Rhubarb December 2025

H e took a school trip over to in and poor Dubcek was arrested. On his return Malcolm (obviously thrilled) told us all about it waving his arms enthusiastically. Czechoslovakia and while they were there the Russian tanks piled

A genuinely entertaining eccentric but also a brilliant teacher.We all loved him.

FEATURE

Prague invaded by Russian tanks, 1968.

M alcolm had only recently joined the teaching staff but he became great friends with another history teacher, JL Todd.Todd, Oxley and Seddon put together a school trip for the A Level history classes, which was scheduled in 1963 during the school holiday early in the year as we encountered snow on the journey. I rather suspect that today risk assessment and health and safety would have banned this sort of school road trip.The three masters shared the driving; even though several of us could already drive, we were not allowed to do this you will be pleased to hear!

Needless to say, the side of the road was not clear owing to the snow, so we found the jack sinking into the ground as we attempted to change the wheel! Rapidly we emptied the bus and we all held up the vehicle as someone managed to quickly change the wheel. Finally, we arrived in Vienna. I seem to recall having frankfurter sausages and beer for breakfast on our arrival. The cultural, art and history programme arranged by these masters was first class.We learnt about the formation of Vienna from Roman, through medieval, 19th-century and into modern times.This included descriptions of how the city had been divided between the Allied powers after WW2.We attended the opera and went to all the museums, palaces and art galleries and we did trips to see the Iron Curtain with the watch towers, wire fences, armed guards etc. It was an amazing journey for us all.We learned so many life lessons and we became friends with our history teachers without disrespecting them.We all worked as a team and pulled together when there was a crisis. I took all of these lessons with me to university and later into my career in the Regular Army. However, my love and interest in history has always been with me thanks to my teachers at Teddies including Malcolm Oxley. He was great fun, he worked extremely hard and loved his subject. He along with Mr Todd, Pat Brimms and Christopher Armstrong were all inspiring history teachers and excellent role models for pupils at Teddies.

History VIth,1965 with J. L.Todd centre front.

The minibuses were VWs – the type popular at that time with the engine in the rear with a space for luggage over the top of the engine.The first challenge was loading all the party and the luggage into the minibuses.There was far too much luggage, so much that the glass of the

rear window of a minibus was forced out of its seal onto the ground! We successfully managed to fit it back in, so

well that when we eventually handed the minibus back this was not noticed! Going through Southern Germany we hit snow in serious quantities and one of the vehicles had a puncture.

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