The Almondburian

The ALMONDBURIAN T H E MAGAZINE OF TH E OLD AL MONDBURIANS’ S OCIETY

November 2011

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IN THIS ISSUE

Chairman’s Letter OAS Calendar OAS Membership Annual Dinner/Founders’ Dayg From the study

… and back at the School Farnley Lines

A visit to a bullfight Fellowship for work in Ethiopia A splendid vintage for Andrew Postbag Fred Hudson centenary plans Cricket pavilion: the latest news Reunion Cricket Golf Badminton Tennis Soccer The joys of owning half a horse ‘Morning Assembly’ The tin house on Arkenley Lane Terry’s Teaser Custodian of the archives Obituaries

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

November 2011

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

Chairman’s letter

G

NICK BRIG GS

REETINGS to all my fellow Old Almondburians! I hope this edition of our magazine finds you well. Since our last issue there has been a great deal of activity and progress in the Society.We have secured a speaker for this year’s dinner: Nigel Priestley. Nigel, who attended the School from 1963 to 1970, is not only a very successful solicitor but also a noted former OAS cricketer. He also played a leading role in the discussions in the 1990s to unravel the intricacies of the School’s ancient endowments, leading in due course to the setting up of the King James’s School Foundation. I’m sure Nigel will give an interesting and entertaining speech and 3

I hope to see you all at the Dinner on 26th November. Full details are given on page 5 and on the slip accompanying this issue.

The Call to Action campaign to renovate or rebuild the cricket pavilion continues to gain momentum and has the full support of the School and the King James’s School Foundation. A full report appears on page 18.

Also in this issue,on page 33, we include a fascinating article by our new archivist Nich Briggs, who with his assistant Emily Earnshaw have been going through the extensive ancient documents and artefacts in the school.

I know you will enjoy reading this edition of the Almondburian as much as I will and look forward to seeing you at one or other of the many OAS activities during the coming year.

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY CALENDAR

DATES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 2011 The Executive Committee of the Society meets upstairs at the ‘Woolpack’ in Almondbury.Meetings are held each month at 7.30 pm,with the exception of August when there is no meeting.Any member of the Society who would like to attend one of these meetings will be made most welcome on the following dates this year: 7th November and 5th December.

of 1941, 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1986, 1991 or 2001, for example or, indeed, anyone else who takes a notion to do so, should consider starting to organise their class re-union earlier rather than later.

FOUNDERS’ DAY The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held at All Hallows’ Church,Almondbury, at 11.30 a.m. on the day following the Annual Dinner, Sunday, 27th November.

Almondburians are invited to assemble in Big TreeYard at 11.00 a.m. for the traditional procession up the hill.

The Executive Committee would urge all Almondburians to make every effort to attend this event. It would help if you are able to indicate in the space provided on the Annual Dinner ticket application form whether or not you expect to attend the Founders’ Day Service as well, but it is not essential and you are most welcome to turnupon the day if you are able.

ANNUAL DINNER The Dinner will take place once again in the main Banqueting Suite at the Galpharm Stadium on Saturday, 26th November, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm. so please put the date in your diary now to make sure that you don’t miss out on a great evening.The speaker this year will be Old Almondburian Nigel Priestley, the Law Society’s ‘Solicitor of the Year’ for 2010.The ticket price is £26.00 and an application form is included with this issue of The Almondburian.Alternatively, you can book online at www.oas.org.uk.

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

BADMINTON Thursday evenings from 7.30 pm until 9.30 pm, untilThursday, 31st May 2012. Fee: £5 per person per evening.Note that due to a school function there there will be no badminton on Thursday, 12th January, 2012.

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OAS Membership

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AND RE W HAIGH

If you do receive a letter with this newsletter pointing out that your subscription is not up-to-date, please do send your payment without delay. It does make life much easier if you can complete the updated standing order mandate that accompanies the letter and return it in the envelope provided.

Alternatively, you may renew online, using PayPal or a debit or credit card, by visiting www.oas.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Join/Renew Online’ button.

INCE the last magazine was published, we have been delighted to welcome three new members to the Society: Craig Joyce; Keith Bottom, from Brighouse; and Richard Oughton from theWirral.

Thank you to those of you who have recently brought their subscription up to date. However, for the few of you who do not yet pay by standing order, please remember that your £10.00 subscription for 2011-2012 fell due on 1st September.

Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day

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HIS is a final reminder that this year’s Annual Dinner at the Galpharm Stadium will take place on Saturday, 26th November at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm.

Our special Guest Speaker is Nigel Priestley (1963 - 1970) who, as we reported in the March 2011 issue of The Almondburian, was the Law Society’s Solicitor of the Year for 2010. A partner at Ridley and Hall, Huddersfield, Nigel has a specific expertise in holding local authorities to account for their treatment of ‘kinship carers’. Nigel worked closely with Graham Cliffe and Richard Taylor in the discussions with the Charity Commission concerning the administration of the School’s ancient trusts that led to the setting up of the King James’s School Foundation.

Tickets cost £26.00 and may be booked online at www.oas.org.uk or by post using the slip enclosed with this issue.The Founders’ Day Service will take place as usual the following morning.

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From the study

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RO B E RT LAMB

Another outstanding set of GCSE results in 2011:not surprisingly,the School continues to be over-subscribed,reports the HeadTeacher NOTHER academic year has started with the wonderful nnews that, yet again, the students of King James’s School have achieved record GCSE results. We expected our students to do well but it was a tremendous feeling when the results were confirmed. All the staff of the school are quite rightly proud of our stunning results. They are a just reward for all their hard work and dedication.

The challenge now is to get even better results in the future. This challenge has already been issued to the staff and the older students and we are confident that new records will be set again in the very near future.

The headline figures for 2011 are that 72% of our students achieved 5A*-C (including English and Math-ematics),

well up on last year’s record results and our 5A*-C result was 89%, which equalled last year’s record. In addition, we broke many more records including: The number of A*/A grades achieved was over 30% of all entries.The previous record set in 2010 was 26.3%.

74% of our students achieved ten or more A* - C (the previous record set in 2010 was 68%) 88% of the boys achieved five or more A* - C (the previous record set in 2010 was 87%) 81% of our students gained an A* - C in English (the previous record set in 2010 was 79%) 74% of our students gained an A* - C in Mathematics (equalling the record set in 2009) 78% of students passed 2 Science

It’s all smiles as these happy students get their 2011GCSE results

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Photos: Jenny Ainger

Leading the way: an extract from the current ‘Good Practice’ website following Ofsted’s recent visits to King James’s School

GCSE’s at grades A*- C (the previous record set in 2010 was 75%) 89% of students gained an A* - C in Science (the previous record set in 2010 was 85%) Over 50% of students achieved three or more A*/A grades. The previous record set last year was 41% The girls’ 5 or more A*-C results of 89% was not a record but was only just behind the record of 91% set in 2010 Finally, a remarkable 27 students achieved eight or more A*/A grades. A wonderful achievement when you consider that there were only 167 in the cohort.

With these excellent results it is no

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wonder that the school is oversubscribed.

In fact this year only three non-selective schools in Kirklees were oversubscribed, ourselves, Salendine Nook and Mirfield Free Grammar.We fully expect demand for places in September 2012 to be extremely high as our reputation continues to grow.

We have just held an extremely successful Open Day/Evening which saw the school full of visitors and every one of the 100+ evaluations were glowing in their praise. Older members of staff remarked that the attendance was far higher than any that they had attended in the past.

