Rector Major

The recent call for prayers by The Rector Major following the latest China Earthquake disaster triggered of a memory of the visit of Don Bosco's successor to Blaisdon in the 1950s.

While at Blaisdon I kept a schoolby diary - which I still treasure - for the year 1954. Father Dan Lucy RIP gave me a present of it: Collins Farmers Diary. On the cover, embossed in gold, are three grain sheaves. It has a slot on the spine to hold a pencil. I used this for my daily notes: food gets a regular mention and my goal scoring tally is constantly up-dated. The exploits of other boys are noted also with House Match football & cricket scores. Classroom tests were the norm then. For instance, my entry for 7th April that year records that I was last in Arithmetic and fourth in History from a class of 22.

The high point of the year, without doubt, was the visit to Blaisdon by the then Rector Major who came all the way from Turin in Italy. He didn't arrive via Blaisdon Halt but was picked up by the house car from Gloucester Central Railway Station. Nowadays, such a distinguished visitor would, I imagine, land by helicopter on the Park in front of Blaisdon Hall. Anyway, the build- up to The Visit was intoxicating. After all, this could have been Don Bosco himself such was the thorough preparation. I was on chapel cleaning duties under a ten times more fussy than usual Brother Gerald Clifton RIP. He was Sacristan, Cobbler - fully qualified - and flautist. Pan-like, he practised in the woods.

The choir rehearsed a special song of welcome - words and music specially composed by Father Francis Rogers RIP. The school brass band fine tuned its specialities: Wilkomen, Colonel Bogey and Semplice. The first thing we boys noticed on first sight of The Rector Major was that he had "bombed hair" Blaisdon parlance for a crew-cut. Just like Brother Thomas Gallagher RIP Bricklaying Instructor and Boxing Master.

As the band belted out tunes at once rousing and melodious, Father Henry Wrangham RIP who was Rector of Blaisdon greeted the visitor, whose car had drawn up under the - I am calling it the portico - but there is a special name for that covered entrance which is open on three sides with the fourth side giving onto the front door. Inside the main doors, Laurence McDonagh, the summoning bells-boy, pulled vigorously on the suspending rope that rang the bell in the tower. The welcoming group paused with the RM in the vestibule where the choir sang a beautiful song in Italian. As one among the singers I remember some of the words: Maria diletto - tutti fili qoi - cara madre donna achetto - Madre sie del nostro bene. Ce non sono i nostri quori - cosi bianci comme vigili - fortissiamo amanti fili - madre encore.

The Rector Major then went into the Community dining room for lunch as the band played him in with a rendering of Papa Piccolino - a popular chart hit of the day. After lunch, Don Ziggiotti was taken on a lightening tour of the school which ended with a communal farewell in the main entrance hall. The band played O Solo Mio and I managed to get our distinguished visitor's autograph which he inscribed in my proffered diary. On the way back to Gloucester and on to the theologate in Beckford Hall, Worcestershire, the RM and travelling companions - including Father Hall (Provincial) - called at Stud Farm where he proudly showed off the largest covered dutch-barn in the whole of Gloucestershire. It was known locally, not in scorn but wonderment, as Father Hall's Folly. We overdosed on the joy and significance of that great and historic occasion for months after.

By Tony Brady.