My Blogs:

Once again the Festive Season will soon be upon us so like everyone else things start to get rather busy within our house holds so what sort of year has 2007 been. Well in my case not a great deal as changed one or two friends are no longer with us.

I did not get to see my two girls as I had planned last year, so by not going I was able to have several short holidays in Spain. I also went on a cruise around Egypt to take in a couple of the Pyramids among many more sights you see on films. I did a really silly thing while there; a four hour ride on a camel that didn’t like me and to tell you the truth I didn’t like him or her. Never Again, I found parts to my body I didn’t know I had, I have a video of that painful experience that I don’t need to view.

I have decided to make a stand against Barnardo’s today who want to charge £12.00 for the Guild magazine. This is a 120% rise in subs, while I and others can afford the rise there are many old boys and girls who don’t have any food at the end of the week. The last rise from £1.00 to £5.00 should have covered the cost but too many old boys and girls cancelled there subscription so how many will cancel this time?

I may be part of a B B C panorama programme about long lost brothers or sisters, I will see if they find out any further information. They may bump into a few brick walls for which we Old-Boys know all about. Who can believe its been sixty long years when the boys of the carpenters shop made that beautiful occasional table stood in the lounge that had been made for the Queens wedding back in 1947 one of the boys names was Taxi Carr but I cannot think of the other lads name, can you remember?

A very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2008

02/09/07 I have been told that an old boy from my old school / home has been bringing up the past with his view. My view is totally different from his because you see I know the facts which he is a little light on, facts he does not know he makes up so I have had enough of his twisted facts, his version. I will defend his right to be wrong but I think you should know the truth from my point of view.

Email as sent: 

Mr Blower you are a nitwit of the first order. You rant about things you do not know, for many years the reunion was run with no cheque book and no accounts were ever done. The first cheque book was opened because of me; I took John down to the bank to open the account Fact. I have heard it said that John was pestered by Frank so he could take over the running of the reunion, oh how wrong you are, Frank was pestered by Tom, John and myself as Tom felt John did not need reunion problems when he was so un-well. Sadly it was Tom who was quite unwell who was thinking of his friend. The facts are that it was John himself who put Frank forward as he had phoned John in 2001 for some photos for the web site he had done.  John felt if we went around it the right way Frank would be a good person to run the reunion as he had been a scout leader and he also had a computer. Did you know John had phone calls all hours some not very nice, some never said a word that’s Goldings boys for you; some can be the scum of the earth. In short at the 2001 we got Frank to take over the reunion, but he had only promised he would do the reunion for two years and he would in that two years get someone interested in taking the position over Fact. Did you also know it was Frank who made John our President we never had one before, Frank felt it would keep John involved with the reunion in a small way. Fact.

We now get to the accounts. Do you know who had the first set done? It was Frank it was one of the conditions if he took over the reunion and the other was he would keep the receipts for six years in his possession but they could be viewed by any old boy. This was not a problem because the receipts were ripped up prior to Frank taking over the reunion. That’s a Fact.

The money Frank saved the reunion by using his own van and diesel was more than that git nicked on the day. For you to say Frank nicked a few pounds just shows what a nutcase you are to be taken in by Woods and his little gang, what a shower. That’s a Fact.

What about the gits wife in a phone call to Frank she is heard to shout from upstairs “I found the till roll and put it a blue box under one of the tables” I have heard the tape, what lies they told to cover the fact of the master till roll being removed. Then we have the day you were late picking up the reunion stuff, I was watching on all on a screen and I know for a fact you had the Fred Barns books yet you told Barnardo’s that Frank never handed them over, oh what lies you spin. Now that’s another Fact and just in case you think my string is being pulled there was one other old boy watching with me, so lets have no more lies.

I have had it reported to me that when Frank handed over the reunion stuff  he only handed over a few pence, you were lucky because the reunion owed Frank ££££££s You make no mention of the near £600.00 Frank paid back  yes £600 to us old boys who had loaned him money for the reunions mugs, ties and badges. You make no mention of these that were handed over which were not shown as money in hand within the accounts. That’s a Fact.

I was the one who pointed out to Frank something was up at the reunion. I am the joint manager of a Barnardo shop and have seen what people get up to and he was doing most of them. You and the rest of the fiasco of a meeting that I nominated Jimmy James to the post of treasurer so that the person responsible of the problems would not get the position that is a Fact.

