own study, and there were reported instances of it being on the bare. Campbell was dismissed in 1946 . The reason was the result of 37 boys enjoying a mass absconding, which was more for devilry and a bit of apple-scrumping than anything else. The less resolute came back within an hour or so and were locked in a basement cellar. It took two days for the remainder to be brought back. It seems that Campbell held the equivalent of a court martial and every boy was sentenced to 12 cuts of the cane. The canings took over two hours to complete, done in the basement cellar with the vaulting horse taken there complete with canvas strappings. The boys were caned on their bare backsides and it was said that their yelps could be heard in the classrooms. Two boys, on being released, ran off again and when caught by the police one of them revealed the state of his buttocks. A police doctor was brought in and then a complaint went to Barnados. Campbell retired on grounds of 'ill health' shortly afterwards. That is the only known instance of abuse at Watts, otherwise the discipline was very strict but fairly imposed.
I did hear that Campbell retired to live near Watlington at place called Brightwell in Oxfordshire. but not too sure, as it was 2nd hand info.I hope the info I have sent is satisfactory. ....... Vest ........ or J L Spencer.my pen name.

Reply:Hello,

Thank you so much for replying so quickly. It really is amazing how the internet helps with these things. My mother (Captain Campbells daughter) was sent off with her mum and twin sister to Boars hill during the war. Captain Campbell divorced my grandmother and I know a lot less about him than my grandmother and her family. I'm beginning to think my mother was so quiet about him because he was such a nasty character.

I am getting the family tree together and I will send you more information as I get it. Its funny that you are from Oxfordshire as that is the part of England that meant most to my mother. She is buried in Berwick Salome (which I think is quite close to Chalgrove) along with her mother.

I am in an internet cafe now so I can't write for long but I will get back to you again soon.

This email address is the best to use for me. I use my hotmail account only when I have to leave an email address somewhere where it might get picked up by spam robots.

Thanks very much for all the information you have already sent.

Best regards,

Edward.

Ed: It seems your Mothers final address in the 50s was as I thought, all places mentioned were within a straight 3 miles of one another.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ghosts of the past?
In India we call it skeletons in the cupboard
Anonymous said…
7 PM in India
is it 1130 PM at your place?


just checking
i want to know if u r in bed now


dont want to disturb u when u r in bed

hope u dont sleep in bed
Vest said…
anon: We dont have any skeletons, at all, I had a look and sure is right they have all gone -- fled to Mumbai.
By the every time I have mail from you a bell rings, would you kindly stop I cant get to sleep.
Vest said…
Excerpt from memoirs follows.

