1. Ken Johnson 1958-66
Hi Dave,
I have logged on quite regularly and witnessed, with great interest, the development and growth of your website. You are to be congratulated and the range of contributions give a comprehensive reflection of what life was like at HGS. I have a few photographs, mainly of a sporting nature, that I will get to you. I know you are still fighting the good fight at Willowgarth HS, so I will pop in to see you when I come over to visit my mother. I know Andy Coope and Andy Hudson have been in touch about the class of 65’s recent reunion and will be providing you with suitable photos and information. It was awesome to meet old friends that I had not seen for some 36 years. A few of us are having a gathering on Friday night as Dave Fearnside is visiting the UK. I’ll let you have a piece and a few snaps. Keep up the good work, it is riveting stuff and I’ll be in touch.
Cheers
Ken Johnson
(October 2002)
Dear Ken,
Thank you for getting in touch and for your very kind comments about our site. You do feature quite a bit! Your photos will certainly be very welcome. We still have a long way to go before HGS is truly captured. Just about everyone has positive things to say about HGS. What an institution! Let me know when you can visit Willowgarth. It will be great to catch up on all those intervening years. Please give your mother my best wishes. We often had a word about you when we met.
I look forward to hearing about your other reunions.
Great to have contact after all this time,
As ever,
Dave
Dear Sheila,
Many thanks for your e-mail. I’m intrigued to know your sources of all these sporting facts from years gone by. I have many very memorable recollections of the rugby teams, their achievements and the players. I think winning the Ilkley Sevens in 1966, at the end of an undefeated season, probably stands out above the rest. I’ll have a look at the site and find time to let you have some of my thoughts about it. Unfortunately I do not have any photographic record of the successful team but perhaps someone else has. I’ll be in touch.
Ken Johnson
2. Andrew Coope 1958-65
Mac,
Ruth Horn of U6th 1965 has sent me a whole batch of photos. These I will scan and send to you in the next few days. I have also scanned the info on the back of the attached photo so you can identify names. If you so wish I will type up the names on the subsequent photos but this will of course take longer. Please advise. You will have to shout when you have enough as I have in my possession 19 photos of hockey, tennis, athletics, rounders teams; school choirs, 1st forms, 5th forms, 6th forms etc. etc. etc.
Andy
(October 2002)
Dear Andy,
What good news! Please send as many photos as you can. Memories are very important to us. If you could let me have names it would certainly help. Please thank Ruth for me. As you may have seen, Ken Johnson has also been in touch. He will be letting us have photos for the site.
As ever,
Dave McKenzie
3. Keith Twigg 1955-62
Dave
Form 1c 1955. Holgate House. My wife Lynda (nee Middleton) was also a pupil from 1965. Guest House. I was given the URL this morning and I duly logged on. Three hours later I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, from my computer. What a superb site!! The memories came flooding back. I have some old photographs in the family vault which I will dig out. One of them is of Peter Kaye, Theresa Cosgrove and me in a school play ‘Thor with Angels’ I believe.
Cheers,
Keith.
(October 2002)
Dear Keith,Welcome to the site! It is good to make contact after such a long time. As a former HGS pupil, it belongs to you. We spent seven years together at HGS from 1C onwards. Looking back, they were good years in my life. I hope that collectively we can build a record of those years. It is easy to do in this cyber age. Please feel free to contribute whatever you can to our young site. You mention Peter Kaye. I spent a couple of days with him in the summer. We remembered so much. Lovely visit.
As ever,
Dave
Dave,
I have a pretty firm recollection that on Ascension Day we went to the Hippodrome and saw a film. It was The 10 Commandments, Ben Hur or something of that genre. Am I right, or am I getting mixed up with church youth club activities? Some other recollections: Mock Election - I believe that Peter Lockett was the Conservative candidate. His address to the school was brilliant but Labour still won by a landslide!!!
I’ll be in touch again,
Best wishes,
Keith
(October 2002)
4. John Robinson 1956-61
Hello Dave,
I attended HGS 1956-61. I was amazed to find that this site existed. It brings back long forgotten memories, some good and some not so good. I still have all my old class photos plus a few others so will be in touch soon.
Keep up the good work,
John
(October 2002)
Dear John,
Thank you for your very positive comments about our young site. It is a nostalgia site for former pupils of HGS. As such, please think of the site as your own. Add to it as you wish. Interact as you wish. You left the school only one year before me so we probably have many shared memories. Your photos will clarify these memories. I do agree that some staff live longer in the memory than others for various reasons. All were part of an institution which I think was generally successful. Most of us seem to remember it as being a good time in our lives. Mr. Hamilton was the visionary ably supported by a busy staff. Lovely to have contact after all these years.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Hello again Dave,
Thanks for publishing the 1935-36 Rugby team picture. The more I see the site, the more the memories return! Superb. I remember Mr. Young as form teacher in the First Form and Noreen Thomas and Eddie Hambleton who were the Assistant Prefects who looked after us prior to morning and afternoon assemblies. The sixth formers seemed so old and the teachers relatively ancient in those far off days. Miss. Ward, Mr. Reed, Mr Collette and Mr Tate were great inspirations to me for different reasons. I can only think how lucky we all were to have a Headmaster and teachers of the calibre that we had at HGS. When I read the potted histories of past scholars, I can only think what a good job these teachers did on us. Apart from in school, what about the trips to Montreux and Rimini, Pilkingtons Glass factory in Saint Helens, etc? After leaving HGS, I went to The School of Navigation, University of Southampton for a year and until 1973 travelled the world as a Navigation Officer in the Merchant Navy. The rest is another story. I would love to attend a reunion if one is ever arranged, as suggested by Judith Gunhouse, so I will keep watching this site.
Regards,
John Robinson
(October 2002)
5. John Blake 1956-64
Hi there, Dave,
Congratulations on the site, it’s very good. It was great to see the site as I have lived in New Zealand for 30 yrs and lost touch with everybody. I was at HGS from 1956 to 1964 - 1C, 2C, 3C, 4R, 5R, L6R, L6A, U6A. I have scanned what photos I have and will attach them over 3 or 4 emails. I have put the names I could remember on the attached Word doc. Luckily the photos already on the site refreshed my memory. Good job this is a wet bank holiday! Even the year of the photos took some working out. I used a variety of means including the fact that in 1959 all the photos were taken in the gym. The only one which I am unsure about is the one I have labelled as 1961-2 L6R. There is a chance it could be 5R the previous year.
