Richard Slater

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
Fertii
LE (Little Erasmus)
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:46 am
Real Name: Toby Hinton
Location: Ashford Kent

Richard Slater

Post by Fertii »

Am I right in thinking that the 20 anniversary of Richard's death is about now? Was anything done / is anything going to be done for the commemoration?
Fjgrogan
Button Grecian
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:56 pm
Real Name: Frances Grogan (nee Haley)
Location: Surbiton, Surrey

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Fjgrogan »

Rick Slater died on 15 March 1990. I checked with my daughter who was in the school at the time and vividly remembers him. (she particularly remembers the date because it is the Ides of March!) I remember the article in the local newspaper with a picture of the flag at half mast and the headline 'A School Mourns'. The headmaster was out of the country at the time. As far as I am aware nothing was done to mark the anniversary - except in the hearts and minds of those who loved him. Are you aware that Rick's (then) girlfriend is a contributor to this forum?
Frances Grogan (Haley) 6's 1956 - 62

'A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.'
User avatar
cj
Button Grecian
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:35 pm
Real Name: Catherine Standing
Location: Devon

Re: Richard Slater

Post by cj »

Hands up, I didn't realise my cover had been blown. Damn!

The 20th anniversary of Richard's suicide was in March. I found it very hard this year, more than other years. 20 years seems such a long time and although the shock has diminished, the sadness is at times still palpable. Suicide has a horrible way of invading so many aspects of one's life even years down the line. I remembered him that day on Facebook and received some lovely messages from various CH friends. A public commemoration of sorts. I can't imagine that it would be on the school's radar. Most staff are gone from the school and I would suggest that the institution would not want to remember a dark cloud in its history. There's a plaque in the Chapel, as there are for other pupils who have died at school. I choose my words carefully writing about this subject. I have lived with this at a distance from CH for many years and am only starting to hear the stories of other people from that time now that I am reconnecting with long-lost friends. My understanding of events and reasons surrounding his death has developed over the years. I'm happy to discuss things with anyone though.
Catherine Standing (Cooper) Image
Canteen Cath 1.12 (1983-85) & Col A 20 (1985-90)

Any idiot can deal with a crisis. It takes a genius to cope with everyday life.
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Angela Woodford »

Of course, twenty years ago, I had mentally blocked out CH completely. I didn't want to remember those disastrous days, and knew nothing whatsoever about CH Horsham.

Then a mail-out letter arrived telling Old Blues about the death of Richard Slater. It ended - and I do remember this - with something like these words... "der... der... Chapel Service.... der,der, and the day ended not in sadness but with a feeling of triumph."

Couldn't believe it.
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
gsjones
3rd Former
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:02 pm
Real Name: Geraint Jones

Re: Richard Slater

Post by gsjones »

I remember that day back in 1990 as I was in Geography with a clear view of that particular stretch.It's a day I will never forget even though I never knew him.A very sombre day indeed
AshDawson
2nd Former
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:15 am
Real Name: Ashley Dawson
Location: Sunny Sussex

Re: Richard Slater

Post by AshDawson »

I can still remember that day , even now 20 years on . It was a very sad day
Ma A 1983 - La B - La A 1991 Long time ago but I can still remember it!!!!!!!!!
User avatar
Fertii
LE (Little Erasmus)
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:46 am
Real Name: Toby Hinton
Location: Ashford Kent

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Fertii »

Being called in at break to the chapel. Tongues guessing at what it was. That must have been particularly difficult for Dobbie and Poulton to tell us...

And that night someone put candles on the crossing and they burnt all night.

Sad times.






Ashley - is that you?
AshDawson
2nd Former
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:15 am
Real Name: Ashley Dawson
Location: Sunny Sussex

Re: Richard Slater

Post by AshDawson »

Fertii wrote:
Ashley - is that you?

Yea it is me!!!
Ma A 1983 - La B - La A 1991 Long time ago but I can still remember it!!!!!!!!!
User avatar
CHAZ
Grecian
Posts: 947
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:15 pm
Real Name: Charles Ian Forster
Location: FRANCE

Re: Richard Slater

Post by CHAZ »

Just for my personal knowledge, was Richard Slater one of Puny Slater's sons? I remember PUny often on his bicycle and his othe rson, Julian but Richard odes not ring a bell.
Charles Forster
PeB 1978-1984
Requested Removal 18
GE (Great Erasmus)
Posts: 174
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:32 pm
Real Name: User requested removal

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Requested Removal 18 »

No Chaz, completely different family. Tim was the other son in the year above me (left 1989) and there was also a daughter who I think was called Naomi.
wurzel
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 393
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:59 pm
Real Name: Ian
Location: Reading

Re: Richard Slater

Post by wurzel »

Yeah Tim was my year and Mr Slater's (language master) son and we left in summer 89.

I only heard about it from my mum who lives in Horsham so only ever got to hear the West Sussex County Times story.
User avatar
jhopgood
Button Grecian
Posts: 1884
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:26 pm
Real Name: John Hopgood
Location: Benimeli, Alicante

Re: Richard Slater

Post by jhopgood »

Fertii wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:34 am Being called in at break to the chapel. Tongues guessing at what it was. That must have been particularly difficult for Dobbie and Poulton to tell us...

And that night someone put candles on the crossing and they burnt all night.

Sad times.
From my understanding, Poulton was abroad.
Barnes B 25 (59 - 66)
rjscratton
2nd Former
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:52 pm
Real Name: Reuben Scratton

Re: Richard Slater

Post by rjscratton »

Just posting to keep this thread alive as I remember dear Rick and sometimes he still pops into mind, even after all this time. He will only really die when we do.
Janey Jam-Jar
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:56 am
Real Name: Catherine/CJ
Location: Devon

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Janey Jam-Jar »

rjscratton wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:58 pm Just posting to keep this thread alive as I remember dear Rick and sometimes he still pops into mind, even after all this time. He will only really die when we do.
That's really lovely to read.
I ended up watching Highway and the Remembrance service from 1989 the other day. Feels like a different world looking back on it. He won't age like the rest of us, eternally 18 years old.
Janey Jam-Jar
UF (Upper Fourth)
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:56 am
Real Name: Catherine/CJ
Location: Devon

Re: Richard Slater

Post by Janey Jam-Jar »

jhopgood wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:26 pm
Fertii wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:34 am Being called in at break to the chapel. Tongues guessing at what it was. That must have been particularly difficult for Dobbie and Poulton to tell us...

And that night someone put candles on the crossing and they burnt all night.

Sad times.
From my understanding, Poulton was abroad.
I think Poulton was in Thailand, doing something with a school being set up over there. I'm assuming he was back for Rick's funeral though? Can't remember all the details.
Post Reply