Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team

Rob,we too had to participate in games in very harsh conditions and we were only allowed to wear shorts.
Shorts in the sixties and seventies were inexorably short with an inside leg of about three inches,very similar in length to my shorts that I wore for school.
It was amazing how we withstood the bitterly cold weather wearing nothing but our shorts, while teachers who supervised us wore every item of clothing available to keep themselves warm.

Rob

I went to a grammar school just outside Newcastle, so east side of the country, and very cold winters.

As other people have commented, the world has changed, one room heated at home, ice inside bedroom windows etc. The other difference is that basically we did as teachers told us without question, or faces the consequences. When I was caned, my Dad 110% supported the teachers, in fact he often thought I got off light !

Cross country was always done shirtless, so it wasn't unusual to see boys from the school out running (woodlands, fields as well as local roads around the school). It was “normal” - that's how boys did cross country.

You were freezing of course. At school in the winter you wore vest, shirt, sweater, blazer etc, then into the cahnging rooms and strip it all off, and outside in just your shorts. Usually the wind was biting as well, but there wasn't a debate, it was “right boys, cross country today, just rugby shorts, plimsolls if you have them, MOVE”

Lined up waiting, all you wanted to do was get running.

If anyone had complained or wore a vest/shirt, they would have been made to strip it off and caned, so you didn't.

Andrea

Looking back from this distance, it was probably a bit of both. I was about in the middle of my class age-wise and development-wise, so seeing older boys wearing their newly-acquired jock-straps was intriguing, as I had never heard of these garments before. Having borrowed one to try, I lost no time in getting my parents to get me one of my own. I found it comfortable to wear and it made me feel more grown-up.

Graham,
I think my son was influenced by some of his friends who he saw going without PJs at a sleepover.

When you got your first jockstrap, was it down to peer pressure or were you starting to feel uncomfortable without one?

June,
I know what you mean about younger siblings wanting to emulate the older ones. Despite being a couple of years younger than me, my sister asked mum for a bra within a few months of me starting to wear one. She wasn't pleased when mum said she didn't need one and would sometimes 'borrow' one of mine.

Alan, it was very rare for us not to be able to play soccer,and we never experienced a games afternoon when it was actually snowing.It sounds as though this was a lot different for you and so what part of the country did you go to school? How did you and other boys feel as you lined up outside the gym stripped to the waist, regardless of appalling weather conditions,ready to be sent off on a run?

IF we couldn't play rugby on games afternoon, we had to run cross country instead.

In theory we were supposed to always being plimolls to games, (and most boys did) but it was a case of you forget you do without.

These runs were always stripped to the waist, no matter the conditions, below zero or snowing, no debate, get changed line up outside the gym ready to be sent off.

Hello Andrea
My sons were just turning 13 at the time, l remember as it was the transition from junior to senior school, that's when all the boys got their first jockstraps, and they went to the school outfitters almost en bloc, so yes we paid for them indirectly. In our eldest son's case l would say peer pressure and for his younger brothers, l would say anything to be like big brother and peers!

I believe the boys wore their jocks for all sporting activities plus they all had a jockstrap and pouch to hold cup when they played cricket.

Alan, At my boys only grammar school in the mid fifties we had we had the same as you except that that we normally had two PE lessons a week in the gym unless the master was otherwise engaged, when we would be sent on a cross country run.We used to run regularly at the beginning of the summer term until we started on athletics.Our kit inside and for runs was shorts and plimsolls(no pants,socks or shirts). We usually mostly chose to go out barefoot for athletics.
Games afternoon was soccer in season, and cricket in summer(cricket kit). Again, if the pitches were frozen in winter, which in the south was rare, we had to run the cross country course in our gym shorts, which we also wore for soccer, stripped to the waist, and plimsolls. Apart from cricket, after all PE lessons including athletics,XC and soccer we had to go naked in the open communal showers.

Andrea, was your son's decision his alone, influenced by friends/school or influenced by yourself?

June - I was at that paticular school in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In addition to the three pairs of PJs that I mentioned before, the boarders clothing list specified shorts on their own for PE, without saying anything about whether anything should be worn underneath, and at least seven pairs of underpants (vests optional). With regard to jockstraps, for the first few years we generally went commando, although this was not mandatory, and I acquired my first jockstrap when I was about 14.

