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The ALMONDBURIAN T H E MAGA Z I NE O F T HE O LD ALM O ND B URIANSâ€™ SOCIETY

July 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

3 5 7 11 12 14 18 19 25 30 33 34 39 40 42 46 49 50 51 57 59 63 65 67 69 74

A word from your Chairman Membership King James’s is set to get bigger Crossword by Hérisson Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Farnley Lines Back to the drawing board The Gilbert & Sullivan years Memories that will never fade Quiz Night: Enjoyable night at the Woolpack Eighty years ago The School goes to war – again The Almondburian poets (1) Relics of battle: reminders of war-time Almondbury A war-time childhood in Almondbury Memories of war-time Huddersfield The Almondburian poets (2) End of an era for Marks & Spencer Teaching, sport and a glass of vino Yes, Minister! My time in Whitehall Classroom commentary Malapropisms and paraprosdokians Badminton/Tennis Golf: Gothard Cup 2019 Postbag Obituaries

Opinions expressed by contributors to The Almondburian do not necessarily reflect the views of The Old Almondburians’ Society

(Opposite): This little row of houses at the top of St Helen’s Gate has changed little since it was drawn some years ago by David Aldridge (1947-52) for his booklet Walks in Almondbury and District. His wartime reminiscences appear on page 42 but he sadly died before publication on 21st March 2019. His obituary appears on page 79.

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

July 2019

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

A word from your Chairman WA LT E R R A LEIGH munity School out to ‘consultation’ with the recommendation that it should close and its students shared out between Newsome High, Netherhall Learning Campus (Rawthorpe High) and King James’s School. The timing of this announcement was a shock but for those ‘in the trade’ it was

ELCOME to the July 2019 edition of The Almondburian. I hope you enjoy it. For those with an interest in how the old School develops, the last few months have been an interesting period. The reason for this is the local council’s decision to put the future of Almondbury Com-

of 1819. The OAS has decided to highlight the work done in the early 1970s to keep the school open when Comprehensive Education swept through the country. We have much documented material in the archives including reports and newspaper cuttings but encourage all members who took part in the work to contact me so their contributions can be remembered. I mention this as it seems so ironic that people were fighting for King James’s survival because of the new High School down Fernside Avenue in the early 1970s and yet almost 50 years later King James’s is on the cusp of being, once again, the cornerstone of education for Almondbury children. What is it they say about truth being stranger than fiction! Another highlight this past couple of months has been the progress made on the housing development in the village near the Conservative Club.The Foundation took this development on when unable to sell the site for redevelopment. The result will be some ten properties for rent which will see a considerable income for the Foundation for future support of the School. As many of you will be aware, this development is behind schedule because of the environmental protection of the local badgers. However, it is now ‘full steam ahead’ and the builders are optimistic it can all be completed early next year. Another thread in the development of School has been the unearthing of the dies for the Dartmouth Medal*. Jenny, our school librarian, read the minutes of a recent OAS Committee Meeting and contacted me to say she knew where the

not a surprise as the Council has, for many years, tried to resolve the fact that there are simply too many High Schools in the area for the number of children who need educating. Kirklees have for many years supported those High Schools with falling numbers on their roll as they are extremely reluctant to take the difficult decision to close any community school. But it appears that the recent cuts in budget have forced the local politicians to make some hard choices. Ian Rimmer, our Principal, gives us his take on the news on page 7 and he has agreed to update us all at the Dinner in November when he will know more about the results of the consultations. We await the outcome with great interest and excitement because it could potentially be of great significance in the history of the School. Once again Ian has given his support to the School taking part in the Heritage Weekend on 21st September 2019. This event, organised by English Heritage, encourages historic buildings to open their doors to the public.This will be the third year King James’s has been involved and we look forward to Abbi Terry, one of the Assistant Heads at King James’s, continuing her excellent work with students to make the event a great success. Each year a theme is chosen; last year you may remember that it was ‘extraordinary women’ to celebrate the right to vote granted to some women in 1918. Emily Siddon was our choice as ‘extraordinary woman’ and well worthy of the title. This year the theme is ‘people power’ to commemorate the Peterloo Massacre 4

their willingness to participate in a game. Perhaps a game between the last of the Grammar School boys versus the new comers of the Comprehensive School. An age limit of over 50 or even 55 might make a fair starting point. Any views on the possibility of this match please contact me. And finally, once again many thanks to Keith Crawshaw for his excellent Quiz Night in the Woolpack (report: page 30), and congratulations to our winners, the ‘1970s’ team. They are a formidable outfit. For last year’s winners I’m afraid it was a case of ‘Hero to Zero’ as they finished fifth out of five teams! Never mind they will be back for more, God willing, next year. May I also pass on our thanks to the scorer, Nicky Green, who came along and helped Keith. It was wonderful to see her in good spirits after a long period of ill health. We wish her well for the future. n *Part 2 of Richard Teale’s article on the history of the Dartmouth Medal will appear in the November 2019 issue.

dies were. They have now been sent to the manufacturers so some new medals can be struck. We hope to see them presented in 2020 as part of the Centenary celebrations of the Society. Initially, the Dartmouth Medal was awarded to the highest achieving boy in School. The OAS suggested this should continue with another award for the girl who has made a similar outstanding contribution to both academic and general school life. However, Ian quite understandably, has said that any award to a girl would be considered inferior to this prestigious old medal and as a result it has been decided to award two Dartmouth Medals each year to the outstanding male and female students. Further to mention of the Centenary of the Society next year, it was suggested at last year’s Dinner that we might copy what happened at the inaugural OAS meeting in 1920: before the Dinner in the evening a cricket match was held at the Arkenley Bowl. A number of those present at last year’s Dinner indicated

Membership A N D R E W HAIGH ified as a chartered accountant in 1981 and worked in industry until 2001, at which time he set up his own practice, which he is still running. David played football until being forced into retirement by a broken leg in 1999 and now enjoys walking challenges, having visited the Himalayas on three occasions and Everest and Annapurna twice. He

INCE the last magazine was published, we have been delighted to welcome another new member to the Society, Simon Cockin (1963-1966), from Holmfirth. We have also been very pleased to welcome back two former members. David M Dyson (1968-1975), from Oakes. qual-

l Ian Shaw (1946-54), resident in Northallerton, died on 18th March, 2019 lDavid Aldridge (1947-1952), resident in Almondbury.

has also completed the NationalThree Peaks Twenty-four Hour Challenge on three occasions, as well as the C2C walk. David has been married for 38 years and has three daughters and three (soon to be four) grandchildren. Another returning member is Robert W Johnson (1960-1968), from Netherthong.We are delighted to welcome him back after a lapse of ‘a few’ (actually around 50!) years. Sadly, since the last magazine went to press, we have learned of five deaths: lProf Thomas J Ledwidge (1942-47), resident in Queensland, died on 10th October, 2018 lMichael Hardcastle, MBE (1944-51), resident in Beverley, died on 17th January, 2019 l Alan William Boothroyd (19541962), resident in Maidenhead, died on 19th January, 2019

Subscriptions If you do not pay your subscriptions by standing order, please remember that your £10.00 subscription for 20182019 fell due on 1st September last year. If you receive a letter with this magazine pointing out that your subscription is not up-to-date, please do send your payment without delay. It does make life much easier if you can complete the updated standing order mandate that accompanies the letter and return it in the envelope provided. 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

Old Almondburians’ Society Calendar TENNIS Played at Longley Community Sports Club on Thursday evenings between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm until Thursday, 29th August. Drinks afterwards in Almondbury Conservative Club. HERITAGE DAY The School will be open on Saturday, 21st September 2019 as part of English Heritage’s ‘Heritage Weekend’. ANNUAL DINNER/FOUNDERS DAY This year’s Annual Dinner will be held on Saturday, 23rd November. Full details, together with an application form for tickets, appear in this issue. 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. The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held the day after the Annual Dinner and this year falls on Founders’ Day itself, Sunday, 24th November. Further details are given in this issue. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS Executive Committee meetings will be held in the ODH at the School at 6.00 pm on the following dates: Monday, 2nd September; Monday, 7th October; Monday, 4th November; Monday, 2nd December.

NEWS

King James’s is set to get bigger Recent Kirklees proposals to transfer pupils aged 11-16 from Almondbury Community School may speed King James’s School’s expansion plans ING JAMES’S SCHOOL cur- crease our ‘per capita’ income and benerently has 900 pupils from 11 fit from economies of scale. Also, the to 16, with a six-stream in- School is very successful and always oversubscribed so that each year we are take of 30 pupils each year. For some time, the School has been forced to turn away parents who would looking into the possibility of enlarge- like their children to attend the School. ment to around 1,000 pupils. Plans have And now, of course, there is the possibilnow been brought into sharper focus by ity that even more parents will want to recent Kirklees proposals to close the 11- send their children here if secondary ed16 section of nearby Almondbury Com- ucation at Almondbury Community munity School (an all-through school for School (ACS) comes to an end. children from 3 to 16) with the possibil- A: What exactly are the proposals concerning ity of re-locating up to 150 students at Almondbury Community School? There has been a great deal of comment and speculation King James’s. The Almondburian met principal Ian in the Huddersfield Examiner in recent Rimmer to find out what was in mind. months. Almondburian: Many Old Almondburians IR: The background is that Ofsted carwill fondly remember the time when the School ried out an ‘unannounced’ inspection of ACS in December had 300-350 pupils and 2018 which found that everyone knew everyone the school was ‘inadeelse. Now the School is quate’. This followed almost three times the previous inspections size. Does it really need to in 2015 and 2017, get even bigger? both of which had Ian Rimmer: In a concluded that the word, ‘yes’; and the school ‘needed imreason is economics. provement’. To add to Funding for education the school’s problems is unbelievably tight at it is greatly under-subthe present time and scribed, with under for King James’s 700 pupils and a caSchool to remain fipacity for over 1,200, nancially viable we and no clear prospect have to expand to in- KJS Principal Ian Rimmer

How education has changed over the years N 1958, The Almondburian records that the School had a teaching staff of 19, plus a support staff of a school secretary and a part-time lab assistant; this was for a school of around 350 pupils.Today, the teaching staff for around 900 pupils numbers 55, plus a support staff of around 27.The pupil/teacher ratios are if anything slightly improved today: 16.3 compared with 18.4 seventy years ago. But there has over the years been a vast increase in the number of support staff, which today number around 27 (see panel). Some of these (business and financial staff, management information, library services and so on) are inevitable because of the sheer scale of the operation today and the financial accountability that is so essential for the running of a successful academy. Another obvious growth area is information technology: King Jamesâ€™s

School today has literally hundreds of computers networked around the campus and a team to keep them running and fully updated is vital to keep the show on the road. But the biggest growth area of all is in the field of pastoral support, a term that was unknown back in the 1950s. Much of this stems from government legislation in the past two decades; rightly, no effort is spared today to ensure the wellbeing of pupils in terms of physical and emotional welfare.

Principalâ€™s PA Business Manager Finance Officer Management Information Systems Mgr HR Manager Receptionist Site Manager Caretaker Reprographics Officer Science Technician Cover Supervisor Exams and Data Manager Extended Schools Co-ordinator ILC Manager IT Network Manager IT Technician Pastoral Leader - Head of Year Pastoral Support - Attendance Pastoral Support - Behaviour Well-being Mentor Medical Officer Isolation Manager SENCO - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator SEN Admin Inclusion Manager SEN - Educational Teaching Assistant (ETA) SEN - Behaviour Support Worker (BSW)

1958

2019

pupils could be accommodated at King James’s School and Newsome High School ‘if adjustments were made and extra places created at King James’s’. A: What has been the reaction of parents to the Kirklees proposals? IR: As one would expect, there has been a lively response in the local press. Understandably, many parents feel a sense of loyalty to their school and indeed some parents may themselves have been former pupils. Concern has also been expressed about the possible disruption to pupils of having to change schools. A: As you were already investigating the possibility of enlarging the School, the Kirklees proposals were presumably not unwelcome? IR: That’s absolutely right. Although the two issues are entirely unrelated, we will be very happy to work with Kirklees on this if it strengthens the provision of 1116 education locally. A: But what would it mean in practical terms? Isn’t King James’s already bursting at the seams? IR: We’d obviously have to recruit additional teachers but the other major requirement would be for additional

of increasing its numbers in the years ahead. Kirklees have therefore issued a non-statutory consultation document proposing that the school should close. A. According to press reports the school also had other problems last year? IR. Yes, there was a very sad incident when a Syrian refugee was assaulted by a fellow pupil, an incident widely reported in the media. The inspectors were aware of the incident and while Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions subsequently taken by the school were considered alongside the evidence available at the time of the inspection. A: So what are the implications to the school of being declared ‘inadequate’? IR: If a maintained school like ACS is deemed inadequate by Ofsted, the Education and Adoption Act 2016 places a duty on the Secretary of State for Education to issue an order whereby the school is required to become a sponsored academy. A: What has been the reaction of Kirklees to the Ofsted report? IR: Kirklees have clearly recognised that with under 700 pupils in total, and only some 300 in the 1116 age group, it will be difficult for ACS ever to become financially viable. It has therefore issued a non-statutory consultation paper proposing that the school should be closed and that the 11-16 Almondbury Community School is located on Fernside Avenue, about a mile away from King James’s School. 9

extra classrooms could be completed much before September 2021, so we’ll initially need some temporary classrooms. A: If the plans go ahead, King James’s will eventually have 1,000-1,100 pupils. How do you feel about this? IR: I think it is important to recognise that the School really has no alternative. Although schools have received more money over recent years, running costs and liabilities newly deferred to schools have increased at a much faster rate. This has resulted in most schools struggling to keep afloat. Considerable savings have been made, but there is now nothing left to cut, so we must take radical steps to remain financially viable. The proposed expansion will give us a seven-form entry, which will have enormous benefits in terms of the quality of education we are able to provide for our students. n

classrooms. As it happens, this is something we’d already been investigating and outline plans had already been submitted for a single-storey extension over the flatroofed design technology block. This could provide at least five additional classrooms. A: So what happens next? IR: The formal position is that the nonstatutory consultation period has now closed and in the light of responses received Kirklees will issue a statutory consultation document with its formal proposals for the school. A: If the school does close, when is the earliest date on which 11-16 pupils from ACS could transfer to King James’s? IR: It depends on how it is done, but my own view is that the earliest date in practical terms is September 2020. It is not likely that the building work to provide the

Expansion: how the School may look with a single story extension over the Design Block to provide additional classrooms. 10

CROSSWORD by Hérisson

Entries to the Editor (address/email: back cover) by 31st October 2019. Prize: 12 months’ free OAS membership

DOWN 2. Make these when entering (7) 3. Tread path carelessly. You could come to a sticky end here! (9) 4. See 18 5. It has a cold ring to it (3, 6, 6) 6. Messenger girl gets in early, but drops first of letters (8) ACROSS 1, 5. Annoy timepiece to make it go! 16. Alluded to by hips found on the 7. Ruler in Belgium (5) 8. Firm count rigged for fruit (7) rocks, maybe (9) (4, 2, 3, 5) 18, 4. Served with Sunday dinner (or 14. Carpet Spooner’s noble sweeper (9) 9. Disturb the quiet – etches line 15. Standards from one in erratic toast atop stew) (5, 6) cryptically (5, 3, 7) 21. Outlaw – outlaw said in French (6) conversion (8) 10. Tube supplied by leading 23. Hérisson is humble and wanton (8) 17. Make this going forward (7) consultant with disorganised 24. Indicated by some curt individual 19. Satisfy empty controls for modi theatre (8) operandi.(7) not welcome in the shop (7, 8) 11. Author back on the radio (6) 20. Victoria wasn’t, apparently, penned 25. Kind countenance – Roman, 12. Famous Rastafarian holds back by Camus editor (6) perhaps (8) emperors (5) 22. Sowed, scattered and put out (5) 13. Quality ’eadgear commendation (9) 26. Block question material (6) Name Email Tel l The winner of Crossword by Hérisson (March 2019) was Timothy Cliffe Across 7. Drone 8. Ring Cycle 10. Snip 11. Hypotenuse 12. Senile 13. Position 14. Gesture 16. Picasso 19. Phosphor 21. Aspect 23. Polynomial 24. Army 25. Minuteman 26. Psalm Down 1. France 2. Endpoint 3. Limpopo 4. Egotistically 5. Cygnet 6. Blossoms 9.The earth moved 15. Ethiopia 17. Applause 18. Artisan 20. Stylus 22. Comely

Annual Dinner 2019 A N D R E W HAIGH HIS year’s Annual Dinner will be held at the School on Saturday, 23rd November, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm. The principal speaker will be physical chemist Prof Judy Hirst (1985-88), whose election as a Fellow of the Royal Society was announced last year (see panel opposite). As OAS members will be aware, King James’s School was awarded Specialist Science College status in 2004 and we are delighted that such an eminent scientist and former pupil as Prof Hirst has accepted our invitation to speak at this year’s Annual Dinner. The ticket price remains at £27.50 and an application form for tickets is included

with this issue of The Almondburian. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets online at www.oas.org.uk/buydinner.php. Please be aware that when the Annual Dinner is held at the School places are limited, so early applications are recommended. 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 1949, 1959, 1969, 1979, 1989, 1994, 1999 or 2009 for example or, indeed, anyone else who takes a notion to do so, should consider starting to organise their class reunion earlier rather than later.

