revderek
Claghornist
Do you still see me, even here?
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Post by revderek on Dec 8, 2011 19:11:29 GMT -5
As the anniversary tour approaches, I thought fans might want some titbits to whet your appetite. I attended the same school as Ian (and some of the band from the classic era), in Blackpool (though he left before I arrived, I believe). The school has a website for former pupils which usefully is organised by the year that pupils started. You can find Ian's name in the 1959 index here: www.meliora.co.uk/59list.htmNote that John Evans is there too, along with a William (not Gerald) Bostock. The full newspaper album cover, written by Ian and others, has many references to their school days, but all disguised to avoid libel, I am sure. For example, two teachers who were there for many years were Mr Harold Lander and Mr Dennis Quinlan. (Picture here www.meliora.co.uk/66_staff.htmTeachers were often given nicknames and Mr Lander was known as Harry Frapp - after the French for hit I believe, because he could be violent to the boys. Mr Quinlan was a much teased gymn teacher. On the album cover there is a story of a farmer called Mr H. Frapp who was attacked by an assailant in gymnastic attire. The connection would be obvious to anyone from Ian's school, of course. The newspaper is the St Cleve Chronicle, probably a reference to Cleveleys which is at the north end of Blackpool, near when John Evan lived. Tull fans from Blackpool who are a little older than me might have more insight or foresight than me. Now discuss |
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Post by jtul07 on Dec 8, 2011 19:34:36 GMT -5
As the anniversary tour approaches, I thought fans might want some titbits to whet your appetite. I attended the same school as Ian (and some of the band from the classic era), in Blackpool (though he left before I arrived, I believe). The school has a website for former pupils which usefully is organised by the year that pupils started. You can find Ian's name in the 1959 index here: www.meliora.co.uk/59list.htmNote that John Evans is there too, along with a William (not Gerald) Bostock. The full newspaper album cover, written by Ian and others, has many references to their school days, but all disguised to avoid libel, I am sure. For example, two teachers who were there for many years were Mr Harold Lander and Mr Dennis Quinlan. (Picture here www.meliora.co.uk/66_staff.htmTeachers were often given nicknames and Mr Lander was known as Harry Frapp - after the French for hit I believe, because he could be violent to the boys. Mr Quinlan was a much teased gymn teacher. On the album cover there is a story of a farmer called Mr H. Frapp who was attacked by an assailant in gymnastic attire. The connection would be obvious to anyone from Ian's school, of course. The newspaper is the St Cleve Chronicle, probably a reference to Cleveleys which is at the north end of Blackpool, near when John Evan lived. Tull fans from Blackpool who are a little older than me might have more insight or foresight than me. Now discuss WOW..........Rev Derek  Can you find early pics of Ian and John too? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2011 19:52:33 GMT -5
As the anniversary tour approaches, I thought fans might want some titbits to whet your appetite. I attended the same school as Ian (and some of the band from the classic era), in Blackpool (though he left before I arrived, I believe). The school has a website for former pupils which usefully is organised by the year that pupils started. You can find Ian's name in the 1959 index here: www.meliora.co.uk/59list.htmNote that John Evans is there too, along with a William (not Gerald) Bostock. The full newspaper album cover, written by Ian and others, has many references to their school days, but all disguised to avoid libel, I am sure. For example, two teachers who were there for many years were Mr Harold Lander and Mr Dennis Quinlan. (Picture here www.meliora.co.uk/66_staff.htmTeachers were often given nicknames and Mr Lander was known as Harry Frapp - after the French for hit I believe, because he could be violent to the boys. Mr Quinlan was a much teased gymn teacher. On the album cover there is a story of a farmer called Mr H. Frapp who was attacked by an assailant in gymnastic attire. The connection would be obvious to anyone from Ian's school, of course. The newspaper is the St Cleve Chronicle, probably a reference to Cleveleys which is at the north end of Blackpool, near when John Evan lived. Tull fans from Blackpool who are a little older than me might have more insight or foresight than me. Now discuss this is really interesting!!! did you know Ian and John?? |
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revderek
Claghornist
Do you still see me, even here?
