The Almondburian, July 2018

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

July 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

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A word from your Chairman Membership/OAS Calendar Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Heritage Open Days The Almondburian Poets: J V Emsley Evolution of a school magazine Omnia paratus (except in defeat) Crossword by HÊrisson The formidable Emily Siddon Back to the drawing board Bob Williams: OAS action man Farnley Lines KJS builds links with Spain Promoting the UK around the world Classroom commentary Tidying up the accounts Badminton/Tennis Golf: Gothard Cup Summer reunion at vineyard Postbag Obituary

(Opposite): This drawing was the work of Leslie Sheard when he was a member of 4 alpha in 1950. It shows the steps alongside the tennis courts leading up to the Schoolhouse

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

July 2018

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

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

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helping to set up new links with the British Council that will result, thanks to financial support from the Foundation, in the School acquiring a new Spanish teaching assistant. And for our members, we have at last produduced a silk scarf for the female members of the Society. Since the March issue of The Almondburian there have been two social events.

HE past months have been very active for the Old Almondburians’Society, with a number of collaborative initiatives with the School. We played a major role in the production of a Timeline for a main social area of the School; we arranged for the School to be open last September as part of the nationwide Heritage Open Days project; and we have been involved in 3

year are moving ahead apace. There will soon be new display panels that will be located along the wall adjacent to the Principal’s study, opposite the ODH. These will list former Head Boys/Head Girls of the School and winners of the House Shield since it was set up 100 years ago. We are hoping to contact as many former Head Boys and Head Girls as possible so they can come along to the Dinner and see their names recorded for posterity. If you know of any such former Head Boys or Head Girls who are not members of the OAS please encourage them to come along to the Dinner in November – and of course join the Society. We reported in the last issue of The Almondburian that the OAS has pledged to update the House Shield which, although still awarded each year, has not been properly updated since the mid 1950s. We quickly realised there was not enough space for all the new engraving required so committee member Chris West took it upon himself to produce an innovative solution. The result is stunning and the finished product will soon be on display at the School. After our first involvement last September in the national Heritage Open Days we reviewed the event and looked at ways of improving the experience in 2018. The School Premises Manager, Keith Ramsden suggested we might apply for the temporary return of the School Charter. Despite the red tape involved we are hopeful this will be possible but it is as well we started this process in March! n

On 2nd May there was the annual OAS Quiz Night, once again a wonderfully entertaining evening organised by Keith Crawshaw (report: page 18). This year there will be a new team name on the trophy. After being runners-up for the last couple of years the team of ‘Happy and Retired’ brought some added strength into their team: Principal Ian Rimmer and Assistant Principal Stephen McNamara joined Patrick O’Brien, Dave Bradford and your Chairman and the result was inevitable! But the result is only ever secondary to what is always an enjoyable and sociable evening. Once again many thanks to Keith for all his hard work in producing the questions, particularly after being ill in hospital only days before the event. May I also pass on my thanks to Keith’s assistant, our Secretary’s daughter Annabel Haigh who once again helped with the scoring. The second social event was a visit on Wednesday 16th May to the Holmfirth Vineyard set up by former student Rebecca Sheveling (1985-88). Our Media Editor arranged for an evening at the Vineyard and what an evening it was (report: page 53). Rebecca told us of her days in Formula 1 motor racing and we had a tour of the vineyard itself followed by a wine-tasting session. We then retired to the beautiful restaurant for an excellent meal. It was a most enjoyable evening, amongst good friends with absolutely stunning views of the Pennine countryside. If you missed this event I can highly recommend a visit and tour of the vineyard. The projects we have taken on this 4

Membership A N D R E W HAIGH September, for which prompt payment would be very much appreciated. There are just a few people remaining whose subscription is not up to date for the current year so, if you do receive a letter with this magazine pointing out that your subscription is overdue, please do send your payment without delay. It does make life much easier if those few members who haven’t yet done so can complete a standing order mandate. Alternatively, you may renew online, using PayPal or a debit or credit card, by visiting www.oas.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Join/Renew Online’ button. n

INCE the last magazine was published we have been saddened to learn of the following deaths: l Guy E Gothard (1944-51) from Rugby, l Andrew Charles Phillips (1964-71) from Marsden l Derek James Dowling (1942-49) from Wokingham, Surrey l Thomas B A Senior (1939-46) from Michigan, USA For the few members who do not pay their subscriptions by standing order, please remember that your £10.00 subscription for 2018-2019 falls due on 1st

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WANTED: HONORARY ARCHIVIST King James’s School has a history stretching back over 400 years and the Old Almondburians’ Society is entrusted with the task of curating its entensive archive of photographs, documents and artefacts.We now have an archive room at the School but urgently require a keen OAS member willing to take on the role of archivist to coordinate the task of cataloguing and arranging the items in the collection to make them readily accessible for study. If you would like to know more, please email or telephone Walter Raleigh (contact details on back cover).

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY CALENDAR organisations, 5,000 events and 40,000 volunteers. Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. The School is again taking part this year and will be open on Saturday, 15th September.

DATES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 2018 Executive Committee meetings are usually held on the first Monday of the month, although there are exceptions due to Bank Holidays and school holidays, and there is no meeting in August. Any member of the Society who would like to attend one of these meetings will be made most welcome on the following dates: Monday, 2nd July, Monday, 3rd September, Monday, 1st October, Monday, 12th November, Monday, 3rd December. Executive Committee meetings are currently being held at school in the O.D.H. at 6.00 pm.

ANNUAL DINNER This year’s Annual Dinner will be held on Saturday, 24th November. Full details, together with an application form for tickets, are included in this issue of The Almondburian. FOUNDERS’ DAY The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held the day after the Annual Dinner: Sunday, 25th November, 2018.

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,500

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Annual Dinner A N D R E W HAIGH HIS year’s Annual Dinner will be held at the School on Saturday, 24th November, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm. The principal speaker will be writer, former broadcaster and OAS member AndrewTaylor (1963-70) – see panel opposite. Last year’s Annual Dinner, when the guest speaker was Peter Carter QC, was a tremendous success. The ticket price will remain at £27.50 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

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aware that when the Annual Dinner is held at the School places are limited, so early applications are recommended. It is always good to see members making a special effort to stage a re-union of their year at the dinner and such occasions are always enjoyable, so those with a special anniversary this year, members of the classes of 1948, 1958, 1968, 1978, 1988, 1993, 1998 or 2008 for example or, indeed, anyone else who takes a notion to do so, should consider starting to organise their class re-union earlier rather than later.

Success: the scene at last year’s Annual Dinner when the guest speaker was Peter Carter QC

Founders’ Day The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held the day after the Annual Dinner, Sunday, 25th November, as usual. Full details will be announced in the next magazine. n

Heritage Open Days HE Society will once again be opening the School as part of the Heritage Open Days scheme, which this

year in Huddersfield will be over the weekend of 13th-16th September. The School will be open on Saturday, 15th September. n

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Annual Dinner: This year’s principal guest speaker

Andrew Taylor one of a number of books he has written since. They include three biographies of people no one has ever heard of, writing which, he says, has been very interesting and rewarding but a poor career move. He was asked to speak at this year’s Dinner when Richard adroitly sidestepped the invitation, pushing his younger brother forward instead. Andrew is looking forward to getting his revenge in November.

NDREW TAYLOR is the younger son of the famous King James’s Grammar School headmaster Harry Taylor. Harry Taylor was a noted cricketer, and his elder son, Richard, is sometimes described (by himself) as “possibly the fastest bowler never to play for Yorkshire” – but Andrew’s major cricketing achievement at school was a dour Boycottish 0 not out as Fenay’s number 11 batsman to deny Jessop victory in a junior house match in 1964. His first job was as a journalist on the Yorkshire Evening Post, so long ago that one of his early reporting roles was covering the arrival of the first girls to attend King James’s. After that, he went on to work in the House of Commons and for the Daily Express (which, he points out, was very different then from the way it is now) and as a reporter for BBC Television News. He left there in 1988, and worked for the next sixteen years for Dubai Television, both in the Gulf and in London. He was made redundant in 2005 – an experience he described in Burning the Suit,

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SPECIAL FEATURE: J V EMSLEY

The Almondburian Poets ohn Victor Emsley attended King James’s Grammar School from 1946 to 1954.The family lived in Almondbury Bank. His father – a garage manager – was a sports car enthusiast who competed regularly at the famous Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb. His mother was from an artistic background: Marjorie Westbury, who played Paul Temple’s wife Steve in the popular radio series on the BBC in the 40s and 50s, was a family friend and visited regularly. He clearly inherited a love of the arts and was a regular contributor of prose and poetry to The Almondburian. In April 1954 he appeared in ‘Jock’ Anderson’s much praised production of Andrey Obey’s Noah, playing the part of one of Noah’s sons Shem ‘exceedingly well’ according to a review by A E Sykes in The Almondburian. Emsley left King James’s in 1954 to take up a place at Leeds University but his studies were tragically cut short when he died on 31st December1955 at the age of 20, depriving the IMAGES University of one of its most wellIn the morning mist liked and scholastic members. a viaduct leans on delicate arches “We were close friends and his illness and death was a very as a train dreams lightly across traumatic time for all concerned, trembling along its length the memory of which I still find with lubricated life. distressing,” says Colin Robson, one of Emsley’s school contemporaries. This is the grace of Man and is made ours. Frank Anderson was one of the many Almondburians who were shocked by the news of Em- Slender smokestacks sley’s sudden death. He had adlike black lead pencils mired Emsley’s poetry stand in the soft grey air throughout his time at King James’s and suggested to his parbrimming with smoke. ents that a fitting memorial to their son would be to publish This is the strength of Man and is made ours. some of his poetry. Edited by Anderson and printed by Netherwood Dalton & Co Ltd of A wet morning in a city Huddersfield, A Remarkable Sky is or the remarkable poem of day a hardback volume, of some 30 pages containing 50 of Emsley’s are effects in the drama of life. most outstanding poems. Another way in which John Which is the dignity of Man, to be made ours. Emsley’s name continues to be

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remembered today is through the Emsley Memorial Cup for English Literature. Inaugurated in 1956, past winners have been: 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965-93 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

D I Morphet D Cliffe D I Morphet P Swindon P Swindon R C Mallinson A Morphet A Lodge B J Roberts Not awarded H R Parry A Schofield E A C Lee J G Mansell N E Shuttleworth S Kingswell Not awarded J E Bradford L R Iredale Not awarded A Brook H J Bradford J Andiyaran A Mellor N Singleton

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

C Rotherham E Taylor E Daffern E Brown C Bintcliffe T Augustine E Taylor J Clarkson

l Since 2014, the award has been known as the Mallinson Memorial Prize for English and Emsley Cup. Prior to that it was the Brooke Memorial Prize and Emsley Cup.

LIGHT Light is the veriest truth we know, though nothing is of less substance than the whiteness of a sunbeam or the halo round a candleflame.

If hope were really faith, the way were clear to a multitude of revelations mistless as a crystal goblet cupped in a cool hand.

So that when a light dies something inside you dies with it and you feel a sudden terror, a momentary vulnerability.

But if our hope is a wrinkle in time or a rustle of empty platitudes then man is a sick prophet whimpering in an echo of Once.

For we dance with creation in a sunbeam where knowledge, dust of broken gods, though sifting to a mound of hope is never enough to build a faith.

The waterfall of light falls on our hands pale and praying in a pool of gloom— it is up to us to dam it back—envisage then the latent power. 9

BECAUSE WE ARE AT EASE Because we are at ease together you seem to think that all my need is in you, that I have no creed but yours to follow. Whither else I go is secret, for indeed I have one, yes I have another creed which cannot wither. Even so, if with you were ease and something else, I should ignore this rain upon the grass, this roar of easy-sliding sea;

but I have never seen before such wilderness of poetry in your immediacy. No, not that I regard you less, but only that I hold the other more to me than ease, my dear, and more to me than wilderness is why I seem to wander, for I seem to find a sure redress in my uneasiness.

