A story has been passed on down the years at BWS that William Golding's third published novel Pincher Martin owes some of its genesis to staff room discussion. The late Austin Underwood maintained the truth of this theory according to Vivian Trewhella whose own remarkable experiences in the Second World War were the focus of the talk among members of staff.
In November 1944 Mr Trewhella - like Pincher Martin - had to abandon ship into the cold dark sea. He was en route from Tilbury to Ostend in a Landing Ship Tank during rough weather. Unable to disembark they set off to return to Tilbury but in leaving the main channel struck a mine. The ship's back was broken and both ends were on fire. 'Trew' saw the choice between being roasted and taking a chance. Before he jumped he managed to force another man who was frightened stiff to discard his greatcoat and his very smart, highly polished boots. He failed to persuade another man who said he couldn't swim to make the jump with him. In the water 'Trew' floated around for some time before losing consciousness. He came to in another vessel after being netted out, one of twenty-eight survivors from a complement of three hundred.
He learned later that he had drowned before being resuscitated. It was this extraordinary experience that was the subject of staff conversation. What was it like to drown? Was it true that one's life or memories of it flashed before one's eyes in those final seconds? Yes, 'Trew' agreed - memories had passed by, of cricket teams and games, of people he knew and of various other events of his life. William Golding was an attentive witness. Later 'Trew' wondered if William Golding had not been quite clever in working the conversation round in order then to drop aside and register the information gathered.
According to 'Trew' William Golding was at one with many of the staff in being 'bits of furniture' about the place. Colleagues appreciated his wry humour and certain of them were regular in their chess engagements with him. On one occasion, deep in a game when a boy appeared for a lunch-time oboe lesson, William Golding told him "Go to the music room, put it together and blow. I'll be along soon."
Like many teachers then and now he was understandably impatient with form filling. As a regular duty in his tutorial capacity he had to enter details of his charges' physical development on their reports. In addition to height and weight the measurements of boys' chests - both expanded and deflated - had to be recorded. One distressed mother contacted William Golding who had reversed these latter entries in her son's report!
A further insight is provided by a story William Golding himself, recounted after a visit to Beech's second-hand bookshop in the High Street. There he found a copy of his poems published in 1934 the existence of which he had come to regret. So he took it from the box marked 6d, paid for it and after returning home burned it. Before leaving the shop however he also looked through the box of books on sale at one shilling each. Therein he saw a copy of a book by the then headmaster Dr Happold. He placed it in the 6d box.
As time - and William Golding's rejection slips from publishers - went on so the staff became used to his ways, and yet when success did come and he became an established author other colleagues also became used to his success, even those without his own intellectual strengths. A final story is of a memorable day when Lord of the Flies was published. A zinc bath appeared in the staff room packed with ice and bottles and bottles of champagne. There were some interesting lessons that day and 'Trew' recalls one fitness fanatic called Walter Watson (later to disappear without trace in the Alps) who had stood on his head on a mountain peak. After school he was encouraged once more to stand upon his head, this time upon a small peak of what ice remained from the bath.
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