The Almondburian

The ALMONDBURIAN T H E MAGAZINE O F TH E O LD AL MONDBURIANS’ S OCIETY

March 2012

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IN THIS ISSUE

A word from your Editor OAS Calendar OAS Membership King James’s to be an academy?

What’s in a name?

An enthusiastic ‘school wife’ Annual General Meeting 2012 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2012 Executive Officers 2012 Dropped in at the deep end New books Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Booking a place in British history Fred Hudson centenary plans Back at the School Muffins,Whisky and Teak Updates Farnley Lines Terry’s Teaser Cricket Badminton Tennis Soccer Golf I used to twang, but now I shale Obituaries

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

March 2012

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

A word from your Editor

F

RO GER DOW LING

OR many Old Almondburians, the big news in this issue is probably the reports on page 5 that the School is looking into the possibility of seeking academy status and that the Governors have initiated a consultation process to solicit views.

Academies – schools that are directly funded by the Department for Education and are independent of local government control – were introduced by the Labour Government in 2000 and are now supported by all three main political parties. According to the Department for Education, there are some 1,500 academies in England at the present time.

But academies are not without their critics, the view expressed by some being that they are a move towards the privatisation of education ‘by the back door’. Let us have your views at postbag@oas.org.uk or drop us a line (editorial address: back cover).

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We are already starting to think about this year’s Annual Dinner on 24th November, which will be a special occasion to mark the centenary of the birth of former Head of Geography and Second Master Fred Hudson. We hope that many geographers or others with fond memories of‘Soapy’ will make a note of this date in their diaries. Our thanks to those who have written with their memories of Fred which will be published in a special issue of The Almondburian later in the year. It’s not too late for any further contributions.

For the tallest story in this issue, we can only refer you to the Soccer report on page 39 where Martyn Hicks complains about the inaccuracy of the team’s strikers and claims that one ball landed up nearly half a mile away in Birks Lane.We wonder if Martyn is also a keen fisherman.

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY CALENDAR

DATES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 2012 The Executive Committee of the Society meets upstairs at the ‘Woolpack’ in Almondbury, at 7.30 pm. Meetings are usually held on the first Monday of the month although this year, because of the way that the Bank Holidays fall, there are three months where the meeting will be on the second or third Monday of the month.There is no meeting in August.Any member of the Society who would like to attend one of these meetings will be made most welcome on the following dates: Monday, 5th March Monday, 3rd September Monday, 16th April Monday, 1st October Monday, 14th May Monday, 5th November Monday, 11th June Monday, 3rd December Monday, 2nd July

BADMINTON Thursday evenings from 7.30 pm until 9.30 pm, untilThursday, 31st May 2012. Fee: £5 per person per evening.

GOLF: GOTHARD CUP The 2012 Gothard Cup Golf Competition will take place on Friday, 29th June at Woodsome Hall Golf Club.

ANNUAL DINNER This year’s Fred Hudson Centenary Dinner will be held on Saturday, 24th November 2012. Full details, together with an application form for tickets, will appear in the next issue of The Almondburian.This will be a very special event marking the centenary of the birth of former Second Master and Head of Geography Fred Hudson. Special guests will include Fred’s daughter Ann Walker and other speakers with appreciative memories of one of the School’s finest teachers.

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 1942, 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1987, 1992 or 2002 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.

QUIZ EVENING The Old Almondburians’ Society Quiz will once again be held in the Conservative Club, Almondbury, this year on Wednesday, 25th April, at 7.30 pm.Teams of 3 or preferably 4 are required.

Last year the attendance with disappointing; in view of the effort put in the stage the evening please try to support it and if possible register your interest in advance with a committee member. Quizmaster, as always, will be Keith Crawshaw, and a light supper will be provided during the interval.

FOUNDERS’ DAY The Traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held the day after the Annual Dinner, Sunday, 25th November, as usual. Full details will be announced later in the year.

CRICKET The 2012 Season will commence on Sunday,22nd April, with a round of fixtures for both First and Second Elevens; wickets pitched 2.00 pm.

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OAS Membership

M

A NDREW HAIGH

standing order and it would be much appreciated if those of you who don’t yet do so could complete a standing order mandate. If not, please pay promptly.

Subscriptions are due on 1st September each year. If you receive a letter with this newsletter pointing out that your subscription is not up-to-date, please do complete the updated standing order mandate that accompanies it and return it in the envelope provided without delay. 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.

We are delighted to welcome two new members to the Society since the last magazine was published: Richard Donald Oughton (1966-67), now resident in theWirral, and LukeWalker (2007-11), from Fenay Bridge.

EMBERSHIP has slightly decreased by seven since this time last year, due to a number of deaths and resignations, and it currently stands at 730. This figure includes 21 life members, 462 fully paidup members and 166 of last summer’s leavers, to whom we offer their first year’s membership for free. It also includes 45 members who are still paying their subscription at the old rate of £5.00 per annum and who no longer receive the magazine as part of their membership. 17 of these 45 are members who have failed to notify us of a change of address, resulting in their magazines being returned, and we have therefore lost contact with them.

The figure also includes 36 members who are in arrears with their subscription for the current year.The vast majority of members now pay their subscriptions by

King James’s to be an academy?

K

ING JAMES’S SCHOOL could become an academy if )the results of present consultations prove positive.

Originally introduced by the Labour government in 2000, academies are selfgoverning schools directly funded by central government and independent of control by local government in England.

An academy may receive also additional

A NDREW HAIGH

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support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind.

For the past year, the Governors of King James’s have been investigating the full implications if the School were to seek academy status. In the opinion of the Governors, the key benefits would be: The long-term future of King James’s School would be secure.

The high quality of education that King

James’s School currently provides would be further enhanced.

Funding is likely to be increased and also its Trustees would have complete freedom over the school budget.

Further information is available on the school website, www.kingjames.org.uk,

and there is also a wealth of information at www.education.gov.uk/academies.

The Governors have initiated a consultation process and views or questions may be submitted in writing, either by post to the school or by e-mail to consultation@kingjames.org.uk.

Should the school become an Academy?

Academy status means that the school would become a state school funded directly by the Department for Education rather than through the Local Authority Under legislation Academies have certain additional ‘freedoms’: The school would be its own Admissions authority and would be able to set its own Pupil Admission Number and admission criteria within the legal framework. [This would not affect the admission of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Looked After Children (LAC)] The school would have greater freedom over the curriculum There would be discretion to vary the school day and set holiday dates The school would employ its own staff although TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings [Protection of Employment] Regulations) would mean that staff would have their pay and conditions protected The school would have control over all funding and how it is spent.

able to have greater control over our funding and be able to invest in those areas that would enhance the quality of education that we provide. In particular: We would have the opportunity to develop more creativity and innovation across all areas of our curriculum We would have extra funding to invest in ICT and capital equipment across the school We would be able to provide further pastoral support for our most vulnerable students We would provide more specialist support for students with special needs or disabilities We would continue to develop our work with partner secondary schools to support and develop mutually beneficial links We would further develop our already outstanding links with our Pyramid Primary schools We would maintain our strong links with our local Further Education providers We would continue to ensure that the aspirations of all our students are realised We would continue to work closely with the Local Authority although we would have greater freedom and autonomy on how to run our affairs on a daily basis

Key points from the Consultation Document

Why change?

By converting to an Academy we would secure the long term future of King James’s School. We would gain more autonomy and greater opportunity to do what is best for our school.We would be

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make the best choices in terms of provision and expenditure.

We would have greater control over the buildings and capital expenditure.

Governance The Governing body would gain additional responsibilities and powers.

These would include the responsibility to manage the Academy Trust finances and property, to employ staff, to comply with charity and company law and to be responsible for the quality of educational provision and the performance of the school. An Academy Trust would be created with the members of the Trust being drawn from the existing Governing Body.

What would not change?

We would retain the name King James’s School The school would remain the same in terms of ethos, values and culture We would continue to serve our local communities and retain our current Priority Admission Area (PAA) Although we would become our own admissions authority, we would continue to work with Kirklees We would continue to admit children of all abilities There would be no changes to the school day or terms There would be no changes to the terms and conditions of either teaching staff or support staff There would be protection of existing rights under TUPE and national pay and conditions of Jenny Ainger teachers would be adhered to.

Funding As a Local Authority school, Kirklees retains a percentage of our budget for the services that it provides. As an Academy this funding would be paid directly to the school.This increase in funding would enable us to closely scrutinise the services we need and ensure that we

Summary In September 2009, Ofsted rated the school as Good with outstanding features.

They felt that the school was well on its way to achieving an outstanding rating.An Ofsted subject inspection in March 2011 rated the school as Outstanding in all areas. Subsequently Ofsted have featured our work on their website. Our examination results have improved year on year and the school is oversubscribed.

Converting to Academy status will secure the future of the school and give us curriculum and financial freedom to build upon the It’s on the screen: academy status could result on-going success of King James’s in increased funding for the latest computer technology School.

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What’s in a name?

ROGE R DOWLING

K

The Editor of The Almondburian shares a tricky problem of terminology ING James’s Academy? No, the School assures us that the its )name will not be changing again even if it becomes an academy in the months or years ahead (story: page 5).That, at least, is good news for your Editor, already struggling with the five different names by which the School has been known over the past centuries.

When it received its Royal Charter, it was of course proudly known as the‘Fre Gramar Schole of Kinge James in Allmonbury’.

Then, as the excitement wore off, the locals doubtless started to regard it as just the local grammar school, leading to the everyday name ‘Almondbury Grammar School’ by which it seems to have been known – at least informally – for most of the following 300 years.