Regards,
John Blake
(October 2002)
Dear John,
Thank you for contacting the site and for your positive comments. What a contribution you have made! I will enjoy putting the photos on the site for everyone to enjoy. Sorry for the lateness of the reply. My wife and I have been on a golf break in Norfolk and I found your emails on my return today. You and I were at HGS at about the same time. We obviously know many people in common. Thanks also for the correction. We all suffer memory loss over such a long time, but together we can create that more accurate picture of a school which did so much for its community. I always wonder how people find out about the site. Some people find out by “word of mouth”, others by using the Search Engines. How did you come across the site? I hope you will keep in contact with the site and enjoy what other people contribute in the future. If you have any text memories for the Forum, please send them in.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Hi Dave,
Thanks for message, I’m pleased you got the stuff OK. From my own experience 2 or 3 years ago building a website for my cycle-racing club, I know that you’ve certainly put an enormous amount of work into it. Yep! I haven’t been involved with anything UK for years and lost touch with everyone. I returned for the first time in 23 years in June. On visiting one of my cousins, he told me about the site. He was told by someone who learned about it via a correspondent on the ‘Friends Reunited’ site (or similar). There may have been a couple more steps involved! I have since found it again through Google. My memory is really shot to pieces and I was surprised how much actually came back to me - eventually! I can probably put some names on the photo of Broad Lane!
Talk to you again soon,
Regards
John Blake
(October 2002)
6. Ruth Horn 1958-65
Hi David,
I recently supplied you with some old school photos via Andy Coope following our reunion which I thoroughly enjoyed and which rekindled my interest in the ‘old school’. I have since visited the HGS website with great interest and wondered if you would like yet more photos (7). I do not have the means to send them electronically (no scanner) but could mail them to you direct or ask Andy to deal with them as before. Let me know if you are interested. It really was great to catch up with old friends at the reunion and I look forward to our next one planned for 2005! By the way its a small world as another of your contributors - Judith Gunhouse - although a different school year, is very familiar to me, both of us growing up in Ryhill!
Best wishes,
Ruth
(November 2002)
Dear Ruth,
How lovely to hear from you after such a long time. It seems like only yesterday that we were in the Athletics Team together. First of all let me thank you for your many photos. They have added significantly to the content of the site. Andrew did a good job of scanning them for us. Your other 7 photos can be sent directly to the site. Our Reunion (Fifth Form 1960) took place on the 20th Sept. and was also very enjoyable. The next one will probably be next summer. More people have expressed an interest in attending. The years that we were at HGS generally made such an impact upon us. I am glad that so many people apparently feel the same way about the school as Sheila and myself. At least we can give it a cyber presence, if nothing else.
As ever,
Dave
7. Glenn Riley 1966-71
Dave,
Feel free to use these photo’s on your site. I’ve not had a proper look yet, but it sounds interesting.
Glenn
(November 2002)
Dear Glenn,
Thank you very much for the permission to use your photos. They will be a lovely addition to the site.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
8. Philip Tibble 1962-67
Dear Dave,
I was a first former 1962/63, in the Normans. The picture you have on the site of Normans 62 has some blanks, some of which are:- Back Row 3 is Chapman, 4 Mick Jones and 5 is me. 3rd Row 1 is Eddie Cubbley, 2 Derek Taylor, 4 Dave Brearley, 5 Dave Newey, 6 Bob Parker, 7 Grant Smith, and 8 the other Chapman twin. 2nd Row 9 is Dave Barraclough, 10 Edwards and 11 Gareth Mellor. I went on to 2b Form, Master Mr Hobbs, 3B Mr Connelly, 4B Miss Evans and 5B Mr Parkinson. I was in Holgate House and represented both the House and School at Rugby for the first 3 yrs, We were also “persuaded” by the prefects to enter the House Music comp. I tore a sheet from my piano tutor book which I had last used years before, played the Minuet and impressed Mr Coar so much he gave me 40%!! I also achieved 28% in a Latin exam and was 8th in a class of 30! Despite Mr Swinbank’s best efforts, I don’t think the school produced many Latin scholars, although I can still conjugate the verb To Love (amo, amas, amat etc). I enjoyed the school plays, particularly Toad of Toad Hall in the 60’s and the staff play My Three Angels. Tom Connolly was brilliant. I have special memories of the Mock Elections. There were a couple in quick succession when the Wilson Government got into power. They were taken very seriously:- candidates addressing the school; rosettes; guest speakers and hustings. I have put some thoughts on the Friends site. The Labour victory was never in doubt, but the Communists coming second and the Tories last was always a joy!! I think they helped politicise me as I have been involved in Labour and TU politics for over 25yrs. I have a full school photo for 1963/64 and most of the magazines from my stay. When I can work out how to get them on the web I will send you copies!! Most of my memories are positive although I don’t believe in selection in Education. However I think it tragic that the existence of the Grammar School was almost airbrushed out of History, particularly the Honours Boards etc. I was for a while a Nurse Tutor and the style and ability of some of the excellent Staff at HGS stayed with me e.g. Mr Collette, Tom Connolly (Friend of Mike Parkinson who spoke at a Friday Club), Mr Read and many more. Great web-site. Keep up the good work
Phil
(November 2002)
Dear Phil,
Thank you for contacting the site. Thank you also for your positive comments and information. We obviously have a long way to go before we can say the site is even reasonably developed, but we have made progress during the eight months of its existence. I will add your comments to the site. I do hope you will keep in touch and help to ensure that the information is correct for your years in HGS.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
9. Peter Miller 1957-61
Dear Dave,
Attended HGS on scholarship from Kinsley Secondary Modern School. January 1957 - Form 1 E - Form Master C. Dodd.
September 1957 - Form 2C - Form Master John Swinbank.
September 1958 - Form 3C - Form Master G. Pacy.
September 1959 - Form 4S - Form Master D.C. GraySeptember 1960 - Form 5S - Form Master K.B. Sale and B.K. Booth.
July 1961 - Left after O Levels.
I was in Holgate House. No group photographs have survived. It was great to find the link to the web site from Friends Reunited. Stepping back through your pages reminded me of numerous school chums. Sadly no association continued after those school years.
Peter
(November 2002)
Dear Peter,
Thank you for getting in touch with the site. I am glad that you have enjoyed your visit and hope that you will make many more. We were at HGS during the same years and will have much in common. You say that none of your group photographs have survived the four decades, but you do have memories. Please send your text memories to the site so that the various site sections can develop. As facts, opinions, anecdotes and corrections are submitted, the site will become stronger and a truer reflection of our schooldays. You have already made a positive contribution.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Sheila and Dave,
I notice your regular changes and additions to the website, keep up the good work.
