The Almondburian November 2023

The ALMONDBURIAN T H E MAGA Z I NE O F T HE O LD ALM O ND B URIANS’ SOCIETY

November 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

3 5 7 10 11 12 13 14 16 18 24 26 28 29 35 41 45 49 50 56 59 60 63

A word from your Chairman Membership From the Study Classroom Commentary Old Almondburians’ Society Calendar School opens again for visitors Sudoku Annual Dinner and Founders’ Day Service The ‘Letter from the Headmaster’ Tim Charlesworth remembered The surprising Miss Siddon Why do Crosswords?

Crossword by Hérisson What did you do during the pandemic?

KJGS in 1953: the official verdict Musings of a Modest Mediator Farnley Lines Back to the drawing board A Yorkshireman in America The ‘Battle of the Belt’ Tennis/Badminton Golf: Gothard Cup 2023 Obituaries

Email address: almondburian@oas.org.uk Opinions expressed by contributors to The Almondburian do not necessarily reflect the views of The Old Almondburians’ Society

(Opposite): This scraper board drawing of the School viewed from Farnley Line by Gavin Kane (1949-54) first appeared in The Almondburian in 1953, the year in which a full inspection of the School was carried out by H M Inspectors.

See article on page 35.

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

November 2023

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

A word from your Chairman WA LT E R R A LEIGH

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tom 1979-81: she told me she chose KJS as she wanted a Sixth Form with some character and history. How well she chose!Karen had a very successful teaching career, latterly as Head at Netherton Junior and Infants School and retired a couple of years ago. Over the last few years I’ve met Karen on a reg-

ELCOME to the November issue of The Almondburian. I hope you will enjoy it.

First of all I’m delighted to inform you that Karen Beattie (nee Marsh) has kindly accepted our invitation to speak at the Annual Dinner. Karen was herself a KJS pupil fr3

ular basis as two of my grandchildren attended her Netherton School. Parents were devastated when they heard Karen was retiring, as she was much loved by parents, children and staff. Full details of the Annual Dinner are on page 14.

I am pleased to let you know that the Archivist at theWestYorkshire Archive Service, Robert Clegg, has informed us that some of our archive material has now been catalogued. Some still remains to be officially numbered though it has been recorded and filed in specific boxes. Members can now arrange to visit the Archive/Local History Offices in Huddersfield to look at anything they particularly want to research. However, finding the office may take a little time as the main Huddersfield Library has closed for extensive work on the fabric of the building. Our next part of this project must be to search for funding to have the whole of the archives digitised. Robert has offered to meet with me, along with others interested, to set out a plan of action over the coming months and years. Robert has great experience of this process and will be an important lead in our discussions. I’ll keep you informed on this very exciting part of the journey.We would very much like help in this project from anyone who has expertise in this field, ideally by becoming our own official Archivist: see the panel below.

Sadly since the last magazine we have been informed of the deaths of two real stalwarts of the school, Lesley Walker and Kath Emerson; their obituaries appear on pages 64 and 66 respectively.

Lesley joined the School in 1971 as an assistant in the School kitchens and spent over 40 years there, retiring as Head Cook. Even after retirement she could not stay away and came back as a Lunchtime Supervisor. She was a member of staff loved by all and who always had a smile and positive attitude.

Kath Emerson taught at KJS from the early 1990s, joining us from Fartown High. She was a wonderful member of staff getting involved in so many projects it is difficult to list them all, as well as being an excellent Science and Computing teacher. Over the last few years ill health had blighted her life and so she decided to take early retirement at Christmas last year. How sad that after all her years of devoted service she barely had six months of retirement. Again she has left a massive hole in the School which it will be very difficult to fill.

And finally, on a much more pleasant note may I send the belated best wishes of all OAS members to Jack Taylor on his 91st birthday back in August.We hope he had a relaxing birthday surrounded by Judith and all his loving family. n

OAS ARCHIVIST re you a well-organised person with a bit of time on your hands? If so, you may be just the person we are looking for.

The transfer of the School archives to the West Yorkshire Archive Service in Huddersfield has highlighted the need for our own archivist to liase with WYAS and deal with any queries they may have as the work progresses.We also need to ensure that new material received by the OAS is channelled to the WYAS so that the archive continues to build.

If you think you might be able to help, please email us at archives@oas.org.uk.

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Membership A N D R E W HAIGH en a copy of The Almondburian by Philip Goldsmith, whom he recently met in a pub in Sidmouth! The magazine was particularly appropriate, since it included the obituary of someone whom he sat next to for many classes. It also included an article about a trip to Parame in France, which brought back many memories and so he has joined the Society hoping to catch up after many years with old classmates. Christopher, whose brother also attended KJGS, remembers his days at school as very positive and enjoyable, giving him his love of History, Geography and Literature, which were taught by knowledgeable and stretching masters and setting him on his way for the rest of his life.

Christopher left Huddersfield in 1963, never to return, and ended up in Wiltshire via the University of London. After a career in local government in London and Swindon, he ended his working life teaching Business and Management as a practitioner, rather than a scholar, across a number of universities and countries.

Christopher has been a Rotarian for over twenty years, becoming Governor in the West of England in 2020 and helping to support people and children less well off than us in the U.K., including a Polio Immunisation Day in India some fifteen or so years ago. l Richard G. Allen (1969-76) resident in Lakenheath. l Julian Howarth (1982-89) resident in Santa Monica, California, where he has worked in the music and film industry in

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INCE the previous membership report in July, we have been delighted to welcome five new members to the Society: l Ailsa Griffiths is a retired member of staff. l Richard Michael (Mike) Luty (1963-70) resident in Holmfirth. Mike has joined the Society in order to attend his Class of 1963 Reunion at this year’s Annual Dinner and he is very much looking forward to meeting old friends there. After leaving school, Mike read Mathematics at the University of Bristol and then took an M.Sc in Pure Mathematics at the University of Leeds. Subsequently, he joined the Inland Revenue as an Inspector of Taxes and spent his entire career there. He worked his way upwards via various offices in Yorkshire and, for the last fifteen years, worked in the Large Business Office, based in Leeds. His specialism was Corporation Tax, although he led teams which handled the relationship across all taxes with the very largest U.K. and multi-national companies, including McDonald’s, Bacardi and Morrisons. Mike played cricket for Broad Oak in the Huddersfield League for many years and also hockey for Huddersfield. Since retirement in 2004, he has taken up the more sedate pleasure of crown green bowls. He married for the second time in 1999 and has two step-daughters and three grandchildren. l Christopher Hugh Firth (1956-63) resident in Swindon. Christopher was giv5

Los Angeles for the last fifteen years. Julian is married with a thirteen year old son; he brews beer, surfs a lot and splits his time between the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Mallorca.

We have also been pleased to welcome back a lapsed member: l Philip Goldsmith (1941-46), resident in Sidmouth. After leaving school, Philip took his HSC at Doncaster Technical College in 1948 whilst working fulltime in a junior position at the Meteorological Office. He did his National Service from 1948-50 and from 1950-54 he was with the Meteorological Research Flight, Farnborough, where he flew over five hundred hours in Mosquito, Canberra, Hasting and Avro Ashton aircraft investigating weather systems. Philip gained a scholarship and went up to Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1954-57.

He was promoted at the Meteorological Office and ultimately became Director (Research) in 1980. From 1985-93 he was Director of the European Space Agency, Paris. He retired in 1993, first to Bracknell and then to Sidmouth in Devon, when he discovered and renovated an old car which belonged to Edvard Beneš, President of Czechoslovakia, when he led the Czechoslovakian Government-inexile in London during World War II and

which is now in the National Technical Museum, Prague.

Over the same period, we have been saddened to learn of the death of Keith Bellerby (1947-52), resident in Haverfordwest and Michael Norman Atkinson (1955-63) resident in Ulverston.

Please remember that subscriptions for 2023-2024 fell due on 1st September.

The vast majority of our members now pay their subscription by standing order, which makes life easy. If you are one of the few who do not pay by standing order and you have already sent your £10.00 subscription for this year, thank you very much for being so efficient!

If you do not pay by standing order and you haven’t recently made a payment for this year, then you will receive a letter with this magazine pointing out that your subscription is not up-to-date.

In this event, please send your payment without delay. As I mentioned above, it does make life much easier if you pay by standing order so, if you can complete the updated standing order mandate that accompanies the letter and return it in the envelope provided, that would be even better! Alternatively, you may renew online, using PayPal or a debit or credit card, by visiting www.oas.org.uk/membership.php. n

Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held in the ODH at School on Monday, 8th January, 2024 at 6.00 p.m.

For those who wish to join the meeting by Zoom, the details are given below.

Meeting ID: 724 2516 7633 Passcode: M5P25k Nominations for office on the Executive Committee are required by the Secretary in advance of this date, so that the election of officers can take place at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule 7.

All members are urged to make every effort to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Andrew Haigh, Secretary 6

From the study It’s been a tough year for students followed by a significant tightening of grade boundaries, reports Ian Rimmer. And then we had the drama of possible RAAC…

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OW time flies! No sooner have I stepped off the train, having completed my Interrailing journey around Europe (think combination of mid-life crisis and reliving my youth) and we are back into the thick of it with updates on site developments, GCSE results and, of course – new for 2023 – ‘RAAC’. In previous years I have mentioned how school leaders have become increasingly multi-talented, adopting various additional roles: that of social worker, virus tester, site developer …and to that list you can now add, civil engineer.

But more of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete later.

9.00 am on Thursday 24th August and we are able, once again, to invite Year 11 students in to receive their GCSE results. Covid and significant building work, which rendered the site unsafe, have prevented us from doing so since 2019. As ever, the event heralded a mixture of tears of joy and sadness, sometimes from the same student.

As has been reported in the media, this has been a tough year on students.

The government has completed its realignment of pass rates, back down to

the norms of 2019 from the heady heights of Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) in 2020 and 2021. This has been achieved through significant tightening of grade boundaries, which in some cases have been increased by as much as 10%. Quite a significant shift!

Imagine a change of 10% being applied in other contexts, without prior knowledge; a footballer may be alarmed to find the size of a goal mouth at which they are aiming to be 2½ feet narrower than normal and you may be upset that your pound is worth €0.12 less than last year on your summer holiday.

But somewhat bizarrely, this drastic realignment was only true for England, as education is a devolved responsibility in the other home nations.

So, hypothetically, a pair of twins straddling the EnglandWales border, attending schools in different nations, could perform identically well yet end up with different grades. Another of the many anomalies in recent years.

So how did King James’s actually do this year? The comparative figures for 2022 and (highly provisional) data for 2023, are shown overleaf.

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School Performance Measures 2022 - 2023 Progress 8

Progress 8: Overall Progress 8: English Progress 8: Mathematics Progress 8: EBacc Progress 8: Other English and Maths 4-9 English and Maths 5-9 EBacc, inc English & Maths 4-9 EBacc, inc English & Maths 5-9

2022

2023

+0.09 -0.03 0.11 +0.34 -0.08 75.1% 56.2% 40.3% 33.3%

-0.07 -0.28 0.00 +0.22 -0.31 71.1% 51.6% 44.7% 34.2%

JARGON-BUSTER Progress 8 is now the principal way that a school's performance is measured. It measures each student’s progress, in their best eight subjects at GCSE, from the end of year 6, when the Key Stage 2 Sats in reading and maths are taken.

It’s a ‘value-added’ measure that indicates how much a secondary school has helped pupils improve (or progress) over a fiveyear period when compared to a government-calculated expected level of improvement. The government estimates are based on the ‘typical’ student’s performance. For each student, one subtracts what the government expect the child to have got from what they actually got, and that gives you the student’s Progress 8 score. Finally, all the individual Progress 8 scores are averaged to provide an overall school PROGRESS 8 score.

How each student’s ‘Attainment 8 Score’ is calculated BUCKET 1a English1

1

Worth double marks if both English literature and English language are taken. The higher grade of the two is used.

BUCKET 1b

+

Mathematics2

2

Also worth double marks.

+

BUCKET 2 The top three scores from the English EBacc subjects taken3

3 Sciences, computer science, history, geography and languages.

+

BUCKET 3 The top three scores from remaining EBacc subjects4

=

ATTAINMENT 8 score

4 Or other government approved qualifications (e.g., other GCSEs or Level 2 Certificates in some technical subjects).

the Progress scores. This is undeniably a little disappointing, but our results have been severely skewed by a small number of students who performed very poorly. In fact, nine students contributed -0.18 for the whole cohort.

Clearly there has been a dip in the percentage figures, but this is a pattern we expect to be replicated nationally.

How our figures will bear up to national norms, only time will tell.

There has also been a slight dip in 8

There are various reasons for this, some explicable others completely beyond our control.

RAAC: Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete And so to RAAC, an acronym that a month ago will have meant so little to all but a few. But then over the summer, timed beautifully to coincide with the end of the school holidays, we suddenly were required to become experts in this construction material.

Having been first contacted back in March when we were sent, and duly completed, a questionnaire, fast forward to July when we were advised that given our responses, it was deemed necessary for us to have an on-site survey. This, we were told, would happen in six weeks. Seven weeks later, when the issue was hitting the news headlines, we received another communication advising us we would have our survey within six weeks. Groundhog Day, sadly, it was not!

With our School having been extended over many decades, we of course fell into the critical time frame of having had building work done in 1950s to 1990s. We were rapidly advised that the material is liable to fail

Batley Girls High School is the only Kirklees school where RAAC has been found. There are currently no schools in Kirklees that are closed or partially closed to pupils due to RAAC.

without visible deterioration or warning, yet we still did not know if it was present at KJS. Government ministers appeared publicly, firstly the Secretary of State berating headteachers for sitting on the questionnaires (and other parts of their anatomy!). This was in most cases, and certainly in ours, completely untrue. Then the Schools Minister appeared, reassuring the public that all schools would be surveyed within the week. Buoyed by this news, we contacted our designated surveyors and were given a date – 10 days in the future! That day has now passed, and I am delighted to report that we are RAAC-free. Excellent news, but hardly the start to the year that anyone would want.

Let’s hope the rest of the year runs rather more smoothly. n

Contributions to The Almondburian We are always delighted to receive articles, letters or photographs for publication in The Almondburian. Photographs should ideally be at 300dpi resolution at the size at which they will appear in the magazine, and in .jpg or .png format. Please submit photographs as separate attachments, not embedded in Word documents.

Editorial email address: almondburian@oas.org.uk 9

Classroom commentary With the financial support of the King James’s School Foundation, we have launched a successful ‘Rewards’ initiative as part of our new ACE strategy.