The scene at last year’s successful Annual Dinner when the guest speaker was Andrew Taylor.

Founders’ Day The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held as usual at Almondbury Parish Church the day after the Annual Dinner, Sunday, 24th November. Full details will be announced in the next issue of The Almondburian. n 12

Annual Dinner: This year’s principal guest speaker

Professor Judy Hirst FRS FRSC NE of the UK’s leading scientists will be keynote speaker at this year’s Annual Dinner on 23rd November. Born in Lepton, JUDY HIRST attended King James’s School from 198588 and is currently Deputy Director of the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College in chemistry. Last year she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and was also awarded an Interdisciplinary Prize of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Mitochondria have been described as the ‘powerhouses of the cells’.They are the parts of cells that turn sugars, fats and proteins that we eat into forms of chemical energy that the body can use to carry on living. Appropriately, Judy derived some of her early interest in science from the writings of the legendary George Jarmain, who taught chemistry at the School from 1852-1876. She worked in the labs of Jarmain and Son in Kirkheaton before going up to Oxford to read chemistry, leading to a DPhil researching the mechanisms of catalysis in complex enzymes. She then did postdoctoral work at the Scripps Research Institute in California for two years, be-

fore taking a position at the Medical Research Council in Cambridge. As Deputy Director of the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Judy now heads a research group of PhD students and postdoctoral scientists working on ‘mitochondrial complex I’, an energy converting enzyme that is central to metabolism and to metabolic diseases. Judy is also Dean of College and Director of Studies in Chemistry at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Farnley Lines DAV E BU S H

delude myself, again. I imagine you, dear reader and fellow Almondburian, hastily flicking through our magazine to Farnley Lines to discover where my avian pursuits have led me this time. I left you at the end of my last epistle teasing you with the promise that my next trip would be somewhat special as it could be my last. Indeed it was memorable as I may not have climbed it but at least I have seen it. Everest! (exclamation mark justified). Along with my birding buddies from South Wales and other parts of the UK we took an internal flight in Nepal (‘safety record not good’) from Kathmandu to the Indian border. The operators were either Yeti Airlines or Buddha Airlines – ours was the latter, perhaps letting us feel safer in Buddha’s arms than Yeti’s hug. Our guide had arranged for us to be

seated on the left hand side of the plane affording us an excellent view of the Himalayan range and the peak of Everest. Quite a buzz. Impressions gained in Nepal will remain the most profound ever experienced on my travels. This is one of the most impoverished countries in the world yet one of the most crime-free. Torn by civil war early in this century and devastated by a catastrophic earthquake in April 2015, its people remain cheerful and almost overwhelmingly friendly. It did lead me once more to question our western values. People with so little but seemingly content with their lot. Was I right ethically to go on an elephant safari with close-ups of rhinos? Was I intolerant that morning when I saw crowds of people on their way to a Hindu temple, small goats on leads trot-

‘Quite a buzz’ as our plane flies 30,000 ft over Mount Everest (arrowed)

Clockwise from top left: A black goat is understandably reluctant to become a sacrifice; ‘Nemaste’ on arrival at Kathmandu Airport; a Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker; the DIY stone shifting so bus can get through

with Northern India. However, my world list is now around the 2,000 mark; only another 6,000 to go. I do not think I will quite make it. Nearly forgot. I always choose a bird for its nomenclature. This time double incentives. Firstly, as its name has a possible drumming sound, secondly because it was one of the very few I was first to spot: the brown-capped pygmy woodpecker.

ting along beside them soon to be sacrificed? One reluctant participant was hoisted onto a motorbike pillion and its end hastened. Our leader assured us that as an increasing number of Nepalese are vegetarian and love of animals grows, the practice is lessening …or was he just trying to salve our soft sensitivities? Birds? Indeed it was intended mainly as a bird watching trip. Nearly 300 species for the group but not many ’lifers‘ for me as there was much overlap

Simon’s article stirred the memory I always re-read the previous maga15

zine before beginning my contribution the group was a pupil at Colne Valley, a and try to decide which article I en- student at HTC and despite living in joyed the most – a most difficult choice Derby, a Town season ticket holder. He and possibly an invidious one. Lauren was debating whether he should renew Nutton’s Classroom Commentary was ex- it when The Terriers’ relegation was confirmed. He has cellent. Perhaps I was done so. Prompt for slightly influenced by soccer content. Doogle the Dog? Town’s relegation enI shall, however, sures the Haighs can plump for Simon descend on South Russell’s biography as Wales twice next seait stirred so many son ie to Cardiff and memories both of his Swansea. If The Imps era and the years continue their spent playing for the progress they could Old Almondburians be facing HTFC ere AFC. It also raised a long. I recall predictpoint I have made being in the last issue fore.Simon laments that it could be ‘one L the fact that he would of a season’. Lincoln, be surprised if he was Sadly, Huddersfield Town were Luton and Leyton ever above the bot- relegated at the end of the 2018-19 Orient managed top tom third in the season. It was the joint-earliest spot, Liverpool just grammar school. This relegation in Premier League history. would have meant he was in the top missed out and Leeds made a real mess 15-20% of his overall year group and of it in the play offs. The only saving featoday would have ensured him a 1st ture for Terriers’ fans was that they do not have to suffer the descent of Town class degree at university. One criticism, Simon. You were an and the ascent of Leeds. Now that really outstanding Jessopian and there’s no would have hurt. mention of our House. I also note your close friends, Messrs Douglas and Shaw Superb renovations at King James’s When I left KJS in July 1996 I have Barcelona retreats. With my Catalan connections I may have to call in a pledged never to enter its portals again. I had so many moving memories of the few favours… old place that I wanted them frozen in time. On reflection all rather simplistic Football gloom as Town plummet I do try to find an Almondburian and naïve. I have since broken that connection when on such excursions. pledge when returning for an OAS DinThis time I can manage only a Hudder- ner and having a guided tour by Patrick sfield one. The husband of one lady in O’Brien. I was shocked and delighted 16

by the changes in equal measure. More than twenty years later, thanks to modern technology, I can now take a virtual tour ‘from my own armchair’. I sit in astonishment. I remember one Open Evening on a November night a parent and family friend declaring how dark and dingy the corridors and some classrooms were. She chose not to send her talented daughter to us. At the time I felt somewhat upset almost taking it as a personal insult. She was, of course, perfectly correct. The transformation over a generation has been remarkable and congratulations to all who have been involved in the renovation; you have done a superb job that befits such an historic institution. I do hope King James’s students appreciate that they receive their education at a glorious location both inside and out. Scouting at KJGS in the 1960s Other than football it was scouting that occupied the major part of my extra-curricular activities at KJGS and I am sure scout camps remain strong in the memories of those who attended. Even the Canada Geese on our local lake remind me of the early honking alarm call when weekend camping at Bretton Park. We were holidaying recently in North Wales, a most beautiful region. I thought this was my first visit to the area but suddenly recalled an annual scout camp at Mold. Whatever were we doing there? We always camped in the

Yorkshire Dales. Jim Toomey, Group Scout Leader, had discovered the site, a long way from Huddersfield—but how? He had no car. Any ex 46thers out there whose recollections are better than mine? I do remember as we wearily plodded back to base after a long hike JT quipping ‘There’s Mold in them tha hills’. Very witty and a side of Jim few saw. Visiting Porthcawl he noticed a renovated hotel on the promenade displaying on its façade a splendid sign advertising its ‘accomodation’. “Perhaps they didn’t have room for the other ‘m’”, suggested Jim. n

Scouting 1960s-style: Dave Bush with ‘skip’ Toomey 17

Back to the drawing board Roger Sykes (1946-1953) revisits some of his favourite drawings or most of my schooldays, I commuted by No. 30 trolleybus for the entire route from West Vale (maps name it ‘Greetland’) to Almondbury. Often, I had to pay for another ticket at the Huddersfield/West Riding boundary at Ainley Top. Many of the sketches I drew for the In and About column of the Huddersfield Examiner were along this route – just noticed in passing.Then it was hop off the bus, sketch and run to the stop for the next bus, usually about 15 minutes later. But never in the rain! Of course, buildings are drawn as they were, but some have been changed over time. Many no longer exist – like the bridges at Ainley Top which have morphed into a tunnel to ease the route under the M62. The huge outcrop of rock which narrowed the road at Birchencliffe has been removed and the road widened. And a lovely Tudor arched gateway in Edgerton has vanished so my sketch is the only record that it existed. But wonderfully, some are restored and preserved, such as the Tram Shelter at Edgerton, the subject of an article back in March 2015. So leaving West Vale, the road rises steeply to Elland.The middle distance houses hide the Old Fleece Inn and ancient hostelry, a source of many ghost stories and tales such as ‘Cromwell slept here’. But alighting from the trolleybus at the request stop midway along the Long Wall, the challenging climb is up the magnificent stone staircase to the top at the recreation ground level. From the top of the steps, the view to the left (outside the frame) is focussed on the compact Ordnance Survey key as pointed out by Fred ‘Soapy’ Hudson.The Calder valley bottom contained the river, canal, a major T-junction with bridges and the railway – so many mapping features in the one place – fame at last for Elland. The distant hills and skyline hide the M62 and so can only be drawn with a single pen stroke, leaving the viewer to unconsciously fill in the landscape with fields and the single road. But there are always hidden memories, such as the long walk all the way back from Upper Edge via Elland to Greetland, with our pop group carrying the musical instruments, n after playing for a dance.

Long Wall, Elland 18

PART 3

The Gilbert & Sullivan years RO GER DOWLING A bold plan to mount the The Pirates of Penzance in the prestigious Theatre Royal in 1949 is thwarted when the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company says no. to find another stage, but also to make as sure as we could that the enthusiasm which we had encouraged was not disappointed. As I write, a fortnight before the Opera, we cannot by any means be sure that a large number of our friends will not be disappointed.We have already arranged an extra performance for Saturday afternoon, April 9th, but even that will not absorb the requests for tickets over and above the capacity of the Temperance Hall, and whilst we feel grateful for the response which these requests represent, we would gladly have spared ourselves and others the disappointment which has arisen from factors beyond our control. Our only consolation is that the Opera itself will not suffer, and we hope to pro-

he 1949 production of The Pirates of Penzance was the twentieth G & S opera presented by Almondbury Grammar School since the venture started in 1922. To mark this important milestone, a bold decision was taken to stage the production in the Theatre Royal in Ramsden Street, one of Huddersfield’s two principal professional theatres, which offered a much larger stage and a vast audience capacity of over 1,000. But a bombshell was about to be dropped, as a somewhat embarrassed headmaster Horace Moore announced in the Easter 1949 issue of The Almondburian: The end of last term saw us preparing for the task of producing the Opera in the Theatre Royal.We had no illusions about the magnitude of that task, and we were already taking the necessary steps to make sure of the support from Old Boys and friends of the School which alone could make the venture a success. Our publicity campaign was well advanced when a letter from the Executors of the late Rupert D’Oyly Carte informed us that we should not be allowed to use the theatre. Our quandary then was not only

The big time: the School announces a bold plan to present its 1949 production in the Theatre Royal in Ramsden Street.

Photo by courtesy of www.arthurlloyd.co.uk

With disaster looming, the School anxiously searched for an alternative venue. Neither of the earlier venues the Milton Hall and St Patrick’s Hall was available but with time fast running out the School was able to book the Temperance Hall, a building (now demolished) in Princess Street. The show was saved, and despite the cramped quarters both on and off the stage the five performances went off without a hitch. The Huddersfield Examiner was unstinting in its praise: Listening to the boys of the Almondbury Grammar School Choir in The Pirates of Penzance one realised why their reputation for producing Gilbert and Sullivan‘s comic operas stands so high. They have established this reputation by an annual performance of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera continuously since 1922, except for a break during the war years, productions which have gained enormously in popularity in each succeeding year.” K Sunderland and D Micklethwaite were back yet again, this time playing Major-General Stanley and Sergeant of Police respectively; they were joined as principals by P K Ward (Pirate King), ] S Jennings (Samuel), T Carter (Frederic), D M Mason (Mabel), K Thompson (Edith), L Sheard (Kate), ] M Sykes (Isabel) and G Sunderland (Ruth). Despite the success of the 1949 production, it would be four years before the next G & S opera would be mounted - one which in the event would turn out to be the last. Appropriately, the choice was HMS Pinafore, the opera which had launched the series 30 years

duce as villainous a gang of Pirates, as stupid a posse of Policemen and as dainty a bevy of Daughters as in any of the other three productions of The Pirates of Penzance. The background to this highly unfortunate turn of events was that until the copyright on G & S operas expired in the 1960s, any performances were subject to licences issued by the copyright owners the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. The D’Oyly Cartes were notoriously strict about every aspect of G & S performances. In particular they would not countenance performances on the ‘professional stage’ being undertaken by amateur performers such as schoolchildren from Almondbury Grammar School. 20

The Huddersfield Examiner was full of praise for the School’s final Gilbert & Sullivan production in March 1953

in company with Captain Corcoran (David Mellor) and his beautiful daughter Josephine (David Sunderland), well deserved the encores it received on all three nights. There was praise too for the excellent chorus whose singing was strong throughout. As ever, the ladies’ chorus was indeed ‘a crowd of blushing beauty’

earlier. The performances took place on 26th, 27th and 28th March 1953. Those who were present still recall the occasion with pleasure, and there are some who believe that this final production was the best of the whole series. The Almondburian records that the popular trio ‘Ring the Bells’, in which Sir Joseph Porter (ably played by Richard Hey) sings 21

“I’d never been on the stage in my life!” Richard Hey (KJGS 1951-57) has fond memories of his stage debut as a twelve-year-old ‘First Lord of the Admiralty’ 65 years ago ight opera has always been an important part of my life because of the influence of my parents. My father was general manager and secretary of Huddersfield Light Opera Society and my mother was the chair of the ladies’ committee, though neither actually performed on stage themselves. My father helped to re-form the society in 1947 after the war so from an early age I used to go along with him to watch what was going on. Harry Gledhill was musical director of the society so he would have known of me through my parents. I don’t remember any audition for the part of Sir Joseph Porter, though I’d never been on the stage in my life. My main worry was remembering my lines – though not a big part it had some long solo numbers with many verses. 'When I was a lad' went on forever! Harry’s approach at rehearsals was that you rehearsed your part with him on your own and then got slotted into the rest of the production towards the end. I remember being very relieved that I didn’t have to wear a dress. The Temperance Hall had quite a small stage and only had around 200 seats for the audience. Costumes were hired in and were very good – I think they were probably supplied by Homburgs in Leeds who were the main costumiers for local amateur threatre groups for many years.The small orchestra was a group of semi-professionals put together by Harry Gledhill though Fred Hudson also helped at the piano. I started with the Huddersfield Light Opera Society myself in 1954, first as call boy and then joining the chorus in 1957 before becoming a principal in 1963.We put on shows like The Student Prince and The Quaker Girl. I also played the lead part of Tony in West Side Story with Keighley Light Opera Society in 1968. For some years I worked in Nottingham and while there I had parts in such productions as Half a Sixpence, Hello Dolly, Guys and Dolls and My Fair Lady. I was president of Huddersfield Light Opera Society for nine years up to 2008. Another former pupil of the School closely connected with the Society was Michael Dyson, himself a former president, who was the Society's treasurer .

Richard Hey spent his entire career in the lubricants industry, initially with the family business and then Millers Oils of Brighouse. He has been involved in amateur light opera all his life and since he retired he has also undertken charity work with the Welcome Centre food bank in Huddersfield. He is married to Sue, has two step-daughters and four grandchildren.