Best wishes for the festive season.
Peter
10. Frank Poskett 1955-60
Hi Mac,
Just found your site. I never knew you had a first name, but did anyone. I see Twiggy is in contact. The school cap pictured cannot belong to one of us who used to play touch and pass with them at playtime, can it? The missing name on the 1C bottom row is mine! Great site! Some stories to follow. I have now found something to pass the winter nights with.
Frank
(November 2002)
Dear Frank,
What a lovely surprise! It’s such a long time since we were at school together. Looking back, however, where has all the time gone? We certainly did play touch and pass with our caps. We had to find a use for them. Those stories sound tempting! Please send them along when you have time. If you have some photos from HGS, so much the better. Please keep in touch. I’ll try to make the site interesting for you over the winter months.
As ever,
Dave
Hi Dave,
From what I have read on the site I gather that you are a teacher/tutor. I have followed up my education at technical colleges throughout all my life to keep up to date with technology. I always encourage young people to look at education as a starting point to get you into an interview, or even the first step on a career ladder. Equally, what I wanted as a manager, was the correct attitude and personality. You can teach anyone with a reasonable intelligence to do a particular job. You do not have the time to teach them how to integrate with others, take responsibility for their work, and add some individuality and effort to the job. I always felt that HGS added that extra ingredient to our education. I am equally sure you will have tried to pass these virtues onto your pupils. I hope the next generation of teachers are allowed to feel that this is as important as the “league tables”. I tried to help many people on the road to success with my “words of wisdom”. I have now put those thoughts down in writing on a Web Site. If you have time to read it (30 mins or so) and find any part of it useful to your students or colleagues then feel free to use it as you wish.
All the best again,
Frank
Dear Frank,
Thank you for your latest email. Yes, I am a teacher, and I do attempt to step outside the boundaries of examination courses. Where I work, many of us try to present a broader picture. Like you, we regard it as being very important. Your previous emails have been added to the Forum pages. I have enjoyed them and I am sure our audience will too. The site generally will benefit from original text such as yours.
As ever,
Dave
Hi Dave,
I recently met Jeff Stevens. He went to HGS 1956-61 and is on some of the class photos. He remembers a trip to Italy and is hoping to find some photos of the holiday. He has brought me a Speech Day book dated Nov 1953 (his brother went to HGS as well). Is the book of any use to the site? It lists staff, prefects, prizes, and GCE results of all pupils that year. I have scanned a picture from it in .jpg format and would welcome your advice on the best way to proceed if the booklet is of use. If you want to enter Jeff’s name in the register, I will be pleased to act as go between for him.
Frank
(December 2002)
11. Terry O’Marr 1946-53
Dear Sheila,
As for memorable teachers three stood out for me; two for academics and the other for sports. Mr. Lloyd was an excellent Maths teacher and I owe it to him for instilling pleasure in Mathematics in form 3a. Dudley Taylor for his tremendous work in 6th form Chemistry and finally Mr. Leonard for the many hours of pleasure I had playing rugby and cricket for the school teams; he devoted his Saturdays supervising these games. The Stars & Stripes board existed in all my time at HGS; it was at the bottom of the stairs opposite the office / girl prefects room.
On the subject of school uniform, during and for a few years after the Second World War there was rationing for clothes as well as food. Consequently the requirement for school uniform was relaxed so that clothes which could be used outside school could be worn. Never-the-less there was still a requirement laid down; for instance boys were expected to wear a sports-coat, grey trousers, shirt, school tie & school cap. When rationing came off the requirements for school uniform was reintroduced. However for senior pupils approaching leaving this requirement was not enforced and consequently there was a period of time when there was a mix of school & non-school uniforms. An addendum to this was that in the 2nd, or 3rd forms I remember Mr. Leonard, the PE teacher, measured our feet because above a certain size the government issued you with additional clothes ration coupons.
Did you know that the School employed Physics and Chemistry laboratory assistants? When the previous assistant left school I was selected to be the Physics lab assistant; a position I held for the last 4 years of my time at school. My duties involved staying behind after school to ensure that the lab equipment was stored away in good condition but most of my work was in the dark room at the rear of the lab where the wet batteries were kept; I had to ensure that they were fully charged, cleaned and their electrolyte topped up. I was paid the princely sum of half-a-crown a week which I would leave for several weeks and then go to the School secretary, Sheila Close (a former pupil). Sheila would have me sign for the payment and then pay me out of petty cash. Similarly there was someone else as the Chemistry lab assistant.
Regards
Terry O’Marr
(November 2002)
12. Geoff Cartledge 1955-60
Dear Sheila,
I visited the “school” site and found the information and news on it very interesting. Certainly brings back memories and also the very real feeling of how much our time at HGS meant to us. I belonged to Talbot House. The reason for that is that I transferred from Wath Grammar School in the 3rd year and already possessed a green rugby shirt. Rather than spend money I asked to go into the house which sported those colours - never regretted it for a minute! I came across the picture of the shield that Dave received as Head Boy. Coincidentally, I have a version of the same thing. Somewhere in the attic, I have my Head Boy badge, which, if you remember was silver-plated and bore the word “DUX”. I will try to find it and e-mail a photograph of it if I can. Anyway, I hope these tit bits have helped and that the site grows and grows.
Geoff
(November 2002)
13. Isabell Snowden 1953-60
Dear Sheila,
What a lovely surprise it was to find your e-mail on returning from holiday - you did very well to remember people in the netball team from all those years ago. I have logged onto the website and found it fascinating. I have also forwarded the address to June Barraclough (who was in the same year as me and with whom I manage to meet up with quite often) and also to Diana Glew - perhaps you will not remember her, she was a couple of years older than me but we played tennis together. She is now living in South Africa and we managed to visit her over there a couple of years ago, hoping to go back next year. I think that all my memorabilia from HGS must be packed away in the loft, so I shall have to see if I can get up there and unearth some of the photographs. Once more thanks for thinking about me.
Best wishes,
Isabell
(November 2002)
14. Jeff Stevens 1956-61
Jeff has contacted the site through Frank Poskett and has contributed material which will appear presently.
Thanks, Jeff.
