Michael Padden recalled an incident in which he and a friend were discovered behaving mischievously while waiting to go swimming in the school dining hall. Mrs Ryan, described as a small woman with bleached blonde hair, instructed the boys to report to her office the following morning for punishment with the slipper. When they presented themselves the next day, she had apparently forgotten the incident entirely. Nevertheless, she administered punishment to each of them on the hands “for taking the trouble to come”.
Former pupils also remembered Mrs Reynolds, who was known for her use of the cane. One former student, Ann-Marie, recounted being punished for making too much noise near the staff room at lunchtime. After she claimed the first stroke had not hurt, Mrs Reynolds delivered another on the opposite hand with considerably greater force. Another former pupil, Andy, remembered being caned after a stink bomb had been set off, despite insisting he was innocent. Attempting to move his hand during the punishment resulted in ten additional strokes.
At St Crispin’s School in Wokingham, former pupils recalled Mrs Andrews administering the cane to three students for an offence they maintained they had not committed. One recalled returning home with painfully swollen hands but feeling unable to complain for fear of further punishment at home.
Several former pupils spoke of teachers who had acquired formidable reputations for corporal punishment. At St Dominic’s Secondary School in Liverpool, Miss Walsh and Mrs Lamb were frequently mentioned. Former pupils described Mrs Lamb as particularly severe, with one student recalling that the pain from her punishments was unforgettable. Others remembered receiving the cane regularly for lateness, often both in the morning and afternoon.
At St Edmund Arrowsmith School in Wigan, former pupils remembered Mr Jenkinson, who reportedly punished pupils after quiz defeats or minor misdemeanours. One former student recalled being caned merely for sticking out her tongue while concentrating on a drawing. Another former pupil remembered Mrs Philips as especially feared among the students.
At St George of England High School in Liverpool, recollections centred on Miss Gregory, a diminutive teacher remembered for standing on a chair or wooden box in order to administer the cane. Several former pupils admitted that the unusual sight often caused laughter, which in turn resulted in additional punishment. Others recalled receiving the cane from a succession of teachers, including Norman Dennis, John Murphy, Mr Snape and Miss Toms.
At St George’s Comprehensive School in Birmingham, former pupils recalled Mr Johns and Mrs Cook, the latter remembered for administering corporal punishment with notable severity. One former pupil reflected that “times have certainly changed” since the mid-1970s.
Former students of St George’s School in Ipswich remembered an assembly during which a pupil named Fiona Walker was caned before the entire school, an event one witness said she would “never forget”.
Meanwhile, at St George’s Secondary School in Sleaford, one former pupil described Mrs Reese, the deputy head teacher, as a strict disciplinarian whose use of the cane inspired fear among students.
