StoryMy first week & I was in the pub nearest to the Court. Tim Threlfall was there & he dared me to go & speak to one of the tutors : William Crozier. Bill & I ended up having a long & passionate affair. I sang with Janna in a band at parties. Danced with Jeremy
Jessel. My two closest friends were (& are) Linden Turner & Diana Dean. Linden & I had come up with Stephen Collingbourne from Dartingon Hall, where there had just been 6 of us as art students (one of whom was George Pasmore
- he of Gilbert & George).
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StoryWell it was an ignominious departure, having spent most of my time at The Hole in the Wall Jazz Club in Bath, and finding a distinct lack of empathy, between myself and either of the Ellis family, but I have some very happy memories, and wish I had taken advantage of the opportunities Bath Academy offered.
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StoryI shared a room at Beechfield House with Tony
Jackson. I had studied the piano and had sung in the choir at school and
in St David's Pantasaph, so I was put in the music group. After class
we'd mosey down to the Packhorse for a few before supper at the Court.
Invariably we'd end up back in the Packhorse, Tony on the piano and we'd
sing all manner of songs. Tony taught me rhythm guitar. We got a grant
from the Academy Club (much to the dislike of Clifford Ellis) to buy a
second electric guitar and amp. Ray Pitt had a set of drums. Chris
appeared with a bass and we played at parties and in the local pubs. We
changed our names at every pub venue. We appeared as the Tony Jackson
Five with Paul Deacon on raucous vocals: then as Ray Pitt and the
Assaulters plus other names I can't remember now. Tony played lead
guitar and piano as well as Lennon-type vocals. I'd sing McCartney-type
descant stuff like" Kansas City"and "I'm down". At
the end of the course(1966) I asked Tony if he'd like to continue with
the band as I was up for it. He said "no", he was going to get
a proper job.
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StoryPlease excuse me for being late for class, I'm a bit out of touch: I've been away from England for forty five years or so. So, I forgot to mention last time that another student, Christine Manning, was at Corsham from 1957-1959 (she is shown in the Music Group photo - next to John Hoskin). We married in 1960 when we were both at Corsham. (I proudly pushed my first of six around at my last Open Day in 1961.) We bought a damp old cottage in Atworth for two hundred quid, just down the road from from Stephen Russ' place. Opposite his old cottage lived a Corsham Life model, Marg, I think. I always thought that Stephen was the fittest member of the permanent staff, apart from his bike rides with us, he rode it several miles a day to get to Corsham and back. They broke the mould after they made him! We used to visit Stephen Russ and Co. He seemed to have too many children. Before we left the area he built a fine studio in his back garden where he was able to escape for a bit. What a fine teacher, artist, and person Stephen was. Wonderful cycle tours with us for miles. He clearly enjoyed it as much as we did. At one evening class in the Court (Experimental Drawing), he started us off drawing tangents around our hands. He then produced a lino-cut from his pocket, and worked on it for the rest of the class. It turned out to be the Phoenix design for Penguin books (D.H.Lawrence editions).
Time passes! See ya, Roger
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StoryI shared a room at Beechfield House with Tony
Jackson. I had studied the piano and had sung in the choir at school and
in St David's Pantasaph, so I was put in the music group. After class
we'd mosey down to the Packhorse for a few before supper at the Court.
Invariably we'd end up back in the Packhorse, Tony on the piano and we'd
sing all manner of songs. Tony taught me rhythm guitar. We got a grant
from the Academy Club (much to the dislike of Clifford Ellis) to buy a
second electric guitar and amp. Ray Pitt had a set of drums. Chris
appeared with a bass and we played at parties and in the local pubs. We
changed our names at every pub venue. We appeared as the Tony Jackson
Five with Paul Deacon on raucous vocals: then as Ray Pitt and the
Assaulters plus other names I can't remember now. Tony played lead
guitar and piano as well as Lennon-type vocals. I'd sing McCartney-type
descant stuff like" Kansas City"and "I'm down". At
the end of the course(1966) I asked Tony if he'd like to continue with
the band as I was up for it. He said "no", he was going to get
a proper job.
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StoryDoes anyone remember the Band, we used to play
at Monk's Park, other venues when we could, Cris Garrett guitar, Mike
O'Donnell drums, Jackson on Piano, Deackon? There were some extremely
good moments and in some ways very cutting edge for it's time.
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StoryI went to visit Corsham and the sculpture school some years ago, after it had closed down. It was one of those misty autumn mornings, I found myself and my children walking up onto a huge mound of rubble. We were standing on what had been the sculpture school. It was a surreal experience standing there remembering all that had gone on underneath us and was now about to be turned into exec. homes. Somehow if felt profound to be on top of that rubble, I couldn't really put words to the feeling or the significance it had but it is a strong memory..
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StoryDoes anybody remember Mark Eason (aka Dr.
Death) putting a pigshead into his then girlfriends bed as a surprise
for her? I don't believe she remained his girlfriend much after this.
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StoryI certainly remember the rat-induced eviction
Tim. I seem to remember you came back from the Easter holidays to find
all your possessions in packed boxes in the hallway. I also seem to
remember that you had trouble finding alternative accommodation. This
was not helped by the fact the Herbie promised to make your life "a
living-hell" if you were relocated into his room.
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StoryHi, yes folks it's me, Tim Beck. Does anyone remember when I shared a room with Paul Cousins in Church Street in the first year? Well we had to move out because the rats moved in.
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StoryDoes anyone remember eating the laxative cake
we planted in the fridge in 4 Church Street’s kitchen to deter the
thieving bastards who visited to watch telly?
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StoryThis page was requested by David Bullock - an
Anecdotes of Corsham section - for you to send in whatever memories you
wish to impart on us.
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Authors:-
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