Dave McKenzie
(December 2002)
15. Allan Berry 1964-70
I attended the Grammar School from 1964-1970. I was a non-survivor of the disaster called “transition to comprehensive” but have many fond memories of the school, and have sufficiently recovered!!! My first year class was in Normans with Mrs Ashley (? she was married that year so that may be wrong). My house was Guest. Classmates that year were: Brown, Brunt, Dennis, Ennis, Gainey, Gardner, Horton... Girls included: Ann Draper, Margaret Brunt, Chris Bardsley, Chris Slater, and there the memory fades and may even be inaccurate!!!. I stumbled across the website while trying out the merits of the Google search engine!!!! What a wonderful surprise.
Allan
(December 2002)
Dear Allan,
Season’s Greetings! Thank you very much for contacting the site and I do hope that you enjoy many more visits to the cyber version of HGS. Please feel free to add memories to the site. If you have retained photos from your HGS days, please send them in also. These will be of great interest to many former pupils around the world. Christine Slater has made contributions with regard to the “transition to comprehensive”. She was not pleased by it also!
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
I will be sure to keep up with the site. All the photos I have are in England at my parents’ house. I will certainly let them know about the site, and see if we can arrange something. The Horton I mentioned was Jeremy. He was a good friend of mine. As I remember, he went off to become a dentist. I had forgotten about his sister!!! The Ennis was Jeff. My parents have sent me info. on him as he has “risen to power.” I think they used to have the club in Brierley when we were at school ??? Christine Slater, I believe, went on the skiing trip to Switzerland with Mr Baker.... think she hurt her leg..... All wonderful stuff, and I thank you for keeping a precious place in the forefront of our memories.
Thanks
Allan Berry
16. Trevor Trueman 1947-55
Dear Dave,
May I also enter the debate (as one of the combatants, so to speak). The photo is Form 5b, which makes the year 1952 (Summer Term). That was the year we all did “O” Levels. I can add a few more names.
Back Row: 2. T. Pennock, 4. Colin Watson, 6. Ernie Cook
Middle Row: 3. Barbara Whittaker
Front Row: 1. Frank Hassell, 2. Ronnie Hiscock, 8. Vera Croft, 9. Mary Adamson.
I also attach Form 3b from 49/50 which contains some of the same happy smiling faces.
Trevor
(December 2002)
Dear Trevor,
Thank you for contacting the site and for giving the definitive answer as to the identity of the form. 5b it is! We were almost contemporaries at HGS. I went to the school in the same year as you left, 1955. I met Brian Ardron and his wife a couple of months or so ago and they provided the site with a lot of excellent photos. All of them are now on the site but after such a long time we were obviously not sure about naming some of them. I do hope you will keep in contact with the site and help to monitor its accuracy as other material is added. If you have memories and other photos which you could contribute, please do. We have a very interested audience out there!
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
17. Mr. W. Farrar
Dear Dave,
I have materials which contain a lot of information about Hemsworth Grammar School. Are you interested? If so I will send them to you as a gift.
Walter Farrar, on staff from Jan. 47 to July 59
(October 2002)
Dear Walter,
Hello again. It has been quite a time since we met! I would have been in 4S during your last year there. There is a photograph of that form on the site. Mr. Woodcock was the form teacher. Thank you very much for the offer of the materials. They will be a good resource. The HGS site has being visited by people who were there at its birth and also when it closed. Virtually everyone is full of admiration for what the school achieved. I worked in the same department at Willowgarth High School (1969 to 1984) as a former colleague of yours, Kath Ward. She was the Deputy Headteacher - a lovely lady and a true professional. We had a long telephone conversation in the summer and she will also be sending material to the site. Thank you very much for making contact and for the offer of the materials.
Very best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
18. Leighton Smith 1945-50
Thrilled to find the site. I’ve been looking ever since we went on line about three years ago. All I’ve ever turned up are people including HGS in their CV’s and references to the old Fives court through the Eton Fives Association. It’s great. I was there 1945 to 1950 (Holgate House). I sailed for Australia three weeks after the end of the school year and have had a great life out here. I was appalled when I went back the first time and saw that the beautiful old hall frontage had been blocked out by a most unsympathetic building. Does anybody know what happened to the school honour boards (not that I made the grade)? I did hear that they had all been pulled down but someone had rescued them but I don’t know where they finished up. I have one or two form photos. I will e-mail Dave to see if they are of interest. I look forward to seeing the site develop as more people find it.
Congratulations to all involved,
Leighton
(October 2002)
Dear Leighton,
Thank you for contacting the site and for your very positive comments about it. Your concerns about the Honours Boards and the changes to the HGS buildings are well noted. The site will develop as Hilmians and staff contribute what they can. The HGS record will then become more complete. Photos, documents, comments and anecdotes are always welcome and are well-received by our growing audience around the world. The internet is bringing us together once more.
Lovely to hear from you. Please keep in touch,
Dave McKenzie
Dear Dave,
Thanks for your very prompt email. I haven’t had chance yet to look at everything you have set up but I have had a quick scan and picked up one or two things. I have form photos from Form 1B 1945-46 (Form Master Mr. Ernest Atack), 2A 1946-47 (Mr. R.Ward), 3C 1947-48 (Mr. H.M. Davies), 4C 1948-49 (Mr. W.T. Jones, Chemistry), 5C 1949-50 (Mr. T. Manning, Physics) also Colts Rugby 15 1948-49 (Mr. Leonard Sports and P.E.) and Esperanto Club 1949 (Mr. R.W. Hamilton and Mr. Lock). If you can let me have a postal address I will send copies on to you. I left HGS in July 1950. Mid August I sailed to Australia with a group of similar aged boys in the Big Brother Movement. I became involved after a talk at the school by someone recruiting for the movement. I was sixteen at the time.. My parents and family came out two years later and settled in Mildura, on the Murray River in North West Victoria. I spent almost the whole of my working life with the government research organisation, CSIRO. Most of my time was as Research Farm Manager, working with grapes, citrus, nuts, avocados and such like in the Mildura area. I took early retirement ten years ago and moved to Adelaide, where we live on the southern edge of the metropolitan area close to the McLaren Vales wine-growing region.
I look forward to looking at the site in more detail. Please let me have an address for the photos and thanks for all your work in setting up and maintaining the site.
Kind regards
Leighton Smith
CSIRO is Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Dear Dave,I am sure that you realise the HGS web site has brought much pleasure to many old students who are now scattered throughout many distant corners of the world. That these former students have succeeded in many fields of endeavour is to the great credit of the two Headmasters and their many staff. That we are now able to look back on those school days through the wonders of the internet is due to all your work and effort. I trust that you will be able to reflect on the pleasure you have brought to others and receive your own pleasure and sense of satisfaction from that knowledge.