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rience and opportunity for all:  Create an environment in which all students are encouraged to ’think big’, establishing a schoolwide sense of ‘why not me’  Expose students to new experiences in a variety of contexts  Provide students with opportunities which will enable them to become future leaders  Encourage reflection upon options for life after King James’s and setting themselves aspirational goals which match their potential Our Character curriculum is all about establishing clear standards, routines and behaviour norms expected of all (staff and students) around school during lessons/social times:  Reflect our core values and ethos, so all stakeholders are clear as to ‘how we do things around here’  Outline the offer we provide to each of our key stakeholders in order to deliver our expectations, routines and the King James’s Way.  Set out the standards, routines, behaviour and character ‘norms’ we expect of all our staff and students inside and outside of the classroom  Set out the standards and routines we expect from the school community during social times i.e. break and lunches.

e have LOTS of changes taking place at King James’s School at the moment, and central to this is our new ACE strategy, announced by our Principal Ian Rimmer in the last issue of The Almondburian.

ACE stands for: Ambition + Character = Excellence and it is a further development from our original King James’s Way that was developed a few years ago. (www.kingjames.school /about-us/ethos-and-values).

We needed something that would summarise the values and commitments that we aspire towards based on the King James’s Way and so we worked with the King James’s community to really pin these down. After looking at the ideas and suggestions that were put forward, we decided that ACE (Ambition + Character = Excellence) really encapsulated the King James’s Way culture and who we are as a school.

We have then split this down into our: l Ambition curriculum l Character curriculum and we have looked at the different ways we can push these strategies forward.

Our Ambition curriculum is all about providing a high-quality expe10

One of the key changes linked to our new ACE curriculum is our new Rewards system. We have brought in ACE vouchers and staff can award up to two ACE vouchers per lesson. Students can then either cash them in for a small prize or save them up for a larger prize. The students have been VERY excited about this new development and the queues of young people waiting patiently has been a reminder that we have some incredible individuals in school.

We could not have created the ACE Rewards Shop without the support from the King James’s School Foundation which generously donated £10,000 and we are incredibly grateful for their kindness and magnanimity. This came about when the Year 11

Student Leadership Team members for the Rewards Committee met with the Trust and discussed their ideas. I was with the students – Brody, Imogen and Joshua – when they met them and I genuinely had no idea how they would get on. They were nervous but passionate about the Rewards Shop and made their case clearly and succinctly.

I was very proud of them.

We have now been running the ACE Rewards Shop since mid-January and it really is a joy seeing the students who wouldn’t normally be rewarded, being able to choose a prize of their choice in the knowledge that they have earned it through hard work, outstanding attitude and meeting all of our expectations.

Long may this continue. n

Old Almondburians’ Society Calendar FOUNDERS’ DAY SERVICE Friday, 24th November 2023 (procession 1.30 pm for service at 1.45 pm) ANNUAL DINNER Saturday, 25th November 2023 (6.30 pm for 7.30 pm)

Dates of Executive Committee Meetings 2023/24 Executive Committee meetings are currently being held at 6.00 pm in the ODH at School, with a Zoom link for those unable to attend in person. Any member of the Society who would like to attend one of these meetings will be made most welcome on the following dates: Monday, 6th November Monday, 4th December The date of the first Executive Committee Meeting of 2024 will be fixed at the Annual General Meeting in January and the dates of subsequent meetings will be arranged at that first Executive Committee Meeting of 2024. However, if convention is followed then the provisional dates of those meetings will be as follows: Monday, 5th February, 2024 Monday, 4th March, 2024 If you would like to join us for any of the above meetings and are unable to attend in person, then please e-mail the secretary at andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk to request login details, an agenda and any other documents.

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HERITAGE OPEN DAY 2023

School opens again for visitors WALTER RALEIGH King James’s School again takes part in the national ‘Open Days’ event

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N Saturday, 16th September King James’s School once again opened its doors to visitors as part of the annual national Heritage Weekend. Abbi Terry, one of the Assistant Heads at the School, organised the event with the support and enthusiasm of Principal, Ian Rimmer who, we were pleased to see, brought along his mother for her first look around his place of work for the past 20 years.

In my opinion it was the best Open Day yet.There was a constant stream of visitors, over 70 in total, which exceeded our pre-Covid totals. As usual they were shown round by an enthusiastic army of students who once again did the School proud. And once again, the Royal Charter was on show.

Among the visitors were at least two nonagenarians. One was Terry Turner who attended King James’s Grammar School from 1944-49. He was a gold mine of information and thoroughly enjoyed his visit back to his old school almost as much as I enjoyed showing him round. He told me that despite passing his Scholarship to attend King James’s his parents had to pay 9 guineas a year in fees, three guineas a term. Terry’s two other brothers also passed their Scholarship

but his parents could only afford to pay for one of them to take up the opportunity of higher education. What a sad state of affairs this old system was before the 1944 Butler Act and one can only imagine the anguish this must have caused in many a household! He also had to pay for all his books and said that when he left there was a scheme where School bought back the books to be re-sold to future students.

His complaint was that Walter Haigh was in charge of this process and was very keen to get a good deal for school!

The other nonagenarian was a gentleman called John Lockwood who did not attend King James’s but Huddersfield College. However, we still let him in. Mr. Lockwood lives near Castle Hill and had always wanted a look round our old school. He admitted that, although proud to attend Hud12

Our ancient Charter was again on display, attracting much interest.

dersfield College, he was very envious of our old students’ association which was something they did not have. I also have to admit that Mr. Lockwood, who was head of Geography at Heckmondwike Grammar, also taught me for his sins! It was wonderful to show him round the School.

Once again, a big thankyou to Abbi and Ian for facilitating the Open Day and to all the students who did a magnificent job showing visitors around.

May I also thank Tony and Alex, two of the caretaking staff on duty, who could not do enough to make this weekend such a great success. n

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SUDOKU

4 2

Difficulty: tough

9

7

2 6

5 4 1 5 8 9 5 7 7 2 7 9 2 1 6 8 5 6 9 5 8

Each row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain the digits 1 to 9

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Annual Dinner 2023 Saturday, 25th November

Get your tickets NOW! HIS year’s Annual Dinner will be held at the School on Saturday, 25th November, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm and the main speaker this year is Karen Beattie (1979-81). The ticket price is £35.00 and an application form for tickets is included with this issue of the magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets online at www.oas.org.uk/buydinner.php. Please be aware that when the Annual Dinner is held at the School places are limited, so early applications are recommended. Please also remember that there are no facilities to accept card payments on the evening and the bar will be cash only.

It is always good to see members making a special effort to stage a re-union

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of their year at the dinner and such occasions are always enjoyable. Martin Sellens (1963-70) is organising a sixtieth anniversary reunion of his year and has already got a good number signed up.

David Parry and Robin Merchant (1966-73) are organising a get-together of their year who left fifty years ago in 1973. Hugh Lawson (1954-61) is already looking ahead to a seventieth anniversary reunion of the Class of 1954, but why not have a practice this year? What about others with a special anniversary this year, members of the classes of 1948, 1953, 1973, 1983, 1993, 1998, 2003 or 2013 for example? They or, indeed, anyone else who takes a notion to do so, should consider organising a reunion.

GUEST SPEAKER Karen Beattie (KJS 1979-81) AREN BEATTIE (née Marsh) joined King James’s in the sixth form from Newsome High. She didn’t want to go to Greenhead as she liked the history of our School and that it was a former Grammar School. She tells us that she greatly enjoyed her time at KJS, leaving after ‘A’ levels to train to be a teacher at CF Mott Teachers’ Training College in Liverpool. She then went to UEA in Norwich to get her post graduate qualification to teach. After a very successful and satisfying career she retired as Head of Netherton Junior and Infants School two years ago. and has since retrained to be a celebrant.

K

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Who will be at the Dinner?

As we go to press, these are just a few of the many Almondburians we’re expecting this year.

Surname Brook Burrie Calverley Fisher Haigh Kitchen Large Luty Makin Merchant Milnes Morgan Oughton Parry Priestley Priestley, MBE Raleigh Royle Searby Sellens Sellens Sharp Sheard Smallwood Smart Talbot Taylor Ward Wilkinson

Initials

Years

To

John Richard Anthony J. David A. Dennis Randall Andrew Mark D.Vaughan Peter Mike N. Christopher Robin Edward Howard Graeme Paul B.A. Richard David Martin Nigel J. Walter Prof. Edward Richard Prof. Martin H. Dr. Graham Stuart John Franklin Ian Charles David J. Dawn Paul R. John Andrew James Andrew Michael D.

1963 1961 1963 1954 1977 1963 1966 1963 1954 1966 1957 1957 1966 1966 1963 1963 1978 1955 1976 1963 1966 1951 1963 1963 1976 1963 1963 1957 1963

1970 1966 1970 1959 1983 1970 1973 1970 1961 1973 1965 1963 1967 1973 1971 1970 2010 1962 1979 1970 1973 1958 1971 1970 1981 1971 1970 1964 1970

Founders’ Day Service Following the success of last year’s Friday afternoon Founders’ Day Service, this year’s event will be held on the afternoon of Friday, 24th November at All Hallows’ Church, Almondbury.

It will be conducted by the OAS Chaplain, Rev G Carby.The procession up St Helen’s Gate will leave the School at 1.30 pm and the service will n commence at 1.45 pm.

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Travelling From Leeds Slaithwaite Beaumont Park Almondbury Almondbury Alvechurch Hounslow Holmfirth Mirfield Kirkheaton Cardiff London Norwich Paddock Lincoln Meltham Almondbury Royal Leamington Spa Lepton Colchester Ramsbottom Leighton Buzzard Saucats, France Penrith Dartmouth Bidford-on-Avon Slaithwaite Much Wenlock, Shropshire

The ‘letter from the headmaster’ ANDREW TAYLOR (1963-1970) When I spotted a copy of Gerald Hinchliffe’s History of the School for sale on the internet, I saw that it included a handwritten letter from my father…

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O there I was, whiling away a blameless ten minutes on my computer, browsing through the pages of abebooks.co.uk – thousands of second-hand bookshops, all over the world, coming together through the magic of the internet to offer their goods for sale.

And sometimes on abebooks, magic is the only word.

One book leapt out at me from the screen – ‘A History of King James’s

Grammar School in Almondbury’. I noticed idly that it was some random bookseller, in Canterbury, as I recall, and I was about to flick on to the next page. I’m not short of copies of the School history.

But then I caught sight of another note on the page.‘With an inset letter from the headmaster.’

Well, I knew who that headmaster was. And I was going to have that book.

When it arrived a couple of days later,

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‘The Cistercians in Yorkshire’: the Winter issue of The Almondburian in 1965 duly records the public lecture by the Local History Society’s distinguished speaker.

I turned straight to the letter, slipped inside the front cover. King James’s Grammar School headed notepaper. ‘Dear Professor Le Patourel,’ it started, in that precise, schoolmasterly hand that I knew so well from the bottom of my school reports, from birthday cards and Christmas presents, from the letters that I occasionally received as a student in those pre-email days. And from dedications in books on my shelves today.

Fifty years of growing up, of growing older, fifty years of births, marriages and deaths, just melted away, and I was thirteen again.

As headmaster, Harry Taylor had started a Local History Society at the School, based in the newly-established Taylor Dyson Library; and as my father, he’d asked me to go down and make cups of tea for everyone. (I say ‘asked’, but we both knew in those days that ‘No’ wasn’t an option.) The first speaker, in October 1965, was Professor John Le Patourel, a widely respected mediaeval historian from Leeds University.

I’d no idea what he spoke about – I was too busy making the tea, and anyway, at thirteen I don’t think I’d have cared.

But afterwards, my father sat in his study at home, looking out over the Farnley valley, and wrote a note of thanks to send him, along with a history of the School. I think, though I may be kidding myself, that I remember him saying he was going upstairs to do it. I’ve no idea how it made its way to a bookseller in Canterbury – presumably Professor Le Patourel’s books were sold when he died back in the eighties, and the History of King James’s Grammar School was among them.

But what I do know is that I can hear my father’s voice in the words that he’s written – the laugh when he says how interesting the book is, ‘though I may have some bias in the matter!’

All sentimental nonsense, perhaps.

It’s an old second-hand book ‘Fair to good condition, protective covering, with dust jacket.’ And a handwritten letter, of course. No more than that. Worth £5 of anybody’s money. But I’ve picked up a lot of bargains on abebooks over the years – and never one that means as much to me as that. n l Andrew Taylor (1963-70) is the younger son of Harry Taylor, headmaster of King James’s Grammar School from 1951-73.

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A TRIBUTE

Tim Charlesworth remembered SIMON THACKRAY (1965 -1971) The former Head Boy of King James’s Grammar School in 1971-72 died in July 2023. His close friend for many years profiles a ‘remarkable’ man.

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o me he was always Tim. Oth- he had an email address, he never reers will remember him as Chas. vealed it to me). At KJGS, he didn’t form Our friendship went back a lots of close friendships but he had a few, long way; we were in the same class from enough for his social needs. Tim was in the age of five at Birkby County Primary truth a bit of a loner but perfectly hapSchool and then both of us went on to py in his own company. He wasn’t unKJGS in 1965. friendly nor was he unpopular; he was The danger of recalling the life of an just content within himself. old schoolfriend is that it will simply end Tim wasn’t an outstanding sportsman up as an account of our 64-year friend- but I remember him as a more than deship and so I tell you cent cross-country runhow we created stink ner. He also played a bombs with his chemgood game of chess, a istry set, went coarse game which he and I fishing and train spothad learned to play toting, how we learned gether as eight-year-olds to smoke together, how from a library book. Surwe ‘ran away’ and hitchprisingly, as Tim was hiked to Scotland with a much cleverer than me, 2-man tent when we he and I were always Simon Thackray took a joint were 16, just the usual honours degree in Law and well-matched across the stuff. But I’ll resist and Social Policy at the University chess board and we’d Kent. After 40 years of workfocus on a man who I’ve of often play against each ing in the law and living in always rated as one of Greater London, he is now hap- other as ‘top board’ in the most intelligent peo- pily retired and leading ‘the inter-house chess matchgood life’ in rural Suffolk with ple I’ve known. es – Tim was Fenay, I was his wife, Jo. They have three Tim was eccentric, children and eight grandchil- Jessop. We played toinsular, and extremely dren. Simon is Chair of the gether for the School tennis club and plays tenprivate; a man who nev- local and had great fun, along nis himself three times a week. er owned a mobile He still jogs the occasional 5k with the likes of Martin phone and rarely com- just for fitness and enjoys a Priestley, going out in municated by email (if game of chess. the evening in Cec 19

Wroe’s battered old car to various working men’s clubs to play in a Huddersfield league for the Watkinson Trophy. Cec was a good sport; he turned a blind eye to us enjoying a pint with our adult opponents. Tim always enjoyed a pint; he'd been well trained by his dad (Philip) who was one of the founder members of one of the most successful pressure groups in my lifetime – the Campaign for Real Ale. There was no Watney’s Red Barrel, Double Diamond or fizzy lager for Philip or Tim. Throughout his life, Tim was a true academic. At school and as an adult, if he came across a subject about which he

knew very little, he’d go away and research it. He had a thirst for knowledge and he had the intelligence and the dedication to back that up. Consequently, Tim was an outstanding student.

