PORTSMOUTH ROYAL DOCKYARD SCHOOL

Thank you, John, for introducing me and inviting me once again to respond to the toast to "Staff & Students".

Let me first say a big Thank You to you , John, for your splendid reminiscences of our Dockyard School days. What wonderful reminders of the fun and enjoyment we had together in spite of early clock ins in the dockyard on frosty winter mornings and hard learning in the evenings! So we've reached our diamond re-union together. How amazing that so many of us are here today after 60 years!

It truly is a great honour to be asked to speak to you at which will probably be be our last get-together. Today's luncheon gives me the opportunity to express on behalf of all of you our gratitude to Bob Hutchings, Bob Dowdell and Keith Hart, for organising this and earlier events. Alan Holding could never envisaged when he arranged the first re-union 30 years ago that we would be meeting here today. And thank you, Bob, for arranging this venue and lunch again which, as ever, has been splendid. I also thank the chef and catering staff for their fine meal and service. I must also thank, on your behalf, Dick Branscombe for producing a fine wood RDS badge plaque for us, each personalised with our name, and placed alongside the menu for today's luncheon. A wonderful 'labour of love' and something we shall all cherish, I'm sure.

How nice it is to see the ladies here tonight, and particularly Liz Morris , to whom we extend our sincere condolences on her loss of John. We'd hoped to see Dorothy Maggs following her loss of Den but unfortunately she cannot be here. It is wonderful that you both keep in touch and we're very proud of you. There are those who, for health, travel or other reasons, cannot be with us today and include: Bob Dowdell, David Byng, John Hall, Pete Schembri, Peter Rusell, Mike Bray, Ed Owen, Tom Wells, Dave Gilbert, and Charlie Marshall. We send them our very best wishes. And, as well as Den and John already mentioned, I'm sure you'd like to remember those who are no longer with us: Alan Holding, Charlie Bruce, Dave Wright, Lou Daniells, George Walker, Ken Boxall, Tony Clark, Derek Harris, Dave Perryman, Len Vincent, Mike Ward and (we think) Jack Bates. We salute you, dear friends; you are all sadly missed.

Now, I decided to research the History of the Royal Dockyard Schools. I hope you will be interested in what I found out. The Royal Dockyard School concept goes back to 1806 when Lord Barham's commission recommended that there should be a deeper education study of ship design. The first School of Naval Architecture was set up in Portsmouth in 1811 but abolished in 1832 when a different Governmemt came in. However, in 1842, the Secretary to the Admiralty reported: "My Lords Commissioners are of the opinion that Schools should be established for apprentices to give them the benefits of a religious and professional education."

Portsmouth along with Chatham and Pembroke schools were established in 1843. Others followed a year later. Upper and Lower Schools were established in 1846 - the Upper with 2 afternoons and 3 evenings per week; the Lower, 1 afternoon and 3 evenings per week. The Entrance examination subjects were: Mathematics, Arithmetic, Science, History, Geography, English and Drawing. The subjects taught in the schools were: Geometry, Arithmetic, Mensuration, Engish Grammar, Algebra, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, History, Trigonometry, French, Mechanics, Hydrostatics, Conic Sections, Differential & Integral Calculus, Practical Shipbuilding & Laying Off. At the end of the 3rd year, the best students were selected for the 4th year - and the 3 best sent to the Royal Naval College at Greenwich.

An extensive review undertaken in 1905 resulted in more emphasis in the syllabus on professional subjects in the 3 main trades, viz. Shipwright, electrical and mechanical fitters. Allowance was made for 'late developers' in the Lower School to move to the Upper (and vice versa), and all the Upper School extended to the 4th year. Opportunities were often provided (unofficially) for apprentices to continue their studies for a limited period during working hours but this depended on the Chargeman, their instructor and the location. This system turned out 4th year Dockyard School apprentices with the equivalent of at least a 3rd Class Degree in Engineering fully recognised by many outside organisations. It continued almost unchanged - including through two world wars - until 1958. It was then changed to a Student Apprenticeship scheme which failed, changing yet again to a Technician Apprentice scheme with more demanding Entrance requirements. The Dockyard Technical Colleges (now called) were now recognised centres for Ordinary & Higher National Certificates in Naval Architecture, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Portsmouth Dockyard Technical College finally closed in 1971 when education for apprentices was transferred to the Portsmouth Education Authority.