Leighton
Hi Dave,
I have logged on quite regularly and witnessed, with great interest, the development and growth of your website. You are to be congratulated and the range of contributions give a comprehensive reflection of what life was like at HGS. I have a few photographs, mainly of a sporting nature, that I will get to you. I know you are still fighting the good fight at Willowgarth HS, so I will pop in to see you when I come over to visit my mother. I know Andy Coope and Andy Hudson have been in touch about the class of 65’s recent reunion and will be providing you with suitable photos and information. It was awesome to meet old friends that I had not seen for some 36 years. A few of us are having a gathering on Friday night as Dave Fearnside is visiting the UK. I’ll let you have a piece and a few snaps. Keep up the good work, it is riveting stuff and I’ll be in touch.
Cheers
Ken Johnson
(October 2002)
Dear Ken,
Thank you for getting in touch and for your very kind comments about our site. You do feature quite a bit! Your photos will certainly be very welcome. We still have a long way to go before HGS is truly captured. Just about everyone has positive things to say about HGS. What an institution! Let me know when you can visit Willowgarth. It will be great to catch up on all those intervening years. Please give your mother my best wishes. We often had a word about you when we met.
I look forward to hearing about your other reunions.
Great to have contact after all this time,
As ever,
Dave
Dear Sheila,
Many thanks for your e-mail. I’m intrigued to know your sources of all these sporting facts from years gone by. I have many very memorable recollections of the rugby teams, their achievements and the players. I think winning the Ilkley Sevens in 1966, at the end of an undefeated season, probably stands out above the rest. I’ll have a look at the site and find time to let you have some of my thoughts about it. Unfortunately I do not have any photographic record of the successful team but perhaps someone else has. I’ll be in touch.
Ken Johnson
2. Andrew Coope 1958-65
Mac,
Ruth Horn of U6th 1965 has sent me a whole batch of photos. These I will scan and send to you in the next few days. I have also scanned the info on the back of the attached photo so you can identify names. If you so wish I will type up the names on the subsequent photos but this will of course take longer. Please advise. You will have to shout when you have enough as I have in my possession 19 photos of hockey, tennis, athletics, rounders teams; school choirs, 1st forms, 5th forms, 6th forms etc. etc. etc.
Andy
(October 2002)
Dear Andy,
What good news! Please send as many photos as you can. Memories are very important to us. If you could let me have names it would certainly help. Please thank Ruth for me. As you may have seen, Ken Johnson has also been in touch. He will be letting us have photos for the site.
As ever,
Dave McKenzie
3. Keith Twigg 1955-62
Dave
Form 1c 1955. Holgate House. My wife Lynda (nee Middleton) was also a pupil from 1965. Guest House. I was given the URL this morning and I duly logged on. Three hours later I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, from my computer. What a superb site!! The memories came flooding back. I have some old photographs in the family vault which I will dig out. One of them is of Peter Kaye, Theresa Cosgrove and me in a school play ‘Thor with Angels’ I believe.
Cheers,
Keith.
(October 2002)
Dear Keith,Welcome to the site! It is good to make contact after such a long time. As a former HGS pupil, it belongs to you. We spent seven years together at HGS from 1C onwards. Looking back, they were good years in my life. I hope that collectively we can build a record of those years. It is easy to do in this cyber age. Please feel free to contribute whatever you can to our young site. You mention Peter Kaye. I spent a couple of days with him in the summer. We remembered so much. Lovely visit.
As ever,
Dave
Dave,
I have a pretty firm recollection that on Ascension Day we went to the Hippodrome and saw a film. It was The 10 Commandments, Ben Hur or something of that genre. Am I right, or am I getting mixed up with church youth club activities? Some other recollections: Mock Election - I believe that Peter Lockett was the Conservative candidate. His address to the school was brilliant but Labour still won by a landslide!!!
I’ll be in touch again,
Best wishes,
Keith
(October 2002)
4. John Robinson 1956-61
Hello Dave,
I attended HGS 1956-61. I was amazed to find that this site existed. It brings back long forgotten memories, some good and some not so good. I still have all my old class photos plus a few others so will be in touch soon.
Keep up the good work,
John
(October 2002)
Dear John,
Thank you for your very positive comments about our young site. It is a nostalgia site for former pupils of HGS. As such, please think of the site as your own. Add to it as you wish. Interact as you wish. You left the school only one year before me so we probably have many shared memories. Your photos will clarify these memories. I do agree that some staff live longer in the memory than others for various reasons. All were part of an institution which I think was generally successful. Most of us seem to remember it as being a good time in our lives. Mr. Hamilton was the visionary ably supported by a busy staff. Lovely to have contact after all these years.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Hello again Dave,
Thanks for publishing the 1935-36 Rugby team picture. The more I see the site, the more the memories return! Superb. I remember Mr. Young as form teacher in the First Form and Noreen Thomas and Eddie Hambleton who were the Assistant Prefects who looked after us prior to morning and afternoon assemblies. The sixth formers seemed so old and the teachers relatively ancient in those far off days. Miss. Ward, Mr. Reed, Mr Collette and Mr Tate were great inspirations to me for different reasons. I can only think how lucky we all were to have a Headmaster and teachers of the calibre that we had at HGS. When I read the potted histories of past scholars, I can only think what a good job these teachers did on us. Apart from in school, what about the trips to Montreux and Rimini, Pilkingtons Glass factory in Saint Helens, etc? After leaving HGS, I went to The School of Navigation, University of Southampton for a year and until 1973 travelled the world as a Navigation Officer in the Merchant Navy. The rest is another story. I would love to attend a reunion if one is ever arranged, as suggested by Judith Gunhouse, so I will keep watching this site.
Regards,
John Robinson
(October 2002)
5. John Blake 1956-64
Hi there, Dave,
Congratulations on the site, it’s very good. It was great to see the site as I have lived in New Zealand for 30 yrs and lost touch with everybody. I was at HGS from 1956 to 1964 - 1C, 2C, 3C, 4R, 5R, L6R, L6A, U6A. I have scanned what photos I have and will attach them over 3 or 4 emails. I have put the names I could remember on the attached Word doc. Luckily the photos already on the site refreshed my memory. Good job this is a wet bank holiday! Even the year of the photos took some working out. I used a variety of means including the fact that in 1959 all the photos were taken in the gym. The only one which I am unsure about is the one I have labelled as 1961-2 L6R. There is a chance it could be 5R the previous year.