You may recall that in the last issue I

informed you that Ofsted had asked if they could visit the school again following our ‘Outstanding’ grade for Business and Economic Education.This visit took place in July and an article has consequently been written and published on the Ofsted ‘Good Practice’ website.As a result of this the school has already been visited, on a

number of occasions, by staff from other schools who would like to establish similar good practice in their own schools. If anyone is interested in reading this article it can be found on the Ofsted website at www.goodpractice.ofsted.gov.uk.

These really are exciting days at the

school. Floreat Schola!

…and back at the School

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EAR 11 leavers’ traditional prom event was held this year at the Cedar Court Hotel in Wakefield. As usual, students arrived in wonderful style, transported by a selection of vintage cars.

One enterprising girl made a surprise wild west entrance riding in on horseback.

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HE School’s most talented mathematicians competed in the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge Competition, gaining 1 Gold, 19 Silver and 22 Bronze certificates.

Gold medallist JoeWatson (year 10) won the ‘Best in School’ award.

Below left:Top mathematician Joe Watson; right:Year 9 SilverAward winners

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Farnley Lines

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DAV E BUSH

O another medal has been awarded, at the highest level yet.

Readers will perhaps be aware that these fictitious awards are made to those Old Almondburians who visit us here in far flung South Wales. The ‘Platinum Award’ was made to Bob and Janice Field who made their fourth trip to stay with us at Spring Bank. Bob taught French with German at the School from 1973 to 1989.

I am always rather alarmed when Janice’s case appears as it gives the impression she is coming for a month.

‘Justin Case’ Bob calls it.They are always delightful company and share with us a deep appreciation of red wine, good food and lashings of humour-filled nostalgia.

Bob, such a popular and successful teacher and manager of the KJS football team in his days down St. Helen’s Gate, moved on to adopt a similar role at Greenhead College.The problem is that he is now working part time and as full retirement looms closer, although ever welcome, his visits to Porthcawl will become more frequent. I am wondering what terminology I shall be able to use in making future awards. Any suggestions gratefully received.

teacher reminds me of the government’s proposal to seek to recruit to the profession only those with first or upper second degrees. While I appreciate that a sound knowledge of the subject matter to be imparted is a desideratum it is not a sine qua non; non Latinists, check your dictionaries. During my teaching career I came across quite a few highly qualified teachers who were non starters in the classroom and conversely some with ordinary, and in the early days, no degrees who were inspiring and very successful.

What is it then that guarantees success? I could devote pages to this topic but I have often said it’s‘Factor X’; if we could bottle it and pass it on to intending teachers what a profession we would have. Essential ingredients would include a sense of humour, stamina and above all the ability to command respect and to maintain discipline. I have seen six foot, deep voiced men reduced to

Teacher recruitment My mentioning of Bob as a successful

Enjoying the summer sunshine: left to right, Margaret Bush, Janice Field, Dave Bush and Bob Field 9

Have a good trip? Matador Antonio Bricio catches his adversary off balance during a competition at the San Sebastian bull fighting arena.

tears while a tiny, quiet lady’s classes were a model of efficient delivery. That comparison is probably non PC but I trust the point has been made.

It was always my puerile boast that I slept with Joan Bareham on two occasions. However, when eyebrows were raised, I added that Francis and Margaret were in the same sleeping coach at the time. This was in the late 1960s when we took a party of King James’s pupils to Northern Spain to stay in a hotel in a coastal resort between the French frontier and San Sebastian. No flying out in those days; coach, ferry and sleeper from Paris to Irun.And then? It’s amazing how details cannot be recalled although perhaps not as it’s now over fifty years ago. How did we get from the Spanish frontier to our resort of Fuenterrabia? And was it a reddish haired boy called Newsome who fainted on the floor of the chemist’s when the latter punctured the blisters on his back?

And did we really take a group to a proper bullfight in San Sebastian*? That

Yorkshire Day – and a trip to a bullfight As I tap away at my keys, a sideways glance alights upon a highly artistic Yorkshire Day card set up on my desk.

This annual arrival was sent as always by that most distinguished of Old Almondburians, Keith Crawshaw. Keith dedicates it to ‘An Honorary Yorkshireman’. My family, all Yorkshire born, pour scorn on such a term.

However, my contacting Keith to thank him always results in a flood of news, comment and strongly held opinions.

Sadly this time he informed me of the passing of Joan Bareham, wife of Francis, whose dedication to School and Society was lauded so extensively on his death a few years ago.When I joined the all male KJGS staff in 1961 the‘StaffWives’ were a formidable bunch.They had their own annual dinner and were much in evidence at social and fund-raising events.

*Sorry, Dave, you did indeed – the grisly evidence is there for all to see on page 12.

Letter from Porthcawl

Ed.

No, our long-established writer has not moved house! Our new title ‘Farnley Lines’ will, we hope, make it clearer to newer readers that Dave’s entertaining and thought-provoking contributions are not so much about Porthcawl but about his ongoing interest in educational issues and his deep affection for a school which he served in such a distinguished fashion for 35 years. Dave and his column will not change. Just the title.

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no respect for authority and property, upset me greatly.

It served to remind me how thin a veneer the maintenance of control is.

Should a class collectively decide, metaphorically only, I hope, to ‘take a teacher’s trousers down’ (is that sexist again?) there is little he can do. This is one reason teaching is so demanding. It’s a bluff, so much an act, like being on stage for five or six hours every day of one’s career. It’s also the reason teachers need long, battery-recharging breaks; without them there would soon be a severely depleted teaching profession.

I must finish on a positive note. All snippets that reach me of life at KJS are so encouraging, be they about dress, discipline, sport or exam results. Add to this the success of the resurrected Almondburians soccer team and the plans for a new building on the cricket field and I can write with real conviction: Floreat Schola!

would be heavily frowned upon today.

And am I right in picturing a young Andrew Taylor waving above his head a pair of bull-blooded banderillas, the barbed darts plunged into the bull in the early part of the ‘contest’? If so, how did he obtain them? And was it Wilshaw who broke my toe in a game of football on the beach? If there is any Old Almondburian who can add more or fill in gaps I should be grateful.

Those August riots I believe I have mentioned before that I still have dreams verging on nightmares which feature my teaching days at King James’s School. These revolve around my losing complete control of my class.The latest occurred recently, prompted doubtlessly by the riots and looting in England; did I hear that they affected Huddersfield on a minor scale? To see young people acting in such a defiant way, showing

Facing the rioters: the scene in Tottenham, north London on the night of 6th August 2011

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FROM THE ALMONDBURIAN, WINTER 1965

A visit to a bullfight

J A TAY L O R ( Form 3)

It is difficult to imagine a school trip today going within 1,000 miles of a bullfight. Not so back in 1965, when Dave Bush led a bloodthirsty party to the bullring at San Sebastian.Third-former Andrew Taylor eagerly recounted the gory details.

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adors are the least popular of all the bullfighters.

When the picador had left the ring, a gaily dressed banderillero entered, clutching two darts about three feet long— known as banderillas.The bull charged towards him, and, waiting till the last possible moment, the banderillero thrust his darts in behind the bull’s shoulders.This was repeated by another banderillero.

Finally, the matador entered, to great cheers from the crowd, for he is the leader of the whole team. He tormented the bull with graceful‘muleta’ (cloak) passes, then thrust one of his swords in between the bull’s shoulder blades.This did not incapacitate the bull in (any way, and was (Redacted to spare the removed by a flick from a second sword, sensibilities of our which was then thrustpresent-day in behind thereaders) bull’s skull. In five out of the six cases, the bull dropped dead immediately, but in the sixth, the matador pierced a lung, and the bull died a slow and painful death.

In one case, the matador was so expert that he was cheered incessantly by the crowd, who waved their white handkerchiefs, the signal of their approval. The matador was then presented with one of the bull’s ears as a mark of respect.

