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

November 2015

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IN THIS ISSUE

A word from your Chairman Old Almondburians’ Society Calendar From the study Membership Lena lends her support My journeys to the polar regions French and PE in my libidinous teens Classroom commentary The day when life ground to a halt PRCD project makes excellent progress Mixed memories of life at AGS Annual Dinner Founders’ Day Sudoku The art of Edward Akroyd Every picture tells a story The Almondburian Poets Farnley Lines Crossword by Hérisson Back to the drawing board Badminton Cricket Football Tennis Hero Ryan bowls Yorks to victory Postbag Articles for The Almondburian Obituaries Cumulative title index

(Opposite): Most people would agree that that ‘Big’ - later known as the Library - is one of the most attractive of the older school buildings. It was designed by Halifax architect William Swinden Barber FRIBA, a specialist in ecclesiastical architecture, who designed over 20 Anglican churches around West Yorkshire.

The ALMONDBURIAN Editor: Roger Dowling

November 2015

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

A word from your Chairman

PAT R I C K O’ BRIEN

INCE my last letter to you in the July 2015 issue, King James’s School has moved on to the 408th year since its Foundation in 1608. It is a notable record and it is very pleasing to report that record numbers of pupils apply to the School and that the school leavers this Summer achieved record GCSE results.Word has it that they were the best of all the Secondary Comprehensive schools in Kirklees, and by some margin. I am sure there will be more details of this in other

sections of this Almondburian. It is only over the last twenty years or so that schools have been able to measure their academic success against other local and national institutions. Advance computer software and the internet have opened up schools to public scrutiny more than ever before.When I started at King James’s in 1972, appointed by Harry Taylor, the School had an excellent reputation in Huddersfield. Even twenty years later people in the town referred to it as King

Dinner. Once again this is being held at the School and I am sure that, for this reason, the evening will have more relevance and emotion for those who are able to attend. I was delighted when Robert Lamb agreed to become guest speaker at the dinner. His contribution to the success of the School over the last thirteen years is immense. I must also mention the departure of another member of the School community. As Chair of Governors, Brian Stahelin loyally attended each Annual Dinner. He resigned as Chair in September, after ten years in that post and was for many years before that a governor of the School. He has seen the School go through some mixed fortunes over those years and his hard work and dedication have been instrumental in the School’s current success. The members who attend the Annual Dinner will remember their days at the School and reminisce about the good (or bad) times they had at the School.As King James’s moves on into the next phase of its history, I am confident that all Almondburians will wish it every success.

James’s Grammar School, even though it had been comprehensive for many years. I am sure that the School’s reputation was well deserved, but there was no statistical data to verify this.Academic achievement, of course, is only one measure of a school’s success. Over the last few months significant progress has been made in the creation of an OAS Archive Room at the School.The walls of a former cellar have all now been boarded and only final varnishing and other minor touches remain to be made. What was previously a dark and damp room has been transformed into a bright and pleasing environment. It is a great relief that important documents in the School’s history will now be stored safely. I hope that members will soon start work on displaying items in the archive. Once again I must thank the Old Almondburians’ Society and the King James’s Foundation for their financial assistance in setting this project up. The main event for the Society in the Autumn Term is, of course, the Annual

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY CALENDAR

FOUNDERS’ DAY SERVICE The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held at All Hallows’ Church,Almondbury at 11.00 am on the day following the Annual Dinner, Sunday, 22nd November.Almondburians are invited to assemble in front of the school at 10.30 am for the traditional procession up the hill. It would help if you are able to indicate in the space provided on the Annual Dinner ticket application form or website whether or not you expect to attend the Founders’ Day Service as well. See page 30

DATES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 2015 The Executive Committee of the Society meets upstairs at the ‘Woolpack’ in Almondbury, at 7.30 pm. Any member of the Society who would like to attend one of these meetings will be made most welcome on the following dates: Monday, 2nd November; Monday, 7th December. ANNUAL DINNER This year’s dinner will again take place at the school, on Saturday, 21st November 2015, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm.The guest speaker will be former Principal of King James’s School, Robert Lamb.The ticket price will remain at £27.50 and an application form is included with this issue or you can apply online at www.oas.org.uk/buydinner.php. See page 28.

BADMINTON Details: page 44. TENNIS Details: page 47.

From the study

Ian Rimmer is the new Principal of King James’s School. He tells us a little about himself and his future objectives

Then I made a radical decision to work overseas for a few years – I’d always wanted to do some volunteering and I thought as I was still single and not worrying about mortgages and houses it was a good time to do that. I had actually met my future wife Katharine while I was at Nottingham and we both applied independently to Voluntary Service Overseas. She was posted toTanzania and I was posted to Nigeria to teach at Geidam Technical College in Borno State. In the event, the funding for my project ran out and I was able to get a new posting toTanzania, which was obviously very convenient! We both taught at Pugu Secondary School, near Dar es Salaam. Teaching abroad was a fantastic life changing experience.which really altered my view of the world. When I went to Nigeria there was great disparity between poverty Family man: Ian with wife Katharine and children Hazel (19) and David (16) and richness. The north-east, where I was working, was quite a poor area; at the present time it is suffering from the attacks from Boko Haram and it’s upsetting to see the places I visited being terrorized in this way. At the time we were there Tanzania was the second poorest took up my appointment as the 27th headmaster of King James’s School in September. How is it going?Well, it’s certainly interesting – of course it has been easier for me than an outsider as I have already worked here for 11 years as Assistant Headteacher and more recently as Vice-Principal. So I am already aware of how the School runs and have a good idea of its strengths and weaknesses. A lot of the staff already know me so it’s more a case of my having to re-invent myself in my role as Principal. I come from Southport, so I’ll be the second Principal in succession to come from what manyYorkshire people regard as the wrong side of the Pennines!There, I attended King George V Grammar School after which I studied mathematics and statistics at Leeds University followed by teacher training at Nottingham University.

Teaching in Tanzania: (top) Pugu Secondary School (bottom) A typical A-level mathematics classroom at Pugu Secondary School

country in the world so it was struggling financially. But it’s very interesting the way that the poorest people often give the most and that was certainly true when we were inTanzania.The locals were incredibly supportive and generous people who would always offer what little they had. In her leaving speech, my wife said “Nilikuja kufundisha lakini nimefundishwa”, which means “I came to teach but I’ve been taught.” That really is how it was: we thought we were going to help out and actually we learned far more from the process ourselves. We did that for two years and then we came back to England to work in a sixth

form college in Cornwall for a year.Then I worked in Hampshire for about ten years but by this time we had got married and had children. Our relatives were of course in the north of England – about a six-hour journey in those days – so we decided to return closer (but not too close) to home. Having been at Leeds University we felt we knew this part of Yorkshire so when the job at King James’s School came up it was a fantastic opportunity. My wife Katharine and I are both mathematicians and we have two children. Our daughter Hazel has just got three A levels and is now off toYork University to study social policy. Our son David has just finished his GCSEs and though he is a good mathematician he has made the bold decision to go to performing arts college. His ambition is to perform on the West End stage. We live in Holmfirth which is just a nice distance away from School - far enough to switch off at the end of the day but not too long a journey in the morning.If I get delayed, it can only be a tractor or a horse, not a long hold-up on the M62. I was really inspired when I visited King

James’s School for the first time. I was working in Southampton at the time so it was quite a long journey and I remember arriving in the early evening when the light was starting to fade. My first impressions were fantastic – no-one can fail to be impressed by the historic parts of the School.I’d done some research before my visit and I knew that the results at that time were perhaps not quite as strong as they might have been in the past. But I think that with all jobs you get a feeling when you walk in through the door that tell you if you are going to enjoy working there. When I walked in here it just felt right and I sensed that the School was going to go places.When I was offered the post I was delighted. The School has made fantastic progress during Robert’s time as HeadTeacher and later Principal. In fact, we have just

achieved record GCSE results: 83% of our students achieved five or more A*-C GCSEs (including English and Mathematics) (see panel).This is a new high for the School and the highest of any comprehesive school in the local authority area. It is a great retirement present for Robert. We’ve been an academy now since September 2012 and I think it’s working very well indeed. The advantage of being an academy is that it has enabled us to secure the future of the School by distancing ourselves from local authority pressures on places and budgets.We’re now masters of our own destiny and so long as we make ourselves fireproof by excelling at everything we do, there’s no reason why King James’s School should not be around for another 400 years. We recently had an Ofsted inspection and achieved an overall verdict of ‘very

Yet another record-breaking set of GCSE results Record 83% of students achieve five or more A*-C (including English and Mathematics)

85%

89% 74%

45 82%

82%

81%

44%

ENGLISH LANGUAGE A*-C

MATHEMATICS A*-C

SCIENCE TWO A*-C

33%

LANGUAGES A*-C

2015

2014

MATHEMATICS A*-A

44% 28%

ENGLISH BACCALAUREATE A*-C

(no of students) 34

ENGLISH LANGUAGE A*-A

(no of students)

good’, missing a verdict of ‘outstanding’ to expand our sporting facilities as well: by the narrowest possible margin. In truth, the hard surface area has been there for the inspectors were being incredibly some years now and is reaching the stage picky; the fact of the matter is that our re- when it needs to be upgraded. I’d love a sults are excellent and are improving all new astroturf pitch too but as these cost the time.In terms of Ofsted my feeling is up to half a million pounds this might have that we are certainly on the way to getting to await a suitable benefactor! We’re always looking to recruit quality an‘outstanding’ verdict and will certainly get one in due course. But at the end of teaching and support staff.We have a very the day, it’s only a label and the more im- good team at the moment and I’m very very proud of the great portant thing in many ways is our reputation “The School is lucky job they are doing, but we’re always seeking amongst local parents to have the support to improve. When I which is higher than spoke to the staff on ever. Last year 237 parof the King James’s the first day of term ents put us down as their Foundation and the my comment to them first-choice of school (for the 180 places availOld Almondburians’ was that whilst we all work very hard let’s all able) and over 300 parSociety” strive constantly to be ents put us down as even better. either 1st, 2nd, 3rd or The School is very lucky because it has 4th choice. That says it all as far as I am concerned! Our high reputation with par- its own independent source of additional ents – and with children, many of whom funding through the King James’s School are coming to us from outside their catch- Foundation. It is also lucky to have the ment area – confirms that we’re clearly support of the Old Almondburians’ Socidoing a very good job.And it’s not just the ety with a watching brief over the School’s results – it’s about the whole experience history and heritage. I missed out on this that we provide, the pastoral support, the at my school in Southport which was actuactivities and so on.The GCSE results are ally bulldozed within days of my leaving – it was literally sinking into the sand! the the icing on the cake. I think one of the strengths of King Looking to the future, there are always challenges ahead and I share Robert’s view James’s is its long history and I’m very that as technology and approaches to pleased that the OAS has set up a new teaching and learning change all the time archives room to preserve and display its we have to change constantly too.We will valuable historical artefacts. I am sure that certainly have to address our accommoda- the OAS will continue to play a valuable tion problems: we still have four tempo- role in the years ahead. rary classrooms at the moment so we A video interview with Ian Rimmer can be ideally need to build a new teaching block seen on the Old Almondburians’ Society webat the back of the School. It would be good site at https://goo.gl/QGP35R. 8

Membership

A N D R E W HAIGH

INCE the last membership report was published, we have been delighted to welcome three new members to the Society: Paul Morgan (1957-63), from Llanbedr Paul Richard Grant (1958-64), from Wimbledon and Stephen Lockwood (1960-67), from Darlington. We have been saddened to learn of the deaths of the following members: Garry L Hirst (1956-61), from Ripponden John P Senior (1934-39), from Almondbury Colin Cheesebrough (1947-53), from Holmfirth Michael John Stapleton (1955-59), from Marple David G Armitage (1941-46), from Rugby. Please remember that subscriptions for 2015-2016 fell due on 1st Septem-

ber. The vast majority of our members now pay their subscription by standing order, which makes life easy. If you are one of the few who do not pay by standing order and you have already sent your £10.00 subscription for this year, thank you very much for being so efficient! If you do not pay by standing order and you haven’t recently made a payment for this year, then you will receive a letter with this magazine pointing out that your subscription is not up-to-date. In this event, please send your payment without delay. As I mentioned above, it does make life much easier if you pay by standing order so, if you can complete the updated standing order mandate that accompanies the letter and return it in the envelope provided, that would be even better! Alternatively, you may renew online, using PayPal or a debit or credit card, by visiting www.oas.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Join/Renew Online’ button.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held at the ‘Woolpack’, Almondbury on Monday, 4th January 2016 at 7.30 pm. Nominations for office on the Executive Committee are required by the Secretary in advance of this date, so that the election of officers can take place at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule Seven. Members are urged to make every effort to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Andrew Haigh, Secretary

Actress Lena lends her support

Last month’s charity ball launched the £500,000 pavilion appeal. Now the project has the backing of award-winning local actress Lena Headey

HE major project to replace the dilapidated 1958 school cricket pavilion with a new enlarged community facility is now under way – and it has a new high profile supporter. Top Huddersfield actress Lena Headey – best known for her portrayal of Cersei Lanister in the record-breaking television series Game of Thrones – has given her full backing to the project. “I think this is a great initiative for people to come together and enjoy sport in a comfortable and picturesque setting that I know well. “The project will provide a first-class facility for students at the school, and I am particularly hopeful that it will encourage more women into sport across the local area.” In addition to its use for school cricket, the new pavilion will provide extended dressing room accommodation that

will allow two games of football to be played simultaneously on the adjacent soccer pitches and it is hoped that it may become the home of Almondbury Lions Junior Football Club. The pavilion will also be used by the Almondburians’ Cricket Club. Half the cost of the pavilion will be met by the King James’s School Foundation, while the balance will be raised through applications to other sports funding bodies and local fund-raising activities. Graham Cliffe, chairman of the Foundation, said, “Our aim is to deliver a fantastic sports facility of which members of King James’s School and the wider community can be proud. It is our intention to ensure that the new pavilion will be used all year round for a range of different sports and activities. We believe it will prove to be a very valuable asset.”

