The Noticeboard (5)

The Noticeboard (5)

The Noticeboard Index

06.01.2025
The HGS Staff Play 1966
This information has been sent in by Margaret Woodall, HGS 1963 onwards. Thank you.

Home at Seven
by R.C. Sherriff

Mr H. Jones, the Producer

Miss P. Evans

Mr J. Baker

Mr J. Millican

Mr R. Hamilton

Mr D. Coates

Mr T. Connolly

Miss S. Rankin

2/6 or 2/- to be on the end of a row near the stage!

Photographs of all the participants will be added below.

Stage Managers

Mr L. Plummer

Mr L. Cooling

Stage Hands

Bridgewater A.

Kaye J.

Upson G.

Wilkinson R.H.

Wright J.

Lighting and Sound Effects

Mr R. Warren

Mr G. Parkinson

Assistant Electricians

Firth A.

Caroline Andrew

Lorraine Whittaker

Decor

Mr D. Burnell

Wardrobe

Miss M. Metcalfe

Miss S. Rankin

Properties

Miss K. Ward

Assisted by:

Beryl Green

Ann Hamilton

Maureen Jones

Ruth Saley

Make Up

Mr C. Owen

Miss W. Williams

Mr D. Burnell

Assisted by:

Lesley Hall

Jennifer Jones

Janet Peace

Marilyn Smith

Prompters

Miss M. Smith

Mr B. Groome

Business Manager

Mr R. Hodson

This year's staff play, "Home at Seven" by R. C. Sheriff must have proved very difficult to produce as it needed that extra activity and originality to change it from just another "Who dun it?" That the play only partly succeeded was evident from the restlessness of the audience at certain points. One quickly grew tired of hearing Mr. Preston relating what he thought must have happened to him first, to his wife, then to a friend, later to the doctor and to the police. On the whole, however, these criticisms reflect the probably unfortunate choice of play rather than error of production. The performance itself ran quite smoothly.

The plot was centred around Mr. Preston, a pleasant, middle-aged ordinary character whose usually routine existence is suddenly disrupted. He returns home one evening to find that he has been missing for 24 hours. Unable to recollect what had happened, he realised he must have had temporary amnesia. When a robbery and a murder take place nearby the police question Mr. Preston who panics and invents an alibi. This is later proved false and suspicion is only removed from him when Peggy Dobson arrives on the scene. Apparently, when Mr. Preston had called in his usual pub, as he did every evening, he was startled suddenly and lost consciousness. Peggy Dobson, who owned the pub with her brother and sister, allowed him to spend that night in a spare room. He returned home at his usual time, having regained his memory on the return journey. The play ended after the inspector had entered to say that the criminal had been caught.

Miss Evans must be congratulated on playing a wonderfully distraught Mrs. Preston and Mr. Baker played her husband with equal competence. The part of Dr. Sparling was played by Mr. Millican who must have been a prompter's nightmare as he apparently ad-libbed through much of his performance. Even so, his acting of the patient, sometimes annoyingly calm, family doctor must be commended. Mr. Hamilton blustered onto the stage in such an energetic and convincing manner as Major Watson, that one wonders whether or not he has chosen the right career. Only by checking the programme could the audience tell that Mr. Connolly was playing the part of Mr. Petherbridge, a solicitor. His make-up and costume were excellent - his acting equally effective. Mr. Coates and Miss. Rankin as Inspector Hemingway and Peggy Dobson respectively had comparatively minor parts, which nevertheless were played well.

Thanks are due to Mr. Jones who produced the play and to all the various people who helped behind the scenes Messrs. Plummer and Cooling (Stage Managers), Mr. Hudson (Business manager), Misses Metcalfe, Rankin and Ward (properties and wardrobe), Mr. Burnell (decor), Messrs. Warren and Parkinson (lights), Mr. Groome and Miss Smith (prompters), Bridgwater, Kaye, Upson, Wilkinson and Wright (stage hands), Mr. Owen, Miss Williams and Mr. Burnell (make-up) who were assisted by L. Hall, J. Jones, J. Peace and M. Smith.
Dianne Sell, L6A, Talbot House

11.01.2025
Geoff's thoughts on HGS

Dear, Sheila.
I have just made one of my periodic visits to the HGS site. The existence and extent of the site as it has grown is in itself testimony to what a hugely important part HGS played in the entire lives of those who won a place there. My heart still fills with pride when I look back to my school and the happy and fulfilling R.A.F. and Meteorological Office career to which HGS opened the door. My parents wanted but one thing for me, as did so many South Yorkshire parents, and that was to equip me with an education which would give me an escape into a world far away from the coal mine. A County Minor Scholarship and HGS gave me that chance and I left home aged 20 never to return. I was never particularly gifted in sports or academic studies but despite that HGS prepared me well for my working life and though woodworking classes failed to engage my enthusiasm, I count cabinet making as a passion which I have indulged all my adult life. Rarely do teachers of artisan skills receive the credit and approbation afforded to teachers of academic and sports skills but they too were a part of the broad spectrum taught at HGS in my time there.