(Top): the chorus of HMS Pinafore in 1953

(Bottom): Back row: M Briggs, R M Arnold, R A Stead Middle row: D Mellor, J D Jenkinson, R G Hey, A D Clarkson, W R Sunderland (Front): C J Rockett

But there were other pressures for change too, with the arrival of a new generation of teachers like Frank Anderson who were keen to present the works of Shakespeare and other major dramatists. However, Gilbert & Sullivan operas are still performed regularly by groups all over the world and it may be that it is time for a major re-appraisal here in the UK, the country of their origin. Perhaps the jolliness of the plots and the jauntiness of the music creates a false impression that the works are lightweight in nature, whereas the opposite is the case: they were written as serious and often bitter comments on the mores of the day, with a depth of satire as biting as any to be found today in Private Eye or Have I Got News for You. Itâ€™s well known that Sir Joseph Porter in HMS Pinafore who

and their appearance yet again made the audience doubt that every member was indeed a boy. And so, on a high note, ended 30 years of G & S operas performed by the pupils of Almondbury Grammar School. There were many who were saddened that the 1953 production was the last, but it was probably inevitable. By their nature, operas are always expensive to perform, particularly so in the case of G & S operas with their large casts and commensurately high production costs. Costumes, supplied by the Leeds hire company W A Homburg Ltd, were becoming increasingly expensive; and scenery by Bradford-based company Dodsworth & Spencer was also a major expense. 23

boasted that a ‘junior partnership’ was the only ship he had ever seen was based on the bookseller W H Smith who became an unlikely First Lord of the Admiralty in the 1870s. And who was the ‘very model of a modern Major-General’ inThe Pirates of Penzance who, thanks to a classical education, knew all there was to know about ‘matters mathematical’ but little to nothing of modern technology or warfare?

’

The strange tale of Huddersfield’s ‘Waterstones’ apostrophes

HE OP TR ER OS RN AP CO

Step forward General Sir Garnet Wolseley, a prominent British Army general who in later life lived in a grace-andfavour apartment in Hampton Court Palace. In fact, every Gilbert and Sullivan opera is a history lesson in itself. Perhaps there are good educational reasons for a one-off revival of HMS Pinafore in 2022, exactly 100 years after its first School performance at the Milton Hall in 1922? n

OR apostrophe lovers across the UK, 2012 was a particularly sad year when Waterstone’s – a company which above all others was believed to have a deep feeling for the printed word – decided to drop the apostrophe in its name. “Waterstones without an apostrophe is, in a digital world of URLs and email addresses, a more versatile and practical spelling,” declared new managing director James Daunt. Accordingly, staff were asked to remove the apostophes from the store fascias and displays, with small rewards for all redundant apostrophes sent back to head office. The Huddersfield store in the Kingsgate Centre naturally fell into line but the prospect of a reward was thwarted when the apostrophe on the internal wall inadvertently dropped into a crevice from which it could not readily be retrieved. But a further problem awaited the staff when they tried to remove the apostrophe from the fascia outside: they found that it was embedded in such a way that the change would have involved a completely new fascia. So the apostrophe remains to this day, a source of Send your sightings of errant sadness to the staff who were denied their reward but of deep satisfaction to the many apostrophe lovers apostrophes to us at who visit the store each day. apostrophes@oas.org.uk. lOur thanks to Waterstones, Huddersfield We’ll publish the best.

MEMBER PROFILE

Memories that will never fade DAV I D G A RY C RO F T ( 1968- 1975) DAVID GARY CROFT had no fewer than six years as chairman of the Old Almondburians’ Society in two spells up to 2004. He looks back on a life of school escapades and business success, in conversation with Richard Teale.

IRST an explanation of the con- Geoff Headey – my dad’s grandpa was a fusing use of my two Christian brother of Geoff’s grandma and lived next names – David Gary. My father door to my parents on Bradford Road is George David Croft and known as when I was a baby. Geoff’s brother John David. In my family and at school I have likes to show me up in polite company by always been called Gary, but in my pro- describing how as a ten year old he used fessional life I became David. As a trem- to put me in the bath in front of the fire bling 17 year old at my first Edisons in- and push my pram to Norman Park in terview the senior partner called me Birkby. At Deighton, a school with four classes David and I was too timid to contradict him.The name stuck and has often caused in each year group, I was always in the ‘A’ stream, but it was a confusion! surprise to find myself I was a pupil of surrounded by the Deighton Junior bright intake at King School and passed the James’s. About eight 11+ examination, other boys from much to my parents’ Deighton moved on and grandparents’ dewith me including Pelight. My granddad ter Smith (still a good bought me an Elswick friend), Andrew Hopper from the bike French, David Andershop near the Regent son, Gerard Cook, Ballroom on Bradford Derek Jones, Geoff Road as a reward! Martin and Charlie I was not presStarkey (the Emmy sured to choose beAward winning, New tween King James’s York based artist). and the New College Just a little more hair as an 11-year-old: I I well remember but my parents always first entered the doors of King James’s the daunting uniform talked very fondly Grammar School on 4th September 1968, as a proud member of Dartmouth House. and equipment list apabout King James’s lad 25

pearing which my parents (with help from my grandparents) had to supply. My father at that time was a postman and my mother was a part-time book-keeper at Brown and Cheetham’s garage on Leeds Road. They were of moderate means but never denied any of my requests for activities at King James’s. I remember the Easter walking holidays organized by Bill Chapman, Les Mallinson and Alan Thorpe, and trips abroad to Switzerland and Austria organized by Ken Ireland. School Societies were a passion for me, particularly some of the more obscure ones such as the Locomotive Society and the Printing Society. The Locomotive Society was located in the cellar and run by Roy Plum, Martin Shaw and David Slocombe – my introduction to it was via my coveted model of the Flying Scotsman with a glowing firebox. The Printing Society was in a little room off the D4 corridor; we used to print tickets, certificates and letterheads for the School.

We occasionally made up and printed spoof business cards for teachers. I even printed meticulously headed notepaper for my mother (an avid letter writer). A somewhat hazardous activity we trialled was setting light to the print cleaning fluid, spraying it from a squeegee bottle out into the courtyard – I only wish it would have reached the language lab in the wooden outbuilding (I didn’t like French conversation!). In my senior years, with David Broadhead, I asked the permission of head, Alan Conley, to form the Motor Club – it probably fizzled out after we left. I also enjoyed the School Scouts run by Dave Bush and Jim Kempster. We used to set off to camps after loading all the scouts and gear into the back of a removal van – what would Health and Safety make of that today? We also collected waste paper to raise funds. Dave Bush put me in charge of collections and storage under the outside staircase – another serious H & S infringement.

The staff in 1971: I have particularly happy memories of Easter walking holidays organised by Bill Chapman (front row) and Alan Thorpe and Les Mallinson (middle row). Ken Ireland (back row) arranged great trips to Switzerland and Austria. 26

We purchased Thorpe House in Almondbury, then a private house, in 1987. After many sleepness nights we were able to turn it into a successful adult mental health care home.

On progressing to the fifth form and the age of 16, I was desperate for a motorbike, but was miffed that the law had just changed and all I could legally ride was a moped. I got a 1966 vintage Mobylette that I could ride to school and impress my form mates. Its reliability had not been tested, so I set off from Fartown and it shuddered to a halt in Somerset Road! I pushed it on to arrive late at school and banged my helmet down on to my desk in N1, much to the amusement of the class. It turned out to be nothing more serious than a fouled spark plug but my reputation had suffered a set-back. I moved on to a proper motor bike at 17 and then developed my interest in cars. I well remember one of my friends driving a Renault 4 to school and we made regular trips to the Clothiers at Stocksmoor for a lunchtime pint and chips, this being preferable to school dinners. We werenâ€™t found out and disciplined

Though keen on football, I never made the school team. I was good at cross-country though and it was a practice for the school team or the Dartmouth team on a bitterly cold day that led to me returning home with stomach cramps that did not respond to my grandmaâ€™s remedy of Lucozade and a hot water bottle. I was diagnosed with an abscess on my appendix that required hospital treatment and then a subsequent appendectomy operation at Holme Valley Hospital. I stayed there for a week to recover during the 1970 Mexico World Cup, poring over my football magazines and wall charts. My appendix was donated to Jack Taylor and sat in his Biology Lab glass cabinet amongst other pickled exhibits. Altogether, taking about four or five weeks off school at this time did set me back. Also, I have a low concentration threshold and suffered from hay fever at May/June exam time, so never achieved particularly good results. 27

thought being a Surveyor might suit me and was interviewed at Edisons (auctioneers and estate agents) in Huddersfield. The partners informed me that two A levels followed by a correspondence course would gain me my professional qualifications. I passed the A levels but the correspondence course was difficult – I didn’t have the self-discipline and the senior staff at Edisons had qualified in a different era and weren’t able to help me out. Instead, I decided to go full-time for three years to Shirecliffe Building College in Sheffield. On qualification, I expected to go back to Edisons but first took a position at Mitchells Auctions in Cumbria. I was appointed to one of their struggling sales rooms and was pitched in to the auctioneer role: microphone, gavel, etc. The confidence I gained there set me up for my later venture as a mobile DJ. I enjoyed Cumbria, but I missed my girlfriend Rachel and my family. I returned to Huddersfield where Rachel and I married in 1984. After a short spell at Whitegates, I rejoined Edisons, but they sold out to the Leeds Permanent Building Society who were then taken over by the Halifax Building Society. Working conditions were

for that dinner time excursion but I do recall an incident with head, Harry Taylor, around that time. It was fashionable to wear ex-military overcoats and I went with a friend to the Famous Army Stores and bought RAF greatcoats with brass buttons. As we proudly walked down St Helen’s Gate in them we were followed by the head and summoned to his office to be asked ‘Now then boys, how long have you been in the RAF?’ Careers advice at school was minimal in the 70s and, being an outdoor type, it was suggested that I consider being a Surveyor or Public Health Inspector. I

A day at the races: with wife Rachel and granddaughter Cressida at York Races in summmer, 2018. My daughter Beth also has a son Rufus. 28

panded it to 21 less than ideal, so in bedrooms. Some 1997 I moved on to residents have chalGeneral Accident lenging behaviours, and then in 2000 to but we have manBoultons. I was aged to rehabilitate made a director many into the comthere and stayed unmunity. til 2012 supervising The senior famsurveys and valuaily members are tions. now backing off and In the backhanding over to our ground we were respective children. making progress Our three daughwith Thorpe House ters (all past pupils in Almondbury.This of King James’s) are property is a stonehere: Beth is in built listed building charge of nursing, dating from around Lucinda is our busi1790 and is set in ness administrator extensive parkland and Theodora is the off Fenay Lane. We for a deckchair: we ‘senior’ members of nutritionist. Our purchased it as a pri- Time the Thorpe House team are increasingly vate house in 1987 handing over to children Beth, Lucinda and own home adjoining Thorpe House is from solicitor John Theodora – all former KJS pupils Briggs. Rachel and her sister and mother in a barn conversion and we intend to rewere working at Storthes Hall which was main in this wonderful setting. Being a resident of Almondbury has closing and thought the house presented the right environment, after conversion, been convenient for my roles with the for them to carry on with residential Old Almondburians – I have been chairmental health work as a family business. man twice. My first spell in that position We borrowed mind-blowing amounts was probably down to Dave Bush, deputy of money to fund the conversion and af- head at that time. I had attended a few ter construction delays due to the dis- committee meetings and at the AGM covery of asbestos we eventually opened Dave suggested I would make a good as a specialist care home with 15 bed- chairman! I retain my interest in the School and the part it has played in my rooms in September 1989. We had many sleepless nights in those life; however, as time moves on we have early days before a regular income stream to accept that change is inevitable. The School’s historic setting and the from the then Department for Social Security was set up. The home has been a interest of the Old Almondburians can n success and over the years we have ex- hopefully help in that progress. 29

QUIZ NIGHT 2019

Enjoyable night at the Woolpack Re p o r t e r/ p ar t i c i p an t : RIC HARD TEALE Excitement upstairs and down as the ‘1970s’ team fights off the competition while Derby County knock out Leeds Utd on the telly below URN up at the Woolpack for a prompt start at 7.30 pm, we were advised; and there was a gathering crowd at the bar when I arrived before 7.15 pm. But wait, the big screens were on and the build up to the Championship play-off match between Leeds United and Derby County was on. Clearly there were many Town fans there hoping Derby could pull off a win, and a few Leeds fans. There was also a very respectable crowd moving to the upstairs room for the quiz – the reputation of our quizmaster, Keith

Photographs: Andrew Haigh

Crawshaw, had ensured the success of another annual competition. We were advised that the buzzers with trailing wires were not in use this year; no, we did not have a wi-fi alternative, it was just a logistical decision. An introduction to the teams: The Three Stooges: Doug Norris, David Sinclair and Jez Whitehead. Quiz team Aguilera: Dennis Taylor, Richard Teale and Steve Walsh. Retired and Happy: David Bradford, Patrick O’Brien and Walter Raleigh.

OAS Chairman Walter Raleigh presents the Quiz Trophy to the winning ‘1970s’ team: Nick Ainley, Marie Thomas, Bryan Hopkinson and Alan Thomas 30

Hold Up

Dingbats

Brexit Faces

Buzzer Style A

Dog Breeds

Quotations

Memory Test

MP Less Faces

Buzzer Style B

Leeds Grand

In the News

Missing Words

TOTALS

1970s Nick Ainley Bryan Hopkinson Alan Thomas Marie Thomas

232

The Three Stooges Doug Norris David Sinclair Jez Whitehead

213

Quiz Team Aguilera Dennis Taylor Richard Teale Steve Walsh

205

All or Nothing Andrew Haigh Peter Large David Parry

-2

198

Retired and Happy David Bradford Patrick O’Brien Walter Raleigh

-2

190

All or Nothing: Andrew Haigh, Peter Large and David Parry. 1970s: Nick Ainley, Bryan Hopkinson and Alan and Marie Thomas. The usual rules explained, we moved straight into round one – Hold Up. We had a choice of four cards, A,B,C and D, to hold up in answer to 12 questions, with points awarded according to how many teams gave the correct answer. There was much debate and disagreement in the teams and, suffice to say, the best score was just 13. Round 2 was Dingbats – love them or loathe them. The Three Stooges loved them and opened up a clear gap of 5 points. The first picture round followed – Brexit Faces. Good scores for most teams

suggested there was still interest in the long running saga. And then a Buzzer Style A round for those missing the push buttons. General knowledge questions where incorrect answers meant a deduction of points – team tactics varied: go for it or don’t answer if not sure. The two rounds before the break were Dog Breeds – another picture round, and Quotations – matching the words to the sayer. At this stage The Three Stooges and 1970s shared the lead, a healthy 15 points plus above all other teams. Loud cheers from the pub below were unfortunately not in acknowledgement of the scores here; rather the score of the big screens – Derby had 31

opened up an early second half lead over Leeds. Our own second half opened with round 7: Memory – a page of around thirty visual items to study and then recall. Not good for the members with questionable short term memory abilities. The next two rounds MP Less Faces and Buzzer Style B enabled the 1970s team to move into a clear 6 point lead over The Three Stooges, with the other three teams lagging behind. And so to the last three rounds, preceded by another loud cheer from below – Derby had beaten Leeds 4-2, knocking them out of the play-offs! Round 10 was Leeds Grand Shows (I’m getting tired of mentioning Leeds in this report). This was a picture round of posters for stage events minus their titles – some obvious, some less so.

Round 11 In the News and Round 12 Missing Words (from Yorkshire Post headlines) proved the value of keeping up with current affairs. The 1970s team were better than others at this and at the completion of the quiz had opened up a lead of 19 points (232 to 213) over The Three Stooges. The remaining three teams provided good competition and all finished around the 200 point mark. Well done to all! Our chairman,Walter Raleigh, presented the trophy to the winning team and gave a vote of thanks to quizmaster Keith. His clarity in preparing and presenting the questions meant his adjudication skills over competitors’ queries were rarely necessary. Thanks are also due to Nicky Green for her careful scoring. In conclusion, another enjoyable night with Almondburian friends old and new. See you all (and many more we hope), in 2020.n

The tense atmosphere builds as the five teams go into battle. Quiz question-setter Keith Crawshaw and scorer Nicky Green (inset) ensure fair play.

Eighty years ago

On 3rd September 1939, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made his fateful declaration that a state of war existed between Britain and Germany. For the second time in his career, and with a heavy heart,Taylor Dyson had to guide the School and its pupils through difficult years ahead. How did they cope?