Watts Naval College a charity school with a nautical theme run on militaristic principles. The estate was located in the Norolk rural countryside far from the outside world. It was situated on the edge of a plateau that sloped west to a valley near the river Wensum where the school farmed the land.
Watts had a population of a large staff and about three hundred students between eleven and sixteen years of age. The students were allowed to take two three-week vacations each year during the summer and at Christmas. All other holiday periods were spent at the school. Students without guardians never left the school. Students had no access to the outside world, arbitral access, or personal rights. Discipline was strict. Hunger and fear of punishment were constant. Love and affection were non-existent. All communication to and from the school was censored. Those boys who never left the school on vacation became conditioned to their surroundings (like caged birds) and were probably happier at the school than those of us who had occasional release from our incarceration.
On the 20 December 1936, having been told by my brother that he was going home again to Auntie Parker, I raised the roof and said, “I should go, too!” I was told, “No money, no ticket, no permission. Sorry, you’ll have to stay”. Like bloody hell, I thought. Then the bugler sounded the action stations call and the lucky ones – about half the population of the school – marched to the North Elmham Railway Station.
Two or three hours later, I was on a train that had stopped at a large station. My friend, Ernie Booker and I had no idea where we were going and must have looked conspicuous. The ticket bloke and staff at the station locked us up. Soon after, we were back at HNA.
Living in a dark cloud of rejection, I was totally at odds with that place. I wondered how much more I would have to suffer.
22 December 1936
My brother had arrived in Charlham. Meanwhile, I was confused and in a state of apathy. Ernie and I were in serious trouble. Having only been at this place for six days, I was to get six cuts of the cane, for running away. Having no one to turn to for help, I was wretchedly homesick. It was suggested by a few teachers that because it was so close to Christmas we should be forgiven, but Capt Campbell our Superintendent replied, “Peace on earth and goodwill to all men applies only on Christmas day.”
The remaining population of the school gathered to witness our punishment. A box horse for us to bend over was produced,and we were tied down, plus the biggest rattan cane – even bigger than the one at Charlham School. Ernie went first. It seemed like a bloody execution – minus the knitting hags, the French National Anthem, and a basket for our heads. Ernie was brave but white as a sheet after his six, and had to go to the sickbay. I later learned he had received a testicular injury.
Ernie going first made little difference, as another instructor, ‘Gunner Marten’ was to be my tormentor. I felt bloody awful. My thin trousers barely hid the bleeding welts across my buttocks. After the six strokes, I shouted in agonising pain, “I hope you die, you rotten cruel sod!” and got number seven. Gunner Marten died during the war about four years later. I was unmoved.
Christmas in HNA was over. Our total excitement had consisted of two church parades, an apple, an orange, and cake. Where was Charlie Dickens? What a pity he missed out on this place.
January 1937
Christopher returned from his Christmas holiday and was visibly unhappy, as were most of the ‘lucky’ holiday kids.
Jimmy said…
How do church planters work in the 21st century?


Helen, a missionary who has worked among Bhils in Gujarat and MP, says the first step is to send, a recce team to the area.

Armed with basic information, modern missionaries are expected to 'Work out a sound socio-economic plan for the area-like starting a school, a health centre and a self-help groups.

It is only after a minimum of five years.of such groundwork that a Christian denomination actually starts to talk to 10 calleaders about building a church.


The commercial thrust has made the last decade one of the most successful for the growth of Christianity in India.According to the World Religious Council, India's 25 million Christian population could balloon five fold by 2050
Anonymous said…
“Peace on earth and goodwill to all men applies only on Christmas day.”



hihihihihi
Anonymous said…
Lt William Bligh RN Capt of HMS Bounty, left his legacy of flogging to Capt Campbell RN.

In your case vest you were 10 years of age in 1936 when you recieved that flogging, Seven lashes with a rattan cane.
I just can't imagine the outcry that it would bring from todays child welfare groups.
You must have been a Tough little kid vest.
Good story.
Anonymous said…
There always seems to be some sadist in charge of hidings somewhere in these institutions. I'm glad it is banned now ... no one deserves such treatment, even if you survived it.
Anonymous said…
You are my hero vesty. Luvs ya xxx
Anonymous said…
I liked the sentence. Gunner Marten died during the war fours later, I was unmoved. That say's a lot vesty. Mike.
Vest said…
The vile treatment of people by their so called 'betters' in third world countries and in the best dressed communities is as bad as it ever was; despite new regulations, policing them is too expensive say the grossly overpaid
politicians and of course their legal advisors make sure of that.
Anonymous said…
Bring back cane to beat child gangs

A QUEENSLAND parliamentarian has called for the cane to be reintroduced into schools as an effective form of "short, sharp" punishment.

Queensland's sole One Nation MP, Rosa Lee Long, says corporal punishment is needed as the "go-soft" approach has failed and children are running amok in gangs.

A "short, sharp" canning would be more effective than sending disruptive children to see a psychologist, she said.

"Schools should have corporal punishment brought back in even as a deterrent and in extreme cases it should be used as necessary," Ms Lee Long told the Nine Network.

"It's a great deterrent. We've already looked at the go-soft approach, I don't believe it's working."

The former grazier, public servant and a small business owner, who was elected to the Queensland parliament in 2001, says governments should trust teachers to discipline children.