Alan,
I went to an all girls grammar school in the early 1970s and our PE times were similar to yours - two one hour sessions per week in the gym and one two hour session per week outside doing games.

Our indoor kit was white polo shirt and navy blue gym knickers. We were allowed white plimsolls, but could go barefoot if we wished.

Outdoor kit similar to indoors, but we were allowed a PE skirt or culottes (sort of a cross between shorts and a skirt) and a thick, long-sleeved cotton top too. Outdoor footwear was either plimsolls or canvas hockey boots with rubber barred soles.

Outdoor games varied by term - hockey, netball or cross- country in winter / spring and rounders, athletics or tennis in summer.

Graham,

My son also stopped wearing PJs when he was about 12 or 13.

June,

How old were your sons when they got their first jockstraps and did you buy them, or was this left to their dad?

My son never wore one for PE, but I had to buy him a jockstrap and cup when he started to play junior cricket at about 11 years of age. I ended up buying them for him as I was newly separated at the time.

I wonder how much time schools spent on PE/games.

My boys only grammar school (early 70's) had 2 one hour PE lessons a week, plus one afternoon for games.

One of the weekly PE lessons was in the gym, the other cross country (all year around).(Shorts inside, plus plimsolls for the run, no shirts).

Games afternoon was split by term, so rugby, althetics and cricket. If the rugby pitches were frozen we had to run the cross country course. (Normal rugby and cricket kit, shorts/plimsolls for althetics. If it was too cold for rugby the run was in rugby shorts, again stripped to the waist, plus plimsols if you had them, bare feet otherwise).

How does this compare with other schools ?

Rob,sadly we did only have one 1hour lesson per week. We did sometimes like to play football after school though and those tended to be more wild!

Graham
Our experience entirely like yours with our boys! The other test of masculine prowess at school was then to possess their own first jockstrap!! Oh the joys of having boys ...

In which years did you board?

Robin,you don't know how lucky you were having mixed PE lessons. No wonder it was the highlight of the week for you,looking forward to stripping off and having your bare chest admired by the girls. Did you only have one lesson a week though?

Andrew: we did mixed PE for all lessons and it was shirts-optional for all activities, including indoor games or gymnastics. I should add, since we were close, Jasmine had seen me shirtless before loads of times when we were hanging out at my house. She was more interested in "showing me off" to the other girls in class. Supposedly, one of the girls had a crush on me and Jasmine was trying to set us up together. I did notice that one girl was always watching me in PE when I had my top off. I must admit I did enjoy the attention!

Steve re your comments 17th Feb about wearing vests under school shirt. I did not suffer any bullying as at the time it was only a minority that did not wear vests(singlets) under their white school shirt. I tried to persuade my parents to discard the vest but to no avail. I only managed to do this after leaving school and considered old enough to make up my own mind. Regarding underpants at the time the majority wore white briefs there not being much choice on the market. some wore some of the latest trend of light blue but they were still briefs, boxers having not yet come into fashion.
We always wore footwear and it was the black plimsolls, and a t shirt when doing games outside and cross country.

Rob,Thank you for your reply,I finally went into long trousers at 15 and was the oldest boy in the school to wear shorts.
I found it very disconcerting wearing shorts at that age and was fearful of peoples'reaction to see an older boy in short trousers.
I agree it was a bit chilly wearing them in cold weather especially when wearing a waist length anorak that did nothing to keep my bare legs warm.

James, short trousers were not compulsory but no doubt when my dad bought me a shaver my parents must have also thought that I was ready for long trousers;so I wore them when the term started in January.I didn't mind wearing shorts even though I was in the minority but I remember the long trousers felt a lot warmer especially when I cycled to school at that time of the year. How old were you when your parents let you wear long trousers? Although I wore long trousers to school, when the summer time came my mother made me wear my khaki shorts when I got home. I believe she didn't want me to wear the knees out, especially out in the garden when I also had to take my shirt off so that I got the sun and fresh air to my body.
How did you feel wearing shorts?