Even with the arrival of historian Taylor Dyson in 1913, the name Almondbury

(From the top) Very early school crest; the undistinguished AGS monogram; the crest used on school jumpers today

Below) Title page of The Almondburian during the Taylor Dyson era

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Grammar School lingered on, though he rarely missed the opportunity to slip in occasional references to the School’s illustrious past.

Thus, the Foreword to his classic Almondbury and its Ancient School opens: ‘The object of this book is to place before readers a concise account of the development of Almondbury Grammar School…’ Backing it both ways, he then adds, three paragraphs later, ‘If it serves to bring out the main facts in the development of King James’s Grammar School… the author will be amply repaid.’

What was the editorial policy of The Almondburian at that time? Taylor Dyson took a close personal interest in the school magazine throughout his 32 years as headmaster. It is therefore surprising and inconsistent that the title page throughout this period introduced another variation in the name of the School: the inelegant ‘King James’ (sic) Grammar School’. In fairness, the use of the single ‘s’ was a typographic convention of the day; today, we would always use the double ‘s’*.

But still the name of ‘Almondbury Grammar School’ lived on as the name by which the School was more commonly known.At some stage, it even became formalised with the introduction of the unexciting ‘AGS’ monogram that will be familiar to most Old Almondburians of mature years. * Unless you are being treated at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, or are a supporter of Newcastle United FC at St James’Park.Or happen to live in America or Canada,who lag years behind Britain on issues of typographic style.

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In 1957, some years after the rediscovery of the Charter, the redoubtable Old Almondburian Gerald Dobson launched a campaign to regularise the School’s name.

Headmaster Harry Taylor – to his great credit – took the issue up with the local authority and in 1959 a formal letter was received from the Home Office stating that ‘Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to command that Almondbury Grammar School shall be known as ‘King James’s Grammar School, Almondbury’.

But it was not to last. By 1974, the School had become King James’s Sixth Form College and two years later, after yet another change of plan it became an 11-18 comprehensive and assumed its present name of King James’s School.

So what is a present-day Editor to do?

Clearly, there is no‘one name fits all’ solution that will please everyone. My elder brother, who attended the School in the 1940s is quite clear: he went to Almondbury Grammar School. As a product of the 1950s, I find myself ambivalent: I went to Almondbury Grammar School, but I’m also proud to have attended King James’ Grammar School too. And present-day students are, I’m quite sure, happy to be pupils of that successful institution known today as King James’s School.

So in terms of future editorial policy, it seems to me that only one course of action is possible – to use whichever name best fits the context. It may introduce inconsistencies, but it will at least have a degree of logic on its side.

Which school do you think you attended? Do let us know.

AN APPRECIATION

An enthusiastic ‘school wife’

A

Graham Cliffe recalls the keen support Joan Bareham give to a wide range of School activities including cricket pavilion fund-raising S we reported in the last issue of The Almondburian, Joan )Bareham died on 17th July

many different facets of school life, including the annual play.

In the 1950s and 1960s she enjoyed and helped to supervise a number of school trips to France, and in the mid1950s she was one of a number of energetic ‘school wives’ who organised events to raise money towards the building of the school cricket pavilion.

Joan maintained an interest in the progress of the school for many years after Francis’s retirement. She leaves two children, Paul and Angela, and four grandchildren.

2011.

Joan was the widow of Francis Bareham who will be remembered by many Old Almondburians as the Head of the history department.

Francis taught at King James’s School for more than 30 years, retiring in 1979. He died in 2008.

Joan and Francis were married for more than 59 years and Joan herself became an enthusiastic supporter of

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Annual General Meeting

9th Januar y 201 2

The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held at the‘Woolpack’,Almondbury,on Monday,9th January 2012, at 7.30 pm.

Attendance JackTaylor (chair) Keith Crawshaw Walter Raleigh [in absence of Nicky Briggs] Paul Balderstone RichardTaylor Andrew Haigh Angela Melling John Broadbent Nicky Murphy Apologies for Absence Apologies were received from Dave Bush (in Porthcawl), Martyn Hicks (in Australia), Bryan Hopkinson (in Singapore), Nicky Briggs and Roger Dowling.

A Minute’s Silence A minute’s silence was held for members lost during the previous year, including Frederick Sheard, Brian Butterworth and Joan Bareham.

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Monday, 10th January, 2011, were read and approved, and there were no matters arising.

Chairman’s Report There was no report.

Treasurer’s Report Keith Crawshaw presented the accounts for the financial year ended 31st August, 2011, noting that the cost of distributing the magazine has fallen again. He observed that this is often affected by the weight of the magazine, which can effectively double the postage costs. There had also been a decrease in the Secretary’s expenses, and the result was an excess of income over expenditure of £996.06. Everything, he reported, is ticking along OK. He mentioned that, at some point, we need to make a decision on whether to have any more Society ties made, and we also need to look at the remaining 400th Anniversary stock and how to move the balance of that.

Paul Balderstone suggested asking Gerald Hinchliffe to sign some copies of his book at theAnnual Dinner in 2013, which will be the fiftieth anniversary of its publication. John Broadbent observed that he would like to see printing, stationery and postage separated out into three figures in order to keep‘tabs’ on it.The Chairman thanked Keith.Acceptance of the accounts was proposed

by Angela Melling and seconded byWalter Raleigh, before being carried unanimously.

Membership Secretary’s Report Andrew Haigh reported that membership currently stands at 730, compared with 737 at this time last year, a reduction of seven, due to a number of deaths and resignations. 11 new members were recruited during the course of last year, which means that it can still be regarded as quite a successful year, and three new members have already joined during the current year, including one of last summer’s leavers.

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Subscription rate for the FinancialYear commencing 1st September 2012 Keith Crawshaw proposed that the subscription rate remains at ÂŁ10 per annum and that we should continue with free membership for the first year for those leaving the school. Andrew Haigh seconded the proposal and it was carried unanimously.

Election of President RichardTaylor proposed that Robert Lamb should be invited to continue as President of the Society and this was seconded by Paul Balderstone before being carried unanimously.There were no President’s Remarks, due to his absence from the meeting.

Election of Executive Officers for 2012 Although absent, Nicky Briggs had previously indicated his willingness to stand for a second year as Chairman and he was duly re-elected.

Vicky Taylor was also absent, but had previously indicated that she would be unable to continue asVice-Chairman and no other nominations had been received.This post was therefore left vacant.

The other Officers were then elected as follows: Honorary Secretary Andrew Haigh Ordinary John Broadbent Honorary Treasurer Keith Crawshaw Committee Martyn Hicks Media Editor Roger Dowling Members Emily Earnshaw Chaplain Rev Dave Herbert Gerald Stead Representatives of the School Angela Melling Vicky Taylor Walter Raleigh Paul Balderstone suggested that we need to record our thanks to the Secretary and theTreasurer.

Any Other Business: Cricket Section RichardTaylor mentioned that nets would start on 30th January and that the dinner will take place on 25th February at Lockwood Park.

Annual Dinner The Secretary said that he had been asked by Dave Bush to raise the idea of taking the Annual Dinner back to the school in order to boost numbers.Walter Raleigh felt that, in principle, it is a nice idea. Angela Melling felt that senior pupils acting as waiters and waitresses enabled them to see everyone having a good time and this would be a way to get new leavers more interested in joining the Society. It was agreed to explore the idea.

Date of next Executive Committee meeting The Secretary asked that the date be fixed for the next Executive Committee Meeting. He suggested Monday, 6th February, and this was agreed.

The meeting closed at 8.58 p.m. and was followed by the customary pie and peas supper.

Signed:

A M Haigh (Secretary) J A Taylor (Acting Chairman)

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Opposite:Annual accounts presented by N Briggs (Chairman); K Crawshaw (Treasurer); J A Swift (Independent Examiner)

INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2011 2010

4198 446 25 60 50 31 20 — 80 45 515

Printing, Stationery & Postages: Magazines 3991.63 Others 256.87 Jessop Prize Young Old Almondburians’ Prizes Sundry Expenses Paypal Charges Loss on Quiz Evening Loss on Reunion Evening KJS Contributions: Founders’ Day Expenses — Design Prizes — Excess of Income over Expenditure

5470 2010

7619

370

1780 — 496 217 40 643

11165

2010

5319 29 5 4 85 20 1 7

4248.50 25.00 60.00 165.82 24.13 14.16 228.11

Subscriptions 5597.00 Transfer from Life Membership Account 21.75 Interest Received 5.53 Surplus on Sales of Ties — Surplus on Sales of DVDs — Surplus on Sales of Prints — Surplus on AGM Supper 4.89 Surplus on Annual Dinner 132.61

— 996.06

5761.78

5470

5761.78

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST AUGUST 2011 2010

Accumulated Fund Balance as at 1st September 2010 7619.19 Add Excess of Income over Expenditure 996.06 8615.25 Life Membership Account Balance as at 1st September 2010 369.67 Add Interest 3.16 372.83 Less Transfer to Income & Expenditure Account 21.75 351.08 KJS Development Fund Balance as at 1st September 2010 1780.07 Add Interest 15.21 Sales of School Histories 20.00 1815.28 Cricket Pavilion Appeal Fund 1965.00 Net Annual Dinner Receipts in Advance — Net Reunion Receipts in Advance — Subscriptions in Advance 120.00 Sundry Creditors 706.91

13573.52

18 Trophies 18.00 15 Stock of Ties 15.32 175 Stock of Prints 175.00 Life Membership Account 370 Nat West Bonus Saver Account 351.08 KJS Development Fund 1780 Nat West Bonus Saver Account 1815.28 Cash and Bank Balances Alliance & Leicester Bank: 8138 Community Inst Reserve — National Westminster Bank: — Bonus Saver Account 8143.57 467 Current Account 2985.28 172 Paypal Account 48.08 30 Cash in Hand 21.91 11198.84