"We've got to trust our teachers and trust them to discipline our children," Ms Lee Long said.

"I know they would only discipline them when they had to discipline them."

The Tablelands MP said only repeat offenders who had no respect for authority would be caned.

There was "a great lot of support" for her proposal within the community, she said.
Anonymous said…
Spanking is a form of corporal punishment that generally consists of striking the buttocks of a child or teenager with either an open hand or an implement.

Many countries oppose or prohibit spanking as a form of discipline, and many organizations dedicated to the health of children oppose spanking as a form of discipline.
Jimmy said…
Contents

1 Etymology
2 In homes and schools
3 Research
3.1 Alternatives to spanking
4 Agencies that oppose spanking
4.1 United Nations
4.2 Australia
4.3 Canada
4.4 England
4.5 United States
5 Legal status
6 Non-punitive and voluntary spankings
6.1 Folkloristic spanking traditions
6.1.1 Religious customs
6.1.2 Birthday spanking
6.1.3 As a sexual act
7 See also
8 Notes
9 External links
Vest said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jimmy said…
VESTTTT
come soon

check my latest post
its about u
Jimmy said…
Hurry dammit


u dont have to dress
come as u are
Vest said…
Your comment has been published:
Vest said...
Banana Bender: Persons who advocate caning as a form of punishment, should be made aware of its side effects, hatred and a loss of respect towards the persons administering the caning is only a start of the more anti social problems to come with regular caning for minor offences.
Then there is more than a possibility the person could receive damage to blood arteries which could be life threatening.
Arthritic joints in hands have been traced to hand canings received by older persons now in their 70-80s. One stroke of a cane across the palm of the hand, was not always accurate, If the victim flinched or the draconian teacher was off target, fingers were likely
to be broken or veins in the wrist severely damaged causing blood circulation problems.
Needless to say holding a writing instrument would also impair the students writing skills.
TESTING THE WATER.
Those persons who are advocates of Caning, should be licenced to cane.
To qualify as an administer of caning, each applicant shall receive two hand strokes of the cane and follow up with six strokes of the cane across the buttocks. Thus the aquired wisdom attained would serve a useful purpose in the future, namely whether to cane or not.
VEST.

Tuesday

To view your comment online go to: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/comments/0,,24353405-5001021,00.html

Please note the Editor may have slightly edited your comment to be suitable for publishing
Vest said…
It seems the Sydney Daily Telegraph readers enjoy reading my comments too, and it was not edited.
Jimmy said…
heyyy kiddo
u were warned not to visit that blog

yet u did
Jimmy said…
Ardent family orientated bloke

my royal Ass
u shud see the lang the bloke used
when he visited that blog
Anonymous said…
licenced to cane
the new Bond




sounds groovy
Anonymous said…
why restrict it to kids, what about women drivers talking on their mobile phones, dog owners who dont pick up doggie poo, grog shop staff who sell liquour to under 18's, and the MP who came up with this ignorant idea.


Posted by: Rich of Kingsford 10:04am today
Comment 17 of 192
Anonymous said…
I posted Aggies comment to Sydney telegraph
Anonymous said…
Vest said...
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maybe its not for you but for a friend that you wish to propel towards a gratifying lustful experiece of a life time. click onto this blogsite for the info you require.

2:08 AM


Jimmy said...
Beware
VEST is a dirty old man with a seedy rain coat

he flashes

6:48 AM
Vest said…
Well it seems some want it some don't, some need it and some won't. Some say its no good, some would if they could.

The proof of the pudding is in its eating.
Try some now free gratis,
six stickfuls of blood soaked cane, eat to your hearts content, I shall provide the four feet long rattan chopstick.