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Post by revderek on Dec 8, 2011 20:12:02 GMT -5
I think early photos would be difficult to find. Presumably Ian and John appear in the 1964 whole school photo somewhere but I appear on the 1968 one and find it hard to find myself!
I think Ian must have left 1965 or 66 and I started in 68.
Ian's former art teacher Mr Aitchison once showed me a painting Ian had done (he later went to art college). You might be amused to know that it was a really good picture of a tramp stood warming himself at a burning brazier (that's not a bra, fellas..)
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Post by LJG on Dec 8, 2011 21:17:09 GMT -5
Well that is officially the most interesting post I've read in a LONG time.
Thanks for sharing!
:cheers
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Mttbsh
Ethnic Piano Accordian-ist
Posts: 115
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Post by Mttbsh on Dec 9, 2011 0:35:15 GMT -5
I spent many hours pouring over that newspaper when TAAB first came out, and loved how much of the material worked it's way into the live performance of the album. Non-rabbits and beach tents. It seemed nothing short of magical at the time. To learn a little about the background characters who inspired the articles all these years later is wonderful. The one about Farmer H Frapp always got me laughing.
Thank you for sharing this with us!
Matt
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2011 2:04:59 GMT -5
That is such fantastic info, it also makes me laugh out loud. (Farmer H. Frap) I'm imagining Barrie in his athletic attire (his constant stage attire) taking it out on him. Possible he didn't go to the same school though. I'm betting that they were all cracking each other up with all this. The ultimate inside joke. I'm still loving the game of Fennel!
What exactly was Cleveley's? It sounds like a dept. store....Thank You Thank you for your insight, hindsight and forsight.
Darin
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revderek
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Post by revderek on Dec 9, 2011 8:04:49 GMT -5
That is such fantastic info, it also makes me laugh out loud. (Farmer H. Frap) I'm imagining Barrie in his athletic attire (his constant stage attire) taking it out on him. Possible he didn't go to the same school though. I'm betting that they were all cracking each other up with all this. The ultimate inside joke. I'm still loving the game of Fennel! What exactly was Cleveley's? It sounds like a dept. store....Thank You Thank you for your insight, hindsight and forsight. Darin Cleveleys is a place, part of the wider Blackpool area: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CleveleysIf you read the article you will note that the Ministry of Pensions was moved there (it became an office of Dept of Health and Social Security) Why am I telling you all this? Well I grew up in Cleveleys and worked at the Ministry of Pensions. I started there after I left school, and was trained by a woman called Elaine. She lived next door to John Evan's mum and brought in John's gold disk for sales of Aqualung for us all to lovingly hold for a few minutes. In the month when Tony Williams stood in for John Glascock for the famous Madison Square gardens gig, Tony's band played to a rather smaller audience at the Ministry of Pensions social club. Sadly I missed it at the time. Thanks to everyone for the enthusiastic response to my original post in this thread. I will have another look at the TAAB cover and see what other info I can remember. |
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revderek
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Post by revderek on Dec 10, 2011 13:45:05 GMT -5
Just a quick snipet this time: If you look at the Blackpool Grammar starters for 1957, you'll find Bruce Hipgrave. Very geeky Tull fans will know he was in The Blades with John Evan(s) and Jeffrey Hammond See: www.j-tull.com/musicians/pastmembers/johnevan.htmlMore soon! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2011 19:20:28 GMT -5
Just a quick snipet this time: If you look at the Blackpool Grammar starters for 1957, you'll find Bruce Hipgrave. Very geeky Tull fans will know he was in The Blades with John Evan(s) and Jeffrey Hammond See: www.j-tull.com/musicians/pastmembers/johnevan.htmlMore soon! And name checked on TaaB |
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revderek
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Post by revderek on Dec 19, 2011 12:15:29 GMT -5
OK. Quick update on this topic, but it takes some explanation.. read carefully!!