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11165

13573.52

OFFICE

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 2012

NAME

ADDRESS

CONTACT DETAILS

President

Robert Lamb

King James’s School

Chairman

Nicky Briggs

HomeTelephone: (01484) 305734 MobileTelephone: (07595) 175835 e-mail: nickybriggs@hotmail.com

Vice-Chairman

Vacant

17 Fair Street Huddersfield Yorkshire HD1 3QB

Honorary Treasurer

Keith Crawshaw

2 Arkenley Lane Almondbury Huddersfield Yorkshire HD4 6SQ

HomeTelephone: (01484) 432105 MobileTelephone: (07770) 220733 WorkTelephone: (01484) 400032 Facsimile: (01484) 469567 e-mail: andrew@rdhaigh.com

Media Editor

Roger Dowling

Ordinary Committee Members

John Broadbent

Honorary Secretary

Andrew M Haigh

5 Benomley Drive Almondbury Huddersfield Yorkshire HD5 8LX

Orchard House Oughtrington Lane Lymm Cheshire WA13 0RD

Oaklea 97 Lowestwood Lane Wellhouse Golcar Huddersfield Yorkshire HD7 4EW

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WorkTelephone: (01484) 223930 Facsimile: (01484) 223934 e-mail: clerk.kingjames@kirklees-schools.org.uk

HomeTelephone:(01484) 533658 WorkTelephone: (01924) 409311 e-mail: keithcrawshaw@tog24.com HomeTelephone: (01925) 756390 e-mail: roger.dowling@oas.org.uk

HomeTelephone:(01484) 650171 e-mail:oaklea97@yahoo.com

Emily Earnshaw

17 Fair Street Huddersfield Yorkshire HD1 3QB

e-mail: nickybriggs@hotmail.com

Martyn Hicks

12 Gernhill Avenue Fixby Huddersfield Yorkshire HD2 2HR

HomeTelephone: (01484) 539409 WorkTelephone: (01422) 371751 e-mail: martyn@screenprint.demon.co.uk

Gerald Stead

60 Holly Bank Road Lindley Huddersfield Yorkshire HD3 3LT

HomeTelephone: (01484) 654406

Walter Raleigh Chaplain

Rev David Herbert The Manse 5 Nursery Lane Belford Northumberland NE70 7NW

School Angela Melling Representatives Head Boy

DavidTunstall

Head Girl

Emma Goldsbrough

Badminton Section Representative

Andrew M Haigh

HomeTelephone: (01668) 219584 e-mail: daveherbert@btinternet.com

King James’s School

WorkTelephone: (01484) 223930 Facsimile: (01484) 223934 e-mail: clerk.kingjames@kirklees-schools.org.uk

2 Arkenley Lane Almondbury Huddersfield Yorkshire HD4 6SQ

HomeTelephone: (01484) 432105 MobileTelephone: (07770) 220733 WorkTelephone: (01484) 400032 Facsimile: (01484) 469567 e-mail: andrew@rdhaigh.com

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Cricket Section Representative

Jack ATaylor

13Trenance Gardens Greetland Halifax Yorkshire HX4 8NN

e-mail: jtaylor73@btinternet.com

Golf Section Representative

Simon A Russell

Phoenix Cottage Upper Hagg Road Thongsbridge Holmfirth Yorkshire HD9 3TF

HomeTelephone: (01484) 685365 e-mail: simon@pacific-lifestyle .co.uk

Tennis Section Representative

Andrew M Haigh

2 Arkenley Lane Almondbury Huddersfield Yorkshire HD4 6SQ

HomeTelephone: (01484) 432105 MobileTelephone: (07770) 220733 WorkTelephone: (01484) 400032 Facsimile: (01484) 469567 e-mail: andrew@rdhaigh.com

Archivist

Nich Briggs

e-mail: nichbriggs@hotmail.com

Independent Examiner

Vacant

122 Kaye Lane Almondbury Huddersfield Yorkshire HD5 8XU

Vice-Presidents E Brian Carter K G Shaw D G Armitage Geoffrey Douglas J RichardTaylor J AmandaTaylor David Gary Croft RobertWilliams Emily Comer

M F Dyson Peter L Burns J A Ward Keith Crawshaw John M Drewery Malcolm JTaylor David A Bush Ian Shaw Nicky Murphy 16

Robert Brook Frederick J Sheard Richard J Green Paul A G Balderstone Jack A Taylor James N Taylor Graham Cliffe Bryan Hopkinson

Dropped in at the deep end BOB GOLDSMITH

CMG

Kingsley Fox OBE attended Almondbury Grammar School from 1935 to 1940.

His contemporary Bob Goldsmith tells the story of an Almondburian who went on to have career of great distinction in mining in Latin America.

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became Superintendent of the Coal Mining Division.

During this period, he also found time to become the mayor (‘Alcalde’) of the District of Goyllarisquisga, almost certainly the only foreigner to hold such a post in the country. Amongst his other duties as mayor, he conducted civil marriage ceremonies for over 100 happy couples.

Kingsley left Peru in 1962 and, after a short spell in England, went to British Honduras (now Belize) to become general manager of the colony’s largest company, with extensive interests in land, timber, shipping and agencies.

The final chapter was back in South America, this time with the Bank of London and South America (later Lloyds Bank International), where he was president of its subsidiary Anglo Ecuatoriana. He was also president of International Balsa Company, which

HAVE kept in touch with the diminishing band of survivors, )classmates of Form 5 (Latin) in academic year 1939-40.There are six of us, out of 22 in the Form, though we have never been able to locate four of them.

Of the remaining 18, 12 have passed on.The eldest ‘survivor’ is Kingsley Fox, who was 87 years of age last December.

He has had a particularly interesting career. He left what was then known as Almondbury Grammar School in 1940, whereupon his father obliged him to follow him into coal mining. He went on to acquire a degree of BSc (Min) at Leeds University and a Colliery Manager’s Certificate, and became a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mining Engineers.

He married in 1947 and went off to Peru to work for a US-owned mining organisation. By 1951 he had progressed to become Mine Superintendent, and in due course he

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dral – an event that is surely likely to remain unique in the records of the Cathedral.

I am sure that even the long history of King James’s can give us no other example of an Old Almondburian who has devoted virtually all his career to senior posts in Latin America; who served as a mayor during this time; and who became an Hon British Consul and received an OBE for his pains.

I remember an exchange of letters in the 1980s when Kingsley was in Guayaquil and I was in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Even Fred Hudson would have made a note of that.

produced balsa wood for industry and modellers. He was appointed Hon British Consul in Guayaquil (Ecuador) in 1970 and received an OBE in 1974.

Kingsley returned to England in 1981 and enjoys what he describes as‘an agreeable existence’ in Surbiton with a wide circle of friends acquired through membership of golf, tennis, bridge and Probus clubs. He and his wife Molly have three children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren to date. Four of his grandchildren were quadruplet granddaughters, whom Kingsley arranged to be christened in the chapel of the Order of the British Empire in St Paul’s Cathe-

New books

RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM OAS MEMBERS

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by R S Byram Ashgrove House Publishing £6.00; pp110 ISBN 978 1 908268 35 8 (available online from Amazon and Waterstones) In this compact book Reggie Byram (1946-1954) examines the work of libertarian educators from John Locke and Rousseau, through Pestalozzi and Montessori, to John Dewey, A S Neill and Ivan Illich.The author is led to arguments that learners, of whatever age, must be allowed to participate in making decisions about their lives and learning.

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Reggie Byram has spent most of his life in teaching – in secondary schools, teacher training and at university level. After all that experience, and in spite of maintaining discipline and achieving excellent examination results, he now concludes that education systems fail learners. His solutions are radical, but necessary.

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MEDICALISATION The Care Industry and How it Fails Us All

by R S Byram Ashgrove House Publishing £6.00; pp110 ISBN 978 1 908268 37 2 (available online from Amazon and Waterstones)

In this book Reggie Byram examines the origins of the Welfare State and the promise of care from the cradle to the grave. He presents the arguments in favour of socialised health care.

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The severe critiques of Ivan Illich are presented and the conclusion the author reaches is that medicalisation is something to be resisted. One conclusion is that hospitals are not fit places for sick people. Another is that medicalisation has made patients and worriers of us all and even denies us dignity in death.

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He believes that the solutions spelled out in this forthright book are radical, but necessary.

This book is a companion to Schools Out! Freedom in Education and How to Achieve It.

LYRICS FROM THE PERIODIC TABLE

by David Morphet Notion Books £5.00 + postage/packing; pp48 ISBN 978 00954 1573 8 9 (available online from www.oas.org.uk)

This new collection of verse by David Morphet (19511958) explores the imaginative potential of one of the great scientific icons, the Periodic Table; this ranks the 118 known chemical elements, from hydrogen (which accounts for the largest part of the universe) to ununoctium (of which only three or four atoms have so far been discovered). A poem on zirconium alludes to the recent disaster at the Fukushima power station.

A selection of poems from all David Morphet’s previous collections can be found at www.notionbooks.co.uk.

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Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day

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EARLY 80 Old Almondburians attended the annual dinner at the Galpharm Stadium on 26th November 2011.

The event attracted members ranging from those who attended the school 60 years ago to those who left last summer.

Almondburians travelled from as far afield as Germany to attend the event.

The principal speaker was the Law Society’s ‘Solicitor of the Year’ Nigel Priestley, who attended the School between 1963 and 1970. There were also speeches by the current Head Boy, David Tunstall, and the Chairman of the Society, Nick Briggs.

The following day, members of the Society took part in the traditional procession up St Helen’s Gate to attend the annual Founders’ Day service at All Hallows’ Church, Almondbury. The service, which was led by Rev. Stuart Roebuck, a pupil at King James’s Grammar School himself from 1950 to 1955, also celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. As part of the School’s work around community cohesion, sixty year seven pupils from King James’s School and sixty year seven pupils from Moor End Technology College had participated in a week-long project centered around the King James Bible, during which they had produced artwork that was on display in the

church.

