Mr Radford acquired his nickname because of a mannerism. He would point two fingers held out like a pistol and say: "You boy, take 50 lines." He would then point his fingers towards his mouth and blow blackboard chalk from them and then place his hand inside his jacket as though replacing his pistol in its holster.

I remember one occasion when several boys brought imitation pistols to school and we tied one on the end of each of the window cords that hung down on both sides of the classroom.

Mr Radford walked into the room, took the lesson with about 16 pistols pointing at him and without comment left again at the end with his usual inscrutable look.

This photograph was taken in 1950. The boy half seen is Geoffrey Chadwick, from Bolsover, and the photographer was David Cooper, from Langwith, who sat on the back row with his camera at the ready and as soon as Mr Radford looked down, clicked the shutter.

A copy was left on Mr Radford's desk at the next lesson and again, without comment, he picked it up and put it in his inside pocket as he left the room.

PHILIP UTRIDGE,

92 The Hill, Glapwell.