EIGHTY YEARS AGO

The School goes to war – again ROGER DOWLING The FirstWorldWar was supposedly ‘the war to end wars’. But it was not to be; and in 1939 the country once again prepared for battle.The School played its part. ar was declared on 3rd ments from the war on the continent. In September 1939 and it was July, 1940 there was almost palpable not long before it had an im- shock at the latest bad news from abroad: pact on life at Almondbury Grammar This term has witnessed the sudden and School.The start of the autumn term was unexpected collapse of France - a surrender delayed until 26th September. Lessons as complete as any recorded in the pages were brought forward , starting at 8.45 of history. Unlike so many smaller counam and finishing at 3.30 pm, with shorttries which, though overrun, refused to suber lessons in the morning and longer mit, France capitulated ignominiously, lessons in the afternoon. But The Aland with total disregard of the consemondburian noted more ominous develquences to her ally Britain.Traitors and opments: faint hearts must be held responWe are getting accustomed to taksible for such a tragedy. ing lessons with gasmasks John Livesey (1936-40) much in evidence, but it is made an unusual contribution not always easy to reto the war effort by aucmember to pick up one’s tioning for £5 his model of gasmask along with the destroyer HMS Cossack other school equipment to help raise funds for the when changing from Huddersfield War Weapons room to room. Air raid Week in 1940. A total of drills are another dis£2,400 was raised, equivturbing but necessary alent to around £95,000 inconvenience, espetoday. cially in bad weathThe first fatal casualty er.’ amongst Old Almondburians It was an anxious was reported in DecemWorld War Two the British time, but the School During ber 1940. Alfred Payne Government issued gas masks to soon settled into its every citizen, young and old. By was a pupil from 1921 to new routine, punctu- 1940 the Government had issued 1922 at which time his 38 million masks, in functional ated only by news of black for adults but brightly parents moved from the latest develop- coloured for children. Wormald Street, Al-

Commissioned in 1920, HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser to be built for the Royal Navy. Owen Ellis Hulme (192632) was one of the 1415 crew who lost their lives when she was sunk by the Bismarck on 24th May 1941.There were only three survivors.

mondbury to Loughborough. Sgt Payne was killed during the Dunkirk evacuation. Rupert Greenhalgh (1924-26) was captured in Holland in 1940 and wrote to Taylor Dyson with an engaging account of the incident: Just a few lines to let you know that Iâ€™m still alive and kicking. I was shot down over Holland on 13th May at 6.00 am by one of three Messerschmitts - there were 12 altogether. It was a glorious scrap while it lasted, and I got my fair share - more I cannot say. I escaped by parachute and landed in the middle of a German mechanised convoy. First I was interviewd by various German officers and then in hospital. After that I was in a dutch prison for a couple of days and finally finished up here. Hope the old School is the same. As always Iâ€™m getting along fine and manage to make a spot of money by the old salesmanship method. Cheerio! Ernest Hinchliffe attended Almondbury Grammar School from 1915 to 1919. He became a successful businessman in the Midlands, employing over 1,000 staff in various forms of engineering. One day, on a business trip to London, he saw the devastation caused by

the blitz and determined that something must be done at once. Commendably, he acquired a large house in Poplar in East London, furnished it and installed four nurses and the necessary domestic staff. The Mayor of Poplar was then invited to select 20 local orphans to be received in the home. The School Air Training Corps (ATC) was by now going from strength to strength, with classes on Air-Crew Navigation (under Mr Hopton), Morse (under Pilot-Officer Calloway, Ground-Staff Wireless (under Corporal Brook) and Aircraft Recognition (under Flt-Sergeant Jarman). But there was one fly in the ointment: the uniforms had not yet arrived. It was understandably a sore point that on parades few of the ATC members apart from the NCOs and the officers had any uniforms at all.It was decided that further drill should be suspended until the uniforms arrived. In December 1941, there was more sad news. Frank Morley (1932-36) died after an operation in a military hospital. Owen Ellis Hulme (1926-32) went down with HMS Hood, sunk by the Bismarck 35

in the Atlantic in April 1941 with the loss Edna, Muriel Jeffrey, Hilda Busfield and of 1,415 crew. John Holloway (1930-34) later Stella Badger. The editorial of The Almondburian in was reported missing after a great raid on April 1943 had a more optimistic tone Berlin. Meanwhile, the School was holding its than hitherto. We are fully confident that the heroic weekly collections for the Red Cross ‘PenRussians will continue their advance and ny a Week’ fund. The scheme, originally their contribution towards final victory. launched in November 1939, involved a May the day soon dawn when the last Axis voluntary deduction of one penny each forces are expelled from these shores! week from the country’s wage-earners. But there was still sad news of Old AlBy 1941 it was raising over £15,000 a week (over £500,000 in today’s money) mondburians. Sub-Lt R S Carter (192533) of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve for the Red Cross. In July 1942, David M Steele (1929- went down with his ship in the Mediter1932). a wireless telegraphist in the ranean and David M Steele was conRoyal Navy, was reported missing. An air- firmed as dead and buried at sea. Sgt J man who went missing during a bomb- Sykes (1927-32) was reported missing ing raid on Germany was Derek Armitage and presumed killed, as was Fl-Lt C A (1934-41), who had only recently left Howard (1927-28). Frank Pickard (192126), a qualified chemist who voluntarily School to join the RAF. By this time, the School was having to enlisted in the ranks and rose to the rank cope with the loss of teaching staff because of captain, was ‘officially presumed to have been killed in acof their call up to the tion at sea’. Geofforces. Fred Hudfrey Bamforth son was already in (1935-40) was also Canada where he ‘lost at sea as a result became an officer of enemy action’. with the EducationFortunately, all al Branch of the was not doom and Royal Air Force. gloom. Fred HudFrank Luckman, a son seemed to be full lieutenant, positively enjoying working on radio his posting with the location systems, RAF in Canada. In was also working on July 1944 he rethe educational side ported: of the RAF. To fill My last leave was a the gaps, a number Geography master Fred ‘Soapy’ Hudson beof ladies joined the came an officer in the Educational Branch of most exciting one, RAF towards the end of 1942. He was spent in the staff, notable Dr the posted to Canada but kept in close touch Calloway’s wife with the School throughout his time abroad. States… [We flew] 36

Wednesday, 8th May to San Francisco – 1945. They allowed a fine city with cinthemselves a few ema open all the words of humour: night, wide stretts, V-E Day has cable cars, Golden brought back some Gate and Auckland outward signs of Bay Bridges, China peace.The more evTown and all. A ident of these signs streamlined train are bonfires and with radio and flufireworks.The latter orescent lighting obtrude themselves took us to Los Anupon our notice geles and Hollywhether we wish it wood, where, of or not, although it course, we toured seems incongruous film studios and met that now, when we many stars. are safe from bombs, At last, the There were many tributes to Taylor Dyson when, concerned about the health of his we should cause exprospect of peace ap- wife Poppy, he retired at the end of the plosions ourselves. pears on the hori- War in the summer of 1945. [However], there is not yet any need to zon. In the Easter 1945 issue of The Aldespair; this country has survived the mondburian, the editors refer to the YalBlitz, flying bombs and rockets. No ta Conference between Britain, the Unitdoubt she will survive the menace of fireed States and the Soviet Union to discuss works equally well. Germany and the post-war reorganisation Taylor Dyson was a young man of 31 of Europe.Perhaps, the editors suggested the peace might come to Europe when World War 1 was declared in 1914. even before the new First Form comes to By the time the Second World Warld broke School.But the ‘Gaffer’ recorded sadly in out in 1939 he was no doubt starting to give the first early thoughts to retirement. the same issue: But he soldiered on, spending his final six The list of Old Boys who have made the years guiding the School with distinction supreme sacrifice in the war gets longer through yet another difficult wartime peevery term and we regret to have learned riod, during which he maintained both of the death of Corp John Robertshaw, morale and teaching standards despite the killed in action. It does not seem long ago most taxing of circumstances. that he was in School making his presHe retired in the summer of 1945 with ence felt both in the classroom and on the the satisfaction of knowing that, like the playing field. Fortunately the editors were right in many Old Almondburians who had served their prediction. Much to their relief,Vic- the School so well all over the world, he tory in Europe was announced on too had played his part at Almondbury. n 37

They served their School and country HIS list of some of the many Old Almondburians who served in the Forces is compiled from references in wartime issues of The Almondburian. The oldest was G Poppleton, who joined the School in 1906 in the days of Robert Crump and served in the Royal Artillery. Sadly, some Old Almondburians (shown in red) were destined never to return; they included the youngest entry Derek Armitage who had only left School in 1941.

Adams, G. F. Archer, G. C. Armitage, D. A. Aspinall, G. Bamforth, G. Barton, J. Bates, B. Benson, K. Black, G. Black, R. Blackburne, R. Bleasdale, L. Booth, J. Booth, N. Boothroyd, R. R. Borrill, P. Borrill, P. Bowen, S. A. F. Bower, T. D. Bower, W. Bradley, C. Broadbent, H. Brodie, G. W. Brooke, R. Buckley, J. Burley, F. G. Burley, K. G. Caldwell, J. Carter, E. Carter, P. Carter, R. S. Cryer, S. Dalton, C. Dawson, G. Downie, S Dyson, J. Dyson, M. Dyson, R. Eaves, C. W.

1926-1931 1916-1924 1934-1941 1931-1939 1935-1940 1930-1935 1931-1936 1934-1937 1928-1933 1925-1932 1922-1930 1929-1934 1930-1933 1925-1932 1930-1935 1930-1934 1932-1935 1934-1936 1934-1936 1931-1933 1927-1930 1929-1935 1931-1934 1927-1931 1924-1930 1930-1935 1932-1936 1932-1936 1930-1934 1933-1936 1925-1933 1929-1932 1925-1930 1924-1928 1932-1935 1930-1935 1932-1934 1925-1929 (Staff)

Ellis, A. Evans, H. Everitt, T. Faulkner, J. Firth, P. H. Firth, R. Fisher, H. Fisher, E. V. Fisher, J. H. Fisher, S. W. Gledhill, H. W. Graham, H. B. Gray, J. L. Greenhalgh, R. Heatherburn, C. Haigh, J. R. Haigh, A. Haigh, D. Haigh, G. Hallam, S. Harker, F. Hawksworth, T. F. Hayter, C. F. Hepponstall, P. Hibbert, T. Hinchliffe, G. Hirst, J. Hirst, B. Hollingworth, H. Holloway, J. Holroyd, J. Holroyd, L. Horsfall, G. H. Horton, E. Howard, C. A. Howarth, G. Hudson, F. S. Hulme, O. E. Johnson, F. B.

1931-1935 1927-1934 1935-1938 1928-1931 1928-1932 1929-1933 1930-1935 1924-1928 1930-1935 1923-1926 1926-1933 1921-1925 1928-1936 1924-1926 1926-1932 1930-1938 1918-1924 1930-1933 1938-1939 1929-1936 1928-1933 1930-1932 1927-1933 1930-1934 1921-1927 1929-1933 1909-1912 1927-1929 1930-1932 1930-1934 1920-1926 1930-1936 1929-1933 1932-1936 1927-1928 1926-1933 (Staff) 1926-1932 1933-1937

Jones, H. A. Jowitt, H. Kaye, J. Kaye, P. N. Kilner, C. Land, J. Lee, H. G. Lee, R. Lenton, J. H. Lindley, J. Lockwood, D. Luckman, F. Lumb, H. Mallinson, D. Marples, J. Marshall, J. Marshall, J. Mellor, H. Mellor, I. Mills, S. Mitchell, S. Morley, F. Munroe, F. H. Noble, G. North, D. Oldď€ eld, A. Oldroyd, R. Payne, A. Peace, A. G. Pearson, J. B. Pickard, F. Poppleton, G. Preston, S. Priestley, F. Richardson, J. Ripley, A. Roberts, E. J. Robertshaw, J. Robertson, G.

(Staff) 1929-1934 1930-1934 1929-1935 1928-1934 1915-1917 1927-1932 1922-1929 1927-1932 1927-1932 1927-1933 Staff 1931-1936 1928-1933 1931-1935 1929-1934 1929-1934 1931-1936 1927-1931 1921-1926 1932-1939 1932-1936 1932-1936 1932-1935 1932-1934 1917-1924 1932-1937 1921-1922 1928-1935 1932-1935 1921-1926 1906-1908 1931-1936 1930-1934 1932-1938 1924-1928 1929-1937 1927-1933 1927-1931

Robinson, T. 1930-1934 Roe, J. 1932-1934 Russell, S. 1930-1934 Salingar, L.G. (Staff) Senior, R. 1930-1934 Shaw, P. 1934-1937 Shaw, F. 1933-1937 Singleton, P. 1932-1937 Smallburn, C. 1926-1931 Snape, L. 1925-1929 Sowden, L. 1928-1933 Stancliffe, J. 1933-1937 Steele, D. M. 1929-1932 Sugden, J. K. 1925-1934 Sutcliffe, R. 1933-1937 Swallow, P. D. 1931-1936 Sykes, G. S. 1927-1933 Sykes, J. 1927-1932 Sykes, N. 1927-1931 Taylor, G. 1909Taylor, T. 1931-1936 Thornton, D. 1926-1931 Waddington D. 1929-1932 Wade, P. H. 1930-1935 Wainhouse, C. 1926-1929 Waterhouse, J. 1928-1933 Webster, L. S. 1931-1936 Westerby, E. 1931-1936 Westerby, P. 1931-1935 Wetton, N. 1920-1923 Whiteley, P.W. H. 1924-1929 Whitehead, N. 1933-1939 Whittaker, L. H. 1926-1934 Wilkinson,W. T. 1930-1935 Wood, D. 1935-1936 Wrathmell, C. 1929-1937 Wright, W. A. 1931-1936 Ward, T. G. 1922-1929

The Almondburian Poets

FTER World War II had been declared in 1939 it was only natural that the anxiety of the public at large should be reflected in the ‘original articles’ submitted by pupils for publication in The Almondburian. Huddersfield, with its large industrial base including the vital ICI dyes industry which employed some 4,000 workers at its peak, was thought to be a likely target for German bombers should they manage to penetrate the country’s defences. Peter Arnold Wright was in the Third Form when he wrote his poem ‘Ten Nazi Planes’, with its proud references to Spitfires and Hurricanes in 1941. It is not surprising that he was inspired by the exploits of brave Battle of Britain RAF pilots a few months earlier that were still fresh in everyone’s minds. In the event, the town suffered relatively little bomb damage. The first raid was on 25th August 1940 when 10 bombs fell on Meltham. Many incendiary bombs and parachute mines fell on the town up to June 1941, though casualties were light and no civilian fatalities were reported apart from four people in Fartown who died when an offcourse RAF plane crashed on to two houses. Back at the School staff and pupils alike made the best of life under difficult conditions. Some staff were temporarily lost to undertake war service, notably geography master Fred Hudson who spent two years in the RAF in Canada. As a result, a few female teachers joined the staff and even had their own common room. Air raid shelters were built at the back of the School and a School Flight of the Air Training Corps was set up under the command of Reg Addy and Walter Haigh. Almondbury Grammar School was going to stand no nonsense from those Germans…

TEN NAZI PLANES Ten little Nazi ’p1anes, Flying in a line. A Spitfire came across them, Then there were nine. Nine little Nazi ’planes, One with too much weight. His wings left him, Then there were eight. Eight little Nazi ’planes, Flying over Devon. One hit the hillside, Then there were seven. Seven little Nazi ’planes, Trying funny tricks. One tried to do the roll, Then there were six. Six little Nazi ’planes Got into a dive. One went straight down, Then there were five. Five little Nazi ’planes, Wishing they were more, Came across a Hurricane; Then there were four. Four little Nazi ’planes, Plain enough to see; One knocked another down, Then there were three. Three little Nazi ’planes, Now very few. One felt the ground “flak,” Then there were two. Two little Nazi ’planes, Flying ’neath the sun. One felt a Spitfire’s hail, Then there was one. One little Nazi ’plane, Not having any fun, Tried to wander home again, Then there was none. P A Wright (3a)

Relics of battle: reminders Anti-aircraft gun battery site at Hey Lane BOUT two miles south west of the School in Hey Lane is the apparent site of a heavy antiaircraft gun battery, though there are doubts as to whether it was equipped with anything more than dummy guns made out of telegraph poles.The site was certainly used at one stage as as an Italian prisoner-of-war camp. l A further gun battery –with real guns – was located on what is now the Fernside estate, near the junction of Aldonley and Daw Royds. The site was also an army camp.

Wellington bomber crash site Hey Lane anti-aircraft gun battery ½ mile

of war-time Almondbury The day a Wellington crashed at Farnley T 7.20 pm on 17th February 1942 an RAF Wellington bomber with a crew of six took off from Breighton near Selby on a night-time training exercise. By 10.22 pm they were making for home when they tragically lost their bearings. The aircraft clipped the roof of Phoenix Cottage on Farnley Bank, just below Farnley Line, and crashed on the hillside near Mollicar Wood. The crew, all members of 460 Squadron, were Sgt James Henry Ware, 24, of Sydney, Australia; Sgt Robert Litchfield Tresidder, 26, of Coogee, Australia; Sgt William Leonard Ashplant, 31; Sgt Cyril Caradoe Davies, 29; Sgt Frederick Dutton, 20; and Sgt Cyril Raymond Dickeson, 37. Phoenix Cottage no longer stands but the adjacent property has in recent years been re-named Wellington Cottage in memory of the gallant airmen. A memorial was dedicated at the crash site in 2015.