Regards,
John Blake
(October 2002)
Dear John,
Thank you for contacting the site and for your positive comments. What a contribution you have made! I will enjoy putting the photos on the site for everyone to enjoy. Sorry for the lateness of the reply. My wife and I have been on a golf break in Norfolk and I found your emails on my return today. You and I were at HGS at about the same time. We obviously know many people in common. Thanks also for the correction. We all suffer memory loss over such a long time, but together we can create that more accurate picture of a school which did so much for its community. I always wonder how people find out about the site. Some people find out by “word of mouth”, others by using the Search Engines. How did you come across the site? I hope you will keep in contact with the site and enjoy what other people contribute in the future. If you have any text memories for the Forum, please send them in.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Hi Dave,
Thanks for message, I’m pleased you got the stuff OK. From my own experience 2 or 3 years ago building a website for my cycle-racing club, I know that you’ve certainly put an enormous amount of work into it. Yep! I haven’t been involved with anything UK for years and lost touch with everyone. I returned for the first time in 23 years in June. On visiting one of my cousins, he told me about the site. He was told by someone who learned about it via a correspondent on the ‘Friends Reunited’ site (or similar). There may have been a couple more steps involved! I have since found it again through Google. My memory is really shot to pieces and I was surprised how much actually came back to me - eventually! I can probably put some names on the photo of Broad Lane!
Talk to you again soon,
Regards
John Blake
(October 2002)
6. Ruth Horn 1958-65
Hi David,
I recently supplied you with some old school photos via Andy Coope following our reunion which I thoroughly enjoyed and which rekindled my interest in the ‘old school’. I have since visited the HGS website with great interest and wondered if you would like yet more photos (7). I do not have the means to send them electronically (no scanner) but could mail them to you direct or ask Andy to deal with them as before. Let me know if you are interested. It really was great to catch up with old friends at the reunion and I look forward to our next one planned for 2005! By the way its a small world as another of your contributors - Judith Gunhouse - although a different school year, is very familiar to me, both of us growing up in Ryhill!
Best wishes,
Ruth
(November 2002)
Dear Ruth,
How lovely to hear from you after such a long time. It seems like only yesterday that we were in the Athletics Team together. First of all let me thank you for your many photos. They have added significantly to the content of the site. Andrew did a good job of scanning them for us. Your other 7 photos can be sent directly to the site. Our Reunion (Fifth Form 1960) took place on the 20th Sept. and was also very enjoyable. The next one will probably be next summer. More people have expressed an interest in attending. The years that we were at HGS generally made such an impact upon us. I am glad that so many people apparently feel the same way about the school as Sheila and myself. At least we can give it a cyber presence, if nothing else.
As ever,
Dave
7. Glenn Riley 1966-71
Dave,
Feel free to use these photo’s on your site. I’ve not had a proper look yet, but it sounds interesting.
Glenn
(November 2002)
Dear Glenn,
Thank you very much for the permission to use your photos. They will be a lovely addition to the site.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
8. Philip Tibble 1962-67
Dear Dave,
I was a first former 1962/63, in the Normans. The picture you have on the site of Normans 62 has some blanks, some of which are:- Back Row 3 is Chapman, 4 Mick Jones and 5 is me. 3rd Row 1 is Eddie Cubbley, 2 Derek Taylor, 4 Dave Brearley, 5 Dave Newey, 6 Bob Parker, 7 Grant Smith, and 8 the other Chapman twin. 2nd Row 9 is Dave Barraclough, 10 Edwards and 11 Gareth Mellor. I went on to 2b Form, Master Mr Hobbs, 3B Mr Connelly, 4B Miss Evans and 5B Mr Parkinson. I was in Holgate House and represented both the House and School at Rugby for the first 3 yrs, We were also “persuaded” by the prefects to enter the House Music comp. I tore a sheet from my piano tutor book which I had last used years before, played the Minuet and impressed Mr Coar so much he gave me 40%!! I also achieved 28% in a Latin exam and was 8th in a class of 30! Despite Mr Swinbank’s best efforts, I don’t think the school produced many Latin scholars, although I can still conjugate the verb To Love (amo, amas, amat etc). I enjoyed the school plays, particularly Toad of Toad Hall in the 60’s and the staff play My Three Angels. Tom Connolly was brilliant. I have special memories of the Mock Elections. There were a couple in quick succession when the Wilson Government got into power. They were taken very seriously:- candidates addressing the school; rosettes; guest speakers and hustings. I have put some thoughts on the Friends site. The Labour victory was never in doubt, but the Communists coming second and the Tories last was always a joy!! I think they helped politicise me as I have been involved in Labour and TU politics for over 25yrs. I have a full school photo for 1963/64 and most of the magazines from my stay. When I can work out how to get them on the web I will send you copies!! Most of my memories are positive although I don’t believe in selection in Education. However I think it tragic that the existence of the Grammar School was almost airbrushed out of History, particularly the Honours Boards etc. I was for a while a Nurse Tutor and the style and ability of some of the excellent Staff at HGS stayed with me e.g. Mr Collette, Tom Connolly (Friend of Mike Parkinson who spoke at a Friday Club), Mr Read and many more. Great web-site. Keep up the good work
Phil
(November 2002)
Dear Phil,
Thank you for contacting the site. Thank you also for your positive comments and information. We obviously have a long way to go before we can say the site is even reasonably developed, but we have made progress during the eight months of its existence. I will add your comments to the site. I do hope you will keep in touch and help to ensure that the information is correct for your years in HGS.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
9. Peter Miller 1957-61
Dear Dave,
Attended HGS on scholarship from Kinsley Secondary Modern School. January 1957 - Form 1 E - Form Master C. Dodd.
September 1957 - Form 2C - Form Master John Swinbank.
September 1958 - Form 3C - Form Master G. Pacy.
September 1959 - Form 4S - Form Master D.C. GraySeptember 1960 - Form 5S - Form Master K.B. Sale and B.K. Booth.
July 1961 - Left after O Levels.
I was in Holgate House. No group photographs have survived. It was great to find the link to the web site from Friends Reunited. Stepping back through your pages reminded me of numerous school chums. Sadly no association continued after those school years.
Peter
(November 2002)
Dear Peter,
Thank you for getting in touch with the site. I am glad that you have enjoyed your visit and hope that you will make many more. We were at HGS during the same years and will have much in common. You say that none of your group photographs have survived the four decades, but you do have memories. Please send your text memories to the site so that the various site sections can develop. As facts, opinions, anecdotes and corrections are submitted, the site will become stronger and a truer reflection of our schooldays. You have already made a positive contribution.
