BBC 'Man Alive' documentary from 1973 looking at how the Peper Harow Therapeutic Community in Godalming, Surrey worked, interviewing both staff and residents.
I was at PH from January 81 - Sept 83. I had been locked up in Stamford House aged 14 for most of the previous year. I witnessed extreme violence, brutalisation, self-harm etc, and I was expecting more of the same. Seeing this beautiful mansion was mind-blowing. We climbed trees in the sunshine, read Checkov and Wittgenstein, and became human again. The accumulated pain of the residents could be overwhelming and harrowing at times. I recognise some of the people who have commented, I hope you are all well. What an unbelievable experience we all shared 40 summers ago, I sometimes wonder if it really happened.
my Dad used to attend this school in the 50's. The stories he used to tell me! :) he took my sister and I to visit this beautiful place a few years ago before he sadly passed but I'm so glad we got to see it with him. I smiled when reading your comment, it sounds idyllic! lovely memories. Was there a greenhouse too? and whereabouts was it?
@@Aurora-Rose01 Sorry, only just seen your comment. Yes, indeed there were greenhouses and a large walled garden to the north-west of the church (St Nicholas's). It was very atmospheric and Gothic. The greenhouses were the preferred location for dispute resolution via fisticuffs. There is no evidence of that left on Google earth. In fact much of the peripheral infrastructure away from the main building has now gone, notably the large gym and full-size outdoor swimming pool constructed in the 1950s by the residents (possibly or probably including your father). I should add to my original comment, despite the occasionally intense moments of life at Peper Harow, it was overwhelmingly fun and fascinating for most of us. Everyone was so sharp-witted and we developed our own language and ways of expression. I still think about some casual off-hand witticism from long ago and find myself tittering.
Amazing. What an interesting program, and what intelligent, well spoken kids. I have a lot of respect for many of the programs and new thinking we were exploring in the 1970s. It's too bad that little of it lasted. Very odd to think that these boys are around 70 years old now, and the teachers/staff members are long gone.
If they did surveys on reoffending and found that places like these had better results than the usual lock-ups for young people they still wouldn't use them because the general public want people to suffer rather than deal with the cause of their problems and help them have good lives.
Thinking back to 'when I was a lad' I looked up Peper Harrow to see if anything came up, and I was astonished to see my old mate Martin in this film. I and another friend travelled down there to visit him at this time, and it was actually we who smuggled him out and took him to a pub the night he got hammered and trashed the place after we returned him well after hours (the staff had already reported him to the police as 'missing' by this time). He was diagnosed as an alchoholic at 14 or 15 when still at school, but he was a really lovely lad when sober, very kind, quiet and friendly - someone you could rely on and call a real friend. Unfortunately, he just couldn't drink in moderation, and when drunk he was virtually uncontrollable. I met up with him several times in the 80s after he returned north, but he couldn't kick the booze, and sadly died when (I think) in his late 30s.
So sad seemed like a good lad! Alcohol has ruined many lives. Many friends died before they were 30. Now fentanyl is killing everyone. I know 40 people who have died in the past 5 years from it. Horrible how they allow it to go on but waist billions fussing over something no one cares about nor has any positive outcome. Cheers
The agenda has been to make the population stupid and unfortunately it has worked judging by the state of the world today. I feel so horrible for the kids today the are so lost and heading for disaster . JESUS IS THIER ONLY HOPE 🙌🙏. I was lost for years myself and the Answer was there all along 🙏 Jesus is the Answer!
I suspect they were very selective about which kids they showed. There are plenty of other videos of kids from that era who couldn't string a sentence together.
I went to an approved school (though they changed it to 'community school'). Chafford Park School, Harwich Essex, 83-84, and it was nothing like this!!!
