CHARNEY HALL A. B. K. (John) McCullagh
An Appreciation of Arthur Beresford Kane McCullagh
by Tilak Paul
In preparing this post I have mercilessly copied and plagiarised the facts and information contained in previous postings on the Blog for which I am indebted and most grateful for and for all the research conducted by Keith Smith, the administrator of this Blog. I would like be the first to acknowledge that this appreciation would not have been accomplished without all the hard work of others and credit should be given to all those and there are many who are not named here.
Once again all mistakes and errors and factual anomalies are mine alone for which I apologise in advance.
The majority of CH Old Boys, even prior to meeting or having a Latin Lesson with John McCullagh would have seen or had pointed out to them the small sepia printed photograph of him with others in the CH Dining Room with his young angelic features and slicked back hair.
In addition, in the Memorial Hall on a laquered pine framed board on the north wall, which had from memory gold or coloured sign painted lettering, was the School’s list of scholars and a note that a certain A.B.K. McCullagh had gone up to Sherborne School after leaving Charney Hall with an Exhibition or Scholarship. A notable and scholastic achievement at such a young age.
This Old Boy’s initial abiding memory of John McCullagh were the Latin lessons, referring at that time to a Blue Kennedy’s Latin Primer textbook and the need to memorise and decline ‘Amo Amas Amat etc’ sometimes standing up and reciting aloud in John McCullagh’s class. I am not sure if John McCullagh is looking down on us now but I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his introduction to the Latin language and his Latin lessons and relate to him that I passed my Latin “O” Level 7 years after starting Latin lessons with him. Being an absolute failure in linguistics I proceeded to fail my French and German “O” Levels not once but twice! In fact the only means that I was able to enter the university of my choice, which had a foreign language requirement, was a ‘Pass’ in Latin “O” Level all due to John McCullagh.
John McCullagh’s usual attire at CH was a tweed jacket contrasted with outsized grey flannel trousers to suit his large frame, with stout black or brown brogues or alternatively plain leather shoes. During classes he would wear a black academic gown at a loose, skewed angle. His fingers were permanently nicotine stained due to the habit of chain smoking countless cigarettes on a daily basis. During walks with the boys he would always be accompanied by his trusted walking stick.
John McCullagh always had a jovial, often bemused but amiable face with a ruddy complexion but when upset, or a boy had enraged him with his bad behaviour, he would appear to have what can only be described as an apoplectic fit, his face having turned bright red. I can recall this vividly when one of the boys, Smith Senior, also known as Smith Ma. pointed his 0.22 Rifle at John McCullagh in the Shooting Range - something that we were trained never to do!
Boys at CH would undoubtedly take advantage of John McCullagh’s kind, generous character and demeanour and would sadly try and bait him to cause his face to turn crimson.
This OB’s mother used to love meeting and flirting with whom she thought was ‘that shy batchelor John McCullagh’ when my Father and her dropped off their two sons at CH at the beginning of term. She particularly enjoyed watching his face broaden into a large smile with a coy and impish grin when she spoke with him.
From memory John McCullagh had accommodation in the Lodge including a Study with a folding wall desk and a bookcase with many books.
One of the posts in the Blog has mentioned that John McCullagh may have been one of the only “Socialists” at Charney Hall. I can only second this comment as some boys were apt to engage in Political Discussions with John McCullagh during walks or at the dining table as regards the merits of Conservative and Labour Parties and the then current Politicians. What he would have made of the current Labour Party’s decision to introduce VAT on private school fees can only be guessed!
As mentioned above after leaving Charney Hall John McCullagh went on to Sherborne School. Old Boys of Sherborne School are called Shirburnians and it is interesting to note that in Wartime 1944 a certain A.B.K. McCullagh dropped a line to the Editors of The Shiburnian Magazine for Old Boys of Sherborne School with a pointed suggestion and ever a stickler for propriety that “Battle Dress Flashes” might be suitable for Sherborne School OTC (Officer Training Corps) please see attached.
Another post in this Blog refers to a CH Old Boy visiting the Ratty (The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway) in 1983 and meeting John McCullagh there. This prompted me also to visit the Ratty in June 2025 and take the opportunity to visit the Ravenglass and Eskdale Museum. There I unexpectedly met two volunteers, one in his 60s and the other in his 70s. I took the opportunity to sit next to them and exchanged a few salutations and amicable words and asked how long each of them had volunteered. They said “about 30 odd years.” “Oh!” I replied “then you would probably not know a Master of a Prep Boarding School which I attended in the late 1960s early 1970s who used to volunteer at the “Ratty” many years ago”. Then the younger volunteer said "Do you mean John McCullagh” and this OB’s “jaw nearly dropped to the floor”. “Yes that is who I mean!”. It appears as a youngster or teenager the younger volunteer knew John McCullagh and later in life as a young man had worked for British Rail / Network Rail. The older volunteer then chipped in and confirmed that he himself lived nearby and had occupied in turn three of the former residences of John McCullagh.
It was such an unbelievable shock and surprise to unexpectedly meet these two men who knew our former Latin Master at Charney Hall! Anyway the older Volunteer directed me to the Ticket Hall and Shop of the “Ratty” and lo and behold there was a Brass Plaque mounted on a polished oak plinth, lauding and commemorating John McCullagh and attached is a picture of this Plaque. It is pertinent and notable that the Plaque has the words “Stationmaster”…..”Railwayman”….”Scholar”…. but perhaps the best and most magical words being …..”A Friend to Many.………One of Life’s True Gentlemen”. A very fitting tribute.
The Plaque at the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway’s Ticket Hall and Shop
Further investigation that I undertook revealed that in 1986 John McCullagh loaned the Ratty Railway the sum of £10,000.00. Please see photo of Company Registered Legal Charge attached below.
This OB of Charney Hall feels privileged and honoured to have met and been taught by one John McCullagh so many years ago.
Halcyon and Blissful Days!
…..”A Friend to Many ………One of Life’s True Gentlemen”…..
Greetings to Everyone Once Again,
Tilak Paul
Note : Andrew Holmes Higgins made the following contribution about John McCullagh on 01.08.25.
If anyone else wishes to add their reminiscences please add them in ‘Comments’. If you have any photographs please email copies, scanned at 600dpi to me Keith Smith (E : hkeithsmith@gmail.com) and I will add them to this post.
Comments
In this day and age where we read in the press and hear on the news of “feral youths” in class rooms and town centres and violence at School and see the need for Teachers and Police to be stationed at School Gates we can only reminisce as regards the genteel and passive playfulness of those times at Charney Hall.