THE news that former Examiner editor, the late Dick Mallinson, has had his short stories published prompted memories for Bob Higson from Kirkburton.
Both he and Dick originate from Denby Dale and were at primary school together.
“We were mainly snotty nosed scruffy urchins, but somehow he was not like that,” says Bob. “I recall that he was rather aloof, studious and more serious. He was good at all games and academically was consistently the top of everything. He must have been a teacher’s dream.”
Dick went on to Penistone Grammar School and later Oxford University.
Bob added: “It may not be out of the ordinary today, but it certainly was back then, just after the war. I suspect Richard was the first lad ever from Denby Dale to get into Oxford by examination alone. In earlier years, unless your family had serious money, you simply did not go to Oxford or Cambridge, no matter how brainy you might be.
“Richard's nickname at school was Dicky-Tripe. I have no idea why, nor even if anyone ever called him that to his face. Certainly, I didn't.”
He mastered the art of short story writing in retirement and wrote about 1,000, none of them longer than an A4 sheet. They have been published by Authorhouse in two volumes called Richard Mallinson's Fast Fiction. Each contains about 500. They are available in print form and as e-books. Find them on Google, Amazon and other sites.