ANDREW HAIGH

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(Top) Chairman of the Old Almondburians’ Society Nick Briggs (Bottom) Patrick O’Brien in conversation with Robert Davidson (1968-76)

(Clockwise, from top left) Head Boy David Tunstall; Jack Taylor shares a thought with guest speaker Nigel Priestley; Rev John Senior Old Almondburian and Head Girl Emma Goldsbrough; Founders’ Day procession up St Helen’s Gate; top table guests David Tunstall, Nigel Priestley, Nick Briggs (Chairman, OAS), Robert Lamb (Head Teacher) and Emma Goldsbrough Photos: Andrew Haigh

Booking a place in British history

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D R J O H N A HARGREAVES

The former head of history at King James’s is a regular contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. He finds it a fascinating experience.

HE Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) was launched in 60 volumes and online in September, 2004. It is a successor to the Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) which had originated in the Victorian era as the brainchild of George Smith, publisher of the Brontës and Trollope. The DNB gained the reputation of a national institution in the twentieth century and is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history.

And, before you ask, seven notable Old Almondburians feature – so far – in this highly respected compendium. Four are names that will be familiar to many readers: the rugby administrator and former headmaster of Almondbury Grammar School, Francis Marshall (1845-1906); the physician, Sir Harold Himsworth (1905-1993) who was a pupil from 1916; the beer and whisky

writer, Michael Jackson (1942-2007) who attended the School from 1953 to 1958; and the industrialist Sir David Brown (1904-1993) who spent some time at the School from 1913 before transferring to Rossall School in Lancashire.

Three other prominent former pupils featured in the ODNB are the artist, Denis Arthur Bowen (1921-2006); the geologist, Ian Graham Gass (19261992); and the ecclesiastical historian, James Pounder Whitney (18571939).

My association with the ODNB project began nearly two decades ago when I received an entirely unexpected invitation to co-ordinate Yorkshire nominations of potential twentiethcentury subjects who might be included in the new dictionary, following a consultation with local and regional historical societies in which I had

JOHN HARGREAVES taught at King James’s School from 1971 to 1990 with responsibility for Religious Education, History and the Taylor Dyson Local History Collection. He obtained an MA and PhD in History at the University of Huddersfield where he is now Visiting Research Fellow in History. Since retiring from full-time teaching in 2006 he has taught part-time at the University of Huddersfield, Leeds Trinity University College and as a WEA tutor throughout West Yorkshire. John is Chairman of Halifax Civic Trust, has written a full-length history of Halifax, and is currently working on a history of the Halifax Choral Society and a new history of Huddersfield. He also jointly edited the 400th anniversary Illustrated History of King James’s School.

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The catseye man: Percy Shaw. His one luxury in life was his Rolls-Royce Phantom. He died, an unmarried eccentric, in 1976.

of well over 50,000 biographies, I have contributed a mere 37 articles though they have covered figures from all walks of life. They have included saintly evangelical preachers: John Nelson (1707-1774); Mary Fletcher (17391815); Dorothy Hincksman Farrar (1899-1943); and Selwyn Hughes (1928-2006). Popular entertainers of their day are also represented, such as Wilfred Pickles (1904-1978) and Harry Corbett (1918-1990).

More notorious characters include David Hartley (1731-1770), executed

participated as Secretary of the Halifax Antiquarian Society.

I contacted professional historians and local societies across the county and ultimately submitted a list of over 100 suggestions, many of which have now appeared in the ODNB. Indeed I was invited to research and write some of the biographies myself, one of which – on Percy Shaw the Halifax inventor of the catseye reflecting road stud – was selected for inclusion in the preview volume of sample biographies published

by Oxford University Press before the launch of the new dictionary. Shaw was typical of the subjects the editorial team were keen to include in the new volume as an example of a twentieth-century, non-metropolitan figure, with a strong regional identity, involved in manufacturing, who had never been considered for inclusion in any of the previous updates to the predecessor DNB. As one of over 10,000 contributors (Top) Give ’im the money, Barney: Yorkshireborn Wilfred Pickles was a popular BBC radio celebrity and actor up to his death in 1978.

(Bottom) His nephew, James Pickles, was a controversial judge whose comments and judgements often made headline news.

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atYork for his role in co-ordinating a gang counterfeiting currency in Cragg Vale near Mytholmroyd; and Joseph Kagan (1915-1995), who faced the ignominy of imprisonment at the end of an otherwise successful business career developing the Gannex textile empire based in Elland.

Other prominent figures include the railway bishop Eric Treacy (19071978); the Methodist minister, broadcaster and naturalist, George Bramwell Evens (1884-1943); and the Brighouse singer Susan Sunderland famous for her rendering of soprano solos from The Messiah with both the Halifax and Huddersfield Choral Societies and her foundation of the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival in Huddersfield, which has continued into the twenty-first century.

An article about the Yorkshire amateur athlete and charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson also featured in last

year’s update of the ODNB. My contribution on Jane, whose struggle with cancer and amazing fund raising efforts inspired so many, was based on personal acquaintance. I first encountered her through her mother who was one of my departmental colleagues after I moved from King James’s in September 1990 to become Head of History at Howden Clough High School at Batley. Indeed, I was introduced to Jane at her father’s funeral, which I attended with other colleagues, after he had lost his brave struggle with cancer.

Jane was already aware at this point of anxieties about her own health and we continued to support her mother through her daughter’s terminal illness.

Following Jane’s death I was invited to write an article on Jane for the ODNB since I was already an established contributor. I arranged to meet Jane’s mother to talk about Jane’s remarkable life and received an appreciative letter on completion of the article in which she commented that she had learned much that she had not previously known about her own daughter!

It has proved a fascinating enterprise and has extended my own historical interests into so many new areas. It has

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Inspirational: the life and achievements of the late Jane Tomlinson, who raised nearly £2 million through gruelling challenges including several long-distance bike rides, marathons, triathlons and a full Ironman triathlon

included interviewing Harry Corbett’s son Matthew and his brother Leslie (who insisted on demonstrating to me over the phone the reed he had used to produce the distinctive sound of the glove puppet Sweep).The Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar’s younger sister described to me her sister’s upbringing on the notorious Buttershaw estate. Joseph Kagan’s widow, Margaret showed copies of her husband’s accounts of his experiences in a Lithuanian pogrom, now deposited in the Holocaust museum inWashington.

My most recently completed article in December 2011 was on Champion Jack Dupree, the Afro-American blues pianist and boxer who settled for a while in Halifax after meeting a Halifax girl working as a waitress in a London club, entertaining a succession of blues artists

including Louis Armstrong, BB King and Eric Clapton at the council house where they lived in Ovenden. Currently, I am working on the colourful and controversial Yorkshire Judge James Pickles, members of whose family still live in Halifax, but am still waiting for the opportunity to research the life of an Old Almondburian.

The hardback volumes of the ODNB, which include contributions by other Old Almondburians, notably Professor Edward Royle of York University, are available to consult in most large libraries or online with access in most places through public library membership. Any suggestions of other Old Almondburians who might merit inclusion would I am sure be gratefully received by the editorial team at Oxford University Press.

Fred Hudson centenary plans

The Fred Hudson Exploration Bursary This single Bursary of up to £1,000 has now been launched, with the aim of assisting the successful applicant to fund a journey of exploration.Any past or present pupil of the School under the age of 25 on 1st June 2012 is eligible to apply, and a requirement of the expedition is that it should be to a part of the world that would enable the applicant to offer help to those less fortunate than himself or herself.

Application forms are available from the School or Greenhead College, or online at www.oas.org.uk/bursary.php.

The closing date for applications is 1st June 2012.

We seek your help We hope those who passed through the School, and went on to study geography or became involved in geographical activities, will wish to contribute in one way or another to this year’s centenary events including the special Annual Dinner on 24th November 2012. Any geographers who would like to help in any way are asked to contact John Broadbent (tel 01484 650171 or email to oaklea97@yahoo.com).

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Back at the School

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HE School has taken a major step forward in communications with parents with the introduction of its new‘virtual learning environment’ (VLE) website (www.kingjames.org.uk).

SpecialVLE workshops have taken place to familiarise parents with its key features from the perspectives of both parents and teachers. Highlights include a‘My set work’ area for students where they will find information about their homework; a student/parent feed which gives updated information about activities related to them; a King James’s Daily Bulletin for students; and access to the everincreasing range of resources available through individual subject websites.

The portal will be further expanded in the coming months.

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TEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.The Government believes that it is crucial that all young people, regardless of their future career pathway, have the STEM knowledge and skills they need to be informed citizens in an increasingly scientific and technological society.

To launch a King James’s School STEM Club, a ‘Mega Structures’ event was organised in the gymnasium for 90 students in year 8. The students were asked to build a small mathematical structure using a few pieces of wood and elastic bands. These were then combined to erect a mega structure that almost reached to the ceiling of the gym.

The exercise enabled students to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and develop their ability to work in teams. All staff and students reported that it was a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

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A LIFE IN THE DAY

Muffins, Whisky and Teak

D R WA L L AC E B ROWN (1944-1 949 )

A graduate of the universities of Oxford,Nebraska and California, Wallace Brown has enjoyed an eclectic lifestyle embracing academia, writing, film and television acting, broadcasting and a love of fine Scotch whiskies.

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Y day usually starts between 8.00 and 9.00 am. Breakfast is toast or an ‘English muffin’ (a North American product unknown, I think, in England), with a choice of peanut butter, jam, Marmite or cheese. Once a month, I have a full fry-up including – as a nod to health – a square half inch of fried bread, lean Canadian bacon and fatless tinned tomatoes.Whatever the food, the essential is a nice pot of Yorkshire Gold tea.

