Visitors 19
Years 2011-2013
Years 2011-2013
In the Quadrangle
A photograph from July 1955
A photograph from July 1955
Yvonne Harris (left) and F. Woodward
1. Hello, Dave.
Just found the new site. It looks better than ever. There seems to be a great deal more and this has added to its interest. The memories continue to tumble through my mind, especially during my time at HGS, but also finding relatives etc who attended the school prior to my commencing. I fully agree with all the comments made by your other contributors. Brilliant site offering lots of great memories.
Tony White
Apr 22, 2011
2. Hi, Dave.
Just seen the website for the first time today. I can identify myself and my neighbour on Panoramic 1963/64. Photo 4/6. Fifth Row. Next to No.9 (Peter Marsh) is No.8 (John Mills) then myself No.7 (Stan Hatton). I seem to recall that at the time we were in Form 5BR. I vaguely recognise quite a number of people - hopefully if some names come back to me I will let you know.
Regards
Stan Hatton
Jan 19, 2012
3. Dave,
Just had a quick look at the new website and flicked to "Prefects 1960's" (because I wanted to be reminded what I once looked like) and noticed a couple of errors in the names.
1965/66 Prefects
Second row extreme left should be Michael Walker.
1966/67 Prefects
Back row extreme right should also be Michael Walker.
Keep up the good work. I don't know how you find time to do it. I'm retired now, but I don't seem to have any more free time than before. Still, next time I have an hour to spare, I'll be able to delve deeper into the site and remind myself how good it was then.
All the best,
Roger Poole
Feb 19, 2012
4. Hi, Sheila.
I came across the site today and have thoroughly enjoyed having a look through it. My dad is Pat Jagger and his older brother is Anthony (Tony). They were pupils in the mid 40's - mid 50's. They are both identified correctly in the pictures. Tony was the Rugby captain in 1944-45. My dad was there 1945-50. Most of their memories centre around sport although my dad has told me all about "skivvies" in the dining room. They had to clear everything away and were rewarded with any spare food and also that his form room one year was next to the pig sty which I imagine is quite hard to forget. There are a few photos of them that I have printed off. I was wondering if it is possible to get actual prints of them made? Although he isn't exactly internet literate I will be getting my Dad on the site asap to have a look around.
Thanks for your time and for your efforts on the site.
John Jagger
Aug 6, 2012
Hi John,
Delighted to hear from you! It's great when someone new discovers our website, as we are always needing lots of help with the naming of the pupils in the Form photos and also sports, music, panoramas and drama pics. That old habit of calling the boys by their surnames means we are often struggling to identify some pupils. Dave and I were at the School 1955-62, so anyone from previous eras is always welcomed with open arms!!
Your Uncle Tony might/might not know that Les Tate returned to HGS in 1956 as PE Master. He left in 1964. His sister Eileen also returned as Needlework Mistress around the same time. They have both attended a few reunions over the past 10 years. Another ex-pupil was George Pacy, whom your Uncle Tony may remember, who returned as Maths Master in the late 1950's. Geoff Booth has been in touch with us at the site, and has provided photos and valuable information on many aspects. Joyce Burton's sister Jean has been in touch with us since the early days of our setting up the website, and Brenda Swinbank and Viva Wyatt have also helped us with the content of the site.
When your father has had a look round the site, we would love to hear about his memories of School - favourite Staff, the dinners, good friends, special interests etc. Do please keep in touch,
Sincerely,
Sheila
5. Hello, Sheila.
My mother-in-law, now 97, attended Hemsworth Grammar School in the 1920s. My husband and I are currently visiting from Australia and today were reminiscing with Annie about her school days. She enjoyed her time at Hemsworth very much and she also told us that a school friend, Eileen Morley, had gone to Melbourne, Australia, long ago. Imagine our surprise when we looked on your website and found an email from Kate Lloyd, the granddaughter of her friend Eileen Morley (Ref 27 December 2010 visitor 18 no 13). At that stage Eileen was 94 and living in Tasmania. If she is still living we thought it would be lovely if these two old friends could have some contact again. Is it possible to forward my email to Kate Lloyd (if you have retained her email address) so that she could get in touch if she wished? Eileen would have known my mother-in-law as Annie Thorpe.