URING the school trip to Fuenterrabia, near San Sebastian in Northern Spain, Mr Bush led a party on a visit to a bullfight. No-one in the party had previously witnessed such a sight, and so the half-hour or so preceding the start was well-spent in elevated discussion about the price of the various forms of refreshment on sale.

After a while, an outburst of cheers announced the entry of the‘Grand Parade’or Paseillo, in which the gaily dressed toreadors, banderilleros and matadors were greeted by the crowd. The ring soon cleared, however, and the first of the six young bulls due to be slaughtered that afternoon cantered in.

It stood for a moment, bewildered, and then one of the six toreadors advanced towards it, bearing a cape.After some time it was induced to charge, and the toreador leapt nimbly behind a protecting barrier.

Another toreador appeared on the other side of the ring, and the bull—furious by now—charged towards him at top speed, the toreador reaching safety just in time.

Then a picador, dressed very plainly, and riding a heavily padded horse, entered the ring.There were no cheers, for the pic-

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IN THE NEWS

Fellowship for work in Ethiopia

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John Broadbent (1948-1954) and his wife Jean have been awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship by Huddersfield Rotary Club

The Huddersfield Examiner

N the March 2011 issue of The Almondburian we carried a story about the major humanitarian efforts of Old Almondburian John Broadbent and his wife Jean in Ethiopia.Their successful project to bring water and electricity to the remote village of Adi Eblal – for which nearly 80 Old Almondburians raised over £3,000 – has now been recognised by Huddersfield Rotary Club who have awarded them the Paul Harris Fellowship.

“We are very honoured to have received this award,” said John, “but as you would expect our real pleasure has been the fact that these villagers now, for the first time, have the water and electricity that we are able to take for granted.”

He added, “ The project would not have been possible without the generosity of Old Almondburians and other Huddersfield organisations and individuals who contributed funds.”

Rotary Club president Ian Fillan, said: “We were delighted to present the Paul Harris Fellowship award to Jean and John.“They are thoroughly deserving of the award.”

A ‘thank you’ from the people of Adi Eblal: (left to right) Ian Fillan; Rotary vice-president, Satnam Khela; John and Jean Broadbent.

Inset: the award certificate 13

The award is named after Rotary founder and acknowledges outstanding service to communities by Rotarians and members of the public.The certificate awarded to John and Jean is ‘in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.’

A splendid vintage for Andrew

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Hard-working OAS Secretary Andrew Haigh and his wife win a ‘fiendish’ Yorkshire Post wine competition – and a trip to Navarra

ONGRATULATIONS to Andrew and Jacqueline Haigh, who were winners of this year’sYorkshire Post ‘FiendishWine Quiz’.The prize was a flying visit to Spain where Christine Austin they spent a hectic two days visiting the Navarra winegrowin region and sampling the local vintage.

The visit also took in a tour of Pamplona and a visit to the historic castle at Olite.

“It was a great trip,” saidAndrew, “and we’d love to pay a return visit.What’s more, it was the first time we’d left our children and gone away on our own!”

Could YOU have won that trip to Spain?

Just a few of the ‘fiendish’ questions Andrew had to answer (Answers: page 32)

1.Which neighbour of Mouton now works biodynamically? a. Ch Calon-Ségur b. Ch Pavie c. Ch Pontet Canet

2.With wine very much in mind, how would you get from Organized Crime to Inniskillin? a. Head north 20 miles b. Head east 10 miles c. Head west 250 miles

3. From this tasting note – what is the wine?

Red, brick colour, pale at rim. Sweet morello cherry aromas with a touch of spice, rounded elegant fruit with a hint of mushroomy undergrowth. Light, balanced tannins and a long finish. a.Argentinian Malbec b. South African Pinotage c. Burgundy d. New Zealand Cabernet Sauvignon

4. Great Uncle George has decided to marry his 21 year old nurse and he wants to drink, in moderation of course, the best wines in his cellar on his wedding day. Which 3 should he choose? a. La Tache 1985 b.Tokaji Szepsy Aszú 6 putts 1993 c. Quinta do Noval Nacional 1956 d. Ch Latour 1951 e. Sassicaia 1963 f. Screaming Eagle 1983 g. Clos du Mesnil 1996 14

Postbag OAS Networking

S a short footnote to your article in A The Almondburian regarding OAS networking, readers might be interested

YO U WRITE …

From Dr John Hargreaves (Staff 1971-1990)

Hargreaves) as General Secretary for the last five years.

There may well be other Old Almondburians in our global membership and I would be interested to hear from any of them.

Halifax, Yorkshire

to learn that the Wesley Historical Society, founded in 1893 to promote the study of the history of Methodism, now has three members of the Old Almondburians Society in leadership roles notably Professor Edward Royle, recently elected as President, Mr Keith Rothery who has served as Treasurer for several years and myself (Dr John

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John Wesley (1703-1791) and his brother Charles (1707-1788) are largely credited as founding the Methodist movement. In the course of his career, Charles Wesley published the words of over 6,000 hymns, many of which are still popular today.

The School has produced many lawyers

From Richard Oughton (1966-1967)

at the Chancery Bar in Liverpool and then Manchester since 1979.

I have been surprised to learn of the large number of lawyers that the School has produced and that HarryTaylor was a barrister. I live on theWirral, where I am theVice-Chairman of the Governors of a large and successful Secondary School, not unlike the current King James’s.

Eastham,Wirral

ENCLOSE an Application Form to join (or rather re-join) The Old Almondburians’ Society.

I only spent one year at King James’s (of which I have fond memories). I then went to a Grammar School in Ipswich, before going up to read law at St. John's College, Cambridge, where I met up again with Graham Sellens [1966-1973].

After a Masters degree in the States, I was called to the Bar and have practised

In brief …

The Almondburian gets better and better! The article on Reg Addy’s house I found absolutely fascinating.

Christopher Mann, Hitchin, Herts Another excellent issue. I can picture Michael Jackson (without beard) in Dorm 4 – always smiling, in spite of Latin!

JimToomey, Stourport-on-Severn,Worcestershire 15

Fred Hudson centenary plans

J O HN BROAD BENT

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Next year marks the centenary of the birth of Second Master and former head of geography Fred Hudson.We seek your support to mark the occasion

Y common consent, Fred Hudson who taught from 1935 to 1973 was one of the finest masters in the long history of the King James’s Grammar School.The OldAlmondburians’ Society plans to mark next year’s centenary of his birth in a number of ways.

We believe that it would have been Fred’s wish that any such activities should be directed towards the encouragement of young people to take a keener interest in geography and travel. We therefore plan to set up in 2012 The Fred Hudson Exploration Bursary.

The Fred Hudson Exploration Bursary The aim of this single Bursary of up to £1,000 will be to assist the applicant to fund a journey of exploration. Any past or present pupil of the School under the age of 25 on 1st June 2012 will be eligible to apply. 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.

The Bursary will be administered by The King James’s School Foundation, a registered charity.

Applications can be made online at www.oas.org.uk/bursary.php, or an application form can be downloaded from the same website. Alternatively, application forms are available by post

from King James’s School, St Helen’s Gate, Huddersfield,WestYorkshire HD4 6SG (tel 01484 223930).

The closing date for applications is 1st June 2012.

Fundraising for the Bursary Members of the Old Almondburians’ Society are invited to support the Bursary by making a donation to The King James’s School Foundation. The

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 next year’s centenary events. One possibility is to involve The Royal Geographical Society’s ‘Ambassadors for Geography’ scheme, which aims to inspire young people to take geography further through talks to school student groups.

Another is to organise geographyrelated activities at the School.

Any geographers who would like to help in any way are asked to contact JOHN BROADBENT (tel 01484 650171; oaklea97@yahoo.com; ).

