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(Memories
of Ronald Stirling)............STRIPED
SOCKS
AND
MORE……………
"you
may notice that I was not wearing, striped socks they were bright RED,
because the striped socks had not been awarded to me yet!
This match was @ Glasgow Academy's Old Anniesland Grounds 1946. I
sometimes think I was awarded my striped socks that Xmas so I would stop
wearing them. When you were first selected to play for the 1st XV, after
several rigorous trial matches run through the summer, you were by no
means a permanent member, you were on trial, and not entitled to wear
striped socks in the school colours. At Xmas time if you were considered
to be worthy of being a full member you were awarded the right to wear
them, by a posting on the
Rugby
notice
board!
On
the street that I lived on there was a family Brown, four sons and a
daughter all 'Hillheadites', all the boys were killed in the war. Mrs
Brown gave me her son John's rugby togs including his socks, the ones I
am wearing in the 7-aside portrait. The last clear memory I have of him
was one snowy winter I was 12-13, he was across the street he made a
snowball & heaved it at me, I bent down & it caught me squarely
in the right ear. That's the way seniors treated juniors at
HHS
!
John
is the tall chap centre, back row in the photo below, and sitting 2nd on the
right of Dr William J Merry (Headmaster, a great man).
Standing on his right in the
Rugby
photo is a very famous Gym teacher ( as they were called in
my day) Mr A. Smith - 'Smithie'.
His idea of a Gym period was to play "SCREWNECK", whoever had
the ball could have his neck screwed until he dropped it, great training
for
Rugby
!
Ronald
Stirling |
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