I never received an apology or a sorry or any word from your little gang when it was found the money I had taken on the door with Frank’s wife was paid into the till so was a bulk of the money that git claimed he had taken on the day, he had one part right about taking money. If you remember you accepted that gits word against mine. That the money handed in from the till contained the money I had collected. I had no word I just got more abuse from that git and he even tried to make trouble in the Barnardo shop. This failed because the people in the carbuncle know an evil person when they see one, just ask that git about when the till receipt got stuck under the cover and why this would happen, this can only happen when the cover is removed. When I found other information it was not used to make the trouble maker say sorry instead you posted on your excuse for a web site how you trusted that man, which tells me your not a good judge of character, but how true and exact I was that is a Fact..

You have made out that John had run the reunion for many years; this is another fact you have wrong. Jimmy James,  Mac Lang ran more reunions and I was there helping. I have known Jimmy and worked with Jimmy on the reunions for years before John Hunt started to lend a hand. That’s a fact. The only time I can remember having a cross word with Jimmy was when I told him his job may be coming to an end, while I had not been told the printing dept would be staying open I was right about Goldings closing in1967 That’s a Fact.

Just the other week I saw an email which said something like “I have just put in a bit to help with the site. Thanks for all you do, at least your site is a good one. I took a look at the other one and it is frankly an embarrassment”.  That’s a fact I’ve counted an Abundance of stupid mistakes all over your excuse of a web site that just not got the finis coronet opus. Please don’t think I look at your site, I don’t because it takes so long to load and display the information and is on par with the site that Woods had done but did not have the brains to edit it. I have people come into the shop and tell me of your mistakes. I just give them the Goldonian web site. I have also been given Barnardo magazines, Goldonian school magazines and money for the Goldings web site That’s a Fact..

I have also found you tell lies you say that the other site has stolen pictures and articles when in fact it you that is stealing photos and text from the goldonian. With my limited knowledge I can see information in the pictures that they originated on the goldonian that’s a fact.  If only you knew how we can tell our photos you would not make such a fool of yourself That’s a Fact.

You seem to forget the first time I laid eyes on you at your first reunion in 2003 you were outside making problems before the reunion had even started, you wanted to take over the running of the reunion, In fact I think I said to Frank I had found a person who may want to do the reunion, if you had waited you could have had the job without pulling the reunion apart. That’s a fact. Frank has refused to let this go up on goldonian.org which is a pity, but he can't stop it going up on my web site. He said the last time he would remove the link of my web site from the goldonian. That was because of some of my posts on the Barnardo Group. I have sent this to Frank and other old boys in my address book I got your details from the invite for the reunion, why don't you save Barnardo’s a stamp as I will never show my face while that git that was on the till has anything to do with the reunion That’s a Fact..

All this plus more is going up on my web site and I know everyone will believe what I have to said because they all know me and what I've always stood for the truth unlike you and Woods who have bent the truth so far to protect an old boy who had sticky fingers who had the money in his back pocket not in a tin and why did he keep going missing? I see from information received he was told to leave Goldings at short notice for telling lies. Pinhead knew a bad one from a 100 paces which is a gift you don’t have That’s a Fact..

02/08/07 Below is an email sent to After Care now known as Making Connections. Whats your view and do you think £12.00 is far to much for two magazines?

Hello, Dr Barnardo's. ( After.Care Dept).

After long and dubious consideration and being in contact with a number of "Old Boys & Girls" of Dr. Barnardo's Homes about the new charges for what is meant to be our magazine "The Barnardo Guild Messenger." It is with deep regret that I have to inform you I am unable to subscribe to the new £12.00 yearly fee your office wish to charge. So after 54 years membership of The Guild I point blank refuse to pay for what is "A load of Rubbish" The last edition had nothing worth reading and could be read quicker than the Sun news paper, this magazine used to be a joy to read and worth waiting for.

Barnardo's today are being very short sighted and you will loose more than you gain. If you lost some of the readership on the last hike you will loose even more of the rank and file who support Barnardo's today. The doors are closing all around you but you just don't hear them close. You have been living on the good name of the Doctor which was disposed of. A lot of doors closed but you never heard them. Most people outside Barkingside have not heard of Barnardo's and the logo is linked to another charity not Barnardo's, more doors closing.


Yours Faithfully


Johnny Leach
Old Dr. Barnardo Boy
Member of The Barnardo Association
 

07/02/07

The Email below is as sent to Sheila regarding the so called Barnardo Group of hers_________

HI , Sheila,

 

I have just read your email about the reasons why you have deleted me from the Group ( I Thank you ) There are many Old-Boys & Girls who cannot understand what was said could cause you a problem, it was not very hard to understand, all I wanted was for members of the Barnardo group to put their views for all to see regarding our Guild Magazine and what did you do? You went off on one about yourself Me Me Me that’s what the site is all about YOU. God forbid it should have just a little about Barnardo's.