MEET AND PASS The train went weaving through the misty sidings. Sitting in a rocking carriage, under jolting lights someone caught his own white image on the window-glass as feathers of pale grey smoke unfurled across his face. The pallid features stared, reflected back and rocked and raced along beside him through the lights that filled the softening twilight as he left the town and drifted, musing, southward and away. He glimpsed a rainy street in long perspective; the lawns were grey, the cobbles gleaming wet and of all to happen in the passing world, that was the one thing he could fasten down. And it was strange to think of others living out their lives as he was, growing sentimental over dogs, dreaming, pausing before sunsets, watching leaves and rain fall all doing different things in different places. For he had met with joy, and journeyed on wondering why the world seemed suddenly incredible but fear lay gnawing at his lonely roots for the rest of the world is always doing something else. 10

John Emsley: an appreciation R E GGI E B Y R A M ( 1946 - 1954) Reggie Byram - a self-confessed ‘rough lad from Outlane’ -was one of John Emsley’s closest friends at King James’s Grammar School.He found him a civilising influence who encouraged him to develop his own writing skills. ONG periods of absence from school, caused by physical ailments – Bright’s disease, I believe – did nothing to dent John Emsley’s academic development, and did much to develop his imagination. He read a great deal, and painted. I recall a watercolour of Castle Hill, which John could see from his bedroom window in Almondbury Bank. He had the knack of cutting an individual down to size when they said something ridiculous, and that someone was often me. But he used a gentle wit and did not make enemies. I was a rough lad from Outlane and John, among others, helped to civilise me. I was pleased to be admitted to a group of youths who lived in Almondbury and attended the School in the same year. I remember being invited by John’s parents to spend a week or two in the Summer holidays at their caravan in Sunderland, commonly known as Sunderland Point, a small village

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among the marshes, on a windswept peninsula between the mouth of the River Lune and Morecambe Bay. Sunderland had once been used as a port for slave ships and cotton ships but its importance declined as other ports such as Lancaster were developed. Sunderland is unique in England, and possibly the UK, as being the only community to be situated on the mainland and yet dependent upon tidal access.The only vehicular access to the village is by way of a track which is covered by water at every high tide. I remember Mr Emsley waiting for the tide to recede. Sunderland Point and the marshes had a strong influence on John’s imagination and on his poetry. Probably, at that time, the most feared, and in some cases detested, teacher in the School was Frank Anderson, teacher of English. Outside of the classroom, however, Frank was generous and charming, as I can attest. He helped me in many ways, usually with books, and left-wing books at that, but swore me to secrecy. 11

if it fitted. The result was the line, ‘Light is the veriest truth we know.’ The double meaning of the superlative form with ‘Very light’ makes that an arresting part of the poem. Reading the complete works makes one see what strides John made in a very short period of time.This was especially true after he was accepted into the English department of Leeds U n i v e r s i t y, where he played with verse forms, although I doubt ‘played’ is the right word, for John took poetry very seriously. He fell in love, of course, and with a delightful spirited girl, also from Almondbury. One remembers Cyril Connolly’s apophthegm, “There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall,” and one wonders. But speculation is futile. John Emsley took ill again. He had always had a collection of fluid in the sacs below the eyes, a visible sign of nephritis. We shall never know what John would have become. What remains is sadness at a life cut short, and joy at having a handful of poems to read and enjoy. n

Frank had attended Hull University College, and had met Philip Larkin, the librarian. He sent Larkin a selection of John Emsley’s poems, and was peeved to get them back almost by return. Larkin’s flippant response was that nobody under the age of about twentyodd ever wrote a good poem, to which Frank said to me: “What about Chatterton? What about John Keats?” It was this cruel rebuff that contributed, at least in part, to his decision to collect John’s poems in a limited edition. Frank Anderson influenced and inspired many pupils but, perhaps, none as much as John Emsley. In one memorable short period in the Lower Sixth, Frank introduced us to John Donne, Manley Hopkins,W. B. Yeats and W. H. Auden.These giants, and many others in the tradition of poetry in English, contributed to John’s developing command of verse forms. I remember John asking me once if there was such a word as ‘veriest’ and I said I did not know. He said he wanted to use the word in a poem, to which I replied, that it didn’t matter if there were such a word or not, 12

GRAPHIC DESIGN: PART 2

Evolution of a school magazine ROGER DOWLING The date is 1958 and English master Albert Makinson is starting to take a keen interest in The Almondburian. Major design changes are on the way. S we recorded in the last issue, Makinson was not impressed by the smudgy print quality of The Almondburian in the early 1950s.With effect from the Spring issue of 1958 the printing contract was transferred from the family firm Eli Collins and Co of Holmfirth to J Woodhead & Sons, printers of the Huddersfield Examiner. Makinson had also been shocked to discover a major error in the wording

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around the badge itself: YE GRAMAR SCHOLE OF KINGE JAMES IN ALLMONBURY (13). As an English scholar, Makinson knew that the word ‘Ye’ was quite wrong in this context: the only legitimate use of ‘Ye’ is the ecclesiastical or dialect alternative to ‘You’ (‘Abandon hope, all ye who enter here’). The incorrect use of the word ‘ye’ as a contraction of ‘the’ has an interesting origin. In the Middle Ages, scribes would often contract ‘the’ to ‘þe’, using an Old English character called a ‘thorn’. When printing with movable type was developed by Gutenburg in the fifteenth century this presented a problem for English printers as the type fonts from Germany contained no such character. They therefore decided to use their nearest equivalent, which they deemed to be ‘Y’ and as a result the word ‘þe’ was commonly printed as ‘Ye’. But all this was irrelevant in the context of the school badge. It will be recalled that the school charter had been rediscovered in 1952 and as it lay on proud display in the school library Makinson was able to study it in some detail (14). He was interested to see that the 1608 scribe used the full word ‘the’ throughout; moreover, the village was spelled ‘Almonbury’ and not ‘Allmonbury’.

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slight financial deficiency and the executive committee has struggled to make the magazine pay. Several times we have heaved ourselves onto the dry breach of relative solvency by raising the price, only to be overtaken by the advancing tide of rising costs. Finally it was decided to include advertisements and to join the ranks of the many famous publications which partly depend on advertising. “The Almondburian” swallows its Jacobean pride and joins “Punch”,“The Spectator” and “The Sunday Times Magazine”.

As it happens, I had a small walk-on role in the next part of this narrative. Art master Edward Akroyd had recently retired and his successor Russell Roofe was still an unknown quantity, so Makinson asked me if I would mind having a go at discreetly re-lettering the badge: I was secretary of the Printing Society at that time as well as being one of the editors of the magazine and he knew I did a bit of sketching. It was a tricky job, with two or three failures before I got there, but at last the lettering was finished to the desired standard. I remember that as there were now more characters, I had to reduce the height of the letters very slightly to squeeze them all in. The newly lettered badge appeared for the first time in the Spring 1958 issue of The Almondburian (15). From the same issue, the page size was increased slightly and the general appearance was freshened up through the introduction of more modern sans serif headings throughout. Apart from further minor typographic changes, the magazine changed little for the following eight years. But then, in Spring 1966, the editors of the day (D J Roebuck, M R Woodhead, A M Crawford and P A Shaw) announced in their Editorial: “ For some time the “Almondburian” has wallowed in the shallow waters of

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proudly bearing a new device. In glorious colour, the fresh frontage, designed with ingenious skill by the Art department chief Mr R Wearing, crowns three years of effort and work which has transformed Huddersfield’s finest school magazine.” Leslie Orme believes that fellow editor Smith was undoubtedly behind the change. “Henderson Smith was a very artistic sort of chap,” says Orme. “ He was very close to ‘Eddie’ Wearing and I am sure this is how the new design came about.” In fact, far from being in ‘glorious colour’ the cover had no more colour than before, being basically a montage of small photographs overprinted in pale blue. For some reason the strapline, now in Gill Sans Condensed Bold, was re-

So as to reduce the danger of contamination, the eight pages of advertisements in this issue from such companies as Midland Bank, ICI, David Brown Group and Ford were confined to a section at the back of the magazine. To the credit of the editorial team, the advertising support was progressively increased in subsequent issues to some 12 pages in sections at each end of the magazine. Further changes continued to be introduced. In Summer 1967, the cover underwent another major re-design (16). By this time T H Smith and L J Orme had joined the editorial team and the Editorial of that issue recorded somewhat immodestly: “For the third time this century,‘The Almondburian’emerges before its readers 15

of ‘original articles’ contributed by pupils. But change was in the air. Yet another new cover design appeared in Summer Term, 1973: a pen and ink sketch of the front of the Schoolhouse by Charlie Starkey (1968-1975) and ‘Almondburian’ in a new Caslon Black font (18). It was an appropriate change, as this issue also marked the retirement of headmaster Harry Taylor and the final days of King James’s Grammar School. The editors (A Danchev, R E Thackray, M Grant, N K Parsons and B Hopkinson) were in philosophical mood: “The principle role of the magazine is to reflect the opinions, interests and activities of its readers as members of the Almondburian community and provide a forum for debate, self-expression and imaginative ideas. Everyone concerned with the school should feel proud of this magazine, though not complacent. We hope that the new price of 15p will not put too much strain on draughty pockets.” The concern expressed about the price of a magazine costing only 15p seems surprising today, but in 1973 it represented a purchasing power of some £4. This was the last issue to carry the title page byline ‘The magazine of King James’s Grammar School, Almondbury’. From Autumn Term 1973, King James’s Grammar School became King James’s College (19).

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duced brusquely to ‘Almondburian’, and the school badge was retained only as a small design element in the corner of the page. The badge was to suffer the indignity of disappearing completely two years later when a new monochrome cover was launched, without ceremony, in Summer 1969 (17). The sad loss of colour now makes the magazines of this period somewhat drab in appearance, and one can only assume it was forced on the editors of the day (M J Wood, M J Harrison, A R Cape, J A Taylor, C J Parsons and P H Shaw) by continuing financial pressures. The standard of the magazine was fully maintained however as it continued to record the ups and downs of life at King James’s Grammar School, accompanied as ever by an admirable range

19 Under the new title page masthead the editors of the day observed: 16

“The school may have altered its name but there are as yet few visible signs of the change. The most significant one was the absence in September of new entrants with their shrill voices, immaculate blazers and shining satchels.The school definitely has been quieter.” However, The Almondburian was itself changing markedly. In the Spring 1974 issue, the editors (R E Thackray, B Hopkinson, N K Parsons, F J MacNaught and J S Kaye) noted: “It seems that the present trend is for virtually everything to change.As Editors,we have tried to follow this pattern by introducing cartoons and sketches into the magazine in the hope that they will awaken, and in some case resurrect, the reader’s interest.” Some of the editors were themselves portrayed somewhat unflatteringly in a Charlie Starkey cartoon in the same issue (20). The cost of the magazine continued to be a major preoccupation and in Summer Term 1975 The Almondburian became, for the first time in its long history, an annual publication: “Again, apologies for the rise in price.This is mainly due to paper costs which are soaring.* As it is,the magazine is subsidised by the Old Boys and printed at what must be one of the cheapest rates in the country by the printers… There will only be one school magazine a year now, for which we apologise .” These were difficult times for The Almondburian. By 1976, the editors (S Yousaf,T Shaw, K Warrington, M Hoyle and R Page, with continuing support from teacher Alan Thomas) even struggled for material. The phasing out of the junior boys had reduced support for some of the school societies and there was a general disinclination to write ar-

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Editors in 1974, clockwise from top left: Richard Thackray,Alan Thomas (staff), Bryan Hopkinson, Nick Parsons; cartoon by Charlie Starkey

ticles for the school magazine. In the 1976 issue, the editors admit to being “seven pages short of their target with absolutely nothing to fill them with”.The same issue contains two ‘Letters to the Editor’ which on closer examination appear to have been written by the editors themselves. The magazine faced an uncertain future and its survival seemed by no means guaranteed. And the School itself faced new unknowns as the ill-fated Sixth Form College experiment was about to give way to the School’s new role as an 11-18 coeducational comprehensive.Was it perhaps the end of the line for The Almondburian? n (To be concluded)

*The annual UK inflation rate had reached an astonishing 24.11% in 1975. 17

QUIZ NIGHT 2018

Omnia paratus (except defeat) R I C H A R D T E ALE ( 1961 - 1968) Last year’s winners are defeated – but they forget to return the trophy Conservative Club placed us in an environment similar to the older parts of the School. Five teams took up their places around tables, trying to avoid tripping over the trailing ‘buzzer’ wires – we have not yet gone wi-fi. We all eagerly anticipated the challenging (and sometimes devious) 12 rounds of questions posed by quizmaster Keith Crawshaw. Firstly, an introduction to the teams: The Players: Sue Cope, Nicky Green, Andrew Haigh and Emily Murphy. Pisces ex aqua: Dave Bradford, Steve McNamara, Patrick O’Brien, Walter Raleigh and Ian Rimmer.

timely visit to Huddersfield to visit my mother saw me able to participate in this year’s Quiz Night, and be given the task of reporting on its outcome. Let me translate the title ‘Omnia paratus’: ‘Prepared for anything’; and the contestants certainly had to be. Appropriately, it was the team with the Latin name Pisces ex aqua – I’ll let you work out a translation of their name yourselves – who were victorious. I’m sure we will be corrected by a certain former Latin master if we have erred (I was not very good at that subject). A late change of venue to Almondbury

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Happy winners – but without their trophy (left to right): Walter Raleigh, Patrick O’Brien, Dave Bradford, Stephen McNamara and Ian Rimmer. 18

Connections

Faces (died 2017)

Wild flowers

2017

In which century?