Call now, we have operators awaiting your call. Vest
Anonymous said…
Man with one chopstick get velly hungry.
Vest said…
Hey jimmie: So my comments on your blog got up your nose, listen mate , its called retalliation, want more? ask for it.
Readers: jimmie is confused right now. I delete any of his comments containing (naughty content). Jimmie is finding it hard to compile his own persoal comments without filthy content. he is a nice duo person who has a swinging north to south small brain within his noddle, his main brain, is his oversized starboard testicle.
Anonymous said…
this is all cool stuff . I love this blog vest is reacooooool Im getting hot for that nice man xx:)))
Anonymous said…
u want retaliation
u gott it man



its war again
dont go crying to mama when u get your just desserts


India never looses a war
except to China

and u r no Chinaman
u wudnt be able to eat even with 2 chop sticks
Anonymous said…
if I had a licence to cane
Vest will never be able to sit on an english toilet again
Vest said…
So its a.

Take your last look at sunshine and brook,
I send my regrets to you Ma,
By this I imply you'll get squashed dunny fly
like a Roo being hit by a car.


Stand by for heaps of deletions'

The problem with Jim is, he has lost the art of being rude without being filthy.
Jimmie: Have a thoughtful day.
Anonymous said…
Young Jim quothe old vestie
hath life grown so dull
that you wish to end your career
Vile infidel know you have trod on the toes of Vestie the man with no fear....Mike.
Anonymous said…
This stoush blog gets better every day.
Jimmy said…
USA, UK, and their stooges, Canada, Japan, Australia and Vest



kiss your ass goodbye
its the end of the western World
global melt down

AIG, Merryl Lych,Lehman Bros, Citibank


have gone down under
India and China on top
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
A Muslim was seated next to an Irishman on a flight from London...

After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken.
The Irishman asked for a whiskey, which was promptly brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the Muslim if he would like a drink.
He replied in disgust, 'I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.'
The Irishman then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, 'Me, too. I didn't realize we had a choice.'
Vest said…
I think Pugs Posted the last anon comment, or jim or saby. Anyhow, I cannot allow my readers to become exposed to such muck.
No more warnings-going going gone.
Anonymous said…
Mamaaaaaa
they are beating me
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Friday, August 29, 2008
Britain to be most crowded nation


Britain is set to become the most populated European nation within 50 years because of high immigration and birth rates.

A Eurostat report published by the European Commission predicts that by 2060 Britain's population will have risen from today's figure of 61.2 million to 76.6 million, making it the most crowded nation of the European Union's 27 member states.

Immigration and birth rates are the main contributory factors to the changes predicted for the UK.

Britain 'to be most crowded nation' - MSN News UK - news & weather


Pug says: This Country has gone absolutely stark raving mad.

Can't this government see into the future???

{{{{{ PLEASE GET IT SORTED }}}}}


posted by Pugs @ 06:47:00 0 comments links to this post

Thursday, August 14, 2008
Anonymous said…
until u have learned to be tolerant with those who do not always agree with u,

until u have formed the habit of looking for the good instead of the bad in the guys u meet,

u will neither be successful or happy

- Napoleon Hill
Anonymous said…
Morgan Stanley to be bought by China

watch your TV now
Anonymous said…
Outsourcing of jobs to indians

a waitress in USA earns 10 dollars per hour min


An American Co, has a project in Bangalore India

they are paying our engineers 30 dollars per hour plus coneveyance boarding and lodging


I am tempted to take up the job
Vest said…
Min wage for adults in oz is $15..00.00 per hour for a 35 hr week.
Anonymous said…
In India we want to compete with China


the Factory Act has been amended to allow 10 hour working day

min wage is about Rs 1500/- (30$) per day

Hire and Fire is now allowed

this is for organized sector


most Cos are not Companies or factories

u show less than 7 workers on Company muster and u can do what u like with workers


employ migrant labor from Bihar and UP

give them food and accomodation and they dont want wages


Bal Thackeray in Mumbai is screaming
Maharashtrians (Marathi manoos) are loosing jobs


the Marathis are fatted
they dont work hard
they dont work at all really
Anonymous said…
The Brothel


A madam opened the brothel door in Winnipeg and saw a rather dignified, well-dressed, good-looking man in his late forties or early fifties 'May I help you sir? she asked. 'I want to see Valerie,' the man replied.


