For what it's worth, the attached label (shown left) is from the book prize - it was stuck in crookedly! - that I had in 1954 or '55. There is no date on it and no indication which year the prize was awarded. I have a second book with an identical label, again with no date.

   However, both the books were published in 1954. One was "Reach For the Sky", the story of Douglas Bader, and the second was "Chesire - VC". My guess is one was 1954 and the other 1955. I know I had two, both for the same thing.

   I actually won the maths prize in 1955 but Mr. Lowe in his wisdom decided to give me another Craft prize instead, since two of us tied for top place in maths!

   As it happens, I would quite have liked the maths prize on the second occasion. But such is life... and one tended not to argue with JCL. Click on the image to access a full-size version.

Mike Marsh, Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk, June 2004 email

Paul Graham (JRGS 1959-66) adds: Not sure if I want to trumpet my Thesis Prize too much, but the attached label and front cover (shown right) to Homer's "Iliad" date from 1961 (when I was in Tony Crowe's 2C).

   I'm sure that Mr. "Rhino" Rees would have been impressed with my choice of book! (Very topical at the moment, of course.)

   But what on earth was the "Thesis Prize"?

   Damned if I can remember!

   Click on either image to access a full-size version.

Further to my recent mention of text books from the mid-Sixties, I finally received Biological Drawings Volumes 1 &2 by Maude Jepson, the large-page, soft red cover book we used to direct us in the dissection of the earthworm, frog and rabbit. It also has labelled drawings of all the bones of the rabbit, as well as a lot of plant anatomy drawings.

   Both volumes comprise mostly annotated black ink drawings, which are really quite cool. I am sure they will strike a bell with all the Zoology and/or Botany A-Level pupils. Does anybody remember these diagrams?

   Click on any image to access a full-size version.

John Cobley, San Francisco, USA, May 2004 email