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
Sheila and Dave,
I notice your regular changes and additions to the website, keep up the good work.
Best wishes for the festive season.
Peter
10. Frank Poskett 1955-60
Hi Mac,
Just found your site. I never knew you had a first name, but did anyone. I see Twiggy is in contact. The school cap pictured cannot belong to one of us who used to play touch and pass with them at playtime, can it? The missing name on the 1C bottom row is mine! Great site! Some stories to follow. I have now found something to pass the winter nights with.
Frank
(November 2002)
Dear Frank,
What a lovely surprise! It’s such a long time since we were at school together. Looking back, however, where has all the time gone? We certainly did play touch and pass with our caps. We had to find a use for them. Those stories sound tempting! Please send them along when you have time. If you have some photos from HGS, so much the better. Please keep in touch. I’ll try to make the site interesting for you over the winter months.
As ever,
Dave
Hi Dave,
From what I have read on the site I gather that you are a teacher/tutor. I have followed up my education at technical colleges throughout all my life to keep up to date with technology. I always encourage young people to look at education as a starting point to get you into an interview, or even the first step on a career ladder. Equally, what I wanted as a manager, was the correct attitude and personality. You can teach anyone with a reasonable intelligence to do a particular job. You do not have the time to teach them how to integrate with others, take responsibility for their work, and add some individuality and effort to the job. I always felt that HGS added that extra ingredient to our education. I am equally sure you will have tried to pass these virtues onto your pupils. I hope the next generation of teachers are allowed to feel that this is as important as the “league tables”. I tried to help many people on the road to success with my “words of wisdom”. I have now put those thoughts down in writing on a Web Site. If you have time to read it (30 mins or so) and find any part of it useful to your students or colleagues then feel free to use it as you wish.
All the best again,
Frank
Dear Frank,
Thank you for your latest email. Yes, I am a teacher, and I do attempt to step outside the boundaries of examination courses. Where I work, many of us try to present a broader picture. Like you, we regard it as being very important. Your previous emails have been added to the Forum pages. I have enjoyed them and I am sure our audience will too. The site generally will benefit from original text such as yours.
As ever,
Dave
Hi Dave,
I recently met Jeff Stevens. He went to HGS 1956-61 and is on some of the class photos. He remembers a trip to Italy and is hoping to find some photos of the holiday. He has brought me a Speech Day book dated Nov 1953 (his brother went to HGS as well). Is the book of any use to the site? It lists staff, prefects, prizes, and GCE results of all pupils that year. I have scanned a picture from it in .jpg format and would welcome your advice on the best way to proceed if the booklet is of use. If you want to enter Jeff’s name in the register, I will be pleased to act as go between for him.
Frank
(December 2002)
11. Terry O’Marr 1946-53
Dear Sheila,
As for memorable teachers three stood out for me; two for academics and the other for sports. Mr. Lloyd was an excellent Maths teacher and I owe it to him for instilling pleasure in Mathematics in form 3a. Dudley Taylor for his tremendous work in 6th form Chemistry and finally Mr. Leonard for the many hours of pleasure I had playing rugby and cricket for the school teams; he devoted his Saturdays supervising these games. The Stars & Stripes board existed in all my time at HGS; it was at the bottom of the stairs opposite the office / girl prefects room.
On the subject of school uniform, during and for a few years after the Second World War there was rationing for clothes as well as food. Consequently the requirement for school uniform was relaxed so that clothes which could be used outside school could be worn. Never-the-less there was still a requirement laid down; for instance boys were expected to wear a sports-coat, grey trousers, shirt, school tie & school cap. When rationing came off the requirements for school uniform was reintroduced. However for senior pupils approaching leaving this requirement was not enforced and consequently there was a period of time when there was a mix of school & non-school uniforms. An addendum to this was that in the 2nd, or 3rd forms I remember Mr. Leonard, the PE teacher, measured our feet because above a certain size the government issued you with additional clothes ration coupons.
Did you know that the School employed Physics and Chemistry laboratory assistants? When the previous assistant left school I was selected to be the Physics lab assistant; a position I held for the last 4 years of my time at school. My duties involved staying behind after school to ensure that the lab equipment was stored away in good condition but most of my work was in the dark room at the rear of the lab where the wet batteries were kept; I had to ensure that they were fully charged, cleaned and their electrolyte topped up. I was paid the princely sum of half-a-crown a week which I would leave for several weeks and then go to the School secretary, Sheila Close (a former pupil). Sheila would have me sign for the payment and then pay me out of petty cash. Similarly there was someone else as the Chemistry lab assistant.
Regards
Terry O’Marr
(November 2002)
12. Geoff Cartledge 1955-60
Dear Sheila,
I visited the “school” site and found the information and news on it very interesting. Certainly brings back memories and also the very real feeling of how much our time at HGS meant to us. I belonged to Talbot House. The reason for that is that I transferred from Wath Grammar School in the 3rd year and already possessed a green rugby shirt. Rather than spend money I asked to go into the house which sported those colours - never regretted it for a minute! I came across the picture of the shield that Dave received as Head Boy. Coincidentally, I have a version of the same thing. Somewhere in the attic, I have my Head Boy badge, which, if you remember was silver-plated and bore the word “DUX”. I will try to find it and e-mail a photograph of it if I can. Anyway, I hope these tit bits have helped and that the site grows and grows.
Geoff
(November 2002)
13. Isabell Snowden 1953-60
Dear Sheila,
What a lovely surprise it was to find your e-mail on returning from holiday - you did very well to remember people in the netball team from all those years ago. I have logged onto the website and found it fascinating. I have also forwarded the address to June Barraclough (who was in the same year as me and with whom I manage to meet up with quite often) and also to Diana Glew - perhaps you will not remember her, she was a couple of years older than me but we played tennis together. She is now living in South Africa and we managed to visit her over there a couple of years ago, hoping to go back next year. I think that all my memorabilia from HGS must be packed away in the loft, so I shall have to see if I can get up there and unearth some of the photographs. Once more thanks for thinking about me.
Best wishes,
Isabell
(November 2002)
14. Jeff Stevens 1956-61
Jeff has contacted the site through Frank Poskett and has contributed material which will appear presently.
Thanks, Jeff.