 

I can fully understand why Barnardo's will never recognize YOUR groups existence while you have nothing relevant to say but attack them at every chance because they will not put your name in lights, this will never happen. I note that Frank was 100% right about you and I also note you never deleted his account, but you did pester him to become a member of the group which he declined. Frank knew nothing about the email I sent you so why you had to bring Frank into why you banned me is somewhat puzzling so I have sent a copy of this email to Frank.

 

I will post this email on MY WebPages for everyone to read, all one can say I have never responded to some of the silly things that you put up but I do now know when someone has a relevant question about Barnardo’s it gets removed because it does not have Sheila in the question.

 

Sheila you left Barnardo’s many years ago, put it behind you! You’re a long time dead. Ask not what Barnardo’s can do for you. Ask what you can do for Barnardo's.

 

Thank you and fare-well....

15/1/07

Since the last publication of our Guild Magazine I have had more and more old boys and girls complain at the options put forward by After Care, last week while working in our shop in Northampton I had a couple of old girls came in to have a chat about that rather silly letter After-Care sent out about that rather idiotic action to increase subscription to an amazing sum of £12 a year, It has only been a few years since the Guild Magazine had a rise in cost from £1.00 to £5.00 this increase lost quite a few members to the guild, the magazine that allows us old boys and girls stay in touch with one another. Not so long ago we used to have four issues a year full of good content and you could set your calendar to the day it arrived now we only have two issues and it is delivered when they like.

All the options given in short mean the closure of the GUILD as we know it. The magazine has a small closed circulation so it would not earn much from advertising within the magazine so that’s not a real option. Reduce the size of the magazine, the members complain at the moment regarding the content,  we are told there is not enough space with the present format yet when the Head of After care left for a post in Ireland many pages were found to let us all know how much she had done for us old boys and girls.

How many of us have noticed the Festive Season letter form the Head of Council not so long ago we had three pages to read. I don’t know if you took the time to read the one that was sent out last year it said absolutely nothing just a few well chosen lines. Have they forgotten how to write letters or were they asked to cut down on the amount of paper used?

Why not make the Guild Free of charge to all Dr Barnardo's Old-Boys & Girls instead of paying for the yearly conferences that are an utter waste of hard earned funds. Why not charge an admission fee and not payout expenses for people to attend. Head office should open their eyes and see what we the old boys and girls do for Barnardo’s today from voluntary work to collecting money for Barnardo’s this I think will all end with the demise of the Barnardo Guild Messenger.

Oh and I nearly forgot Happy new Year,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

1/12/06

With the Festive Season just around the corner and the end of the year in sight one wonders what’s been the highlights and the low points we all have had to overcome, In this free for all society one might ask the question what have you had and what have I had for nothing over the last year It would appear that 99 out of 100 would answer that question by saying nothing In a whisper which I find somewhat rather staggering, In November me along with a few friends put that question to a leading academic at a leading Institution we attended, I might add for the day just a one day visit he paused for a moment then said I feel we've all had something for nothing each and everyone of us here today. “What’s that we asked in a word” life was his answer. How much can one put on one's Life did you ask to come into this world No so whatever one obtains or goal in life one has to earn because you only get out of Life what you put in.

As for me I know life as been kind to me this year I've had 7 trips to Spain along with a Holiday in Devon plus a trip to Scotland in 2007 I'm planning a trip to New Guinea and spend a couple of weeks with my two daughters whom I've not seen for over 10 long years I bet they will be well pleased to see me when I tell them I'm down and out and short of a bob or two, mind you one word from me and the tickets would be at Exeter airport all paid for but 36 hours on a plane is no joke plus a 4 hour drive so you can understand I have put it off for many years.

The Browning Version 1950 which is now wildly available on DVD so for all those Goldings boys that were on the silver screen can now see them selves for the first time like I did, mind you don’t blink. Another old film made at Waterford in 1947was called "A Boy a Girl and a Bike" was filmed in Waterford while I was at Goldings that might be on D V D once again I was in that as an extra also the boy that was with me that day was Jimmy Mainprice we had gone to Waterford village to get 1/2 ounce of Nut brown tobacco to make about 60 roll ups when we got stopped and told to stand on the bridge while they filmed the shot for that we got a 10 bob note that was a lot of money in those days, I have never seen this film, but one day you never know it could be shown on Channel 4 or given away free.

The Goldings web site www goldonian.org is going from strength to strength only because it tells nothing other of things that have known to have occurred while the boys were at Goldings.