Buzzer A

Audio memory

Match the buildings

Spelling

Faces

Buzzer B

Missing words

TOTALS

Pisces ex aqua Dave Bradford Steve McNamara Patrick O’Brien Walter Raleigh Ian Rimmer

4

32

18

26

20

8

39

8

20

26

-2

25

224

Dartmouth Doug Norris David Sinclair Richard Teale Gez Whitehead

4

22

14

22

22

6

36

16

14

25

4

28

213

The Walkers Nick Ainley Bryan Hopkinson Mike Hoyle

3

27

12

12

22

4

34

8

20

18

6

27

193

The Players Sue Cope Nicky Green Andrew Haigh Emily Murphy

3

16

14

12

14

2

38

16

12

20

6

18

171

2

16

6

14

8

0

29

6

10

19

4

26

140

Owup Palwinder Kang Zoe Nash Abbigail Terry Rebecca Walton

Owup: Palwinder Kang, Zoe Nash, Abbigail Terry and Rebecca Walton. The Walkers: Nick Ainley, Bryan Hopkinson, and Mike Hoyle. Dartmouth: Doug Norris, David Sinclair, Richard Teale and Gez Whitehead. I never did get enlightened about the reason for the Owup name, and my team squashed my idea to replace the somewhat obvious Dartmouth name with MellowYellow.

Rules and regulations explained, we pitched in with a buzzer round Connections – a series of clues with a connecting word, usually becoming obvious but sometimes wonderfully obscure; the working of the quizmaster’s mind occasionally being challenged. The team scores were fairly evenly matched after this round. The following two picture rounds – Faces (died in 2017) and Wild Flowers – saw the Pisces ex aqua team take a lead that they were 19

never to relinquish.There were mutterings about how they came to have a five man team but this was not allowed to detract from their ultimate success. Two more rounds – 2017 and In which century? – saw some reasonably close scoring. The next round – Buzzer A – brought a close to the first half and a welcome opportunity to top up drinks, strong and otherwise. It is probably fair to say at this stage that the competition was shaping up between three protagonists: Pisces ex aqua, Dartmouth and TheWalkers. The second half commenced with an Audio memory test: a list of 20 laboratory items recorded in inimitable style by Jack Taylor – wonderful to hear his voice even if he was not there in person.The eighth round – Match the buildings – was a test of pairing pictures with the names of historic Yorkshire buildings; some obvious but many obscure. The next round – Spelling – caused much headscratching. As an example: how many alternatives are there for ‘inoculation’? (Answer: double ‘n’/ double ‘c’). Congratulations to Pisces ex aqua and The Walkers who prevailed with 20 points each. Then a tenth round common in many quizzes – Faces – pictures to identify, and all

teams scored well. The penultimate round – Buzzer B - was another general knowledge test for anyone still with fast fingers. So to the final round – Missing Words – a series of recent Yorkshire Post headlines with words omitted; viewers of Have I Got News ForYou will be familiar with this format.Again, all teams scored well in this last opportunity to salvage reputations. At the end of a competition fought with varying degrees of success, but always with enthusiasm, the worthy victors (by 11 points) were Pisces ex aqua. Congratulations to them and well done to all teams. At this point, the presentation of the trophy to the winners proved to be the only disappointment of the evening: it had been left behind by Bryan Hopkinson, the captain of last year’s winning team. Perhaps he expected his team to retain it? Walter Raleigh gave a vote of thanks to our perspicuous and tolerant quizmaster, Keith Crawshaw.We were also appreciative of the rapid accumulative and final scoring of Annabel Haigh. In summary, another enjoyable evening with friends. It will be repeated in 2019 and we hope many more can attend – the pleasure is in the n taking part, not winning!

Quiz Night gets under way. In the foreground (left to right): Annabel Haigh, David Sinclair, Richard Teale, Doug Norris, Keith Crawshaw. 20

CROSSWORD by Hérisson

Entries to the Editor (address/email: back cover) by 31st October 2018 Prize: 12 months free OAS membership

ACROSS 9, 3. Re-armed Serena dictates – groundwork by Williams (1, 9, 5, 6) 10. Fish function flanks a way (7) 11. A 51 euro novel – European? (7) 12. Fair point in relation (5) 13. Fighter happy to air changes (9) 14. Canter about, including turn for horseman? (7) 16. Everlasting era, not so much (7) 18. Dispersed air, beacon without oxygen.(9)

2. Swim team leaders encourage fish (8) 3. See 9 4. Bags tiger – shaken faith – not at all likely! (2, 7, 6) 5. Wild trek into area Sam had spoiled (3, 2, 1, 5, 4) 6. Fire up soldier in serene fashion (8) 7. Charm a Greek character allowed (6) 20. Plum place – not even for 8. Postpones notice. Nice day with developing six-footers (5) partners (8) 22. Everlasting era, lent out (7) 14. Talk to former lover about gold 23. Arm part smells – needs serum found on the Loire (8) centrally injected (7) 24. Unruly men try music, friend, not 15. Go on army manoeuvres for land management ((8) equally (15) 17 Formerly, cheekily, professionally (8) 19 Not liking part of poem (6) DOWN 1. Mass destruction working for strong 20 Tailless cat, headless rodents rock! (6) 21 Attempts compositions (6) man (6)

Name Email Tel l The winner of Terry’s Teaser No 18 (March 2018) was Dennis Taylor Across 1. Internationally 8. Rhombus 9. Protect 10.Tel 11. Spasmic 13. Despair 15. Emulate 18. Idyllic 20. Imp 21. Epithet 22. Lettice 23. Disappointments Down 1. Anthropomorphic 2. Sermons 3. Caustic 4. Dimpled 5. Mantrap 6. Electricity cuts 12. Moa 14. Say 16. Last man 17. Edition 18. Implant 19. Leather

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HERITAGE WEEKEND 2018

The formidable Emily Siddon WALTER RALEIGH Thousands of pupils have been proud members of Siddon since the House system was set up by Taylor Dyson a century ago. But how many have given even a moment’s thought to the lady after whom the House was named? round to cottages and collected rolls of wool which had been produced by weavers in their home. He would have then taken the lengths of cloth to sell at cloth halls similar to the one in Huddersfield which formerly stood at the top of Cloth Hall Street, a site now occupied by a Sainsbury’s store. This‘cottage industry’ was coming to an end because of new machines being invented by the likes of Richard Arkwright, who invented his Spinning Frame in 1769, which required water power to drive it. Arkwright set up his first factory in Nottingham using horses to drive his machines before moving to a small village, Cromford, in Derbyshire, where he took advantage of a fast flowing river for power. Both Cromford and Nottingham are close to Mansfield where William Siddon lived so it is perfectly reasonable to assume, being in the same industry, he knew of Arkwright and may even have had dealings with him. We can only surmise that William Siddon realised the changes which were going to come because in 1784 he went into partnership with four friends, Henry Hollins, Thomas Oldknow, John Poulson and John Cowpe.They took out a 42 year lease on an old Corn Mill and 15 acres of land by the river in Mansfield. Over the years there were various name changes to the business. In 1841 the com-

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HIS year the Heritage Open Days weekend will be held on 13th - 16th September and once again King James’s School will be involved. It’s an annual opportunity for historic buildings to open up to the public and the central theme this year is ‘Extraordinary Women’. As such we decided to look at Emily Siddon, an ‘extraordinary woman’ closely connected with our School who gave her name to one of our Houses. Emily Frances Siddon (1844-1923) was the third child of her parents, Samuel and Sarah Anne Siddon. Her parents were married in Lockwood on 31st October 1839 but lived in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Emily was born in 1844 following the earlier arrivals of Mary Anne in 1841 and brother Paul William in 1843.Their mother was formerly Sarah Anne Jessop of Honley. It would appear Emily had a very comfortable childhood; the 1841 census showing the family had seven servants in their Mansfield home. Sadly, her father died at the age of 29 in 1845. He was listed on the 1841 census as having ‘independent means’ and is referred to as a ‘country squire’ by another source. In fact the family wealth came from the textile trade. Emily’s great grandfather was listed as a Draper. He was probably involved in the wool trade as a merchant who went 22

legal guardian on her death. He himself died a year later, in 1868, at the age of 72 but Emily continued to live in the house known as Honley House at 34 Back Lane. By the 1871 census she was listed as head of the household. Living with her were her fouryear- old nephew, John Burrough, her companion, Sarah Brooke and three servants. George Jessop, was the father of Captain Thomas Jessop, who presented the Mathematics Prize at King James’s Grammar School.The £5 awarded for this prize in 1868 was very generous: in purchasing power it being equivalent to over £400 today.Thomas visited Honley on regular occasions but on retirement from the Army went into business in London. He never married and on his death in 1913 at the age of 77 he left many generous bequests including one of £5,000

pany became known as William Hollins,Siddon & Co and in 1846 it became William Hollins & Co though Samuel Siddon, Emily’s father, was listed as a partner. Samuel had other business interests including being a shareholder in the proposed Newark to Sheffield Railway Company.The Company raised £375,000 for this venture, though we don’t know how many of the shares, priced at £25 each, Samuel bought. Following her father’s death in 1845 Emily continued to live with her mother and siblings in Mansfield. Her mother, Sarah Anne died in 1867 at the age of 48. It is at this point that Emily moved to Honley to live with her mother’s side of the family. Her mother must have been ill for some time for she had arranged for their great uncle, George Jessop, in Honley, to become their

Emily Jessop’s handsome home in Honley was built for George Jessop. She continued to live there with a young nephew, a companion Sarah Brooke and three servants after he died in 1868. 24

The tiny Jessop chapel in Honley: the graveyard contains the graves of George Jessop and other members of the extended family including Emily Siddon.