'Sir, Valerie is one of our most expensive ladies. Perhaps you would prefer someone else', said the madam...


'No, I must see Valerie,' he replied. Just then, Valerie appeared and announced to the man she charged $5000 a visit. Without hesitation, the man pulled out

five thousand dollars and gave it to Valerie, and they went upstairs.


After an hour, the man calmly left.


The next night, the man appeared again, once more demanding to see Valerie.

Valerie explained that no one had ever come back two nights in a row as she was too expensive. But there were no discounts. The price was still $5000.



Again, the man pulled out the money, gave it to Valerie, and they went upstairs. After an hour, he left.


The following night the man was there yet again. Everyone was astounded that he had come for a third consecutive night, but he paid Valerie and they went upstairs...


After their session, Valerie said to the man, 'No one has ever been with me three nights in a row. Where are you from?' The man replied, ' Ontario '.


'Really', she said. 'I have family in Ontario .'


'I know.' the man said. 'Your sister died, and I am her attorney. She asked me to give you your $15,000 inheritance.'


The moral of the story is that three things in life are certain.

1. Death

2. Taxes

and

3. Being screwed by a lawyer.
Anonymous said…
Sorry
it is (min wage) about Rs 1500/- (30$) per month
Anonymous said…
a lil exaggeration here
but not much really


dont quote me
Anonymous said…
any idea how much K gets paid?
she dont work at all


she blogs all day
and all night
Vest said…
Anon: Whoever, which is the K you are constantly remomstrating about, I can only make a wild guess.
However, whether I am right or wrong, my formed opinion is sacrosanct. I suggest you seek another source for your enquiry.
Vest said…
Bloggers: this present post atracted 23 rejections at source and after some consideration three deletions to add to the total. These were mostly anons. If your comments are within the absolutely disgusting range you are wasting your own time.
Vest said…
Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting.
Well, for example, the other day my wife and I went into town and went into a shop.
We were only in there for about 5 minutes. When we came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket.
We went up to him and said, 'Come on man, how about giving a senior citizen a break?'

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him a Nazi turd. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tyres.
So my wife called him a shit-head. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote.
Personally, we didn't care. We came into town by bus. We try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired. It's important at our age.
Anonymous said…
heyyyyy Vest
it is true

Michele married Pugs
I mean Pugs married Michele

actualy they married each other
they are coming to Mumbai to see me
Anonymous said…
We came into town by bus.

hahahahahahaha
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
I am getting a sensation in my right calf
the first time I felt it
I tot my pants were on fire

it has been happening again and again
I got worried

went to see my doc
he asked me a lotta embarrasing questions
how much I drink and how much I smoked

then he pulled me close and asked me
how many times I sex

I lied
told him once a week

He smiled
he said u r fine

that is all that matters
Anonymous said…
this doc is crazy
I want a second opinion

is there a doc in the house?
preferably a female doc
Anonymous said…
I bet that lawyer was from the Lower deck
Anonymous said…
DAMN
I got just one day to live young
tommorrow I will be an old fogey like Vest
Anonymous said…
So my wife called him a shit-head


OMG
Rm said dat ???
Anonymous said…
Haven't seen keshie here for a while vestie have you upset her, I can't comment on her blog -only read, she's a busy girl -must be well off to have so much timeto write.
Anonymous said…
Mr Vest you had a rough trot as a young un I thought you were a silver tail a north shore geezer.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Vest said…
Until Monday 22nd this blog will be deleting all anonymous calls, in order for people to find a name.
Vest said…
Wally: Minnesotata kate is an old hag from Minnesota who smokes hash a drinks neat rum goes shooting anything that moves with local rednecks sat-arvo's.
Her greasy spoon truck stop diner serves up the best 'Road kill pies'.
Vest said…
Amy: Keshie is a busy lady.
Once apon a time in story fairy land, we lved together in the PNG Jungle and had three kids.

This is bound to confuse people.

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