Robert (known as Bob) Lee was born on 16th January 1938. He became a pupil of Leamington College for Boys, from 1949-1956, although he lived at Finham on the outskirts of Coventry. Norman Painting, (aka ‘Phil Archer’ of radio fame) was also a pupil at the College just before Bob was born. In his foreword to a history of the school, Painting counts himself fortunate to have been a pupil of the College, when “Classes were small: the dedicated team of teaching staff were in their prime, …. We were a very close community ……. completely free of any social snobbisms: the son of the railway-worker and the gas-fitter played and studied happily beside the son of the doctor, the solicitor and the small shopkeeper.”
When Bob started at the College the staff numbered 17. There were just over 300 boys on roll, with a further 20 in the Sixth Form. A fifth of the intake came from outside Warwickshire, as boys like Bob had passed the 11 plus but there were not enough places at grammar schools close to home and the commitment to a grammar school place had to be honoured. Competition for places was fierce, and many boys travelled long distances, – by public transport, unlike these days. By the time Bob was in Form IIIa, he had begun to find his feet academically as well as in sport. He showed great promise in Physics and Maths. By the time Bob left the College for University, the main school had almost doubled in size, with 150 in the Sixth form, and 39 staff. It had become normal for 80% of boys to stay on into the Sixth form and move on to University, Teacher Training College, and apprenticeships in technology, accountancy and the law.
Bob left a compendious record of his schooldays, in the form of monthly report cards, addressed to his father and sent home by post, his termly school reports, school magazines, Speech Day programmes and even his GCE O and A Level Certificates. According to his last school report, he was “a gifted member of the school”, a prefect, and captain of the Chess team. He was also a member of the Rugby XV (a contemporary of Keith Savage, – see photo of 2nd XV, 1955-6 below) and the Cricket 2nd XI. He achieved Athletic Standards in Shot, Discus, 880yd and the Mile, – far from negligible achievements, as these standards all contributed to the points tally of each House and the final scores on Sports Day.
At the College, Bob represented his house (Jephson) in athletics and swimming, coming 3rd in the mile on Sports Day in 1955, and winning the event two years later. Bob acted in the House Plays, taking the part in 1955 of “The Shepherd” (a spy) in Jephson House’s performance of Shivering Shocks, by Clemence Dane.
He was also musical. He competed successfully in the Leamington Festival, in the under-16 piano solo in 1952.
As was usual at the time in small grammar schools, Bob sat 6 Joint Matriculation Board O levels, passing all 6, then in the 6th form specialised in Maths, Physics and Chemistry A-levels and the General Paper. By the time he left for university, he was top of his form of 14, excelling in maths and physics.
In Bob’s collection, there are photographs of Bob in later life, – clearly at Old Leamingtonian reunions, with old form mates carefully named. His was not the only year to keep in touch, – there are still a few similar groups managing to meet, – as many did after the school’s final closure and its conversion to a retirement village, delighting in being able to enter at last through the hallowed front door! Bob left a treasure trove for all those with an interest in the school.
Margaret Rushton
July 2023
Based on information supplied by Bob’s wife Jackie, via Helen Woodford