The site of Phoenix Cottage on Farnley Bank

EIGHTY YEARS AGO

A war-time childhood in Almondbury DAV I D A LD R I DGE ( 1947- 1952) The writer was a toddler living in Highlands Avenue, Almondbury when war broke out in 1939. He has vivid memories of its impact on family life. was playing in the garden with an old gramophone record which was an imagined steering wheel. My threemonth-old brother Michael was out in his pram, my father was gardening. Mother came out of the house and said, “Come in, Ernest: I think you’d better listen to this.” We were told: “Now, these are your gas masks. David, yours is like ‘Mickey Mouse’, and Michael will fit inside his where the air comes through a pump. They are kept in these cardboard boxes for carrying. Your identity discs are worn around your neck on string in case you become lost. We will use the earplugs if we are bombed.” An Anderson air-raid shelter was provided which Dad half buried at the top of the garden, covering the top with the dugout soil on which we made a rockery and planted flowers. Practice was arranged with

a stirrup pump, the children of course being more interested in squirting each other. A sand bag was placed at the top of the stairs, for use against incendiary bombs, and the bath was kept half full of water (we could never remove the brown stain it left). Blackout frames were made for the windows and all was checked by the air-raid warden.We had a small bottle of brandy ‘for emergencies’.The street lights were extinguished and large tanks of water were placed about the town. A meeting was held at TunnacIiffe’s mill and I walked down, with my mother pushing the pram. A deactivated German incendiary bomb was passed around from family to family so they were familiar with it. It did not look very big. Salvage drives were held for waste paper and scrap metal. Most or-

Anderson shelters, usually partially buried and covered in soil, were made from corrugated steel panels. The initiative of Sir John Anderson, the Lord Privy Seal with special responsibility for war preparation, they were issued free to householders earning less than £5 a week. 42

namental railings were removed. ‘Pig bins’ were put in the street for waste and also ‘bone bins’ (for glue manufacture).‘Dig for Victory’ and ‘IsYour Journey Really Necessary?’ posters were put up. A boy evacuee from London came to live across the road. My father was employed in the mechanics’ shop at ICI, working shifts of 6 am -2.00 pm and 2 pm-10.00 pm with an occasional night shift. He joined the factory Home Guard, and once brought his rifle home. It was a very old one. I worked the bolt backwards and forwards, and looked along the sights. Later he was given a Sten gun. “Get up, David, and put your siren suit on. The siren is sounding; there is an air raid!”We went up the back garden, using a shaded torch and carrying our bag of essential documents. Mother said that a lighted cigarette could be seen from the air. We looked to see if our neighbours were out and they were. In the shelter Michael and I were put on the bunk and told to go back to sleep. A loud bang occurred some way off. Father said, “Someone is getting it.” A discussion then took place about gas masks and it was decided that we would not put them on yet, but await developments. The bangs recurred and we realized that the noise was anti- aircraft fire from the nearby gun-site. We found out later that the blast sucked out the windows of houses close to it. I asked if I could look outside and was told not to, but my father put his tin hat on and took a look. Mother said that I should look for shrapnel in the morning.We heard another family singing in their shelter so we did the same. The noise of aircraft engines approached and because it rose and fell we knew that it

was one of theirs. Flares were seen and bombs dropped some distance away. Later we went to see the craters: one off Lumb Lane and an oil bomb dropped in Molly Carr Wood. More raids occurred later, but such was the secrecy that we only heard about their effects by word of mouth. A barrage balloon drifted over after coming loose from its moorings, dragging its cable and damaging a roof in Wormald Street. Our house backed onto Almondbury cemetery, where a large hole had been dug. Father had something to do with Civil Defence as he checked these in the other local cemeteries. There was the invasion scare, when Churchill said something about ‘taking one with you’. Older boys (aged about eight!) went off into the woods and made ‘camps’ to hide in.We had two allotments, growing vegetables and soft fruit, and we also kept rabbits and hens for eating and 43

house, just below Farnley Line, partially demolishing a cottage whose inhabitants were out at the time. An American B17 crashed on the moors above Meltham. Toys were all second hand except those that were handmade. I was lucky to have a tricycle and later a small bicycle. Our uncle made us wooden models of a Spitfire and tanks. Children’s books had a wartime flavour, one being about barrage balloons.As a treat we had indoor fireworks, mainly of the ‘at home’ type in Greenhead Park; we held picnics and paddled in the streams on the moors above Marsden but we did manage to get once, to Rhyl, I think. In the Clergy House on Cemetery Road lived the Spanish boys who were from the earlier Spanish CivilWar. At a camp on Stirley Hill were the Italian prisoners, some of whom did not go before the war’s end. They wore brown uniforms with coloured patches. Camouflage nets were made in a barn at the back of Prospect House; anyone with time to spare helped. We were taken rambles over the moors above Holmfirth. One day we were playing cricket in the street (one rule was ‘three gardens and you are out’).We heard aeroplanes and counted 142 twin-engine bombers (ours) overhead. One night a flying bomb came over. It made

eggs. These were fed from food produced in the allotment and leftovers mixed with ‘balancer meal’which we received instead of our egg ration. We preserved eggs and fruit and made our own jam. Altogether we were busy but were as well-fed as possible. Supplementary vitamins were provided by Ministry of Food, cod liver oil and orange juice and our own rose hip syrup and later, of course, school milk. Food and clothing were rationed, and sweets to 2 oz a week. A spiv came round one day and tried to persuade mother to sell her some sugar. She was refused and would not leave when asked. Father got rid of her when he returned from work after morning shift. Food from America such as spam and processed cheese appeared. Clothing was repaired and passed down to smaller children. Knitted garments were unravelled and re-knitted into something else. Footwear was a particular problem, having to be continually repaired. Scrap leather machinery belts and even old bicycle tyres were used for the purpose. Women whose husbands were in the Forces were especially poor and had to be supported by those around them. Double summer time lengthened the evenings. A Wellington bomber crashed at Royd-

DAVID ALDRIDGE Born in 1936, David Aldridge was brought up in a house in Highfields Avenue backing on to Almondbury Cemetery. Sadly, he recently died at the age of 83. His obituary appears on page 79.

The ‘flying bomb’ – also widely known as the ‘doodlebug’ – was developed by the Germans in 1944.Thousands of the missiles were launched from coastal sites in France and Holland.

so much noise that everyone in the town said that it had come over their house. I slept through it. Later on, we had ‘half blackout’: the gas street lamps were lit and blackout curtains removed.We played out some evenings using torches. Occasionally we went to the cinema. During the news, the liberation of the Belsen concentration camp was shown.The bodies of dead slave labourers were piled high.The anti-German feeling became stronger. The uncle who was taken prisoner returned home, rather worse for the experience. We knew victory was coming so we raided the local woods to make a bonfire. Carefully saved fireworks were set off. Bangers were tested by placing them under an empty two- pound treacle tin and timing it until it returned to earth. We also made our own fireworks, colouring them with iron and copper filings. Ours did not explode.Those who had them firedVerey lights and let off military thunderflashes. A parade and street party was held. I was taken out to tea and told that as a treat we were having boiled ham. One of my friends obtained a banana, it was skinned and dried and looked rather revolting. Children came from all over to see it. Multicoloured wire became available which was made into jewellery. A rather revolting kind of ice-cream became available. After the war there was a shortage of ac-

commodation and coal. Food rationing continued. People lived in wash houses, old Army huts on the gun-site and in derelict property in the village which had been condemned years before. Prefab houses were built opposite the gun-site, and later the Femside Estate. The coal shortage caused back boilers to freeze and fires could not be re-lit because of the danger of explosion so some people were without both heating and hot water. Ice formed on the insides of bedroom windows. We went collecting brushwood from the trees felled in the local woods on our sledges and lorry carts. Local factories closed temporarily. There was bread rationing for the first time (very much later I learned that the grain harvest had failed). It was possible to sledge from the top of Fernside Avenue to Waterloo Rise. After five years of neglect the roads were repaired using tar from the gasworks and pink gravel.This contained blown up clock mechanisms and the occasional live bullet. Gliders were parked at Fenay Bridge, being quickly robbed of their Perspex windows which were bent into ornaments.The evacuees returned home, after living here for several years.We poured the brandy on the first Christmas pudding that we ate after the war ended. n 45

EIGHTY YEARS AGO

Memories of war-time Huddersfield GE O F F R E Y DARBY ( 1937- 1943) Geoffrey Darby has kept regular diaries throughout his life. Here he records local events both major and minor during the Second World War. in Belfast we had tickets to watch the aircraft carrier ‘HMS Formidable’ being launched. As Scouts we were asked to go on evenings after school and on Saturdays to Albany Mills to pack thousands of gas masks into their cardboard boxes, These, when issued, we had to take to and from school and grab them to take into the school shelters during a practice air raid and later during a proper air raid. Mind you, the war lasted a little longer than I must have imagined. On 23rd September 1939 I recorded sadly, ‘HMS Courageous sunk and 600 approx killed’. On 25th September I recorded ‘war still

was born in Mill Hill Hospital in Dalton, Huddersfield on 20th December 1926, the year of the General Strike and my memories are those as seen initially through the eyes of a schoolboy at Moldgreen Council School and then Almondbury Grammar School. I have practically all my diaries going back to 1937 and therefore in the early 1940’s I can at least have memory reminders when perusing, especially the wartime diaries. By 1937 we were getting acclimatised to war in the future: we had mock air raids and we could watch the searchlights criss-crossing in the night sky. On holiday

“On leaving AGS I hoped to become a civil engineer to design and take on our own labour force for a new reservoir for Huddersfield at Digley. I started at Blackmoorfoot Reservoir. Next was my conscription as a Bevin Boy, with a year down the Prince of Wales Colliery in Pontefract and 3½ years at Lepton Edge Colliery. It was wonderful to be demobbed. I designed and supervised the construction of a 400kV transmission system and its protective gear. Finally I became a nuclear engineer. My first job was at Dungeness Nuclear Power Station in Kent. At long last I got a good pension from National Grid. For three years my AGS football games helped as I signed on for Huddersfield Town. However, I broke my leg and the Huddersfield trainer Bill Bott would not take me back on. Then an International in Leeds taught me table tennis and I was soon in the Yorkshire team. I played for England in Bucharest, Romania.” 46

fields opposite Grove Place Church and in Almondbury were well used and many German planes became far too regular an occurrence.The air raid shelter developed a double purpose for a Fire Watcher: the stirrup pump and hose were useful for watering the garden! In 1942 we set up a new local concert party down Long Lane called ‘The Shrapnels’ My brother, aged 16, joined the Naval Cadets and we were still attending many social evenings for young people. One of our planes, a Wellington bomber, burst into flames and crashed nearby. Incendiary bombs were dropped in the neighbourhood and my friend was on duty and attended to one. The Royal Signals were based in Huddersfield and their dance band ‘The Certo Cits’ played at many concerts and dances at the Town Hall and Cambridge Road Baths. In May 1942 new bunk beds arrived for the air raid shelters.The many air raids were primarily aimed at Sheffield and Leeds. Anti-Nazi refugees started arriving in the town and the Czechs had a club in town. I attended their concerts and played table tennis at the club and eventually joined their team. In October 1942 I had to attend lectures about new German incendiary bombs and I went to Sunday cinema shows to see many Civil Defence films. By December 1942 when I was nearly 16 years of age, I could work in school holidays delivering mail for the Post Office in the Milnsbridge and Manchester Road area. Luckily I was supposed to deliver near Standard Fireworks where they made and tested parachute flares. I could

going on’. Little did I know how long it would last! In 1939 I helped my father and brother to install our Anderson shelter in the garden – the deeper it went the more soil you had to use to cover it and the safer it became. In 1940 we started losing some of our Almondbury Grammar School teachers into the Forces; also some relatives and friends. The front lawn at our home in Long Lane was dug up and we planted potatoes. As Scouts we were asked to go round the local mills on Saturdays with the ‘Trek Cart’ to collect waste paper and cardboard for the War Effort. 1941 was a year of change – as early as 9th January 1941 we had an air raid lasting just over two hours with bombs dropped a few miles from Huddersfield. Air raids occurred during school time and we spent some time in the brick shelters singing songs usually led by our teachers. Sandbags were delivered to houses for incendiary bombs and I attended Fire Watchers lectures with my parents. We were shown the type of bombs to expect – how to tackle an incendiary bomb and also learned about war gases. On 14th January I became a fully trained Fire Watcher – aged 14 – and we were given pictures of all the German bombers so we could recognise them. Being a Fire Watcher entailed attending many meetings and going on a Rota System to be on call on specific nights. By March 1941 air raids lasted longer. On 12th March 1941 I recorded: ‘Sirens go at 9.15 pm and the ‘All Clear’ at 3.30 am’. Local anti-aircraft guns down the 47

In August 1943 I left school and started my first job with Huddersfield Corporation at Blackmoorfoot Reservoir. I was hoping to become a civil engineer at the proposed new Digley Reservoir due to be designed and built by the Corporation with direct labour. The Pioneer Corps were camped under the trees around Blackmoorfoot Reservoir installing and operating large smoke canisters to conceal the reservoir. I was lucky enough to have breakfast with the soldiers – they had a bit more food than we had at home. But very soon the Government took me over to be in charge of building very high towers on the Meltham side with a catenary wire across the tops with wires hanging down and large concrete blocks at the bottom. It was thrilling to sit on the grass on my own on the opposite side of the reservoir and see a Lancaster bomber check it to ensure that the Germans could not attack it with a bouncing bomb like the ones we had used in Germany to destroy their dams in the Ruhr. The bomber did three runs across the wires and finished with the pilot wav-

pick the parachutes up and my mother made large handkerchiefs out of them! (I still have one). At two houses on my round I was told where to find the door key, the tea caddy, cup and saucer, teapot, kettle and biscuits, so I could go in and have a break with tea and biscuits. Yet I was a completely unknown schoolboy. What a different life it was in those days! In 1943 we had visits from many of my sister’s school friends, on leave from the Forces. Nora was born in 1924 and had attended Moldgreen Council School and Greenhead High School. She went to Hull University and was asked under the State Scheme to study Aeronautical Engineering and moved on to military aircraft design at the Brough Works of Blackburn Aircraft. The Lysander was an early design she worked on. I played football for the Almondbury Grammar School and we had games against the military units in the town including the large Almondbury anti-aircraft unit.

Huddersfield’s largest: Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, near Meltham, was completed in 1876 at a cost of £260,000. It has a cpacity of 700,000,000 gallons. 48

The Almondburian Poets

EOFFREY MICHAEL COLE attended Almondbury Grammar School from 1940-45. He composed his poem in the darkest days of the Second World War and it appeared in The Almondburian in April 1942.

ing, giving a thumbs up and finally flashing his headlight. In 1944 work continued on the defences of the reservoir and my summer holiday was spent at Bedale, near Northallerton- living with a farmer and his family and working to get the crops in. Sad to say my first assignment was with a horse and cart to take a load of clover from field to farmyard. I got the horse through the yard gate but turned too quickly and the cart knocked the gate post out! In December 1944 we saw our first flying bombs. What a Christmas for me: on December 27th 1944 I was, under conscription, sent early in the morning to Aketon Road in Castleford to a ‘Bevin Boy’ hostel to train as a coal miner. I later worked at the Prince of Wales Colliery and then at Lepton Edge Colliery. I was demobbed in 1947. We just about managed for food during the War Years; the only time we had problems was when I began to eat more

HAPPY THOUGHTS Last night before I fell asleep, Thoughts in my head began to creep. I thought of things that we could buy, In those old days that have passed by, Before this awful war and fuss Came and spoilt most things for us. I thought of chocolates, sweets and pop; It almost caused my heart to stop. To dwell on thoughts of fresh cream trifle Just made me wish I had a rifle To shoot the guy who started this (And take my word, I wouldn’t miss). But as I don’t possess a gun There was but one thing to be done. I pulled the clothes about my head, And went to sleep in my little bed. G Cole (2 alpha)

when working on the coal face. Food for sandwiches was scarce. We made many concoctions at home with war time recipe books, using the family’s scaled- down rations. Whilst at Blackmoorfoot we had a large pot of meat and vegetables which we would share. I remember one chap shooting a rabbit to go into the pot, and I bought horse meat at a shop in Huddersfield. Because we had limited clothing coupons, mother made clothing up from old curtains etc for my sister. The milkman, one of a large family at the local Haigh’s farm in Rawthorpe, gave me some useful old clothing to wear down the pit. The Haighs were friends of the family. We used the British Restaurant in Huddersfield and the one in Leeds to get a hot meal – it assisted with food rationing. One spin-off from the black-out meant we could clearly see the night sky and we learnt the name and location of all the different constellations in the sky. n 49

