Before Mr Hamilton became the Headmaster of HGS
Before 1937
Through the Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) to a new school.
Before 1937
Through the Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) to a new school.
A local newspaper dated 26th June 1920 gave the first report that the West Riding County Council’s Education Committee had entered negotiations to purchase Hemsworth Hall for £9,000, in order to create a secondary school in the Hemsworth District. The land, comprising 20 acres was the former residence of Samuel Gurney Leatham and it was estimated that a further £7,000 would be spent in adapting the Hall. In the middle of January 1921 the County Council approved the initial expenditure of £2,000 for the adaptation of Hemsworth High Hall to the purposes of a secondary school. So begins the story.....
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Below: Mr Jenkinson in 1925
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Below: Mr Jenkinson near the age of retirement
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Below: Miss Griffiths in 1925
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Below: Miss Griffiths later in her HGS career
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The school's "pioneers" Mr A.G. Jenkinson and Miss M.A. Griffiths were shown in images at the front of the Library over the fireplace. When the school began its life, there was no central heating. This meant that in the winter coal fires were lit every day. Puplis and staff at the front of the classrooms were warmer than those at the back of the room.
Photo: Batey
The Hemsworth of 1923 would have had roughly 12,000 inhabitants, and there was a steadily increasing influx of families arriving from Wales, Scotland, the North-East and the Midland counties to find work in the growing Mining and Building Industries. The spread of the railway network had made travelling easier, and the West Riding County Council, the Hemsworth Rural District Council and the Hemsworth Urban District Council, formed only two years earlier, were all busily engaged in improving the roads, the water supplies, the fire service, the welfare services and the educational facilities for everyone.
Elsewhere in the country the 1920's were a time of youthful revolution which challenged the Victorian attitudes towards women - how they behaved, how they dressed and their role in society. The 'bright young things' of the 20's were known as 'flappers' and they were demanding the freedom to live their own lives. They wore provocative make-up, showed their knees, and abandoned themselves to the wild rhythms of Jazz, Charleston and the Black Bottom. While their elders considered such behaviour reckless and irresponsible, the young people listened to the songs of Duke Ellington, Al Jolson and Fanny Brice, and marvelled at the dancing of Isadora Duncan. It was an era of post war frivolity and optimism. To emphasise their new-found freedom, women threw away their corsets, cut their hair, wore trousers, smoked cigarettes and drove fast cars. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, prohibition in America was forcing people into 'speakeasies' in search of illegal alcohol, and a gangland subculture of guns, police raids and bootlegged whisky was created. Life at Hemsworth Secondary School in 1923, however, was settling into a routine which exhibited few of these extremes. Mr Collette and Mr Manning were teachers at HSS in the 1920s.
Sheila
Elsewhere in the country the 1920's were a time of youthful revolution which challenged the Victorian attitudes towards women - how they behaved, how they dressed and their role in society. The 'bright young things' of the 20's were known as 'flappers' and they were demanding the freedom to live their own lives. They wore provocative make-up, showed their knees, and abandoned themselves to the wild rhythms of Jazz, Charleston and the Black Bottom. While their elders considered such behaviour reckless and irresponsible, the young people listened to the songs of Duke Ellington, Al Jolson and Fanny Brice, and marvelled at the dancing of Isadora Duncan. It was an era of post war frivolity and optimism. To emphasise their new-found freedom, women threw away their corsets, cut their hair, wore trousers, smoked cigarettes and drove fast cars. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, prohibition in America was forcing people into 'speakeasies' in search of illegal alcohol, and a gangland subculture of guns, police raids and bootlegged whisky was created. Life at Hemsworth Secondary School in 1923, however, was settling into a routine which exhibited few of these extremes. Mr Collette and Mr Manning were teachers at HSS in the 1920s.
Sheila
1934 with Mr Collette and Mr Manning
L-R: Mr Austin (Maths), Mr Collette (Commercial Subjects), Mr Shiells (Chemistry), Mr Manning (Maths and Physics), Mr Hyde (Maths and Physics)
Mr Collette's facial expression does not match what I knew of him. He taught me "O" level Englsh in a relaxed manner and in my Upper Sixth Year when I was the Head Boy of the school, he was most helpful. An example of this was to do with the reading of the lesson in Morning Assembly. General delivery and specific emphases were very important. When we met in school, instead of using my surname, he always called me "Mac". I really appreciated his breaking of the formal boundaries of the school in this instance. It put me at ease when in his company.
Dave
Mr Collette's facial expression does not match what I knew of him. He taught me "O" level Englsh in a relaxed manner and in my Upper Sixth Year when I was the Head Boy of the school, he was most helpful. An example of this was to do with the reading of the lesson in Morning Assembly. General delivery and specific emphases were very important. When we met in school, instead of using my surname, he always called me "Mac". I really appreciated his breaking of the formal boundaries of the school in this instance. It put me at ease when in his company.