My journeys to the polar regions The article about John Rothera’s years in Antarctica in the July issue caused our contributor to reflect on his own tourist expeditions to the polar regions

GODFREY BEDFORD (1949 - 1957)

Y story begins in 1960, when from Bergen to Kirkenes.These companies I made my first visit to Nor- have over the years amalgamated into the comway. I immediately fell in love pany now known as Hurtigruten. with the country and its people, who were, I have made several round trip voyages, and still remain, anglophiles, and who speak the majority in winter, when the scenery and the English language as to the manner born. light is breathtaking. My favourite ships are On that visit I happened to be there on the two ‘old ladies’of the fleet; MS NordstjerMidsummer’s Eve, a big day of celebration in nen (1956), and MS Lofoten (1964). I have Scandinavia, particularly in the evening when therefore crossed the Arctic Circle many everyone goes outdoors to the lakes or times by sea, once by rail and five times by mountains and celeair. brates in style. Our I decided in 2008 party spent the evening that a good way to celon the shore of the sceebrate my 70th birthnic and beautiful day in August would be Tyrifjorden, when afto take a trip to Svalter a midnight swim bard (Spitzbergen), and by the warmth and again with the Hurlight of our bonfire, I tigruten company but was introduced to the this time on a charlocal ‘fire water’Aquatered vessel, MV Polar vit.There are many vaStar. rieties, but all have the At 3.00 am on my same effect of making Godfrey Bedford studied Pharmacy at actual birthday, everyone shed inhibitions Manchester University and graduated one was called on deck and just enjoy the mo- in 1960. He spent his entire career in to witness what we had retail pharmacy and in 1979 bought ment. all come to see: a huge the pharmacy in Dalton. Godfrey was It was not long be- Secretary and then Chairman of the male polar bear, busy fore I became acquaint- Huddersfield branch of the consuming a seal he ed with Hurtigruta, a Pharmaceutical Society and later had recently killed. daily service of ships became Chairman of the Society’s Having spent an hour Yorkshire region. He became a Fellow from several compa- of or more in night attire, the Pharmaceutical Society in nies, which operated a 1983. After retirement in 1994, he watching him have an daily round trip service spent six years as a full-time carer. early breakfast; we all 11

Of the many shore landings we made, the two which stand out were at Paradise Harbour (well named, I have to say) and Peterman Island, the farthest south we sailed on this voyage. On the return north we stopped at Port Lockroy a British base with the Union Jack flying and penguins everywhere. Here there are British research teams on the base, and it is possible to buy books, maps, souvenirs and postcards, which you can post with British Antarctic Territories postage stamps attached. After more shore visits it was time to again cross the Drake Passage, passing Cape Horn on the way to the Chilean Fjords, which have their own beauty. A highlight of this part of the voyage was a quick one day visit to the Torres del Paine National Park. Mountains, lakes and wildlife in abundance:

decided to get dressed and do the same. Everyone was delighted that we had been privileged to see this mighty animal feeding in its natural surroundings and not in a zoo. My introduction to the Antarctic came in 2006 when I received a brochure from Hurtigruten with details of their voyages to Antarctica.Who could refuse such a chance to see and visit that vast Continent? So it was that I sailed from Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina on MS Nordkapp.After crossing the infamous Drake Passage, I had my first view of the Antarctic Peninsula, majestic one minute menacing the next, so quick can the weather change in these latitudes. The great advantage of sailing on a small ship is that passengers are allowed to go ashore in small groups to see at first hand the wildlife of this wonderful continent.

A hearty breakfast: a well-fed polar bear and the remains of an unfortunate seal

hours in very hot a photographer’s paraweather. Bottles of wadise! ter and chocolate bars Having once visited were consumed in large Antarctica I had a burnquantities en route. ing desire to return; in The next morning short I had‘got the bug’. we arrived at Grytviken Accordingly, in 2010 I where Shackleton is decided to pay another buried and which was visit; this time on the the first whaling station Hurtigruten ship MV in Antarctica. Sadly the Fram, built in 2007 espearea is covered with cially for voyages to derelict ships and all the Antarctica, Iceland and paraphernalia associated Greenland. A long held with whaling. desire to visit the Falk- Crossing the Antarctic Circle: King We sailed on to Eleland Islands was achieved Neptune dispenses an ‘iced phant Island. where the first, after which we vis- welcome' - a mixture of ice cubes freezing water poured down weather changed very ited South Georgia and and the back of one’s shirt suddenly from bright the South Orkney Islands, before reaching the South Shetland Is- sunshine to a sudden heavy snow storm and strong wind: evidence of how quickly the lands and the Antarctic Peninsula. The weather in the Falklands could not weather can change in these waters. For this have been better; and the first call was atWest- reason we were unable to land on the Island. We finally arrived at South Shetland Ispoint, a small island where only one family lives in a cottage which could have been trans- lands the following day, and visited the Chiported from the Lake District. Power is ob- nese GreatWall base. Other bases and islands tained from one wind turbine and two solar were visited over the next few days before panels, and a very old Land Rover is used for once more crossing the Drake Passage to transport. A short visit to New Island Ushuaia to complete a most memorable preceded a one day stop at Stanley and a tour voyage. In February 2013 I made my third voyto Volunteer Point. The next stop was Fortuna Bay on South age to Antarctica, again on MS Fram, and fulGeorgia on 23rd December. From here I filled my dream of crossing the Antarctic completed what is known as‘The Shackleton Circle.The first stop after crossing the Circle Walk’. It is so called because Shackleton was at Detaille Island, which is where, in the hiked over two thirds of the route in his des- last issue of The Almondburian John Rothera perate effort to summon help for 22 men he recalled serving the Duke of Edinburgh with left behind on Elephant Island.The walk ,or pink gins. My claim to fame is having had a more correctly speaking the hike, starts at swim for about 45 seconds in iced water at Fortuna Bay and ends at Stromness Harbour. 2° C – and I have a certificate to prove it. It rises to 300 metres and took nearly four The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage 13

Photos: Godfrey Bedford

Above left: A wrecked tracked vehicle abandoned on Stonington Island Right: The UK base on Horseshoe Island, just as it was left in 1960

Trust have done a wonderful job in preserving the huts which comprised the base, and have left the contents exactly as they were when the base was abandoned in 1959. I then sailed south to Stonington Island, the furthest south I have ever been, which was another base excellently preserved by the UKAHT. However, it was a base also used by the Americans who left behind countless bags of coal, a wrecked tracked vehicle and even a spare aircraft piston engine still in its case. Returning northwards the ship stopped at Horseshoe Island, where John Rothera spent most of his time in Antarctica. It was here that I had the opportunity to camp overnight in a tent on the island, an experience I shall remember and always treasure. The silence in those latitudes is impossible to describe. The huts on the island have again been lovingly preserved by UKAHT, and as

Opposite page (Top) Defying the cold: swimming in waters at 2°C earns a well-deserved official certificate (Bottom) A large colony of Adélie penguins, a common sight along the entire Antarctic coast (Inset) MS Fram

at Detaille Island the interiors have been left exactly as they were when the base was abandoned in August 1960. The workshop with all its tools perfectly arranged, the living accommodation, the food stores, the kitchen and the communication equipment are all undisturbed and are what you might call a time warp. In retrospect, my only disappointment is that we did not call at Rothera Point. Continuing to sail north we called at Pourquoi Pas Island and Port Lockroy before making our final landing at Deception Island. A voyage to Antarctica always, of necessity, begins and ends with a crossing of the notorious Drake Passage which takes about a day and a half. It’s a four-hour flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires and a one-night stop in that cosmopolitan city, before a 13-hour flight to London completes the venture. I feel privileged to have been able to make these journeys to both the Arctic and Antarctic areas.The pleasure I derived from reading the article in The Almondburian about John Rothera, whose name now stands in the Hall of Fame, rekindled my memories and stimulated me to write this article for The Almondburian.

REPUTATIONS

French and PE in my libidinous teens Our writer has very clear memories of all the King James’s Grammar School teachers of the 1960s. But two stand out in particular – for very different reasons

GARY D BOOTHROYD (1961 - 1968)

UR teachers were a fine body of men. They all had their nick-

names which we used frequently and mostly affectionately, though never within their hearing. Each master also had his foibles and eccentricities, honed and perfected through years of teaching in the cloistered, traditional confines of a provincial grammar school. There was Mr Gill (‘Fishy’), the physics master: “Six point four. Six point four? Six point four what, Boothroyd? Yards of tripe? Buckets of steam? Be specific, lad.” And Mr Wearing, (‘Eddie’), the art master: “If that’s a self-portrait, Boothroyd then there's something wrong with your bedroom mirror.” Then there was Mr Addy (‘Reg’), the French master: “Let your rrrrrrs roll in derrière, Boothroyd.” They all taught and educated us in their own peculiar styles. They all made us suffer. There was

not a woman among them – until Mrs. Hebblethwaite arrived. And what a woman she was! Mrs Hebblethwaite (she had no nickname: we held her in too much awe) taught French and had a passing resemblance to Grace Kelly She was beautiful and, what is more, she had breasts which became the focus of every libidinous schoolboy who ever conjugated French verbs in those deadly dull language rooms. I was never happy with French and eventually failed miserably but looked forward as a spotty 14-year-old to lessons with Mrs Hebblethwaite with lick-lipping anticipation. She had a classical bone structure, warm hazel eyes beneath a carefully groomed cumulus of blonde hair. She wore a hint of lightly applied pale pink lipstick and her smooth, elegant neck led one’s surreptitious gaze to

those two ample mounds pressing firmly and, occasionally, sullenly, against a wellfitting jumper or, better still, loosely hanging sheer summer blouse. Her hips would be sublimely encased in a tweed or plain pleated skirt, below which her perfectly proportioned calves could be observed as she turned to scrawl “Je t’aime” across the board. Those legs, with the stocking seam plunging vertically to elegant ankles. Madame Hebblethwaite, je t’aimai en 1964! (sigh). My memories of Ken Ireland (‘Sham’) are just as vivid though far less erotic. He was an enigma in my formative, sport-obsessed years. A stocky five feet nine(ish) in height, with a soft, west country accent, Sham was neither a ‘character’ nor a disciplinarian. He never presented himself as a sporting role-model, or demonstrated to us performing excellence in any activity. In his baggy, faded tracksuit with its zip fastening at the neck and elasticated bottoms, he was as far from the motif-laden, logo-sporting PE practitioners of the 21st century as it is possible to be. Nike, Reebok, Puma, Ellesse, Diadora and other globalised brand names as worn by every high street layabout and sportphobic had yet to make their mark upon everyday culture. No, Sham did not wear labels. He was very difficult to place in any category at all. In

his quiet, efficient, unobtrusive manner he would inflate the footballs, allow us to select our teams, send us out to play, stroll out to ascertain the score and switch on the showers for our return. At other times he would point us in the direction of the cross-country course, blow the whistle for the ‘off’ and 25 minutes later hand out the finishing tickets by the changing rooms. He would pin up the team sheets for the Saturday morning football fixtures against similar schools at exotic venues such as Heckmondwike, Sowerby Bridge, Cleckheaton, Mirfield, Penistone and Batley, also making sure that the pick up time by the Hanson’s coach that he had pre-booked was clearly underlined. In summer, Mr Ireland would oil the cricket bats, whiten the pads and make sure all the necessary equipment in the school 1st XI bag was packed. He would umpire serenely in his white coat and supervise the interval teas. He would walk around the tables full of youthful cricketers in their whites, pouring tea into cups from a heavy aluminium pot. Sham was not in the business of team talks or motivational oratories be fore the contest or at halftime. He rarely criticized and left us to our own thoughts in defeat. His acclaim at victory was restricted to a begrudging “well done”. He was no ‘kingmaker’. Sham kept the sporting

house competitions on track, which were contested in football, cricket, tennis, athletics, swimming and cross-country. He totalled up the points and kept the house scores meticulously on the PE noticeboards, much to everyone’s ongoing interest. In his way he kept sporting rivalry going, but in a modest, unspectacular, non-aggressive manner. I cannot recall him shouting at us for any reason other than to urge us to throw ourselves recklessly over some piece of gymnastic equipment as he stood waiting to give physical support by its leather-topped surface. Mr Ireland was the perfect role-model in as much as he was even-tempered, amiable, well-organised, favoured no-one and was always there. PE seemed a bit like sex at that time – you just had to pick it up as you went along. One talked about it, thought about it, tried it out, liked or disliked it and went on from there.You just had to get stuck in, do your best and if you had it, make the most of it. Sports science was in its early stages. Sham never made up the numbers if we

were one short in any football lesson. He certainly never hit any young fast bowler for six in the Staff and Old Boys v School 1st XI annual cricket match. (As ever, he umpired and made the teas.) He never challenged anyone to a race over 200 metres and under no circumstances would he have risked splitting his crotch to show us how to execute a flik-flak in gymnastics. Sham saw his task as one of making sure we ran, swam, kicked, hit, served and generally played the game. Above all, that we played and did all those things in the ‘right spirit’. In modern terminology he might now be referred to as a ‘facilitator’. Sham facilitated a school life that was brimful of sporting opportunities. In a school founded to develop academic standards and traditions and that still existed with that ethos, Sham provided the perfect counterbalance, the facilitation of a love of sport. Extracted from Gary Boothroyd’s book Are you a proper teacher, Sir? (see below). Sadly, Helen Hebblethwaite and Ken Ireland both passed away in recent years.