As you will note from previous posts, Ian and others were pupils of Blackpool Grammar School in the early sixties. Although this pre-dates Monty Python, there was already a thread of similar humour in the UK at the time and Ian has said in interviews that the TAAB cover was influenced by that mindset.
Now when I joined ths school after Ian left, there was already a strange world of odd humour - a world that only the pupils understood - and the TAAB cover recreates some of this. Pupils had created a set of significant numbers and words that would create a reaction amongst them during a lesson, and which teachers would not "get". It provided amusement during a boring lesson of double Latin on a rainy cold Thursday afterrnoon.
The most significant numbers and words in my era concerned the teacher Dennis Quinlan ("an assailant in gymnastic attire"). He had been allocated the number 8 (or 88 or 888 etc) and words like "gymn". If any of these numbers or words were said by a teacher, all the boys would slap their thighs. (Don't ask me to explain it. That's what we did. You had to be there.)
So you will note on the album cover that number 4 occurs very frequently. I can't remember now which teacher that number was associated with, but I suspect it was Mr Lander (Mr Frapp on the album cover).
Another word that produced thigh-slapping (are you following this?) was "Quad" - short for quadrangle ie the playground. You will note that "Max Quad" appears frequently on the cover, and also in the Passion Play programme too.
Have fun examining the sleeve again!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2011 16:31:36 GMT -5
Man, this is really some cool info you are giving us. Totally interesting.
I remember seeing a picture of Ian as a toddler somewhere (probably on this forum) but it would be pretty cool to come across some more of the childhood years. I would've loved to see the painting of the tramp that Ian did. Very interesting that he made that. Perhaps that could have been the album cover to Aqualung instead!
Anyway, anything else you can share with us (not just about the album cover but anything!) is much appreciated. Not to say you haven't done enough--this is really intruiging.
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Post by Nonfatman on Dec 24, 2011 12:19:31 GMT -5
OK. Quick update on this topic, but it takes some explanation.. read carefully!! As you will note from previous posts, Ian and others were pupils of Blackpool Grammar School in the early sixties. Although this pre-dates Monty Python, there was already a thread of similar humour in the UK at the time and Ian has said in interviews that the TAAB cover was influenced by that mindset. Now when I joined ths school after Ian left, there was already a strange world of odd humour - a world that only the pupils understood - and the TAAB cover recreates some of this. Pupils had created a set of significant numbers and words that would create a reaction amongst them during a lesson, and which teachers would not "get". It provided amusement during a boring lesson of double Latin on a rainy cold Thursday afterrnoon. The most significant numbers and words in my era concerned the teacher Dennis Quinlan ("an assailant in gymnastic attire"). He had been allocated the number 8 (or 88 or 888 etc) and words like "gymn". If any of these numbers or words were said by a teacher, all the boys would slap their thighs. (Don't ask me to explain it. That's what we did. You had to be there.) So you will note on the album cover that number 4 occurs very frequently. I can't remember now which teacher that number was associated with, but I suspect it was Mr Lander (Mr Frapp on the album cover). Another word that produced thigh-slapping (are you following this?) was "Quad" - short for quadrangle ie the playground. You will note that "Max Quad" appears frequently on the cover, and also in the Passion Play programme too. Have fun examining the sleeve again! That's great inside information, Derek, and not surprising to me that kids would have that secret code language. Happy Christmas! Jeff P.S. We've given you an appropriate avatar....what do you think? |
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revderek
Claghornist
Do you still see me, even here?
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Post by revderek on Apr 19, 2012 18:35:01 GMT -5
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Beltane
One of the Youngest of the Family
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Post by Beltane on Apr 19, 2012 19:12:06 GMT -5
very interesting read, thanks for sharing...