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta but my father, a university lecturer, moved to Huddersfield in 1938 when I was five.

Married with four children, I now live in Fredericton, New Brunswick on Canada’s east coast My wife Paula is an American citizen and we had four children (two boys and two girls).

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I left Almondbury Grammar School in 1949 because my family moved to Halifax. I still have a small collection of AGS memorabilia – a couple of exercise books, a copy of The Almondburian dated Christmas 1947 (then, of course, the school magazine) containing my first published work, Bird Life on the Bass Rock, still a source of great pride.

But mostly it’s stuff from Teak’s art classes, and I particularly enjoyed the article on Edward Akroyd in The Almondburian in July 2011. It confirmed many of my own memories. There is a linocut of my cat’s head. Linoleum was easily obtainable even in those days of severe shortages (I probably got a surplus piece lying around at home where lino-covered floors were common), and was easily carved into a simple

design, rolled with ink and printed. I also have a number of drawings and watercolours including a ‘Still Life’ painted in 1947 and a 1949 masterpiece ‘Mon pupitre’ Perhaps most evocative of all is a slim volume, only half bound, of watercolours and a little penned text.

In 1949, I was disappointed not to follow my AGS friends into the sixth form, but Heath Grammar School provided an excellent education which propelled me to Oxford where I read modern history, slightly delayed by National Service.

After I came down I spent an aimless but terrific year in London, then drifted to the University of Nebraska when I was awarded a modest but liveable MA scholarship. Far from seeking an academic career I just wanted to explore the USA for a couple of years and return home.

But the attractions of academia were such that I ended up at the University of California, Berkeley where I earned a PhD in American history in 1963. My entire career was teaching history at universities in America and Canada.

My PhD thesis was on the American Loyalists, those many colonists who opposed the American Revolution and went into exile in Canada, Great Britain, the Caribbean, Central America, Sierra Leone etc. I have written three books and numerous scholarly articles on the Loyalists and other historical topics.

I’m also proud of my extensive popular history writing in newspapers and such magazines as History Today. My book The Good Americans – The Loyalists and the American Revolution is an attempt to combine scholarship with what the French call ‘haute vulgarisation’.

Canada is a wonderful, rapidly maturing country with a dazzling future: we

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Still a source of ‘great pride’: from The Almondburian, Christmas 1947

Early watercolours (Top): ‘Mon pupitre’ (1949) (Middle): Still life’ (1947) (Bottom): ‘My cat’s head’ (lino cut)

have one of the highest standards of living in the world with vibrant immigration.

Even so, if I had my choice I’d probably move back to the UK – but that’s a pipe dream because the Canadian dollar loses about half its value there. I miss the BBC, pubs, bacon, pork pies, sausages, Jersey new potatoes, fresh fish, the Yorkshire dales, Edinburgh, London … I could go on and on.

In Canada I dislike the short summers, long harsh winters, mosquitoes and black flies. The newness and huge size of the country are disadvantages as well as advantages. New Brunswick, however, has some great advantages. It is one third French speaking and is within fairly easy reach of Quebec and Boston.The border with the state Maine is only an hour away.

In other words, it provides interesting diversity.

I like to know what’s going on in the world, so I listen to our excellent CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the equivalent of a scaled down BBC) and I read the paper/print edition of The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper.”

On line I scan The NewYork Times, and erratically dip into the British press – The Scotsman, The Guardian, the Sun, the Huddersfield Examiner , the Halifax Courier, etc.

I subscribe to the paper editions of Viz, Private Eye, The NewYork Review of Books and Whisky Magazine.

For many years, I was a freelance broadcaster on local CBS radio, reviewing current cinema films. My interest in

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movies goes back to the Scientific Film Society at Huddersfield Tech, which was run by my father, Dr. A B Brown, who was Head of the Biology Department.

As a graduate student at Berkeley I auditioned for a stage role with one of my favourite film directors, Jean Renoir.

Fortunately I did not get the part (I’m a lousy stage actor) but spent a memorable good half hour, one on one, with the great man.

Here in New Brunswick I once had dinner with the actor Jack Palance who was scouting locations for a film set in Belfast. I told Palance that I was a professor of American history who was a fanatical American film buff. He replied that he was an American film actor who was a fanatical American history buff.

I had substantial rolls in two commercial features. At the End of the Day:The Sue Rodriguez Story (1998) was a CBC ‘movie of the week’ about the right-to-die advocate; and The Midwife’sTale (1996), for the American Public Broadcasting Network, about the 18th century midwife Martha Ballard who lived on the Maine frontier.

For a couple of years, I hosted a local cable television show Portraits, covering various historical themes. I have also appeared in a few television commercials, and for one memorable day dressed up as Colonel Saunders touring local malls and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. Part of my pay was a bucket of fried chicken.

In the afternoon, I’ll often spend some time on my main hobby these days: producing my newsletter Sgt Brown’s Tips for Better Living. This is emailed free to lovers of food and drink all over the USA, Canada and the UK. We enjoy a drink in the evening, and twice a week we have a happy hour drink at a local pub. I joined CAMRA in 1973 and always drink a local draft real ale. I’m also partial to whisky, having been

‘

founder of the Whisky Tasting Society (emphasis on Scotch) in Fredericton. For many years, we’ve run the best-regarded whisky and spirits festival in Canada. I’ve visited many Scotch distilleries and given talks all over Canada.

From time to time, we’ll perhaps have a meal out, though good restaurants are few in Fredericton. Luckily we have an excellent Mexican restaurant, a good Greek and an okay Pakistan eatery. Unfortunately, we have no good British fish and chips shops – they are rare throughout Canada. If we stay in, we’ll usually watch some television, including BBC World News and a goodly whack of British soaps and comedies – current favourites are Coronation Street, Father Ted and Dame Edna.

I finally get to bed between midnight and 1.00 am. There, I’ll probably play with my new Kindle e-reader. It already containsThomas Hardy’s poems, Bulldog Drummond, Wuthering Heights, Whiskey and Philosophy, and lots of other poems and songs. All just right to

guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Ale-Lover’s Fantasy

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Here in New Brunswick the search for natural gas engenders fear that its production method (‘fracking’) will pollute the water supply.

Elsewhere people have found that their water became flammable – handy during power-outages, but hardly conducive to a nice cup of tea. However, compromise of drinking water is not always negative.

My esteemed English Midlands correspondent sends an anecdote from a friend of his who booked into a Wolverhampton hotel located opposite a brewery. One morning he started to run a bath and stepped back into his bedroom for a few minutes. Returning to the bathroom he “opened the door, and nearly got knocked over by the smell and the sight of the brown hot liquid filling the bath. I managed to shut the tap and get to the phone. When the manager and porter arrived I was quite giddy. It turned out the brewery supplied the hot water to part of the hotel and someone had opened the wrong valves.”

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Sgt Brown’s Tips for Better Living

Wallace has recently produced the 52nd edition of his free emailed newsletter Sgt Brown’s Tips for Better Living, a ‘must’ for any lover of good food and wine. If you would like to be added to the circulation, drop Wallace a line at malt@nbnet.nb.ca.

UPDATES

Call to Action!

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S we reported in the November issue of )The oAlmondburian, two options are currently being explored: to renovate and extend the present cricket pavilion or a more ambitious proposal to build a brand new building with the latest facilities on the site of the old‘wooden hut’ pavilion.

Funding will, of course, will be an essential part of the decision-making process.

Discussions are being held with the King James’s School Foundation, who are very supportive of the Call to Action! campaign, and the Foundation will be meeting during March to discuss funding options.

Meanwhile, our thanks to those Old Almondburians who have alreadycontributed generously to the campaign.

Morning Assembly

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UR thanks to over 50 Old H A R RY TAY L O R Almondburians who have subscribed so far to our planned hardback facsimile of Harry Taylor’s hand-written set of morning prayers.

We are hoping to publish this, with additional biographical material and previously unpublished photographs, during the course of the year.

Demand is certain to be high,but it’s not too late to guarantee your copy by subscribing now at the special price of only £10 + £1.20 pp in UK (£2.00 Europe; £3.00 rest of world) To subscribe,please send your cheque, payable to the OldAlmondburians’ Society, to the Media Editor (address on back cover). Alternatively, you can subscribe online at http://www.oas.org.uk/morningassembly.php.

`ÉÜÇ|Çz tááxÅuÄç

DAILY PRAYERS FOR A YORKSHIRE SCHOOL

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Farnley Lines

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DAV E BUSH

O where were you? Such a low turn-out forThe Dinner was to a certain extent to be expected; no special occasion such as 2008, no marking of the retirement of long servers such as Patrick O’Brien and Walter Raleigh,The Recession. It’s easy to find reasons or excuses but it must have been so disappointing for the organisers, especially for Andrew Haigh who works so diligently every year. I had suggested that taking it back to the school might bring more OA’s together but I do not know if this is feasible.What I do know is that in November 2012 there are plans to mark the centenary of Fred Hudson’s birth.This surely will be an incentive for more to attend.

We meet a brassy-breasted tanager Writing the above, however, does bring on a feeling of guilt, for I, too, was absent. With a touch of hubris I like to imagine that this caused shock waves to reverberate around The Galpharm Stadium, or whatever Huddersfield Town’s ground is now called. (It’s almost as bad as Swansea’s ‘Liberty Stadium’).

Someone did kindly say I was missed but perhaps they were humouring me. I do believe it was the first time I have not been present.