I would like too take this opportunity to wish every reader of this page and all my old Goldings friends a Very Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year and May your dreams or aspirations come to fulfillment in the New Year.

Some may whish to know what the 10 shillings was spent on   4 x 1/2oz nut brown @ 1shilling and sixpence ha’penny each 4 x packs of cigarette paper papers 2 x Kungial cake @ sixpence each 2 x cups of Tea @ one penny each 2 x tickets for the castle cinema at Hertford @ 1 shilling each Regarding the cigarette papers, normally we would use toilet paper but as we were feeling quite rich we bought the real thing.

 

I found this letter sent to me by my old pal Roy Dean who has now passed away, but I thought I would share it with you. It's about my old home/School Goldings

Mead Road, South Willesborough, ASHFORD, Kent TN24 OBT
 

Tuesday. 6th October 1992

Mr. John leach,
Holly Road,
NORTHAMPTON,
Northamptonshire NNl 4QW

Dear John.

First things first. it was so nice meeting you again at the 'Goldings' Reunion last Saturday for the first time for at least 38 years, it might well have been more - but I was able to enjoy the long conversation we had together and I was also pleased that at least one photo proved so very interesting for you. I hope that you enjoyed the evening event just as well and that you are now back in Northampton, feeling that the weekend was indeed well worth while for my part. I was so pleased to be able to visit the school again after all these years and to see that in some ways the place had changed very little though I do think that the old Sick Bay has seen better days, it would never have been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent in our days there!

You asked me if I could find names of various House Masters and boys of the time you and I were there and I have gone for the year 1948. Most of these names were the same throughout the period that you requested, with of course, some minor alterations.

Headmaster:	Mr. R. F. Wheatley B.SC., M.R.S.T
School Chaplain:	The Rev. S. C. Corbett
Head Matron:	Mrs. L. E. Tabb
Head Chef:	Mr. Jack Nicholls
School Captain:	G. Vallance
SOMERSET  HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. Patch. Mr. L. Embleton. Mr. W. Purkis. Mr. R. Moss
House Captain:	J. Samson
House Prefects:	D. Moore. S. Wilson. J. Knight
CAIRNS HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. White. Mr. Tempest, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Fogg
House Captain:	A. B. Johnson
House Prefects:	Culliford, Moss, R. Howitt
ABERDEEN HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. R. Purkis. Mr. L. Amos. Mr. R. T. Stackwood
House Captain:	N. McKinney
House Prefects:	L. E. Nice. H. Clay. I. Watson
MOUNT STEPHEN HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. H. Randall, Mr. H. Petherbridge, Mr. F. Tordoff
House Captain:	J. G. James
House Prefects:	R. Gane,   L. Greenough, G. Brown
BUXTON HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. W. H. Riley, Mr. G. Penny, Mr. C. Howell
House Captain:	D. W. Green
House Prefects:	P. McCarthy, M. Snowden, E. Watts
McCAll HOUSE
House Masters:	Mr. P. F. East, Mr. W. H. S. Millar, Mr. H. deBoeck
House Captain:	G. F. Bousfield
House Prefects:	S. Jode, F. Forbes (and ex School Captain Carr)

OTHER BOY'S NAMES MENTIONED IN GOLDONIAN FOR SUMMER 1948

Derek Newham, Brian Winter, Peter Bloor, William Hamilton, Stephen Leacock, Roy Dean (C), David Godfrey, Stewart, Orton, D. Morgan (C), R. Crane (MS), D. Smith (MC), D. Moor (S), G. Brown (MS), N. F. Woodcock (B), E. J. Watts (B), C. Pawley (MC), D. M. Lee (C), J. Fields (S), J. Gee (MS), P. G. Deadman (A), R. Prato (MS), T. Carson (A), S. Hodges (MS), E. Deal (A), P. Taber (MS), F. Roberts (A), S. Dean (C), E. Chick (S), R. Horton (B), J. Baggeridge (C), P. Arends (MC), D. Allington (A), A. Couzens (MS), W. Blampied (S), E. Deal (A), South (A), F. Steyart (A), M. Barden (MS), N. Webb (B), A. Bradshaw (B), V. Montgomery (B), D. O'Brian (B), N. Woodcock (B), L. Mott (B), S. Fitzwater (B), W. Turnbull (B), J. Baxter (B), J. Mainprize (B), P. Addinall (B), J. Littler (A), I. Bishop (A), D. Hodgson (A), V. Foley (S), R. Hindmarsh (C), W. Cotton, J. Langdon, T. Cotton, J. Goode, A. Marston and many more.