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Trust can increase the value of any such donation, from a UK tax payer, by Gift Aid. Donations can be made online at www.oas.org.uk using any debit/credit card or Paypal. Alternatively, cheques (payable to ‘The King James’s School Foundation [FSH]’) can be sent to OAS Treasurer Keith Crawshaw (contact details on back cover).

The OAS Annual Dinner next year will mark the culmination of the Society’s centenary celebrations. Special guest of honour will be Fred Hudson’s daughter Anne. We hope as many geographers as possible will attend and let us have their recollections of Fred Hudson’s teaching and its influence on their careers.There will be a special issue of The Almondburian next year and written contributions about Fred Hudson can be submitted online at www.oas.org.uk or posted to the Editor (contact details on back page).

Ex head boy is principal cornet

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Last year’s head boy is a talented cornet player whose abilities have been recognised by the NationalYouth Brass Band of Great Britain

AMIE SMITH, now studying at Greenhead College, was appointed principal cornet of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain at two prestigious concerts in Nottingham.The concerts were part of

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the band’s summer camp at Repton School in Derbyshire, coincidentally the former school of King James’s Grammar School president governor John Arthur Brooke of Fenay Hall.

Jamie has been playing the cornet for about eight years, having earlier started on percussion. His elder brother Jonathan plays euphonium. Both are keen to follow careers in music.

Jamie is principal cornet with Sellers InternationalYouth Band and withYorkshire 1st Section Champions, Hammonds Saltaire. He is also musical director of Mighty Oaks which is the Sellers intermediate band. Jamie has been attending summer camps run by the NationalYouth Brass band set-up for some years.

The NationalYouth Brass Band of Great Britain was formed almost 60 years ago and has developed into one of the finest brass ensembles in the world today.

Cricket pavilion: the latest news MARTYN HICKS

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A second option – an ambitious plan to build a brand new pavilion rather than upgrade the present building – is now receiving urgent attention.

4. Siting of the pavilion in relation to existing trees 5. Recreational/viewing space between the boundary rope and pavilion to make best use of the land available.

Ironically, when all these factors have been taken into account, the optimum location for a ‘new-build’ pavilion would appear to be precisely where the old ‘wooden hut’ pavilion, dating back to the days of Francis Marshall, used to be located!

Chris West has now produced a second set of plans, which have been costed out by John Aspinall .

Refurbishment and extension of present pavilion Around £180,000 New pavilion in preferred location Around £420,000.

These two sets of plans have now been presented to the King James’s School Trust, the Old Almondburians’ Society and the School in three separate meetings. No major objections were raised and each is now actively considering its requirements in order to

N the July issue of The Almondburian, I promised you costed designs. In fact, two possible options have now emerged.

The first (decribed in the July issue) is to upgrade the existing pavilion’s facilities and add on additional changing rooms with storage.The second option is a complete ‘new-build’ based largely on guidelines set down by the English Cricket Board which take into account several specific issues.

1. Disability access 2. Enhanced viewing of the wicket by taking account of the path of the sun (it’s better to sit in the sun than the shade).

3. Improved security, including car parking

Option !: Refurbishment and extension of existing pavilion 18

Chris West RIBA

Option2: Initial layout for a possible ‘new-build’ pavilion

Below: Could the new pavilion look like this? Some recent award-winning designs St Andrews Fairmont Golf Clubhouse

Stirling County Cricket Pavilion

Singapore Cricket Pavilion

Brixham Cricket Club Pavilion

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establish which of the two options to pursue.

A Steering Committee is currently being set up; so far we have been offered advice and future assistance by Dave Morrison (of Chigwell School no less), Graham Cliffe and Christopher Mann, together with myself. We are probably two people short at present: a secretary for the project and someone who might have good contact with Huddersfield schools’ cricket and/or the wider crick-

eting community. We hope to hold the first meeting of the Steering Group towards the end of November.

Thanks must go to those who have recently been kind enough to make donations: The Morrison family The family of the late Austin Holroyd Bob Goldsmith So reader, onward we march! Your thoughts and ideas at this stage are more than welcome, as is cold hard cash.

REUNION

Class of ’48 meets at Woodsome

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NOTHER reunion of the Class of ’48 – a Buckley/Watson/Broadbent production – was held atWoodsome Hall and was attended by over 40 former pupils,wives and guests.The guest speaker was former chairman of Huddersfield Town Geoff Headey (Class of ’53) who gave an entertaining talk about

Almondburian sportsmen over the years.

Below left: StuartThompson (Class of ’48), his wife Helen and David Heptonstall (Class of ’48) were among the special guests

Right:Terry Buckley’s unusual AGS sportsman graced the cover of the menu card

Below right: Chris ‘Soss’ Haigh chats to John Watson

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Cricket

B

OTH First and Second Elevens started the season (as always) with promotional aspirations.

However, after the final game of the season (Sunday, 18th September), elevation for either team into a higher Section proved to be a dream for another season.Although the day was showery and typical of the summer, nevertheless, the ground looked a vivid green and the surroundings, as ever, were splendid with a hint of autumn apparent in the boundary trees.Actually the season will be extended for yet another week, when our Sunday morning tenants, ‘The Rock’ (from Brockholes), entertain a touring team from Norfolk.

There have been several heroic individual contributions (batting, bowling and fielding) throughout the summer, but both teams have lacked the vital all-round team input on a consistent basis. In the first round of the Allsop Cup competition, although ‘handsomely beating’ Heckmondwike, who were currently leading Section A, by seven wickets, we had to withdraw from further participation due to playing an ineligible player (although a former member) as we

JACK TAYLO R

FINAL LEAGUE TABLES 2011 First Eleven: Section A SECTION A

Woodfield Park (Champions)

Old Almondburians’ CC 1st XI(9th)

P

22 22

W

L

Points

4

11

51

W

L

Points

7

49

13

Second Eleven: Section E SECTION E

Mount (Champions)

Old Almondburians’ CC 2nd XI (8th)

21

P

20 20

13 6

1

4

104

90

were desperately short of players on a ‘double header’ weekend.

Individual performances will be recognised at the presentation of prizes at the Annual Dinner in February next year for which early booking is advisable, in view of the acclaim accorded to last year’s ‘Speaker’- (refer to ‘Almondburian’, July 2011). Meanwhile we extend our heartiest congratulations to our neighbours, the Almondbury Wesleyans First Eleven, on securing the Premier Section Championship.

It was heartwarming to see former

certain ‘seniors’ (G Cliffe, J Clutterbrook, J Headey, R Taylor and J Taylor) were unsure of their next game! Various bribes have been offered; provision of ‘themed teas’, assistance with pre-match rolling, attendance at nets, but to little avail. John Headey was even moved to seek a game in Los Angeles, leaving the secretary’s duties in the capable hands of John Clutterbrook, a fellow redundant cricketer. Our club coach, Carl Brady, assures me that his policy will yield rich dividends next year – leading to further frustration for the above mentioned‘seasoned five’.

The Club Dinner and Presentation Evening will again be held at Lockwood Park, home of Huddersfield Rugby Union Club,on a date to be confirmed in February next year.

O.A.C.C. skipper Chris. Ramsden at Arkenley on 11 June, when the Second Eleven were entertaining Cartworth Moor.

Chris. was visiting his family in Lepton from Adelaide, Australia, where he is Managing Director of ‘Mind Lab’.

Educational Services, after emigrating as a PE teacher. He was anxious to pass on his best wishes to all he was formerly associated with at Arkenley. Also present was newly installed President and OldAlmondburian, Geoff. Headey, calling in after a morning’s golf atWoodsome Hall.