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Post by TM on Apr 19, 2012 20:06:31 GMT -5
I can't believe I've never seen this thread until today! Thanks Derek for taking us back to those early days!  Paul |
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Post by brassneck on Mar 31, 2015 9:48:55 GMT -5
I too was at Blackpool Gramnar, though later than Ian A - I was 1966-72. Some more info on the teachers:
Mr Quinlan's 'number' was indeed 8 (or 88 etc), and as well as the thigh-slapping (which was what 'Quin' used to do when talking to a class, standing with one leg crossed over the other and swaying), 'Quin' used to groan audibly, a sort-of "Oh" which seemed to contain a bit of a "w" at the start - so, "woe" or "whoa". This was shouted by boys whenever an 8, or one of Quin's special words was mentioned (not only 'gym' and 'quad', but also 'enthusiasm'). Quin also used to weed out the "sick, lame and lazy" before each PE class.
Mr Lander was never violent in my experience - he taught me history for 3 years, and I wasn't particularly good at it, failing my History 'O' Level. The tramp motif is intetesting, because I recall Harry Frapp telling us that, if he couldn't be a teacher, he'd like to have been a tramp. I think he even said that he might like to take to the roads when he retired - I wonder if he ever did. His other nickname was Little Hitler - for no better reason than he was short in stature, with a moustache. A "frapp" was the twisting of the hair growing at the top of whatbwould eventually be sideburns - hevwas rumoured to do that, but I never witnessed it. In any case, that wasn't then considered to be violent - just an ordinary part of the teacher/pupil relationship.
Other teacher numbers : Mr Thompson ('Eric' or "Tom Glob") was a Geography teacher of considerable girth - his number was '6', and one of his words was 'orange'. Though not scottish, he referred to boys as 'laddie'. He smoked a pipe (as did Mr Lander). I remember a boy writing a parody of Cliff Richard's "Congratulations" which ran:
Quebracholations, and orange-ations
When I tell everyone that Tom has lost his pipe
Quebracholations, and orange-ations
I want the world to know I'm on the A.T.C.
The quebracho is a S.American tree which he taught us about. For its rhymes, the above parody would have got "no marks" (another of Glob's phrases). Tom Glob (together with Mr Fullelove, Head of Geography, ran the A.T.C. - the Air Training Corps).
Enough!! (for now)
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Post by brassneck on Mar 31, 2015 15:45:31 GMT -5
A little bit more ... another of Quin's (Dennis Quinlan's) 'words' was "DISAPPEAR" ... he used it to get rid of an irksome boy. If the word ever came up in class ... EVER ... there was a veritable orgy of thigh-slapping and "whoa-ing". Occasionally, teachers would play up to the "word dropping" ... I remember Mr Pointer (German) almost deliberately (I think) dwelling on the German for 'the cow' and 'the cows' respectively (die Kuh & die Kühe), which sounded remarkably like Dennis Quinlan's initials ... DQ. Mr Pointer feigned not to understand why all the whoa-ing and thigh-slapping was going on, but I've a sneaky suspicion that he knew really.
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Post by brassneck on Mar 31, 2015 16:02:17 GMT -5
...and yet more on the BGS teacher numbers ...
The number 9 was Ben Klonk ... well, I always pictured it written with a K rather than a C. Ben Klonk was our nickname for Mr Large (F.G.Large, French and German - his first names were Francis Gerald, I think). I'm not sure where the Ben came, but the 'Klonk' came from the fact that he had a calipered leg, and used a walking-stick. Boys can be terribly cruel.
Ben got me bang to rights during a 4th form lesson ... I actually quite liked German (and now speak it fluently), but in those days I had a lazy streak, which still hangs around. Our homework was to learn the words of the German song "Die Lorelei" ... "Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten" etc. Words by Heinrich Heine. One of the later verses has the Lorelei combing her hair with a golden comb ... "Sie kämmt es mit goldenen Kamme". I was stumbling along with the German, so Ben prompted me ... "Sie kämmt es mit ein Pfund Bratwurst". I repeated the line, phonetically, as best I could. He grinned, and told me that I'd just said that she'd combed her hair with a pound of sausages. Gotcha!!
More, as I think of it ...
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