NEWS

End of an era for Marks & Spencer developed with an almost identical facade; the premises are now occupied by Vision Express. The Huddersfield store was just one of 17 M & S stores recently earmarked for closure. n

or generations of pupils, few weekends would pass without a shopping trip into ‘town’. Those keen on Meccano would call in at Barker’s to gaze at its wondrous window displays or to buy a few new cogwheels at the counter upstairs. Those keen on building radio sets would make forTaylor’s in Macauley Street, with its shop windows full of components each with its individual price label typed by the ancient bent figure of Mr Taylor who seemed to have run the shop for ever. In New Street, there would always be some reason to pop into ‘Woolies’, who seemed to sell virtually anything one could want in life. And a few doors further along the road was Marks & Spencer’s, from which there was no escape if you were with your mum and in need of a new vest or perhaps a pair of socks. Over the years, Barker’s, Taylor’s and Woolworth’s have all gradually disappeared, along with many other well known high street names.And now, to the shock of many, the name of Marks & Spencer has been added to the list. The store closed its doors on Saturday, 4th May 2019. The store opened in its New Street location in 1934, when the lower photograph was taken. The building had previously been occupied by Burton’sTailors who were responsible for the vaguely Art Deco/Egyptian style. Burton’s moved to new premises at the junction of King Street and New Street which they

MEMORIES

Teaching, sport and a glass of vino DAV I D S M A L LWO OD ( 1963 - 1970) After yet another claim that the 1970-71 soccer team was the best ever I thought that someone should try and put the case for the First XI of the previous year. ing that short year realised that I did not honestly want to go back and live in Thatcher’s England. So my peregrinations continued. I went off to Savoie and the mountains,

left King James’s Grammar School in 1970 to take up a place at St John’s College, Cambridge, graduating four years later with a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages. Although it is not compulsory at Cambridge, I spent some time in France as an ‘assistant’ in a ‘lycée’ to learn the language. I loved the teaching and although I had been promised a job in export marketing with British Leyland I went back to Cambridge to do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and become a teacher. For four years, I taught French in a comprehensive school in Cambridge before I became bored with tying shoelaces and straightening ties, and so went freelance as a language teacher. There are probably not many cities in the UK where one could do this, but with a Royal Society of Arts ‘Teaching of English as a Foreign Language’ diploma I was equipped to teach English or French. This lasted until around 1985 when my brother Ian, another Almondburian*, suggested that I go and join him teaching in Malawi, where he was head of English in a secondary school.This I did, and dur-

David Smallwood has spent all his career teaching, for the past 24 years at Bordeaux University and the Institute of Political Studies. He and his wife Nadine have two children and David claims that they would win an Almondburian competition for the greatest distance separating them: Anaïs is a recent mother now living in Cairns, Australia, a 15-hour time difference away from her brother Tom who is playing college basketball in Tennessee, USA. David and his wife live in Soucats, 30km south of Bordeaux.

*Ian Smallwood attended King James’s Grammar School from 1966-73. 51

“…I had the privilege of working hand-inhand with a certain Michel Barnier, now Chief EU Brexit Negotiator”.

where I continued to work freelance, teaching English to ski instructors, restaurant owners and tourist workers who were all fired up for the Winter Olympics in Albertville in 1992. The Savoyards are a bit like Yorkshire people in that they are tight with their money, and most of them saw learning English as a way of making more money before and during the Games. By dint of working closely with ski instructors, I eventually became one myself! In 1991, the Olympic Games organising committee asked me to head up the translation team in the international press centre, where I had the privilege of working hand-in-hand with a certain Michel Barnier, co-President of the committee and now a household name in England as European Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom’s Brexit negotiations. After the Games, I was given the contract to translate ‘Le Journal Officiel’ of the Games. This is a doorstep of a book, which you cannot buy, but which is given to sponsors and to future organisers to show exactly, in great detail, how the Olympics were organised. This was important, as the 1992 Games were a watershed in Olympic history; the International Olympics Committee had decided that the organisation of two Olympic Games in the same year was too large a task, and so the next Winter Olympics would be held in Lillehammer in Norway in 1994, with only two years in which to organise it.

After my Alpine sojourn, I wanted two things: one to be a student again, and two to return to the North of England. So I got a place as a Master student in European Studies and a teaching post in English and French at Leeds University. I had a great year, culminating in meeting my future wife, Nadine, who had been teaching French and was on her way back to France. As I came to realise, again, that England was not really the place for me, I followed her, and after taking the French ‘aggrégation’ (competitive exam to reach the highest level of teaching), I was accepted at Université Montesquieu Bordeaux IV as a teacher of English and, eventually, European politics. For many years now I have been gratefully receiving The Almondburian to remind me of days long gone by while trying to relate them to my existence here for the last 24 years in South West France. It seems so far away, chronologically and geographically! I have also been tempted to write back concerning certain articles that have appeared – one in particular about mischievous acts and teacher brutality almost coerced me to take to my keyboard as I have many stories of mischief that could easily be construed as examples of student brutality (poor Killer Walker – I loved him!), but that’s for another time. 52

there somewhere. No – my mind has not been ‘terribly confused’ by ‘crap Budweiser’, as apparently has that of Tony Cape! It may, however, have been slightly influenced by not-so-crap Bordeaux wine. Incidentally, I love the photo of that team, in the last edition, particularly the hair. What is also interesting, for me and, perhaps, for many of the players in that team, was that my dad was trainer of the Oakes CYC under-18 side playing on Saturday afternoons in the local league. He used to come and watch the School team play in the mornings and, as an exprofessional player, was singularly unimpressed with Ken Ireland’s input to team

However, Phil Shaw’s claim, and ‘Slime’ Russell’s support of it in the March 2019 issue that the team of 1970-71 was the best ever has finally made me slough off my sloth and respond. I was actually part of the 1970-71 team for the first part of the year until I left KJGS at Christmas. The team comprised many players from the previous year and many who had been on the fringe. However I think the results of the team of 1969-70 were better than those posted for 70-71. I cannot claim that my memory is totally accurate but I believe that we lost only one match that season – I think to Holme Valley – and won the rest, or with the odd drawn game in

‘I believe that we lost only one match that season’ t’s true that the 1969-70 First XI had a good season. The Almondburian reported in Spring Term 1970: The 1st XI Football, under the able and enthusiastic captaincy of D. H. Rockett, has had an extremely successful and consistent season, culminating in a ﬁne display in the Yorkshire Grammar Schools 7-a-side tournament. Among the forwards, D.Taylor and P. H. Shaw have been the leading goal scorers, amassing a total of nearly 50 goals between them. The main agent in the team’s success, however, has been an uncompromising defence, helped by the tireless efforts of D. N.Morrison in midﬁeld. As with all teams. the weather has at times proved an unconquerable adversary, and it is likely that, granted a more sympathetic climate, the team would have improved upon its record still further. But sadly the record book does not substantiate David Smallwood’s extravagant claim to have lost only one match that season. In fact, the team was defeated four times, by Mirfield, Highlands, Holme Valley and New College. Crap Budweiser? Not-so-crap Bordeaux? We leave the reader to decide.

First XI Football team 1969-70. Back row (left to right): A Humphries, D.Taylor, A C Drabble, I C Sheard, B H Nash, R Williams. Front row: S A Graley; D N Morrison, Headmaster Harry Taylor, D H Rockett (Capt), K L W Ireland, D J Smallwood, P H Shaw

place at Cambridge – almost entirely due to my sports CV as opposed to my academic record – where I played, very occasionally, for the university at cricket (Majid Khan and Phil Edmonds being the better known players in that side) and, more regularly, at soccer, with Dave Morrison, who was in that 69-70 side. Unfortunately I was not selected for the 1971 Wembley ‘Blues’ game, after having played all the games up to the one before Wembley. Had I been, this would have created a ‘first’ with two Almondburians playing at Wembley at the same time. But it was not to be. I stayed on in Cambridge, as a ‘townie’ rather than as a ‘gownie’ and played local cricket for Camden CC. I was selected to play for the Cambridgeshire Minor Counties side, and was in and out for the following seven years, during which time we qualified twice for the Nat West. I also played most years for the Old Johnians (ex-students of St John’s College) against the College and one year had the pleasure of putting on

affairs (sorry, Ken was a great guy but not really a ‘hands-on’ coach!). He said to me one day early in the season, “If you can get them lads to come and play for us, I’ll make all of ’em better players!”. I suggested this to some of the guys and almost all decided to sign on for Oakes. So as a team, we played together Saturday mornings for the School and in the afternoon for the club. Again age may sweeten memories, but I think we won almost everything that season. I particularly remember beating Plaza Teen Club 25-0, a game in which I was playing centre forward and never scored whereas all the other players, including Ian ‘Charlie’ Sheard as goalkeeper, managed to do so! Nice memories which certainly gave dad a lot of pleasure, not that he would ever have admitted it as a dyed-in-the-wool Yorkshireman! On the sports front I would like to add, with as little ego as possible, my own exploits to those of other former pupils described in previous issues. As I said, I was very lucky to be offered a 54

there are some very good players. Richie Benaud was, for a time, president of France Cricket. The Bordeaux side for the last few years has been dominated by the presence of several Afghan asylum-seekers, who requested information about cricket from the reception centre in the city where they were living. During my time as captain we had South Africans, Australians, New Zealanders and Brits playing, with one passionate French guy, Benoit, who had all the kit and followed us everywhere until he was capable of playing. His enthusiasm was almost embarrassing. In fact, France can lay claim to being the country of origin of cricket. The first known mention of the game was in a letter to the king in 1478 concerning a dispute which had arisen over the game in Liettres near St Omer. It was sent upstairs to Hawkeye for a decision! For several years I went round schools demonstrating the game to tempt young French kids to try it but the teams are too widespread and there is no equivalent of French footballers Zizou or Mbappé, as a role model for them. I was trainer and manager of the French Under-17

180 with a certain Mike Brearley, who had studied at the college. Needless to say he was captaining the side! When I permanently moved to Bordeaux I discovered purely by chance that Bordeaux had a cricket club which I joined and eventually captained for 10 years. Now this might produce a little titter from cricket enthusiasts – French cricket, yes Jack? During the time I was playing with Bordeaux, I played several times for the French national team, including a tour of England where we played against Sussex and Middlesex Seconds – lost both, but not embarrassingly, and I managed to scrape 47 on my 47th birthday at Hove. France is in the International Cricket Council (ICC) second division, just after the likes of Scotland, Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands, the giants of European non-test cricket, in the first division. Most players in the national side and the 50 or so French teams are of Pakistani, Indian or Sri Lankan origin, and

A family shot of all four of us , plus a very young granddaughter (one week at most and her first outing) in the tropical rain forest of North Queensland. 55

grounds. Sadly there was a lot of rain about so we didn’t see much cricket but I did meet up with one ex-player from Almondbury Cricket Club, the Club’s late president, Donald Earnshaw [father of OAS member Chris Earnshaw]. Although he wasn’t sure which ‘Dave’ I was, (Morrison or Smallwood), we chewed the cud for a while over a pint or two of Tetley’s best. My French wife, Nadine, was spellbound by memories and such detailed descriptions of matches from so long ago, and we had a good time, although I was sad to see the state of the Almondbury CC and School ground. But the Wesleyans ground was magnificent! Last year I chose to prolong my working life by three years, which may surprise many of my ex-classmates, now happily retired; but I still love my job and it’s not killing me. Also, I lost 10 years of ‘ancienneté’ by moving from England to France so I wanted to make sure that my pension would be as interesting as possible. God willing, I will finish my working life here at the Institute for Political Studies, teaching English and European politics to extremely bright and eager students who make me feel a lot younger! After retirement, qui sait? Travelling obviously, to see the kids, but also pootling around this neck of the woods is not unpleasant. The Pyrenees are an hour away, Spain one and a half, most of the Bordeaux chateaux do impromptu wine-tastings, might “do a Gnome” and play golf all the time, walking the dog in the pine forests around our home, whatever… n

side for a few years and, although again most players were of Asian origin, there were some native-born French kids involved who were not bad players. Any youngsters who have a modicum of sporting talent have so many well-organized and well-coached options available to them that, if there is no media coverage, few will chose cricket. The last time we were in Huddersfield, summer of 2017, the Huddersfield Examiner announced that Almondbury, Almondbury Wesleyans and the Old Almondburians were all playing at home on the same day, so we did a tour of the Sports Day 1970: receiving the Trump Trophy and Victor Ludorum

MEMORIES

Yes, Minister! My time in Whitehall Three years of seemingly interminable Brexit negotiations have placed the spotlight on Westminster as never before, with plots and counterplots worthy of the BBC’s muchloved 1980s comedy Yes, Minister. We wondered if this was really howWhitehall worked – and who better to ask but former Private Secretary David Morphet (KJGS 1951-58)?

HE Editor has asked me how smile but which was not very funny at close is the comedy of Yes, Minis- the time. Soon after the arrival at the Deter to real life. From my experi- partment of Energy of a newly-appointed Secretary of State I was asked to come ence, not very. In my 25 years or so in Whitehall I along to discuss some policy matter with him – I forget what. worked with a good I found him number of Minisalone in his office. ters. They constantly This was unusual as faced policy and poa Private Secretary litical predicaments, ought always to be and could get into present at such serious tangles, but meetings to take a not in the dim-witnote of anything that ted way of Jim is decided. He was Hacker. standing, and after a And the Permaminute or so denent Secretaries cided to sit. whom I have known Now, new Secreworked hard to estaries of State may tablish a relationship DAVID MORPHET was Private find it difficult to efof confidence with Secretary to Foreign Secretaries George fect any immediate Ministers. When Brown and Michael Stewart from 1966 to development of polthey succeeded it 1968. He later held a number of senior was not through the positions in Whitehall before moving to the icy but one thing private sector in 1989. they can do from suave manipulations A former Head Boy of King James’s of a Sir Humphrey. Grammar School, David is now a successful Day One is re-position the furniture in Were there no poet, having published fifteen collections of verse. His latest volume Another Planet their room. This he comic moments? Earth was reviewed in the November 2018 had done. Well, here is an inci- issue of The Almondburian. David lives with his wife Sarah in Unfortunately he dent which I can London. had forgotten the look back on with a 57

The BBC political satire Yes, Minister, written by Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, was broadcast from 1980 to 1988 and is still regularly repeated today. It followed the ministerial ambitions of the hapless Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) invariably resisted by his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) and Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds).

I explained current policy and the period of time needed before the most highly radioactive material could be removed so as to allow the concrete shield or containment structure to be totally dismantled. I was expecting to be asked about technical advances which might reduce this period. But why, one Member asked, could structures not be left intact for ever like the Pyramids – a permanent feature on the landscape of historic, cultural and even aesthetic importance? I muttered something about public acceptance but really wanted to say “Come on!You cannot be serious!” But officials in front of Select Committees must always be polite. Sir Humphrey would have been subtle. I hear him say with a feline smile that that was a most interesting idea and was there any particular nuclear power station structure which the Member would personally like to see preserved for posterity – Sizewell, for instance, or Dungeness? That would have seen him off. n

re-positioning and flopped down on an armchair that was no longer there. His head hit the very solid wall with a resounding crack (this was the robust Thames House building now occupied by MI5) and seemed to pass out. To my immense relief he came round, rose shakily to his feet and shook himself – without making the slightest remark about his undignified collapse – and we concluded our business. I wondered what would have happened if he had not regained consciousness. In the absence of a Private Secretary witness, some kind of altercation followed by a brawl might have been alleged. It would certainly have been a matter for official if not police investigation. Of course Sir Humphrey would have had a story ready. Another incident comes to mind. From time to time I was required to give evidence before Select Committees of Parliament, and on one occasion questioning turned to the decommissioning of nuclear power stations. 58

Classroom commentary LAUREN NUTTON (staff) The boys and girls hold a lively debate at school, and I decide to abseil down the side of a 269 ft high tower block and consistency in their argument. Nonetheless, the boys came up with some outstanding points (including the fact that

S the GCSE exams become more gruelling and focussed on independent learning, I continuously find myself trying to fathom new ways to get students to think for themselves and practise the skills needed to be successful in their exams. In one lesson, I decided to experiment using the interesting, ever-lasting debate: “Women are more successful than men because girls try harder at school than boys”. Splitting the class up into two teams – girls vs boys – I posed the argument to the students and asked them to write speeches, outlining their views on the matter. During the planning stages, I went around the room, listening to the girls’ ideas and feeding them back to the boys and vice versa. This allowed them to create superb counter-arguments and created a fantastic debate by the end of the lesson. The girls won in the end, purely because of the clarity

Peparing their arguments: the boys vs girls debate led to a lively debate. 59

the Principal of King James’s is male). The girls counter-argued this with the fact that we have a female prime minister and that more boys than girls get in trouble in school. Getting students engaged in current social issues helps them develop their understanding of the world and highlights to them the importance of evolving their own opinions and not just believing what they read in the media.