In the course of the season it gradually became apparent, because of an ‘Emphasis on Youth policy’ in the Second Eleven (applauded by your scribe – providing there is a leavening of experienced players) that

Golf: Gothard Cup

T

HE ten year anniversary of the reincarnated Gothard Cup had for the first time an unwelcome visitor-poor weather. Somehow yours truly had a chat with the powers above and limited it to three absolute downpours, which early competitors suffered with great spirit and fortitude.

I played with the two Lodge twins,Jeremy and Jonathan.After years of playing football with them I never knew who was who so what a relief that one now wears glasses! However,when realizing that Jeremy had won with an excellent 39 points off 12 handicap it struck me that by swapping that pair of glasses they could have been playing a two ball better ball!

Seriously,it was the first time for Jeremy to get his name on what is still the

22

SIMON RU SSELL

original trophy so well done and hopefully he will be able to come back next year to defend it.

Dinner as usual was a delight and the company outstanding though due to last minute cancellations numbers were down on last year.

On a sad note,I had dinner sat next to David Hinchliffe who always supported the event but due to no buggy being available this time simply came for the dinner.He passed away last week (obituary: page 39) and our thoughts go to his family and friends.A true gentleman in every way and of course aWoodsome ex-Captain and several times winner of the trophy,he will be sorely missed.

See you next year around the same

time of year!

Badminton

T

AND RE W HAIGH

HE new badminton season started later than usual this year on Thursday, 8th September and we will be playing in the school sports hall onThursday evenings during term-time, from 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m., untilThursday, 31st May.The fee,

to cover the hire of the sports hall, shuttlecocks and showers, is £5 per person per evening. Please come along and join us. However, please note that, due to a school function, there will be no badminton on Thursday, 12th

January, 2012.

Tennis

D

AND RE W HAIGH

ESPITE a disappointing turnout of only six players during the 2011 season, much enjoyable tennis was played and we were fortunate to lose only one Thursday to rain.Those playing included Manuel Mas, a summer guest from Spain, and Annabel Haigh, age seven.

If you could see yourself amongst this motley crew, or you would like to improve your Spanish, then we would welcome the bolstering of our numbers for next season. Due to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee holiday, the 2012 season will start a week later than usual on Thursday, 14th June. We shall obviously be ready to construct a Royal Box, should the need arise.

The 2011 Old Almondburians’Tennis Squad on court at the school.

Back row, left to right: Neil Gledhill, Manuel Mas, David Parry, Hazel Pacurib-Parry Front row, left to right:Annabel Haigh,Andrew Haigh

23

Soccer

Y

MARTYN HICKS

ES, dear reader – to answer the question many of you have on your lips: we were promoted from Division 4 ofTheYorkshire Old Boys League, but only as runners up!The dreaded night matches (four matches in nine days) caught up with us and we dropped two points sufficient to miss out as division champions by just one point. However promotion it is to Division 3 of the now newly-titledYorkshire Amateur League.

The usual end-of-season Presentation evening took place this year in the private dining room at BarVoda on JohnWilliam Street. It was well attended, speeches were given, ale was drunk and banter exchanged.

The trophies were dished out thus: Young player Charles Ryan Golden Boot Gary Lumb Players’ player John Clarke Clubman Robert Antich Julian Atkinson and Martyn Hicks were each thanked by the team and presented with fine bottles of wine.

Greg Sykes proposed a toast to the Club, composed in verse in the Roger McGough style.

Season 2011-2012 To date we are approaching our third game of the new season, having won both of our previous two matches (and the pre season friendly). However we seem to be shipping silly goals and strong words have been delivered by the management – not quite at Tony Lockwood’s pitch just yet, but close enough.

Let us hope that by the time the next issue comes out, the mighty juggernaut that is The AFC, will be once again pushing for promotion.

A rare behind-the-scenes exclusive view of the inner workings of the changing room following a recent win in Pudsey 24

A LIFE IN THE DAY

The joys of owning half a horse M I C H A E L HARDC ASTLE

MBE

Successful children’s writer Michael Hardcastle (1944-1951) has loved sport all his life.Today,living strategically half a mile from Beverley Racecourse,he has put down his pen to pursue his interest in racing and is the proud part-owner of his own horse.

I

The Derby success came about N 1946 I won the Derby with Airborne; and that was the start of because I was lucky enough to draw my unending love affair with Airborne in the annual sweep run for horseracing and which has lately taken a staff and employees of the family businew turn with my part-ownership of a ness of bakers and confectioners in Birkby with satellite shops in Waterloo horse.

My day therefore starts with the and Marsh.

What the prize was I’ve no idea but arrival of The Daily Telegraph and keen what really mattered study of the day’s Bonnie Prince Blue at Beverley Races in racecards. I’ll also August 2011 with trainer Ian McInnes and was that I became hooked on the chat with my trainer jockey Dale Swift. excitement of the and maybe arrange sport as it was conto visit him and see veyed by daily newsmy horse, Bonnie papers and radio (no Prince Blue, at TV to be seen in work on the gallops. those distant days, of Aged 8, he is in the course). High Street senior citizen stage betting shops didn’t of the equine flat exist then either. racing world. In all That my parents he has won 10 times gambled on a regular over sprint disbasis was no secret in tances but not so far the family. One only for me: his best perhad to see my formance in my mother’s eagerness ownership has been to open the to finish 2nd at Huddersfield Examiner Hamilton Park in each evening to September.

25

know what was happening because the first item she looked for on the back page and in the Stop Press column (sadly now a long lost journalistic feature)was the racing results.

Her bets, perhaps a few pence each way or sixpence on the nose, were placed via the milkman on his morning round with horse and cart. My sister and I observed these surreptitious transactions with increasing interest. Inevitably, we felt that we should be sharing in the subsequent excitement (while ignoring the possibility of disappointment).

Exerting some less than subtle pressure (“Do other people know about these daily bets?”) we persuaded her that we could invest, too. After trawling through the racing pages in the morning paper we identified a prospect called Black Diamond, a name that somehow fitted the milkman’s cart horse, too.

With the confidence of the young we

had no doubt about the outcome. And Black Diamond duly won, thus launching us – well me, really – into a lifetime’s devotion to sport.

All too soon losers replaced winners and without a regular supply of winnings provided by the latter it was plain that if the thrills were to continue then I’d do better by being a bookie. I was in my last year at AGS when the 1951 Derby was to be run and somehow I persuaded a friend (the enigmatic and legendary Charlie Hoyle, reputed to have written a book on sex while at school) to be a partner and so help in drumming up custom from the varied ranks of our school mates. Money poured – well splashed heavily – on to the favourite, Ki Ming. Charlie began to worry feverishly. We couldn’t stand the sort of losses a victory for Ki Ming would incur. We should run before it was too late (i.e. before the horses).

MICHAEL HARDCASTLE was a prolific writer of children's books, mainly on a sporting theme. He received the MBE in 1988 for his services to children's literature.

On leaving school, he spent five years in the Royal Army Educational Corps serving in the UK, Kenya and Mauritius, before joining the Huddersfield Examiner as a reporter in 1956. He subsequently worked on the Bristol Evening Post as a diarist and literary editor, and moved to the Liverpool Daily Post as chief feature writer in 1965.

Michael Hardcastle's first book, Soccer is Also a Game, was published in 1966 to coincide with the World Cup. Since then he has written 147 more books, mainly about sport, on such topics as cricket, motocross, horse-racing and tennis. He made a generous donation to the School library in 1994 and was guest speaker at Speech Day that year.