Wow! I was blown away by this. The testimony from some of these boys was extremely moving. I've always felt this kind of community is far more meaningful than imposing brutish authority as would have happened in approved schools. I'd love to know how some of these lads fared in life
Downloaded, watched and the memories came flooding back! Especially TRG, who one weekend took me to his home in Canterbury and got me wasted! (and for his friendship, tried to smash a bar over his head...Sorry. Remember walking back from the local football team (elstead) across the fields whereupon I managed to rub a cowpat in his face..I then ran like hell, for he would have killed me had he caught me. Martin gave me Molly and Suzki to look after. As for Sid Elliot. we at Christmas decided to get up on the stage, where he sang and I tried to play the guitar. I slipped through the net, but have nothing but fond memories of my time there, John, Catrine, Melvin and others who showed kindness and patience.
upon returning from a TC in 2012 my friend joked to me what if that whole place was occurring for you only because you were there. i scoffed at first, and then remembered the truman show movie and immediately humbled down, well there method of exposing me to other contrasting characters made me realize, most of the bad boys roles of society are more taken up than i realize and maybe its time i make steps to not let it define me the way others wrongly do.
I was in a reform school for 5 yrs stricked as fuck lots of fights but lots of good laughs also , was in Redhill assessment centre and a few others in the 70s most of my mates also went through the system
Julie Annets Hahahaha I don’t think I’ve ever been called cute before. Amazingly many of us are still in touch which I think is testament to the quality of the work that happened.
Julie Annets Thanks for that. I’ve actually had a copy of the original programme and the follow up. Thankfully Iain Lynn had the technical knowledge to upload them to TH-cam. The programmes certainly captured an important moment in our lives.
Wish the young teenagers had places like this in our day and age but they seem to be set aside nowadays and put on the scrap head in our uncaring education system in the UK which is quite said so what chance to teenagers have today,no wonder they turn to drugs and drink.
Yeah, obviously you're related to the farmer.The fullers are remembered the followers.They were good people.They did put up with a lot of crap off the kids though
THIS IS LIKE A HOLIDAY CAMP> FEW DEMANDS FROM ANY OF THEM. I WAS SENT TO APROVE SCHOOLS FOR TWELVE YEARS< THEY NEVER WORKED FOR THE SYSTEM, ALL GOT INVESTIGATED FOR SEX ABUSE< AND CLOSED DOWN BY THE GOVERMENT MOST CHILDREN BECAME CRIMINIALS LIKE MYSELF< I WROTE A BOOK LIVERPOOL BANK ROBBER TO Hollywood Butler> BEST SELLER< AMEN>
In ashborn lodge in winchester ' shit hole ' glen house alright 3 yrs in there ' long before i turned 16 ' 2 detention crntres later ' winchester prison as a youth ' they abolished detention cetres & borstal ' the the new system in 89 youth custody ' in glouster easy stir 👍
They seem like their are high haha I wonder if smoking pot was aloud lol especially the head teacher guy and the women she always is smiling and looks like she's holding back laughing at serious points of talk lol
She even looks ready to laugh when talking about grandfather gettin hit with a car .. I can tell she's not doing it on purpose or because she doesn't care ..it's because she's just smoked a joint lol
I was at PH from January 81 - Sept 83. I had been locked up in Stamford House aged 14 for most of the previous year. I witnessed extreme violence, brutalisation, self-harm etc, and I was expecting more of the same. Seeing this beautiful mansion was mind-blowing. We climbed trees in the sunshine, read Checkov and Wittgenstein, and became human again. The accumulated pain of the residents could be overwhelming and harrowing at times. I recognise some of the people who have commented, I hope you are all well. What an unbelievable experience we all shared 40 summers ago, I sometimes wonder if it really happened.
my Dad used to attend this school in the 50's. The stories he used to tell me! :) he took my sister and I to visit this beautiful place a few years ago before he sadly passed but I'm so glad we got to see it with him. I smiled when reading your comment, it sounds idyllic! lovely memories. Was there a greenhouse too? and whereabouts was it?
@@Aurora-Rose01 Sorry, only just seen your comment. Yes, indeed there were greenhouses and a large walled garden to the north-west of the church (St Nicholas's). It was very atmospheric and Gothic. The greenhouses were the preferred location for dispute resolution via fisticuffs. There is no evidence of that left on Google earth. In fact much of the peripheral infrastructure away from the main building has now gone, notably the large gym and full-size outdoor swimming pool constructed in the 1950s by the residents (possibly or probably including your father). I should add to my original comment, despite the occasionally intense moments of life at Peper Harow, it was overwhelmingly fun and fascinating for most of us. Everyone was so sharp-witted and we developed our own language and ways of expression. I still think about some casual off-hand witticism from long ago and find myself tittering.