After that, I think you are due for a little light relief!

How things have changed for youg people since our apprenticeship days! When we last met, I talked of the enormous changes in technology which had taken place with the advent of the internet, social media, mobile phones and so on. But changes in our welfare state, over-protective Health and Safety rules, obsession with fast food - and the "I want, and I want it now" mentality - have changed perceptions of what young people EXPECT in life. Will their early working and family lives live up to their Great Expectations, I wonder. Bill Gates wonders, too. Here are a few of his words of advice:

1. Life is not fair - get used to it.

2. The world expects you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself and you won't be vice president until you earn it.

3. You will not make $60,000 a year right out of high school

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait 'til you get a boss.

5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity; your grandparents called it 'opportunity'.

6. Your parents weren't always boring; they got that way paying your bills, replacing your clothes and listening to how cool you think you are. Before saving the rain forest, try delousing your bedroom.

7. TV is not real life. In real life people actually leave the coffee shop and go to real jobs.

8. Smoking does not make you look cool. It make you look moronic. Ditto for purple hair, pierced body parts and tattoos.

9. Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life hasn't.

Now, a couple of light-hearted stories concerning older people (like ourselves, perhaps!)

1. In December Jenny and I were in Australia visiting family including our great grandchildren. We were celebrating my 79th birthday and one littl'un asked me how old I was and I told him. He was quiet for a moment and then said: "Grandad, did you start at one!"

2. While on holiday an elderly couple stopped at a Pizza Hut for lunch. After finishing their meal, they resumed their journey. On leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table, and she didn't notice this for some 30 minutes. They had to travel quite a distance before they could find somewhere to turn round but eventually they managed to do so. On the way back, the elderly husband became the grumpy old man, fretting and complaining and scolding his wife relentlessly. To her utter relief, they finally arrived back at the restaurant. As she got out of the car and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, the old man yelled after her "And while you're at it, you may as well get my hat and credit card!"

You probably know that the re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo was held last month in Belgium on its 200th anniversary. At our last re-union, I said if we met on our 60th anniversary, I would propose a toast to the Duke of Wellington and the success of the Battle of Waterloo against Napoleon, thus ending Britain's '100 years war' with the French. Before doing so, let me enlighten you on one or two interesting facts about the battle and the great man himself:

1. Apparently, things could have turned out very differently if one of Napoleon's generals had brought vital reinforcements to the battlefield. Instead of Napoleon's communication 'C'est engagée', meaning the battle has begun, the general misread the message as 'C'est gagné - the battle is won!' This general spent the rest of the day resting his troops 6 miles away whilst Napoleon's troops were trounced by the British and allied forces!

2. During the battle, many souvenirs were collected by local peasants e.g. cap badges, sabres and pistols and sold to people watching the proceedings from a safe distance. But the most vauable commodity was teeth which, set in hippopotamus ivory, were sold as dentures to the wealthy gentry.

3. It's fairly well-known that today's Wellington boots are named after the Duke who adapted the standard issue Hessian boot to have a low heel and calf-skin lining to ease strain after a long day of walking or fighting. But it was not until 1852 that the boots were made from rubber instead of leather to make them waterproof.

Now here some famous sayings of the Duke:

"An extraordinary affair. I gave them their orders and they wanted to stay and discuss them!"

"I have no small talk - and Peel has no manners."

"As Lord Chesterfield said of the generals of his day, 'I only hope that when the enemy reads this list of names, they tremble as I do!'"

"You must build our houses of Parliament on the river, so that the populace cannot exact their demands by sitting down round you." and

"If you believe that you will believe anything!" (Another of his sayings)

So I ask you to charge your glasses and drink to the 'Duke of Wellington', coupled with 'The Battle of Waterloo'!

Time now I think, for me to wrap up or there will not be time for you to talk to each other - and get another drink before we depart. So in conclusion, there is a group I need to say a special Thank You to on behalf of all ex-apprentices - and that's our wives, partners and families. After all, for what we are today - we can at least partly blame them! But, seriously - for all the love, support, encouragement and just being there for us day in, day out, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Gentlemen, let us be upstanding and raise our glasses to 'Our Ladies, past & present!'

Thank you - and may God bless you all with good health & happiness in the days ahead.