One lunch time someone (who will remain nameless) did not pay for a chocolate bar in the school canteen. He was spotted. Anyway we had Chemistry theory after lunch and this person was chatting in the class while Doc P was talking. Doc P quickly turned on him, "XXXXXX be quiet, we don't want any Wispas (whispers) out of you."

Do they still sell Wispa chocolate bars?

He was teachinh chemistry in the early seventies and I, along with a few others, can testify to him hAving an extremely long fuse but when he blew then watch out. A decent guy.

I believe he joined the school in 1974, at the same time as I entered the 6th form. I remember him for two things; firstly, his incessant shouting at the class (whoever they were) in the lab adjoining the one we were in, and secondly, his sharing Current Affairs' duties with Kevin Dickens on Friday mornings, where we got to see him in a more relaxed environment.

A nice man definitely, but the presence of two Ph.D's, him and Chris Timewell, in the Chemistry department did much to persuade me that it wasn't wise to pursue a degree in chemistry as was my earlier intention (I was also quite poor at the practical side of the subject, though this could perhaps have been overcome).

Never taught by Doc P, but he looked after the computers (BBC Masters, then Archimedes; there was an RM Nimbus there too, but I never used it) in the "Reprographics suite" (a photocopier and lots of computers, next to the library at the top of C block — presumably the space was taken from the Sixth Form area).

Awesome guy, who did great things for my interest in computing. For which my wife's wool stash is eternally grateful :-D

Don't recall him teaching me, but he was certainly involved with the sailing club, possibly actually running it, certainly in my last couple of years (75 & 76). Good bloke.

It's a pity that many schools don't have things like sailing clubs nowadays as it certainly got me into something which i have thoroughly enjoyed over the years.