A book dedicated to England’s PE teachers

FTER 32 years of PE teaching, Gary Boothroyd is now enjoying a less dynamic life in North Yorkshire.A keen golfer, he was Captain of Bedale Golf Club in 2011 and plays off an 11 handicap for teams in the Harrogate Union. He and his wife Yvonne have two children, one whom they hopefully named after George Best but who is now a clinical psychologist rather than a footballer. Gary is the author of two other books, both currently seeking publishers. Are you a proper teacher, Sir? (Sportsbooks, 256 pp paperback, ISBN 1899807 25 X) describes Gary’s long teaching career, encompassing the downright hilarious and the occasional stark tragedy. It is available from all good bookshops or discounted online from Amazon. 18

Classroom commentary

Our new columnist SARAH LANCASTER reports from the front line on teaching at King James’s School today ‘…Then we figured out we could park them in front of the TV. That’s how I was raised and I turned out TV.’– Homer Simpson

The media has also condemned this army of technology besieging our children. The Daily Telegraph has claimed that ‘Twitter and Facebook could harm moral values’ and the Daily Mail have even ventured to suggest that ‘Using Facebook Could RaiseYour Risk of Cancer’ (I’m not kidding). Of course, these headlines present a hyperbolic and, let’s face it, vitriolic approach to the issue. But it isn’t hard to be drawn into the horror-mongering associated with a whole generation growing up with a world-view which fits neatly and squarely into the palms of their hands.

ROM dystopian classics like 1984, to the more light-hearted satire of Back to the Future and The Simpsons, we are presented with a portrait of technology in which it is a problem and a preoccupation. At worst, we are slavishly devoted to a meaningless, anaesthetised world of passive experiences and at best, we are completely de-humanised by the technology around us. A notable episode of Charlie Brooker’s futuristic Black Mirror depicts an unnerving image of people so devoted to recording and re-playing their experiences in a Facebookesque manner that they have no engagement at all with real life and Disney’s Wall-E warns of the ample dangers (and ample consequences) of a life devoted to television. It can’t be denied that technology has a palpable impact on the way that young people learn. Inundated on all sides with multiple stimuli- a phone, an X-box, a laptop- some pupils even find the task of sitting through a ‘whole film’ decidedly onerous. I’d be hard pushed to find an English teacher who hasn’t wondered ‘How on earth are they going to be able to read Frankenstein when they can’t even watch it?’ and I haven’t yet met a class who haven’t recoiled in abject horror at my confession that I don’t actually own a television.

Scaremongering Yet this is not a modern predicament. In particular, education has always been a battleground upon which technology and tradition have fought their endless skirmish. It may surprise some of us to learn that many of the staples of the modern classroom were once subjected to the same scaremongering- once scrutinised and scorned as the next catalyst to a society full of drooling, inept, social incompetents. Here are a few examples taken from Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology by Collins and Halverson: “Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?”

(A headteacher’s publication in 1815) From The Journal of the National Association of Teachers, 1907: “Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.” · From Rural American Teacher, 1928: “Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own. When they run out of ink they will be unable to write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad commentary on modern education.” · From Federal Teachers, 1950: “Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and then throw them away. The American values of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Businesses and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.” · From a science fair judge in Apple Classroom of Tomorrow Chronicles, 1988: “Computers give students an unfair advantage. Therefore, students who used computers to analyse data or create displays will be eliminated from the science fair.”

Whether we like it or not, yesterday’s educational pariahs are today’s educational bread and butter. I can’t personally imagine objecting to a child’s use of a biro on the grounds that it flouts ‘American values of thrift and frugality’. Frankly, I’m just glad

Sarah on Sarah

have been teaching English at King James’s school for just over a year, and am right at the beginning of my career in education. As such, the classroom still has elements of the jungle about it, and after a year I feel that I have finally progressed from ‘getting my bearings’ to ‘finding my feet’. Since being at school myself, I have always loved my subject and I hope that future years of teaching don’t prevent me from feeling inwardly excited when a pupil knows what a modal auxiliary verb is. Having lived in Huddersfield since birth (bar a spell of teacher-training in Wakefield out of pure, youthful hedonism), it’s great to teach in a school so close to home. In fact, this is not the first Lancaster contribution to The Almondburian. My dad, who came to King James’s School, once had a poem featured in the publication, albeit one that he had written on the bus to school when he was thirteen. My favourite writer is Samuel Beckett. I possess a love of cats and an eclectic taste in music. I don’t really know how to use semicolons. 20

they are familiar and comfortable. My pupils are invariably more inclined to complete homework tasks when they find out that they can access them on their i-Phone. Another great benefit of these technologies is their capacity to encourage sharing and interaction. On Edmodo, the educational equivalent of Facebook, every pupil can respond to a question at the same time and you can actually read and process what they’ve written. That seems better to me than thirty voices shouting their opinion in unison, yet it would suggest that every individual in the class is engaging with the topic in just the same way.

that they brought a pen.

Bypassing the brain? The crux of our fear of technology in the classroom is the perceived passivity of itthe way that images and words pass from the screen, into our eyes and pretty much bypass the brain on their way back into cyber-space.Yet the reality of the situation is that pupils can be trained to use their phones actively, trained to separate the recreational and pedagogic functions of these items in much the same way as Victorian schoolchildren could distinguish between novels and encyclopaedias. After all, almost all of the young people in our classrooms have access to the most mind-bogglingly vast resource of information in their pockets every lesson. Surely they should be exploring the ways in which their phones can enrich their education, rather than being repeatedly told how much they are rotting their brains. We complain that pupils are losing the ability to engage, when maybe in reality, we are not engaging them in the right way. If young people can’t tear their eyes away from a screen, we should put something on that screen that they can learn from (sorry, ‘from which they can learn’). Apps such as Doddle, Socratic and Edmodo allow pupils to complete schoolwork through a medium with which

Progress The progress of technology is as inevitable as it is exciting. Patti Smith famously said “Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please don't abandon the book.There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book.” Jenny Sanderson As an English teacher I am, of course, inclined to agree. But if the past shows us anything, it is that we cannot discount the enormous potential that technology has to offer, just for the sake of nostalgia.Yes, we can stand like Canute before the waves condemning technology. But technology doesn’t care.Technology is going to do as it damn well pleases regardless.

A LETTER FROM CALCUTTA

The day when life ground to a halt

A recently discovered letter from J K Hall to Fred Hudson, written 50 years ago, describes the impact of the death of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru

JOHN KENNETH HALL (1935 - 1942)

HE date is 28th May 1964.As vent starvation but hardly enough to withyou know, Mr Nehru (‘Pan- stand a siege. Anyway, there was nothing to be ditji’) died yesterday at 2.00 pm. Within an hour the news was all done as by this time the sounds of the round our office here – 1,000 miles great metropolis had mysteriously vanaway - and an hour later everyone had ished and there was a hushed silence gone home. By the time I got away, all broken only by the birdsong at sunset the shops, offices, clubs and restaurants and an occasional taxi horn. I’d forgotten had closed and today is a day of mourn- that my car’s petrol tank was nearly empty until reminded by my driver so ing too. We certainly gave these people the we were virtually stranded. As a result, we’ve spent the day in means and they certainly have the will to more or less enforced organise anything – even JOHN HALL was winner idleness, missing the if it’s an excuse not to do of the Dartmouth comfortable air condiany work. Medal in 1942. On leaving tioning of the office and My wife has only just Almondbury not wanting to spend returned from the UK Grammar all day in our air condiand she said, “They can’t School, he took Nat Sc tioned bedroom and do this without any warnTripos Part 1, longing for the cool ing!” But of course they Class 2 at St evening breezes that decan. John’s College, Cambridge in A rapid survey of the 1944 and was awarded his BA a velop as the sun sets at 6.30 pm or so.Yesterday larder disclosed one small year later. From 1944 to 1947 he was employed by the the maximum shade tin of baked beans, three Ministry of Labour and temperature was 103°F small potatoes, about 4 National Insurance, and he and the minimum night oz of cheese, a dozen resumed his studies to take his Nat Sc Tripos Part 2, Class 3 temperature was 80°F, eggs and about 2 oz of and a degree of MA in 1948. and I think today was dry-looking bread – sufFrom 1960 he was Project even warmer.Hardly ficient together with am- Manager in the Technical Department of pleasant as at this time of ple supplies of fresh man- Development ICI in Calcutta (now Kolkata). goes and lychees to preyear, about a fortnight 22

before the arrival (or expected arrival, though the weather hasn’t really behaved itself this year) of the monsoon there is a high and rising humidity coupled with gradually rising temperatures. However, we spent the afternoon on our verandah looking across the tropical tree tops with their brilliant coloured blooms (the English summer flowers such as dahlias and antirrhinums were finished a couple of months ago). Back to normal life tomorrow, I expect.The rice shortage (the crop has disappeared five months after the harvest and it’s not clear if it’s due to financial manipulation or faulty estimation by the State government); sugar shortage; high fish prices; and the ‘emergency’ with China.

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU was born in Allahabad, the son of a lawyer whose family was originally from Kashmir. Educated at Harrow and then at Trinity College, Cambridge, he studied law at the Inner Temple in London. In 1919, Nehru joined the Indian National Congress which was fighting for greater autonomy from the British. He was heavily influenced by the organisation's leader Mohandas Gandhi. By the end of World War Two, Nehru was recognised as Gandhi's successor and he played a central role in the negotiations over Indian independence. On 15th August 1947, Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India. In October 1947, he faced conflict with Pakistan over the state of Kashmir, which was disputed at independence. Nehru sent troops into the state to support India’s claim but Kashmir remains deeply unstable to this day. Indian-Chinese border disputes escalated into war in 1962 and Indian forces were decisively beaten.This had a significant impact on Nehru’s declining health and he died on 27th May 1964.

PRCD project makes excellent progress

The article above is an entirely unexpected early outcome of the PRCD (Pupil Record Card Database) project to computerise the record cards of former school pupils. It was derived from an Air Mail letter from John Hall to Fred Hudson in which he also took the opportunity to correct some details of his career given in Gerald Hinchliffe’s History of King James’s Grammar School. The letter had been left by Hudson in the ‘H’ box of cards, presumably after he had finished revising his meticulous records. Our thanks to Simon Graley for his discovery and to his colleagues John Goodall, Richard Geldard, Julian Stafford and Michael Sykes who continue to make rapid progress with the project. 23

Mixed memories of life at AGS

PROF COLIN ROBSON (1946-1953)

Our contributor, now Emeritus Professor at Huddersfield University, was something of a rebel in his schooldays. He cannot believe he was alone.

HE first issue was the uniform. the side of the playground by the big tree – Many of the new students’ mothers the new second-formers keenest to keep the had someone in the family, or knew tradition going. If you struggled back to the someone who had been at the school, who had top, you were thrown down again. And had a crested badge. We didn’t. In wartime again.This could lead to holly-bushing or beating with rosebay willow there had been no new Following a Physics degree at ones. However it was ac- Manchester University, Colin Robson herb. Its sticky white covElectronics as an Education ering was very difficult ceptable to have a simple taught Officer at RAF Locking. He then embroidered AGS. Mam taught in London, ending up as Head to remove from new blazers. I stayed down and was a talented needle- of Science at Colfe’s School in After taking a degree in succeeded in being unobwoman and made one. Greenwich. Psychology at Birkbeck College, She also managed to get where he also lectured, he returned trusive. Algebra and Latin hold of a cap and sewed on to Huddersfield in 1970 as Head of Education at the new Huddersfield were my favourites – both the yellow Dartmouth Polytechnic. Colin was one of the glorified codes where, House ribbon. It was said first professors at Huddersfield University. Since retirement from his when you had learned the that wearing a cap wasn’t full-time post he became chief rules it was easy. Woodcompulsory, but that if consultant to a ten-year work I struggled with. you wore one on the first international project on special We seemed to spend endday, you had to continue af- educational need statistics for the Organisation for Economic Coterwards. She bullied me operation and Development in Paris. less sessions making a small box with dovetail joints. I (a rare event) into wearing got some help with this, in the uniform at once on the exchange for allowing yearly Blackpool holiday. It someone good at it to was windy on the North copy down my algebra Pier and it took little enhomework. Music was couragement on my part singing, often ‘Fire down for the cap to come to a below’, or voice tests. watery end. Harry Gledhill was not Going down St Helen’s known for his industry and Gate on the first day we gave us voice tests when he were apprehensive knowwas stuck. Luckily he rouing that an initiation rite tinely lined everyone up awaited.All new boys were and started at one end of thrown down the‘Bunk’ at 24

Teaching staff in 1948: (back row): N L Bradbury; F A Whalley; J E Dyson; H Binns; W I Haigh; F J Bareham; J F W Newton (Front row): F S Hudson; E Akroyd; J L Hopton; H Blackburn; J M Baldwin; L C Ash; R Addy; H Gledhill;T C Calloway

the row. By standing at the other end, I avoided testing all one year. PE was boring repetitive exercises. If ‘Dusty’ Binns didn’t fancy being outdoors on a cold or wet afternoon, he would come down five minutes late to the changing room by which time there would be a degree of mayhem – “Right, that’s it. You’ll sit in here and be quiet. No sport this week”. He then returned to the staff room. Cricket and football were great when we got the chance. Football was on a sloping muddy field with many stones (one punishment was half an hour’s stone picking).After being bored as full-back, I changed into an enthusiastic but pretty useless centre forward who very occasionally surprised by doing something well. I was known as the ‘galloping hairpin’ – the impression accentuated by a tightly fitting stockinette jersey in black and gold stripes from the 1930s donated by a family friend. I was voted form captain by my peers, which surprised both Walter Haigh and myself. It gave me a confidence which stayed with me through my school life. Some

masters were given to leaving us to get on with a task for longish periods, reputedly for a cigarette break in the boiler room with the head caretaker who allegedly doubled as bookies’ runner. He was rarely seen except at the end of the school day when he would do a rapid tour exhorting us with “Put your bloody chairs up lads” so that he didn’t have the task before the cleaners came round. When teachers left us it was the form captain’s role to stand at the front of the class and keep order.The sanction was that anyone messing about had their name chalked on the board which meant an automatic detention. I realised very quickly that giving one warning, then name on the board with no exceptions –and no rubbing out of names when we heard the teacher returning – was the right strategy. Some moaned at me as a teacher’s pet but not for long. Proceeding toward the 5th form and particularly at Transitus (Lower 6th) and Upper Sixth I became progressively dissatisfied with aspects of school life.The then Head, Harry Taylor, a good and honourable man, had a