The problem was that the evening overlapped my latest birding trip and that fortnight away was the only slot available. This time we were in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. Another great expedition including a day in Rio. However, I shall never complain about the rain in Wales again. Regular readers will perhaps recall that I am fascinated by the avian nomenclature of any area and always select the three most impressive.

This time third place went to the Bay-chested Warbling-finch, second to the Firewood Gatherer – what a nest! – and to remind me that we did visit Rio and Copacabana Beach, first place to the Brassy-breasted Tanager.

(Left) The statue of Christ the Redeemer on the summit of Corcovado mountain above Rio. Our intrepid explorer is the one in the green sweater (Right) A brassy-breasted tanager

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A somewhat unusual game of tennis It’s a somewhat large

Partners in crime: Alan Gaukroger (top left) and Dave Bush (bottom right).

Also picured in 1971 are Harry Taylor and Pete Heywood, head of languages.

leap from Rio to Joan Bareham whose death was reported in the last issue. On reading this inevitably I reflected on moments in her company which led in turn to memories of a tennis match. A phone call one Sunday from Alan Gaukroger, Charlie Gill’s successor as Head of Physics, suggested a game of tennis down at school. I accepted but we had rackets but no tennis balls. We scoured the local shops - few were open - and eventually secured half a dozen.

Next problem was that the gate to the courts was locked. For younger readers the courts were where the bus bay now is, for older ones down at the bottom of The Bunk. Additionally we had no net.

Here we displayed our scouting enterprise. I had a key to the scout store and the school. So it was that two figures could be seen climbing over the six foot wire fence laden with a length of rope and a goodly collection of staff gowns. By draping these over the rope we produced a ‘net’ and an enjoyable session ensued. I remember recounting our exploits to

Joan and mischievously telling her that the ball often disappeared up the sleeve of husband Francis’s gown; she looked quite alarmed. Now if our pupils had indulged in such behaviour… Things did tend to happen to Alan G.A runaway horse once jumped on top of his mini, at scout camp he disappeared for two days supposedly having gone to the local shop, disappeared also between the changing room and the top football field when due to play in goal for the staff soccer team. Some pupils alleged he wore leather underpants which, they claimed, creaked as he patrolled between the Physics Lab benches. Such imagination!

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The ‘beautiful game’ brings me no joy I was reluctant to mention football for my mind then turns inevitably to my beloved Lincoln City. Those not in love with ‘The Beautiful Game’ or who have no childhood team to follow should now skip on to the next paragraph. Those aficionados still with me will understand, sympathise and console. And you are many and you appreciate how one cannot desert one’s first love. Alan Conley, for example, and Manchester City; Bob Field,Town and Arsenal; Fanny Walshaw and Chelsea; Dave Gregson and Sunderland; Patrick O’Brien and Bristol Rovers; Martin Shevill and Sheffield

previously, seemed to be progressing well at the wedding but since then has had a relapse and had to return to hospital a second time.We’re glad to learn that he’s now back home again.

This makes us so grateful for our continued good health. Grateful too that we are not teaching today for I don’t think I would survive. Daughter Catherine keeps me au fait with developments in the stressful world of teaching. The thought that teachers will now have to continue working until they are 67 appals me. I used to say that any teacher not exhausted by the time they had reached 55 either was exceptionally fortunate or had not been giving their all.

No names obviously but I could list KJ teachers whom I regarded so highly and yet so sadly declined in their last years in the classroom.

I can already hear other professions being mentioned, long holidays and the like; but being‘on show’ five hours a day, five days a week every year of your working life, especially facing demands I never faced in the 1960s, must be absolutely exhausting.

So I shall still think of you down St. Helen’s Gate and the OAS Exec. meeting upstairs inTheWoolpack but I confess to being happy here in SouthWales although I do seem to leave it fairly frequently. As Jim Toomey so neatly put it in his Christmas card, ‘We must meet up in 2012 if you are not globally engaged.’

Well Jim, not at Easter for I shall be on ‘The Trip of a Lifetime’, one with a very strong Almondburian connection. I leave you to ponder.

Wednesday; and I hear that present Head, Robert Lamb, has more than a passing interest in Oldham Athletic. So it came to pass that I went to watch the Imps play at Newport County in the Blue Square Premier League. Lincoln lost and it was awful. The man next to me – we were among the 127 away fans – declared it the worst he had ever seen them play since first watching in 1992. I echoed his sentiments adding that my father took me to Sincil Bank for my initiation in 1947.

He looked duly amazed and/or impressed. At the present rate of decline we could pass FC Halifax as we go down still further and they climb.

A trip to Lyons for Yves Gasnier’s daughter’s wedding However, this is one of very few ‘causes for concern’ as our idyllic retirement continues.We drove down to Lyons in October for the wedding of the daughter ofYves Gasnier, former French Assistant. He had been in hospital

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Yves Gasnier, French Assistant in 19681969, pictured at his daughter’s recent wedding in Lyons

TERRY’S TEASER NO 5

Compiled by Terry Buckley (1948 - 1953)

Entries to the Editor by 13th April 2012 1

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Prize: 12 months free OAS membership

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30. In debt? Means nothing to us (3) 32. Material found in a Merlin engine (5) 33. Man sold dodgy nuts (7) 36. Slurred and erred (8) 37. Threatened alternative to ‘Le Rose’ medley (2,4) 38. Bit part – common or remarkable? (13)

DOWN 2. Though shattered, Nell and Beth were most determined (4-4) 3. Strangely uneven adverb (5) 22 23 24 4. Raoul caught, out of sight (6) 25 26 27 5. More slows one down! (5) 28 29 30 31 32 6. Wader seen about at cove (6) 7. Up to joint six a dislocation is next (13) 33 34 35 8. H M W Austin teed off for the London team (4,3,6) 11. Slap-up meal for a legendary sea nymph? (7) 36 37 12. Indian gauntlet (3) 13. Study the timetable and find the bill (3) 14. Flourishes parchments (7) 38 19. After one, you and I wonder (3) 21. Primate from Cape Province (3) ACROSS 24. He, she, and it, for example – how 1. Replaced, Sappho Chillio is pensive (13) 18. The boy in ‘The Wonderful Adventure’ (3) remarkable! (8) 9. Make lighter from a gun loader (6) 26. Backward Scotsman or French name? (3) 20. Rod’s legal profession? (3) 10. Ascending, attack mechanical motion (8) 22. Fugitive not married into the family? (6) 27. In the end, poetically not odd (3) 11. Grey sat round wheels (7) 23. Marsupial total after back pointwork (6) 29. Turn loudly in 6 and subjoin (6) 15. Stadium a long time back (5) 31. Drew on devastating amazement (6) 25. X Dix (3) 16. A long time in another age (3) 34. Lady, I turned round and behold – a lady! (5) 27. On the windless side, round fish (3) 17. Come down with a hitch (5) 35. Garment worn in humid and hot India (5) 28. Is the girl a problem? (5) 15

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The winner of Terry’s Teaser No 4 (November 2011) was Nick Beaumont

Across 7.Annual rainfall 9. Swells 11. Sack 12. Lemon tea 14. Ballad15. Squawk 16. Pea 18. Streets 19. Placard 20. Ice 22. People 25. Bigamy 26. Licenses 27. Emma 28. Decide 30.Yours sincerely Down 1. Bull 2. Closed 3. Manhole 4. Snouts 5. Nassau 6. Clockwork Model 8. Newcastle Emlyn 10. Llanelli 13.

Equalise 16. Psi 17.Ape 21. Contain 23. Plaque 24. Ecosse 25. Bedeck 29. Corn

Articles and photographs

The Editor is always delighted to receive articles for The Almondburian. Photographs are also welcome; if sent as email attachments the preferred format is jpeg (.jpg) with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.Alternatively, send your photographs by post and we will scan and return them.When submitting photographs, always provide a suitable caption.

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Cricket

‘I

JACK TAYLOR

N the bleak mid-winter’ thoughts inevitably turn to the on-field deeds of last summer, particularly at Arkenley. Pure cricketing nostalgia over the past several years was evoked by the guest speaker, former Club opening batsman Nigel Priestley, at the recent Old Almondburians’ Dinner. In addition to his prowess as a batsman, having participated in a memorable double century opening stand with PhilWhitely at Arkenley, Nigel was also a more than useful occasional off-spin bowler and fearless‘close to the bat’ fielder – in the days before helmets and other protective gear was worn. In his speech he reminded us of his love for the game, the many friendships made and the memories which resurfaced whenever he talked about his cricketing ‘home,’ at Arkenley.

Club thoughts also, once having digested last season’s final LeagueTable positions, the statistics of batting, bowling, catching and fielding, then turn to discussions around the proposed plans for the reinvigorated cricket pavilion or new pavilion at Arkenley.

It was most reassuring, on speaking to a number of Old Almondburians at the Dinner, to hear them speaking earnestly in favour of the suggested new developments alluded to in the Chairman’s speech at the Dinner.

The Club’s Annual General Meeting, held at the ‘Woolpack’ onWednesday, 11th January, was well attended. A healthy balance sheet was accepted, generously

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A proud Harry Taylor with a model of the present pavilion in 1958

New captain: Joe ‘Cola’ Colagiovanni will be leading the side this season

supported by the ‘OACC 200 Club’. All the current serving officers were ‘unanimously re-elected’; the only change being the election of Old Almondburian Joseph Colagiovanni (universally known as ‘Cola’) as captain, taking over from Steve Slack, who has given outstanding service to the Club as player, captain and administrator, in an unbroken association since he made his debut whilst still at the School, in 1977!

At this time of the year, pre-season, rumours inevitably are rife regarding possible defectors and their preferred replacements.With a couple of additions to last year’s squad and building on last season’s experience, I feel we will be well placed to mount a realistic promotion challenge, aspiring to reclaiming our place in the Premier Section of the Arrow Huddersfield Central Cricket League. Incidentally, our determination to achieve promotion must surely be shared byYorkshire County Cricket Club, after their most unlikely relegation at the end of last season.