Who taught him was largely incidental.

He seemed indifferent to the teachers; I can only recall him speaking well of one member of staff and that was Fred Hudson who was influential in cultivating Tim’s interest in Geography. Tim would regularly pick up prizes on speech day; in his final year, Tim was awarded the Stead Prize for Geography (shared with Chris Huby) and collected the Emsley Memorial Cup for English Literature.

School appearances: Tim Charlesworth is on the extreme right in both photographs.

The top picture shows some of the cast of a performance of Noel Coward’s Nude with Violin in July,1969.

Left to right: A D Johnson, A R Cape, Janet Nash, D H Roberts, M J Harrison, J A Tayor, June Hey, Pauline Hill, Jadwiga Agater, Jean Uttley, T A Charlesworth The bottom picture is the Chess Team of 1970 which won the Watkinson Trophy.

Back: B Gilling, S Thackray, A Danchev, T A Charlesworth Front: C Graley, M Priestley (captain), S Graley 20

The Almondburian Poets THE BALLAD OF THE SHIP ‘PERSEUS’

’Twas a brisk arid blustery morning When the Perseus set sail.

The look-out in the awning Cried “It's blowing up a gale!”

And when at last the storm dispersed And the brine dripped off the ship, The cap’n knew he'd weathered the worst And could now the straits outstrip.

But the captain knew his hardy craft And her heavy cargo too.

He knew the gear from fore to aft, And he knew his worthy crew.

So across the vast and salty blue The British bark did sweep, For lands and treasure to pursue Beyond the timeless deep.

The waves lashed hard. the canvas rent.

The ship rolled to and fro, But through the blasting foam she went, Braving the watery foe.

And sad it is this tale must end.

No more is to be said.

If still across the brine they went Or whether they are dead.

The oak boards creaked. the stout masts swayed, The waters washed the wood.

The foresails filled, the rigging frayed, But the Perseus withstood.

For Nature’s bitter ironies Must strike us all one day — That they should beat the roughest seas And still be far away.

T A Charlesworth, 6 Arts

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HIS poem appeared in The Almondburian in Autumn 1971. It’s not known if the Perseus was a figment of Tim Charlesworth’s imagination or if it was based on a real historic vessel. If the latter, a possible contender would be the sailing ship of that name launched in 1799. Like Tim’s ship, it survived numerous hazards like being struck by lightning, damaged by storms and striking submerged rocks, before meeting its end around 1845.

He was Head Boy in 1971-72 for which he collected the Shaw Prize and then stayed on for the autumn term of 1972 in order to sit the Oxbridge entrance exam. He took up the offered place to read Geography at Keble College, Oxford.

After Oxford, Tim started out on a career in advertising based in London.

He had a rented flat in the now trendy area of East Dulwich but I can tell you it was a long way from trendy in the

1970s. For a while, Tim shared the flat with Old Almondburian, Julian Stafford.

When Julian moved out to go and work in Cambridge, I took up the vacancy; so Tim and I were thrown together again for a year. I don’t think either of us felt the other was the perfect flatmate, but we’d got a lot of history together so arguments were rare and when I left to get married, we parted on good terms.

For an academic like Tim, I never understood why he entered advertising. To 21

me, it was a glove that didn’t quite fit. London libraries. One of his great inBut what do I know? Tim certainly did terests was local history and in 1988 he well and he stayed in the industry for wrote a book which was published ensomething like 16 years. The 80s and 90s titled The Architecture of Peckham. A secwas an era of mergers of advertising ond published book followed in 2000 – agencies; Tim went through a number The Story of Burgess Park. of mergers so the name of the agency Nor must I fail to mention Tim’s rehe worked for seemed to be regularly ligious faith. It would be quite wrong changing; but finally, in one such merg- of me to explain his faith; even if I uner, he took a redundancy package to ex- derstood it, I wouldn't do it justice. All plore a new career in teaching.

I'll say is that his faith was probably igI've bypassed two hugely important nited as a choir boy at Holy Trinity events in Tim's life. Tim got married and Church in Marsh, Huddersfield. He he became a father. I confess, having used to say he enjoyed the cash he lived with Tim for that year in 1978-79, earned for singing at weddings, etc but I’d put Tim down as a lifelong bachelor. I always felt there was something spirHe was such a creature of habit, sure- itual going on which he didn't want to ly nobody would be a strong enough share. Later, as a bachelor living in Loncharacter to take Tim on and teach him don, he was a regular church attender that a successful marriage was invariably at a ‘high Anglican’ church in East Dulabout compromise? But I hadn’t met the wich. Jane has a strong Catholic faith so incredible Jane. She was absolutely over the years, they had united their marvellous for Tim and I'm sure Jane faiths mainly within the Catholic church. would say the same in I have referred to Tim’s reverse. They were the private nature but I now perfect match. Tim was regret never having ini33 when they got martiated a proper converried, and 6 years later, sation with him about they had a son, Theo. his faith; having faith in Their family home then the unseen seemed at became a magnificent odds with Tim’s intelGeorgian house overlectual and analytical looking Peckham Rye; mind. He was a complex here they remained for character. the subsequent 30 years Returning to Tim’s of married life. career, we left him leavI also don’t want to bying advertising at the pass Tim’s continued pasage of 39. He then studsion for reading and re- Tim Charlesworth’s highly ied for his PGCE for a book The Architecture search. He was a reader commended year and then took up a of Peckham was published by at many distinguished Clener Books in 1988. position teaching Ge22

serious and the year that followed, particularly the last 7 months of Tim’s life, proved to be very difficult. Tim died in King’s College Hospital on 30th July 2023. In true Tim style, he had requested that there be no funeral, a wish that his family of course observed. The intention is to hold a memorial service next year.

Tim was never a member of the Old Almondburians’ Society; I don’t think he ever returned to the School from the day he left in December 1972.

Strange, one might think, for a former Head Boy? One could read a lot into this but on this occasion, it would be a mistake to do so. Quite simply, Tim didn’t do nostalgia. He did the same with his Oxford college; once finished, Tim moved on. He wasn’t remotely interested in taking a trip down Memory Lane and the trivial, gossipy chit-chat that invariably goes hand-in-hand with reunions. To start a conversation with Tim with the words “do you remember the time when we…” was an anathema to him. That was Tim. All part of his eccentricities that made him such an interesting person to be with.

Tim was a remarkable man. He impacted the lives of so many people. He is much missed by his wife, Jane, and his son and daughter-in-law, Theo and Sha. He is also much missed by his numerous longstanding friends of which I’m proud to call myself one. n l A memorial service will be held in London in 2024. For details, Old Almondburians are invited to email Tim’s daughter-in-law Sha at shalynnchan@gmail.com.

Budding geographer: Tim studies the rocks on a Welsh beach in 1971.

ography at Coloma Convent Girls’ School near Croydon. There he stayed for the next 20 years. One of his accomplishments there was to start a school chess club and, thanks largely to Tim, some of the girls progressed to playing chess at county level.

Most of his friends, including me, assumed that Tim had retired from teaching at the age of 60 simply because he thought 20 years was enough.

Such was Tim’s wish for privacy, it has only been comparatively recently that I learned that he had actually developed a heart problem and it was his health that had led to his decision to retire.

For the next eight years, whenever I saw Tim, he always seemed to be in excellent health. In the summer of 2022, Tim’s heart problem became more 23

BOOK REVIEW

The surprising Miss Siddon

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EADERS may recall a fascinating article by Walter Raleigh in )the July 2018 issue of The Almondburian about the formidable Emily Siddon, who gave her name to one of the School’s four Houses. We were therefore particularly interested to learn of a new book The Surprising Miss Siddon by Peter Marshall that has been published by Honley Civic Society this year to mark the centenary of Miss Siddon’s death in May, 1923.

Emily Frances Siddon, later to become the first - and only- female Governor of Almondbury Grammar School, was born on 16th April 1844. Her mother was Sarah Anne Jessop, another name still of significance to the School today to those pupils who are members of Jessop House.

Emily’s grandfather William Siddon was a partner in the successful cotton manufacturing firm Cowpe, Oldknow and Siddon & Co. The family wealth enabled her to live in some style at Honley House: according to the 1911 census there were two

lady’s maids, a housekeeper, a kitchen maid and a cook. Emily never married, but for over 45 years she had a live-in companion Sarah Brooke.

A woman of independent means, Emily became deeply involved in charitable work in Honley and the surrounding area. She became much concerned about conditions in the Honley Workhouse and it was a natural progression that in 1882 she should become the first woman in Huddersfield to be invited in to join the Board of the Guardians of the Poor, the body which administrated the Poor Law and the local Workhouses. In 1913, she was made a local Justice of the Peace, only the second woman in the country to achieve that position.

Miss Siddon was a strong believer in women’s suffrage.

For many years she was President of the Huddersfield branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies.

DuringWorldWar 1, she also played a prominent role in supporting local groups supplying comforts for the servicemen and the care of the wounded at home.

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Emily had a lifelong concern for the welfare of children and was appointed to the committee of the Huddersfield branch of the NSPCC in 1894. She was a Governor of Almondbury Grammar School from 1897-1922. In the book, there are just two references to her links with School which the author may wish to correct in any future re-print: there is no Brooke House and the School is always known as King James’s (sic).

Emily Frances Siddon died on 28th May, 1923, leaving an estate of nearly £25,000, equivalent to some £1,250,000 today. Her name was simply added to Thomas Jessop’s gravestone in Honley graveyard; as the author observes, the casual visitor would learn no more than she had been a Justice of the Peace and had been a recipient of the

MBE. But she would have been content that her legacy is to be found in her deeds rather than in any great memorial.

Peter Marshall’s book gives an admirably presented account of Emily Siddon’s life and her many friends and relations, and Honley Civic Society is to be commended for bringing her name to the attention of the wider public. n Roger Dowling THE SURPRISING MISS SIDDON

of Honley House Price: £10 68 pages Paper-back 210 x 149 mm ISBN 978-1-9997663-8-2 Honley Civic Society www.honleycivicsociety.co.uk

The Siddon Bowl Jenny Sanderson

mily Frances Siddon joined the Governors of the School in 1897 as one of the representatives of the Guardians of the Poor. It was the same year that saw the arrival of Leonard Griffiths as headmaster.

It was crisis time for the School, which was deeply in debt and in danger of closure.

Emily argued powerfully – and successfully – for it to remain open, maintaining that if it could be kept alive for a few more years it would probably be kept alive for ever.

In 1959, Huddersfield Corporation donated to the School a cup that had originally been given by Miss Siddon for bowling competitions between Boards of Guardian teams. It became the Siddon Bowl for House Football, awarded from 1960-1983.

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Fittingly, Siddon House won the Bowl almost every year.

The cup was manufactured by silversmiths Walker & Hall of Sheffield, now part of British Silverware Ltd. It is thought to be some 120 years old.

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W W H Y D O C R O S S It’s been said that doing a crossword is a most R agreeable way of wasting time, writes our enigmatic compiler HÉRISSON. But having spent many happy D hours in this activity, he suggests that many benefits accrue – including mental exercise, expansion of S ? vocabulary and the learning of new facts.

CROSSWORDS: A REFLECTION

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along a newspaper and we spent the time collaborating on trying to solve the crossword therein. It was a somewhat slow process, as we were all inexperienced in confronting the devious mind of the setter. Before long, we had collaborated by buying different newspapers and so had a supply of three or four crosswords daily to attempt to solve. By this process, I gradually managed to acquire the knowledge of conventions and tricks used by the setters in constructing their clues.

There are a number of types of clue available to the setter. The most common involves giving a definition of the answer (at the beginning or end of the clue) combined with alternative indications of the solution by various types of word play, for example by an anagram or by splitting the solution into its component parts and alluding to each of these. Another clue type involves synonyms – at least two – to the desired solution. The synonyms are often the most obscure usages of the word! Perhaps the easiest clue type is the “hidden solution”, where the letters comprising the solution are enclosed within a phrase in the clue.

Themed crosswords are a bit of a

T seems to be generally agreed that the first word puzzle with intersecting horizontal and vertical answers was published in America in 1913.

It was compiled by Arthur Wynne, a British journalist who had emigrated there, and it contained no black squares and was not constrained into a square as most crosswords tend to be nowadays.

British newspapers picked up the idea somewhat later and the crossword developed into its more familiar form with black and white squares. There are, of course, some crosswords that don’t use black squares but they need a thickened bar in the grid to denote the end of a word.

Two types of crossword evolved. The simple definition type (often referred to as “easy” or “quick” in publications) and the quintessentially British cryptic crossword. I shall devote the rest of this article to the latter.

My interest in solving crosswords began in 1965. I had been accepted at Manchester University to study for a degree in mathematics. A group of fellow students started to meet up in their free time and, on one occasion, somebody had brought 26

gestions. Firstly, my favourite of mine. These favourite of the clues I perare the ones where several sonally have constructed. of the solutions share a Clue: She’s a sailor. (10) common theme and may Solution: Midshipman be linked to another soluExplanation: The definition that indicates that tion part of the clue is “a theme. Those of you who sailor” so we’re looking for keep back copies of the Ala seafaring person. The almondburian could look ternative indicators are all back at some of my efforts contained in the word of this type. I did one in “She’s”. You can ignore which all the across clues punctuation in crossword were the names of YorkArchibald Spooner, who clues so we have the four shire cricketers and an- William reputedly once told a student other where the solutions who had wasted a term that he letters SHES.The two middle letters HE are the male contained several classical had ‘tasted a worm’. composers which in turn were alluded to personal pronoun i.e. a man. The two by the solution “barman” – i.e. someone outer letters SS are a standard indicator whose work involved using bars (as in for a ship (think Brunel’s SS Great Britain, for example). So, we have a man in the sheet music).

I also enjoy clues which employ middle of a ship – a mid-ship man.

Not sure where this next one came Spoonerisms. As many of you will know, these are named after the Reverend from, but there are two clever bits of misWilliam Archibald Spooner, who was direction involved.

Clue: They support long irons. No number warden of New College, Oxford in the ones here. (8) early part of the twentieth century. He Answer: Sleepers. was reputed to have the habit of transExplanation: Nothing to do with golf, posing the sounds of first parts of words in a phrase or single word to create an- but railways. “Number” is the comparative other phrase or word. For example, in- of the adjective “numb”.