Relaxing with a pipe: Leonard Ash (1920-1953). His knuckledelivered ‘fozz-knock’ was known to a generation of AGS schoolboys

strong antipathy to what he termed‘academic grubs’ (seen by some as referring to the other boys grammar school in Huddersfield). He seemed to me to hanker for the ethos of a minor public school, which had been the avowed aim of an earlier head,Taylor Dyson. This involved expecting total commitment by boys to all aspects of school life such as annual Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, the Jacobean debating society and team sports. I considered Gilbert and Sullivan a silly waste of time, and had no interest in debating – which seemed to encourage the worst in bumptious adolescents. Of which there were several. I was happy to be involved with sport and did sometimes play cricket for the school, usually in the second team. One occasion still rankles. I rarely got many runs, but this time I was top scorer and we won. Monday morning assembly always involved extended comments from the Head on the weekend’s results. As I expected, my name was mentioned. All he said was “Robson scored most runs but let the school down by batting in a green sweater.” It was cold and I didn’t have a white one. Ronnie Aspinall, who lived next door to us on the council estate, let me have one of his Yorkshire sweaters which I afterwards wore, even in the hottest weather. Fred‘Soapy’ Hudson ruled from room N3. The central rotating blackboard usually had two or three complicated multi-coloured chalk maps which must have taken him a long time. It certainly took us whole periods to reproduce

them in our exercise books while he got on with other tasks. Occasionally he could be enticed to give an account of his travels to foreign climes.The favourite was his railway trip across Canada when, getting off the train his hand “literally froze to the carriage handle.” No one played around in Mr Ash’s French lessons – inattention risked a painful ‘fozzknock’ to the head.‘Johnny’Hopton was a clear and patient Maths teacher who never had trouble. In contrast a new history teacher started with little idea of how to keep order and was mercilessly goaded.We suspected that he had been given a final warning by the head as he returned a changed man in the autumn.Anyone causing trouble was out in the corridor or on the way to the Head’s study. Latin master‘Tich’ Blackburn was said to have a steel plate in his head fromWorldWar One shrapnel. He was prone to going off without warning, rather like an alarm clock, with a loud buzzing noise. Rare schoolboy consideration meant that this wasn’t taken advantage of. The Chemistry teacher, Dr Calloway, was considered to be dangerous and unpredictable and was a crack shot with the woodenbacked board rubber which he threw at anyone not paying attention. He was of the

‘bucket’ persuasion; enthusiastically using large amounts of chemicals when demonstrating chemical experiments – often with spectacular results. He hated boys putting their feet on the bottom of the demonstration bench and balanced lead weights, formerly counterpoises for blackboards, at strategic points around the edge of the bench. A straying foot risked the weight being quietly tipped off the bench with a little push from his metre rule. Two teachers stand out. One I found inspiring, the other not.The former, Mr Anderson, taught English.The first lesson he gave us, sitting down he reached behind him, and with his back to the board, chalked his name on it. On a hot day in Dorm 4, his form room – one of the rooms where boarders used to sleep – I was dreaming while looking out of the window watching the young girl from Clough House swinging backwards and forwards in Lowering the mast to clear a bridge on the Normandy trip, front l to r: Michael Wiskow, Brian Pollard, Frank Branch, Danny Anderson, ? Lee and best friend John Emsley who very sadly died a few years later. Another close friend, Ray Lindley is back left.

their garden when a sarcastic comment brought me back to the lesson. It was another time when he readT S Eliot’s Triumphal March that I realised that poetry could be fascinating. The last time I saw him was at the School Speech Day when receiving the prize for Science. He was handing out the books as I went to shake hands and smiled conspiratorially as he put my choice of‘Fundamentals of Optics’ on top of the ‘Faber Book of Modern Verse’ and a set of Paul Klee prints that I had also chosen. I didn’t get on with the other teacher, Reg Addy.Asked to compare and contrast the work of two important musicians for a sixth form General Studies essay, I chose Mozart and the jazz great, Jelly Roll Morton. He marked it with an ‘F – see me’. I got a serious warning that, with my attitude and lack of school spirit, I would never make anything of myself. As my form master in the sixth, he commented in my report book that I should develop‘outside interests’ if I was to get on – actually I had plenty of interests outside the school, mainly with the village Youth Club. But, to be fair to him, he was always willing to give his own time for extra-curricular activities. Witness the very enjoyable Normandy trip, where my holiday snap shows him organising the group to the front of our boat to help the mast clear a bridge.The Head’s report comment, where he deplored my lack of involvement in extra-curricular school activities, was more accurate. Years later, I read Huddersfield-born Brian Jackson’s book Education and the Working Class, for which some of the fieldwork had been carried out at Almondbury Grammar School. I appreciated then that, while the majority of pupils readily accepted the ethos of the school, I had not been alone in resisting it.

Annual Dinner

A ND R E W HAIGH

tion of beers available at the bar, which is kindly run by former Old Almondburians’ Society Chairman Nick Briggs of Mallinson’s Brewing Company. We also hope to enhance the ‘ambience’ of the venue. It is always good to see members making a special effort to stage a reunion of their year at the dinner and such occasions are always enjoyable. Tony Horsfall is organising a sixtieth anniversary reunion of the Class of 1955, but what about the members of the classes of 1935, 1940, 1945, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2000 or 2005?

HIS year’s dinner will again take place at the School, on Saturday, 21st November, at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm. The guest speaker this year will be Robert Lamb, who retired in the summer after thirteen years as Headteacher/Principal. For those who would like to come early and join a tour of the school, they will once again be conducted by senior students at 6.30 pm. Unlike last year, we shall endeavour to ensure that the whole school is accessible and lit for these tours! We will plan to improve the selec-

Guest speaker: recently retired Principal Robert Lamb will be looking back over his time at the School 28

The ticket price will remain at £27.50 Who has already booked? (as at 5.10.15) and it’s not too late Surname Forename From To Travelling from to apply. An applica- Addy J Nick H. 1955 1963 Upper Hopton tion form is included Atkinson Michael N. 1955 1963 Ulverston with this magazine, 1947 1952 Marsden or if you would pre- Bellerby Keith J Amanda 1974 1976 Highburton fer to book online Brawn simply go to Broadbent John 1948 1954 Golcar www.oas.org.uk and Brier Keith 1947 1953 Upperthong click on the link to Burluraux Norman 1949 1954 Celle, Germany the Annual Dinner Clayton James Melvyn 1947 1951 Norwich Please be aware 1964 1971 Almondbury that, now that the Crawshaw Keith dinner has returned Dowling Roger 1952 1959 Lymm to the school, spaces Earles David B M 1947 1952 New Mill are limited, so early Eastwood John 1950 1958 Sowerby Bridge applications are recGreen John Terry 1947 1955 Chester ommended. Haigh Andrew Mark 1977 1983 Almondbury Oh, and don’t forget to order one of Heptonstall David Anthony 1949 1957 Matlock the new Society ties Hirst Stuart 1955 1963 Birkenhead in order to be prop- Horsfall Anthony 1955 1963 Hemel Hempstead erly dressed at the Robert Staff 2003 2015 Milnrow dinner – see page Lamb George 1951 1959 Fenay Bridge 31.The ties also can Law be ordered by post or Lofthouse John Howard 1951 1959 Sheffield online via the OAS Mallinson Dr R F Niven 1955 1962 Stourbridge website. Nash Brian 1964 1972 Stockport Ticket sales for Staff 1972 2010 Almondbury this year’s dinner O’Brien Patrick Raleigh Walter Staff 1978 2010 Almondbury have taken off even more quickly than Roebuck Rev Stuart W. 1950 1955 Newsome last year and the early Searby Richard 1975 1978 Lepton birds who have al- Sharp John F. 1951 1958 Leighton Buzzard ready applied for a Ian 1946 1954 Northallerton ticket are shown on Shaw John Oswin 1957 1965 Saffron Walden the table. Smith Disabled facilities available

Turner Withers

Ann Staff 1993 Anthony Frederick 1955 29

2015 Lindley 1960 Derby

Founders’ Day

R E V S T UA RT RO EBUCK

previously, think ‘Fireworks!’ While Ron was Chaplain at Kimbolton School, he dabbled in his hobby of making fireworks, and founded a fireworks factory. Kimbolton Fireworks are now renowned throughout the country. We also look forward to seeing current members of the School to help us with readings and music during the Service. Their presence in recent years at this special event has been greatly appreciated and has really made a difference to the Service. If you wish to work off some energy beforehand, please meet at the School by 10.30 am on Sunday, 22nd November and join the procession as it winds its way up St. Helen’s Gate. Or just come to the Church for 11.00 am. We shall be pleased to see you.

warm welcome to all friends of the School and the Society who are able to come to the annual Founders’ Day Service in Almondbury Parish Church the morning after the OAS Dinner. The welcome will possibly be even warmer than usual this year because of the presence of two important people. One is the Rev Mark Zammit who is still in his first year as the new Rector of Almondbury. It would be splendid if we could have record numbers of Almondburians in the congregation to meet Mark on his first weekend among us. The other important person at the Service will be Old Almondburian, the Rev. Ron Lancaster. If you are wondering where you have heard Ron’s name

Fireworks in the pulpit? The Old Almondburians’ Society’s own ‘master blaster pastor’ will be preaching at this year’s Founders’ Day service. Also present will be new Rector Mark Zammit. 30

Be honest…

Take a long, hard look at that old OAS tie in your wardrobe. Is it: crumpled? the wrong length? the wrong width? soup-stained? If the answer to any (or all) of these questions is ‘yes’, join the club. But here’s a cheap, cost-effective answer: the latest newly-fashioned OAS tie, available from us TODAY.

Price: £15 + pp

(UK: 75p; Europe: £2.50; Rest of world: £3.00)

Available from the OAS website at www.oas.org.uk/buymemorabilia.php or by post from: Andrew Haigh c/o R D Haigh & Co, Floresco House, Oak Hill Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 1SN

SUDOKU

Length: 150 cm (59 in) Width: 9 cm (3½ in)

4 5 6 1 2 9 8 1 9 6

Difficulty: moderate

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

3 31

7 6 3 5 1 8 7 4 1 2

ILLUSTRATION

The art of Edward Akroyd

Following an appeal in The Almondburian, more examples have come to light of the work of the former Almondbury Grammar School art master

EW teachers at King James’s School over the years have been as quiet and self-effacing as former art master Edward Akroyd. Yet, his name occurs regularly in this magazine, never failing to trigger memories of his thirty years at the School. But perhaps this is not altogether surprising. Not only did ‘Teak’ inspire many yougsters to try their hand at painting,

drawing or woodwork but he also left behind many reminders of his contributions to school life such as the memorial to those who fell in the War, painted backdrops to school drama productions and countless contributions to The Almondburian. He also had a keen sense of his worth outside School, involving himself in paid work via his studio in Huddersfield. We therefore make no apologies for presenting further examples of his work for the School, for outside organisations and for his own pleasure. The stylised line drawing of the school entrance (1) was the precursor of the fine scraper board drawing which made its first appearance in The Almondburian in 1949. The two philosophical statements ‘Truth’ (2) and Beauty (3) were clearly designed to demonstrate the art of calligraphy of which Akroyd was

such a master. The statements themselves are also typical of the man himself: ‘beauty means perfection’; ‘truth is existence’; ‘lies are partial truths’. Akroyd was a great armchair philosopher, often dogmatic in his views to which he stuck – according to one of his weary staffroom colleagues – with the strength of teak. Edward Akroyd’s skill as a calligrapher are again well displayed in the school award certificate design (4). A later example (5) shows his love for floral decoration. The intriguing painting overleaf (6) is of a proposed design for a chess trophy in the form of a wooden chessman. It carries a small shield bearing the words ‘The Taylor Dyson Trophy presented 1945’, suggesting that it may have been intended to mark the retirement of the highly respected headmaster in that year. We do not know if the trophy ever went into production and if any Old Almondburian could tell us more about this trophy we should be very grateful. Outside school, Akroyd had close links with 33

the Central Lads’ Brunswick Club at Shorehead. The club’s origins lay with the Church of England Temperance Societies’ Police Court Mission, a body which supported the rehabilitation of offenders. After the First World War it became a club for the less fortunate lads of the town and it is not impossible that Akroyd’s interest in helping the club stemmed from his own imprisonment during the war as a conscientious objector. A design for a badge for the club is shown at (7) and a ‘House Championship’ honours board at (8). (See ‘Every Picture tells a Story’ on page 36). Most older Almondburians will remember with fondness the old Theatre Royal in Ramsden Street, built in 1881 and sadly demolished in 1961 to make way for the present market hall. At (9) we see a design for a production of Peter Pan at the theatre. Another example of Akroyd’s commercial activities is a cover design for Town & Country Magazine (10). We conclude with five examples of watercolours which Edward Akroyd painted for his own 34

pleasure (11). Unfortunately we cannot identify the locations so any suggestions from readers will be most welcome. The Almondburian would like to thank Craig Drummond Gray and other members of the Akroyd family for allowing us to publish these examples of Edward Akroydâ€™s work.

Every picture tells a story

The ‘Central Lads’ with their new honours board designed by Edward Akroyd

HE youngsters in this 1934 photograph, published here for the first time, are members of the Central Lads’ Club in Huddersfield. The significance of the photograph lies in the honours board being held somewhat grimly by the two gentlemen on the back row: it is the same honours board designed by Edward Akroyd that we show on page 34 of this issue. Moreover, close examination of the photograph reveals that both photographs show a single recipient in the top left-hand corner; in other words, it is likely that this photograph shows the very first winners of the ‘House Championship’ of 1934. Although Akroyd himself does not appear in the photograph, there is a mystery surrounding the chap on the back row, third from the left. He bears a remarkable resemblance to fellow teacher John Baldwin (right, in 1945) who was a close friend of Akroyd, having joined the School at much the same time in the early 1920s. The Central Lads’ had its origins in a Police Court Mission building at Shorehead opened in 1908 to provided accommodation and workshops for those on probation and

the young homeless. After the First World War it was known as the Central Lads’ Club, becoming the Brunswick Club – supported by the Brunswick Trust – in 1948.The Club is still going strong today, though it has now become the ‘Central Youth Club’; girls now make up some 10% of the membership. In the 1970s, the Club moved to Prospect Street but the old Brunswick Building lived on as part of Huddersfield University. Last year it was controvertially demolished to make way for further university expansion. Our thanks to Central Youth Club chairman Ian Brierley.

