Ohio surgeon remembers post-war year living in Horncastle

Horncastle Grammar School, Form 1A, photo 1947-1948Back row: left to right Irving Benton, Dennis Robinson, Alex Tointon, William Abbott.Third Row: John McAnlis, George Wells, Raymond Baxter, Peter King, Colin Smith, Joseph Austin Wilson, Michael Belton, and Peter Bourne.Second Row: Graham Brown, Iris Haw, Dorothy Langton, Janey Creswell, Josie Chapman, Dorothy Ironmonger, Kathleen Meanwell, Peggy McAnlis, and Francis Dawson.Front Row: Pat Parker, Ellen Pinchbeck, Jill Robinson, Margaret Oliver, Sheila Coldham, Margaret Dennis, Bridget Exton, and Terry Linton

John G McAnlis, 89, of Wadsworth, Ohio, spent a year living in Horncastle between 1947 and 1948 after his father, James S. McAnlis, who taught maths at Barberton Ohio High School, took part in a teacher exchange with then Queen Elizabeth Grammar School headteacher, Donald F. Taylor.John and his sister Peggy came to Horncastle and lived at the Grammar School House in West Street, and they both attended First Form 1A, in a Quonset building located between the school and Mr Ashley's home.

“It is now almost 80 years since that experience, yet I live it virtually every day of my life,” John said, “We came to Horncastle in the immediate post-war era, and I think that there was a general undertone of suspicion that we Americans had not had to endure the wartime hardships that pervaded the British.“Yet every experience that we had was a personal embrace and acceptance of our friendship – we are so gratefulfor this experience that has become our very lives.”John and his family came to know many local people, particularly among the congregation of the Queen's Street Methodist Church, and he described the “wholesome family combination” of the students and staff, who were like parents, aunts and uncles.

"Each day began with an assembly in the gymnasium hall, a song from a little blue book, often patriotic, then announcements and dismissal to our individual class rooms,” John recalled.

Horncastle Grammar School Staff 1947-1948.Top row, left to right. J.S. McAnlis, Reginald Brown, Fred Isherwood, Acting Head Master, Freda Wheeler, and J. Martin Cook.Third row: Herman Ashley, , Prof. Leach, Mr. Davies, and F. GrebbySecond Row, Emma M. Hall, and Mildred ParishFront Row, Mr. Finch, Mrs. Parkinson, Rebe Green, Mable Hare, and Mary Scholey, School Secretary

"The student body was divided into four "houses" mostly for sports competition. On recognition day, our mother was honored to present the various awards.”John also remembered the lovely welcome the family received from Mrs. Edna Hart of Aysgarth in Green Lane [now Bowl Alley Lane], when her sons David and Michael brought a small welcoming gift, and they both remained friends of the McAnlis family for many years.

He also remembered the excitement of students being able to ride the train from and back to Woodhall Spa:

"Our American trains did not have the luxurious small passenger compartments as yours – what jolly fun they had every day and twice a day at that! “So many things seemed to fit together to be this memorial experience.”

Amusingly, John said that both he and Peggy acquired British accents during their time in Horncastle.John said: “Our experiences that year were the most impactful years of our lives. Living in post-war Horncastle was delightful and we have had many life-long friendships with students and families that we knew then.”

Peggy followed in her father’s footsteps and became a maths teacher, marrying US Air Force pilot Ernie Mueller, and had two children. She sadly passed away last year. John became a general surgeon, served in Vietnam, married his wife Joan, and they had four children.

John said he would be pleased to hear from any reader by email. If anyone remembers John or Peggy during their time here in Horncastle and would like to get in touch, you can email [email protected]