In 1899 she persuaded Huddersfield Guardians of the Poor to buy land in Outlane, at a cost of £625, and within two years the first Children’s Home was built in the district. The success of this led to another Home being built in Outlane and two more in the centre of Huddersfield, one in Ramsden Street and the other in South Street. Though it was nine years after the first Children’s Home had been built in Sheffield it was, nevertheless, one of the first of its kind in the country. It is recorded that she frequently visited these Homes and her visits resulted in ‘treats and gifts’ for the children. In 1913 she was invited to be Chair of the Board of Guardians in Huddersfield and along with a Miss Duncan of Hammersmith was the only other woman to hold this post in England. This role carried the honorary post of Magistrate but unfortunately, as a woman, she could not sit on the Bench in 1913 as women had not yet been granted the vote. Miss Siddon was a great supporter of Women’s Suffrage and marched through London in 1907, 1911 and 1913 behind a banner on display in the Tolson Museum in Ravensknowle Park. This banner depicted scenes of life in the ColneValley and was designed by Mrs Josiah Lockwood for the local branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. It was only after the Representation of

(worth nearly £500,000 today) for the poor of Honley and £1,000 for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. He did not forget his roots. We know from various sources that Miss Siddon travelled extensively abroad.This may explain why she does not appear on either the 1881 or 1891 census. On the 1901 census she appears as a ‘visitor’ at the home of her friend, Agnes Durby Parr, who was resident in Chelsea. As a ‘woman of substance’ she quickly became involved in local charity work in Honley and the surrounding area. In 1882 she was the first woman in Huddersfield to be invited to join the Board of the Guardians of the Poor.This was the body which administrated the Poor Law and the local Workhouses. She became heavily involved and in 1884 was praised for taking ‘30 old women and imbeciles’ for a day out to Harden Moss in a wagonette. In this role she observed the work being done in Sheffield, which was the first city to provide homes or foster care for children of families taken into the Workhouse. She felt strongly that children should not suffer because their parents were in the Workhouse and was determined they should have the opportunity to go to their local school and not be forced to wear ‘workhouse clothes.’ 25

Children’s Homes and the Chairman of the Royal Commission, Lord George Hamilton, expressed surprise that ‘a lady of culture and leisure was willing to sacrifice herself to such an extent’. For many years Miss Siddon was one of three Yorkshire Representatives at the Central Poor Law Conference. As a member of the council of the Poor Law Unions Association she gave a speech in Harrogate in June 1908. She spoke about ‘Women’s work’ on ‘The Administration of the Poor Law’. It was so well received that the speech was printed in pamphlet form and distributed throughout the country. But her work for the Guardians of the Poor

the Peoples Act was passed in 1918 that Miss Siddon could be included on the Electoral Register and therefore take her place ‘on the bench’ as a Justice of the Peace. As a result she was the first female magistrate in the district. Miss Siddon was for many years the President of the Huddersfield branch of the NUWSS though never condoned or supported the militant actions of some of the more extreme members. Her work for the Guardians of the Poor received national recognition when she was invited to give evidence to the Royal Commission of 1905/6 on the poor. After giving evidence she was invited to become Honorary Superintendent of the Huddersfield

NE hundred years ago, in 1918, women in Britain over the age of 30 were finally given the right to vote. It would be a further ten years before suffrage was extended to all women over the age of 21. Emily Siddon was the founding president of the Huddersfield branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). It was a very prominent branch, thanks to the energetic activities of its branch secretary Helen Studdard, wife of a local cabinet maker. In 1903, the militant Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was set up by Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst. Emmeline Pankhurst herself visited Huddersfield in 1906 at the time of the General Election, angrily denouncing a ruling Liberal government which locked up women for merely demanding the vote.

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made sure financial help was immediately available to the wives and families of fighting soldiers while they waited for Government support. In later life Miss Siddon suffered from bronchitus and heart problems. She died a at the age of 79 on the 28 May 1923. She left £24,759 (some £1.3 million in today’s money) as well as Honley House itself. The funeral was a magnificent affair, her coffin being carried from her home to the local church in Honley.The funeral cortege was later led by the Honley Brass Band to the burial ground while hundreds of mourners lined the streets, amongst them school children who had been allowed out of the local school to pay their respects. In an address, Mr J H Turner, President of Huddersfield Law Society, said, “Miss Siddon was the means of paving the way for the appointment of other members of her sex on the bench. She was venerated and beloved by neighbours and friends and by all sorts and conditions of people in the much larger sphere in which her many activities placed her. She combined an almost masculine grip and capacity for business with feminine gentleness and intuition.” Miss Siddon was indeed an ‘extraordinary woman’ and we can be proud of the links and influence she had on the development – and indeed the survival – of King James’s Grammar School. n

was just one of her many interests. She had a passion for education and became King James’s Grammar School’s first female Governor in 1897, a role in which she was to remain for the rest of her life. On a number of occasions it was her willingness to put her own money into the School that kept it open. She was also a Governor at HuddersfieldTechnical College for many years. Her help and support was also given to various other charities in the area. At Huddersfield Royal Infirmary she was a member of the Board for a number of years and in this position she was invited to attend the International Congress in Paris in 1905 which looked at the work of the German scientist Robert Koch and his efforts to defeat tuberculosis. She was a member of the committee of the Guild of Help of the Deaf and Dumb Institution. She was a committee member of the Victorian Sick Poor Nurses Association and President of the Huddersfield Society for the Care of Friendless Girls. Miss Siddon was, for many years, also a member of the Executive of theYorkshire Association for the Care of the Feeble Minded. In 1914, war broke out and Miss Siddon became involved in the war effort and recruitment of soldiers. She used her power and influence in organising every local agency in the support of comforts for the men in service and the care and reception of those injured in battle. As a member of the ‘Pensions and Distress Committee’ she 27

Back to the drawing board Roger Sykes (1946-1953) revisits some of his favourite drawings HEN I was young, that is under 60, I used to think that retirement consisted of just sitting and reading a good book, without being interrupted. Chatting with old friends of course and pursuing hobbies like railways and astronomy which headed a long list. In my case, cycling to see – and sketch – old buildings of character was important. Difficult to define but old stonework always had an attraction at the detailed level as well as the overall structure. Yorkshire and Derbyshire are dotted with wonderful old houses. Every village has interesting buildings and much ancient stonework has survived. Art Master Teak taught my generation much about historical architecture – from Greek columns to Norman arches. Places like York Minster and Durham Cathedral have such significant atmospheres that they remain in the memory even at my advancing age, now 83. I never realised how busy one could be! The older one is, the busier one becomes. The words of some individuals are memorable for a lifetime and Teak was no exception. Headmaster Harry Taylor was another such influence – he had the art of giving advice and guidance and was never dictatorial. So this sketch of Wormall House, hidden behind Wormall Hall in the centre of Almondbury brings back the memory that Harry Taylor lived there with his family when he arrived as Headmaster in 1951. I sketched the house for the ‘In and About’ column in the Huddersfield Examiner. I’m not sure how it was adopted as the Headmaster’s Christmas card that year but one signed copy survives – and I treasure it. The frontage was covered in creepers but the date 1631 was clear above the front door, whilst the plaque with the initials IW (Isaac Wormall) was obscured. Sadly, high trellis fencing has now been erected which looks out of place in front of such a charming old building. The metal fencing to the right is fortunately only temporary: it marks the boundary of the building site currently being redeveloped by n King James’s School Foundation.

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Wormall House

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MEMBER PROFILE

Bob Williams: OAS action man A former chairman of the Old Almondburians’ Society from 1998-2000, Bob Williams (1964-70) was involved in many School projects including floodlighting the Schoolhouse, the provision of trophy cabinets and the Specialist Science College bid. He played football for the Almondburians’ Football Club for 23 years and was chairman of the Club for 10 years. Here he looks back on a long and happy life. LMONDBURY is engraved on my heart. I was born in a council house on the Fernside estate and attended Almondbury Infants and Junior Schools before arriving at King James’s Grammar School in 1964. In my mind, when I passed the 11 plus examination, there was no better choice than King James’s and, despite hearing only the top 25% of boys gained places, I was one of the chosen few! My parents were hard working: my mother a shop assistant and my father put in long hours as an electrician at David Brown Tractors. The school uniform was a major stretch of their finances, accounting for about two weeks of my father’s wages. A list of requirements comprised not only the expected blazer, trousers, shirts, tie and socks, but also scarf, cap with house colour, football and gym kit, and a woodwork apron. Despite my modest family back-

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ground, on arrival at King James’s I never felt less than equal – a tribute to the ethos of the School. I approached the School on my first day with Keith Crawshaw and other boys from Almondbury Junior School well aware of the rumours of bullying and initiation (the dreaded bunk). There was not a year 1 ‘freshers’ day, we were pitched in with all the established older pupils but, thankfully, the rumours were unfounded. In fact, I never experienced any intimidation during my progress through School – probably in part due to my reputation as a joker and sportsman. I was one of the bright lads at Junior school but I had some early setbacks at King James’s. An example was my neat handwriting, admired until then but not suitable for keeping up with rapid dictation in many subjects. I was good at the subjects that did not need much study, languages and maths came easy but not history, geography and sciences. As 29

The staff in1967: (Back row):Y M Etchevest (French Assistant); L Mallinson; R Wearing; R Beever; S Wroe; J E Kenyon; M P James; Mrs H M Hebblethwaite; C Hindley; A C Brown; C H Gill; K L W Ireland; R G Walker (Front row): W Western; J P Toomey; G W Chapman; D A Bush; F S Hudson (Deputy Headmaster); H Taylor (Headmaster); J Taylor; P H Heywood; F J Bareham; G L Beach; W I Haigh.

a result, I suppose I became a poor fit with the teachers of the latter subjects. The teachers I best remember from my early days are Siddon housemaster, Wilf Western and sportsmaster Ken Ireland. I really enjoyed being part of the Siddon ‘family’ – I shared an identity with pupils from all school years. As my sporting abilities developed in cross-country, athletics and football, so did my appreciation of the encouragement provided by KLWI.When I completed year five, he was insistent that I stay on into sixth form to become captain of 1st eleven football, not that I took up the offer. As an aside, I well remember his demonstrations of handstands in the gym – his face turned a bright crimson. During year four I was beset by the death of my mother. Of course, I knew she was ill (she had ovarian cancer) but could not cope with the fact she was dying. Her death had a profound effect on me and I

was indebted to support from my family and school friends – particularly fellow housemates Phil Shaw, Simon Graley, Paul Mitchell and Brian Nash – in helping me come to terms with it. However, it did have a disruptive effect on my progress and it was in my best interests to repeat year four. Year five was my last at King James’s. I passed five GCE O levels but decided that sixth form would have been a waste of time. My personality dictated that I had to move on and look to develop my perceived strengths in sales and marketing – I believed I could sell things. So, in 1970 I started an ONC in Business Studies course at Huddersfield Tech and a four year apprenticeship in the commercial side of engineering with David Brown Tractors. I knew from my father that David Brown was a good employer but I was also offered a place at Martins Bank, the clincher was 30

that the girls were better looking at David Brown. I went to the Tech with fellow school leaver Alan Rogers, we studied for three hours, two nights a week while working full time – in my case a 37½ hour week. David Brown paid for my studies as I moved on to take HNC in Business Studies at Huddersfield Polytechnic and a Diploma in Marketing at Bradford College. As an apprentice at David Brown, I worked in all departments. In 1974, I became a supervisor in charge of export parts, a department with a budget of £3,000,000 (and me so bad at geography that I didn’t take the GCE!). I received fantastic support from my manager and learnt the important lesson of supporting staff in public and rollicking in private. I reached the point as a 24-year-old

where I knew I could earn more money and progress my career faster elsewhere and took the opportunity to join Sykes Brothers (wire manufacturers in Lindley) as assistant commercial manager. After a year I moved on to the marketing side and became one of two sales representatives travelling all over the UK. It was a technical industry, full of jargon, but I progressed by asking questions rather than blagging and this was appreciated by my customers. Sykes Brothers was subject to a takeover and after three years there I left with the other sales representative to set up a competitive company, Hirst and Williams Ltd. We took on a unit on a run-down industrial estate in Milnsbridge; I was working on wire cutting machines on the shop floor and thinking ‘if I can’t sell my products I’m going to starve’. The company survived for over 25 years but I sold my share after nine years, feeling I had outgrown this phase of my life and wanted to be back in marketing. At a trade exhibition in Germany I met a Swiss businessman, Dr Ulrich Wolfensberger – a multi millionaire and owner of Ibico, a plastics company with subsidiaries in 15 countries. He offered to use my expertise in the development Feet up: relaxation at the end of a hard day in the garden 31

Plant-a-lamp: ‘a piece of silliness that made people smile’.The product of that name still exists today, albeit incorporating the latest technology. Pinch a leaf to turn the lamp on and off. Pinch and hold a leaf to dim and brighten the lamp. What magic!