Amazing. What an interesting program, and what intelligent, well spoken kids. I have a lot of respect for many of the programs and new thinking we were exploring in the 1970s. It's too bad that little of it lasted. Very odd to think that these boys are around 70 years old now, and the teachers/staff members are long gone.
If they did surveys on reoffending and found that places like these had better results than the usual lock-ups for young people they still wouldn't use them because the general public want people to suffer rather than deal with the cause of their problems and help them have good lives.
18:22 That teacher is my grandfather!
Thinking back to 'when I was a lad' I looked up Peper Harrow to see if anything came up, and I was astonished to see my old mate Martin in this film. I and another friend travelled down there to visit him at this time, and it was actually we who smuggled him out and took him to a pub the night he got hammered and trashed the place after we returned him well after hours (the staff had already reported him to the police as 'missing' by this time).
He was diagnosed as an alchoholic at 14 or 15 when still at school, but he was a really lovely lad when sober, very kind, quiet and friendly - someone you could rely on and call a real friend. Unfortunately, he just couldn't drink in moderation, and when drunk he was virtually uncontrollable. I met up with him several times in the 80s after he returned north, but he couldn't kick the booze, and sadly died when (I think) in his late 30s.
So sad seemed like a good lad! Alcohol has ruined many lives. Many friends died before they were 30. Now fentanyl is killing everyone. I know 40 people who have died in the past 5 years from it. Horrible how they allow it to go on but waist billions fussing over something no one cares about nor has any positive outcome. Cheers
That's a sad story we was all fighting demons
That's sad. He seemed like a nice guy in the movie.
Very sad to hear that. Peper Harrow probably helped many of its residents to a brighter future but not everyone can escape their past
Thanks Iain, been waiting a long time to see something about Peper Harow
How lovely.... I wish we all cared like they do!
Funny seeing kids in 70s styli so cute!
i was at pepper harow in 1986 top school
Was you tampered with
I worked for referral units a few years back, kids seem so much more articulate back then! so many distractions these days
The agenda has been to make the population stupid and unfortunately it has worked judging by the state of the world today. I feel so horrible for the kids today the are so lost and heading for disaster . JESUS IS THIER ONLY HOPE 🙌🙏. I was lost for years myself and the Answer was there all along 🙏 Jesus is the Answer!
@@devoncutmore
🙏
@@fluffybunny7840 🙏
I suspect they were very selective about which kids they showed. There are plenty of other videos of kids from that era who couldn't string a sentence together.
@40:35 - Sorry, for a minute there I thought we were at a casting audition for LORD OF THE RINGS.
Life is all memory 💙💚
I went to an approved school (though they changed it to 'community school').
Chafford Park School, Harwich Essex, 83-84, and it was nothing like this!!!
Wow! I was blown away by this. The testimony from some of these boys was extremely moving. I've always felt this kind of community is far more meaningful than imposing brutish authority as would have happened in approved schools. I'd love to know how some of these lads fared in life
If there was a place like this today, there'd be regular searches for shanks.
I was in pishiobury my number was 58.setting me up for a lot of years in prison
Downloaded, watched and the memories came flooding back! Especially TRG, who one weekend took me to his home in Canterbury and got me wasted! (and for his friendship, tried to smash a bar over his head...Sorry. Remember walking back from the local football team (elstead) across the fields whereupon I managed to rub a cowpat in his face..I then ran like hell, for he would have killed me had he caught me. Martin gave me Molly and Suzki to look after. As for Sid Elliot. we at Christmas decided to get up on the stage, where he sang and I tried to play the guitar.
I slipped through the net, but have nothing but fond memories of my time there, John, Catrine, Melvin and others who showed kindness and patience.
Did you know David Fuller?
I left in 1988 and I could see something bad was coming which was the arsonist f***** it all
Absolutely brilliant
upon returning from a TC in 2012 my friend joked to me what if that whole place was occurring for you only because you were there. i scoffed at first, and then remembered the truman show movie and immediately humbled down, well there method of exposing me to other contrasting characters made me realize, most of the bad boys roles of society are more taken up than i realize and maybe its time i make steps to not let it define me the way others wrongly do.
