Eventually when I retired from my OC commitments at school in 2013, I said my goodbyes to the academic staff, the accounts staff and the maintenance department, all of whom had made my task in the OCs a great pleasure over the many years.

The maintenance department asked if I knew of anyone who could make use of some old benches from the Dining Room as they were being thrown away. I immediately expressed an interest, not knowing quite what I would use them for but I remembered them fondly as everyone of our generation would.

The Dining Hall circa 1892, (SMV Mr Colston’s Hospital, Dr J Wroughton).  The layout of tables was different from what I remember in 1957, due to the school only having approximately 100 pupils in 1892. However the benches I used for ‘Dobbin’ were as these illustrated. 

To commemorate those OCs that had lost their lives in the Great War, the Dining Hall was given a major refurbishment with oak panels etc. A stain glass window records the same. The project was largely financed by the OCs.

The decision was now what to make? A ‘Welsh Dresser’ for the kitchen for my wife Sue, would be interesting and useful to make and may earn me some brownie points! However, the regular visits of my two grandsons Leo (5.5yrs) and Harry (2.5yrs) persuaded me to think of something I could make specifically for them.

This explains why Sue has no ‘Dresser’ but my grandsons have a ‘Rocking Horse’ called ‘Dobbin’!

‘Dobbin’ in preparation

It does not have a fancy name but I suppose it does have a pedigree of sorts, much the same as any horse, as it is made wholly of the ‘ancient’ oak benches upon which I possibly once sat while at Colston’s School circa 1957-62, as did my daughter Lucy whilst in the V1th Form 1996-98.

When the idea of a rocking horse came to mind I found an internet site called ‘The Rocking Horse Shop’, which specialises in providing plans and everything necessary to produce “Dobbin”. The Company provided a real Mane, Tail, Leather Bridle and Saddle. They also could provide wood kits when required but for me it was far more preferable to make it in the oak from school although it proved much more difficult for me to carve being ‘seasoned oak’!

For the technically minded it is made from various pieces of oak that are laminated together to form a head, neck and neck muscles, which are eventually dowelled onto a body; again consisting of various pieces of oak similarly all laminated together to which legs are then attached. All these relatively angular shapes are then all hand carved to give form to the horse. Although I had worked with wood as an upholstery manufacturer for many years, I had to learn new skills of carving and painting, also a much greater degree of patience!

My hope is that at least it gives my grandchildren as much pleasure playing with it as I had in making it!

I am pleased to advise that Dobbin was finished in time for the Christmas Day Derby! I suppose that Sue and I won as on Boxing Day Lucy, and her husband Al, provided us with a further little grandson, Jack Freddie, who will have an equal share in Dobbin with my other grandchildren.

Preparation for painting is known as ‘Gessoing’, which is a mixture of rabbit skin glue and ‘gilders whiting’, a fine chalk which is applied hot by brush. This initial coat covers the tiny imperfections in carving and sanding and can improve with building up additional coats. Individual preference determines the final finish; I choose a dappled grey.

Fred Forse with Dobbin in late November, still with a bit of necessary grooming and the stand and rocker to be finished.

The Christmas Day Meet – a ‘Handicap Race’!

The Rocking Horse Shop can provide various different saddles and bridles to choose from. Also you have a choice of synthetic or real mane and tail, even colour of glass eye. With the horse completed, with the help of a friend to turn the spindles, the stand was relatively straightforward.

I hope you will enjoy reading this article.  My next project is maybe a go-kart!

Plans, fittings, materials, valued assistance:  The Rocking Horse Shop, Fangoss, York YO41 5JH www.rockinghorse.co.uk

‘Fred’ Forse “57-62”