The Almondburian Poets

ANY Old Almondburians will remember the school tuck-shop which first opened for business in the early 1950s under the stewardship of Walter Haigh. It opened up at lunchtime and did a roaring trade. One of its customers, it appears, was a second former by the name of Gordon Kaye, still a loyal member of the Old Almondburians’ Society. In future years, Gordon would achieve fame under the name ‘Gorden’ Kaye as the French café owner René Artois. René’s activities during the Resistance were immortalised in the hugely popular BBC 1 sitcom ’Allo ’Allo! broadcast from 1982 to 1992 and still repeated regularly today. It seems that in 1953, Gordon’s thoughts – like those of the rest of the hungry tuck-shop patrons – were directed mainly towards food. His poem in the Christmas issue of The Almondburian celebrated one of the tuck-shop’s most popular lines. It may not have been great poetry, but – as many will remember – they were great iced buns. They would have sold well in René’s café. A new delight appeared this term, It was a twopenny bun; With icing sugar on the top, We all have lots of fun.

The icing’s spread upon the top, All sweet and thick and white; As nineteen buns lie on the tray They are a pretty sight.

The buns are made of bread of course, And have a lovely taste; And anyone who gobbles them Is sure there’ll be no waste.

The buns are sold for twopence each, And they all taste sublime; And when I buy my bun each day, I’m glad to think it’s mine. ‘A School Bun’ by G Kaye, 2A The Almondburian, Christmas, 1953

The currants are within the bun, And some upon the top; And really they are very good To eat with milk or ‘pop’.

An interview with Gorden Kaye, recorded in 2007, can be heard on the OAS website at http://goo.gl/Rk9Iws. 37

Farnley Lines

DAV E BUSH

O there I was harvesting my main crop potatoes and reflecting that at least they were of a goodly size, some compensation for losing all my outdoor tomatoes to blight thanks to this awful mild but very wet ‘summer’. My ruminations were interrupted by a voice from over the wall which caused a sudden cessation of my labours. “Good morning, Dave.” Now there are clear advantages and disadvantages to having a plot next to the road. The main disadvantage is that my ‘plotment’ is a regular depository for detritus jettisoned by those coming from The Jolly Sailor or the off licence, both in the vicinity. This proximity, however, does not explain the substantial number of trade paint cans I discovered recently among my beans. The great advantage is that on every visit, at least one passer by will lean over the said wall for a progress report on my vegetables, to compliment me on my prize-winning dahlias or, much more likely, just for a chat. This gives me an excellent excuse to recover my breath or gather gossip. No retreating to a shed as Life is full of surprises: I discover that my doctor Romilly Rees is the daughter of Old Almondburian author Michael Hardcastle

these are banned on our site. Nothing allowed over one cubic metre. I digress. The ‘voice’ mentioned earlier was that of Cameron Rees, a very able and regular member of Porthcawl Badminton Club of which I am voted in as chairman every year despite my protests. He enters Porthcawl Comprehensive Sixth Form this term. “Do you know Michael Hardcastle?” he asked. “Indeed I do,” I replied. “A pupil, from 1944 to 1951, at the school where I taught for 35 years, famous children’s author, MBE, and someone whom I have met more than once.”

Birthday boy: Wanda – one of the nine Syzdelkos – is my surprise present

Cameron went on to explain how he had been on holiday at M i c h a e l ’s house, had picked up a copy of The Almondburian from the table and on flicking through it had been amazed to see my name and photo therein. “He’s my grandfather, my mother’s father.” This caused another sharp intake of breath as realisation dawned that our doctor in Porthcawl for many years and whom we hold in highest regard both as a doctor and a delightful person, Dr Romilly Rees, is Michael Hardcastle’s daughter! (Yes Mr Editor, an exclamation mark, but well justified you must concede.) ‘El mundo es un panuelo’ as the Spanish say. ‘The world is a handkerchief’, which I always think is far more graphic than ‘It’s a small world.’ On one visit Michael made a presentation to a pupil outside the Old Kitchen Entrance. I cannot recall why that location or who the recipient was –someone may enlighten me – but I do remember Michael asking the prize winner from which lesson he had been summoned. “Biology, Sir.” “And what was today’s lesson about?” “The Human Reproductive System.” “I do hope this is not going to affect

his later life,” was Michael’s witty comment to me when the pupil had retreated.

Memories of Burnice, ‘Sos’ and Terry From a cheerful encounter to far from happy news. I received an email recently from Bernadette Stephenson, KJS and Greenhead College Economics teacher in which she asked me to let Almondburians know about the death in the Huddersfield hospice of Burnice Fleming, for many years a secretary in the ‘outer office’ at KJS and whose daughter was in a similar position at Greenhead. As seems to have been the case with most of KJ’s ancillary staff Burnice was a dedicated and much valued member. The obituaries in the last issue reminded me of the games of soccer I played with ‘Sos’ Haigh and how I enjoyed Terry Buckley’s crosswords although I never managed to complete one.

The Syzdelko family Hands up those who remember the Syzdelkos? There were nine children in

the family of whom Eddie, Richard and Leonard attended KJGS. Eddie taught French at Sally Nook. Their sister,Wanda, was daughter Catherine’s bridesmaid and they have remained very close friends over the years. My spot for Wanda has always been very soft – we share the same quirky humour – and she was practically smuggled into our house as my ‘surprise birthday present’. She brought me a Huddersfield Town birthday card and a HTFC mug. This can now jostle for space in the crockery cupboard alongside those of Lincoln City and Barcelona.

Significant in that our son-in-law, Javier will become Deputy Vice-Chancellor of that university on 1st November. I predict he will be a Vice-Chancellor before the end of the decade. Daughter, Catherine will follow him in January. We are very proud of his promotion but will so much miss having them ‘round the corner’ as they have been for the last nineteen years. With grandson, Jordi having gone to work in Spain for a year after his graduation from Birmingham and granddaughter, Anna, so happy at Exeter she never wants to come home, we shall inevitably feel somewhat lonely at times. So Almondburians, you are more welcome than ever to visit and stay with us in sunny Porthcawl. ‘We’ll keep a welcome in the hillside… etc etc.’

Keith’s quizzes – and some good news This news was shortly followed by Keith Crawshaw’s annual Yorkshire Cancer Research quiz. This too I dip into but, as I told Keith, if I had Ordnance Survey maps for allYorkshire plus a few volumes of the county history plus a month with nothing else to do I might approach completion. As it is, I shall send him a donation and express my admiration for all the charity work he does. I love anagrams so will tackle that section in his brain-wrencher. Amazing in view of their imminent move to the Olympic Park is that West Ham United is an anagram of ‘The New Stadium’. And another clue recently in the Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword which suddenly had added significance; ‘no degrees at this London University’ (9). The answer, of course, is Greenwich. Congratulations: son-in-law Prof Javier Bonet has been appointed Deputy ViceChancellor of Greenwich University

CROSSWORD by Hérisson

Entries to the Editor (address/email: back cover) by 1st January 2016

Prize: 12 months free OAS membership

Our new compiler

We are delighted to introduce our new compiler David Bradford who will be contributing under the name Hérisson. David, a former mathematics teacher, was on the KJS staff for 26 years. He retired in 2006 to look after exams, data management and timetable, retiring fully in 2010. David still helps the School with its timetabling.

ACROSS 1. Initiate newly qualified undertakers’ 17. Way and means about male reproductive organs (7) leaders in a pickle. Give up! (10) 6. can burn (4) 19. Fool like crimes A police department of murderers (9) 9. First lady confined in pound – 22. Walkway where first class golfer returns (5) reverse slope on the edge (5) 24. Subatomic particles support lots of city, for example, backs 10. Old desire (4) weight (7) (7) 26. Sole supported by lanky 11. In shellac? Query the polish wingers (4) 27. Checker dance (5) 12. Consider slim James, maybe (5) 14. Broken sensor hides second sight, 28. Books in soldiers for schedule (4) 29. Island city? giving answers (9) (10) 16. Bird in one’s nuts (7)

Name

Email Tel

DOWN 1. Jewish teacher and model renowned for breeding (6) 2. 51 shiver, shake – not well (8) 3. Annul liaison, holding nothing (4) 4. Sentimentality in places of learning for mythical beasts (8) 5. Say hello to the trophy and raise it (4,2) 7. Dog Apples operating system with unusual objects (6) 8. Plot terrible disguise, turn out and enter European capital (8) 13. Band bends (5) 15. City in Oklahoma happens to be in Nebraska! (5) 16. Sailor at riot turns up slaughterhouse (8) 17. Doctor (sly scot) with one heartbeat descriptor (8) 18. Lamb, perhaps – a trier (8) 20. Tail of 1 down holds record for model (6) 21. Confuse Master Brook (6) 23. Point to flower festival (6) 25. Animal shelter with key is an eyesore (4)

The winner of Terry’s Teaser No 15 (July 2015) was Nick Beaumont

Across 1. Baggage handlers 8. Opposed 11. Judas 13.Aga 14.You 15.Term 16. Zen 17. Sudan 19. Microcosm 21. Nero 22. Dray 24. Standstill 27. Lilac 29. Sac 30. Leak 31. Ebb 33.Ave 35. Repel 37. Effendi 38.The mating season Down 1. Bronze medallist 2. Grog 3. Eddy 4.Adjustment 5. Dad 6. Essence 7. Stamp collection 9. Panic 10. Salvo 12.At a 18. Ponticelli 20. Roy 21. Net 23.At large 25. Sheaf 26. Ibsen 28. Ike 32. Berg 34.Vera 36. Pea

Back to the drawing board Roger Sykes (1946-1953) revisits some of his favourite drawings

HE journey home from Almondbury to West Vale on the No 30 trolleybus always gave me a good view of the Parish Church. But some buses stopped in town and a transfer was needed. So a walk up Kirkgate was a real opportunity to see the Church from different angles. I tried to draw from a lower angle but was unsuccessful. Car horns indicated that I should not stand in the road – so a quick retreat then led to my survival and the inclusion of the pedestrian refuge in the drawing. The Mayor, James F C Cole, asked for a sketch for the 1952 Official Christmas card and of course I was pleased to supply. Unfortunately I can’t find the original drawing but the letter of thanks from the Mayor’s Parlour expressed ‘very warm thanks’ plus the words ‘I return the picture herewith’. Of course it brings back memories of Harry Gledhill, the school Master of Music. He was choirmaster and organist at the Church. But to most of us, the echoes are of lusty singing of sea shanties and traditional English songs in the old school music room. This was located up the stairs and along the narrow corridor above the Headmaster’s study. Everyone jumped down the four steps after the lesson and that would have resounded in the study should the music have failed to penetrate.The endless practising of The Mikado made us all word perfect. But Harry never detected the strange alternative wording that some young gentlemen preferred to substitute. 42

Badminton

A ND R E W H A I G H

HE Old Almondburians’ badminton season traditionally gets off to a quiet start, but this year broke new ground on Thursday, 3rd September, when just one person turned up to play. Imagine my surprise then, when I arrived to unlock the sports hall the following week to find no fewer than seven other people queuing outside! Admittedly, the numbers were boosted by one of our former regulars, Matthew Booth, visiting from Cambodia, where he now lives, and also by Tom Earnshaw not having returned to university, but it was still very positive for only the second week of the season. Unfortunately, we were not able to keep the momentum going, since the annual open evening for prospective pupils of the school prevented us playing the following Thursday and the decision of Sky to televise the Huddersfield Town v. Nottingham Forest match on the fourth week reduced our attendance to just two. It’s most unusual for Huddersfield

a n drew.haig h@oas .or g.uk

Town to be at home on a Thursday night, but it does happen with ‘Fartown’ and, every time that a match falls on a Thursday night and disrupts my badminton, I suggest to the Sky staff at the stadium that they could have the rights to televise Old Almondburians’ badminton for half the price and that it would be twice as entertaining, which would be good news all round. Sadly, they never take me up on my offer. At least ‘Fartown’ managed to avoid having a home semi-final on the fifth Thursday of the season, so normal service will hopefully be resumed then. Why not come along and join us? Our season runs from Thursday, 3rd September until Thursday, 26th May and we play in the school sports hall each Thursday evening during term-time from 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. The fee, to cover the hire of the sports hall, shuttlecocks and showers, is £6.00 per person per evening.