ABERDEEN HOUSE NOTES FOR SUMMER 1948

We greet the end of another Summer Term-with our usual cheerfulness It has been a fairly successful term for Aberdeen. Though we gained the wooden spoon in the athletic sports, we have a few successes to record. In the cross country race, for example, we gained third place. Boy South did well in this race. We have had some notable victories in the cricket and water polo competitions, particularly in the games against Cairns.

In May we surprised everybody by winning the monthly House Competition for the first time. The condition of the dormitory is not so good that it cannot be improved and next term we hope to bring it to a state of perfection.

We have some very promising juniors in the House and we rely on them for future successes. Love, our smallest junior, proved his worth by winning the mile race in the Cadet Battalion Sports, and by gaining second place in the County Sports. Carson, another promising junior has given good displays in boxing and cricket.

We all hope for a very successful Winter Term and then we shall be able to wear our tartan kilts without a care in the world.

F. Steyart

I hope the information that I have included on the previous pages will be of some assistance to you, if you would like any more details, please don't hesitate to ask, and if it is possible I will try to help you find the gen you require. As I have said, I have used the summer edition 1948 for all that has gone before. I noticed that names changed very little in the following years, and not till the early fifties did they change at all and by that time you would have left the school. But as I have said, if there is more information required, I might be able to supply it.

Hoping that I will hear from you in due course, and again, it was so nice meeting you last Saturday. I am enclosing a photo copy of the 1949 Ball Boy photo, the smaller version was on show on Saturday, I noticed. This might be of some assistance to you, and I will not forget to try and get a copy of that photo taken by the swimming pool for you. Keep well, and my Best Wishes to you.

Yours sincerely,

 

Roy D. Dean

This letter is reproduced as near as possible to the original sent to me by Roy Dean as dated. I have left the postal addresses as sent but as most of you know Roy has passed away and his ashes were scattered by the back door of the Goldings chapel after a reunion. I on the other Hand have moved to 2 Poverty Street on the corner of Hard-up Bend. Did you know that Northampton had the first purpose built Mental Asylum built in Great Britain?

09/09/06 A big thank you.

Firstly On behalf of Goldonian Web we say a big thank you for the Donation along with the old photo’s for the Goldings web site. We are still looking for more old Barnardo magazines along with old Goldonians or photographic archive. One old boy sent us ten old Goldonian magazines which have mostly been added to the Goldonian web site and filled many gaps

07/08/06 Reasons why.

Many people who pop into the shop ask why I no longer have anything to do with the Goldings reunion, many I tell I no longer have the time but the truth is I don’t trust the people who run it now, more on that later. First of all I would also like to say I was very sorry to hear about the death of my old mate John Hunt whom I had known for over 50 years both Man & Boy even before we went to Goldings. One event springs to mind when I first met John. I was aged six years and John was aged about four and it was Bonfire night of 1939 I had been evacuated from Woodford Bridge to a home at Yarmouth that was on the seafront, we all went down on the beach where a big bonfire had been built, I can recall it got very hot so we had asked the matron if we could take our Jumpers off which we did. I remember we had roast chestnuts and baked potatoes and after some while the fire was dying down and we all wanted to build up again, plus it was getting a little chilly when Matron said “come on boys put your jumpers on” which we did much to matrons surprise as she rescued our jumpers from the fire that had all got slightly singed by this time some even had small holes.

We had to wear these jumpers at school the next day I’ve never seen anything like it since even though the war years we had all these burnt holes what a mess we looked that day, When we got home from school we all had brand new jumpers waiting for us lesson one if you needed new jumpers make sure you do a good job on the old one’s, both John and myself would have a giggle about our old jumpers.

Regarding the Goldings reunion and why I no longer attend. Let’s start at the beginning and put the record beyond hypothetical difficulty in understanding on how the Goldings old boys reunion came to be set up and running in the first place. The first ever Goldings reunion was held on the 4^th October 1957 the second was a little more successful with some thirty four old boys turning up.  Over the next few years the numbers dwindled.

It was in 1962 after a meeting was held at Luton Town Hall in aid of Dr. Barnardo’s the quest speaker was Mr Ron Stackwood who just happened to be my old Housemaster of Aberdeen House.  After this meeting a few old boys had a chat about the old days we spent at Goldings with Ron then out of the blue one of the boys said do you think we could setup a reunion?

