James Bell (E 63-66) has solved the Riddle:

“Andy Mitchell (FS 63- 68) asked if anyone knew the whereabouts of Jimmy Riddle. Well, he’s alive and well and living in God’s Own Country with his wife of 38 years, Christine. They have a daughter Carolyn, who is a senior-funds’ lawyer and a five year old grandson (who is following in Riddle’s footsteps).

Riddle was one of those who believed that a rule was only made to differentiate between two alternatives. Testing the alternative was his metier, rabbit shooting (Shooting Eight practice), shed-tower climbing at midnight, “selling” punishment runs, group pub visits (Lake District pioneer routing), holding the 64 bass-pipe key (smoking in the Priory organ loft), rabbit stew (his combination of compo rations, bren blanks and a torch), long distance cycle riding (went home) and other exploits too numerous to mention.

Geoff Lees of the famous ‘I’ll beat this school into discipline’ speech, tested his management thesis (six in half an inch and draw blood) many times on Riddle, as did Stanion. Now that reminds me of another exploit - blowing a CO2 fire extinguisher under the flat door and shouting “FIRE”! In between all of this Riddle managed eleven O levels, was Northern Area Command runner up in shooting (the army brought in a sniper from Birmingham to make sure they didn’t lose), won a Royal Navy Flying Scholarship, played in the school play every year, won  house colours for shooting, running, gymnastics and swimming – those were the days!

Riddle now has a doctorate, is a noted research physicist and a quoted Border historian. He was a member of the team that successfully developed embryo transplants with a live birth some sixteen years ahead of California University. He successfully researched LGS and food allergenics and has developed advanced technology high power microwaving, coupled with modified carbon surface chemistry techniques for low carbon applications. His latest projects include converting mixed waste plastic into a Fischer Tropf surrogate used to make diesel, and a carbon, neutral multi-fuel combustion system for retrofitting on industrial scale systems.

Riddle gave the Grace at the recent OSB reunion, an honour for which he will be for ever grateful, it being a fitting counterpoint to his being (unfairly, of course) sent down for smoking, which was probably the least of his ‘crimes’ at the time.”

 

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