of a factory in the UK. After various negotiations the factory went ahead, but in Portugal – due to significant EU financial support. However, Dr Wolfensberger wanted to work with me; I doubled my salary, travelled worldwide, lived the highlife and worked from home (in Shelley). I was on a five year contract using my wire binding expertise and working with handpicked specialists from around the world. I took a crash course in German and generally lost my fear of languages. I left Ibico at the end of the five year contract and had many offers of employment from competitors to consider. Being 40 years old, I realised I could not stay unemployed for long – but it took 15 months and much networking before I took the lead on a 2½ year urban regeneration project (the Elland Initiative). This introduced me to bid writing, the media and troubleshooting. Similar projects followed with Sowerby Bridge and Cleckheaton, and then a role at Bainbridge International in the USA. Back in the UK I came across Plant-a-lamp – a piece

of silliness that made people smile. This was touch lamp technology applied to indoor plants! I bought the intellectual property rights to it and had it assembled, first in Elland then in China. I had a fun ten years with this product but it was never going to make me my fortune. And so to the Old Almondburians’ Society. My involvement started through football, playing for the Old Boys team from the age of 17 in 1970. I well remember my first game at the Ridgeway, Dalton. I was picked up by Tony Lockwood at 12.00 noon for a 3.00 pm kickoff; we were meeting team mates (including Peter Sykes) in the Plumbers Arms in town for a drink before the game. Several pints later, more than I’d had in my life up to then, we set off for Dalton. As-

Over 55 football match, November 2008: a determined Bob Williams tackles Ian Kirby 32

As good as being out in the garden: Bob and partner Angela relax in their large purposedesigned conservatory behind their Bradley home.

tonishingly, with 3.00 pm fast approaching we called for another pint at The Grove on Long Lane! Old Boys’ football became an important part of my life. I enjoyed the gathering of the teams on Saturday evening for the after match banter – you had to be a strong character to survive with the likes of Tom and Dave Rockett, Simon Russell, Phil Shaw, Alan McNeil, Doug Norris, Gez Whitehead and Geoff Headey and Riley. I wanted to become more involved and joined the football committee, becoming chairman; as a player I became first team captain. I played for 23 years and only retired at the age of 40 when I realised I was older than most of the referees. In 1995 I was asked to speak at the Old Almondburians’ Annual Dinner – as warm-up act to Dave Bush. My speech was to be my introduction to my partnership with Angela Melling*. I prearranged a show of hands vote with the previous year’s school leavers in response to my questions: l How many of you fantasised that you would get 10 GCSE grade 1 passes? One response l How many of you fantasised about home economics teacher Miss Melling? Unanimous response.

In 1998 I became chairman of the Old Almondburians’ Society, it was at a time when I was working from home and could devote the attention that the role deserved. One of my achievements following on from this was my help with the 2002 Science College bid; we shaped it to address the Government criteria and were successful. I then worked closely with Angela on science reports to support the bid outcomes, we became a good team. Our lives together have changed dramatically since Angela’s stroke in 2013. I’m a keen gardener and DIY enthusiast but my caring duties come first. We are committed to her rehabilitation, physically and mentally. She is doing fantastically well considering the low chances of survival she was given and we remain positive and optimistic. n l BobWilliams was talking to Roger Dowling; the full interview is on the OAS website at goo.gl/AGQMjj.The interview was transcribed by Richard Teale. *Angela Melling was formerly Assistant Headteacher at King James’s School. 33

Farnley Lines DAV E BU S H ET’S set the record straight straightaway. In his otherwise admirable article on the history of The House System at King James’s, Walter Raleigh states that I, as Housemaster of Jessop, did not speak to PE teacher, Ken Ireland for six months. This was because Ken disqualified the Jessop relay team for exchanging the baton outside the box and thereby denied Jessop the Athletics Cup. Maybe six minutes, Walter, although I have never forgiven Ken for denying my son Alan victory in the back stroke in the swimming sports gala at Cambridge Road Baths. Ken gave it to Tim Hobson when Alan clearly got the touch. Now there’s no question that I was a very, shall we say, enthusiastic Housemaster from the very start. Headmaster, Harry Taylor had decided that the system needed some rejuvenation so younger teachers replaced the old stalwarts. Bill Chapman took over from George Beach, Jack Taylor from Walter Haigh, Peter Heywood from Fred Hudson and I from Dick Addy. It certainly worked. Competition was fierce but I never led Jessop to a House Shield. No victory in 50 years, from 1949 to 1999 – it cannot have been a coincidence. And

then, soon after I retire, comes a Jessop win and now four in the last six years. But we did win the Willans Cup for academic achievement on a number of occasions. Space for this competition in a future issue of The Almondburian?

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Birding in Guatemala My last big birding trip was to Guatemala a country which was declared the most violent in Central and South America and one where the gap between rich and poor is perhaps the greatest in the world. Fortunately we saw none of the former but plenty of the latter. We also saw some remarkable birds. I usually list the top three in terms of nomenclature but the winner is so by so clear a margin that I name only it - the Resplendent Quetzal. Not only does it more than live up to its name it even gives it to the country’s currency, around ten quetsals to the £. Sad news of Tessa… The Guatemala trip will forever be dominated by the text message I received from Margaret at Guatemala Airport while waiting for the 14 hour flight home. This informed me that our beloved cocker spaniel Tessa had died suddenly on the day after I flew out. Margaret had to keep this news from me as well as contend with ‘The Beast from the East’. 34

(Top) Sad news: Our cocker spaniel Tessa who has recently died (Bottom) It’s official – I’ve given 100 pints of blood and receive a trophy and certificate to prove it

Ramsden Street Baths in Huddersfield centre. I am told in the early days of giving, the glass bottles used for collection were washed out and used again; not sure if that covered my first contributions. A strange coincidence… Just a couple of weeks after my return from Guatemala we threw ourselves into the caring arms of Saga and jetted down to the south of Spain to Punta Umbria on the Costa de la Luz. Our Spanish guide in Guatemala with the so Spanish name of Fernando Enrique, lives in Seville. Having said ‘Adios’ to him at Madrid airport, less than three weeks later we were birding together in the Odiel marshes near Huelva only twenty minutes from our hotel. Incidentally those of you who remember the film and book The ManWho NeverWas may be interested to know the body was found on the beach at Punta Umbria and is buried in Huelva cemetery. The tombstone reads ‘Glyndwr Michael served as Major William Martin RM’.

…but I’m cheered to receive an award It’s always nice to be appreciated and I’m pleased to report that I now have my very own trophy. I was presented with it at a dinner in the Marriott Hotel in Swansea, in recognition of my having donated 100 pints of blood (now 105) over many years. I feel I could write an article on ‘Blood Donating through the Ages’. So much has changed since I gave my first pint somewhere near the old

…and here’s another One of the most interesting aspects of a Saga holiday is meeting fellow guests who so often have led fascinating lives. We met a couple from Boston who knew my native village, another pair 35

Clive Watkins was headmaster of King James’s from 1985-98 and was much involved in the setting up of the 11-16 comprehensive from 1990.

from Brighouse and on the antipenultimate day a couple from Shepley. When they discovered I had been Deputy at King James’s they exclaimed ‘Then you will know our very good friends, Irene and Clive Watkins. I’ll text her tonight to let her know we have met you.’ Slight gulp on my part. They told us Clive has only recently given up playing tennis because of persistent knee problems.

year but you’ll be at the Cardiff Stadium rather than The Liberty. Shock news:no more Latin at King James’s I usually aim to conclude my contribution on a positive and/or amusing note but today is an exception. I do so for maximum effect. In communication recently with Patrick O’Brien he informed me that from September 2018 there will be no Latin taught at King James’s School. No Latin for the first time in 471 years – it must have been taught in the Chantry School. This upsets me greatly. From the days in the sixties when there was a class of 12 doing A Level and GCSE groups achieving outstanding results through to recent times. Nunc nihil. Now nothing. There is talk of a sympathetic attitude from Senior Management but I am fully aware how much curricular requirements have changed and finding a teacher is a real problem. I read of one school setting up a special fund to pay a Classics graduate to join their staff. ‘Dum spiro, spero’. (How neat that is). While there’s life there’s hope! n

Phew!TheTerriers survive – but only just Back home in early May to the mounting excitement for footie fans of promotion, relegation and the play offs. I watched Town’s remarkable rear guard action at Chelsea and their securing a point which ensured another season in the Premiership. Six added minutes must have seemed like an hour to you Terriers.Yet happy as I am for you it did bring some regret, for Town’s survival meant Swansea sinking to the Championship. Having lived in South Wales since 1996 I have developed some affection for The Swans and naturally have friends who are such keen supporters. Feelings are exacerbated by Cardiff’s elevation to join soccer’s elite ; it’s akin to Town being demoted while Leeds are promoted. Just imagine that. So Family Haigh, do come to Porthcawl again next 36

KJS builds links with Spain A BBI TERRY ( s t aff) Thanks to links with the British Council set up by the Old Almondburians’ Society followed by funding from the King James’s School Foundation, King James’s School will soon have a new Spanish language assistant. Assistant Principal Abbi Terry explains the School’s interests in Spain. HE Languages department in oral examinations or contribute to School is very excited about cross-curricular work in collaboration this fantastic opportunity and with other subject areas too. is looking forward to making the most l develop lesson plans and extra-curof hosting a native ricular activities Spanish speaker to (e.g. lunchtime enable us to bring clubs) focused on the language alive. their country’s culAs the British ture and even supCouncil website port the creation states: and/or developThere are no limits ment of an internato how a language t i o n a l assistant can suppartnership with a port your school to school in their own bring language country. learning to life in l encourage stuthe classroom. They dents to be more can: ambitious and outl work together going and help with a teacher, or them develop the work on their own ability to communiwith small groups cate their beliefs of students, to inand view of the troduce basic lanworld. guage skills and The Language improve linguistic department at King ability. James’s School was In his day, Edgar Wood was a noted l help students Manchester architect.The Clergy House successfully led by Stocks Walk, Almondbury contained acpractise their at Mrs Lesley Ratticommodation for four curates and there speaking skills and was also a lecture room, dining room, and gan until her retireprepare for their a kitchen. ment and has

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continued to go from strength to strength with Mr Alex Gibson at the helm. The staff he leads – Mrs Pascale Bradbury, Mrs Ailsa Griffiths, Mr Richard Leech and Mrs Naomi Pinkney – share Alex’s passion for the subject and their natural enthusiasm has ensured that the subject is a popular option for our students when it comes to choosing courses at GCSE options time. The languages offered are French and Spanish and these are taught from Year 7 – 11. The decision for opting for a

Spanish language assistant is based on two factors: l Spanish as a language option is steadily increasing in popularity amongst the students at King James’s School. l Almost 4,000 children came as refugees from the Basque region of Spain to Great Britain in 1937. Twenty boys aged between 7 and 12 came to Almondbury and there is a commemorative plaque in the village at the Old Clergy House at Stocks Walk. n

Introducing Abbi…

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My name is Abbigail Terry although I am normally called Abbi. I am assistant principal at King James’s School and have responsibility for a range of areas including careers, welfare and ethos. I am also the School representative for the OAS. I was born and raised in Dewsbury and attended Birkdale High School until 1992. I lived in Liverpool between 1996 – 2000 where I studied and gained my degree in Sociology and Theology. I then worked for a short time for Kirklees social services before gaining my teaching certificate at Leeds University. My first teaching job was at Batley Boys High School as a RE teacher and I then joined Queensbury School where I became head of RE and Sociology. In 2009 I moved to King James’s School as Head of Integrated Studies which is RE and PSHCE. I became assistant principal last year and so am approaching the end of my first year in this role. I am married to an art teacher – Jason – and we have two daughters called Ruby and Lola who we are very proud of. Outside of school, my time is mostly spent with my family but when I can catch time I do enjoy listening to music and reading. I also relish a nice blonde ale from time to time. l Abbi Terry is the OAS representative at the School.

