David Parish
Dates at Bournemouth School: 1962 - 1969House: Hambledon
- CCF Cadet
| David at school | David today |
David studied: French, German and English
After school, David went to: University of Hull
David's biography:
I studied French and German joint at Hull University till 1973. A mind-broadening experience to be there for three years (with a year as language assistant in Germany – which put me off teaching).
Decided I wanted to be a librarian, so did a post-grad one-year course at Newcastle Polytechnic – another great city. Got a job with Dorset County Library and ran branches (eventually a group of five and a mobile library).
Got married in 1978 – have a son in USA and a daughter locally and four grandchildren.
I joined the then new Borough of Poole library service in 1997 where I stayed till I retired in 2014 – my last job was IT-related, which I really enjoyed. Even involved teaching beginners to use a computer.
I am currently Secretary of a Bournemouth Baptist Church, which keeps me busy!
What was best about David's time at Bournemouth School?
Made some friends that I am still in touch with today – see one of them several times a year.
Who does David remember most fondly?
Nick McCabe (baby sat for him!), David Hilliam, Derek Cheeseman. Friends Paul Bunby (who passed away far too young) and Brian Arnold.
What would David change about their time at Bournemouth School?
Wearing a cap, and early on short trousers. Also strict rules about hairstyle and sideboards (‘halfway down the ear’).
What is David's favourite anecdote/most vivid memory?
In the sixth form review in 1969, Alan Turle sat on my knee as my ventriloquist’s dummy in a sketch – in the end it turned out I was the dummy. And we all sang ‘Give peace a chance’. Nick McCabe had a legendary Hercules bike – someone wrote on the board ‘Hercules unchained’!
David's final thoughts
Despite getting a low grade in O-level German, I took a chance and studied it at A-level. Thanks to Derek Cheeseman (and also we were a small group) I got a grade B, which got me to university.