Ron felt it would be a good idea and said he will sound out a few people. Then one day I had a letter from Ron asking if I could attend a meeting he had planed at Goldings along with the Headmaster Mr. Wheatley. The outcome was The Goldings print school would host the reunion. This continued for quite some time and continued when the print school moved from Goldings to Mead Lane in Hertford. Then in 19xx Mead lane closed. The reunion continued but was now called The Goldings Old-Boys and Print School which was held in many places.  Over the years we moved around and even found ourselves back at Goldings in the sick bay until some old boys stole some finger plates and brassware, we then moved to Waterford Village Hall for two years until they double booked, basically they didn’t want us so we moved to the Scout Hut on the short cut.

In all the years I had dealings with the reunion we never had any committee as such, it was run on trust for over 20 years without trouble until 2003 when Tom Cotton and myself had decided we were not getting any younger and we asked Frank Cooke if he would be willing to take over the running of the reunion for two reasons. One because he had of his own volition become a member of the Barnardo’s National Council and he had started a web site about the history of our old school without any prompting. Frank had agreed to take on the reunion for two years in which time he would hope that some other person would come forward with the aid of the web site. Then Woods also appeared on the scene and then the trouble started. I have heard it said that Frank had pestered John Hunt to take it over the reunion. I know this is far from the truth and one of Woods twisted facts. John had no say in who ran the reunion, he had come to the front after the reunion photos and bits and bobs were stored at Brenda’s house, both he and Brenda wanted the Goldings stuff removed as it was taking up a lot of space in her garage.

One other point regarding John Hunt being the Honorary President of the Goldings Old Boys Reunion it was Frank who started this and it would have been both Tom Cotton and John Hunt who would have held the post, but sadly Tom Died before the 2003 reunion.

I might also add we never kept any records in black & white we did the same as Mac Lang we dealt in cash and paid all the bills and filed the receipts under B for bin and this was how it was done until 2002 The accounts were drawn up by Frank for his own records as he is self employed. The only records that were passed on to Frank were on bank statement, the guest book and some old receipts giving the address and details of the supplier’s I know for a fact Frank saved some £625.00 made up from Hire of Van £250.00 plus petrol £25.00 The hire of the bar (Drinks) £50.00 catering was in the region of £300.00 for the cold buffet, that over the last few years had got quite bad.

What thanks did he get for doing all this work? Woods twisted facts because Frank had decided Woods would not be assisting with the web site or reunion as he could not be depended on. Then we had the lies from Perrier and Blower who both tried their best to drive a wedge between Frank and myself, but unlike the sheep who believed the gang of three I know the truth.

One other thing Frank organised was the reproduction of the old school tie, the old school badge and some Goldings mugs. This is why Frank, John and my self put £200 in to fund the purchase of the mugs, ties and badges. This all seems to have been forgotten and they now have a Tony Angel who can’t add-up he states that Frank was only at Goldings for 9 months, he must be totally thick and taken a day off and been on kitchen duties when they did maths as 1964 to 1966 in my book is more than 9 months I think you will find. but that’s nothing new getting the facts wrong and shouting their mouths off and the sheep believing them.

For the reasons above and many more lies I have heard and seen printed on their so called web site  I will have nothing to do with them or the Goldings reunion as I’m in touch with more old boys since I got my computer and can talk to them from all around the world. This gives me the opportunity to be able to peruse just whatever I feel fit also I will in due course reveal more details on and about the facts that I have seen and heard with my own eye’s and ears later on, Lets just say it makes good reading very good reading and there is no such word as malice in my dictionary because I hate that word.

08/11/05 Barnardo's AGM

I attended the AGM and met quite a few old friends and I met some new people. I got talking to the new Barnardo's CE Martin Narey who will take over from Rodger Singleton at the end of the year who had done 21 years as CE. I also met up with Dame Gillian Wagner who was pleased with what Frank and I had done with the information from her book 'Barnardo' for a new web site on Barkingside The Girls Village Home. I then went outside for a fag break and a voice shouted out Leachy, hello Titch  I looked round to see Leslie Thomas, now remembering I had not seen him inside, he had come across from the Abbey where he had been in attendance of Sir Edward Heaths memorial service he died on 17 July 2005 We had a chat about the old days and then he was off to the TV studio regarding the release of his book 'Dover Beech'

Barnardo's held their Centenary Gala Reunion on Saturday 17th September 2005 sadly about only 400 old boys and girls turned turned out, while I would admit I was one of the people who did not turn out due to me working in the Barnardo shop in Northampton where I am one of the shop managers. So what went wrong you can't all have been working? or could it be the charge they made of £5.00? now I know £5.00 is a lot of money to us olden ones, but in truth it's the cost of a packet of fags these day's.

A lot of people put a lot of hard work into organising this event. I know the few who did turn out enjoyed themselves.