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Promoting the UK around the world RO B E RT LY N E S

CMG

( 1972- 1979)

Old Almondburian Robert Lynes was Director UK of the British Council until April 2018 and was appointed Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George in the 2017 NewYear Honours list. He looks back on a life living, working and travelling around the world. porter of grammar schools, but what happened at that time I thought was scandalous and very disruptive for pupils and teachers alike. My year 1 class was the last entry of grammar school pupils, so as we progressed through school we remained the youngest age group of pupils for a few years, which was quite unsettling! It also became evident that the School was not prepared for the introduction of girls. The mixed entry introduced a new dynamic to the school; its ethos was retained but its culture changed, along with many members of staff. I sometimes look back with regret that I attended King James’s during this time of upheaval and trauma. In the sixth form I studied economics, geography and maths. I left school to complete a one-year art foundation course but that was then overtaken by a calling to continue my study of languages. I joined the Royal Air Force as a linguist and spent 18 months intensively studying Russian.

was born in Newsome and attended Berry Brow Junior School. My father, Hubert, was a businessman and councillor in Huddersfield and my mother Pat a nurse. After passing my 11 Plus examination (when I was 10), I decided that the location, size and reputation of King James’s made it my obvious choice for secondary education in 1972. First impressions were favourable – I remember the uniform, the two class entry and year 1 form-master Harry (‘Dusty’) Binns. Other memorable masters included Jack Taylor for biology, and Dave Bush, Patrick O’Brien and Robert Field who supported my growing interest in languages. I was also keen on football and Jack Taylor and Robert Field were enthusiastic supervisors of school games. 1972 was the start of restructuring at King James’s – from a grammar school to a sixth form college (though only for two years) and then to a 13-18 comprehensive. I am not now a sup-

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When the wall came down: I still have a piece of the wall we knocked off as a reminder of everything it stood for.

we returned to Berlin in 1989 to witness the fall of the wall. It was an emotional moment for both of us, and I still have the piece of wall we knocked off and kept as a reminder of everything the wall stood for. After escapades in the Middle East during the first Gulf War (1990) and Moscow during the Soviet coup d’etat attempt (1991) I returned to the UK to do a MA in applied linguistics at Lancaster University. I then joined the British Council and my first posting was to Saudi Arabia for three years.This was a fascinating and somewhat surreal place and my role gave an insight into business, government, the royal family and the complex relationships with the UK. I was fortunate to visit and see the magnificence of Mecca, but I also witnessed the barbaric punishment – a public beheading for drug abuse in Dammam. The British Council operates with three to four year international postings with a degree of choice of location and I was able to move on to Poland in 1998 and in 2001 returned to the UK. In 2004 I was appointed Regional Director for the Middle East at the time when business, education and cultural links were being re-established with Iraq after the Gulf War. These were testing times across the region and trips

After becoming pretty fluent in Russian I was posted to Berlin in the early 1980s – at the height of the cold war. I then studied a further language, Polish, and continued my work in Berlin until 1985, just 4 years before the fall of the wall. In fact there was little sign of a thawing of relations between the west and east at that time and security was very tight – so tight that I remained single rather than go through the difficult clearance regimes with girlfriends. Another illustration of those times was receiving treatment at the British military hospital when the lone remaining Nazi inmate of Spandau prison, Hitler’s former Deputy Rudolf Hess, fell ill and was transferred to the hospital for treatment. After Berlin I spent a year living in Australia and in 1986 I relocated to Budapest in Hungary, which was then part of the Soviet bloc and arriving in winter it looked pretty grim. Although I learnt Hungarian over the next couple of years, I was able to get by with my Russian, which was the second language. I fell in love with Budapest, Hungary and with a Hungarian, Marta, who became my wife, and together 40

economy. The Foreign Office staffing increased to 1000 across nine regional offices. High profile ministerial visits were made by David Cameron, William Hague, Philip Hammond, David Willetts and Sajid Javid and many other Ministers and business leaders in support of political and business relationships – India was now in the A league. We were also strengthening the cultural and educational links and 2017 became the UK-IndiaYear of Culture. The National Congress Party had been politically dominant in India since the late 1800s and Manmohan Singh of that party was Prime Minister when I took up my position. However, there was a growing unease and a restlessness for change, but support for opposition leader Narendra Modi of the Baharatiya Janata Party went largely unrecognised by the UK. This changed when he became a credible contender in the 2014 elections and subsequently Prime Minister. After he assumed the role, I was privileged to be the first UK diplomat to meet him; the High Commissioner unfortunately had to wait for the correct paperwork. In 2016 I came back to be Director UK, leading the British Council’s work and relationships across the four nations. The work the organisation does is as important today as it was when it was founded in the 1930s to combat the rise of Fascism and promote British values. It now operates in 115 countries with an annual budget of £1 billion – a sum that is Foreign Office sponsored but is mostly self-generated through English language teaching, examinations and contracts with governments and agen-

into Baghdad at that time were complex and hazardous.This would involve flying to Kuwait, transferring to a Hercules transport plane, putting on body armour, and completing a corkscrew flight descent to land in Baghdad in darkness. Accommodation was living in underground steel shipping containers! Following on from this, in 2008, I was appointed Deputy Director Global Operations based in the UK and then, between 2011 and 2016, came my India posting as Country Director. This was at a time of heightened engagement between the UK and India. India is an extremely important country for the UK although we haven’t always given it the attention it deserves. Over the last 20 years India has been transformed and the UK has only belatedly started to invest in India and its growing

New Delhi: with Sajid Javid, then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 41

ing towards being a cies around the barrister specialisworld. In the UK ing in human the British Council rights, and Laura has offices in Lonworks in publishdon, Edinburgh, ing. Cardiff, Belfast These are chaland Manchester, lenging and uncerreflecting the contain times for the stituent parts of UK with Brexit, in the UK and the a rapidly changing devolution of govworld. I was ernment. shocked by the EU It was a great referendum result honour to be and I worry about awarded a CMG. the UK’s place in The awards procethe world. While dure is compliwe can be proud of cated and began six weeks before Investiture: it was a great honour to be appointed our global presence and influence, it Christmas 2016 CMG in 2017 for strengthing cultural and educational links with India would be a mistake when I received a letter informing me that my name was be- to assume that we can suddenly fill a Euroing put forward to the Queen by the For- pean void with stronger links with ex-coloeign Secretary. I accepted the award but was nial and other nations.Whatever I do next, asked to keep it quiet until it was formally I am keen that the UK remains an outward announced in the New Year Honours List. looking country. I would like to continue Two months later I received my invitation to support the promotion of international to a ceremony at Buckingham Palace and awareness to the young people of the UK. I believe every young person in the UK the award was presented there by Princess Anne in late April 2017.The citation for the should have international experience. EvCMG refers to my previous position as ery year, 450,000 students come from Country Director for the British Council in overseas to study here and yet only 30,000 India and states ‘for services to strengthen- travel in the opposite direction – that dying cultural and educational relations be- namic needs to change.We would also benefit from mandatory learning of languages tween the UK and India’. In April of this year I left the British and a greater recognition of accredited inCouncil to pursue new opportunities. Af- ternational experience on CVs – employter 27 years living overseas I am taking ers want young people with international stock of my career and looking for a new experience. An outward looking global Britain is challenge here in the UK. My two daughters are now independent: Hannah is work- what we need more than ever now! n 42

Classroom commentary LAUREN NUTTON (staff) Our new contributor writes on the highs and lows of teaching today. Fairly new in the job, things are going well – until the ceiling falls down. months here, I feel so glad that Mr Rimmer and Mrs Sunderland decided to give me the job as I have had a fantastic first year and I really feel like I belong at King James’s. Maybe Australia can wait until I retire – in forty-four years! It has been a challenging year: learning new policies, procedures and schemes of work. However, it has been very rewarding and the transition here from the school where I trained was made pain-free by having such a supportive department. Being a teacher in today’s society

ALKING through those doors in September was one of the most nerve wracking experiences that I have had in my short teaching career. Sitting in a hall full of bright-eyed, slightly tanned and freshfaced colleagues, I was ready for all of the adventures that King James’s had to offer. On the day I applied for my role at King James’s, I also applied for a visa to get into Australia. I had told myself that if I didn’t get this job, I would emigrate (both options seemed like an amazing opportunity). Looking back at the past nine

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My name is Lauren Nutton. I was appointed as the new Teacher of English in September 2017 and instantly fell in love with the School.The architecture of the building, the surrounding areas and the staff all made me feel right at home, at King James’s. So, who am I? I’m a local girl. I have lived in the neighbouring town of Mirfield since I was born in 1994. I attended Mirfield Free Grammar and Sixth Form until I was 18. After college, I went on to study English Literature and Language as a degree at Leeds Trinity University. As I always knew I wanted to teach, I dived straight into my PGCE on a Schools Direct course with the Yorkshire Training Alliance at Batley Girls’ High School. I’ve always had a passion for writing and those that know me know I always have a lot to say. I’m a keen walker and I like to explore. Last year alone, I visited London,Wales, Paris, the Bordeaux region, Nice, Monaco, Pisa, Rome, Venice, Munich, St. Goar, Dusseldorf and Holland. I even got a selfie with the Mona Lisa. 43

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Not the most welcome sight back in February: Room 24 was badly damaged by water from a leaking radiator above. But within two months the restored classroom starred in a new school video.

Room 24 has officially fallen apart. A week’s worth of marking is ruined, several books are drenched and my computer sadly, did not survive. However, within 15 minutes, I had room changes for the day and a team of brave staff members guarding the room in order to keep any interested students away from danger. It is amazing how fast a team of people can work together, in a school to keep the day running as smoothly as possible. I wouldn’t have been able to continue teaching if it was not for the quick thinking of my colleagues.

comes with its trials and tribulations but I wouldn’t want to go through those in any other school.There’s never a dull day and ever since that first day here, I just felt like I was home. 13th February, 2018 The day my classsroom collapsed I am currently teaching in various rooms throughout the school and it has left me thinking about the resilience of the modern day teacher. I will give you a bit of background information. This morning, as I was registering my Year 9s, the ceiling of my classroom roof collapsed. What looked like coffee began to leak through the ceiling and then almost the entire ceiling caved in. Luckily, I had the sense to rush the students out onto the corridor just before the roof came falling down and I still managed to teach them the lesson that I had planned. Considering the excitement and drama, the students handled the situation with maturity and an added sense of humour.

27th April, 2018 The cameras move in Last week, my classroom was filmed for a new 3D virtual tour for the school website. Two months ago, you could not enter the room and now, all of the shiny new aspects of my classroom have been used to show what an amazing school King James’s is. Within a week of my roof falling through, I’ve had a new ceiling and carpet put in, a brand new plasma (touch screen) board installed and a fabulous new computer was installed to replace the one that did not survive.The students love the new board; it allows them to write on the board with their fingers and 44

take an active role in the lesson. I often wonder how schools ever coped without technology. I’m 24 and still remember paper registers and the squeaking of the chalkboard in Year 4.

important to have fun. It was so lovely to see the students laughing and learning, all at the same time. * * *

I am so incredibly lucky to be in a job that makes me smile every day. You can 3rd May 2018 guarantee, that even on the worst days, Singing to my own tune This week, with myYear 9-soon-to-be- one student will be there to make you GCSE class, we have been studying ex- smile and I try to instil that into every student I teach. Happiness and kindness tracts from Wordsworth’s Prelude. Sometimes, I have these moments of are the keys to life. My desire is to enmadness where I try something bizarre gender these core values in every student to get the children excited by what I am that I teach; optimistic I know, but a goal teaching. Sometimes it does not pay off that I truly aspire to. If I achieve this, I know that I have done my job. but this time, it really did. After all, that is why teachers choose So, I’ll set the scene: it’s Thursday, pen riod one and the students are looking a to teach, right? little bit tired and disheartened about having to study another of the fifteen poems that they are expected to know for their GCSEs. They all entered the room and got out their reading book and anthologies. They looked glum. Therefore, I decided that I was going to cheer them up a little bit. Trying to get your head around romanticism at 14 years old can be quite difficult so what better way than to introduce a modern Romantic to the lesson? I put the karaoke version of the Amy Winehouse song Valerie up on the board and told the students that they could sing along. One of the students took centre stage and sang the whole way through. It really got the students engaged in the lesson, whilst having fun at the same time and I feel hon- Extract from the Prelude by William Wordsworth estly, in this day and age, with all (1770-1850) is on this year’s GCSE syllabus.This epic that is going on in the world, it is so poem, written in blank verse, is one of his finest. 45