26

prove an inspiration for when I decided, as a daily newspaper journalist, that I’d like to write a book it was sport that came to mind for a theme. Why not write the kind of football novel that I would have enjoyed at school if only it had existed? Soccer was what I’d most wanted to play and I didn’t really manage that until I became a professional soldier for by then, of course, I was fit again (the army wouldn’t have had me otherwise). My great good luck was that in the intervening 20+ years no one else had come along to steal my chosen field. Soccer is also a Game came out , with a journalist’s sense of timing, in 1966 and has been followed by more than 140 other titles.

Of course, they’re not all about football: cricket, snooker, golf, tennis, motocross (one of my favourite subjects, even though I’ve never ridden so much as a push bike), volleyball have all had a look in. And so, unsurprisingly, has racing. In spite of that initial success with Airborne it is racing over obstacles rather than on the flat that has inspired me, largely because of the romance and guaranteed excitement of the Grand National (whose greatest hero, Red Rum, I was lucky enough to meet before the first of his unique three victories).

Neither has it deterred foreign publishers from taking some of the half-

Nonsense, I replied, that horse won’t stay the distance (1½ miles). He’s a miler, so we’ll keep taking the bets. We did even though Charlie’s nerve neared breaking point.

An ally was Tom Harper, the school caretaker, who had a hideaway in the book store beside The Small and where he had a radio. Obligingly he allowed us to listen to the race with him. What Tom had backed I can’t remember but it may well have been Ki Ming – who led, then dropped back and faded away.Arctic Prince was the winner at 28-1 and not a single client had so much as a penny on him. Nor, come to that, on the horses which finished 2nd and 3rd.We had run a book that was all clear profit.

Charlie lived. And I embraced other sports in addition to racing.

Because of a raft of illnesses in childhood (from scarlet fever and diphtheria to rheumatic fever) it was felt that I was too fragile to be allowed to play football or other energetic sports and so in games periods I was despatched to the library, The Big, directly opposite The Small. There I could read whatever I wished and that was where I discovered such marvellous storytellers as Capt W E Johns of Biggles fame and Hammond Innes. What I couldn’t find was any novel about sport.

Ultimately, however, that was to 27

dozen racing stories I’ve written, though one German firm not only changed the name of the equine hero but required me to be an author called Michael Hard (no doubt that sounds rather more Teutonic than Hardcastle). Still, it could be worse: a French publisher translated Mark Fox, the hero of seven of my soccer books, into ‘Allan Blackpool’.

Almost without exception, my children’s books are about ambition: the overwhelming desire to win a trophy or even one league match or to regain a place in the team after injury or being unfairly dropped or to gain revenge for some real or imagined slight.

The stories are usually decorated with lots of sporting detail (treating injuries to devising strategies) but not so many that the narrative drive or momentum slows down. The approach is unfailingly realistic (as I see it!) and thus my heroes may suffer a broken leg on the last page or a team is relegated.

The tennis book for instance begins with

M

the heroine’s father losing his job and having to sell the family car; as he is her coach and always transports her to training and tournaments how is she going to manage without him?

The books mostly took about three months to write after a quite lengthy gestation in the plotting. That means of course that I was often planning a couple of books in some detail while writing another Although I no longer write, I spend the best part of three hours each day reading, mostly fiction or biography, and sport remains a daily devotion. I’m also fanatical about watching TV news programmes and some TV sport.

Racing has even taken on a different hue since I acquired a 50% share in Bonnie Prince Blue, for that means I now have my own colours. Somehow, it seems, the influence of those long ago AGS days are still active in my life in Beverley which, naturally, possesses its own racecourse.

‘Morning Assembly’

ORNINGASSEMBLY’, a superb high quality facsimile hardback edition of Harry Taylor’s hand-written set of morning prayers,with additional biographical material and previously unpublished photographs, will be published next year.

Demand is certain to be high,but you H A R RY TAY L O R can guarantee your copy by subscribing to the publication 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 this web page: www.oas.org.uk/morning assembly.php.

`ÉÜÇ|Çz tááxÅuÄç

DAILY PRAYERS FOR A YORKSHIRE SCHOOL

28

The tin house on Arkenley Lane

ROGE R DOWLING

N

We learn of another Old Almondburian who lives in an unusual home in Huddersfield, just across the road from the school cricket field O SOONER had copies of the July issue of The Almondburian landed on to the doormats of its readers around the world than I received a succinct but intriguing email. It read: “I’ve just seen the article on Reg Addy’s house and wondered if you knew of the other ‘unusual’ house on Arkenley Lane: mine.”

The email was from none other than Nicky Murphy, the former chairman (with his then partner Emily) of the Old Almondburians’ Society. It was clear to me that further investigation was necessary, and thus it was that I found myself, on a grey September with notebook at the ready, inside what must surely be one of

29

the most striking and original modern houses in the locality.

The house – known colloquially as the ‘tin house’ – is located on Arkenley Lane, Almondbury, within a stone’s throw of the school cricket field. Built in 1962, it was the second of three modernistic designs created by the eminent Huddersfield-born designer Peter Stead (1922-1999)*. Of course, it’s not really a ‘tin’ house at all: it’s constructed from steel, aluminium, laminated plastics and glass.All are essentially mass-produced industrial materials.

To describe Stead as merely a designer is, in fact, a major understatement. He was also an artist, a teacher and a director of the family builders Law Stead & Sons that had made a reputation in the design and construction of local mills and public

The ‘tin house’ as originally designed in 1962

30

buildings in the late 19th century. During the SecondWorldWar, Stead was a fighter pilot and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his action in Burma. He also somehow found time to become a founder member of the Yorkshire Committee of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

The story of the Tin House begins a mile or so away: another modernist house near FarnleyTyas called Farnley Hey. Designed by architect Peter Womersley for his mill owner brother, it was built by Law Stead & Sons in 1952. It was regarded at the time as one of the most advanced examples of modern architecture in the country. Like the‘RegAddy’ house, it was influenced – though far more dramatically – by Le Corbusier and De Stijl.

Stead then purchased two sites in Almondbury, and with himself as designer in association with architect David Lewis (‘Design Collaborative’), built an avant-garde house known as the ‘Branch Lane’ or ‘Prototype’ house. An important design feature was that the house was constructed totally with industrial materials.Visually, the idea was to create‘colour-space continuums’ by integrating primary colours – red, yellow, blue, white and black – into the factory-made materials around the house.

Its successor in 1962, just a few doors away, was the ‘Arkenley Lane’ house, also known today as the Tin House.It was another collaboration with David Lewis and was a natural progression of the ‘Prototype’ house in that it developed further the idea of using standard mass-produced materials that

could be assembled on site.

Although the integrity of the original architecture has been carefully retained over the years, many significant improvements have been made to improve its functionality and economy.The original under-floor electrical heating has been replaced by a conventional gas-fired boiler Top left, clockwise: exterior view of the house; the principal living and radiators. The room; the array of solar panels; the central ‘courtyard’ dining area floor-to-ceiling windows have been re- has been constructed, affording truly placed throughout by double-gazed units magnificent views into Arkenley Valley (perhaps surprisingly, double glazing was and beyond. The south-facing aspect has not thought to be de rigeur in the early yielded another bonus: the flat roof now 1960s). A nice touch is that all floor-to- has a 1.8kW array of solar panels which ceiling windows have automatic blinds meet much of the Murphys’ electrical that can be raised or lowered at the touch needs but also feed back surplus power of a button. Concealed red, green and into the national grid. blue LED lights have also been installed, Today, the‘tin house’ looks as‘modern’ which can be ‘mixed’ to produce any as when it was conceived nearly 50 years colour of lighting to match the mood of ago.This, surely, is a testament to the vithe moment. sion of its remarkable designer Peter The central atrium open to the ele- Stead. My thanks to Nicky and Emily (not ments in the original design has now been forgetting baby Dexter) for inviting me to glazed over to form an elegant additional view their beautiful home in the heart of dining area in the centre of the house.An- the Almondbury countryside.Thanks also other major change of use relates to the to the Huddersfield Local Studies Library integral double garage, which in the orig- and Huddersfield Art Gallery.

inal design was at first floor level (this *The Peter Stead Archive is located at Hudbeing nearer road level on the steeply sloped site).This has now been converted dersfield Art Gallery.The completion of the into a principal bedroom with spectacular archive project was marked by the publication valley views that were previously wasted of Peter Stead: A Life in Dynamic Equion their motor cars.A new garage is cur- librium, edited by Lynne Green and Robert Hall, available at £10 + £2.50 pp from rently under construction.