Finally, from Roger Squires, who comstead of saying “lighting a fire”, he might have offered “fighting a liar” or instead of piled puzzles for the Telegraph and the “cat flap” he would possibly have come up Guardian (under the name “Rufus”). with “flat cap”. In one of my efforts, I Sadly, he passed away earlier this year.

Clue: Bar of soap. (6,6) came up with the clue “Carpet Spooner’s Solution: Rover’s Return noble sweeper” – solution “broadloom” A masterpiece of elegance, wit and which the Rev William might have promis-direction. nounced as “Lord Broom”.

I hope everyone continues to enjoy a Sometimes, people ask me what my personal favourite clue is. An almost im- few pleasant hours wasting time, solving n possible question, but I’ll make a few sug- crosswords.

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CROSSWORD

by Hérisson

Entries to the Editor (address/email: back cover) by 30th September 2023. Prize: 12 months’ free OAS membership l The winner of Crossword by Hérisson (July 2023) was Tony Sykes (1952-57)

4. Power English work unit in New York. (6) 5. Use this to find gold. (8) 23. Be quiet on border, persons ACROSS 6. 31/12 R. (4,3) evacuated. They’re very small. (7) 1. Day’s end, evilness erupts. Lust is 7. Find core travel firm with time I’ve 25. City organ resource. (9) included here. (5,6,4) added, using sixth sense, maybe. (9) 26. The EU government holds back 9. Arrest and sprint home. (3,2) 8. Extend members’ exercise. (7,4,4) 10. Former farm vehicle remover. (9) style. (5) 14. Very loud in Verdi work 5. It might 11. Gents age disgracefully, and lose a 27. Play unit – nudist Oscar playing. need swearing. (9) (5,10) retirement pot. (4,3) 16. Sofa surf, perhaps, and decry 12. Revolutionary fog found in Social Services initially. (4,4) DOWN laboratory (7) 18. Locks up and observes dog inside. (7) 13. Aligned now – air dispersed. (2,1,3) 1. In decline, street actor Carson, 20. Vehicle. A vehicle that needs though her character couldn’t be so towing. (7) 15. Metal angle found in bowl. (8) described. (9,6) 17. Talents dance where one might 21. Distressed, lost queen found in 2. Social climbers, without standard stable. (6) find a present. (4,4) deity. (5) 19. Check on phone or TV. (6) 24. Soldier in waterproof provides 22. Causes empty canoe in river. (7) 3. Positive or negative. (3-4) wizardry. (5) Name Email Tel

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What did you do during the pandemic?

R ev Gra e me C ar by ( 1962- 70) The Covid pandemic caused two years of havoc from which the world is still recovering. But for Graeme Carby it literally presented a heaven-sent opportunity to complete a major project he started 20 years ago.

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HEN I was a child it was quite common, apparently, for children to ask their fathers and other relations, “What did you do during the war?” This was not a question I ever asked my father as I noticed, at a very young age, that he would leave the room if the subject of the war ever came up. It was only after he had died that I learned what he did and what happened to one of his brothers as a result of his experiences, and I fully un-

derstood why he avoided the subject. Perhaps, in the future, children will ask their older relations, “What did you do during the Pandemic?” Well, here is what I got up to while other people, it seems, were learning how to make soda bread or making banana bread.

In December 2019, I decided to get back to a project that I had started about 20 years ago in Cardiff. I was a newly licensed Team Vicar in the Benefice of Cyncoed, an ecu-

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FTER leaving King James’s Grammar School, GRAEME CARBY read Biological Chemistry at Manchester University followed by a PGCE(Tech) at Huddersfield, Holly Bank before being appointed as a lecturer in Chemistry and Biology at Crosskeys FE College in Gwent, South Wales in 1974. He subsequently trained as a Psychometric Tester and, as a Student Counsellor, wrote a number of Crown Copyright training manuals for lab technicians and worked as a Scientific Adviser for the Home Office and for Gwent County Council. Outside work, he trained as a Church in Wales Reader (a lay minister).

In 1990 Graeme left teaching and retrained, doing a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology in St John’s College, Nottingham after which he was Ordained as a Deacon (1992) and Priest (1993) in Monmouth Diocese.While serving as Assistant Curate he completed an MA in Theology and joined a team training Readers for the Diocese.

In 1996 Graeme became a Team Vicar in Cyncoed, Cardiff.While there, he became a School Governor and eventually Chairman of the Board. Graeme also became a Scientific Adviser/First Responder for Gwent and South Glamorgan/Cardiff Emergency Planning Departments. He continued training Readers and became an Extra-mural Lecturer in Theology for Lampeter University. During his time in Cyncoed, he developed a ministry as a Christian Illusionist, and became a Member of Christian Magicians UK and of the International Fellowship of Christian Magicians. He also joined the Chaplaincy Team in the Church High School.

1n 2018 Graeme retired and moved back to Huddersfield. He is now on the OAS Executive Committee and in 2022 became OAS Chaplain.

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menical parish with four churches and five ministers.With a fair bit of spare time on my hands (!) I came across a couple of books, Janet Backhouse’s The Lindisfarne Gospels and Peter Brown’s The Book of Kells, which inspired me to produce an illuminated manuscript of my own. I decided to begin with one of my favourite books of the Bible, The Revelation to St John. Why this is one of my favourite books of the Bible is not part of this story.

The project began well enough, I did all the research, practised writing in Celtic uncials (see panel), identified some Celtic artwork that I could adapt and adopt, worked out which parts I wanted to highlight with illuminated capitals and frames, set out the text into logical chunks and thought up appropriate titles for each section.When I had it all planned and set out, the project ran to a total of 164 pages with endpapers!

Finally all the planning and design was ready and I began the actual writing and drawing of the manuscript. I quickly discovered that a single page took about two hours to complete and that some of the more complicated pages took about four hours and even eight hours was not uncommon for some of the ‘blanket pages’ (full page illustrations), so I knew I was in for a marathon not a sprint. I also quickly discovered that the Church in Wales was going to make things more difficult for me by slowly reducing the number of ministers we had in the parish until, at the end, there was just me, so the time I could spend on this project became more restricted. Establishing a new church com-

munityt and an expanding role in three church schools in the parish also added to the time pressures and it became clear that I was going to have to put the project on hold for a while once I had got all the calligraphy and drawings done.

For years the completed pages sat in a file box waiting for the final stage, the painting of the illumination. From time to time I would take the box out and wistfully look through the pages before putting them back in the box and going to the next service or meeting or visit or whatever my diary said had been booked.

In July 2018 I resigned my post in the Church inWales and moved back to my birth county and town. The first 17 months were spent getting the house in Kirkheaton in order and setting up a room as a studio.

At last in December 2019 I could get back to my manuscript. I wish I could say that I predicted the lockdowns and restrictions that the SARS-2 Corona virus would cause and so turned to this project for the hope in the text, but I didn’t - I was originally aiming to get it completed for the Art Festival in May 2020 in Kirkheaton Parish Church, which turned out to be one of the early Lockdown Victims!

Unable to go out much, even to church, did give me the incentive to get on with this project. I would spend a couple of hours or so meditating on the text I was working on and praying for a world that seemed to be suffering some of the things set out in the 30

text. (If you don’t know what I mean by that, get out a copy of A beginner’s guide to uncials the Bible, dust it off, turn to the NCIAL letters were derived from Roman capitals and were developed in European back of the book and read The scriptoria.The curving shapes were more easily and Revelation and you’ll see what I rapidly written than the angular capitals, and uncials mean.) This all gave me a closer became the main book hand of the late Roman connection with God and a Empire and the primary form of Christian through to the end of the ninth century. greater respect for those 7th manuscripts They remained the standard script used to write and 8th century monks whose Irish Gaelic until the middle of the 20th century.

Uncials are an example of what is known as a work had originally inspired me ‘common case’ letter form: that is, there is no to start this project. I was work- difference in form between majuscule (upper case) ing in a well lit room, on a com- and miniscule (lower case), the only distinction, if any, fortable chair, a table top mag- between the initial letter in a sentence and the body is in size.The early forms are characterized by nifying glass, commercial inks and text broad single stroke letters using simple round forms, paints with modern pens and written with the edge of a square-tipped pen.They brushes.They were working in ill- take advantage of the new, smoother, parchment and vellum surfaces, as opposed to the angular, lit scriptoria, on wood benches, multiple stroke letters which are more suited for with a Mark 1 eyeball, homemade rougher surfaces such as papyrus. Celtic (Irish and inks and paints and quill pens and Welsh) uncial manuscripts generally have definite word separation unlike many other forms where all homemade brushes. the words run together.

As the script evolved over the centuries, the Although the original incentive became more complex. Specifically, for completing the manuscript, characters around AD 600, flourishes and exaggerations of the the Art Festival, was an early vic- basic strokes began to appear in more manuscripts. tim of Covid-19, I did get all the Ascenders and descenders were the first major followed by twists of the pen in the basic painting completed by the end of alterations, stroke and overlapping of lines in the letter. A April 2020, which gave me a number of variations also arose in the design of month to learn how to bind the individual letters, particularly in A, D, H, M, N,T, and Some of these variations can be seen in the book to achieve my original W. reproductions on these pages. deadline. A wonderful course and kit that I found on line gave me the skills cially prepared untanned skins of calves.This I needed and by the end of May 2020, some is a finer form of the related parchment twenty years after I started, I had a beauti- which is made from other animals (primarily ful bound copy of the finished illuminated sheep or goats) as well as calfskin and it has manuscript of The Revelation to Saint John. It been used as a writing material since the secfinally saw the light of day in the 2022 Arts ond century BC. Festival.

But vellum is expensive (the quantity required for The Revelation to St John would have Materials cost over £1,700) so I used A4 Parchment The two books that inspired me – The Book paper.This is a decorative 90 gsm textured of Kells and The Lindisfarne Gospels – were both cellulose paper that resembles parchment written on vellum, which is made from speContinued on page 34

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and vellum in appearance. Although it is available in a number of colours, I used Antique Beige as it most closely resembles vellum.

Although I do own a ‘quill’, the pen I used is a standard calligraphy dip pen with assorted widths of square tipped nibs.

As I was going to be using water-based paints in conjunction with the written text and ink drawn outlines of the illumination, it was important that the ink was waterproof when dry. It also had to be resistant to UV light and oxygen, both of which can change the colour of some inks over time. So, I used a waterproof India Ink for the text and outlines. I also used opaque acrylic inks for highlights on the illuminations. Because of their high pigment quality and waterproof finish, they are perfect for this use.

I used artist-quality acrylic paint.These are fast-drying, opaque paints made of a pigment suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion first developed in Germany in the 1940s.They are water soluble, but become water resistant when dry. ‘Artist’ acrylics are created and designed to resist chemical reactions from exposure to water, ultraviolet light, and oxygen. Professionalgrade acrylics have the most pigment, which allows for more medium manipulation and limits the colour shift when mixed with other colours or after drying.

Another advantage of acrylic paints is that they are flexible, so they don’t crack as the pages are turned.

Binding Eight sheets of folded paper are collected into ‘signatures’.These are then stacked and sewn together with waxed linen thread to produce the‘bookblock’. The satin ribbon bookmark and headbands are attached to the ‘bookblock’.This is then glued into a case made of greyboard and leather effect cloth with PVA glue to produce the final hard backed book.This was then put into a 100 gsm paper dust cover bearing the title and an illuminated panel.

Source of Materials The paper I used was produced by Southfield Stationers but it is also available from other (online) stationers or office suppliers.The ribbon and leather effect cloth were bought from Samuel Taylors in Huddersfield’s Pack Horse Walk. All the other materials I bought from Calder Art Supplies in Huddersfield’s Byram Arcade.

So, this was one of the things that kept me occupied during the pandemic! Is that the end of my foray into the modern day Celtic Scriptorium? Not at all: I have now completed the next volume, The Gospel According to Saint John and that was exhibited in the 2023 Arts Festival. I am currently working on the third volume, The Letters of Saint John. All the calligraphy and art work are done and there is only the painting and binding to do.

God willing, this one will be ready for the 2024 Arts Festival — and hopefully it won’t involve yet another pandemic. n 34

HMI REPORT, 1953

KJGS in 1953: the official verdict THE EDITO R Just how good was King James’s Grammar School seventy years ago - or did it have its shortcomings? To answer the question, we’ve been looking through the official report of H M Inspectors following a visit in 1953.

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T is a fact of life that there are many were clearly impressed by the School’s who look back nostalgically on those ‘beautiful rural surroundings’, making a ‘good old days’ when the sun always strange observation that the mix of ancient shone and school-life was a long succession and more modern buildings ‘provide a of fun-packed days.There are others, as our place for gracious living’.The principal buildPostbag has demonstrated in recent issues, ing shortcomings were judged to be the lack who question whether the School was of aassembly hall apart from a gymnasium quite as good in those grammar school days and the inadequate provisions for the teachas we like to remember. ing of Biology and General Science.

So what was the official view of King James’s Grammar School 70 years ago? For- The Library tunately our archives contain a copy of a 16- At the time of the inspection, the Library page report following an inspection un- (nowadays known as the ‘Independent dertaken by the Ministry of Education Learning Centre’) comprised some 3,000 from 20th-23rd books, of which THE STAFF IN 1953 October 1953. It 800 were Fiction. makes interesting Headmaster: Harry Taylor Although the inSecond master: Leonard Ash (Senior French) reading. spectors thought Reginald Addy (French) It opens with Edward Akroyd (Art) that the collecthe observation Frank Anderson (Senior English) tion needed to Francis Bareham (Senior History) that it was the George Beach (Senior Mathematics) be greatly exfirst such inspec- Harry Binns (P E) panded, they tion since 1937 Frederick Bungeroth (French) warmly praised Harry Gledhill (Music/Junior Geography) when there were Dr Cyril Haigh (Senior Physics) Reg Addy’s manonly 260 boys on Walter Haigh (Junior Mathematics/Geography) agement of the the roll. By the Dennis Hockley (Mathematics) Library, a task he Fred Hudson (Senior Geography) time of the 1953 Albert Makinson (English) had willingly ininspection the James Newton (Biology) herited from the number had risen John Thomas (Senior Chemistry) Library’s original Jim Toomey (Latin) to 317 creator Leonard Rev Wilfred Western (Junior Science/Divinity) The inspectors Ash: 35

He is keenly interested and has added to his experience by attending a course in School Librarianship. He is assisted by a prefect and six boys from the Fourth and Fifth Forms. An accessions register and catalogues by Author, Subject and Shelves are carefully maintained.A system of open access for the borrowing of books works satisfactorily, and the general administration of the Library is sound and good.