While I am on the subject of Barkingside what brainless idiot had the idea to call the Green at Barkingside a Campus, don't tell me we are now going to have a lot of students camping on the village green? On a information sheet I read: Property and Facilities Management are pleased to announce the opening of the Barkingside Campus Accommodation. They got rid of the doctor, they have got rid of the home, now they want to get rid of The Village Green.! what's next on the list. I vote for the Carbuncle to be turned into a car park.

17/04/05 Songs of Praise Barkingside.

Once again we the Dr Barnardo’s Old-Boys and Girls feel cheated and let down by those above. On April 16^th 2005 “Songs of Praise” was recorded at “Our Village Church” to be broadcast sometime in June, how many Old-Boys & Girls were allowed to attend this event. Brace yourself 40 that was the sum total out of 350 seats “Only” 40, these were placed in the hands of the “After Care Dept”,

To-day my phone as not stopped ringing all with the same old question “Why could we not go to the Village Church Its our Church”, I have told them it was for Staff Volunteers and of course the good old Cooperates, The later one you only see if there’s some money about, Yet they come in front of us the Old-Boys & Girls and is the real reason we always get the back seats if there’s any to spare, They more or less class us as unclean this is the real attitude of nearly all the old-boys who have made contact we me over this some-what oversight by them above. Of course there is a Vast number of us who was against this evil deed of dropping our Founders rightful title Dr Barnardo for this High Street common name Barnardo’s not Barbados plus a lot more names that finish with os, before anyone jumps on my back over this very sensitive topic did you get an invite in order to join this lottery for a seat at our Church, I did get an invite and when I found out just what was going on behind our backs my invite went where it belongs in the rubbish bin.

These seats should have been offered to the people who attended each year and not the wanabe Christians who turn out when there’s a camera about. In 2003 I attended along with 40 other people the service of dedication and not many staff attended or market forces that will be in high attendance for the world to see. The programme Songs of Praise is well known for having a selected congregation, the ones who attend at births, deaths and weddings along with special events and not the true rank and file Christians like Dr Thomas Barnardo. If anyone who went to this event please tell us what it was like and who did you know.  I fully expect you could count them on one hand Well done Dickies yet another own goal by them above No weak–kneed excuse is welcomed.

In my mind Barnardo’s today could have made this a real 100^th anniversary of the death of our founder and filled the church with old boys and girls, the people who the doctor has helped today and go forward with the slogan helping children of today. I know if the Doctor was alive today he would rather have his children than the staff who helped him fill the church

18/04/05

Once again it would appear to all and sundry that I have hit a raw nerve regarding that Songs of Praise episode within our ranks, From the feedback which is only one day old as I draft this note, one old-boy told me on the phone he felt he was more or less ashamed to admit he was bought up in Dr Barnardo's after the latest rotten trick played on us Old-Boys and Girls.

I told him this is not the first time nor will It be the last time they will push us aside whenever they feel we are in the way or Its an embarrassment to have us seen at such gatherings. I myself can recall the very same thing happening in 1967, 1972 and 1988 so why should we expect anything different in 2005. Looks like these people missed Sunday school the day the class learnt about the widows mite.

Lets just see if we can see the same faces in 2006 at the Service of Dedication when there are no BBC cameras about to record the service and their attendance.

15/03/05 The Goldings Reunion 2003, Lie and more lies from Woods and Perrier

The 2004 was the second reunion I have missed since they first started way back in the late 70’s, the first one was because I was on Holiday in Portugal and due to unforeseen flight trouble I did not arrive back in the UK till after the event.

The second one in 2004 was because of two of the most unpleasant Old-Boys I have ever had the misfortune to meet up with during 2003-2004 these being Perrier & a trouble maker called Woody, the later didn't even bother turning up for the reunion and left an old boy waiting to be picked up. By God what a Pair of dimwits these two are.

I am aware of a letter that did the rounds a while back stating the web site Goldonian.org was not very good and Mr Wood could get one done which would be much better. From day one it was hard to navigate, the only photos that were any good were stolen from the Goldonian web site and lastly he did not have a clue how to add any content so in all a rubbish web site that was not very clear with the colours chosen. One thing I was happy to hear, it cost some fool over £500.00 to have that rubbish on display that did not have one thing to do with our old school motto.

Now we come to the problem of the 2003 reunion and why we lost money. In all the years I have been involved in the Goldings reunion we never lost any money and we could all trust each other, but now that trust has been broken with B. Perrier telling lies about the master till roll, one moment his wife had found them and with his next breath he knows nothing about the till rolls, yet he was in charge of the till and I know for a fact he was keeping the money somewhere other than the till?? He has been asked to answer some questions, but he can’t answer one with the truth.

