Downside

Posting this a couple of days after the August 2018 publication of the UK's  IICSA Report (Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse) into events at the Benedictine Roman Catholic Independent Schools of Ampleforth (Yorkshire) and Downside (Somerset) from the 1960s to 2000 when the first of the enquiries started.

It makes sickening reading. One paragraph in the Executive Summary states: 

"It is difficult to describe the appalling sexual abuse inflicted over decades on children aged as young as seven at Ampleforth School, and 11 at Downside School."

For me as a former pupil of Downside from September 1968 to July 1972, this latest report was shocking. The detailed reading of the 222-page report relativises the hurt a bit even if the incompetence of those responsible is simply unbelievable.

In the photo, a copy of my leaving "present" from the then Headmaster of the school, Dom Aelred Watkin. It was no doubt presented to me by him in a personal meeting in his study a few weeks before the end of term after final exams. I don't remember what advice he gave me for my future life and the signed copy of "The New Testament" didn't include any tips to help me. During my time there, there was not much contact with him other than his annual prize giving speeches and similar events.

It is notable that he was the only Headmaster/Abbott mentioned in the report about Downside who actually sought to do the right thing when learning of the only reported case of abuse at that time. He reported it straight away to the Department of Education and got the monk sent away and into the care of psychological care before the monk left the order. Due to lax procedures by the DoE, the case did not lead to police prosecution and almost understandably (for those times) Dom Aelred did not push for further action.

However, the whole story leaves a very nasty aftertaste.

During my time at Downside, I never encountered any such sexual abuse. It was not the happiest time of my life but that probably lies largely in my personal circumstances, being at a boarding school thousands of miles from my parents whom I rarely got to see.

The last day or two I have been studying the report and looking at the comments on the Facebook side of the "Old Boys" of Downside where the reaction has been similar to mine.

So as to avoid trying to rewrite the whole thing, this is what I posted to the Group:

"I was deeply disturbed when I saw the first TV reports this Thursday night
.
I had been aware that there were issues through the various email "reorganisation" letters from Dom Leo and several years ago, I think it could have been 2012 and the attached Times article, a certain amount of press publicity. Perhaps through living in Germany, I was not aware of this large-scale IICSA inquiry.


Based on the BBC World News/Sky News TV reports I can get here, I assumed much more had been discovered and thus did some ultra-fast speed reading of the report from Pg 101 onwards. Perhaps I missed something but I saw nothing new, except for lots of detail of the same cases as in 2012. I did find all the various "code names" confusing but did I miss something?


I am in no doubt that there is much more that has not been reported/revealed and am sickened by the entire business but in a sense relieved that my memories of Downside (Barlow 1968/72) have not been totally destroyed. Even reading my headmaster Aelred "Bush" Watkin's actions to the 1960s event was in a way "comforting", at least in comparison to all that was to follow.


Apart from some sniggering about "Lushes" which didn't automatically link them to monks, I don't recall any such events happening in my time. I do recall having my doubts about my housemaster Dom Raphael who seemed to be a "troubled soul" in certain "sexual" respects that came from various English Literature discussions. My final year room was next to his study and I never witnessed anything untoward.


As a "foreign" boy with parents living in Trinidad, boarding school (All Hallows 1962-1967 + Downside) was simply something one had to do. I can't say I enjoyed it, only getting back home to see my parents once a year in summer holidays and they coming to Europe every other year and having Christmas together at some relatives house in Europe. It was simply something one "did" when living in the Colonies. I suspect that in such circumstances I was potentially very vulnerable to being abused with little chance of me "reporting" it. Perhaps my lack of "lushness" saved me.


I don't think the education was good: Aelred "Bush" Watkin trying to improve it but faced with the huge liberal upheavals of the post '68 period. I think there were some excellent teachers but only lay ones come to mind. You could do well academically if you wanted to. But if like me, it was simply a case of surviving, there was no pressure to excel. Sports were generally more enjoyable but I was simply there to make up numbers in the opposing side so that the other team could win.


The most positive experiences and learning I gained from Downside came from my fellow pupils and the ex-curriculum activities that we undertook. I also witnessed great generosity from several and am eternally thankful to the friends and their parents who took me in during half term breaks. There was no grave bullying and one knew how to avoid the odd Prefect who was known to be stricter but I don't recall any being vicious. I seem to recall "Fagging" was stopped very soon after I arrived and don't think I had to do it for long. Corporal punishment in the form of a beating from Bush was the biggest threat but again I don't recall any of my contemporaries having to go through that.


Just as a note, in my last year at All Hallows, a lay-run prep school, I was subjected to almost weekly beating with a cane by our headmaster for failing to get 7 out of 10 Latin questions right at the weekly test he did for the group preparing for the Common Entrance exam. That was though almost harmless compared to the back of a gym shoe on a backside only covered by pyjamas if you were caught talking in the dormitory after lights-out. I think I learnt the lesson after the first time. But in neither cases do I recall there being any "sexual" undertone to these events and would even praise the kindly personal treatment I received from the headmaster Mr Mortimer and his wife in personal matters e.g. Half-term holidays being spent at school.


My parents had no choice in sending me away to the UK and I think it hurt my mother, in particular, to have to do it even though she held the monks there to be trustworthy guardians. I am glad she didn't live to hear of the revelations.


The IICAS report has simply strengthened the doubts I have always held about the dangers of institutional bodies that are held (particularly in the UK) to be more important than the work they should be doing. Too many of us are prepared to go down with the sinking ship rather than tinker with the sacred rusting hull that our forefathers created. Just look at all the UK institutions that are breaking down (political "democratic!" system, NHS......) but the first bit of criticism is greeted by shouts of "Traitor". One can't have a sensible £/€uro discussion because the portrait of the Queen on the banknote in the wallet is of more value than any possible financial benefit.


Such events happen all over the world and in particular, the Benedictine educational order has had its share of the same problems in Bavaria. I have always failed to understand the celibacy rule of the Roman Catholic Church and consider it to be wholly unjustified and counterproductive. I do however think there are good and noble single monks and clergy.
In summary, I wholly condemn the inept actions of those in the community responsible for what went on and the cover-ups but believe Downside offered me opportunities in a safe environment and even if I didn't make the most of them and get the full "value for money" from the fees my parents and my father's employer (who paid 50%) may have expected, I still feel privileged to have been there at that time. I am glad though that my children were not subject to such an educational system."