Tidying up the accounts KEITH CRAWSHAW (1964-71) The Society now has its own Archives Room at the School but our OAS Treasurer has his own personal treasure trove of King James’s cuttings and early records. He offers some updates on recent Almondburian articles. N the March issue of The Almondburian, Dave Bush mentions in his Farnley Lines seeing Dave Morrison (KJGS 1967-1970) playing football at Wembley. I also went to see Dave Morrison play for Cambridge in this Varsity Match and am sure that we had a coach trip from the School. Although not remembering anything about the game, I do recollect thinking the Stadium was a bit of a dump, rather rundown, dirty and with paint peeling off the walls. In The Almondburian for Autumn Term 1970 there is an entry under ‘Successes and Appointments’ of D N Morrison (1967-70) being awarded a Blue for Association Football, Cambridge, confirming the year as 1970 rather than 1971. Perhaps we will get a reminder of the score and further comments from the man himself in a future issue? The March issue also included the report on the last OAS Annual General Meeting. As is traditional, Year Chairman Year Chairman it concluded with a 1968 Ken G Shaw 1992 James N Taylor 1969 Rev F D Sykes 1993 D Gary Croft listing.in no particu1970 Peter L Burns 1994 D Gary Croft lar order of the Soci1971 Fred J Sheard 1995 David A Bush e t y ’ s 1972 Les Holroyd 1996 Graham Cliffe Vice-Presidents, an 1973 Reg H Carter 1997 Graham Cliffe 1974 Norman Kerrod 1998 Robert Williams office automatically 1975 David G Armitage 1999 Robert Williams assumed by Chair1976 J Andrew Ward 2000 Robert Williams men at the end of 1977 Richard J Green 2001 D Gary Croft their terms of office. 1978 Fred S Hudson 2002 D Gary Croft 1979 Geoff Douglas The table on the left 2003 D Gary Croft 1980 Keith Crawshaw 2004 D Gary Croft shows our OAS 1981 Paul A G Balderstone 2005 No appointment Chairmen since 1982 Paul A G Balderstone 2006 Ian Shaw 1968, excluding the 1983 J Richard Taylor 2007 Paul A G Balderstone/J Richard Taylor current incumbent 1984 J Richard Taylor 2008 Paul A G Balderstone/J Richard Taylor 1985 J Andrew Ward 2009 Bryan Hopkinson (shaded names de1986 John M Drewery 2010 Nicky Murphy & Emily Comer ceased). I have taken 1987 Jack Taylor 2011 Nick Briggs on the Treasurer’s 1988 Jack Taylor 2012 Nick Briggs role for 19 of the 20 1989 Francis Bareham 2013 Nick Briggs 1990 J. Amanda Evans 2014 Bryan Hopkinson surviving Chairmen, 1991 Malcolm J Taylor 2015 Patrick O’Brien the only exception

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The title page of the very first issue of The Almondburian dated January 1886.

being Ken G Shaw (1950-55) who was in office in 1968 – 50 years ago! Still living in Birchencliffe, Ken is an active member of the PCC of St Philip’s Church responsible for the running of the busy Parish Community Centre. I have some excellent news about the first issue of The Almondburian, which Roger Dowling believed to be lost (‘Evolution of a school magazine’) in the same issue of The Almondburian. In my own library, I have a full bound volume of the first 16 issues from January 1886 to November 1891. I bought it from an antiquarian bookshop in Lockwood, having been alerted to its presence by a work colleague in the late 1970s. Finally, Nicky Green (The Almondburian, July 2017) referred to the cartoons of her late father, Les Holroyd. Older members may remember a car-

toon (overleaf) he did of our Annual Bowls Evening at Lindley Bowling Club in the 1970s which featured in an edition of our Newsletter during the time the traditional Almondburian magazine was not being published. Following the death of Michael F. Dyson, I visited his widow, Marjorie to 47

pick up some items for our Archives. She explained that Les would often produce his own cartoons on greetings cards for family and friends. His family’s 1970 Christmas card to the Dysons (below) shows an amusing variation on a familiar drawing. It was produced in the early days of Ald D Sisson’ controversial move, along with the Education Authority, to close Huddersfield’s grammar schools.

Now that we have a dedicated archive room at the School with a top quality handrail which means that even I will be able to get down there, a number of Old Almondburians have already passed on items for the records. Apart from early copies of The Almondburian which may be missing, other years are generally well covered, but any papers, documents and particularly photographs together with tickets, programmes etc, both relating to the School and the Society, would be gratefully received to help record our history for future generations. n

Les Holroyd 1970

Bradley Shaw 1927 48

Badminton/Tennis A N D R E W HAIGH HE Almondburian Badminton season drew to a close on Thursday, 24th May and I am delighted to report that the Badminton Section has continued its recovery towards rude health; one third more people have participated than last season and we have again enjoyed better numbers on a regular basis. The badminton season really finishes at Easter, but Old Almondburians have, for many years, extended it until Spring Bank Holiday.Traditionally, the numbers playing have tended to dwindle during this extension to the season, as people start engaging in more seasonal activities, such as gardening and playing cricket. However, this has not been the case this year; indeed, our biggest attendance of the season came in this period, which can only be encouraging for next season. Even more encouraging is that Kim Clarke, Head of P.E., would like to send some of her G.C.S.E. P.E. students to get some match practice with us. Indeed, one Year 10 boy, Caelan Hadwin, has already

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joined us and acquitted himself very well. We hope to see him and more of his fellow P.E. students next season. We would love more people to come along and join us when the new badminton season starts on 6th September. We play in the School sports hall on Thursday evenings during term time from 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. Because of the better numbers this season, we now pay only £5 per evening towards the hire of courts and showers, the purchase of shuttlecocks and the donation of a prize at Speech Day and, if we have over eight players on an evening, this fee now reduces even further to £4. Those who played this season are: Matthew Booth Ian Daffern Neil Gledhill Caelan Hadwin Richard Green Claire Harling Andrew Haigh David Parry Annabel Haigh David Harling Robin Merchant Graeme Milnes Emily Murphy Joe Schewtschuk Nicky Murphy Craig Watts

HE 2018 Almondburian Tennis season started on Thursday, 7th June and will run until Thursday, 30th August; we will once again play at Longley Tennis Club each Thursday evening between the above dates, weather permitting, from 7.30 p.m. until dusk. During term-time, it is possible to play badminton in the sports hall if the

weather is inclement, although this is not possible during the summer holidays due to maintenance work in the sports hall. The fee, to cover the cost of court hire, balls and showers, is £3.00 for members of Longley Tennis Club and £6.00 for non-members, per person, per evening. Almondburian tennis is purely social, so why not come along and join us? n

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Golf: Gothard Cup ROBIN MERC HANT ARY BOOTHROYD was the winner of this year’s Gothard Cup, held on Sunday, 10th June at, where else, but its traditional home of Woodsome Hall Golf Club. We enjoyed a beautiful sunny afternoon with the course in excellent condition, giving not only great golfing conditions but also wonderful views of the Woodsome Valley. This year we had 12 players, two better than last year, so I would like to think that we are moving in the right direction. The players were: Simon Gaunt Allen Humphries Richard Brown Tim Roberts Mark Lawton Jon Roberts

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Photos: Andrew Haigh

Robin Sharman Richard McCarthy Paul Grant Gary Boothroyd David Parry Robin Merchant The talk, after the golf, tended to focus, yet again, on the fantastic season from Huddersfield Town and their deserved result to remain in the Premier League. The winner, Gary Boothroyd, told us that he has been a life-time supporter, going to his first match with his Dad, back in 1956! Returning to the golf the results were: Winner Gary Boothroyd (36 points) 2nd place David Parry (35 points) Gary was a deserved winner, not only as he is a first-time winner but also

Winner Gary Boothroyd receives the Gothard Cup from Robin Merchant 50

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 1. Allen Humphries and Mark Lawton on the Fourth fairway 2. Despite a spot of bother in this bunker on the Fifth hole, Gary Boothroyd was the eventual winner. 3. Organiser Robin Merchant playing the Fifth hole 4. Robin Merchant watches Robin Sharman 5.Tim Roberts watches Richard McCarthy play out of the bunker on the Fourth hole 6. Richard Brown and Simon Gaunt watch David Parry tee-off on the Fifth hole 7. Jonathan Roberts tees-off on the Fifth hole

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due to his length off the tee. “Knocking it out of sight”, he kept telling us, but that was mainly due to his own poor eyesight! Inter House We also had an inter house match, and special mention should be made of Fenay House who had five players on the day. Winners Fenay and Dartmouth (131 points) Runners-up Jessop and Siddon (128 points) Due to the possible threat of fines, sales of Society ties enjoyed a boost around the dinner table, with yellow cards handed out to first time offenders. You know who you are! At the end of the evening, the School Song was sung, although next year we shall have to do more work on our harmony. I would also like to thank all those who attended as we collected £30 for the School, possibly as a School Prize. We will again be holding the Gothard Cup in midJune 2019 and if you think you might enjoy some good company mixed in with some golf do try and join us. 1. Gary Boothroyd holes from 18 Yards on the Eleventh 2. Paul Grant Putting on the Fourth green 3. Defending champion Allen Humphries retrieves his runaway golf trolley from the bushes 4. Runner-up David Parry is presented with his prize by Robin Merchant

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Summer reunion at vineyard ROGER DOWLING A group of Almondburians met for a reunion with a difference at Holmfirth Vineyard on 16th May, hosted by former KJS pupil Becky Sheveling.

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production.This was followed by a winetasting session when the party were able to sample the vineyard’s acclaimed range of white, rose, red and sparkling wines. Becky then talked about her travels all over the world for Lear Corporation developing extractable seating systems for Formula 1 racing cars. Then she moved back toYorkshire with her husband Ian and, backing a hunch that the fertile Pennine soil might be ideal for vine cultivation, moved into the new world of wine production. The venture has proved so successful – despite the setback of a serious fire in 2010 – that the Shevelings have now acquired a second larger site at Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. A splendid meal concluded a highly enjoyable occasion. n

EN years ago it was an abandoned Pennine sheep farm.Today, thanks to the inspiration and hard work of Becky Sheveling and her husband Ian, it is a successful vineyard that is putting Holmfirth firmly on the map. Born Rebecca Gleave in Deighton in 1972, Becky joined King James’s School in 1985 after two years at Lepton Middle School. Thanks to teacher Chris Temperton she developed a deep interest in Design Technology and in due course she gained a degree in Design Technology with Art and a Masters in Industrial Design at the University of Central England. The reunion began with a tour of the vineyard and wine-making area by general manager Ashley Rutherford who explained some of the finer points of wine

Clockwise around the table: Nicky Murphy, Emily Murphy, Andrew Haigh, Jacqueline Haigh, Eileen Raleigh, Walter Raleigh, Anne Temperton, Chris Temperton, Roger Dowling, Becky Sheveling, Duncan Haigh, Nancy Haigh, HelenThompson, Stuart Thompson 53

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 1. A section of the five acre vineyard 2. Becky Sheveling is reunited with former teacher Chris Temperton 3. Becky talks about the innovative F1 racing car seating developed by her team at Lear Corporation. 4.The award-winning restaurant with its panoramic views over the Pennine skyline 5. Manager Ashley Rutherford prepares the wine tastings

 Photos: Andrew Haigh

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Postbag YO U WRITE … No question: the 1969-70 First XI was the better From:Tony Cape(1963-1970)

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resisted comment when Dr Philip all regards to the gaggle of also-rans who Shaw recently floated his dubious came next. The proof is in the calibre of assertion that the 1970/71 football the SECOND XI of that year (photo beteam was ‘the best First XI in School his- low). Mr Thackray (with embarrassing tory.’ But I seriously doubted his claim, self-regard) marvels at the fact that only or that that particular team exceeded the two lower sixth formers made his team: achievements of the previous year’s First himself and Andrew Wortley. XI that included such giants as Phillip However, the previous year, only two Sykes, Alan McNeil, David Rockett and lower sixth formers – Simon Graley and David Morrison – the latter probably the David Taylor – made even the Second XI. only Old Boy ever to play at Wembley. (I (I will concede that two lower sixth forwas there, at the Varsity match in 1971. mers – Alan Humphries and Ian Sheard Dave’s precision pass led to the game’s – did play for the First XI that year. But only goal for Cambridge). However, note that the inestimable Brian Nash, since I did not play in that 69/70 First XI and am unsure of their won/lost record, I thought any comment was injudicious. However, the bumptious remarks of Simon Thackray, Esq, in the latest issue of The Almondburian preclude further reti- Second XI 1969-70 cence. The pre- Back row, left to right: D.Taylor, C Poole, A Drabble, E Turjan, Lofthouse, I Smith, A Cape vious year’s team SFront row, left to right: S Graley, R Beecroft, N Pearson, H Harkness, WAS superior in B Nash 55

without question a formidable player, is suited up as humble substitute for our team). That year, the Second XI won all its matches except one, which we drew.That game also should have been ours, had a late penalty not been taken by a lumbering midfielder, who spooned his spot kick over the bar.* In fact, our team was so good that we challenged the aforementioned star-spangled First XI to a game that we only lost 3—2, which result can be largely attributed to bad refereeing, by either Ireland or Bush, I forget whom.

