Albert Ball was here!
by Mark Robson
June 6, 2008
I don’t often blog about school visits. If I wrote about all of them, this blog would become very repetitive. However, today’s school visit proved more than worthy of a mention, as it had particular significance to my forthcoming new series.
I’d like to say that today’s visit to Trent College in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire had come about due to my research on Albert Ball, the WWI flying ace who inspired my character, Captain Jack Miller, in the new Dragon Orb books. Actually, my research of his home life had stopped at the fact that he was a Nottinghamshire lad. I had concentrated my efforts on his involvement in the Great War and had little knowledge of his roots.
When I mentioned Albert’s name to the College Librarian, her eyes lit up! She was quick to inform me that not only had Albert attended the college, but that there was a commemorative propellor in the dining hall, donated by the RAF in his memory.
What a fantastic coincidence! Chance had dealt me the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of a place where the heroic pilot had gone to school … and what a lovely school it is!
Aside from the impressive main building, the grounds are stunning, the corridors ooze history and the pupils … rarely have I come across such a responsive and well-mannered group of Y9 and Y10 students. They were a credit to their families and their school, and I very much hope to get a chance to work with them again sometime. For all the many pictures, stories and combat reports I’ve seen and read about Albert, somehow today made him seem more real. It was a great experience.
I have to be very careful when taking photos around schools. There are strict rules about photos of students, so I have carefully avoided this. Here’s a clearer one of the dedication below the propellor.
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Hi Mark,
we have really enjoyed your visit too and you can see our photos on our website: http://www.trentcollege.net. It was a really good day and I’ve never had so many Year 10 boys in the library!
Thanks and see you soon!
Annike
Comment by Annike Dase — June 9, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Hey Mark we both really enjoyed your talk! Your books r ace!!!!! xxx
Comment by Rachael n tash — June 9, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Thanks for dropping by, ladies. It’s great to get such positive feedback from visits. I very much hope I’ll get the chance to come again sometime.
I tried the link, but couldn’t find the photos, Annike. (For anyone else trying, you need to remove the final fullstop.) Where on the site do I need to look? I assumed they would be in the news section, but there was no sign of them there.
Comment by Mark Robson — June 9, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Hey, ur talk was awesome and we cant wait to read more of ur books!!!!
xxxxx
Comment by Rose and Tash — June 10, 2008 @ 8:40 am
Hi Mark, the photos have just been put up. No idea why there was a delay. Sorry about that. http://www.trentcollege.net - should work now.
Annike
Comment by Annike Dase — June 23, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
Thanks, Annike. I never feel I’m very photogenic, but you’ve managed not to make me look too awful!
Comment by Mark Robson — June 26, 2008 @ 10:38 pm
hello mark,
im amazed by the amount of travelling you do to different schools.
It must be very tiring but it shows the level of commitment you put into inspiring children to become great authors like you have become your self.
im looking forward to reading your forthcoming books and i adore your writing
Spud
Comment by Spud — July 1, 2008 @ 11:24 pm
Hello, Spud. Thanks for your comment. I’m not quite sure why you chose to link your name to that particular url. It was totally unsuitable for the readers of this site, so I have deleted the link.
Comment by Mark Robson — July 2, 2008 @ 9:12 am
i remember being in detention at trent during the early 90s the room we were kept in also held the archives, after snooping around we found old documents saying that albert ball was expelled from trent as apparently he was a bit of a menace to teachers as well as the germans!!
Comment by steve — March 20, 2009 @ 10:50 pm