The 2012 Season will commence on Sunday, 22nd April, with a round of fixtures for both First and Second Elevens; wickets pitched 2.00 pm. In addition to League and Cup competitions, the Club will also enter a team in the League’s relatively new 20/20 ‘Copymark Cup’.

The Club is anxious to contact would-be scorers for both First and Second Elevens.

Also, we would like to recruit a couple of umpires to represent the teams, thus not invoking League fines on a weekly basis. Any Almondburians wanting a competitive game of cricket or to socialise at a net session are cordially invited to come along to Arkenley. Your support at any Club fixture, home or away, will also be very warmly welcomed.

Badminton

A

A NDREW HAIGH

NOTHER ‘first’ has occurred in the Badminton Section: we have had our first Fathers v Sons badminton game when Neil Gledhill and Ian Daffern )took on Adam Daffern and Tom Gledhill, who made a welcome reappearance after a number of years absence.This game was, of course, followed the 37

same evening by our first Father & Son v. Father & Son badminton game, when Ian & Adam Daffern took on Neil & Tom Gledhill.

Numbers are currently a little sparse, since several of our regular players are away on long holidays at the moment; one in Australia and two in the Philippines.

Another will be travelling to New Zealand shortly. Perhaps we should consider starting a Pacific Section. In the meantime, now would be a very good time to come along to the school, since you are likely to have the opportunity to play in plenty of games!

We play in the school sports hall eachThursday evening during term-time, from 7.30 pm. until 9.30 pm.

Left to right: Neil Gledhill (1954-59), Ian Daffern (1977-1982), The fee, to cover the hire Adam Daffern (Current Year 10) of the sports hall, shuttlecocks and showers, is five pounds per person per evening. Our ages now span school pupil to retirement and a wide range of ability, so please come along and join us and bring a father or son or, indeed, a mother or daughter with you, if you

can.

Tennis

D

ANDREW HAIGH

UE to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee holiday, the 2012 Almondburian tennis season will start a week later than usual on Thursday, 14th June and will run until Thursday, 30th August, although we are still waiting to hear whether Her Majesty will be including us in her Diamond Jubilee tour, perhaps in betweenWimbledon and the Olympic Games.Whether or not she turns up, we shall be playing on the school tennis courts each Thursday evening between these dates, weather permitting, from 7.15 p.m. until dusk, and anyone is most welcome to join us. During term-time, it is possible to play badminton in the sports hall if the weather is inclement, although this is not possible during the summer holidays due to maintenance work in the sports hall.The fee, to cover the cost of balls (and showers during term-time), will be the princely sum of £3.00 per person, per evening.

Almondburian tennis is purely social, so why not come along and join us?

38

Soccer

I

MARTYN HICKS

N the usual Almondburians’ style, despite DIVISION 3 Played Pts being unbeaten we succeeded in drawing 12 26 to quite possibly the worst team in Col Inst Res 9 25 Calverley history. The goal was peppered for Almondburians pretty much the entire match, yet their Mods Res 8 25 goalkeeper could have read a damp copy of the Ealandians Res 8 24 Racing Post, written an in depth study of the Midd Park 12 19 Maginot Line and had a French manicure such Grangefield Res 13 17 was the inaccuracy of our forwards. Balls lay 12 14 strewn in Arkenley Lane gardens and one was Heck GSOB Batelian Res 13 13 eventually recovered from Birks Lane (fact).

We are currently level-pegging with this Leeds City OB 11 11 year’s Division 3 leaders Modernians who Overley Res 12 8 remain unbeaten but whom we have yet to meet. Cents Res 12 4 Several previous player luminaries have visited the Arkenley Bowl Stadium this season, including Keith Skarz, Simon Russell and Geoff Riley (obviously checking out whether we were wasting money on new kit!).Visitors are always welcome to the top touchline We are flush with talent this season and on occasions play some sweet passing football.We are definitely progressing and we have contacted the League to inform them that we intend to enter a Reserve XI next season.

A question: this season young Charlie Near miss: Martyn Hicks claims that one ball was retrieved from Birks Cottage East, a distance of 2,000 ft.The team is developing some fine strikers.

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DIVISION 3 GOLDEN BOOT AWARD

Stef Eberharter (Grangefield Res)

Gary Lumb (Almondburians)

Goals 21 16

(Left) The Golden Boot Award is presented to the player who has scored the most goals. Gary Lumb and Charlie Mitchell are our present contenders.

Mitchell has impressed on a weekly basis with the speed he has adapted to open age football.

Phil Bryant (Batelians) 12 Initially tentative, he is already scoring for fun Sam Turpin (Leeds City OB) 11 and playing with real intelligence; it’s a real Scott Mollet (Ealandians Res) 10 treat to see a young Almondburian Rodney Adams (Middleton Park) 10 progressing: his pace is scaring defences Charlie Mitchell (Almondburians) 9 witless and his eagerness to tackle back when not in possession is a real bonus to the team.

Adam Binns (Mods) 7 The question is: does anyone know of a Wayne Johnson (Colton) 7 previous Almondburian who has scored for Matty Campbell (Mods) 6 the First XI while still only 16 years old?

Paulo Williams (Ealandians Res) 6 Charlie did.

Josh Naylor (Colton) 6 So onwards! We have some tough games ahead but recent returns from injury of key players bodes well for our

advancement onwards and upwards.

Chris Hicks (Colston Inst)

12

Golf: Gothard Cup

T

SIMO N RUSSE LL

HE 2011 Gothard Cup Golf Competition will take place on Friday, 29th June at Woodsome Hall Golf Club with the traditional presentation dinner in the club house afterwards.The tee time is between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm and anyone – including non-members of the club – is welcome to play or attend the presentation dinner afterwards.

Please email me at simon@pacific-lifestyle.co.uk if you would like any further details.

40

I used to twang, but now I shale

S

C O L I N RO B SON (1946-1953)

An Old Almondburian is intrigued by the dialects of Almondbury and Huddersfield as collected by former headmaster Rev Alfred Easther

URFING the internet recently, I whom I formerly knew, saw her on this occame across a free version of forcasion and remembered her well. I am mer headmaster Rev Alfred happy to add that the people behaved Easther’s Glossary of the Dialect of Almondkindly to her ...’ bury and Huddersfield first published in The glossary itself is peppered with 1883. It may not sound to be particularly such anecdotes, though I suspect that the exciting, but I strongly recommend it as locals may sometimes have enjoyed providing a fascinating pulling the leg of the window into the life, lanschool-master vicar from guage and customs of Hampshire.

Victorian Almondbury.

Glancing through the As well as the glossary, glossary some words rethere are sections on the main in common use.We early study of chemistry can still get hooves (a part in the district, bull-baitof the skin on the hand ing, football between made hard by labour), alvillages, what the schoolthough Easther’s addition boys got up to on Shrove that ‘sometimes hurriers Tuesday, and an account in coal-pits will have of ‘Feckless Fanny’: hooves on their heads, ‘... in her wanderings she from constantly pushing came with her ten or the carts’ happily no twelve sheep to Almondlonger applies. Similarly bury, and lay in the maungy was and is comchurchyard with them for mon (well expressed as one night. She wore a ‘foolishly fond, sentiman’s hat and coat, and mental, peevish at carried a shepherd's crook. trifles’) though his examOne of her sheep she called ple is from a very Charlie, and when she lay different time: down to sleep she placed Rev Alfred Easther, a graduate of At a certain wedding Emmanuel College, Cambridge, her poor head on this her was headmaster of Almondbury where the bride was favourite. Some persons, Grammar School from 1848-1876 saluted in church by 41

a ring and knock out more than one, her female friends,a strong-minded woman they have to put the rest back unless they looking on said in my hearing, “Sitha, cry dubs); and Full thee (said when a boy sitha, they’re kussin’ one another, the wishes another to fire, and not place his maungy things!”

It was cheering to find dialect words marble in some convenient place with I had once known but almost forgotten. his hand). Playing hundreds takes him half Here are a few ‘b’s: to bray (to beat); to a page to explain. We always used furry, broddle (to pick out, etc: a splinter in the secky, thirdy, and lacky, all words used at hand is broddled out with a pin or nee- marbles, when boys call for the first, secdle); bully bowl (a child’s or boy’s hoop, ond, third, or last turn.

Male adults also had their fun. Largesse which is beaten along with a stick. I had an old iron one which was greatly en- (pronounced lairgesse) was restricted to vied); butty (being in league with. If two Plough Monday. A miniature plough was men engage to deceive a third, they are driven through the town, drawn by two men, and one held it; another, who was ‘butty’).

I remember going atattas with my the driver, had a bladder teed to th’end o’a grannie (to go a-walking: a word used to stick.The man who went into the houses children) and have been told that I lotched begging was donn’d i’ribbins; and when (to move as children do with the hand money was given all the men cried “Layand thigh) as an infant. In Victorian Al- ergsss” three times, finishing with a long-drawn mondbury it was A graduate of Manchester University, “Whoooop”. also said to mean to Colin Robson was the first Head of References to take more space Education at the newly created females suggest they than is allowed at a Huddersfield Polytechnic in 1971. He was had a more sober game or to peg too later appointed to a Readership and nationally funded research time. It was always many holes at crib- directed projects in the field of special educational thought a young bage (perhaps it still needs.

He was appointed as one of the first woman was ineligidoes). at the Polytechnic and became ble for marriage Many boys Professors Director of Postgraduate Programmes at unless she were able to games are men- Huddersfield University in 1990 leading a bake oat-bread. Many tioned, often with Masters Course in Social Research and He retired from his full-time picturesque names Evaluation. are negative as in post in 1995 and was honoured as an dolly, (a term of such as Blackthorne, Emeritus Professor of the University in 2002.