Outside, to the rear, a decking terrace Huddersfield Art Gallery.

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TERRY’S TEASER NO 4

Compiled by Terry Buckley (1948 - 1953)

Entries to the Editor by 29th February 2012

ACROSS 7. Climatic statistic of a once-a-year event?

(6,8) 9. Inflates the well-to-do (6) 11. Wine bed (4) 12. Out alone, met for a drink (5,3) 14. Dance, son, for a song (6)

Prize: 12 months free OAS membership

22. Retainers to inhabit (6) 25. Large lady in illegal marital situation (6) 26. Permits disturbed silences (8) 27. Study problem marriages for her (4) 28. Make up your mind – it sounds like somewhere near Chester (7) 30. Upset? Sorry? Use nicely before signing (5,9)

DOWN 1. Optimistic half? (4) 2. In the Diplomatic Corps, mislay that which is unopened (6) 3. Aperture Noel and Ham got together (7) 4. Muzzles cigarettes (6) 5. Wrecks a southern sauna in the WI (6) 6. Toy that keeps perfect time? (9,5) 8. Welshman’s after a recently built home in Wales (9, 5) 10. Confounded Lord Lieutenant Allein in Wales (8) 13. Score evenly (8) 16. Greek character under pressure? (3) 15. From the Indian ‘Lady Potassium’s Cry’ (6) 17. In a landscape copy (3) 21. Butterfingered, I cannot hold (7) 16. Letter heard in a pod (3) 23. Tablet for a dental problem? (6) 18. The ways one can be a saint (7) 24. French Caledonia? (6) 19. Notice the learner in a sound 25. Ornament, part of a ship, we hear (6) American car (7) 29. Somewhat hackneyed cereal (4) 20. Roundabout that is frozen (3)

The winner of Terry’s Teaser No 3 (July 2011) was Bryan Hopkinson (Huddersfield)

Across 1. Black and White; 9. Unwind; 10. Levitate; 11.Ascends; 15. Naked; 16. Ode; 17. Intro; 18.Vat; 20.Til; 22. Inroad; 23. Delius; 25. Nod; 27.Wan; 28.Topic; 30. Oho; 32. Corfu; 33. Essence; 36. Inherent; 37. Retain; 38. Spring Chicken Down 2. Lawmaker; 3. Kudos; 4. Nilled; 5.Waved; 6.Thanet; 7. Queen Victoria; 8. Fellow Student; 11.Advance; 12. Cot;13. Net; 14. Silence; 19.Ado; 21. Ida; 24. Irritate; 26. Dos; 27.Won; 29. Push Up; 31. Hectic; 34. Sheen; 35. Corgi We apologise for the inadvertent omission of two clues and congratulate entrants on not allowing this to hinder their completion of the puzzle.

1. c: Ch Pontet Canet 2. b: Head east 10 miles 3. c: Burgundy 4. a: La Tache 1985; b:Tokaji Szepsy Aszú 6 putts 1993; g: Clos du Mesnil 1996 Answers to ‘fiendish’ questions on page 14

Could YOU have won that trip to Spain?

32

Custodian of the archives

NICH BRIGGS

Last year,Nich Briggs took over the role of OAS Archivist from Pat Reid. He soon learned that it was not quite so straightforward a task as he had been led to believe …

S

I had hoped to have it all back in the school by now but it will be some time before it is all back.The main reason for this was the things I keep coming across as I open up the many boxes and envelopes.

So what have you found, I hear you asking. First of all, hundreds – and I mean HUNDREDS – of past issues of The Almondburian and later school magazines.

O would you like to be the archivist, asked one Mr Paul Balderstone some 15 months or so ago. I thought: well why not?After all, how hard could it be? I like history, I love the School, and I’ll just potter in and out and keep things neat and tidy and up to date.

That was until I got the phone call from the Bursar asking if I could move the archives from the storage room in her office as she needed the space. I have to take my hat off to Pat Reid, the outgoing archivist, for managing them in such a small dark cubby-hole.

So I thought: what next? Easy – just find another room and move them. Finding the room was easy, moving them was not.The room itself, which is just down the corridor from the Bursar’s room, will be ideal once I have kitted it out with lockable cabinets;but I could see no point in moving the archives from A to B unless they were going to be put back in some kind of order.

So with the help of my fellow part-time archivist Emily Earnshaw I removed them all to my house in Kaye Lane. This took three trips in my pick-up, with the back full as well. I genuinely believe that nobody, apart from those who occasionally consult the archives, knows quite how much of the stuff there is.

Gramophone records of the Charter Ceremony in the gymnasium in April 1954

33

Dashing away with a smoothing iron: this was found amongst the old artefacts, along with a crotal bell which may have marked the end of school lessons

These will be the first things to be put back into the archives, obviously in numerical order. Where there perhaps 20 or 30 copies of the same issue, I will keep these elsewhere; but in the archive will be a maximum of two copies of each.

The earliest one I have found so far is No 50 dated Dec 1930 and what is unusual with this copy is that it is the size of your usual hard- back book and numbers some 200 pages.When I have got all the magazines in order I will know which copies are missing and put out a cry for readers to search their attics.

Amongst the more interesting things I have come across – under a pile of old photographs – are two 78 rpm gramophone records (early primitive CDs to those younger members who don’t know what a gramophone was). They are the

34

recording of the Charter Ceremony on 6th April 1954, when the re-discovered School Charter was returned to the School. It would appear these came from a gentleman called Leo Lightbody via his nephew Gordon Lightbody. Any further information regarding these recordings would be gratefully received.The records are currently being digitised and we will put them on the OAS website.

Next on my ‘found’ list is a heavy old school crotal bell which possibly hung in a corridor and was used to sound the end of each lesson. It is c 1755 to 1798 and was made at the RobertWells factory in Aldbourne.The bell itself has a crack in the casement but still rings fine.With the bell is an old iron of the heavy cast variety. This was manufactured by the world-famous Low Moor Iron Co, the same one that made cannons used in the battle ofWaterloo. I can only presume that it was used when the school had boarders and the shirts needed ironing.

By far the most time-consuming job will be sorting out hundreds of wonderful old photographs, some dating back to the mid1850s. Some of them are dated and put in folders ready for viewing but many are not and to these I will need to do a lot of research to date them and name the people in them. However photos like these need to be on display and readily available, not locked away for the chosen few to look at. To this end I will seek out the Head Teacher’s advice as to where we could have a display that could be changed on a regular basis.They are part of the jewels of

Old school tie: a selection of designs over the ages

years and some of them are very early. Again this is something to make a display out of as they are a portal into the history of the school. We have programmes of shows the school has put on dating back to 1932.

On a different note we have documentation regarding proposed building alterations to the school, not to mention various ways in which the local authorities have tried to shut us down. No change there then! There is also documentation relating to specific subjects and teachers.

On these you will have to bear with me as some of them are quite detailed and will take a bit of sorting.

