Gerry Masterleigh
Class 6; Captain of Old School
BADGE COLOUR: YELLOW, but much prefers giving, so you'll need to be VERY persuasive!
Says his father sent him because of a mistaken, misguided woolly Liberal belief in the ideal of inner city comprehensive schooling, but secretly fears that his father's overheard comment, “That'll get rid of the little shit!” was about him.
His father is Giles Masterleigh, and he was brought up on his father's tales of the grand old days he had at Miss Prim's Muir Academy, and a diet of books about old-fashioned boarding schools; but still turned out to be a devious and inventive skiver.
He tries to be a gentleman, or at least to appear to be a gentleman, remembering a few maxims from his grand-dad; “A gentleman never insults anybody accidentally,” and, “a gentleman treats a whore like a duchess and a duchess like a whore.”
Gerry hated LCPS at first at first, but, once head-hunted by Old School, he found what seemed at first to embody all the best bits of his father's stories; camaraderie, thrills, good company, and the opportunity to learn from some of the best people in the business, (which often included staff too), and best of all the occupational hazards prevalent upon the rest of the school - ; lessons he disliked or that bored him, authority that could not be subverted, short trousers, being shouted at by people he despised without answering back, the absence of beer and whisky - did not seem problems for Old School. He began to rather enjoy life there.
He believes in old fashioned values; such as treating the staff (and anybody else worthy of it) with respect; though not necessarily actually doing what they tell him. That means that although he may treat e.g. Punks with disdain generally, he will treat any Member of their gang with respect, or anyone else, at least until they demonstrate they are unworthy of it, (and he has his team with him).
It's probably for this very foursquare quality that he has recently been accepted as Captain of Old School after the graduation of former Captain, Robert Ashington.
Although he has never met Miss Prim, he is her greatest fan, and writes to her regularly; he was delighted to read that she became a member of The Birching Block a few years ago. Of course, Daddy would never have sent him there unless she approved, though he does wonder a bit sometimes if she knows it all. He's perfectly aware that mail gets censored (or lost) on the way out, however, and has far too much sense to risk telling her.
It is rumoured Miss Prim may visit the school on an official tour of inspection. Gerry is looking forward very much to meeting her. He is determined that his gang will form an honour guard for her to protect her from any threat, from pupils or staff and to ensure she sees everything that goes on, just to check on his hypothesis.
Gerry intends to take full advantage of this state of affairs to ensure that he gets exactly what he wants from the staff, respect, privileges, immunity from corporal punishment, as much good food as he wants, plenty of beer to drink or sell on and a little whisky for himself and his cronies, the chance to spank and otherwise play with a few girls attracted by the attention of a gang leader, without staff intervening.
Not that he is any way chauvinist or sexist; he knows from his days at Muir Academy that girls are generally tougher, more devious and clever than boys, and he will promote any girls with potential to positions of influence within the gang.
Gerry likes to be different, so he won't wear school shorts. He dresses to the image he most liked from one of the Jennings books; plimsolls, cricket whites, white shirt, 'old school tie', yellow pullover & monocle.
He does not approve of the new school tie, thinking the stripes are far too broad. He has been known to say, “It makes us look like shop assistants.” So he prefers his gang members wear a proper 'Old School' tie, in green with a narrow stripe. [Available from the management, just as the normal school tie is.]
He carries a cricket bat too, though the LCPS has no cricket pitch, and everybody knows he can't play any ball games anyway. He is often seen polishing the bat with linseed oil, and when asked why he says cryptically, “It stops it getting stained!”
Not, of course, that he has ever been seen publicly using it as a weapon, why would he when he has people for that? It is just that he takes the proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” rather literally; just as well at the LCPS. He also carries a leather paddle, and has been known to use almost every other type of implement.
Old School has its little ways of making money, the same as the other gangs; Gerry has assiduously worked to help camouflage these over the years; his most inventive stratagem involves the rumour that Old School have a greenhouse in one of the cellars, producing birches by the shed load. It's not really true - if Old School require a birch, they send off to mail order, same as anyone else, but the rumour serves to divert attention from where they're really getting the money from.
He is aware that occasionally bigwigs from the Birching Block descend for a little condescension and the opportunity for a little recreational flogging. Gerry knows pretty well what goes on at such sessions, and finds it all rather grubby. He does not approve of Old School girls being involved, but if they're well-informed, keen, and someone's given him a slice of the action, he might well let one or two…
ALL LCPS STUDENTS ARE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE