Old West Downs Society – Memories of the Tindall Era, 1922-1954

From The Hon. David Astor, 1921-24

In reply to a letter from Mark Hichens.

I had no way of knowing whether the school and Headmaster were good or bad, as I had no knowledge of any other such school. On the whole, I think they were pretty good.

I well remember all the members of staff you mention. I think Rose and Ledgard were the two who made the most impression on me.

I think my mother was inclined to ask questions at the top of her voice, so to speak, but I don’t think she had any special aversion to schools and schoolmasters. I think her relationship with the Tindalls was perfectly OK. Her visits to the school were only embarrassing in that she tended to speak to everybody there, whether I knew them or not. On second thoughts, I think my mother was inclined to say that the founding Headmaster, whose name I cannot now recall, was better than Tindall or at least that she liked him better, but I would not put great weight by that.

One contemporary with whom I am still in touch is Major-General Sir John Nelson.

David Astor