Seeing the school cap images reminded me that I still have my old cap! There are some holes worn in the neb made by the many, many times we were required to raise our caps as we passed a member of staff! Bear in mind that I removed this cap for the last time in 1955! Is its survival some kind of record I wonder?

Thanks must go to you and Dave for developing the germ of an idea into this wonderful, so valuable website.
Very Best Wishes,
Geoff Graham (HGS 1949-55)
Nov 4, 2013

Dear Geoff,
We are blushing at your compliments! It is so gratifying to hear the appreciation expressed in your mail, and such approbation gives fuel to the fire and helps us to focus on continuing the task. Thank you for all the images you sent. You are certainly gifted with all the skills which were encouraged at HGS. Long may you continue.
Keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Sheila (HGS 1955-62)

Some of the 1950s and 1960s Craft Skills teachers at HGS. They were appointed by Mr Hamilton.

Mr Atack

Mr Powell

Mr Gregory

Miss Metcalfe

Miss Tate

Miss Rankin

Mr Collins

Miss McGlade

Mr Howdle

20.01.2025
The School Play 1964
1964: "The Silent Woman" by Ben Jonson
Producer Mr. Owen
Under development

An example of HGS pupils and Staff working together.

Mr Owen
The Produces of the play

This year’s play was, once again a comedy but the choice was far more ambitious than in previous years. Although this is one of the lesser-known of Jonson’s plays, to produce it in school with any degree of success is difficult and the cast must be congratulated on a first rate performance.

The story is centred around Morose, an egotistic bachelor with an insane aversion to noise. He proposes to disinherit his nephew, Sir Dauphine Eugenic, whom he suspects of ridiculing him, and to marry - if he can find one - a silent woman. Cutbeard, his barber, has found such a one in Epicoene. However, immediately after the marriage, Epicoene recovers the vigorous use of her tongue to the dismay of Morose. His dismay is increased by the arrival of his nephew and friends with a party of “Collegiate Ladies” and musicians who intend to celebrate the marriage.

Driven frantic by the hubbub and having in vain consulted a pseudo-divine and a canon-lawyer as to possible grounds for divorce, he accepts his nephew’s offer to rid him of Epicoene. Sir Dauphine proposes to do this in return for £500 and the revision of his propertv. Upon his uncle’s agreement, he pulls off Epicoene’s peruke and reveals her a boy whom he has trained for the part. Among the characters who contribute to the humour of the play is Captain Otter, who always “speaks under correction” when his wife is present. Sir Amorous La Foole is a braggart and a coward whose character, like all the others, fits exactly to his name. Sir John Daw is a similar braggart knight who pretends to learning and collects the titles of classical writing without knowing the contents.

The part of Morose was taken by Alan Tingle whose performances were excellent and upheld the high standard he set in last year’s play. Anthony Abbot as Clerimont and Paul Dyson as Truewit, both friends of Dauphine, gave very good performances. So too did Lesley Hall as Epicoene, despite the disadvantage of being a girl. Susan Ash captured the sharply domineering Mistress Otter, and the Ladies Collegiate, a group of immoral Court ladies, interpreted their parts very well; Lady Haughty, Lady Centaure and Mistress Dod Mavis were played by Kathleen Lowe, Angela Deighton and Lynn Robinson.

Pupils in the cast 1

Alan Tingle

Susan Ash

Anthony Abbott

Kathleen Lowe

Paul Dyson

Angela Deighton

Lesley Hall

Lynn Robinson

The leading roles were supported exceptionally well by Eric Wheater as Sir Dauphine, John Covell as Sir John Daw, Roger Parton as Sir Amorous La Foole, Roger Poole as Thomas Otter, Peter Ryan as Cutbeard, Louvain Coxall as Mute (Morose’s servant), Dennis Jordan as Parson, Ken Channer as a page and Susan Smith as a maid called Mistress Trusty. An amusing song from Channer was accompanied by delightful violin playing from Robert Hanley, Spencer Murtagh and Ross Edwards.

Pupils in the cast 2

Eric Wheater

Peter Ryan

Susan Smith

John Covell

Louvain Coxall

Robert Hanley
No photograph is available

Roger Parton

Dennis Jordan

Spencer Murtagh
No clear photograph is available

Roger Poole

Ken Channer

Ross Edwards

Mr. Owen must be congratulated on this competent production, which provided excellent entertainment. Thanks are also due to the many people who enabled the play to be staged: Messrs. Gregory and Smith (stage-managers), Mr. Parkinson (lighting and sound-effects), Mr. Burnelll (decor), Miss Metcalfe (wardrobes), Miss Ward (properties), Mr. Knox (make-up), Anne Parkes (prompter), and all the pupils who assisted in the various departments.

Thanks must also be extended to Mr. Warren for being a most conscientious business manager, especially since he managed to account a profit despite the cancellation of the first night owing to severe fog, which cancellation was a great disappointment to actors and audience alike.

Christine Longfield U6A

The five images below have been sent in by Margaret Woodall, HGS 1963 onwards. Thank you.