Not one to ‘go it alone’, I coaxed a colleague of mine (David Chew) into abseiling with me. Not only did David complete the abseil on the evening of Sunday 19th May 2019, but he had also completed a half-marathon that morning in Snowdonia. This is all part of his training leading up to the ‘8 marathons in 8 days’ challenge that he is running for the charity Meningitis now (good going, David). The abseil was 269 ft and it was down the Leeds Student Village building next to the First Direct Arena in Leeds.We managed to raise £284.05 for British Red Cross. We decided to do the abseil wearing the King James’s School jumper to show the people of Leeds just how fantastic our school is. You only need to walk into the staffroom or walk down the corridors to see just how much students and staff do for charity throughout the year. On the day, we turned up, had a few photographs in the uniform and we were sent straight to the top of the building, asked to put on our harnesses, given helmets and gloves and walked out onto the top of the building. It all happened so quickly, there was not any time to even contemplate what we were about to do. As we were about to descend, I looked down (that was a huge mistake), buildings always seem smaller when you are standing at the bottom. However, I was already over the edge, the only way was down, so off down I went. It was both terrifying and exhilarating but all for a good cause and in the name of King James’s School!

King James’s School at 269 ft. As part of a personal NewYear’s resolution of mine to give more and expect less, I decided to participate in a charity abseil.

Don’t look down: David Chew (left) with Lauren abseiling down the walls of Leeds Student Village in Leeds on 19th May.

really looking forward to us working together to act upon all the great ideas they’ve shared and to ensure an enjoyable and successful year 11. Well done to all the candidates for getting through the tough and stressful interviews, it’s not easy being grilled by six people. Congratulations to Ben for being appointed Head Boy and Libby, Millie, Numaan and Matthew for being selected as deputies. All these roles are well deserved, and you should be extremely proud of yourselves.Your support this year will be greatly appreciated. I am very honoured and proud to receive this position. I will represent the School to the best of my abilities. I credit this School for helping me grow into the confident and assured person that I am today, and I know I will continue to develop over this coming year as an individual. I would once again like to thank the se-

A celebration of our senior students Each year two students from year 11 are awarded the titles of ‘Head Boy’ and ‘Head Girl’.This privilege is earned from the hard work and dedication put in by the students throughout their time in school. Several students apply each year : the process includes writing a letter outlining their qualities and achievements, attending an interview with Mr Rimmer and members of SLG, and being recommended by senior members of staff. The role is especially demanding, but it is fantastic for the students’ confidence and college applications. They are expected to make speeches throughout the year at presentation evening, open evening and at their senior student evening, the annual celebration when the students are presented with their badges, ties and marks when the new cohort take over. Eve Haigh and Ben Martin’s speeches for senior student evening this year were outstanding and really highlight how much effort goes into the role: Eve Haigh: “I’m told this will be good practice for the Town Hall, so here goes…!” I would first like to congratulate all the senior students for achieving their positions. This year we have a great team of senior students and I am

Abbigail Terry

Senior Student Evening: Head Boy Ben Martin and Head Girl Eve Haigh received their certificates on 23rd March.

nior students, all those involved in the selection process and thank you all for coming, I hope you have enjoyed this evening. Ben Martin Tonight is all about celebrating success and being proud, not only about what we have achieved, but proud about how we will write our own chapter in the King James’s history book. I think back to the morning in September 2015, when we first put on our school uniform, butterflies in our stomachs, not knowing what to expect.Who would have thought we would be standing here today, as a Team of Senior Students, ready to pass on our knowledge and experience to those who are about to start their journey at King James’s? To the Senior Students, congratulations and thank you for putting yourselves forward for the role – you bring with you great ideas and ambition about how we could drive change to support our students, both physically and emotionally, and I look forward to working with you to take these ideas forward. To Eve and the Deputies, let’s make sure 2019–2020 is the best year yet, and I wish you every success in your roles. Finally, on a personal note, I feel very honoured and privileged to stand here today as the next Head Boy of King James’s. During my interview, I remember being ‘interrogated’ about how I would make a difference and how I would drive positive change. Please be assured that I will deliver on my promise and my end goal of making this School a happy and successful learning environment for all. As you can see, the passion that these students have really does shine through and

A sad farewell to mathematics teacher John Britton, a champion fund-raiser in his time at King James’s School.

hopefully, these students will be the next generation of the OAS and will carry on the legacy that we continue to build. Goodbye Mr Britton! Writing of fundraising, I’m sorry to report that King James’s is losing a highly valued member of staff who has raised over £12,000 over his 12 years at the school: John Britton is leaving us to join another school, closer to home. Whilst here, he has hosted four Macmillan coffee mornings, three fun runs, inflatable football tournaments, cycled with other staff members the distance of the Tour De France and arranged an ‘old school sports day’. The tremendous effort that John has put into raising money for various charities is commendable and I am sure that you will agree that the School is losing a real treasure. Good luck with the future, John. n 62

COLLECTORS’ ITEMS

Malapropisms and paraprosdokians Some people collect stamps; others collect paintings, model railways or luxury motor cars. But our antipodean contributor JOHN BRADLEY has more esoteric tastes. share, with a former colleague, Ron Goodman, a little whimsical pastime. We collect malapropisms, paraprosdokians and other evidence of the mistreatment (or perhaps enhancement) of the English language from radio, television, the press and elsewhere.

I thought our collection may provide a little incidental amusement for the readers of The Almondburian. Some may only be appreciated by inhabitants of the antipodean continent but others are universal.

Historical malapropisms

Malapropism: l n. the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar sounding one  Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines.  Joan of Arc was burnt to a steak and was carbonized by Bernard Shaw and the

Pope.  Johann Bach wrote a great many musical compositions and had a large number of children. In between he practised on an old spinster which he kept up in his attic. Bach died from 1750 to the present.  The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history.  Julius Caesar extinguished himself on the battlefields of Gaul. The Ides of March murdered him because they thought he was going to be made king. JOHN BRADLEY lives in Frankston in the state of Victoria, Australia. He attended King James’s Grammar School from 1950-57 and studied Chemical Engineering at UMIST from 1957-60. Initially he worked in Stockton 0n Tees where he became group leader in the design of plants for the production of methanol and ammonia.This led to a feasability study into methanol production for Australian clients, and John has lived in Australia with his wife Avril since 1971.They have three children, Mark, Adam and Kimberley. In due course he moved from design into sales and became a board member of his company in 1980. Bob retired in 1999 and occupies himself with golf, lawn bowls, cryptic crosswords, reading and collecting books on history and biography.. 63

Perceptive paraprosdokians

Paraprosdokian: l n. Literary device in which the final part of a phrase or sentence is unexpected.  Where there's a will, I want to be in it.  The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.  Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear

them speak.  If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.  We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.  War does not determine who is right – only who is left.  Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Dubious definitions  Cashtration: The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.  Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realise it was your money to start with.  Coffee: The person upon whom one coughs.  Testicle: A humorous question in an exam.  Circumvent: An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.  Balderdash: A rapidly receding hairline.  Caterpallor: The colour you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating.

We heard it on the air…  “Well when taking all things into account the most important rule is ‘Caveat Vendor.’”  “Removal of the subsidy will increase the price of energy Per Capita Per Head.”  “He made $300,000 last year working on his own by himself.”  “I don’t like the way all these religions are bantered about.”  “We were driving in as they were driving out, like ships that pass in the desert.”  “You would have to fight me Tooth and Comb to get that recipe.”  “The Police took him away in cuff links.”

We’ll include a further selection of malapropisms, paraprosdokians and grammatical aberrations in future issues. Examples are always welcome: send them to almondburian@oas.org.uk. 64

Badminton/Tennis A N D RE W H A I GH

andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk

BADMINTON HE 2018-19 Badminton season has been one of the most successful for many years, with the seventeen Almondburians and friends who played over the course of the season being joined by fifteen current pupils at the School.The majority of the current pupils were Year 11 GCSE P.E. students who benefitted from the additional practice and playing against more experienced players. Hopefully, their time with us will have helped them to better GCSE grades and we do hope that they come back to play again next season as Old Almondburians in their own right. Numbers playing each week this season have mostly been in the teens, something that we haven’t seen for a good number of years, and we even hit twenty-one players one week in February, which may well be an all-time record.What a good job it is that Kirkburton Badminton Club no longer play on aThursday evening and we have all four courts at our disposal! Following the success of the GCSE P.E. students playing with us this season, next season Kim Clarke, Head of P.E., is interested in exploring the possibility of us doing some coaching with students prior to the Old Al-

mondburians’ sessions. The students could then stay on and play games with us afterwards as this year. This is obviously another exciting avenue to be explored. The 2019-20 badminton season starts on Thursday, 5th September and we are always pleased to see new players, so why not come along and join us?We play in the School sports hall eachThursday evening during term-time from 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. and our season runs untilThursday, 21st May, 2020.The fee, to cover the hire of the sports hall, shuttlecocks and showers, is £5.00 per person per evening if fewer than eight members are playing, £4.00 per person if eight or more members play and £3.00 per person if twelve or more play. However, please note that current students don’t count towards those figures – it’s free for them! Afterwards, those who have reached the age of majority adjourn to the Conservative Club for refreshments. 65

We are delighted to have been joined by the following GCSE students: Caelan Hadwin Tyler Perkin Inès Gately Jake Cockerham Rachel Su Ella McGlynn Zachary Comam Dom Sullivan Annabel Haigh Liam Kafanke Sam Sykes Charlotte Haigh Hannah Ahmed Eleanor Haigh

Members who have played so far this season are: Robin Merchant David Parry Matthew Booth Emily Murphy Craig Watts Joe Schewtschuk Nicky Murphy Andrew Haigh Bernie Gately Neil Gledhill Ian Daffern Lidia Morton Sean Morton Hazel Pacurib

TENNIS HE 2019 Almondburian Tennis season opened on Thursday, 30th May. Once again, Longley Tennis Club are kindly accommodating us on Thursday evenings from 7.30 p.m. until dusk, weather permitting, until Thursday, 29th August. ‘Weather permitting’ is the key phrase here, for whilst 30th May was a pleasant enough evening, the British weather in the early weeks of June was appalling and it’s not just the County

Championship and the Cricket World Cup that suffered! Fortunately there is an indoor court at Longley, although this is used for coaching until 8 pm. We therefore resorted to playing inside for an hour or so from 8 pm during the periods of bad weather. 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 (to cover the Guest Fee), per person, per evening. Almondburian tennis is purely social, so why not come along and join us? Afterwards, we partake of refreshments in Almondbury Conservative Club. Those who have played so far this season are: Andrew Haigh Eleanor Haigh Charlotte Haigh David Parry Neil Gledhill Lidia Morton 66

Golf: Gothard Cup 2019 ROBIN MERCHANT

robin.merchant@oas.org.uk

HIS year’s Gothard Cup, held on Sunday 23rd June, at its traditional home ofWoodsome Hall Golf Club, turned out to be a great event for the Roberts brothers, with Jonathan the winner and Tim in second place! There were nine competitors: Robin Sharman, Paul Grant, Tim Roberts, Jonathan Roberts, Gary Boothroyd, David Parry, MarkWaring, Geoff Headey and myself. The course we found to be in excellent condition and a great test of golf, particularly if you had the misfortune of straying into the rough, more accurately described later as the jungle!

The results were: l Winner Jonathan Roberts (41 points) l 2nd place Tim Roberts (36 points) l Longest Drive Jonathan Roberts at the 14th with a drive of 251 yards, uphill and into wind! l Nearest the Pin Robin Merchant at the 10th. Jonathan was a deserved winner, not only as he is a first-time winner but also, as he told us later, he has not been breaking 100 in his last few games. He really enjoyed himself, hitting the ball great distances off the tee and winning the longest drive by a country mile. The ‘Nearest the Pin’ provided great suspense as the last group approached the 10th.

Happy winner of the Gothard Cup 2019: Jonathan Roberts (left) with Robin Merchant

Photos: Andrew Haigh

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 Bunkered: Tim Roberts in front of the 7th green.  David Parry on the 8th fairway with his caddy, Charlotte Haigh (Year 7).  Mark Waring on the 1st tee.  Geoff Headey putting on the 6th green.  Robin Sharman on the 8th tee.

I should like to thank all those who attended as we collected £30 for a School Prize which will be presented to the pupil demonstrating ‘the best sporting achievement outside School’. As the evening was ending I suddenly remembered that we had not sung the School Song. Fortunately, this position was salvaged by a wonderful ‘barbershop quartet’ of Robin, David, Andrew Haigh and I giving what we thought was a great rendition. We will again be holding the Gothard Cup in mid-June 2020 and if you think you might enjoy some good company mixed in with some golf do try and join us. n

Robin Sharman hit a great shot followed by myself.We approached the green to find the balls next to each other, just six feet past the flag, with mine just inside Robin’s. As Robin pointed out, mine must have just knocked his away… Although Richard Brown was unable to attend due to work commitments, I should like to thank him for his generosity in providing a fantastic winning prize, a golfing jumper. Paul Grant produced his ‘Old School’ scarf, knitted by his mother back in 1958, and he presented this to the winner on the understanding that this will continue to be handed over to winners in years to come. 68

Postbag YO U WRITE … I was the School bell-ringer From: David Anderson (1948-1955)

ONGRATULATIONS on another interesting issue. I particularly enjoyed Roger Sykes’s page and I can confirm that the School bell was rung during the 1950s – often by yours truly. When in the 6th form (1953-55), I used to spend the latter part of each lunchtime in the Library and one of my duties was to ring the bell from 13.50 pm to 13.55 pm. From a slow toll at first, the pace was quickened as the deadline ap-

proached, ending with a rapid burst at the end before the first lesson of the afternoon. The first issue of The Almondburian makes a fascinating read after 130 odd years. I must try the link later. Finally the article about the Dartmouth Medal led me to get mine out and polish up the tarnished silver! Thanks again for some interesting reads. Chislehurst, Kent

G & S – and some memories of ‘Kibs’ From: John Addy (1955-1963)

prodigiously talented, much respected in his field and, though everything has its time and every dog its day, I think he was keenly hurt by the loss of the G&S productions in the fifties. I look forward with great pleasure to Part 3. I was delighted to see the piece submitted by Professor Colin Robson about Karen Spärck Jones, a former neighbour in Sharp Lane. Karen (long ‘a’) was always called ‘Kibs’ by everyone, including her parents, Kibs consisting of the initial letters of her four forenames. She was five or six years older than my sister, about ten years older than me, and an absolutely lovely girl, full of sunshine and energy. She was immensely clever in a totally unswot-

am emailing to say how much I have enjoyed the articles about ‘The Gilbert and Sullivan Years’. You really bring home the point that these productions not only gave AGS a tremendously high profile in the Huddersfield area, but also contributed in a considerable measure to the much respected musical tradition of Yorkshire’s industrial heartland. These inter-war years were, I suspect, very happy years at the School; certainly for my parents. I think they represented their happiest time at Almondbury. I was very pleased to see the high profile that you give to Harry Gledhill in Part 2 of the series.The kindest of men, he was 69

achieved international recognition for her work, I was saddened to see that she had died so long ago. I would be so glad if you could pass on my thanks to Professor Robson for his memoir of this lovely woman – his portrait of Kibs tearing along on her bike absolutely ‘gets’ her vital, breezy personality. Continuing thanks for the high quality of the magazine, always a great pleasure to receive. Mirfield,WestYorkshire Colin Robson adds: Karen Ida Boalth Spärck Jones’s mother was well spoken of in the village – no mean feat for a foreigner in the village then. Dodsons the greengrocers, by the bus terminus, was the main gossip centre. I had a regular task of picking up their home-made fishcakes for tea on a Friday and listened to the women gossiping – it could take a long time to be served. It’s where I picked up that she was known as ‘Kibs’ (Karen Ida Boalth Spärke Jones).

ty way, a real high-flier at Greenhead who always seemed to have a hockey stick or tennis racket strapped to her schoolbag. No-one was surprised when she got into Cambridge.While still at school, Kibs was a frequent visitor at our house and sometimes minded my sister and me when our parents were out, times when her company was greatly enjoyed. Kibs's father was a scientist (for me, the prototype for Uncle Quentin of Famous Five fame). Her mother was very beautiful, white-haired and sweet. The footnote to the article says that Mrs Jones came to England during World War 2, though Kibs would have been born in 1933 or 1934. I have no idea where they lived before they came to Almondbury. Their house, ‘Hillside’, was a ‘flattie’ like ours and would have been built in 1935 or 1936. While it was a delight to discover that Kibs had such an illustrious career and

Dressing up put me off Gilbert & Sullivan for life! From: Jim Dye (1947-1954) because there were comments that it was disgraceful that boys and girls shared the same changing room in the Temperance Hall of all places. On the other hand Happy Harry dragooned me not only into the School choir but Lindley church as well. I didn’t carry on singing after I left School and never had any serious music lessons but come the Millennium, when I had retired to North Yorkshire, the local choir advertised for people to join in singing Handel’s Messiah as part of the celebrations. Having sung it under Har-

enjoyed the article about Happy Harry and the G&S productions. I was one of the 1947 class and remember being in The Gondoliers (1948 ) and The Pirates of Penzance (1949). I have mixed memories. As a page in The Gondoliers, dressed up in a white silk outfit, and as one of General Stanley's daughters in Pirates I felt like a ‘you-know-what’ and it put me off G&S for life. I had two big sisters who delighted in dressing me up as a girl, frilly knickers and all. The costumes must have been good

Above: the cast of The Gondoliers in March 1948.The writer is on the front row, second from the right. Below: the programme for the production, at the Temperance Hall.The cast included Jeff Taylor, who became a Huddersfield Town footballer and later an international opera singer.