As to the future, by the time you read this article I should have started transferring the archives back into the School.The idea then is that any OAS member who wishes to view them can simply contact the School who will hold the keys .If YOU have any items regarding the school that you no longer require (photographs, programmes, etc) then we will be glad to find them a home.

King James’s and jewels need to be shown off.

In a similar vein, we also have copies in booklet form of the Statutes translated into English.We have minutes and reports on just about every club that King James’s School has had – for example the stamp club, the gardening club, the radio club, the geography club and the archaeology club, to name but a few.

One of the more interesting school expeditions I have come across is the 1958 expedition to Dalmatia. In 1958 the school went on an expedition to Herzegovina and Dalmatia. (The previous year the school had gone to Slovenia). Mr R T Roofe* was the expedition leader and he led 10 other people on the visits.The cost of the trip (for three weeks, I believe) was £36.00 per person.What different times we live in!

As mentioned earlier, I am still sorting out boxes and envelopes but here is a taste of other things I have found.There was a time when the speeches at Speech Day were typed out on an old typewriter, and we have plenty of these. I have a box with various articles of clothing such as different forms of the school tie, scarves, jackets and jumpers. (Some of these are on display in the ODH).We have various newspaper articles that people have collected over the

Born in Huddersfield, Nich Briggs has been a Governor of King James’s School since 1995 and is currently viceChairman.Three of his children – Tiffany, Nicky and Joseph – attended the School, and Nicky is the current OAS Chairman. He runs his own electrical wholesale business in Batley.

*Russell Roofe was Art Master from 1957 to 1960

35

Obituaries

G O N E B U T NOT FO RGOT TEN

MICHAEL FAWCETT (1948-1956)

School‘weather man’who went on to Oxford and had a career in council finance Mike Fawcett, a member of the party that rediscovered the School Charter in 1952, has died in Grassington on 14th August 2011 aged 74.

Mike was a Fred Hudson star pupil for having a weather station in his parents’ garden in Almondbury, and he was a regular winner of academic prizes. He represented Dartmouth in his first school Swimming Gala, coming 2nd in both breast stroke and back stroke (under 12). For two years, he was co-editor of The Almondburian.

Mike left School with a state scholarship and a commoner’s place at New College, Oxford to read for an MA in European History. He served his National Service in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, serving in Northern Ireland and Cyprus and training for membership of Newts, the college drinking club.

His working life was spent in county council finance, first in Matlock, later in Chelmsford and finally in Ringmer in East Sussex where in due course he became Group Accountant and Auditor.While in Derbyshire he met Janet whom he married in 1963; they produced two sons, Ian and Andrew.

Mike took early retirement, triggered by deteriorating mobility caused by hereditary spastic paraplegia, and moved to Skipton.With other sufferers from this rare condition, he co-founded a national support group and became treasurer, newsletter editor and meeting organiser. He also served as treasurer of Skipton and Craven Action for Disability.

He was an avid traveller, and he never allowed his disability to inhibit his spirit of 36 33

adventure, regularly getting into scrapes that he would overcome with his customary affability and ingenuity. However, his condition deteriorated gradually and he progressively needed increasing help from family, neighbours and carers. An adapted bungalow nearer his younger son in Oxfordshire was approaching readiness before his final illness proved terminal.The funeral took place at Skipton and I represented the Class of ’48 whose reunions Mike regularly attended.

Gerald Stead Rev Fred Sykes,who attended the School from 1922 to 1930,was mentioned at the funeral.His daughter Mary was formerly Mike’s sister-in-law. Fred was a lively, jovial, strong-principled character, who reputedly had ginger hair and a temper to match.

JAMES RONALD BOOTHROYD (1947–1952)

Likeable former travel agent whose email ‘funnies’ clogged up early computers Ron Boothroyd died towards the end of last year, in his mid seventies. He had recently returned from one of his frequent trips to Thailand and died rather suddenly one weekend.

He was one of the entrants in our class of 1947. I had the pleasure of his company at school reunion dinners and found him to be a very likeable man, quietly spoken, with a seemingly endless supply of funny stories.

Indeed, I had to plead with him to curb his enthusiasm for e-mailed funnies, for they tended to clog up my then primitive dial-up computer system; better, I suggested, to hear them in person when we met at the Star pub at Folly Hall for a Friday night rehearsal prior to the Annual Dinner on the Saturday evening. And so it came to pass. Ron, Des Gay, Colin Cheesbrough, Keith Brier and others were present for convivial evenings of pie, peas and pints of real ale; a most enjoyable precursor to the more formal event. Ron,like the rest of us, seemed to really enjoy himself on these occasions, regaling us with his latest stories.

Ron spent most of his working life as a travel agent working in Hansons on John William Street, so it’s possible many Old Almondburians may have benefited from his 33 37

o expertise when booking their holidays. He had a passionate love of matters aeronautical, no doubt arising from his involvement with the Air Training Corps, and had flown thousands of miles in a wide variety of aircraft.

There will be others who knew Ron better than I and it's possible they may wish to add to these brief comments in the next issue of The Almondburian.

Meanwhile, when next we meet as a group, we will have to seek out a new storyteller.We will miss him.

James Clayton

BRIAN BUTTERWORTH (1953-1958)

Tea-making ‘junior’ in an accountancy company who rose to become a partner Brian Butterworth passed away peacefully on 26th July 2011 after a period of illness.

When he left School he claimed that his grandfather found him a job ‘making the tea’ at Fred Sheard and Sons, Chartered Accountants.

He started off as a junior, studied for and passed his exams to become a Chartered Accountant, and eventually became a partner in the firm. He remained there until 2000 after which he worked in an advisory capacity to various firms until 2006 when he retired fully.

He met Lyn Westerby at Charlie Frost Dance School and they married in 1975.They moved to Holmfirth, where they set up their family home.They had their first child Claire in 1977 and second daughter Kay in 1980. Brian walked Claire down the aisle in her marriage in Shropshire to Christian Reynolds in 2006 and became a proud grandfather of Seb 15 months ago.

Brian was a keen sportsman at school, where he enjoyed cricket and cross country running in particular.After leaving school he continued to play cricket for Almondbury andYMCA. He also took up squash and golf, and in 1977 became a member of Meltham Golf Club where he remained a member.

Claire Reynolds 38 33

o DAVID EDMUND HINCHLIFFE (1942-1948)

Architect and keen golfer who scored a two at a trickyWoodsome Hall par 4 David Hinchliffe died suddenly in hospital, at the age of 80, on 7th August 2011. David was a family man and keen sportsman excelling at football (a keen Huddersfield Town supporter), cricket and golf.

David married Enid in 1954 and then followed three children – Jane, Anne and Jonathan – together with seven grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. He left Almondbury Grammar School to become articled in the architects’ practice of Noel Heppenstall Ltd in Milnsbridge where he stayed until retirement.

Golf played an important part in David’s life and he enjoyed a long membership ofWoodsome Hall Golf Club where he was Captain in 1972. He had the distinction of scoring a two at the difficult 450-yard 8th hole at Woodsome on the occasion of the annual Captain’s Day competition. David was also an active member of New Mill Choir.

He was always courteous and friendly in manner and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Derek Bellard

JOAN BAREHAM

The Almondburian is sorry to record the death of Joan Bareham, widow of former history master Francis Bareham on 17th July 2011. Like Francis, she was very supportive of the School and took a keen interest in the OldAlmondburians’ Society activities.

A tribute to Joan Bareham will appear in the next issue ofThe Almondburian.

BRIAN BAREHAM

Brian Bareham, former King James’s School caretaker, died on 7th September 2011 aged 81. He worked at the School from 1981 to 1991 and many Old Almondburians will fondly remember him for his friendly help particularly in setting up for our Annual Dinner and other social functions held at the School during this time.

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Chairman NICK 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

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