Cricket

S A M AT K IN

sam_atkin@ya hoo.co.uk

Both teams had mixed seasons – but we won the 20/20 Plate HE First XI, again captained

PREMIER SECTION

SECTION A

by myself, had a roller342 PTS 311 PTS Mount B coaster season. If it were not Heck & Carl A 324 PTS 286 PTS Green Moor A Birchencliffe A for inclement weather, we would 307 PTS 259 PTS Horbury Bridge A have easily beaten the eventual Mount A Champions who only lost one game Edgerton & Dalton A 299 PTS Heck & Carl B 229 PTS this season. We had a strong team Netherton A 229 PTS 204 PTS Flockton A out that day and just shows what we Nortonthorpe A 213 PTS 184 PTS Green Moor B could be capable of if we had players Almondburians A 196 PTS Edgerton & Dalton B 183 PTS available at will every weekend! 184 PTS 138 PTS Holmbridge A Calder Grove A It’s always nice to note centuries: 180 PTS 137 PTS Leymoor A Almondburians B myself at Leymoor with 132 and 158 PTS 125 PTS Holmbridge B Charlie Taylor with 101 against Bradley & Colne A 131 PTS 124 PTS Denby Grange A Netherton B Higham. George Brady and I were once Higham A 106 PTS again selected for the Huddersfield Representative side and it was again a great We win the Copymark 20/20 Plate privilege to play at Scarborough, although After winning our group of Nortonwe lost the game. thorpe, Holmbridge and Leymoor, we A new man at the helm of the Second lost to Edgerton and Dalton in the semi XI was Oliver Hirst, as Ben Hodgson was final. taking a step back with the pressures of faWe went on to play Green Moor in therhood. The Seconds again had a mixed the Trophy Plate Final. The match, on season, beating good teams when the First 16th August, was played at HeckmondXI were strong but falling short when the wike & Carlinghow. Almondburians Firsts had to steal players due to unavailabil- scored 177 for 9 wickets over 20 overs ity. while Green Moor could only manage Winter nets will start again in January 141 for 4. The club received £75 for the down at Total Indoor Cricket Solutions win. (TICS) at Holmfirth. The team was captained by Joey T&Cake once again sponsored the play- George throughout. ing shirts this season and a new sponsor, Balreed, sponsored all the new training President’s Day gear available at O’Neills. This year’s President’s Day on 23rd 44

Andrew Haigh

Above, pictured with trophy: (Top l to r) C Taylor (wicket-keeper), L Booth, S Atkin, C Buck, O Hirst, N Sayed (Bottom l to r) G Brady, J Atkin, J George (captain), A Lightowlers, J Ingham Below: Presidentâ€™s Day 2015

Golf Day This year’s winner was George Brady.

August was a great success, raising over £800. Rain affected the final between Almondbury CC and the Ian Atkin Invitational XI (Ian Atkin being my dad). The team included myself, Joe Atkin, Luke Wallbanks and Matthew Barrett. A special mention to Mark Lightowlers and Carl George for running the BBQ! Joey George and I ran the bar whilst consuming most of it; and John Headey once again went miles and miles further than he needed to sort everything out. A bouncy castle was provided for children (see later). The date of the 2016 Presentation Evening is still to be confirmed.This year’s Presentation Evening raised over £500.

Football

Children’s coaching Oliver Hirst, Jack Ingham, Adam Lightowlers and I put on kids’ coaching on a Friday evening and we are hoping to do this again next year. It is for Under-10s and will hopefully pave the way for future cricketers at the club.They clearly enjoyed it, and parents and children were seen at this year’s President’s Day – hence the bouncy castle! Thank you I should like to pass on my thanks to all those who gave us such excellent support at this year’s events.

M A RT YN H I CKS

m ar tyn@h ixfix.co.uk

Wanted urgently: someone to turn the ship around

NFORTUNATELY, dear readers, there will be no football reports this season. Once again the AFC have ceased trading and gone into hibernation. Unfortunately a substantial number of last season’s players had reached the age where the mind was willing but their bodies were weak, and retired. What started as a trickle developed into a torrent, rumours spread and younger players jumped ship (mostly non-Almondburians, so no emotional contact there). Despite several attempts no one jumped into the frying pan to turn the ship around. Sad but that’s the modern way

it would seem. The club retains its assets and the the not insignificant club funds have been ring fenced. And there they will stay until someone stands up and says “Let’s get the show back on the road.” Disappointed is an over-used word but in this case …apt. Despite this, the AFC have put together a table of those players who over the last five years went the extra yard for the club (but not the one that was needed) and will be attending the Charity Ball en masse on 9th October. I’m sure the evening will begin as an inquest but end up as a celebration.

Tennis

A N D RE W H A I G H

andrew.haig h@oas . org.uk

Improvised ‘Hawkeye’ rules on service controversy

ton, daughter of David Parry, together with her husband, Geoff, and son Austin. In a ‘first’ for Old Almondburians’ tennis, ‘Hawkeye’ had to be called upon this year. A serve by David Parry was called ‘out’ by his grandson, Austin, who was umpiring and, shockingly, the call was disputed by David! Fortunately, your scribe was just taking some photographs to accompany this report and, by enlarging one of the images, we were able to prove that Austin’s call was quite correct and that the serve was, indeed, beyond the service line.

HE 2015 tennis season proved to be a very good one, with only one Thursday being lost to rain throughout the whole summer. In addition to our regular players this summer, we were pleased to welcome guests from Australia: Katy Hethering-

Photos: Andrew Haigh

Above, summer 2015 tennis: Top (l to r): Andrew Haigh, Neil Gledhill, Eleanor Haigh, Annabel Haigh, David Parry.

Below: ‘Hawkeye’ is called upon to judge a controversial line call

Hero Ryan bowls Yorks to victory

With a superb spell of bowling at Lord’s, Ryan Sidebottom helped Yorkshire to clinch the LV= County Championship for the second year running

ORKSHIRE won their second consecutive LV= County Championship in September – thanks to brilliant bowling from Almondburian Ryan Sidebottom. He secured Yorkshire’s success with a three-wicket maiden opening over against Middlesex at Lord’s. Ryan passed 700 first-class wickets with five for 18 asYorkshire were confirmed as champions when Nottinghamshire slipped

Andrew Haigh

to 204 all out against Durham at Trent Bridge. Son of Yorkshire legend Arnie Sidebottom, Ryan attended King James’s School from 1989-1994 and made his county debut forYorkshire as a left-arm seamer in 1997. He made his England debut in 2001, and after a spell with Nottinghamshire returned to his native county last year. Commenting on Yorkshire’s success, Yorkshire cricket director Martyn Moxon said: “The first win was really special, but given the circumstances this is probably a bigger achievement than winning last year. That first over epitomised what Ryan was all about, and he got his 700th wicket as well. He’s been a fantastic bowler over the years and there’s still a lot of life left in him.”

Postbag

YO U W RITE …

Metre rule incident? Not me either, guv

From: Gary Boothroyd (1961-1968) s a long-standing, paid up member of the Old Almondburians' Society and avid reader of the Magazine, I am particularly non-plussed by my unexpected notoriety in recent issues. During my attendance at the School from 1961 to 1968 I was completely unaware that another Gary Boothroyd existed in the year below me, was a ‘geek’ in sporting terms, had more than a fair share of bullying, a great love of Biology, went on to an educational career in Science and felt compelled to pen a heart-felt letter to Postbag in your July issue. In the March issue Tony Cape had made mention of ‘Butheroyd’ upsetting Jack Taylor on one particular occasion and having certain facts poured into his ear via a metre rule. Feeling that this reflected Jack’s inimitable teaching style, I decided in my amusement to waive any libel action and allow the ‘poetic licence’ of Tony’s memoir to go unchallenged. However, coming across the letter from Gary Boothroyd of Oakham (1962 - 1969) denying that he was the victim, I too now feel a need to write to you. I, Gary Boothroyd of Richmond (1961 - 1968), also deny any part in the infamous metre rule incident. In fact, I had the greatest regard for Jack Taylor: “Caecum, it’s pronounced ‘secombe’, laddie, not ‘caycom’, as in

‘Harry Secombe’. Youwouldn’t say ‘Harry Caycom’, would you?”. I enjoyed a remarkably happy education at King James’s, played 1st XI Cricket and Football, and other than the early ‘bunking’ initiation along with the usual teacher-inspired fear, experienced no bullying worth recording. But then again all memories can be selective. Like my doppleganger Gary Boothroyd (1962 - 1969) I spent my career in Education: 32 years in Physical Education, 28 of them as Head of the PE Faculty at a large inner-city comprehensive in Aston, Birmingham. (Yes, Ken ‘Sham’ Ireland DID often select me to pick the teams in football, and Boothroyd (1962-1969), had he been in my year, would most definitely have been last pick!) My loyalty to King James’s is non-negotiable, being more than demonstrated in my book Are You a Proper Teacher, Sir?* Until the next issue, I wish Jack, Cape and Butheroyd (1962 - 1969) good health, prosperity and a bullying-free retirement. Richmond, Yorkshire *See article on page 18. Jack Taylor comments: “I have to own up to having had a metre rule amongst my teaching props. Whilst I confess that I have no recollection at all of the incident in question, I have no wish to deny it!”

You could carry anything on a trolleybus

From: Barry Livesey (1953-1961)

read the piece on trolleybuses (July issue) with great interest. My feeling is that you could do things on a trolleybus that would not be allowed to do today! I was in the Milnsbridge Scout Group (as were John Beaumont, Geoff Robertshaw and Keith Thompson), headquartered under the Baptist Church. We needed some seats for our room and noticed cinema seats available from the closing down of Slaithwaite cinema. Off we went on the trolley and eventually lined up at the bus stop ready to return to Cowlersley with a pile of six cinema seat bottoms, six backs and eight cast iron arms (the seats were to be assembled in 2 x 3

formation).When the bus arrived the conductor was faced with all this lot going under the steps.Well, (almost), no problem! On another day our band was playing at Leeds Road Football Ground. Our small drums went under the steps but our first world war vintage bass drum was very large and wouldnâ€™t fit there so it had to stay on the platform. However, at every stop all the way into town and on to Leeds Road, our bass drummer was kicked off and only let back on when the more normal passengers had ascended. No one had a car or van and it was trolleybus or nothing. They served us very well. Shefford, Bedfordshire

Storming the trolleybuses at the terminus

From: Stephen Lockwood (1960-1967)

AVID BEACH has alerted me to the excellent piece in The Almondburian about the trolleybuses. I mentioned that I had some very poor photos of KJS pupils storming the trolleybuses at the terminus and David has suggested that readers might like to see these (opposite). I have had them scanned and enhanced and considering the quality of the original negatives they have come up quite well. The top two were taken on 8th February 1965, and one shows Mr Western (Tex) in hat trying to sort things out.The bottom pair were taken on 24th March 1965. Darlington, County Durham

Stephen Lockwoodâ€™s book Huddersfield Trolleybuses (Middleton Press, 96pp paperback, ISBN 1 901706 92 3) is available from good bookshops or online 50

You could cut the atmosphere upstairs with a knife

From: David Morphet (1951-1958)

ceiling. Schoolkids always wanted to ride ‘upstairs’. I wonder what effect this had on their health? The Rothera article was a triumph and Robert Lamb’s comments on the financial consequences of the move to academy status were most interesting. London

E article on the trolleybus brings back many memories, not least that of the long pole used to change the cables at the end of a route. One memory (perhaps not specific to the trolleybus) – smoking 'upstairs' produced an atmosphere you could cut with a knife and a thick stain of nicotine on the

School skills were ideal for my bus conductor job

From: Prof Edward Royle (1955-1962)

height with only a long pole, learnt trying to open the top windows in the gym but also essential when the bamboo pole had to be rolled out from beneath the bus and used to unhook the trolleys from the wires or sort out the tangled mess when they had sprung off their wires. Fond memories, though Almondbury was one of the first (after Bradley to Marsden) to lose some of its trolleybuses because the other half of the 30 route went to West Vale which was in a foreign land and deemed more suitable for a diesel bus with a cream front, painted to look like a trolleybus. I also, later, worked on these buses and on the Joint Omnibus Committee buses and Hanson’s buses, but I am glad to have the memory of once being a Huddersfield Passenger Transport trolleybus conductor. York, NorthYorkshire

NE of the vacation jobs I took as a student was as a trolleybus conductor, so my memories extend beyond the swish of electricity from the cables as the vehicle approached, the dancing of the street lights attached to the supporting wires, and the sudden jolt as the driver accelerated too quickly and knocked back a fuse. My chief memory is of the transferable skills I learnt at King James’s which were of immense value in my future career – how to jump off the trolleybus as it rounded the corner from Kirkgate into Byram Street, learnt when in a hurry to catch the 4.30 pm bus home from the other end of the town but also so necessary when as a conductor I had to leave the vehicle to pull the points handle and then run after the bus to jump back on again while the driver accelerated away; and how to catch a small loop at a great

We founded a trolleybus society with 120 members

From: David Beach (1958-1966)

HAT a nice surprise to see the item in the last Magazine. I love the Photoshop job done on the articulated single decker! The memories indeed do flood back. Roger invited comment, so here are one or two bits and pieces. For example, throwing myself onto the open platform of a no. 33 on a snowy morning after it had already set off from its Byram Street stand and was heading down St Peter’s Street, knowing that to miss it would make

for a late arrival at school. Or when four of us were thrown off a town-bound trolleybus, near Longley Road, on the last day of term, when the driver got fed up of the person above his cab stamping his feet. As it happens it wasn’t me! Honest! There are a few small errors in Roger's article which maybe should be pointed out for the sake of accuracy. None of the Huddersfield trolleybuses had traction batteries, so if they strayed from their wires you

cluded other pupils at KJGS, particularly Michael Storry and Norman Hinchliffe (1961-68), and a similar contingent from HNC. We organised trolleybus tours in Huddersfield and elsewhere, and other fund raising events. In 1968 we purchased one of the newest Huddersfield trolleybuses, no. 631, which we took to Reading and Bournemouth that year for tours, and which now resides at the Sandtoft museum near Doncaster. Also there are no. 619 (purchased privately in 1968 by some of our members, as per the photograph in the article) and no. 541, owned by the National Trolleybus Association, but which has been funded by myself in recent years. All three are restored and operational, and present a fine sight at the museum. After leaving KJGS, Stephen, Michael and Norman took up posts working in the Public Transport industry. Stephen has written a number of trolleybus books, and specifically two about Huddersfield’s trolleybuses, which I can recommend, and Norman played a large part in the erection of the overhead wiring at Sandtoft. Minehead, Somerset

called up the services of either gravity or the stronger passengers. Or a towing wagon from the depot. The tramway system in 1900 was the largest steam hauled standard gauge tramway at the time. There were larger tramways which were more reliant on horse haulage. No doubt school children were discouraged from playing tunes on the bells, but the bells were always labelled ‘Push once to stop’, and you needed to do that if you were downstairs and the conductor was upstairs, for example. As I once had to point out to an irate passenger who had been carried past her stop, when I was working as a student conductor in 1966. There is a further reason why the history of the Huddersfield trolleybuses may be of relevance to KJGS and vice versa. In 1964 I discovered that Stephen Lockwood and Trevor Longbottom (196067) were saving up to purchase and preserve a Huddersfield trolleybus, as none of the older trolleybus enthusiasts in the town seemed to be thinking of it.Together we founded a society which grew to around 120 members of all ages, and in-

I have my own miniature fleet

From: James Clayton (1947-1951)

HE article on the trolleybus brought back many happy memories. What a backward step it was to get rid of this means of transport. I’ve lived in Norwich for fifty years and can honestly say that I have still to experience a bus service that comes anywhere near that which I experienced as a child in Newsome. We used to watch in awe as the con-

ductor wielded his long bamboo cane when transferring the trolleys at the Newsome Church junction. How the sparks flew. In later years, I bought a display cabinet to house the few models we had accumulated when the children were young. More recently nostalgia kicked in and I bought one or two models which had more personal memories. In addition to

the trolleybus (KVH 226), there is the Examiner van, which is a reminder of my time there around 1960. Before that I was at the Halifax Courier, hence the green and orange bus, the likes of which used to carry me over the Ainleys. In the cabinet there are two classics on the top shelf - a Leeds tram and, for me one of the best designs ever, the Blackpool tram. There is a danger of getting carried away by this, so once I had bought a model of my first car (Ford Popular) I called it a day. I particularly enjoyed the mock-up of an Almondbury bendy trolley in the article. One can but hope.