Dave
Mr Collette and Dave
The image is taken from the Prefects' photograph of May 1962
The image is taken from the Prefects' photograph of May 1962
Just two of many from the HGS community
Front Row: Elsie Stamp (3) and Kathleen Himsworth (5)
House Notes 1937
Guest House Notes
Guest, this term, has hardly had time to distinguish itself, or otherwise, as the case may be. Therefore we yet live in the hope that a transformation will take place throughout the ranks of our House. So let us breathe into our comrades fresh encouragement and a new hope, that sometime in the annals of the House, Guest may win the Challenge Cup. Why not? We have new blood in the House, who may be spurred on to Great Things. Nay, we might even cease this senseless desire for stripes, and take as our watchword “Stars, Stars and again Stars”. For this, then, let us welcome our new members. Let us remind you also that magazine contributions and send-ups all gain points for the House, as do terminal and examination positions likewise. And again, we may excel in the world of Sport, or carry away the Arts Cup, other Houses have done it - why should not we? Guest, think of these things! To end on a happier note, may we thank Miss Prince and Mr. Shiells for their unfailing encouragement and support.
Elsie Stamp, Granville Clayton
Guest, this term, has hardly had time to distinguish itself, or otherwise, as the case may be. Therefore we yet live in the hope that a transformation will take place throughout the ranks of our House. So let us breathe into our comrades fresh encouragement and a new hope, that sometime in the annals of the House, Guest may win the Challenge Cup. Why not? We have new blood in the House, who may be spurred on to Great Things. Nay, we might even cease this senseless desire for stripes, and take as our watchword “Stars, Stars and again Stars”. For this, then, let us welcome our new members. Let us remind you also that magazine contributions and send-ups all gain points for the House, as do terminal and examination positions likewise. And again, we may excel in the world of Sport, or carry away the Arts Cup, other Houses have done it - why should not we? Guest, think of these things! To end on a happier note, may we thank Miss Prince and Mr. Shiells for their unfailing encouragement and support.
Elsie Stamp, Granville Clayton
HGS TennisTeam May 1936
Back Row L-R: 1, Kathleen Himsworth, Margaret Poole, 4
Front Row L-R: Betty Mulheir, Gertie Ramsden
Front Row L-R: Betty Mulheir, Gertie Ramsden
Two Prefects from the Panoramic 1936-37
Second Row L-R: Kathleen Himsworth (3), Elsie Stamp (7)
Elsie Stamp was Mr Hamilton's first HGS Head Girl in 1937-38. Michael Walker was the Head Boy in the same year.
Elsie Stamp was Mr Hamilton's first HGS Head Girl in 1937-38. Michael Walker was the Head Boy in the same year.
The HGS Head Boy and Head Girl in 1937-38
Your Job or Your Marriage
In the early 1930's a number of countries including the UK, USA and Germany, responded to the current high level of male unemployment by introducing legislation to remove married women from the workforce or to deter them from entering it. People thought that if married women brought a second wage into the household, then that denied others their opportunity to earn. The status of women teachers was under discussion in Yorkshire in the early part of 1934, when great opposition to the employment of married women teachers came from their male colleagues and school Governors. Resignation was required upon marriage due to the long-standing general view that a married woman's 'place' was in the home, raising her family. It was similarly out of the question that women with young children should be employed in schools. Since the opening of the School in 1921, the termination of the employment of many women teachers at Hemsworth had taken place and been accepted as automatic when they married.
Indeed, in January 1934 the West Riding Education Committee felt moved to create a report on the matter, which stated that, "the employment of women teachers is unwise on educational grounds, and prevents a due succession of women teachers." Even though it was admitted that the dismissal of all such teachers "might result in cases of hardship...." and that therefore each case should be reviewed on its merits, nevertheless, the review of the predominantly male members of the Education Committee decided to assess the appointments of all married women teachers annually.
Sheila
In the early 1930's a number of countries including the UK, USA and Germany, responded to the current high level of male unemployment by introducing legislation to remove married women from the workforce or to deter them from entering it. People thought that if married women brought a second wage into the household, then that denied others their opportunity to earn. The status of women teachers was under discussion in Yorkshire in the early part of 1934, when great opposition to the employment of married women teachers came from their male colleagues and school Governors. Resignation was required upon marriage due to the long-standing general view that a married woman's 'place' was in the home, raising her family. It was similarly out of the question that women with young children should be employed in schools. Since the opening of the School in 1921, the termination of the employment of many women teachers at Hemsworth had taken place and been accepted as automatic when they married.
Indeed, in January 1934 the West Riding Education Committee felt moved to create a report on the matter, which stated that, "the employment of women teachers is unwise on educational grounds, and prevents a due succession of women teachers." Even though it was admitted that the dismissal of all such teachers "might result in cases of hardship...." and that therefore each case should be reviewed on its merits, nevertheless, the review of the predominantly male members of the Education Committee decided to assess the appointments of all married women teachers annually.
Sheila
