To anyone who doesn’t reside or originate from the Waterside down here in the south of England this post will probably be of zero interest, sorry.
Back in the 70′s I attended Hardley (Secondary Modern) School and for the most part had a whale of a time. One of my most vivid memories is of a Science master, an amazing young guy named Rick Keeling who really got me hooked on Science and almost 40 years later still has me glued to the subject.
We did a ton of stuff with ‘Mr Keeling‘ outside of school including a 270+ mile sponsored Trek across the Pennines and some very dodgy science experiments that sometimes involved err. combustion. Another side of Rick we got to see once in while was his folk singing.. he was just amazing and amongst other things was a regular on Radio Solent’s Albert’s Gang.
Rick wrote and sang a number of songs about local topics including Lymington, the Fawley Flame, Hythe Pier and the effects of Oil pollution on the Solent’s sea birds and there was one song in particular that stuck in my mind for over 35 years simply called Seagull (click here for a ‘lo-fi’ sample from the Forest Tracks website) .
The rather daunting lyrics are tell Seagulls that oil for central heating and Motor Cars is far more important than seabirds getting covered in crude oil thanks to tankers flushing out their tanks at sea and ‘accidental’ spillages.
Anyway, the point of this post.. Forest Tracks, a non-profit group of audio enthusiasts who offer a plethora of local recordings from folk singers around the Hants/Dorset area have put together a double CD featuring some of Rick’s work called WAITING FOR THE LEAVES.
Rick’s untimely death at just 44 in 1998 was a result of a sudden Aneurysm but hey, he’s certainly left his mark on the planet as typing “Rick Keeling” into google still brings up a stack of information about him.
If, like me you are an old Hardonian (or whatever the correct term is) and want to capture this little bit of history you can order the double CD for just £16 incl.UK P&P from:
FOREST TRACKS, c/o 180 Buriton Road, Harestock, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 6JQ
England. For further info please email info@forest-tracks.co.uk.
(mp3 sample courtesy and copyright of Forest Tracks)
This work, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
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6 users responded in this post
Dear Phil,
I was amazed to stumble upon your post as it very much matches with my own experience.
Rick Keeling (yes Mr. Keeling to me too) was my Chemistry Teacher some years later.
It would have been between 1981 and 1985, studying first O level and then A level chemistry.
He organised a week long walking tour of the Peak District at that time which I went on and he was our navigator and guide in chief, to the top of Kinder Scout in a thick fog.
At that time he was living in Suffolk and teaching at my old school Thurston Upper School (now Thurston Community College).
I remember him playing guitar in a school show and it being great but I was not aware of his earlier folk recordings at that time.
Also at that time I remember seeing him come to play at a small Village Hall in Rattlesden Suffolk and a performance that has stuck in my memory to this day of a a song called “What I want is a proper cup of coffee”, in which of course the audience, including myself, was encouraged to sing along with the chorus. Rick (Mr Keeling) had created his own additional verses and the song, its successive choruses joined in with by the audience, more loudly and enthusiastically after each verse, brought the evening to a happy conclusion with much laughter and applause.
Sadly I think his health problems started around this time as I remember his taking an extended absence from school for medical treatment towards the end my time there.
Both my own father and Mr Keeling died in 1988 at the young ages of 49 and 43 respectively.
It is only upon discovering his earlier recordings much later and now residing in Sydney Australia over 20 years on that I fully appreciate the full scope and brilliance of Rick Keeling’s talent. A brilliant singer and guitarist and a brilliant teacher.
So your post was very much of interest
Mike.
Dear Phil
I didnt go to Hardley, but like Mike consider my self so lucky to have had Rick as a Chemistry teacher at Thurston.
Rick was one of the very few teachers at that time who could totally inspire young people just by being himself.
His untimely death was a real shock. He was living in the village of Woolpit at the time and was a member of just about every group going, he really was a wonderful man.
We also completed the Pennine Way with Rick and every night night in the youth hostel out came the guitar and we were entertained by Rick and a young teacher named Mary Knights.
The song that really sticks in my memory is Geoffrey the man eating jelly, that and Ricks brilliant cover of Streets of London became the walks anthems.
It was me putting Geoffrey into google last night that brought up the Forest Tracks website, and then your post. I was completely unaware that he was part of the south coast folk scene, we all knew how talented he was but he never spoke of his life before Thurston Upper School.
I am buying the cd’s as a present to myself to take me back to places like Mankinholes youth hostel and some fantastic Chemistry experiments, I cannot imagine any school allowing them now!, mind you they probably didnt know much about them then!.
To Rick Keeling, a truly wonderful man
Best Wishes
Stuart
Dear Phil,
I as lucky enough to be taught chemistry by Rick Keeling in the early 70s at Hardley he always made the lessons fun and explosive. I also reember him and Mr Mawson I think it was Phil jamming together on guitars at lunch breaks.
I also remember going on a field trip to Durdle Door and drinking in the pub with him and some other teachers as well as the coach driver !!
We were 5th years supposedly looking after the 3rd years happy days and memories of Mungo Jerry In the Summertime on the coach radio.
Hi,
I have fond memories of Hardley school in those days (1970-2) for the youth club (I went to Noadswood). But I also remember Rick Keeling because he used to sing and play regularly at the Cutty Wren folk club in Hythe. I had already left UK for Canada before his untimely death. So sad.
Andrea
Just bumbled across this posting from Phil- thanks for the blast from the past. I left Hardley in my last year 1974 to emmigrate to Canada. I have great memories of Rick Keeling. Him playing the guitar and singing Joni Mitchell etc at lunch times. I also remember him introducing us to the Liebig Condenser in a most unique way. Yes, remember Mr Mawson well, I set his biology lab on fire by accident one class and still have the burnt book to prove it! And Mrs Dye my favourite teacher ever. The good old days of Hardley.
Hey Phil, I went on that Pennine Way Trek with you. Although I was one of the ‘support’ team of younger members from Hardley. Your dad ran Blackfield garage I think(?) and supplied the two blue Commer/Dodge vans for the trip. It was certainly an adventure with the wooden bench seats along the sides and no windows I’m not sure if the authorities would allow it these days of elphin zavetee. I have a picture of you, Kwackers Rick Keeling et al somewhere, I’ll dig it out and send it to you if you like. I emigrated to Australia about 30 years ago and my friend and fellow ‘Hardonian’; love it! FrancesValentine who emigrated to Canada in the 70′s sent me a link to your post. I am going to buy a copy of ‘Waiting for the leaves’ ah, nostalgia; it’s a thing of the past.
Best regards,
Bruce
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