I don’t think there is any doubt that Bacon’s was a school where abusive caning took place. As to other matters the ‘refusal to comment’ when a simple ‘yes’ that girls were always caned on the hand, is , at the very least suggestive the truth is rather more murky. As for the other accusations, -how many strokes etc , arrangement of underwear, well who knows – I don’t. As to whether he caned left or right-handed who cares?
What I do know is that demands for an investigation were made, and in those days that was unusual.
However obviously our old friend Colin F thinks the ‘Standard’ is a reasonably reputable source to quote, and so do I. We may never know all the lurid details, but that things went on that departed from the norm in ILEA schools under that regime is, I suspect, a reasonable allegation in the circumstances.