Not satisfied in telling lies about the till rolls he goes on and tells a great whopper when he sees the money from the till being allocated elsewhere like the £99.50 I took on the front door. Perrier stated he saw me pay the money into the green box. The fact was I paid this money into the till. So again why would Perrier lie, the only conclusion is to cover some dark deed of his own doing.

Now surly you all don’t have your heads stuck in the sand like Mr Wood, please ask yourself why would Perrier tell these lies and others in the first place if he had nothing to hide. Why would he also state he or his wife were on the till all day and at no time did they leave it unattended. Now this you can see for yourself is a lie (See my photos) along with a few listed on the Goldings message board, thanks to a Dave Danners who is not 100% true with his facts. I think another sent these emails as the IP address is from the Cambridge area and from an NTL cable modem????? confused I'm not.

Now I have an imprimatur to print whatever I feel needs to be printed to tell my side of the story with the “Real Truth” everyone will understand in plain English without twisted words, as I have nothing to hide.

More to follow,,,,,,,,,,

21/04/05 The accounts and twisted facts.

It would appear that the accounts completed by Jimmy James still don’t add-up yet this is the third copy I would wager. Woods states on his web site that the accounts are a little healthier than those of 2003; this is another twisted fact from this person. While they mention the Ties and lapel badges they do not mention the Goldings mugs, the laminator, photo paper and other things purchased for the reunion. Like the Fred Barns books that I know was handed over, If these items are added back into the accounts of 2004 you will find like me a lot more than .64p was handed over. There is no mention of the £400.00 paid back to John Hunt and myself.

The accounts completed for the 2003 reunion show the true cost of laying on a reunion along with the cost of the web site; the 2004 accounts don't even try. Now normally I would not be shouting about this, but as Woods and Blower made such a song and dance about the 2003 accounts that don't have a problem, I feel I should point out the 2004 have a big problem with adding-up and why no charted accountant as if any accounts need checking it is the accounts of 2004.

I would also like to point out that in all the years I helped there were no need of accounts, the bills were paid and all the receipts were filled away under Bin

10/03/05 A little about me

I have had a laptop computer for nearly a year now and it is connected to the WWW via a 1Mb cable modem that I have found to be a great bit of kit and if you think your too old to use a computer, pull your head out of the sand and get learning. While I have had a few problems as long as you have a friend like mine its a piece of cake. The web site took some time but again I had some help, but mostly its the software that does the job.

I have recently obtained my records from Barnardo's, while I was not expecting much information I was pleasantly surprised at the wealth of knowledge they contained. I had to travel to Barkingside the Head Quarters of Barnardo's today.

I was brought up in Dr Barnardo's and arrived at the Babies Castle aged 3 weeks old and then stayed there for 3 months and I was then put up for adoption and I was placed with a family and from memory the husband was a bit of a brute and the wife was not much better and came under the notice of the NSPCC for alleged ill treatment and I was removed to Kingston Institution as a place of safety for 3 months. I was then placed back into the care of Dr Barnardo's and I found myself at number 10 Stepney Causeway which I think was the hospital wing. I was then moved to receiving house number 8 Stepney Causeway, then back to The Babies Castle for 7 months and I was then boarded out to Sutton in Cambridge for 2 years 2 months.

I then arrived at The Boys Garden City Woodford Bridge and stayed there for 1 year 2 months, I was then Boarded out again and found myself at Bugbrooke Northants with a nice lady who also had another Barnardo boy. I stayed there till the age of 14 years and it was time to move on to Goldings in Hertfordshire. I was assigned to the gardening dept where I turned many a sod and looked after the greenhouse. While at Goldings I appeared in a couple of films as an extra and appeared at Wimbledon as a Ball Boy, I only did it once. The trouble I caused one young female player over a 2d bet Link I stayed at Goldings until 1951where I left and obtained a job in Western-super-Mare Somerset as a Gardener, but this was for only a short time because his Majesty King George VI required my services in the Royal Artillery for 2 years where I saw service in Korea.

While I was serving King and country my welfare worker had me down as a bad one because he was unable to trace me. The silly man did not seem to remember that all young men had to do National Service.

I then left the Army in 1953 and started driving for a living until 1990 when I set-up a cleaning business in Northampton that gave me a living till 1996 when I sold the business and put my feet up, but not for long I started working part time in the Barnardo's shop in Northampton.

While I feel I can never payback Dr Barnardo's for all they did for me in my younger years. I try and do as much as I can, for as they say every little helps and will will keep do my little bit.

Johnny Leach
Member of The Barnardo Association