Dave McKenzie
(December 2002)
15. Allan Berry 1964-70
I attended the Grammar School from 1964-1970. I was a non-survivor of the disaster called “transition to comprehensive” but have many fond memories of the school, and have sufficiently recovered!!! My first year class was in Normans with Mrs Ashley (? she was married that year so that may be wrong). My house was Guest. Classmates that year were: Brown, Brunt, Dennis, Ennis, Gainey, Gardner, Horton... Girls included: Ann Draper, Margaret Brunt, Chris Bardsley, Chris Slater, and there the memory fades and may even be inaccurate!!!. I stumbled across the website while trying out the merits of the Google search engine!!!! What a wonderful surprise.
Allan
(December 2002)
Dear Allan,
Season’s Greetings! Thank you very much for contacting the site and I do hope that you enjoy many more visits to the cyber version of HGS. Please feel free to add memories to the site. If you have retained photos from your HGS days, please send them in also. These will be of great interest to many former pupils around the world. Christine Slater has made contributions with regard to the “transition to comprehensive”. She was not pleased by it also!
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
I will be sure to keep up with the site. All the photos I have are in England at my parents’ house. I will certainly let them know about the site, and see if we can arrange something. The Horton I mentioned was Jeremy. He was a good friend of mine. As I remember, he went off to become a dentist. I had forgotten about his sister!!! The Ennis was Jeff. My parents have sent me info. on him as he has “risen to power.” I think they used to have the club in Brierley when we were at school ??? Christine Slater, I believe, went on the skiing trip to Switzerland with Mr Baker.... think she hurt her leg..... All wonderful stuff, and I thank you for keeping a precious place in the forefront of our memories.
Thanks
Allan Berry
16. Trevor Trueman 1947-55
Dear Dave,
May I also enter the debate (as one of the combatants, so to speak). The photo is Form 5b, which makes the year 1952 (Summer Term). That was the year we all did “O” Levels. I can add a few more names.
Back Row: 2. T. Pennock, 4. Colin Watson, 6. Ernie Cook
Middle Row: 3. Barbara Whittaker
Front Row: 1. Frank Hassell, 2. Ronnie Hiscock, 8. Vera Croft, 9. Mary Adamson.
I also attach Form 3b from 49/50 which contains some of the same happy smiling faces.
Trevor
(December 2002)
Dear Trevor,
Thank you for contacting the site and for giving the definitive answer as to the identity of the form. 5b it is! We were almost contemporaries at HGS. I went to the school in the same year as you left, 1955. I met Brian Ardron and his wife a couple of months or so ago and they provided the site with a lot of excellent photos. All of them are now on the site but after such a long time we were obviously not sure about naming some of them. I do hope you will keep in contact with the site and help to monitor its accuracy as other material is added. If you have memories and other photos which you could contribute, please do. We have a very interested audience out there!
Best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
17. Mr. W. Farrar
Dear Dave,
I have materials which contain a lot of information about Hemsworth Grammar School. Are you interested? If so I will send them to you as a gift.
Walter Farrar, on staff from Jan. 47 to July 59
(October 2002)
Dear Walter,
Hello again. It has been quite a time since we met! I would have been in 4S during your last year there. There is a photograph of that form on the site. Mr. Woodcock was the form teacher. Thank you very much for the offer of the materials. They will be a good resource. The HGS site has being visited by people who were there at its birth and also when it closed. Virtually everyone is full of admiration for what the school achieved. I worked in the same department at Willowgarth High School (1969 to 1984) as a former colleague of yours, Kath Ward. She was the Deputy Headteacher - a lovely lady and a true professional. We had a long telephone conversation in the summer and she will also be sending material to the site. Thank you very much for making contact and for the offer of the materials.
Very best wishes,
Dave McKenzie
18. Leighton Smith 1945-50
Thrilled to find the site. I’ve been looking ever since we went on line about three years ago. All I’ve ever turned up are people including HGS in their CV’s and references to the old Fives court through the Eton Fives Association. It’s great. I was there 1945 to 1950 (Holgate House). I sailed for Australia three weeks after the end of the school year and have had a great life out here. I was appalled when I went back the first time and saw that the beautiful old hall frontage had been blocked out by a most unsympathetic building. Does anybody know what happened to the school honour boards (not that I made the grade)? I did hear that they had all been pulled down but someone had rescued them but I don’t know where they finished up. I have one or two form photos. I will e-mail Dave to see if they are of interest. I look forward to seeing the site develop as more people find it.
Congratulations to all involved,
Leighton
(October 2002)
Dear Leighton,
Thank you for contacting the site and for your very positive comments about it. Your concerns about the Honours Boards and the changes to the HGS buildings are well noted. The site will develop as Hilmians and staff contribute what they can. The HGS record will then become more complete. Photos, documents, comments and anecdotes are always welcome and are well-received by our growing audience around the world. The internet is bringing us together once more.
Lovely to hear from you. Please keep in touch,
Dave McKenzie
Dear Dave,
Thanks for your very prompt email. I haven’t had chance yet to look at everything you have set up but I have had a quick scan and picked up one or two things. I have form photos from Form 1B 1945-46 (Form Master Mr. Ernest Atack), 2A 1946-47 (Mr. R.Ward), 3C 1947-48 (Mr. H.M. Davies), 4C 1948-49 (Mr. W.T. Jones, Chemistry), 5C 1949-50 (Mr. T. Manning, Physics) also Colts Rugby 15 1948-49 (Mr. Leonard Sports and P.E.) and Esperanto Club 1949 (Mr. R.W. Hamilton and Mr. Lock). If you can let me have a postal address I will send copies on to you. I left HGS in July 1950. Mid August I sailed to Australia with a group of similar aged boys in the Big Brother Movement. I became involved after a talk at the school by someone recruiting for the movement. I was sixteen at the time.. My parents and family came out two years later and settled in Mildura, on the Murray River in North West Victoria. I spent almost the whole of my working life with the government research organisation, CSIRO. Most of my time was as Research Farm Manager, working with grapes, citrus, nuts, avocados and such like in the Mildura area. I took early retirement ten years ago and moved to Adelaide, where we live on the southern edge of the metropolitan area close to the McLaren Vales wine-growing region.
I look forward to looking at the site in more detail. Please let me have an address for the photos and thanks for all your work in setting up and maintaining the site.
Kind regards
Leighton Smith
CSIRO is Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Dear Dave,I am sure that you realise the HGS web site has brought much pleasure to many old students who are now scattered throughout many distant corners of the world. That these former students have succeeded in many fields of endeavour is to the great credit of the two Headmasters and their many staff. That we are now able to look back on those school days through the wonders of the internet is due to all your work and effort. I trust that you will be able to reflect on the pleasure you have brought to others and receive your own pleasure and sense of satisfaction from that knowledge.
Leighton
