Not sure how we got back from that party below, given the last 202 bus was at 10.30pm. Bit of a bummer being on a Friday night – lessons the next morning. In 6/2 the only Saturday lesson I had was Geography with Jim Hyde at 9.00am, but I have a dim memory of Saturday morning lessons being a bit light-weight, especially nearing Christmas. I note from the Autumn Term 1976 calendar that a production of "Richard II" was being performed at school that evening. I was studying that play for 'A' level Eng Lit. so to miss out would not have been a smart idea. Luckily, it was also performed on Saturday and Sunday.

I can only speak for Hansons, but I don’t recall the 6th form having to sign the Exeat Book. You were treated as an adult. Could you stay out overnight – with or without consent? Hansons wasn’t locked at night, and you could always quietly creep in whatever the hour. Having my own room and not disturbing others helped.

Sometimes, after a good night out, I never made it down to Sunday breakfast, having an aversion to ’too much light and noise, man’ which even the chipolatas, fried egg and baked beans couldn’t neutralise."

Toby Blunden - Hansons 68-75: "In the Lower 6th I shared a room with Steve 'Holly' Holbrook (Hansons 68-74). He had a girlfriend in Ipswich and spent many nights away. I would stuff his bed to give the impression he was there and we got away with it for a long time. His luck ran out one morning when SWG tried to wake him up: ‘Morning Holly.’ - no reply. ‘Holly?' - prods his shoulder and pulls back the cover to reveal the charade. ‘Naughty Holly!'"

I tipped Steve off and sadly, Holly Holbrook never came back.