The report describes in some detail the general organisation of the School curriculum. In terms of Achievement, they noted that although there were variations from subject to subject. the general standard was ‘satisfactory’, and the standard of work at Sixth Form level was ‘creditable’ During the past three years seven boys have been awarded State Scholarships, four in Science, two in History and Geography and one in English and History. In addition eight awards have been granted by the Huddersfield Education Authority

and one by theWest Riding Education Authority.

The report includes a chart, shown in graphical form below, summarising the further education or employment of the 164 pupils who left the School from 1950-52.

It’s interesting to note that 28 pupils went on to university, either directly or via National Service.This was just over 17% of the sample, which was around double the average achieved by UK schools in the 1950s.

At the time of the report, the School had a total of 20 staff. The inspectors write warmly of Headmaster Harry Taylor, who had only taken up the post two years earlier, and Second Master Leonard Ash, who had joined the School back in 1920: The Head Master, appointed in September, 1951, is an honours graduate in History of the University of Oxford and a Barrister at Law. He has had nineteen years’ experience as History Master in other Grammar Schools and five

Unknown (3) Miscellaneous (11)

University (19)

Distributive Trades (5)

National Service preceding University (9) Huddersfield Technical College (8)

Clerical posts (28)

Other Colleges (3) HM Forces/Police (7) Pharmacy (7) Engineering (32)

Chemical industry (9) Textile industry (23)

36

years in the Royal Air Force. As a Head Master he is a good organiser and a capable and careful administrator. He knows the Staff and boys of his School very well indeed and he is deeply interested in preserving the ancient traditions of the School while, at the same time, keeping it abreast of the times. He is ably supported by the Second Master who is about to retire after thirty-three years of most valuable service to the School.

essary to the vivid presentation of History.The method used up to the present does not seem to have succeeded in stimulating the imagination or the interest of the boys.

Geography Senior Geography master Fred Hudson joined the School in 1935, though his teaching was interrupted by war service from 1941-1946. It comes as no surprise that the inspectors were greatly impressed: He is a highly qualified, effective and successful teacher, who communicates to his pupils not only something of the romance of the subject, but also a sense of the part that geographical knowledge can play in helping them to obtain a fair picture of the great world stage.

They admired the ‘large and well-equipped geography room, with full use of atlases, wall maps, pictures and film-strips.

Excellent examination results reflect the soundness of the teaching; the Geography department is strong and flourishing.

English At the time of the inspection,Frank Anderson had arrived only three years earlier as head of department. and his junior colleague Albert Makinson had been in post for just a year. The inspectors noted that this meant that for English it had been a time for fresh beginnings, though the quality of work had not suffered to the extent that might have been feared.

Both masters bring to their work freshness, enthusiasm and conscientiousness; in addition they make a valuable contribution to the life of the School from their interest in Drama.

The report also observes that a considerable number of boys appeared to do little general reading in their own time, recommending regular Library periods to give an opportunity to encourage and develop this reading.

French Leonard Ash was the oldest-serving member of staff at the time of the inspection, having joined the School with an MA from Sheffield University in 1920. He and his colleagues impressed the inspectors: After 33 years of devoted service he retains a fluency and scholarly interest in the language which are heartening to find. He is supported by two other graduates with Honours in French. All three form a competent team.

However, they note that reading was an aspect of the work that was neglected for lack of time Written work was done systematically; some of it reached a good standard but the general level would be raised if more attention were devoted to dictation

History Francis Bareham had been in charge of History for six years at the time of the report, virtually on his own until Harry Taylor’s arrival in 1951: The present Headmaster brought to the help of this young master his rich experience and qualification.Already the subject has been given a room of its own, with visual aids so nec37

This composite photograph shows the teaching staff at the time of the inspection.

Front row: E Akroyd; G L Beach; F S Hudson; H Taylor; L C Ash, R Addy; H Gledhill Middle row: J F W Newton; C Haigh; J D Thomas; W Western; F Anderson; J P Toomey; Mrs Bungeroth (Secretary), F C Bungeroth Back row: D M J Hockley; W I Haigh; A Makinson; F J Bareham; H Binns

and free composition and less to purely grammar exercises.

Latin For many years, the teaching of Latin was the responsibility of Classics graduate Herbert Blackburn as a second subject to his main subject of English. In September 1952, the year before the inspection, the School had appointed Jim Toomey as a specialist Latin teacher. An honours graduate of Manchester University, this was his first appointment; the inspectors thought he had made a good start: Despite his inexperience, he has made a good beginning, and the boys are responding well to his clear and effective teaching.Apart from some boys who are surprisingly good, the general level is mediocre; but a big improvement is already to be seen.

Sixth Form teaching, part of that inTransitus and some of the lower form teaching.

His main assistant was Dennis Hockley, a newly-appointed graduate of Leeds University, who had been in post for only a month at the time of the inspection. Junior Mathematics was, perhaps surprisingly, undertaken by Walter Haigh who had joined the School in 1928 to teach PE; in addition to Mathematics he also taught junior English and Geography. The inspectors noted thatWalter Haigh’s Maths lessons were ‘full of good humour and industry’.

The Mathematics department was thought to be ‘well organised’. As for results, they observed: The work of boys in the first five years is generally satisfactory. In the Transitus and Sixth Forms the achievement is creditable though no work of distinction was seen.

Mathematics George Beach, senior Mathematics master, had been appointed in 1949 and took all the

Science Much of the Inspectors’ report is devoted to the teaching of Science, and they are 38

clearly impressed to learn that the School was one of the first in England to give the study of Science a recognised place in the curriculum.

They also liked the ‘good’ Chemistry and Physics laboratories but less complimentary about the Junior Lab: The ‘junior’ laboratory which has been in use for about 70 years remains as it was described in 1926 - ‘so full of benches that it is difficult to move in it at all.The benches have no water and no sinks so that very few experiments can be successfully carried out’.

Four masters shared the Science teaching.

Head of department was Chemistry teacher John Thomas, the often-eccentric Liverpool University graduate who had joined King James’s in 1951. In charge of Physics was Dr Cyril Haigh, a Leeds University graduate and doctorate who had been in post for two years. Teaching Biology was University of Wales graduate James ‘Nipper’ Newton who had been at the School for seven years, and junior Science was taught by nongraduate RevWilfredWestern who had several years’ experience in the chemical industry.

Despite the limitations imposed by the cramped Junior Lab and the wholly inadequate Biology Lab located in a tiny room over the Head’s study in the Schoolhouse, the Inspectors were generally complimentary: The course has been carefully planned and the standard of work can be regarded as satisfactory. Some of the boys in the Sixth Form show promise.

The small number of recommendations included the need for a more flexible junior Science syllabus and a greater emphasis on practical work in the Fourth and Fifth forms.

Art and Handicraft (Woodwork) These subjects were the domain of Edward ‘Teak’Akroyd, who had originally joined the School in 1924. known local artist, his commendable aim was that pupils should attain his own standard of accomplishment, though this did not wholly satisfy the Inspectors: Inevitably, this has led to a general misunderstanding of the elementary principles of Art education in secondary schools, and although the minority of the boys have flourished others have suffered. …The course, as it stands, is not meeting the requirements of the School.

Nor were the Inspectors too impressed by the teaching of Woodwork, noting that the teacher had no formal qualifications in this subject. Observing that the bench tops were in a bad state, they also complained: The tools on the whole are badly kept; many are incapable of effective service. It is suggested that the saws might be sent out for sharpening occasionally.

Conclusions For a four-day Inspection and a 16-page report, the Conclusions are short enough to be quoted here in full: The concluding observations in the Report of the Inspection of 1937 drew attention to the need for providing a more suitable curriculum for boys of literary interests in the Sixth Form.

This shortcoming no longer exists; indeed the number of boys taking Arts Courses in this Form is greater than the number taking Science Courses. Now. special attention might well be given to increasing the value of the work in Art, Handicraft and Music.

The School has individuality, a strong corporate life and proud traditions.The boys work with enjoyment and industry and there are some 39

highlights; a little more effort generally on the part of the boys could well produce more work of a distinguished nature. Under the quiet and wise guidance of the Head Master the prospect is favourable.

The full Inspection Report can be read in facsimile on the OAS website at www.oas.org.uk/HMI1953.php.

Let our Postbag know if YOU agree – or disagree – with its conclusions! n

How does the 1953 inspection compare with inspections today? Principal IAN RIMMER comments

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HE first point to note is that the inspection took four days. Aside of the significant impact on school, nowadays Ofsted simply don't have the capacity to devote four days to each school; typically, nowadays, each inspections lasts two days. However, a second note of interest, which actually is linked to the first, is that it doesn't mention how many inspectors visited; these days not only do we know how many, their names are also listed.That is real accountability, especially if you think back to the recent case of the Primary headteacher who very sadly took her own life as result of a poor inspection outcome.

Imagine the heavy burden, and possibility for retribution, on those named inspectors!

I notice it mentions there are 317 boys on roll in 1953, compared to the 1050 of 2023.

Yet they are still able to generate a 16page report; a modern report is only around 4 pages long, and often less.

It also refers to the previous inspection in 1937, some 16 years earlier. Notwithstanding the obvious impact of the war, that is quite a timespan. These days inspections are typically every four years, having been extended only because of the international pandemic.

The detail in the report about the state of the buildings, with reference to the "Masters' common room with its cloakroom is too small", and the library would simply never happen these days.

That said the inadequacies of the building were clear even then! Neither would there be a detailed scrutiny of the Headmaster’s background; I’m not sure my Mathematics degree from Leeds, and lack of military service, would pass muster then, but perhaps I do outtrump the Headmaster of the day on years’ service having now amassed 35 years in teaching.

Within the substantial sections on the curriculum, whilst the language and tone may be quite different, there is clear reference to quality of teaching and relationships with students.

As an aside, there is an interesting insight into the higher education sector at the time, when students were reported as only going onto what would now be regarded as highly respected red brick institutions. Of course the big surge in universities came later in the 1960s And so to the final sentence, which reads:“Under the quiet and wise guidance of the Head Master the prospect [of the school] is favourable”.

What a lovely sentiment. If that were ever said of me…! n 40

LITIGATION v MEDIATION

Musings of a Modest Mediator C H R I S M A KIN ( 1954 - 1961) Mediation: a process by which an independent conciliator tries to resolve a disagreement by helping the two sides to agree on a solution.

ECENTLY I completed my one to Justice agenda, just nicely before April 1999 hundreth mediation (it’s 122 to when the Civil Procedure Rules were indate, at 80% settlement rate). troduced. Under Part 1 of CPR judges now Now, a century may not be a huge number had a duty to encourage and facilitate Alterbut it is a modest landmark – and it got me native Dispute Resolution (ADR), so everythinking about where I’ve come from, how one in civil litigation would see a mediator inI got where I am now, what I’ve learned, and stead of pursuing formal litigation, and the how much good I may have been able to do courtrooms would be empty.What a time to for others along the way.And if what follows be born on this glorious dawn!

Did it happen?Well, not really! In fact, my is of modest value to you, dear reader, then phone didn’t ring I’m content.

HRIS MAKIN for the first few I qualified as a has practised years, but that mediator twenty- as a forensic wasn’t too imfive years ago – accountant and portant because I how time flies! It expert witness for 35 years, most was very busy as a seemed the natu- recently as Head of forensic accounral thing to do, af- Litigation Support tant and expert ter I’d attended all at a national firm.

He has been party witness, which the expert wit- expert, single joint continues to be ness courses at The expert, Court expert the case. So the Academy of Experts appointed and expert adviser first lesson I (the independent- in hundreds of cases, and given expert evidence learned was that ly-run profession- about 100 times.

Chris is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered mediation is not a al society and ac- Accountants where he served on the Forensic career (unless you crediting body for Committee, and as an ethical counsellor; he is a are one of the 65 expert witnesses fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a of the Academy of Experts where he mediators in Engof all disciplines). fellow serves on the Investigations Committee, and a land who do 65% As good luck qualified mediator and expert determiner.

He now practises as a freelance mediator, from of the mediations would have it, this home in Mirfield and his office in London. In each year) so was when Lord his his limited spare time, he is principal double bass don’t give up your Woolf was fol- in the Leeds Symphony Orchestra. day job! lowing his Access

R

C

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ments it is not too important in the mediation; a solicitor may want to appoint an accountant mediator for a partnership dispute, but most parties just want to get things off their chest. After that it’s largely a matter of finding an accommodation which the parties can live with. So the third lesson is that parties don’t need a specialist mediator so The challenge is to know how to get go- much as a social worker; learning to listen and ing, and I had expected that the first job might empathise is much more important than become from one of the mediation groups I had ing able to understand all the technicalities joined. It finally happened – but only when of the case.

If that were not so, then I would not have a solicitor I knew asked one of these groups to find them a mediator.The first two they sug- been able to mediate cases concerning degested had conflicts but they said could they fective premises, boundaries, rights of way, have Chris Makin because ‘they knew he was probate, planning permissions, construca mediator’. The group found that they had tion projects, legal professional negligence, etc.

With a good range of subjects under your forgotten to put me on their list! So the secbelt, you can be known as a mediator per se. ond lesson is to check whether the groups The next challenge was how to develop you join have remembered you. a good flow of appointments, because it is not Now I had a first mediation, and I was away. enough to rely on leads from directories or It settled, so now I was a mediator with exadverts.

I write to solicitors as often as I can, perience, and a 100% success rate – 1 out of usually with some update to show that I am 1!

The first few mediations were accoun- keeping up with developments, and I talk metancy-based: partnership, fees, shareholder dis- diation to whoever I meet. I also try as often putes and the like. I was chosen because I was as I can to get in front of groups of lawyers a mediator and an accountant; solicitors and and give them a free talk on mediation. It’s their parties thought they would need some- surprising how many litigation lawyers have one with specialist knowledge.To an extent never done a mediation. Lesson four: they were right; for instance, in a partnership never miss the chance to tell the world that dispute I normally set up a spreadsheet to an- you are a mediator.

