Old Boy
    
                             
   Old Boy was the oldest pupil at Gigglington Apprehensive
   School, and most probably the world. But he wasn't a
   late-starter. He was in fact an aged student who had
   been coming back to school each year since 1913.

   Back then, the building was brand-new and was known
   simply as Gigglington School. But Old Boy kept on failing
   his school-leaving exams. The years ticked by, and although
   Old Boy's beard grew longer and his uniform became more
   and more threadbare, his behaviour never changed. You see,
   Old Boy kept skylarking. He was forever playing pranks
   and japes and generally mucking about, to his teacher's
   chagrin and his own annual detriment...

   When we meet Old Boy for the first time, a new term has
   just begun. He's sent to the corner of class, and given a
   Dunce's cap, for having joked with a lasso. Old Boy shows
   the newst pupil a lesson in getting in his own back. He
   fires an ink pellet at Mr Flummox, the teacher, by way of
   the class bully Willy Thumpem. Willy catches the blame,
   and so naturally seeks revenge. But he thinks the new lad
   is responsible and he corners him in the school gym. The
   knock-kneed newcomer is in for a thumping, until Old Boy
   intervenes with his lasso!
   
   Old Boy and Willy came to blows all too frequently.
   Mr Flumox was also regularly flumoxed. Similarly, the
   school's regimental Headmaster would be left exasperated.
   But our aged lad never cared a hoot...
   
   This magnificent character was created by Brian Walker.
   He was part Ben Gunn, part Rip Van Winkle. He rode to
   school on a Penny Farthing, and he always had tricks,
   pea-shooters and catapaults hanging out of his pockets.
   There was even a mouse living in his lengthy beard!

   This being a hip 70s strip the teachers and pupils all
   sported fantastic flared trousers and glam rock haircuts.
   It's a fashion-watcher's treat...

   Alas Old Boy only had a short run in Whizzer & Chips
   and his weekly appearances in the Chips section ended
   early in 1976.  But he later popped up in the 1978 annual,
   and he actually returned seven years later, in the pages
   of the 1985 School Fun Annual. By that time he'd spent
   an amazing 72 years at school!