So I offer this response in repudiation of Messrs Shaw† and Thackray, and also in homage to the skills of my teammates of that era, particularly, the ‘flyingpig’goal-keeping of Steven ‘Kex’ Lofthouse, the bulldog defence of Andrew ‘Noona’ Drabble, and the lethal left foot of Hugh ‘Single Bells’ Harkness. What a team we had! New Jersey, USA *

The lumbering midfielder was me. My indignation is unrelated to the fact that Mr. Shaw, along with other member(s) of that team, dated my younger sister and proved to be shabby and unworthy suitors.

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More on misplaced apostrophes From: Andrew Taylor (1963-1970) want to take issue with Dave Bush’s‘grocer’s apostrophe’ (March issue). Surely it’s an apostrophe used by all grocers, and therefore a grocers’ apostrophe, rather than the prerogative of a single grocer? Some people may think these things don’t matter, but I get great pleasure from sometimes pretending that they do. In fact, I think this is the first time for nearly twenty years that I have raised the subject. The last time was when I had taken my two teenage daughters out for a meal in a pub. The waitress came, and I made the foolish decision to show off. “I’d like the liver,” I said, “But I need to know whether it comes from one calf or several.” The waitress stared at me as if I were mad, and my daughters put their heads in their hands. “Well,” I blundered on, “It says it is calves’ liver, which presum-

ably means it comes from more than one calf, but it is written as calve’s liver, which obviously means that there was only one.” The waitress thought for a moment, and said “Whatever,” before walking quickly away from the madman. And my two daughters stared furiously at me and said: “Don’t EVER do that again.” And so, being more afraid of my own daughters than of anyone or anything else on earth, I haven’t.Until now. Bidford-on-Avon,Warwickshire PS I confess I’m not quite sure of my ground about grocer’s or grocers’. But what about Blacksmiths (or Blacksmith’s Fold, or Blacksmiths’ Fold) – one blacksmith or many? Or is it maybe a simple plural, describing what blacksmiths do?

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 Blacksmith’s Fold is a modern development off Northgate, opposite Almondbury Parish Church. Despite Andrew’s charitable suggestion (blacksmiths did indeed ‘fold’ iron as part of the strengthening process), the lack of an apostrophe really cannot be condoned here.  If ‘blacksmiths fold’ it may come as a surprise to learn that ‘stocks walk’, another helpful fact recorded by the highways authority. In fact, the Almondbury stocks did walk some time in the 1800s and were found, to everyone’s surprise, in Wormall Hall. They were re-located to their present site in the churchyard – next to Stocks Walk – in 1903.  There can surely be no excuse at all for ‘St Helens Field’ , another new development almost opposite the School only a few hundred yards away from the correctly signed ‘St Helen’s Gate’ . But perhaps St Helens were playing cricket?  The biggest shock of all awaits visitors to King James’s School, all of whom are nowadays required to carry a natty – but illiterate – badge to confirm their credentials.  Peter Tracey (1956-63) has sent us a splendid set of multiple grocers’ apostrophes. This notice was produced by the committee of Farnley Bowling Club.  Andrew Taylor spotted the Poet’s Corner sign in Blackwell’s Books.But then he had a sudden generous thought: suppose they were being witty. The famous Poets’ Corner inWestminster Abbey has an s-apostrophe because there are lots of poets. Perhaps Blackwell’s are being clever, and are saying in effect to the individual reading the notice:“If you’re a poet, this is the corner for you.”

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House Shield memory and the ‘Best First XI’ From: Robin Beaumont (1968-1976)

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WO articles in the March with lesser resources than the other 2018 issue grabbed my atten- houses. The senior competition usution: the history of the House ally reflected the number of First XI Shield, and Simon Thackeray’s letter on stars a house could boast. From that the subject of “the best First Eleven in season’s First XI squad Dartmouth the School history?”. could only field myself at centre-half, It was of course a pleasant sur- winger Robert Pogson (converted to prise that Dartmouth has the most a Keegan-style striker), and Steve wins to date, especially as my own Walton (who not only performed like years were dominated by Fenay and Nobby Stiles, but also played without Siddon around a single Dartmouth his front teeth). With a few Second win in 1970. Mistakenly, I had be- Eleven regulars we rose to the occalieved that Dartmouth were shield sion to secure three victories, includwinners in my final year. Although the ing putting six past a Siddon side shield was not awarded, the house containing one third of the First sports competitions did happen in Eleven squad, including super strikthat school year, ers Leventis and and so maybe I am Steve Walton not Livesey. confusing the Our intermeonly performed shield win with my diate side was also own personal glory Leicester like nobby Stiles more as house football City than captain. but also payed Barcelona, but with One of the few astute tactics without his false some benefits of re-sitfrom their coach, ting A-levels was they too secured teeth that I held that role three victories to for a third successive season. Like make Dartmouth house football Simon, I will claim ‘social pressures’ champions for the only time during as the cause of academic failure be- my eight years. cause 1974-75 was the first year that A second connection to Simon is girls attended the School. If you are that my First Eleven debut was gifted reading: “Hi Caroline. Hi Pat”. I di- by his brother, Richard. As reward for gress – they are still distracting me my stand-out performances in a quite 43 years later! poor Under 15 XI, I was named as A year later I pulled off what can First Eleven substitute in February be described as a Wagner-esque feat 1973. Richard was absent at kick-off by triumphing against all the odds and I took his No.7 shirt. He did re58

KJGS I had played ‘jumpers for goalposts’ in the same street gang as Simon Russell so was fully aware of his flair qualities. I had wondered at the way in which Dan Wortley could manipulate a tennis ball in the playground games. Morrison, Nash, and Charlie Sheard had a swagger about them both on and off the field, and Humphreys had actually pulled on a blue-and-white striped shirt! Simon quite rightly retained the question mark that Phil had used when making the case for the team of 1970-71. I will stake a claim for the team of 1975-76 to receive the accolade. From 1974 ‘Sham’ Ireland was able to concentrate on his first love of

place me during the second half, after I failed to run off an accidental knee to the back of the head. “Concussion” had not entered football vocabulary in those days! That was the first of my 54 appearances for the First Eleven (another by-product of my third-year 6th Form). Probably only my class mate, the inimitable J E Haydock, has played more times because he had four full seasons to my three. This brings me to Simon’s claim (repeating that of Phil Shaw in the previous issue) that the team of 197071 was the ‘best First Eleven in the School history’. I remember well the awe that was inspired by that team amongst the junior ranks. Prior to

King James’s College First XI, 1975-1976: Back row, left to right: Mr R Field, A Bradley, R Beaumont, R Hadfield, J Sweeney, C Livesey, N Leventis, S Walton Front row, left to right: R Pearce, J Kendall, J Haydock, S Lawton (captain), Mr J A Conley (headmaster), R Stocks, R Pogson, J Clay 59

Saturday mornings (the tea urn), because Bob Field persuaded him to relinquish the management of the First Eleven. Despite being a languages teacher, Bob was eminently qualified by reason of being the captain of Bradley Rangers at the time. Those of us surviving from the previous season welcomed the change after winning just four of the 18 matches. Our season highlight was losing to All Saints by a mere two goal margin whilst trying to contain future Irish international Tony Galvin. In contrast, Bob’s first season brought eleven wins from the eighteen games that I played in: competition for places was greater now and I missed three games. My final year started with preseason training during the last two weeks of the summer holidays and continued with weekly after-school training sessions. Competition for places increased further, hence the 14 players in the photograph, and there were cameos from three or four others. Only three of the 29 matches were lost. One was in the School’s first entrance to the English Schools FA Cup; one was to a strong OAS team (revenged later in the season); and the single ‘league’ defeat was 3-4 to New College (for which I was a sub). 123 goals were scored, 87 of which were claimed by the triple strike force of Leventis, Stocks and Livesey. Even I claimed one from right-back, and after all these years I confess to it being meant as a cross to the far post.

The climax of the season was what I believe was the School’s first overseas football tour. In Belgium we took on two of the top youth teams in Bruges, scoring seven goals and not conceding. The first game saw us outplayed for most of the game in stifling heat, but resolute defending kept the game scoreless until the triple strike force let rip with four goals in the last ten minutes. Months later, Bob told my father (a regular at games, even travelling on the team bus to away games) that this match was my best in an amber shirt. It would have been nice to hear it from you at the time, Bob! He was not a manager given to excessive individual praise: it was always about the team. That is my case for the 1975-76 team being the ‘best First XI in the School history’. I humbly retain the question mark because maybe the team of Jon Dyson a few years later, or others, might also have a case to make. Clifton, Bedfordshire l PS. The Old Almondburians best 4th XI was definitely the one led by Dave Sugden in 1974-75: Barr Cup winners with a 6-1 victory in the replay, including a perfect hat-trick from yours truly (young legs on the left wing against the old men). l PPS Point of irony: after leading Jessop for so many years without success, DAB has the honour of a house being named after him, and Bush is the only house with zero shield wins to date. 60

Catherine Shuttleworth From: Pat Robson College. She is now a writer and has a website under the name ‘Kate Armstrong’. Bath, Somerset

noticed that Dave Bush wondered what had become of the clever girl he taught- Catherine Shuttleworth. As he knew, she went on to Greenhead

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l Our thanks to Pat Robson for this update.Catherine Shuttleworth was born in Crewe in 1979. She grew up in Dewsbury and attended King James’s School from 1992 to 1996, leaving at 18 to read English Literature at New College, Oxford. She moved between Oxford colleges for the following nine years, gaining a variety of degrees and teaching undergraduates and then moved to London and the commercial world which was, she writes,‘a bit of a shock’. Catherine writes under the name Kate Armstrong. Her first novel, The Storyteller, was published by Holland House Books in June 2016 and was longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize. Her second novel is currently in progress. Catherine’s sister Jennifer and brother Nicholas also attended King James’s School.

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Obituary G O N E B U T N OT F O RGOTTEN Derek James Dowling (KJGS 1942-1949) Fireworks enthusiast who became a leading expert on semiconductor technology tronics Research Laboratory at Baldock. From there, Derek moved to Mining and Chemical Products Ltd where he was to spend most of his career and in due course became technical director. His working conditions were idyllic with laboratories in former stables in Foliejon Park near Winkfield, a hunting lodge that was the wartime home of King Haakon VII during the German occupation of Norway. There he did pioneering research work on gallium arsenide, used widely today in high level semiconductors. On retirement Derek was never happier than when he was pottering in his workshop, using his beloved Myford ML7 lathe to produce mysterious components of indeterminate application. But he was also a family man, very proud of his children and his nine grandchildren. They, and his wife of 63 years Ivy, will miss him deeply. Derek James Dowling, born 19th January 1931, died 21st April 2018, aged 87.

We report with sadness the death of OAS member Derek Dowling, after a long illness. A studious quiet schoolboy, Derek – the oldest of four children – had many interests including radio, electronics, music and photography. But his principal interest, inspired by his chemistry teacher Dr Calloway at King James’s Grammar School near Huddersfield, was fireworks; in this he was aided and abetted by fellow pupil Ron Lancaster who went on to set up Kimbolton Fireworks, now the last remaining UK fireworks manufacturer. Derek went on to take a PhD in Chemistry at Manchester University and it was during his studies there that he met and later married Ivy who was studying English there. National Service was still a fact of life when he left university, so Derek – appalled at the thought of two years of ‘square-bashing’– opted for the infinitely more appealing alternative of two years at the Services Elec62

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 Editorial address: Orchard House, Oughtrington Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RD Tel: 01925 756390 Email: almondburian@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 Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/3ykffo3

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