My website – www.chrismakin.co.uk – swer the‘what ifs’ – what if I agree to my partner taking out the freehold property at £x?; is a good marketing tool: that’s lesson five. what if we agree to vary the profit share ra- It includes simple hints on what mediation is, tio from 50:50 to 45:55 and so on. My spread- how to arrange one, how to prepare for one, sheet can quickly calculate the financial effect what happens on the day, and so on. I even of agreeing (or not) certain matters. But whilst include videos, and lots of blogs. I suggest that specialist knowledge helps to gain appoint- lawyers draw their clients’ attention to it, 42

knowing that the lawyers who are unfamilThe next lesson I have learned is that iar with the process will have a peep for them- parties are truly relieved when the case setselves. tles on the day. Litigation is like dancing with So what does happen on the day? Lesson a gorilla: the dance stops only when the gosix: you never know. Both (or all) sides will rilla chooses to let go. But with mediation the normally have submitted a position statement parties are in charge, and mediation is proband supporting documents, and of course one ably the last chance they will have to stop the has to read them carefully; but it is surpris- dance. When a case settles, there is a huge ing how often things come out in the private sense of relief, sometimes followed by a puzmeetings which were not mentioned at all in zled look when parties start to wonder what the papers.The mediator must be on his/her to do with all their spare time now that the toes, listen carefully, and use whatever be- dance has stopped. comes available. One example will suffice: I Lesson nine is that parties really can had a mediation between mother and son in reach an agreement which a judge could nevpartnership, where the son accused his own er order. In litigation, with minor exceptions mother of diverting £274,000 of cash takings the judge can only make a finding that A will to herself.The son attempted to prove it by pay £X to B by a certain date; with argument compiling capital and income statements, as over who will pay the costs, though the losmight a tax inspector when investigating a tax- er still normally has to pay. So there is a vicpayer. A son-in-law who came along for moral tor, and a lot of blood on the carpet for the support happened to be a tax manager at a loser. firm of accountants. I asked him to sit in a sepIn mediation, virtually anything legal arate room and mark his brother-in-law’s can be agreed between the parties. An ex‘homework’.The errors found narrowed the ample: in a defamation mediation an ex-emgap between mother and son ployer had given a damning refThrough considerably, which led to a mediation, parties erence and had cause to regret settlement. So use what you really can reach an it when the ex-employee then have, but listen carefully to pick agreement which sued. I settled the mediation up the clues. when the employer resiled a judge could Lesson seven is to be from the reference and wrote never order. kind to one’s fellow mediators. a new one during the day, There still aren’t enough mediations around, agreed paragraph by paragraph with the exso I always try to take along a co-mediator, employee, who was then able to re-apply for who will participate in the mediation for no the job she craved.A judge could never have fee – Buy One, Get One Free! Mediators are ordered a new reference. always keen to accumulate ‘flying hours’. It In another case, a dispute over purchase is an act of generosity to give them that op- of a business was going nowhere. The purportunity, but it pays dividends, too. I have chaser wished to exercise an option to buy received several mediations and forensic as- a freehold factory worth £600,000, on signments from lawyers who were happy to which the 4% stamp duty would have been come along just for the experience. £24,000; except that the option was in favour 43

of the purchaser’s company, whereas he wanted his pension fund to buy the factory. The purchaser would have had to have his company exercise the option – stamp duty £24,000 – and then the company would have had to convey the property to the pension fund – another £24,000. The case settled when the vendor agreed that the option clause could be amended, so that the factory could be bought directly by the pension fund. That saved £24,000, which was a big enough concession to enable the parties to settle all their differences – and it cost the vendor nothing.

Which leads me to lesson ten, the most important of all: look for the gold dust. In almost every case there is something which one side can afford to give up at minimal cost, but which the other party values highly: in the cases above it was the employer’s reference, or the stamp duty saved. The mediator must be patient and listen to all the high emotion between the parties – let the bile spill out, but be alert to the clues which might lead to settlement. It is easy to encourage the habit of saying “yes”, if one side is losing nothing and the other side is gaining a lot.

There is just one more lesson to mention.

Most mediations settle, and I tell the parties that they have made the right choice in agreeing to mediate; also that everything is in confidence, so it cannot be used in any later court hearings. But for the small minority of cases which fail to settle, there is still value because the parties will have learned a great deal

about each other, and that knowledge so often results in a well informed Part 36 offer, or a without prejudice discussion which leads to settlement.

So is mediation a satisfying experience?

Absolutely! The satisfaction of bringing together warring parties, especially family members or business partners, is enormous.

The more often I can bring the gorilla dance to an end, the happier I feel. So if you want a really keen, experienced and helpful mediator, bring it on!

In conclusion, I should like to quote Lord Justice May in a famous Appeals Court judgement in the case of Egan v Motor Services (Bath) Ltd in 2007. The purchaser of a new Audi car tried to get his money back from the garage on the grounds that the car exhibited a tendency to veer to the left and was therefore unsafe.The case went to court and finally to appeal, and in rejecting the claim Lord Justice Ward said: “What I have found profoundly unsatisfactory is the fact that the parties have between them spent in the region of £100,000 arguing over a claim which is worth about £6,000. I regarded them as ‘completely cuckoo’ to have engaged in such expensive litigation with so little at stake. ‘This case cries out for mediation’ should be the advice given to both the claimant and the defendant. “…Mediation is a perfectly proper adjunct to litigation.The skills are now well developed. The results are astonishingly good.

“Try it more often.” n 44

Farnley Lines DAV E BU S H

F

at some hostelry, getting home by 6.00 pm ...or later. Margaret never discovered that there was no extra time in league matches, a favourite explanation for a late return. However, forty or fifty years on, I realise what selfish, macho conduct this was, as I left her at home with two young children.

And then there were the staff matches organised mainly by Bob Field. These took place after school against other local institutions such as Holmfirth or Moor End. At times, teams might be strengthened by including one or two of our sixth formers. Until I received a photo from Bob I had forgotten that son Alan and I played in the same team. I knew we had played together on Saturday afternoons and there is some grainy footage on the OAS

OR all those who have no interest in football I invite you to skip on to the next item. However, just pause a moment, for this is football with a strong Almondburian connection.

As I rock in my so -comfortable chair, I have been reminiscing about what a major part it played in my sporting and social life.

Let’s take a typical Saturday in the soccer season. It began early as I made my way down St Helen’s Gate to referee the School first eleven on ‘the top pitch’.

Then it was a snatched light lunch and down to town for an early meet if we were playing away in the West Riding Old Boys’ League, typically in Leeds, Dewsbury or Wakefield. Inevitably, after the match, there was a recuperative stopoff

Staff soccer team, 1970s style.

Back: Richard Powell, Bob Field, Alan Gaukroger, Jack Taylor, Steve Slack, Martin Tunnacliffe.

Front: Graham Cliffe (guest player), Alan Bush, Ian Owen, Richard Whiteley,Walter Raleigh, Dave Bush.

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website to prove it. I preserved my Gary ered ‘difficult’ when compared with Lineker- type record over twenty-five Spanish. Locally Porthcawl Comprehenyears with the OAS AFC by never being sive appears to be one of the very few booked or sent off.Yet I do remember in schools still teaching it in South Wales. one game being told by Alan to calm It’s a vicious triangle as our dear departed down as that record was in danger. Once Head, mathematician to boot, Alan ConI did give away a penalty ; the only time ley, would have said. Fewer A level stuand rare indeed as I very dents means university rarely ventured into my closing which ‘An alarming departments own half. I can hear means fewer graduates and decline in thereby enormous probGeoff Headey, Club captain, Town director and lems filling language teachmodern prominent business man, ing vacancies in schools. languages’ Isn’t it strange how at one stating yet once more that I said to one referee stage it was considered of ‘That man’s an animal, Ref,’ and I cate- paramount importance that all pupils had gorically state once more, Geoff, that to study a language up to GCSE Level and you misheard as I actually said ‘That now...What has so radically changed? It is man’s a Hannibal, Ref’, a classical refer- tempting to believe that it is yet another ence to the Carthaginian general who example of civil servants and their bosses laid waste to all before him. That’s my attempting to justify their existence..The story and I shall forever stick to it. obvious solution is for all pupils to receive a grounding in Latin, an excellent Sprechen Sie Deutsch? foundation on which to learn other lanSo much pleasure, so many rich memo- guages at a later date. But again where are ries and playing with the OAS Fourth the teachers? I shall not be tempted out Team until the age of 46. And now? Not of retirement! a single Old Almondburian team exists.

Such a decline, which neatly leads me on Drinking memories to my next disturbing trend; languages I am always pleased and relieved to hear in schools. Generally, I try to avoid be- the Woolpack in Almondbury mentioned. coming involved in matters educational It has had over many years strong links – not good for the blood pressure – but with King James’s. In my innocence, I despite twenty-six years since leaving the was amazed to see on my first visit in the classroom, I cannot ignore certain early sixties that the then headmaster of changes. On a personal level for both King James’s, Harry Taylor, had his own Margaret and me, one of these is the tankard kept behind the bar. I have never alarming decline in entries for Modern been a regular patron of pubs but have Languages. French numbers are seriously had a long-standing interest in their down while ‘A’ Level German seems to names and social functions.This may have be in freefall, especially as it is consid- been influenced somewhat by the fact 46

that my first long- term girlfriend lived His knocking on the door resulted in a in the Willoughby de Broke in Helpring- window above the entrance being flung ham , Lincolnshire! My own village with open and a torrent of abuse pouring a population of under a thousand at the down. The would - be lodger calmly time, had once seven hostelries. the asked, ‘Could I speak to George, Plough and the Vine are two I do not re- please?’ member but with my under age, daring companions I’d sneak into the backrooms of the Five Bells, the Crown, Pubs I have known the New Inn, the George and Dragon and the Fortescue Arms but on separate occasions, I hasten to add. Only the latter now remains with its ornate sign depicting a coat of arms and the motto ‘forte scutum salus ducum’. (‘a strong shield is the safeguard of leaders’ for those who need a translation).

Am I allowed, dear editor, to recount one of my favourite jokes? It’s an oldie but very witty. It was prompted by my hearing that the George and Dragon mentioned earlier has now been converted into flats. In times past a weary traveller arrived here late at night seeking accommodation.

From the top: The Woolpack, Almondbury; the Fortescue Arms, Billingborough, Lincs; the Willoughby de Broke, Helpringham, Lincs (closed 1959). The lady in the doorway is landlady Mary Cunningham, grandmother of a long-term girlfriend Beryl Cunningham.

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Lyke Wake Walk: any route may be taken from Osmotherley to Ravenscar. The one shown here is one of the most popular.

The Lyke Wake Walk So let’s finish this Farnley Lines with a challenge and good news. Conversation recently revolved around former extra curricular activities at King Jim’s and The Lyke Wake Walk was mentioned. I suspect many, if not most, of our younger members have never heard of it. It is a 40-mile challenge walk across the highest and widest part of The North York Moors. It is usually attempted from Osmotherley in the west to Ravenscar on the east coast although I have done it in reverse. It became somewhat of a tradition, organised by staff members such as Les Mallinson, Ken Ireland and Bill Chapman. We left after school on a Friday, fortified ourselves with fish and chips and away we went. And on and on and on. I do remember asking myself why on earth I was doing it after a tiring week’s teaching, Many memorable moments but one will always stand out for me; son Alan completing it at the age of ten. As he crossed the metaphorical finishing line, Bill Chapman took off his own coffinshaped Lyke Wake badge and pinned it on Alan’s chest. Sixty years on and Alan is still walking. He and his wife Jane re

determined to climb all the highest points in the Lake District as listed by Wainwright in his seven hand -written guidebooks, 214 in total. 197 completed, 17 to go. Oh yes, the challenge.

Are any of the present teachers and students at King James’s tough enough to replicate the achievements of their predecessors? Or will Health and Safety rear its ugly head?

And in conclusion…

The good news concerns my health. I have been very moved by all those OAs who have made contact wishing me well. It serves to reinforce my belief in the strength of our Society. I have a review in early October at the cancer hospital and the hormone therapy continues. There are side effects but I often wonder how much Anno Domini contributes. Generally, all the prognoses are encouraging. Recently, I was following my beloved Lincoln City in a cup match away at Premiership club, Sheffield United. I remember the score after 70 minutes was 0-0 ,when Somnus took me in his arms. When he released me The Imps had won on penalties . Accept your age DB! n 48

Back to the drawing board Roger Sykes (1946-1953) revisits some of his favourite drawings y old College, Imperial, had arranged for me to work the summer for Rolls Royce in Derby for practical experience. So I wandered round the old city centre and sketched some houses in St Michael’s Lane, hoping to sell the sketch to the Derbyshire Guide – the Official Organ of the ‘Come to Derbyshire’ Association’. I rounded a corner and just stopped dead. I was facing the frontage of St Alkmund’s Church.

I always concentrated on the details of every old stone – they all have their own character - even the flagstones told a story. I found out later that the church had an ancient history but was pulled down and rebuilt in the Gothic style with flying buttresses in1845. A memorial to Joseph Wright, the English Landscape Painter is displayed within, known as ‘Wright of Derby’.

The church still contains a Saxon stone coffin, a 13th century font and a register dating back to 1583. The tower was 30 feet higher than the nearby cathedral and safer than the nearby squat tower of St Michael’s, which came to a catastrophic end when its roof collapsed on a Sunday evening congregation.

I conclude with the pleasure that my sketches were accepted and published in the Guide.

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l Sadly, the magnificent building, designed by Derby architect Henry Isaac Stevens no longer exists on this site, though it was rebuilt nearby in modernistic style.

Despite huge public protests at the time, it was razed to the ground in the winter and spring of 1967-68 to make way for an inner ring road. (Ed)

St Alkmund’s Church, Derby 49

FUNNY BONES

A Yorkshireman in America CHARLIE STARKEY (1968 - 1975) American humor is clearly different from the British variety and it’s not just the spelling , muses our exiledYorkshireman . He muses on why this should be so.

N a reight warm Sunday crushed by the intolerable conformity scorcher in early August I found and tedium of his life until he’s had myself lazing on a public bench enough and finally rebels. Our lives are overlooking the Delaware River in bound by so many rules and regulations Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Here the that bending or breaking them can easDelaware bisects scenic Washington ily give rise to humour. So, if at first Crossing Historic Park, so named after glance Reggie’s tortured path resembles the spot where in 1776 George Wash- tragedy more than comedy, what was it ington launched a surprise attack that exactly that had me in stitches?

Funny is in the eye and ear of the bescored the Continental Army’s first holder.

Born a post-war ‘boomer’ I’m a major victory of the Revolutionary War. product of my genes, my environment, Take that, King George No 3. my schooling, my friendships, and life exTo while away such a fine afternoon periences, all of which have influenced my I’d brought along a well-thumbed favourite paperback The Fall and Rise of personal twisted take on life, so I apolReginald Perrin by David Nobbs. ogise in advance for the carbon-dated cul(Leonard Rossiter memorably starred in tural reference points.

I’ve been, er, fortunate to live among the successful 1970s TV adaptation.)

After only the first few paragraphs I was Yankees for more than 40 years now and once again laughing out loud. Even the on more than one occasion I’ve been forced to wonder: author's name is there such a was funny... to thing as ‘British’ a five-year-old, humour?

