We had plain clothes nuns towards the end of my time in Mostyn, but the ones before that, in their all black habits, were amongst the most violent people I've met. They'd come at you like a stealth bomber, wimple billowing in their rage, and whack you across the knuckles with the side of the ruler. Mr Rooney the woodwork teacher had a wooden bat labelled 'Central Heating' which he'd whack you across the arse with. I got sent to the headmaster about 30 minutes after my Mum had left; she'd been summoned to hear about my misbehaviour, boy did I get thrashed. It was bad, because kids from a nearby class were later asking me what I'd done to deserve that.