Cots and Twys, Gilty contempt for a For 30 years, woman: “he’s got a galty, and Inkum Colin lived in St jinkum. Marbles is maungy dolly for a Helen’s Gate on the site of the well represented wife”, in other ancient chantry; he with cries such as words one of little and his wife moved Dubs (that is, douvalue, either for use to Bath eight years bles: when boys or ornament); ago to be closer to their children. shoot at marbles in flizgig (a flighty 42

Above: Cricket at King James’s – Rev Easther at the wicket around 1850

Top right:This tablet on the wall in the ODH describes Easther as ‘a guardian of real culture, and a teacher of useful literature and branches of knowledge’ Bottom right:This bronze bust of Easther still hangs on the wall of the Library. It was the work of John William Cocking, who was one of Easther’s pupils in 1866

woman, one adorned with showy, flying cap-ribbons, or dressed at all out of the way); fluggons (slatternly woman); and fuffle, (a woman with too many flounces or ribbons etc would be said to have too much fuffle about her). Some display rampant male chauvinism: cocklety (applied to what is likely to tumble or fall off. “A woman a’horseback is a cocklety sort on a thing”). A rare example shows female wit: A woman and her servant were trying to catch a horse, which continually eluded their efforts.A man coming by at the time said, “Ho! mistress, yon galloway has a varry bad fault; yo cannot catch him.”To whom she replied, “Ah! master, he’s a waur nor that; he’s nowt when he is catched.”

And finally, one of my favourites.

When a certain woman of Almondbury for the first time wore a pair of right and left shoes, she by mistake placed them on the wrong feet. She habitually turned in

her toes, and being therefore surprised at the appearance of her feet as she walked, she was heard to say “Why, what the hangman do I ail? I used to twang, but now I shale”.

I’m not sure what all the words mean, but it’s pretty clear what she felt.

Easther comes over as a friendly and genial man, with an enlightened interest in the world about him. He was much loved, with over a thousand people at tending his funeral.

43

A full-text free version which is a facsimile of a copy in the library of the University of Toronto is available at http://tinyurl.com/bppdvdq or copies of a reprint edition can be bought from Amazon and other sources on the internet. If this whets your appetite,free full-text versions of Canon Hulbert’s Annals of the Church and Parish of Almondbury (1880) can also be found on the web; one is from a small public library in Allen County near FortWayne in Idaho! Not as much fun as Easther though.

Obituaries

G O N E B UT N OT FOR GOT TEN

JAMES MICHAEL STANCLIFFE (1935-1942)

Director of transformer company who changed career to run a Post Office ‘Mickey’ Stancliffe, as he was always known during his seven years at AGS, was not even 10½ years old when he first attended the class of 1(A). His form master was Fred Hudson. We were the first to wallow in the benefits of Fred’s supervision.

Mickey died on 2nd October 2011. His funeral service was held on 13th October at Ripon Cathedral.The first of the Desiderata read at this service began as follows: “As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others.”

That was Mickey to a T as I remember him – straightforward and never seeking the limelight. Some members of our class may have been a little envious of him because he lived immediately opposite the Waterloo cinema. The thirties were the days when happiness for many boys depended on managing to make visits to two cinemas every week. Proximity was a help.

After solid performances in both School and Higher School Certificates at AGS, Mickey was one of seven members of Form VI in 1942 to complete his education at Leeds University. He took a degree in electrical engineering financed by an Army scholarship. He then spent several years in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.After being commissioned at the age of 20 he was shipped to Palestine in 1945, then a very awkward location given our wish to limit the immigration of Jews 44 33

into Palestine and the determination of the Jews to refuse any such limitation. By the age of 23 Mickey was an acting major. His elder brother, in the RAF, managed to visit him once. He wrote to their mother as follows:- “You’ll never believe it but our little Mickey is in charge of the whole kit and caboodle.”

On his return to civilian life Mickey was employed as a works manager for a company in Dewsbury that made commercial electrical transformers. He became a director in it and was at one time Chairman of theYorkshire IndustrialTraining Board.

In 1970 he made a decision that few would have contemplated. He decided to abandon his profession as engineer to take over a post office in Queensbury, near Bradford. It must have been a sizeable post office for I recall him telling me that he and his wife employed half a dozen assistants.This change of occupation proved to be a good financial move according to his one and only daughter, Jill.

Michael had many outside interests. Charity work was one of them. He received the Lions International’s highest award for his contribution to humanity, having been at various times secretary, treasurer and president of the Ripon Lions. He was also an active member and eventually President of the Grewelthorpe Branch of the British Legion. He was even President of the Ripon City Swimming Club and dished out cups and shields to medal winners. Around Christmas time he used to dress up as Santa Claus and take his sleigh round the local streets.

Michael’s wife, Sheila, predeceased him not long ago.Their happy marriage nearly made it to the diamond wedding category but not quite. Both she and Michael attended all reunions (every four Mickey Stancliffe (top left) with Taylor Dyson and fellow members of the class of 1940. Bob Goldsmith years) of the alumni of Form 5 is on the right (Latin). In order to emphasise that obituaries should not simply be catalogues of relative success I offer a few statistics on the performance of Latin in 1940 of the 22 scholars in Form 5 (Latin). Six out of the 22 failed in it, more than in any other subject. Michael was one of the six.

Only one pupil achieved an ‘A’ in Latin. But modesty forbids me to mention his name.

Bob Goldsmith 33 45

FREDERICK JOHN SHEARD (1945-50)

Chartered accountant who was an active member of the OAS throughout his life Fred, as he was generally known, died on 3rd November 2011 aged 77 at his home in Foxglove Road Almondbury.

After leaving school, he very soon became a big supporter of the Old Almondburians’ Society He served on the Committee where he was Chairman in 1971 and subsequently a Vice President.

For most of his life he lived within one mile of the school. A keen sportsman, he played tennis at LongleyTennis Club where he started as a junior and served the club as treasurer and first team captain among many other roles. He was a member of Woodsome Golf Club and captained the rabbits’ team whilst there. During the winter months he played badminton at School on Thursday evenings with the Old Almondburians.

He was a regular churchgoer, first at St. Mary’s Longley and after it was closed the mother church Almondbury Parish Church where he was treasurer of the Parochial Church Council.

Fred left school after obtaining his School Certificate and joined the family accountancy practice Fred Sheard & Sons which was started by his grandfather in 1903. He qualified and as a Chartered Accountant became a partner with his father Ernest and his uncle Percy, both Old Almondburians.

On 6th July 1963 he married Joanna Dent. She died less than two years before him and they are survived by two sons Andrew and Marcus (both Old Almondburians) and three grandchildren who will miss them greatly. Fred will also be missed by the older Old Boys table at the Annual Dinner which he regularly attended.

Michael F.Dyson 46 33

HISTORY

OAS SHOP VIDEOS

CHINA MUG

The Royal Charter rns to its home at King retu James’s

ROGER DOWLING tells eventual chance rediscoverthe strange story of the Charter’s ‘disappear ance’ y in 1952 by members of the School’s Surveying and its Society

‘T

HE ORIGINAL LETTERS PATENT do not exist’, recorded Taylor Dyson in his classic Almondbury and its Ancient School of 1926, echoing the words of Canon Hulbert’s earlier Annals of the Church and Parish of Almondbury But they were both wrong: the Letters Patent (‘the Charter’) in fact lay, undisturbed over many years, in a strong box at the unlikely location of Denby Grange Colliery just a few miles away on the road to

Wakefield So how did the School come to be parted from its own Charter?

And why did it require services of the School’s the Surveying Society to reunite it with the School on 6th April 1954?

It all started with a planned Society, led by Geography visit by members of the master Fred Hudson, local history exhibition to a being organised by Yorkshire Archaeologica the l Society in Leeds Hudson was

China Mug: £10.00 inc pp (UK)

TEDDY BEAR An Illustrated History of King James’s School: £12.50 inc pp (UK)

Floreat Schola! DVD £15.00 inc pp (UK)

HISTORY

Teddy Bear: £13.75 inc pp (UK)

PAPERWEIGHT

A History of King James’s School: £12.50 inc pp (UK)

Anniversary Weekend DVD: £15.00 inc pp (UK)

ANNIVERSARY TIE

ANNIVERSARY PRINT

Anniversary HISTORYTie: £12.50 inc pp (UK)

Anniversary Print: £25.00 inc pp

Paperweight: £31.50 inc pp (UK)

KEY FOB

Key Fob: £8.50 inc pp (UK) HISTORY

All items available online at www.oas.org.uk or by post from Andrew Haigh, Floresco House, Oak Hill Road, Brighouse HD6 1SN. Please make cheques payable to ‘The Old Almondburians’ Society’

Chairman NICKY BRIGGS 17 Fair Street, Huddersfield,Yorkshire HD1 3QB Tel: 01484 305734 Mobile: 07595 175835 Email: nickybriggs@hotmail.com Secretary ANDREW HAIGH 2 Arkenley Lane, Almondbury HD4 6SQ Tel: 01484 432105 Email: andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk

Treasurer KEITH CRAWSHAW 5 Benomley Drive, Almondbury HD5 8LX Tel: 01484 533658 Email: keith.crawshaw@oas.org.uk

Media Editor ROGER DOWLING Editorial address: Orchard House, Oughtrington Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RD Tel: 01925 756390 Email: almondburian@oas.org.uk Archivist NICH BRIGGS Tel: 07771 865330 Email: nichbriggs@hotmail.com Website: www.oas.org.uk

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/3ykffo3

The Almondburian is distributed to OAS members free of charge.

Price to non-members: ÂŁ3.00