“We’ll offer thanks for all we’ve learned” it isn’t only the academic subjects. In closing, is there anybody who can remember singing “No man having put his hand to the plough…” (Luke 9:62) for an audio recording in the gym? We had to sing it over and over again until it was OK. I sometimes wonder if I just imagine it but the memory is usually reliable for things which happened so long ago. York, North Yorkshire

ry’s tutelage I was not fazed by a fourpart musical score and thought I’d give it a go. I found that like all the other physical attributes the voice goes downhill with age and I was no longer a tenor; but I enjoyed it and joined the Ryedale Choral Society. This introduced me to the amazing world of choral music and the experience of singing in York Minster and The Sage at Gateshead. I was secretary for 10 years and owe it all to Harry. Just shows that when the School Song goes

Mrs Sizer taught me the Cachucha dance. From: Norris Bonser (1947-1954) remember our Gilbert &Sullivan days very well as they aroused in me an interest in G&S but also musicals in general. I am attaching another photo of the chorus from the Gondoliers production in 1948. The two beautiful damsels on the left are John Segar and myself! On the back row are Brian Hull, Trevor Holberry and Ronnie Boothroyd. I remember that Trevor Holberry also played the Nurse who ‘reveals all’ in the final act. Mrs Sizer was a brilliant producer of all the School operas at this time. She had been in the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and really brought authenticity to the show. I remember that she spent hours teaching John

Segar and me the Cachucha dance (Dance a Cachucha fandango balleira great music!). Because the stage was small she selected two pairs to do this dance and John and I were two of the smallest ‘girls’ (and the prettiest). I cannot remember our partners and I am sure they have tried hard to forget the experience. Huddersfield,WestYorkshire

Was it the same Wally? From: James Clayton (1947-1951) and later made quite a name for himself in cricket and football at a high level, as most of our readers will know. I remember once getting into an altercation with another lad in the playground and Wally got it sorted by issuing each of us with a pair of boxing gloves and before we knew it we were knocking ten bells out of each other much to everyone's amusement. My question: is my Wally Heap the same one who went to the School I later joined? Maybe someone can confirm one way or another. Old Catton, Norfolk

was browsing through Gerald Hinchliffe's History of King James’s Grammar School recently. On the section dealing with games, I noticed near the top of page 270 a reference to W E Heap (Wally) and his prowess on the cricket field. Before I joined the AGS (as it was then) in 1947, I was at Stile Common School. The headmaster was a Wally Heap. I think he had a son, Simon, who was there at the same time. Mr Heap was quite a character, particularly keen on sports. One of the pupils there was Ken Taylor, sportsman extraordinaire, who won everything in sight

Heritage Open Day 2019 HE School will once again be open to the public as part of the Heritage Open Days scheme, which this year in Huddersfield will be over the weekend of 21st-22nd September. The theme will be ‘People Power’and we plan to highlight the campaign to save the School during the controversial educational changes proposed in the early 1970s. The School will be open from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm on Saturday, 21st September and we have again arranged for the Charter to be on display.

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

Obituaries Prof Thomas Joseph Ledwidge (1942-1947) An apprentice electrician who becameVice-Chancellor of an Australian university. gained an Honours degree in Mathematics before answering an advertisement for research personnel at the UK Atomic Energy facility at Dounreay in the north of Scotland. Spending nine happy years rearing his growing young family there proved to be most successful in terms of practical work experience and achieving a PhD in nuclear engineering by external study. On a freezing day inThurso, reading the local paper, Tom saw a call for nuclear scientists to enlist in three year contracts in Australia where the government intended to build a nuclear power station.The attraction of new experience and warmer climes meant that he moved to Sydney with his family to work there until a change of government put a stop to nuclear development. Wishing to stay in Australia, he moved into academia to become Head of the Engineering department at the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education in Toowoomba. While there he progressed to be deputy Vice-Chancellor and then Interim Vice-Chancellor, leading

After having led a very healthy active life, Tom Ledwidge died peacefully at the age of 87 at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in Queensland, Australia. Educated at St Josephâ€™s Primary School, he progressed to Almondbury Grammar School, a school of which he was most proud. After gaining a School Certificate Tom started work on his 16th birthday at Brook Motors but finding the work repetitive and realising he was not learning new skills, he gained employment with the Yorkshire Electricity Board while attending HuddersfieldTechnical College classes threeevenings a week, aiming to get a National Certificate. He did so well at the Tech that he was given a full time scholarship to study for a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering.This led to employment with the National Coal Board where as a Graduate Apprentice he gained valuable experience in an industry that was mechanising rapidly after the devastating effects of the war years. Moving into research for the Board, he moved with a growing family to Burton-on-Trent for four years where he 74

Thomas Joseph Ledwidge, born 19th August 1931, died 10th October 2018, aged 87.

the Institute to progress to University status. Having achieved this aim, he decided it was time to retire to a beach house on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. During his career he met and married a Longley Hall girl, Jean Allan, whose brothers John and Malcolm also attended AGS.This marriage produced four children, ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren,who, with his wife and friends will miss him greatly but, as Tom once said,‘The dynasty is secure’.

[John Allan attended AGS from 1947-52 and become an engineer with the Yorkshire Electricity Board until his untimely death aged 56. Malcolm Allan attended the School from 1948-53 and worked at the Coal Tar Research Laboratories before being called to the Baptist Ministry. He now lives in the Midlands. Ed].

Ian Shaw (1946-1954) Head Boy of many talents who went on to become a successful teacher and headmaster. Ian Shaw died after a short illness on 18th March 2019 in Northallerton, aged 83. He joined Almondbury Grammar School, as it then was, in September 1946 from Stile Common Junior School, a sports nursery for football and cricket. In the lower school, he received, in his words, “every spur to improve his behaviour”, “quarante phrases” from Mr Ash and sets of 100 lines from other staff repeating, for example, “Oporto is a port in Portugal that exports port wine”. Ian was in Fenay House, though he believed his father John Miller Shaw (19191921) had been in Jessop. He was an avid chess player in a strong club encouraged by George Beach and in 1952 he won the chess trophy donated by his father’s headmaster, Taylor Dyson. He regularly represented the School at football, cricket and chess, finally as captain of each team. The sixth-form Jacobean Society, supported by senior staff, sharpened his debating and public meeting skills. In his last year he was Head Boy under

the very collaborative head, HarryTaylor, an experience that served him in good stead when responsible for running his own schools. Both his father and grandfather Edgar were technical dyers in the local textile in75

Ian Shaw (ringed) was Head Boy in 1953-54)

dustry, which did not tempt Ian. John was a stalwart on the Old Almondburians’ School Status Committee while Ian was at the School, which perhaps led to his interest in education. Ian won a Borough Scholarship to study at Liverpool University, finally choosing history over geography and graduating in 1958. He was, from his first year, a Yorkshireman opening the batting for a Lancashire university, a testament to his talent. In local cricket in the 1970s, he amassed over 1000 runs in a single season. Following a PGCE, also at Liverpool, Ian joined Sir George Monoux Grammar School,Walthamstow, as master in charge of school cricket and the football and cricket staff teams and old boys’ teams. He also ran the chess club. In 1962 he moved to Caludon Castle Comprehensive School in Coventry, the first local authority to “go comprehensive”. Here he was Head of History and in charge of the first XI football team. He became secretary of the History Teachers’ Society. Ian returned to Sir George Monoux, Walthamstow, in 1964, now combining Head of History with having charge of university applications. A deputy headship at the co-educational Whitby Grammar School attracted Ian back to Yorkshire in 1972. He was Director of

Studies and led the change from grammar school to comprehensive and from 11 to 18 year old pupils to 14 to 18 year olds. Ian played chess, cricket and football for staff teams and was keen to keep in touch with former pupils, many of whom went on to become school heads. In 1980 Ian was appointed Head of the all boys The Bishop’s Stortford High School where he restored the image of the school. He expanded the arts-based activities with music festivals, drama productions and debating, his pupils entering local and national competitions. He developed in-school, pupil-led societies and a school magazine. Also, he opened the sixth-form to girls. At a time when many schools had to sell their sports fields, Ian was involved in a project to acquire land at Jobbers’ Wood for several new pitches and a new pavilion, named, behind his back, asThe Shaw Pavilion. His PTA Chairman recalled Ian’s mastery of delegation and an ability to slot people in where they could be most effective. In December 1998, after 18 happy and remarkable years, Ian retired to Northallerton with Barbara, his wife, whom he had married in August 1961. They had met in 1960 in the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ pub Charing Cross, where Barbara, a science graduate, was carol singing with fellow PGCE students. A Liverpudlian, her family home was only a mile and a half from Ian’s university lodgings!Their shared interest in horse racing led to part-ownership of race horses, soon involving Muriel and Fred Shaw (KJGS 1946-

don branch of the Old Almondburians’ Society (OAS). He was a lifelong member of the OAS and a regular attendee at OAS Annual Dinners and Founders’ Day Services, walking up St. Helen’s Gate from the School with Barbara. In 2006 he served as Chairman of the OAS, as his father had done. He donated a number of prizes to the School. Ian is survived by Barbara, their daughter Geraldine and son Robin, and their grandchildren, Rafe and Bryony. Ian Shaw, born 23rd June1935, died 18th March 2019, aged 83. Fred Shaw and Gerald Stead (KJGS 1948-56). We thank Dr BE Rider of Bishop’s Stortford for his review of Ian’s teaching life there.

54). The strategic location of their retirement base was convenient for the Middleham gallops and trainers, and racecourses at Thirsk, Ripon,Wetherby, Catterick, Redcar, Newcastle, Beverley, Pontefract, Doncaster andYork but they travelled country-wide to watch their horses race. They also enjoyed history lectures and seminars, visiting historic churches and the rich heritage of their locality which they shared with visiting friends, especially Whitby, which was full of happy family memories. Ian was a long-standing member ofYorkshire County Cricket Club and had been closely involved in the formation of the Lon-

George Michael Hardcastle MBE (1944-1951) Former editor of The Almondburian who became a leading writer on sporting topics. We report with sadness the death of author Michael Hardcastle. Michael was a prolific writer of children's books, mainly on a sporting theme, who received the MBE in 1988 for his services to children’s literature. Michael attended Birkby Primary School before gaining a place at Almondbury Grammar School in 1944. Ill health limited his ability to take part in sporting activities and instead he spent time in the School library where he developed a passion for English literature and in particularly the works of W E Johns (born 5th February) and Charles Dickens (born 7th February). He noted with pleasure and amusement that his own date of birth – 6th February – was sandwiched neatly between those writers whose works he so admired.

He was editor of The Almondburian in 1950-51. Michael had a life-long enthusiasm for horse racing. He contributed an entertaining article ‘The joys of owning half a horse’ to The Almondburian in November 2011, having recently acquired a half-share in the racehorse Bonnie Prince Blue. (It gave him 77

fore joining the Hudgreat pleasure when dersfield Examiner as a Bonnie Prince Blue reporter in 1956. He won at Southwell subsequently worked Races in 2012). on the Bristol Evening In his article, Post as a diarist and Michael revealed literary editor, and that while in his final moved to the Liveryear at school he had pool Daily Post as chief briefly become a feature writer in bookie: 1965. I persuaded a School received a generous donation For 12 years from friend (the legendary The from Michael in 1994 which was used to 1967 Michael was Charlie Hoyle, reputed update the Library, where this plaque now editorial manager of to have written a book appears. Vernons Pools. He became self-employed in on sex while at school) to be a partner and so 1983. help in drumming up custom from the varMichael’s first book, Soccer is Also a Game, ied ranks of our school mates. Money poured was published in 1966 to coincide with the – well splashed heavily – on to the favourite, World Cup. He subsequently wrote nearly Ki Ming. Charlie began to worry feverishly. 150 books, mainly about sport, on such topWe couldn’t stand the sort of losses a victory ics as football, cricket, motocross, horsefor Ki Ming would incur.We should run beracing and tennis. fore it was too late (ie before the horses). NonHe made a generous donation to the sense, I replied, that horse won’t stay the School library in 1994 and was guest speaker distance (1½ miles). He’s a miler, so we’ll at Speech Day that year. keep taking the bets.We did even though Michael met his wife Barbara in 1979, Charlie’s nerve neared breaking point. the year in which he moved to Beverley, East An ally was Tom Harper, the school careYorkshire. His last book Telling Tales was taker, who had a hide-away in the book store written in 2013 as a family memoir for his beside the Small where he had a radio. Obligchildren and grandchildren to pass down to ingly he allowed us to listen to the race with future generations. It was dedicated: ‘For him.What Tom had backed I can’t remember Barbara, with all my love and gratitude for – but it may well have been Ki Ming, who led simply everything’. and then dropped back and faded away.ArcHe is survived by Barbara, four daughtic Prince was the winner at 28-1 and not a ters and twelve grandchildren. single client had so much as a penny on him. George Michael Hardcastle, born 6th Nor, come to that, on the horses which February 1933, died 17th January 2019, nished 2nd and 3rd.We had run a book aged 85. that was all clear prot! On leaving school, Michael spent five l An interview recorded in May 2007 can be years in the Royal Army Educational Corps heard on the OAS website at serving in the UK, Kenya and Mauritius, be- http://tinyurl.com/obhlumv. 78

David William Aldridge (1947-1952) Engineer and science teacher who enjoyed passing on his knowledge to younger people. David Aldridge left King Jamesâ€™s Grammar School at the age 17 and started an engineering apprenticeship at David Browns Gears, Lockwood. He also attended Huddersfield Technical College to continue his studies to get his HNC in design engineering. On finishing his apprenticeship and studies he was called up to undertake national service in the RAF where he continued his engineering career as an aircraft technician stationed in Laarbruck, Germany. Following national service he returned to the UK to take up the post of design engineer/draughtsman in the drawing office at ICI chemical works. In 1972, and with three young children making demands on his time, he started a Science degree course with the then new Open University and was awarded his degree in 1975 . David continued working at ICI until 1980 when he was offered voluntary redundancy. He was funded by ICI to undertake a year-long teachersâ€™ training course at Holly Bank College (part of Huddersfield University), and on completion of his training he taught Physics and Engineering Science at Barnsley Sixth Form College until his retirement at the age of 60 in 1996. David was a man of many interests. He loved walking, often accompanied by his wife Fiona, and they shared many adventures together. For many years he was a member of the Ramblers and as a foot-

path officer he led many walks which he enhanced with his knowledge of the area and its local history. David was also a Scoutmaster at both Almondbury and Kirkheaton Scouts, and he enjoyed passing on his knowledge of the great outdoors to the younger generation. David also liked painting and and was a member of the art club at Hall Bower; one of his drawings is reproduced on page 3 of this issue.The sketch was one of a number which appeared in his book of walks around Almondbury. He had a particular interest in maps, which he would sit and read like other people read a book. David leaves a wife Fiona, three children and five grandchildren. David William Aldridge, born 26th June 1936, died 21st March 2019, aged 82. 79

Chairman WALTER RALEIGH 15 Thorpe Lane, Almondbury HD5 8TA Tel: 01484 308452 Email: walter.raleigh@oas.org.uk Secretary ANDREW HAIGH 2 Arkenley Lane, Almondbury HD4 6SQ Tel: 01484 432105 Email: andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk Treasurer KEITH CRAWSHAW 5 Benomley Drive, Almondbury HD5 8LX Tel: 01484 533658 Email: keith.crawshaw@oas.org.uk Media Editor ROGER DOWLING Orchard House, Oughtrington Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RD Tel: 07810 601447 Email: almondburian@oas.org.uk Assistant Media Editor RICHARD TEALE The Sycamores, 239 Huddersfield Road, Thongsbridge, Holmfirth HD9 3TT Tel: 07810 313315. Email: richard.teale@oas.org.uk KJS Representative ABBIGAIL TERRY King James’s School, St Helen’s Gate, Almondbury HD4 6SG Tel: 01484 412990 Email: abbi.terry@oas.org.uk

Website: www.oas.org.uk

The Almondburian is distributed to OAS members free of charge. Price to non-members: £3.00