June, I think 11 or 12 must be the sort of age when boys, and probably girls too, realise that pyjamas aren't essential for a good night's sleep, and being away from direct parental influence offers a good opportunity to experiment. I was 11 when I went to boarding school, fully equipped with the requisite three sets of PJS. Although I was quite used to sleeping topless in warm weather by that age, I wasn't really prepared for the sight of my seven room-mates stripping stark naked at bedtime, with not a stitch of nightwear to be seen. Not wishing to make an exhibition of myself on my first night, I opted to follow their example first, and ask questions afterwards. It turned out that there was a sort of unofficial school ethos of masculine hardiness, that extended to never wearing vests (back in the days when most kids did), topless PE, and sleeping nude. I was slightly apprehensive as to what my parents were going to say when I went home at half-term with unworn PJs and a new sleep style, but they didn't seem at all bothered, other to comment that they needn't have bothered getting me new PJs.

Robin, did you do mixed PE lessons so Jasmine would see? Also, did you do any indoor PE without a top?

Our PE wasnt mixed but the kits we wore were known to the opposite gender. I dont have a story like yours but I do vaguely remember our girls being curious if any of us did any PE barechest out of choice as if they were keeping mental note!

Hi Rob, this was in the early 90s. I was 14 going on 15 at the time. And yes, PE for me soon became a highlight of the week rather than something I hated. It was exciting to pack my bag in the morning and deliberately "forget" my top, in the knowledge that I would later have no choice but to strip down to my shorts in front of my classmates. It also provided good motivation to work harder and improve my fitness, knowing my bare torso would be on full display to the girls.

Now that I reminisce about those times, it certainly helped to have a relatively easy-going PE teacher like ours who would work us hard but not be overly strict in other ways, such as regarding our attire for example. We had a young-ish female teacher (uncommon but not unusual for the time) named Ms. Abbey who also taught us math. She was fit as well. Most of us liked her quite well. I suppose many of us boys had a crush on her! Thinking back, she certainly played a large part in helping me overcome my inhibitions. She would often encourage us boys to go topless, especially when doing a gymnastics lesson. I remember being keen to impress her, though in retrospect I doubt my teenage physique would have. But if she saw you working hard, she was generous with her praise. Once, she was making her rounds about the gym, noticing me with my shirt off, made some approving comment about how my muscles were becoming more defined and saying she was glad to see my increased effort lately. I remember blushing furiously from head to toe! It just about made my day.

Does anyone else have a favourite teacher or similar experiences?

The picture above is an accurate representation of our P.E. lesson with one exception.In the sixties and seventies the white shorts weren't as long as the lads above.

Rob,

I too wore short trousers at 14 although they were not compulsory for school,but due to my parents'preference I wore shorts all the time.
Did you feel comfortable wearing shorts at that age or would you have preferred long trousers?

Robin,what a lovely post. How long ago and how old were you? I note you were still wearing shorts,although I still wore them until I was aged 14. I went to an all boys school in the late fifties when we had no choice but to strip off completely for every PE lesson and wear just shorts and plimsolls in the gym and outside including cross country runs,with naked communal showers.I would have liked to have gone to a mixed school and been able to do what you did.I bet you felt good having jasmine see you with your top off and then looking at her later in class. Glad you continued to go topless for PE; there is no reason why boys need to wear a shirt when exercising, they should always be stripped to the waist and the practice should never have been discontinued .

Ross, Do you expect us to believe that a 12yr.old boy, even if he had finished his homework, had nothing else to do but get ready for bed at 7pm. Fair enough, there's nothing wrong with boys sleeping nude, but, to be told by his father to get naked and spend the evenings naked in front of his younger sisters, I don't believe you. What about when you started going through puberty?

June, I have read your comments with great delight and it makes me feel better knowing I wasn't the only one raised in a nude sleeping household for boys. I was like your sons from 12 no longer allowed pyjamas and told by my dad I should begin sleeping nude. What I wasn't expecting was that when 7pm came and I was told to get ready for bed he expected me to go get naked and spend the night nude in front of all r of my younger sisters.

June - our son was about 4 years old when he started to refuse PJs, largely due to the 'bad' example set by his parents! As we never made any secret of our preferred night attire, we had already anticipated this development and had decided that whenever he finally expressed an interest in going to go to bed like Mummy and Daddy, our response would be positive and encouraging and we would all celebrate this as yet another step towards becoming a 'big' boy.

There have been various comments on boys wearing tracksuits etc for PE.

I suppose it was teasing/bullying, but with us in the 70's any boy who was different in terms of shyness/kit was subject to numerous comments until he conformed.

This including things like wearing a vest (under your school shirt)or wearing a vest for cross country, the wrong type of underpants, wearing plimsolls for pe (rather than bare feet), being shy stripping naked and so on.