Are that is. Nobbs American giggle tells the hilarireceptors kindled ously poignant by the same stimstory of a longuli? Britons’ classsuffering midconsciousness and dle-aged, self-deprecating middle-class nature influences p e n - p u s h e r Leonard Rossiter: the hapless Reginald Perrin

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the way we approach and experience humour. We prefer our favourite characters to be as flawed and miserable as we are.

By comparison American humor is typically more upbeat, observational, less subtle. I polled my Pennsylvanian pal Pete for his perspective: “First of all, stop alliterating. What makes me Punch & Judy: Slaithwaite-born puppeteer Les Clarke laugh as an American? delighted countless Huddersfield children over the years People falling off ladders, slipping down child could forget the innocent joy of seestairs, the tears of children, spontaneous ing their first seaside Punch and Judy pupcombustions... stuff like that.” Well, pet show, witnessing mischievous Mister perhaps Pete isn’t your typical American... Punch brutally murder both his partner or is he?

Judy and their Baby, all the while evadHumour manifests in many forms. It can ing the Crocodile (why a crocodile?) and be subtle or satirical, ironic or cruel, cere- the clueless Constable who appears more bral or scatological, punny or pants- interested in the String of Sausages than wetting. Laughter relieves stress: a shared apprehending criminals? I think I read a joke down the pub with a group of similar story in the Huddersfield Examinfriends can lighten the load. It can be in- er (online edition) just last week. fectious, stimulating the release of enIt’s likely speciesist to presume Homo dorphins and encouraging social bonding. sapiens is the only lifeform sufficiently soIt can be generational, geographical, hi- phisticated to have evolved a sense of hularious one week and politically incorrect mour. Primates and cetaceans engage in the next. playful behaviour and make sounds akin to laughter. The spotted or ‘laughing’ hyeThe origins of humour na, Crocuta crocuta, produces an anSlapstick was born when the first hominid thropomorphic cackle but animal behurt himself by slipping on a banana skin. haviourists don’t believe amusement is the Yes, we had no bananas – at least, not then catalyst. Mind you, I suspect my cats find – so that first victim was unlikely to have me amusing – and who can blame them? been a malnourished Brit. We laugh With the decline of traditional music when we see someone else getting poked hall jokery came new technologies that in the eye, and from an early age we're ex- brought comedic entertainment into pected to appreciate the curious di- homes at the flick of a switch. Did you chotomy of violence v. humour. What know that before television there was a 51

thing called radio? Yes, folks, it’s true! A stew of words and sound effects commingled to fire the imagination, generating a singular experience for each listener. The BBC used to broadcast great weekly radio comedies like Round the Horne, I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again (featuring future Pythons and Goodies), and the improvisation panel game I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue which challenged guests to indulge in witty and often risqué wordplay. However, there was no antecedent to the surreal lunacy of The Goon Show. I was introduced to the Goons as a boy via 33 rpm vinyl and the riotous episode Tales of Old Dartmoor: Governor Neddie Seagoon treats his convicts to a holiday in the South of France by sailing Dartmoor Prison across the Channel, leaving behind a cardboard replica in its

place. There follows a frantic race to find the fabled treasure of the Count of Monte Cristo, buried somewhere beneath the Chateau d’If. Inevitably, manic chaos ensues. Messrs Milligan, Sellers, and Secombe gleefully sent up homegrown institutions – particularly the staid BBC – on a weekly basis and changed British comedy forever.

Meanwhile in America Across the Atlantic, mid-century America laughed along to chart-topping family-friendly comedy albums by the likes of Shelley Berman, Stan Freberg, Allan Sherman (“Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!”), Woody Allen, Bob Newhart, and the brilliant Tom Lehrer. Later, in the smoky shadows of metropolitan comedy clubs, unexpurgated stand-up performers Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Bill Hicks would explore humanity's dark underbelly for laughs, while a different lot of counter-culture comedians exemplified

by Jonathan Winters, The Smothers Brothers, Robin Williams, and Steve Martin mined a rich vein of non-sequitur silliness.

In most cases topical humor rarely ages well.

The cod-psychedelic 1960s TV variety show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh“The Best of the Goon Shows Vol 1”: my introduction to the Goons In is a perfect example: 52

toons The Flintstones and The Jetsons spoofed the stone age and sci-fi futurism respectively.

My Favourite Martian, Mister Ed (a talking horse), Bewitched, (beautiful witch marries goofy suburbanite), I Dream of Jeannie (beautiful genie falls for goofy NASA astronaut), and Gilligan’s Island (mismatched castaways trapped on an island paradise) were just plain bonkers. The absolute nadir of this trend was My Mother the Car, ‘starring’ Dick Van Dyke’s lesser brother Jerry who unwittingly buys a vintage 1920s automobile which just happens to be the reincarnation of his deceased mother. I’d like to have been in the room when the writers pitched that idea to the network.

Sitcoms and cartoons not filmed in front of a live audience would ordinarily be dressed with intrusive canned laughter or 'sweetening' to artificially enhance an often-inferior script. In a rare move, export versions of M*A*S*H (set during the Korean War but cannily broadcast during the unpopular Vietnam conflict) had the ubiquitous laugh track surgically removed. Apparently, U.S. networks didn’t trust their audiences to ‘get’ that warfare could be inherently farcical.

heavily reliant on rapid-fire topical jokes, ‘zany’ catchphrases, and Hollywood star cameos, its middle-aged hosts tried far too hard to appeal to the new youth demographic.

Laugh-In’s most cringeworthy moment was when 1968 presidential candidate Richard Nixon appeared, bleating the show’s fashionably hip slogan “Sock it to me?”

Nixon proceeded to The Dick Van Dyke Show was a major success in win the election.

America and won 15 Emmy awards Tried and trusted US television ‘situation comedies’ like I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Taxi, Cheers and its spinoff Frasier, Roseanne, and Friends (ugh) continued to recycle the tried-and-trusted formula of inventing relatable characters, plopping them into unexpected situations and watching the sparks fly. Occasionally a true gem of a show would sneak past bland television executives. One of the best and smartest was Seinfeld, a stand-up comedian coping with his friends’ foibles and the annoying minutia of everyday life. Other sitcoms won over audiences by dint of their sheer outlandishness: both The Munsters and The Addams Family incongruously cast lovable monsters as suburban provocateurs poking fun at contemporary mores. Hanna-Barbera’s prime time car53

Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, Tommy Cooper and Spike Milligan were revered as national treasures but all remained virtually unknown in the States. (I was knocked for six when Philadelphia’s Wilma Theatre saw fit to mount Roy Smiles’ excellent biographical Dudley Moore (left) found Hollywood stardom but his partner play about Spike, Ying Peter Cook (right) proved too droll for America Tong – A Walk with the In 1975 NBC premiered the long- Goons, in 2008.) By contrast Benny Hill’s running late night sketch comedy Satur- lowbrow slapstick somehow appealed to day Night Live. Its first season was heav- transatlantic tastes, whereas the saucy seaily influenced by Monty Python, with sev- side postcard antics of the Carry On films eral Pythons appearing individually as somehow didn’t. Considering that the guest hosts. Its writers quickly became ’60s anti-establishment stage show Beyond adept at the art of parody, and SNL helped the Fringe was so inherently British it’s surlaunch the careers of Bill Murray, John prising it made the leap from London’s Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, Bil- West End to Broadway. Diminutive ly Crystal, Phil Hartman, Tina Fey, Chris Fringe cast member Dudley Moore latRock, and Will Ferrell among others. er found Hollywood stardom with movie U.S. ‘broadcast TV’ comedy had most- hits 10 and Arthur, yet sadly his Not Only… ly become a predictable one-size-fits-all, But Also partner Peter Cook proved too audience-tested commodity until cable droll for America. The pair’s 1967 pièce and streaming services began airing de résistance, the devilishly funny Fausmore edgy, sweary fare, exemplified by tian spoof Bedazzled, was a testament to the raucous South Park and It’s Always Sun- their creativity and proved – as with The ny in Philadelphia. Matt Groening’s The Beatles – that they worked better together Simpsons, an early hit for the Fox Network, than apart. was initially pilloried by educators and the It wasn’t until the ’70s that PBS Pubconservative press for its satirical take on lic Television, appealing to a receptive American family values but 35 seasons lat- niche Anglophile audience, became Briter it’s still going strong. Don’t have a cow, com heaven. Monty Python’s Flying Circus, man.

Fawlty Towers, Yes Minister, The Good Life (aka Good Neighbors),Yorkshire’s Last of the Too ‘British’?

SummerWine (hooray!), Red Dwarf, Father For decades success in America eluded Ted, Blackadder, and – embarrassingly – Are most British comedy stars. At home You Being Served? all became viewer 54

favourites. Other British sitcoms achieved popularity on the commercial channels, aleit in Americanised form: Man About The House was remade as Three’s Company, Till Death Us Do Part became All In The Family, and Steptoe and Son was revamped with an allblack cast as Sanford and Son. Ricky Gervais’s The Office was even more successful when recast with American actors and ran for nine seasons.

Ricky’s take-no-prisoners Golden Globe Awards hosting gigs earned him a snarky reputation but that was softened when his warm-hearted, awardwinning shows Derek and After Life took Netflix by storm.

My KJGS pals patiently tolerated years of Gumby impressions and Spam references, while at home I amassed a scrapbook of magazine cuttings and snapped up every related book and record. As we all know Python ended up influencing generations of British comedians and comedy writers. TheYoung Ones, Black Books, The League of Gentlemen, The IT Crowd, Eddie Izzard and South Park all owe a debt to that trailblazing series.

Regardless of who we are and where we’re from one thing we can all agree on is that humour is good for what ails you. For most of its 100-year lifespan, the American-as-apple-pie (ie right-wing Commie-baiting) Reader’s Digest magaThe cult of Monty Python zine has run a jokes page titled LaughFor me, though, all roads lead to Mon- ter, the Best Medicine. Alexander Flemty Python. In all honesty I was sur- ing might disagree, but he’s dead. prised that it caught on in Britain, let Ceased to be. Expired and gone to meet alone America. It wasn't everyone’s his maker. Okay, I’ll stop now. n cup of tea in the beginning. The BBC initially shoehorned this bizarre anomaly into the pre-Epilogue Sunday night timeslot, inadvertently allowing it to grow a solid cult following amongst students and insomniacs on a quest to experience something completely different. By its second season everyone A very small part of my ridiculously large Monty Python collection. (Yes, was in on the joke. that IS a bottle of Holy Grail ale).

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CANING IN SCHOOLS

The ‘Battle of the Belt’ DAVID H ANDERSON (1948 - 1955) Recent letters and articles reminded me of my work with the European Court of Human Rights leading to defining judgments in the 1970s.

H

some related work experiences from the late 1970s that had to do with physical punishments. In 1976, I was given the role of UK Agent for handling cases brought under the European Convention on Human Rights. To explain, the United Kingdom Government had accepted the right of everyone in a part of the United Kingdom or a Crown Dependency who had a grievance to submit a petition to the European Commission and Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, part of the Council of Europe.

Grievances had to relate to a right protected by the Convention. Typically, grievances arose from the state of the law or some unwelcome treatment meted out by a public authority, such as the Courts, a government department, a State school, a Prison Governor, the

ARRY Taylor’s Punishment Books were somehow brought back to life in the July issue of The Almondburian. Roger Dowling’s review had many interesting points. One that struck me was how the numbers of canings fell over the 1960s but still remained into the 1970s. In those days, the Dickensian maxim ‘Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child’ was still heard. There were still men who proudly asserted that “It never did me any harm.” But opposition to corporal punishment of all kinds was intensifying in many countries worldwide. The need to protect human rights became increasingly acknowledged in the aftermath of atrocities during the Second World War. Roger’s article brought back to me

AVID ANDERSON attended King James’s Grammar School from 1948 to 1955. He read law at Leeds University and then the London School of Economics (studying company law), before joining the Foreign Office legal staff in September 1960.

During the course of a long and highly successful career, David acted for three years as the UK Agent in defending cases brought against the UK under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Now retired, he lives with his wife Jennifer in Chislehurst, Kent.

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The European Court of Human Rights headquarters in Strasbourg

Armed Forces, etc.

The role of the UK Agent was to receive the initial dossier from the Council of Europe and organise the Government’s response to the complaint. A new case could relate to England and Wales, or Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. The appropriate authorities in each case had to be informed about the complaint. When a particular authority had no previous experience, the procedures in Strasbourg had to be explained. In those days, the Convention rights had not been made part of an Act of Parliament, with the result that a new case often led to headscratching. Once the appropriate authority had been brought up to speed, a defence would be prepared.

Sometimes, instead of contesting the complaint, a compromise would be worked out.

One case pending before the European Court of Human Rights when I took over the role of UK Agent in 1976 concerned a punishment of birching. (Birches were bundles of leafless twigs bound together to form an implement of corporal punishment). This had been ordered by a Court in the Isle of Man and administered on the bare buttocks by the

local police. This punishment was challenged as being contrary to Article 3 of the Convention which protects everyone against torture as well as ‘inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.’

The complaint here was of degrading punishment. In 1978, judicial corporal punishment was found by the Court to amount to degrading punishment and the complaint was upheld. Given the earlier abolition of judicial corporal punishment in most of Europe, including England and Wales, the decision was unsurprising.

Also in 1976, two new cases arrived on my desk from Strasbourg.

Both concerned corporal punishment in schools. The first was brought by a Scottish mother, Mrs Grace Campbell, who complained that the school of her son Gordon refused to guarantee that he would not be punished with the tawse or ‘belt’, a leather strap widely used in Scottish schools at that time and administered to the palm of the outstretched hand. The second complaint was brought by another Scot57

Ladies with a mission: mothers Mrs Grace Campbell and Mrs Jane Cosans launch their campaign to persuade the European Court of Human Rights to outlaw the use of the tawse in Scottish schools

tish mother, Mrs Jane Cosans, whose teenage son Jeffrey had refused to accept the punishment of the tawse and who had then been suspended from school for the best part of a year until he reached 16 and left school.

The two complaints were examined together behind closed doors in 1978 by the European Commission on Human Rights. The first case involved a philosophical objection to corporal punishment and the second also denial of education. The Commission referred the cases to the Court. In 1982 (long after I had ceased to act as Agent), the Court held that, while there had been no breach of article 3 (degrading punishment), there were two different breaches. The first was a denial of the right to education in the case of the excluded student. The second was a failure to respect the parent’s philosophical convictions in both cases.

These are protected rights under the ECHR system.

