On the Cotswold Approved School…
Received from John Ray | Added to the site April 2015.
“Have only just read your paper on The Cotswold School.
I was there between 1958 or 1959 to the early 60’s.My name is John Ray and my number was 1301.
I started in the school rooms and then went on to the painting and decorating dept.I absconded twice and on the second occasion got picked up in North London.Made it there by stealing bicycles and managing to get a train.I was in the isolation block as a result for a couple of weeks under the eye of Jock Anderson.
Although the regime was highly regimented, I don’t recall it being overly harsh and brutal. For instance I didn’t suffer the alleged brutal initiation (don’t recall them at all) and wasn’t bullied. I do remember that 3 months before discharge you were given considerable freedoms in the school and allowed out on your own.
I am now 70 and retired but did achieve a senior management position in the public sector so it must have done me some good.”