The big OAS

Trolleybus reunion

The response to the article in the last issue was so enormous that The Almondburian is planning a special Trolleybus reunion next spring at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, near Doncaster.The museum has three Huddersfield trolleybuses in its collection. We are still working on the details but we hope that the visit will include a full tour of the museum, a talk about the Huddersfield fleet in its prime, and – of course – a nostalgic ride on one of the Huddersfield ‘trolleys’. For flexibility, we plan that those attending will make their own transport arrangements and bring their own lunch (though the museum has its own 5-star cafe).The normal admission price is £7 (seniors £6, children £5) but we expect to be able to negotiate a group discount of 15%. The visit will be on a Saturday or Sunday after Easter 2016, convening in the late morning. So we can gauge the level of interest, please email almondburian@oas.org.uk, text TROLLEYBUS to 07815 601447 or visit www.oas.org.uk/trolleybus.php. Full details of the visit will be announced in the March issue of The Almondburian. 54

I was hired to carry out a trolley pole audit

From: Fred Shaw (1946-1954)

was very interested to read the article on trolleybuses in the July Almondburian. Every school day I had the pleasure of riding to school from Elland to Almondbury, with R I Sykes, on a number 30. I even met my wife on one! At the end of fifth form I was approached by Mr Hudson as to whether I had a vacation job. On answering “no sir”, he informed me that an old Almondburian had approached the school asking if they could recommend anyone to do a survey of all the trolley poles holding up the overhead wires. So I attended my first job interview and got the job.The interviewer was the deputy chief engineer. I forget his name but recollect that he became chief engineer and had his name on the side of all buses later. The first Monday of the school holidays I was given a seat at a draughtsman’s desk, an employee bus pass, a notebook and a large sheet of paper.There were four main types of trolley pole, some remaining tram poles and something described as ‘miscellaneous’. In modern terms I was to develop a spread sheet, identify which type of pole each one was but more importantly list anything attached to the pole.The Corporation charged rental for use of a pole for such things as street lights, telephone wires and even the odd electricity supply. The illegal use for advertising was to also be recorded. So in the summer of 1951 I walked every trolley route, recorded the number and type of pole and any attachments. Another reason for the survey was to identify any corrosion at the base of the pole as one particular type of pole was prone to failure. In some cases there was not even a pole, as in town there were attachments to buildings. I recollect that one particular pole was made of concrete wrapped in steel wire. My report was received with disbelief and I had to take a group of engineers out to have a look: nobody knew it existed! Returning to the depot I then had to develop the spread sheet listing every item, which was not so much fun. My engineering department pass was initially a source of interest to the conductors and drivers of the buses I travelled on but as time passed I became welcomed aboard as the lad doing the pole survey and even allowed to eat my sandwich lunch on board at termini. My recollections of the job are certainly happy ones, in Although trolleybuses doing a useful and rewarding activity and being rewarded disappeared from the street in with praise for a job well done.Thank you for reminding me the 1960s, many poles still remain as cut-price lamp-posts. of my first paid job. Pity I cannot remember how much I This rusting example is one of earned. several in Oldgate: note the Oadby, Leicestershire characteristic outward tilt 55

Articles for The Almondburian

A few words on the best ways of formatting articles and photographs for publication in The Almondburian may be helpful to intending contributors

HE Almondburian is delighted by the increasing number of unsolicited articles submitted by readers. They are always very welcome – it is YOUR magazine, not ours. Articles sent in by email should, if possible, be written using Word and saved in either .doc or .docx format. Alternatively, files saved in .pdf format are fine if this is more convenient. Short contributions – for example for the Postbag – can of course be sent as part of the email if this is preferred. Always use a single space between sentences. It’s many years since the years of typewriters, in which all characters were the same width and a double space was usually inserted between sentences to improve the appearance of the text. Modern word processors are smart enought to produce a space of the correct width when you hit the space bar on the keyboard. If you are using Word or similar word processors, always use proper curly ‘quotes’ (also known as ‘smart’ quotes) such as the ones used in this sentence. Often the default setting will produce ugly 'dumb' quotes (again, a throwback to typewriters). In Word, this can be remedied by clicking Tools > Autocorrect > Autoformat as you type, and then ticking the box ‘Replace straight quotes with Smart quotes’.

Avoid exclamation marks if you can; certainly one per article is more than enough, thank you. And in particular, NEVER use double or triple exclamation marks!!! If you think your observation is so rib-tickling that it needs more than one exclamation mark, let the reader decide. If you are not a regular user of emails, articles can of course always sent in by post (editorial address on the back page). Do remember that The Almondburian is a general interest magazine and not a learned tome. Photographs to accompany articles are therefore always welcome, and the format and size of these is important.The preferred format is .jpg, although .tif or .pdf files are also fine. Please do NOT embed photographs into a Word document: this is not satisfactory technically. The resolution of photographs is another important issue. Most modern digital cameras produce excellent high resolution photographs, but some email programs ‘helpfully’ reduce the resolution of attached photographs in order to reduce the file size for transmission.This is a throwback to the days on dial-up connections when sending a large file could take all day. Always check that your email program is sending photographs at full reolution. We look forward to receiving YOUR articles in the months ahead…

Obituaries

G O N E B U T NOT FOR GOTT EN

Rev John P Senior (1934-1939) Transport boss whose name appeared on every Burnley bus and who later became a vicar John Senior died peacefully on 26th July 2015. John was born in Menston in Wharfedale on 22nd August 1923 and moved to Almondbury in 1934. His career on leaving School in 1939 was to have two very distinct parts. His grammar school years coincided with Huddersfieldâ€™s conversion from trams to trolleybuses, and he became fascinated with these large buses and the ease with which they climbed the hills out of Huddersfield. This led him to apply to Huddersfield Corporation for an internship, but because of the international situation in 1939 no new positions were being offered. It was suggested that he get an engineering education instead, and to this end he applied to Huddersfield Technical College. After taking an all-day entrance examination he was awarded a full threeyear Armytage scholarship covering all costs. Upon graduating with an Associateâ€™s degree in 1942, he applied successfully for a job with Metropolitan-Vickers in Manchester, manufacturers of the electric traction equipment for trolleybuses. But his stay there was brief. It was the height of the war, and he was ordered to report to the Royal Navy Torpedo Factory in Greenock, Scotland, to help develop electrically-propelled torpedoes. This was his home for the rest of the war. He left there in September 1946 to become a Pupil Apprentice with Huddersfield Corporation Passenger Transport Department and continued, part-time, to take courses at the Technical College. He received the degree of B Sc (Eng.) on 16th August 1948, and was immediately appointed Technical Assistant with the Transport Department. 57

He was given many fascinating projects, including the ‘rebuilding’ of pre-war trolleybuses and the development of Britain’s first high-capacity one-man buses. Three years later he was appointed Assistant Rolling Stock Engineer at St Helens, Lancashire, and then moved to Burnley, Colne & Nelson Joint Transport, first as Deputy Manager and then, from 1st April 1955, as General Manager. He had achieved a schoolboy ambition of having his name on the outside of every bus! Two years later he was asked to become the Assistant General Manager of Ribble, one of Britain’s largest bus companies, so leaving the municipal field. He was there for six years. By then, however, his interests had begun to change. Though never a regular church attendee he accepted confirmation in Liverpool Cathedral on 22nd November 1952 and began to attend his local church soon afterwards. The vicar at All Saints Church in Habergham had a particular influence on him, and soon after he moved to Ribble he began to think that there was another path for him. The result was that in 1963 he resigned from Ribble and enrolled as an ‘older candidate’ at Edinburgh Theological College. Two years later came his first curacy. He was ordained priest in 1966, had his first curacy in Heysham, Lancashire, in 1968, and his first parish in Grange Park, Blackpool. It was at this time that he married Sheila M Barker whom he had known back in primary school 45 years earlier! In July 1979 he was appointed vicar of St Andrews at Heddon-on-the-Wall in the diocese of Newcastle and remained there until his retirement in 1988 before returning to the attractions of Almondbury. He continued working parttime for the next 25 years, filling in where needed, and he spent time exploring and writing about the history of public transport, particularly in Huddersfield. Thomas B A Senior (1939-1946) Colin Cheesebrough (1947-1953) ICI plant manager who later in life helped young people to set up new businesses Colin Cheesbrough died on the 8th March this year after a long battle with prostate cancer which he typically faced with great fortitude. He was born on the 10th December 1936 at St Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield and in his early years lived in Lockwood and attended Mount Pleasant School. The family later moved to Moldgreen where he attended the local Council School. Colin then joined Almondbury Grammar School (as it was then known) in 1947 and left in 1953. On leaving AGS, he took up employment with the local ICI company on Leeds Road. He was one of the first to go on a combined work and college degree course which the ICI organised in order to obtain staff with the right type of 5858

training and education for the work to be specific to their needs. This involved day release from work and evening studies at Huddersfield Tech. This was beneficial to Colin and he gained a degree in chemical engineering. Colin had a rewarding career with ICI lasting 35 years ending up as PlantManager. At that time the firm encouraged their staff to become involved in the community and with their various plants around the country in social events. Colin always seemed to be playing golf, bridge or tennis anywhere from Slough to Scotland on behalf of the works in Huddersfield. During 1960 he met a young lady, Jean Bradley, ex-Greenhead girl, who was a lab technician at ICI. In 1961 they married and bought a house in Mirfield. They had two daughters, Lynn and Rae, and the family eventually included four grandchildren and one great grandchild. In 1988 he retired from ICI who then sponsored him to run a business/charity in a deprived area of Leeds. This gave advice and training for the local youth and would-be business entrepreneurs. It turned out to be a great success, starting with three employees and finishing up with twenty-eight full-time employees. After retirement Colin enjoyed a busy social and sporting life. He even had the time to have exciting (for that time) holidays with large groups of friends, in Blackpool and abroad on the Isle Of Man and Jersey! Colin and Jean bought a holiday home near Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales where they entertained family and friends and introduced them to the beautiful area. Colin later became a volunteer warden and walks guide for the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Golf was another passion for this energetic man. He acquired a single-figure handicap and became Club Captain at Crosland Heath. His wife Jean died of cancer in 2001 and because Kirkwood Hospice had been 59

very supportive during her illness Colin became a volunteer at the Hospice. The social activities included a walking group and this is where he met Maureen, who later became his partner and companion. This led to a move to Netherthong where he joined the nearby Thongsbridge Bowling Club and became a competitive crown green bowler. At this time he gave up golf, and resigned his membership at Crosland Heath. Another of Colin’s big pleasures was singing with Gledholt Male Voice Choir with whom he sang in many concerts, especially the annual one at The Royal Albert Hall. In 2007, Colin began to have a problem with cancer, which he faced with great stoicism. He was admitted to hospital at the end of November last year. His determination allowed him to recover sufficiently to move to his daughter Rae’s house near Glossop where he died on 8th March 2015. Colin was a member of a ‘last of the summer wine’ group who met monthly for lunch. Some were old school friends, others were friends from teenage years. The common bond was a good pint, talk of jazz, sport and suchlike. He was a regular attender at the Annual Dinner and he will be missed by each and everyone of those who knew and respected him as a man who just did it (long before Nike thought of it). Keith Brier and James Clayton David (Gordon) Armitage (1941-46) ) Sport-loving accountant who was a former Secretary of the Old Almondburians’ Society David Armitage passed away peacefully on 2nd September 2015, aged 85. He had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. He was born in Almondbury in 1930, son of Edwin and Gladys. After leaving King James’s Grammar School he joined the accountancy firm Armitage & Norton and qualified as an Incorporated Accountant (becoming a Chartered Accountant via the ‘back door’ (as he put it) when the Society of Incorporated Accountants merged with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1957). David married Enid in May 1965 and had two sons, Christopher and Paul. who attended Ashville College in Harrogate. Prior to leaving Huddersfield in 1957 to join ICI in Welwyn Garden City, David was Secretary of the Old Almondburians’ Society and played for the Old Almondurian AFC team as goal keeper. During his early years he was a keen member of the Round Table. During his time with ICI, David moved from Harpenden to Blackpool and then to Teesside. He subsequently joined Mill Scaffold Company (part of the GKN Group) as Chief Accountant, becoming Financial Director in 1968, living in Kenton, north London. David returned to Huddersfield in 1969, taking up an appointment as Financial Direc60

tor of Homfray & Company, a large West Riding Carpet Group headquartered in Halifax. The company had several sites around the area and overseas companies in Australia and Germany. He lived in Upper Denby, and kept up local interest by being President of the Upper Denby Football Club. He resumed his interest in the Old Almondburiansâ€™ Society, becoming an active member of the Committee and serving as Chairman in 1975. Additionally, he supported the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and became President of Calderdale Chamber of Commerce in 1977. In 1980, David joined Lister Velvet (Home Furnishing Division) as Financial Director, staying there until 1991 when he retired from full time work. David and his family moved from Upper Denby to Primrose Lane, Highburton in 1976, where after retirement he spent many happy years tending his garden, playing golf and walking around Yorkshire. David was a keen golfer and was a member of Woodsome Hall Golf Club for many years, being Rabbits Captain in 1988. David was also a regular churchgoer and attended St Lucius, Farnley Tyas for many years. His many activities at the church included being a Church Warden and Treasurer. In 2007 he and Enid left Highburton to move closer to their family in Rugby, living at Lime Tree Retirement Village, Bilton. There David continued his sport, playing less strenuous games including putting and bowls; needless to say, he won at least one competition each year. David attended St Markâ€™s Church, Bilton and regularly attended the 8.00 am service each Sunday, this being the traditional service that he most appreciated. Following a fall in late 2014, Enid passed away in January 2015 and David subsequently moved to his final home, Anya Court Nursing Home in Rugby. Chris and Paul Armitage 6161 61