Anybody remember Charlie the cat who used to play the banjo in the middle of the floor in the morning meetings ???🐈🐈🐈
respect and some people never grow
Let's all hope Jimmy Savile wasn't lurking around in the shadows.
They look a bit too mature for uncle Jimmy.
I was in a children's homes 70s early 80s
this is like a holiday for hippy kids lol nothing like a reform school
The head teacher guy of the school looks so firmilar
I was in a reform school for 5 yrs stricked as fuck lots of fights but lots of good laughs also , was in Redhill assessment centre and a few others in the 70s most of my mates also went through the system
We even has a better class of well spoken Borstal cases in those days ... Not today .
They were young men...not boys!
20.05 ..boy looks like a very young tim roth , the actor ,
Does anybody know when this was filmed?
Early 1973.
I wonder how many greenhouse incidents there was
Watch what you f****** say
@@stevenguthrie2237 iam sorry this happened to you 😢 do you want to talk about it
I was at peper harow from 82-87, tough place but sorted me out
Alex W Greetings from another ex. I was in the programme 😬
Phil Trenbath aww just seen you how cute. Do you have any idea what happened to all the other boys in this documentary
Julie Annets
Hahahaha I don’t think I’ve ever been called cute before. Amazingly many of us are still in touch which I think is testament to the quality of the work that happened.
Phil Trenbath how nice that you have kept in touch. It must be awesome for you to be able to see this
Julie Annets
Thanks for that. I’ve actually had a copy of the original programme and the follow up. Thankfully Iain Lynn had the technical knowledge to upload them to TH-cam. The programmes certainly captured an important moment in our lives.
Charlie George in the opening seen
Wish the young teenagers had places like this in our day and age but they seem to be set aside nowadays and put on the scrap head in our uncaring education system in the UK which is quite said so what chance to teenagers have today,no wonder they turn to drugs and drink.
What happened to Mr rose ,anyone know
Melvyn is living in peaceful retirement in Chichester, Sussex. We exchange Christmas cards each year.
Goodness me 4:44 on The BBC
haha I was at pepper harrow 1980-82
Was you here at this time
@@angelafuller2947 I was there 1980-1982
Do you remember David from the video my brother?
The Drumlake Experiment
Iain David Fuller is my brother
Yeah, obviously you're related to the farmer.The fullers are remembered the followers.They were good people.They did put up with a lot of crap off the kids though
4:44 beefheart..captain haha
or does he mean beethoven
By the cloths I’m guessing this was 1972/73 possibly 74
1971
Get your flairs out an look like charlie George.
I blame the parents.
"Judge not," etc.
I wasn’t at Pepper Harrow from 1980-1985
Neither was I.
Basically a posh doss house
THIS IS LIKE A HOLIDAY CAMP> FEW DEMANDS FROM ANY OF THEM. I WAS SENT TO APROVE SCHOOLS FOR TWELVE YEARS< THEY NEVER WORKED FOR THE SYSTEM, ALL GOT INVESTIGATED FOR SEX ABUSE< AND CLOSED DOWN BY THE GOVERMENT MOST CHILDREN BECAME CRIMINIALS LIKE MYSELF< I WROTE A BOOK LIVERPOOL BANK ROBBER TO Hollywood Butler> BEST SELLER< AMEN>
In ashborn lodge in winchester ' shit hole ' glen house alright 3 yrs in there ' long before i turned 16 ' 2 detention crntres later ' winchester prison as a youth ' they abolished detention cetres & borstal ' the the new system in 89 youth custody ' in glouster easy stir 👍
y' played up them days y'ws put in daft Squadrom and telled shut up you. none of this lark like nowadaze
Where is jimmy savile then. Now then. Butlins.
He's at he the local primary school. Or down the morgue at Leeds general hospital.
They seem like their are high haha I wonder if smoking pot was aloud lol especially the head teacher guy and the women she always is smiling and looks like she's holding back laughing at serious points of talk lol
She even looks ready to laugh when talking about grandfather gettin hit with a car .. I can tell she's not doing it on purpose or because she doesn't care ..it's because she's just smoked a joint lol
southern crusties.