In 1978, judicial birching had already been abolished in the United Kingdom and the Manx authorities accepted the need to end the practice there too. Following the Scottish cases, Parliament enacted legislation outlawing corporal punishment in State Schools and later also in private schools throughout the United Kingdom. The movement towards protecting children became worldwide and resulted in the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Many Old Almondburians at King James’s Grammar School during Harry Taylor’s Headship will continue to appreciate his leadership and wisdom.

The punishment books bring out how the numbers of canings and also the number of strokes declined during his final years as headmaster. This demonstrates how he was ahead of the worldwide trend towards abolishing corporal punishments of all kinds. n 58

Tennis/Badminton A N D RE W H A I GH andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk HE Old Almondburians were once The final evening of tennis was 31st Auagain grateful for the use of the fa- gust, but the start of the badminton seacilities of Longley Tennis Club, son was delayed by a week due to evwhere most of our regular players are now eryone being either on holiday, refereemembers, on aThursday evening during the ing a football match, injured, or at a Govsummer. This year, our numbers were augmented by joining forces with a number of other Longley members and some very enjoyable tennis was played. The weather was reasonably kind too and we only had to move into the indoor court on two or three occasions.

Those Almondburians who played tennis on a Thursday evening this Tennis under the floodlights at Longley summer are: David Parry, Robin Merchant, Andrew Haigh, Sally ernors’ meeting and it started belatedly Starbuck, Eleanor Haigh, Matthew Booth on Thursday, 7th September. Regrettably, there were still only four people and Charlotte Haigh. played, but we will hope to build on that number during the season.

We have two courts available in the School sports hall every Thursday during term time from 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Those who have played badminton so far this season are: David Parry, Robin Merchant, Ian Daffern, Andrew Haigh and Eleanor Haigh. Do come along David Parry and Andrew Haigh enjoy Après Tennis Refreshments at Longley Tennis Club and join us. n

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Golf: Gothard Cup 2023 ROBIN MERCHANT robin.merchant@oas.org.uk

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ARK SLATER wins again! whom we were very pleased to welcome Mark retained the Gothard back after last year’s serious hand injury.

Cup at our annual competiFollowing the golf, we enjoyed an extion that was held on Sunday 9th July at cellent meal, and many thanks must go to Woodsome Hall Golf Club. Ten Old Al- Woodsome for providing a great venue mondburians were joined by Michael for our competition. Many thanks also to Blakey, our honorary OA. Robin Sharman, who made all the arThe Old Almondburian players were rangements with the club.

Robin Sharman, Mark Slater, David Another big thank you must go to Parry, Simon Russell, Richard Brown, Richard Brown, who again provided a Jon Roberts, Tim Roberts, Simon Gaunt, wonderful bottle of vintage port which Allen Humphries and myself. We were was enjoyed by all with our cheese and briefly joined on the first tee by Paul biscuits.

Grant who had to withdraw due to injury.

We also collected £30 for a School We found Woodsome as always to be Prize which will be presented to the in great but tough condition, particu- pupil “achieving the best sporting larly the rough. ac hievement We also enoutside School”. dured typical WINNER As an added in2023 Summer Mark Slater (41 points) centive to make weather with, l 2nd place sure as many sunshine and Richard Brown (37 points) players return heavy showers. l Nearest pin at 10th next year we Fortunately the Tim Roberts collected more sun came out money than rel Team prize: again at the end quired and as a of the day, to Jon Roberts, result there is a dry us out just Mark Slater and Michael Blakey float of £40 in time before which will be we adjourned to the bar to slake our dry carried forward to next year. palates.

The Gothard Cup will be contested in It was another fantastic result for Mark mid-June/early-July 2024 and if you Slater to retain the Gothard Cup and for think you might enjoy some good comRichard Brown who came a very cred- pany – mixed in with some golf and positable second.The team prize was won by sibly another glass of Richard’s vintage port Mark’s team which included Jon Roberts, – do try and join us. n 60

Above: Mark Slater receives the Gothard Cup from Robin Merchant Below:The winning team (l to r) Mark Slater, Michael Blakey and Jonathan Roberts

Photos: Andrew Haigh

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David Parry tees off, watched by Simon Gaunt and Richard Brown

A pair of Robins: Merchant and Sharman on the tee

Richard Brown splashes out

Allen Humphries with Tim Roberts and Simon Russell 62

Mark Slater smiles after holing a long put on his way to victory, watched by Michael Blakey and Jonathan Roberts

Obituaries Michael Norman Atkinson (KJGS 1955-1963) Sports enthusiast who became financial director of leading UK technology company Michael Atkinson died suddenly but peacefully at his home in Ulverston on 22nd July 2023.

Michael was born in 1944 in Sheffield but spent most of his childhood in the family home in Ashbrow Road, Fartown. He attended Woodhouse Primary School before King James’s.

Michael was competent academically at school and was appointed deputy head boy in 1962. He was also a keen sportsman, playing football and cricket for school teams and junior cricket for Huddersfield Cricket Club at Fartown. He later returned from university to play football for the Old Almondburians.

On leaving King James’s in 1963, Michael studied Economics and Law at Sheffield University. His final year at university was disrupted by the illness and death of his mother but on completion of his course in 1966 he returned to Huddersfield to take up a position as an articled accountancy clerk with Armitage and Norton in Cloth Hall Street.

He also met his wife-to-be, Angela, in 1966. She worked at Huddersfield Building Society (later to becomeYorkshire Building Society) in Britannia Buildings, St Georges Square. Michael gained his full accountancy qualifications in 1970 and, later that year, married Angela at Shepley Church.

In the early 1970s, Michael applied for a financial position with Oxley Developments Company Ltd, an electrical technology company based in Ulverston, Cumbria. Oxley

provide advanced solutions for defence, aerospace, rail and telecommunications applications. He joined as the company accountant and in 1974 was appointed to the board of directors, where he remained until retirement in 2007.

Michael’s sporting abilities turned to golf in Cumbria at Ulverston Golf Club, not only playing but also taking on duties over the years as treasurer, captain and president.

He retained his Yorkshire sporting interest though, following the progress of the County Cricket Club and Huddersfield Town.

Michael and Angela were together for 53 years and have children Gillian and Robert, son-in-law Doug and grandson Brett.

Michael attended some recent Old Almondburians’ Society dinners and donated towards the cost of the new seating area in Big Tree yard.

Richard Teale with thanks to Angela Atkinson Michael Norman Atkinson, born 17th May 1944, died 22nd July 2023 aged 79.

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Lesley Walker (KJGS/KJS staff, 1971-2011) Former Head Cook who retained close links with the School long after her retirement It is with great sadness that we report the death of LesleyWalker, one of the great stalwarts of King James’s School over the past 50 years. Sadly, we only received the news very belatedly of her death in March 2022.

Lesley began her career as a kitchen assistant in the kitchens of King James’s in 1971 when it was still a Grammar School. She re- Lesley Walker, pictured here with Jack Taylor and Dave Bush School did. On celebrating JackTaylor’s 100 tired some 40 years later as Head Cook.

She managed the kitchens cheerfully and terms in School Lesley was involved in the efficiently and saw many changes and inno- organisation and baking of a magnificent vations over the years. She welcomed and cake, iced in green with cricketers standing was proud of anything which improved the around the wicket. Lesley was a frequent atquality of food or seating arrangements for tender at OAS Dinners both as cook but also the children. However, in the later years of later as one of our guests. It was often said her career she did not enjoy the change from that if they had cut her in half she would have Kirklees control of the kitchen to outsourc- had KING JAMES’S running through her ing to a private company. She felt she was body like a stick of Blackpool rock.

Whilst attending Longley Baptist Church now expected to become a ‘bean counter’ and felt the job had lost some of its fun. She she met and married her beloved Malcolm. particularly did not enjoy having to lay off They were inseparable and whenever one staff if the number of dinners served de- spoke to Lesley, Malcolm always came into clined from one week to the next. How- the conversation. He was either picking her ever, she persevered and her winning smile up, delivering her to an event or he had simand deep love of the School continued until ply done something she considered an act of her retirement. Her concern and care for kindness. Those later years with Malcolm both students and staff ran through all her were no more than she deserved.

After her retirement Lesley could not work.

Lesley was an active member of Longley bare the thought of a complete break from Baptist Church and it was this Christian faith School and so returned as a Lunch-Time Supervisor. She even came early to wash up which shone through everything she did.

She was a great supporter of everything the coffee cups in the staff room after morn64

ing break. She enjoyed the chat with staff but really it was she loved being a part of the School.

Over the next couple of years we noticed Lesley was becoming forgetful, though we put it down to old age as most of us were in the same boat! She eventually retired and we soon heard she was suffering from vascular dementia. Malcolm and her two children from an earlier marriage, Julie and Billy, cared for her but after the sudden death of Malcolm it became obvious she needed full time care. Her family eventually found a care home in Mirfield which looked after her and showed her great kindness until her passing.

It will be an enduring regret that the King James’s family and myself in particular, missed the opportunity to pay our respects, love and thanks to Lesley at her funeral.

Lesley leaves her two children, Julie and Billy, along with four grandsons and two granddaughters.

We send our deepest sympathy and condolences to Julie, Billy and all the grandchildren as well as the many friends who will be missing her as much as we are ourselves.

Walter Raleigh LesleyWalker, born 11th May 1946, died 5th March 2022 aged 75.

David Robert Guest (KJGS 1957-1963) Former textiles designer blender who later became a manager at the Prudential We are sorry to report the death of David Robert Guest on 16th May 2023.

After leaving King James’s Grammar School in 1963 David went to work in textiles, becoming a designer blender at John Crowther’s Mill, Milnsbridge. Later he worked at John Smith’s Mill in Rastrick. Then in the 1970s he had a change of career and moved to the Prudential Assurance Company, where in due course he became District Manager at York until retiring at the age of 53 in 2010.

David initially lived in Huddersfield, later moving to New Farnley, Leeds finally Appleton Roebuck near York. world. His main hobby was golf, playing He married Sheila in 1968 and he at Fulford and Stockton on the Forest. leaves two daughters Sharon and CharBarbara Haigh lotte and sister Barbara.

David Robert Guest, born 13th A keen traveller, David enjoyed holi- November 1946, died 16th May 2023 days abroad and saw quite a bit of the aged 76.

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Kath Emerson (KJS staff, 1991-2022) Inspirational teacher who also played a full role in activities outside the classroom Kath Emerson joined King James’s from Fartown High School in September 1991.

She came as a Science teacher but over the years her skills and ability developed and she became a very accomplished teacher of not only Science but also Maths and Computer Science.

And all the while she was caring for her mother at the end of a school day. She was a very private person and it was only later that close colleagues found out that her home life was so demanding even when her own health was failing. It was a measure of Kath that she never moaned but just got on with being the best she could be. Her exemplary attendance is a reflection of her grit and determination.

The students taught by her loved her enthusiasm and drive to make them the best they could be. Her form members loved her because they saw a more gentle, caring side to her nature not seen by the rest of the School. She was similarly admired and respected by the rest of the teaching and support staff.

She knew what she could do well and what she would struggle with. We remember when School decided to have a sponsored walk up to Castle Hill in order to raise £5,000 to enable an application for Science College status to be made. In discussions with staff about the project she openly said she would struggle with the walk but offered to look after all the ‘sick, lame and lazy’ who did not take part in the walk. We all knew which was the easier option, walking or staying in School! Few would have offered to do the job but it

was typical of Kath and no more than we expected.

Kath was always keen to get involved with extra-curricular activities. If there was a stage production being performed Kath was always there behind the scenes in one capacity or another. At the School Proms Kath always attended and stayed until the end to make sure students were collected and got home safely. Again, something of which not all students and staff were aware.

Staff who struggled with problems on their computers knew that Kath would help them out and somehow ‘find’ those documents they thought they had lost.

Nothing was ever too much trouble. Those close to Kath were often surprised to find small kindnesses on their desks near Christmas. They were small gifts she had made which were tokens of her thanks for their friendship and help.

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And of course in her private life she was a self-confessed ‘treckie’. She travelled all over Britain and the US to attend conventions and often returned home with much cherished memorabilia from the events.

Sadly her health deteriorated over the last years of her teaching career. She finally decided to take ‘early retirement’ in December 2022 and everyone was delighted she could now take some time and relax. Unfortunately, that retirement

was cut far too short as she died in June this year in hospital after barely six months of retirement at the age of 57.

Kath was a ‘one off’ and she will be missed by all her teaching colleagues and students alike. Our condolences are sent to all her family who will be missing her even more than we are if that is possible.

Walter Raleigh and Ann Turner Kath Emerson, born 23rd March 1966, died 19thJune 2023 aged 57.

Keith Bellerby (KJGS 1947-1952) Family man who spent the whole of his career with a single local company We report with sadness the death in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on 21st April 2023 of Keith Bellerby aged 87 years.

Although a very quiet and private man, Keith regularly attended re-unions of his ’47 group before moving to Pembrokeshire in recent years, and will be sadly missed by his colleagues.

He entered Almondbury Grammar School in September, 1947. His school career was uneventful, though he had a natural ability for cross country running and was always up among the leading pack. Keith was not academic by nature and he left after the fifth form with a sinA family man, Keith leaves a loving gle ‘O’ level in 1952. However, he went on to have a successful career with the wife Doreen and children Graham and large Linthwaite-based household phar- Joanne. He also leaves two grandchilmaceuticals company Thornton and Ross dren Joshua and Harry.

Norris Bonser, James Clayton Ltd, at which time he was living in Marsden. He stayed with the same company Keith Bellerby, born 1st March 1936, died 21st April 2023 aged 87. until his retiement.

Correction:Tom Rockett (b 1946) was 70 when he died, not 80 as incorrectly reported in our July issue.

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Chairman WALTER RALEIGH 15 Thorpe Lane, Almondbury HD5 8TA Tel: 01484 308452 Email: walter.raleigh@oas.org.uk Secretary ANDREW HAIGH 2 Arkenley Lane, Almondbury HD4 6SQ Tel: 01484 432105 Email: andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk Treasurer KEITH CRAWSHAW 5 Benomley Drive, Almondbury HD5 8LX Tel: 01484 533658 Email: keith.crawshaw@oas.org.uk Media Editor ROGER DOWLING Orchard House, Oughtrington Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RD Tel: 01925 756390/07815 601447 Email: almondburian@oas.org.uk Assistant Media Editor RICHARD TEALE The Sycamores, 239 Huddersfield Road, Thongsbridge, Holmfirth HD9 3TT Tel: 07810 313315.

Email: richard.teale@oas.org.uk KJS Representative ABBIGAIL TERRY King James’s School, St Helen’s Gate, Almondbury HD4 6SG Tel: 01484 412990 Email: abbi.terry@oas.org.uk Website: www.oas.org.uk

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