Old Apsleyans

Pete Currell

Pete today

"I became a PE teacher in 1969 and remained that way until an acute injury forced my retirement 5 years ago. I now teach 12 hours a week at the same school (Colne Community School, Brightlingsea, Essex)....and generally life is very sweet at the moment, albeit a little too inactive for me. My wife, who teaches full time, might point out a few injustices in the situation! Sue and I have been married for nearly 30 years, have 2 grown up children (25 and 28) and our daughter has, this year, presented us with our first grandson, which has been an absolute delight.

I get back to Hemel quite frequently, my aunt lives in Warners End and my sister in Flamstead, although I rarely bump into 'blasts from the past'...perhaps they've given up drinking!! I did, however, play cricket for a few years with Nick Parsloe the son of Roy our old PE teacher. Nick taught PE in Colchester about 6 or 7 years ago. I, also, taught for some time with Lynn Boston remember her?

Perhaps 1 story per email is enough to tickle the taste buds. Do you remember a lad called St. John Soulsby? His parents owned the Fish & Chip shop in Great Elms Road, just up the road from John Dickinson's factory. I remember a speech day in the Assembly Hall and Jock Gray was his usual omnipotent self. When everybody was in the hall, parents included, he suddenly bawled at St. John for sporting a black blazer. How he could tell 1 black blazer amongst 500-600 navy blue ones I'm not sure (if anyone could he could!), but St. John was made to do the walk of shame in front of, what must have felt like, the whole world. I remember feeling acutely embarrassed for him."

Janet Cousins, now Janet Eller, added that  "I went to Teacher Training College with Gill Ruddock, Ian Hemley and Pete Currell. Ian Hemley taught in Luton the last I heard, Gill is in Bristol as a Head."

Pete was always a sports fanatic at school and his life would have seemed to have reflected this.  Pete was, and still is, a Watford fan (Hornet Supporter)  This is what Pete had to say about WatfordFC

"I don't get to see them very much these days, perhaps just 2 or 3 times a season. I used to go fairly regularly until a couple of years ago. I would drive to my sisters for lunch, watch the game with my brother in law and niece, and be home by about 6.30. However 2 years ago my brother in law decided to leave my sister and the 2 kids, and shack up with a 25 yr old! Since then I have not had the same incentive, especially as my niece is now at Keele University. There is, however, some light at the end of the tunnel. My son, also an avid fan, has just started a new job as a deputy head at a junior school in Milton Keynes. He is living with his fiancée in Northampton and will certainly be going to the home games...I'll definitely be meeting him for a beer, lunch and the match before long.

I met with Pete for the first time in 36 years at the April 2002 TOADS meeting.  It was great to seem him and after getting used to his Reverse Mohican hairstyle, (just like mine!) for a few minutes, the years just rolled away.  His mannerisms and distinctive voice and expressions are still the same.  I was delighted to learn that Pete is a vocational teacher and it was easy to tell how much he cares about educating our children.  There was a bit of a dispute when the conversation turned to cricket at school.  Pete of course remembers how he was the best batsman, bowler and fielder the school ever had.  That caused us all a laugh!