Founded 1980
Chair:        
Secretary: 
Treasurer: 

Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


​Smiths were all in one dorm named Medomsley, the room above the left bay window in the picture. I had no idea where Medomsley was at that time This was all a new experience, not just the training but being away from home for 8 weeks with no mobiles or emails to keep in touch just a queue at the one phone box at the school. A key skill at that time was discipline and the ability to march and then command your section on daily parades, observed by your section PO (no S.O.’s in those days). See the picture below, although this was taken later as we did not have uniforms in 1969.

At that time, although we joined and did our first month at the recruiting establishment (for me that was HMP Stafford), we were posted to any establishment in England and Wales depending where the need was at that time. Single men were nearly always posted to a London jail. We were told our posting at the end of week 4 as we returned home for the half term to break the news for our loved ones - good or bad. As you may imagine, a posting to the Isle of Wight from the North East was quite a shock but that is how it was and so we got on with it.

I remember Concorde on its first test flight flanked by 3 jets flying over the OTS in April 69, all very exciting, and also cider in the Officers Club at Leyhill, a shilling (5p) a pint, lethal stuff it was too. Funny what sticks in your mind after all these years.

 I have fond memories of the training especially our section PO’s who were real role models for us. Our PO was PO Tom who in later years was the Governor at Foston Hall in Derbyshire. The most feared PO at that time was named Hannigan (I think) and when he said it was Monday that is what it was, no arguing even though we knew it was wrong.

One of my proudest times in my 40 years and 5 weeks in HMPS was when I was head of Prison Officer training based at Aberford Road Wakefield, which I was unfortunate enough to close in 2002 when the Service needed to save money, what a waste. The place was the envy of many international visitors who would have taken it home with them if they could.

I expect newly recruited Officers these days still get a buzz out of the current training, and I hope they have fond memories of their time at OTS or whatever it is called today in years to come.

GRAHAM SMITH
Graham Smith
 Issue No. 82 Spring 2020
Leyhill
This is a view of “Tortworth Court” or the Officers Training School (OTS) as it was when I did my 8 weeks POUT (Prison Officer under Training )training there in 1969. It is now a posh De Vere hotel.
I am indebted to Les Sunshine one of our longstanding members for this photo and the one below.

Following my initial one month induction at HMP Stafford in February 1969 along with 5 other hopefuls we travelled separately south on the M5, yes it was built then, and to start our residential training at the OTS adjacent to HMP Leyhill. In fact parties of prisoners maintained the extensive grounds and prepared food in the kitchens on a daily basis. Some of you will be aware that Leyhill OTS staff were regarded as proper Prison Officers and those trained at OTS Wakefield, which ran in tandem, were just “Screws”. I couldn’t possibly comment.

We slept in dormitories at that time and in alphabetical order too, so us