Michael John Stapleton (1955-1959) Former building society manager who always enjoyed life to the full Michael Stapleton died on 14th September 2015 at his home in Marple, Cheshire, aged 73. Although I had not seen him since the 400th Anniversary Dinner I had been in touch with him and knew he was not in goood health, but his sad passing was a surprise. He was best man at my wedding in 1966. Michael was born on 1st August 1942 in Otley and moved to Almondbury in 1955 when his father, who was a Manager with Pearl Assurance moved from Otley to Huddersfield. He was a member of Fenay House. He was a noted swimmer and, I believe he represented the School at this. Michael started his career after School with the then Huddersfield Building Society and later with the Bristol and West Building Society. He later moved to the Manchester Building Society and became Area Manager. At about this time he moved to Marple where he resided until his death, having left the Building Society movement with the downturn in the property market in the early 1980s. He then set up his own financial services business and involved himself in property development, restoring old buildings for new residential use. He was a prominent Freemason and a member of Manchester Rotary Club. It was said that he enjoyed life to the full, a testimony I can heartily support in our many escapades in the 1960s! His funeral service was attended by many friends and colleagues at All Saints Church, Marple. He leaves a widow, Elaine, and two children, Laura and Julian. Graeme Wade YVES GASNIER We have heard with sadness of the recent death of former teacher Yves Gasnier. A full obituary will appear in the next issue. 62

Cumulative title index This index covers all editions of The Almondburian published in the period November 2010 - July 2015. These issues can also be viewed (members only) using the link on the OAS website (www.oas.org.uk) and all pages can be searched in terms of title, subject and content. Month March March March March March March March July July July November March March March November March November July November July November March March March March March March March July November July March November November July November July March

Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2013 2012 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2013 2015 2012 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2013 2014 2011 2012 2012 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015

Page 9 9 13 15 13 6 25 5 33 40 23 5 29 20 6 16 5 5 8 25 10 31 6 11 13 10 5 27 26 8 8 26 7 7 6 7 6 52

Title Accounts and Balance Sheet 2009 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2010 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2011 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2012 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2013 Accounts and Balance Sheet 2014 Adding another string to my bow Adieu from Robert Lamb Annual Dinner Annual Dinner Annual Dinner Annual Dinner/Founders' Day Annual Dinner/Founders' Day Annual Dinner/Founders' Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day Annual General Meeting 2011 Annual General Meeting 2012 Annual General Meeting 2013 Annual General Meeting 2014 Annual General Meeting 2015 Article sparks new Teak interest Aspinall of IVa – school playwright Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School Back at the School

Month July March November November July March November November March March November July July July July July March March March July March July March November March November July July March November July November November July March November November July 63

Year 2015 2011 2011 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2015 2012 2010 2011 2014 2015 2015 2013 2013 2012 2014 2013 2011 2011 2013 2010 2011 2011 2013 2011 2015 2014 2013 2012 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2013

Page 49 39 23 32 44 16 26 35 44 37 32 14 45 50 13 14 26 22 20 5 19 3I 12 3 3 3 3 3 43 8 19 14 28 12 38 21 28 43

Title Back to the drawing board Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton Badminton/Tennis Badminton/Tennis Badminton/Tennis Badminton/Tennis Black-tie Charity Ball Bonjour! Nous sommes d’Almondbury Bonsai and poetry at Wisley Booking a place in British history But how modern everything is now! But the lady WAS for turning… Call to Action! CAMRA salutes real beer expert Centenarian Percy is still church organist Chairman’s Letter Chairman’s Letter Chairman’s Letter Chairman’s Letter Chairman's Letter Class of ’48 Cotswolds reunion Class of 1965 – not a good vintage? Concrete and custard for lunch Confessions of an under-achiever Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket

Month March November July March November July March November July November November November July November March July July March November July November July March November March March March March March November July November July November July March November July March March March November November March November July March July March November

Year 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2012 2011 2012 2012 2012 2011 2012 2014 2012 2011 2013 2012 2010 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2013 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2012 2013 2012 2011 2015 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014

Page 15 23 47 42 37 51 36 18 18 20 33 33 10 12 17 23 10 10 17 27 18 18 19 16 16 28 10 13 14 9 11 17 21 19 38 28 30 46 40 32 23 23 13 18 31 47 18 46 41 39

Title Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket pavilion: the latest news Cricket pavilion: the latest news Cricket pavilion: the latest plans Cupid: teacher, producer, printer Custodian of the archives Czech ‘Aero’ returns to its homeland Denis Arthur Bowen – painter Dropped in at the deep end Edward ‘Teak’ Akroyd Enthroning the Archbishop Enthusiastic ‘school wife’ Evening to remember Every picture tells a story Every picture tells a story Every picture tells a story Every picture tells a story Every picture tells a story Every picture tells a story Exclusive: how to beat the bookies Executive Officers 2011 Executive Officers 2012 Executive Officers 2013 Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Farnley Lines Felix Aylmer (Reputations) Fellowship for work in Ethiopia Flourishing School activities Football Football Football Football Football Football

Month July March July November July March November March July July March March March November July March November July November July November July July November March March November November July March November March November March March July November July July March July July July March November March March March July July 64

Year 2015 2015 2014 2014 2015 2011 2011 2012 2011 2012 2015 2013 2015 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2010 2013 2013 2013 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2014 2014 2014 2012 2014 2014 2014 2011 2015 2014 2013 2014 2012 2011 2014 2015

Page 52 46 33 24 41 42 16 25 30 21 48 8 19 8 6 13 6 7 5 5 5 5 22 20 38 22 14 32 15 40 22 40 31 21 44 45 36 6 19 14 9 I0 14 39 12 24 41 35 14 42

Title Football Football Founders’ Day Founders’ Day Founders’ Day Frank Anderson remembered Fred Hudson centenary plans Fred Hudson centenary plans Fred Hudson: 100 next year Fred Hudson: special feature From Almondbury to Pasadena From School to Academy From teaching to local government From the Headteacher From the Headteacher From the Headteacher From the study From the study From the study From the study From the study From the study From Whoopee to Band Posters George Beach: unsung hero George Beharrel: the Dunlop man George Hotel closes for good? Gerald Hinchliffe: Historian Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Golf Governors vote for academy plan Graham Gelder—his life and death Graham Gelder—his life and death Green light from Ofsted Harry Taylor's morning prayers He lent his name to Rothera Point History of Almondburian quizzing How I ended up down under How languages became my life I used to twang, but now I shale In search of Vernon Scannell In the footsteps of Nevil Shute It all started with Walter de la Mare

Month March March March November November November July March July March July November November March November November March July March March July November November July March November July November July November March March November July March November July March November July November July November July March July July November July March

Year 2014 2011 2012 2012 2014 2010 2011 2011 2014 2015 2015 2014 2011 2012 2013 2010 2012 2013 2013 2011 2014 2013 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2012 2013 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2013 2012 2013 2010 2011 2013

Page 36 34 6 5 33 33 20 46 43 14 8 26 28 27 27 18 18 26 34 29 27 22 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 25 11 41 25 35 40 9 49 39 35 12

Title Jim Toomey: a master of Latin Kimbolton trounce the Aussies King James's to be an academy? King James’s is now an academy KJS Prize Sponsorship Appeal Letter from Porthcawl Letter from Porthcawl Letter from Porthcawl Level field? The answer lies in the soil Me and my cars Meet the new Principal Messing about on the river Morning Assembly Muffins, Whisky and Teak My expedition to Nepal New Books New books New sports pavilion New sports pavilion Nigel is Solicitor of the Year No comb or toothbrush in Barcelona Now it’s Michael Jackson – the Movie OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Calendar OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Membership OAS Quiz Evening 2012 OAS Quiz Evening 2013 OAS Shop OAS Shop Oastler: the Factory King

March November March November July November July March November July March November July March July March March July March July July March July July November March July November July November March July November March July November March July July July July July November March July November November November November July March 65

2012 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 2013 2014 2015 2011 2014 2015 2015 2013 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2011 2015 2011 2014 2011 2015 2013 2014 2010 2013 2010 2011 2011

44 37 51 36 49 39 53 42 38 52 50 44 63 57 12 12 35 36 17 9 42 24 11 24 35 49 33 15 44 36 41 50 35 45 48 41 55 58 5 56 16 31 20 11 39 11 10 31 30 14 41

Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries Old Almondburians’ Society Calendar Old flame leads to old volume Olympics display was a cracker Osmosis kept my wife alive Own up: who was the culprit? Pavilion Appeal: a great response Pavilion project Pavilion update PCRD project gets under way Poet David reaches number 10 Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Postbag Quiz Evening 2011 Quiz Night 2015 Reg Addy's house revisited Reigning Quiz champions dethroned Reunion Roger’s tram shelter gets a facelift Samuel Johnson’s loose sally Satires and Legacies Seventy Years at King James’s Sir David Brown – Industrialist Soccer Soccer Soccer

Month November March November March July November November July March July July November March November November July November November March March March November March July November March July November March July November July March November March July November November July March July March July November July November July July July July

Year 2011 2012 2011 2012 2012 2010 2012 2014 2014 2015 2015 2014 2011 2011 2012 2013 2013 2014 2012 2015 2013 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2012 2014 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2011 2014 2011 2013 2014 2015 2012

Page 24 39 14 10 15 25 16 13 32 45 32 17 41 23 30 46 25 34 38 45 20 7 28 8 32 35 48 10 33 42 34 37 9 54 40 47 11 7 26 23 44 49 27 25 11 29 33 9 34 14

Title Soccer Soccer Splendid vintage for Andrew An enthusiastic 'school wife' Sports Notes Staff v School football match Stage-struck at the age of 12 Sudoku Sudoku Sudoku Swallowed up by the winetrade Teak was my inspiration Tennis Tennis Tennis Tennis Tennis Tennis Tennis Tennis/Cricket Tennls Terry’s Teaser 1 Terry’s Teaser 2 Terry’s Teaser 3 Terry’s Teaser 4 Terry’s Teaser 5 Terry’s Teaser 6 Terry’s Teaser 7 Terry’s Teaser 8 Terry’s Teaser 9 Terry’s Teaser 10 Terry’s Teaser 11 Terry’s Teaser 12 Terry’s Teaser 13 Terry’s Teaser 14 Terry’s Teaser 15 The aliens of the Calder Valley The Almondburian Poets The Almondburian Poets The Almondburian Poets The Almondburian Poets The Almondburian Poets The Almondbury trolleybus The joys of owning half a horse The secrets of a Pennine graveyard The tin house on Arkenley Lane The Walter you never knew Triumph! Promotion to Division 1 Trust plans Westgate development Updates

Month March March July July November July July March March July March March March March July July March November July March July March November March November March

Year 2012 2014 2014 2013 2011 2013 2013 2015 2014 2015 2011 2012 2014 2013 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2012 2012 2012 2013 2013 2011

Page 31 27 41 37 12 28 38 56 35 55 27 8 5 31 34 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 30

Title Updates Vernon Scannell: Walking Wounded Vicar moves to Berwick-upon-Tweed View from the common room Visit to a bullfight Walter: the master we all remember Walter’s rope trick in the Big Wanted: database volunteers We get the green light – official We lose our crossword compiler What became of…? What’s in a name? When we had fun at the fleapit Who would be a proofreader? Why did they leave so early? Word from your Chairman Word from your Chairman Word from your Chairman Word from your Chairman Word from your Chairman Word from your Editor Word from your Editor Word from your Editor Word from your Editor Word from your Editor Yekeniyeley, Old Almondburians!

Now on sale

All who remember Harry Taylor will enjoy this new book about the School’s respected Headmaster from 1951 to 1973. A well-known Almondbury figure, he was also a regular reader at All Hallows’ Church, the transcriber of the local parish registers, and one of the authors of a respected history of Almondbury. He played cricket for Almondbury Casuals, and earned a reputation throughout Huddersfield as a witty and entertaining after dinner speaker. Morning Assembly gives a fascinating and often humorous account of Harry Taylor’s life and includes, in facsimile form, 100 prayers – ancient and modern – which he assembled over the years for use in School assemblies.

Get your copy NOW!

Copies of Morning Assembly cost just £10 plus £1.30

pp*. Please send your cheque, payable to the Old Almondburians’ Society, to Andrew Haigh, R D

Haigh & Co, Oakhill Road, Brighouse, West

Yorkshire HD6 1SN. Alternatively, you can order on line at http://tinyurl.com/bw9ms88 or through any good bookshop.

*in UK. Mainland Europe: £2.70; Rest of World: £4.30

Chairman PATRICK O’BRIEN 20 Almondbury Close, Almondbury HD5 8XX Email: patrick.obrien@oas.org.uk Tel: 01484 303895 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: nich.briggs@oas.org.uk Website: www.oas.org.uk

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

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