Many thanks,
Rae King
Hello Rae,
Many thanks for your mail. How wonderful that technology might enable two survivors to make contact after so many years! I hope by now that some progress has been made towards this. Please let us know how it turned out?
Sincerely,
Sheila
30 Jun, 2012
Hello Sheila,
Yes, there has been contact made. Thanks so much for putting up the website and enabling the contact. Both are thrilled to think that someone from their schooldays is still around. When you are that age you've usually lost most of your contemporaries and I know for my mother-in-law it had a positive effect to know she wasn't the last one after all.
Kind regards,
Rae King
Jul 01, 2012
6. Hello Dave,
I'm Barry Linsey. I attended HGS from 1960 to 1966 (Guest House) and came across the HGS web site purely by chance a few weeks ago. It is a credit to all concerned. It brings back many memories as well as highlighting what a good all round school Hemsworth was. From a personal point of view, I was wondering if you had any information regarding the school cross country as this was perhaps my strongest sporting event, having been part of the school cross country team and also managing to win the annual cross country race on a number of occasions. I attach a newspaper cutting from 1966 which is my only record. I can also be seen in class photographs and in the 1964-65 athletics photo as number 4, and also the 1965-66 athletics photo.
Please would you advise me if any more reunions are to take place as I would like to try to attend if possible.
All the best and regards to yourself and to all my old school colleagues,
Barry Linsey
Sept 24, 2012
7. Dear Dave,
I have followed for some time the HGS web site, which I think is the best and most detailed site for school in the whole country. I was a pupil from 1947 to 1955 and I note that I figure in one or two of the photos and articles from that period. I was much involved in the rugby and cricket teams, the school orchestra and choir. I chaired the Historical Society and was involved in the mock election of 1955. I think the date is right, but it could be 1954. I became the school's representative, beating no less than Mike Nurney the communist and two other candidates. I remember on the day of our presentations to the whole school, the three official candidates for Hemsworth constituency were invited and were present on the stage. Something that I have not seen mentioned in the records is the fact that the school took us on a visit to the Great Exhibition in 1951, a fantastic event, with the Skylon still a clear image in my mind. Recently I met up with Bill Baxendale who was a contemporary and made contact with Johnny Winters. Both were outstanding cricketers, though, as we know, they did not progress as well as Geoff Boycott another contemporary of ours.
I don't know what you do with this information, Dave, but I thought it was about time I made contact with, as I said, a web site of which I am very proud. I constantly point friends from other schools towards it. They can't match it.
With best wishes
Terry Dillon
Oct 22, 2012
8. Greetings Dave and Sheila,
I haven't looked at the school website for a year or two and I am very impressed by the new format. I can fill in a few more names to form photos:
1948-49 5A: Middle row - Roy Duckitt is between Colin Beckett and myself (Neville Flavell) at the right hand end. Roy was a very talented artist.
1944-45 1st form: I am pretty sure is 1D with 1st row 1st left Arthur Doughty and 3rd left Roy Butterfield; 2nd row 1st left Kathleen Kidd and 3rd row 2nd left Kathleen King (all in my Junior class at South Kirkby). Fred Hanley is 1st left on the 4th row. The prefect 2nd row 5th from left is Brenda Swinbank, the daughter of the South Kirkby headmaster. The form teacher must have been absent! Other faces are familiar, but names are not forthcoming at the moment. My year cohort are now like myself 80 or in their 80th year, so memory is not likely to get better!
On another tack - I have some photos of my mother in school uniform in the 1920s and other 20s memorabilia - report book and school magazines etc - which I will try to gather together to scan in the not too distant future if these are suitable for the collection.
Best wishes,
Neville Flavell (Price 1944-51)
PS: My mother started her school life in Talbot House, but was transferred to Price when the new House was added. She once told me that it was not a move she appreciated. Apparently, a change of loyalty was far from smooth!
Nov 12, 2012
9. I have finally found the time to browse your excellent web site. I have found two photos of myself and vanity forces me to correct my name. 1950-51 "Prefects" and 1950-51 "Huddersfield Athletic Team" both have me as Jack Wilkinson when in fact it should be Jim. The older I get the more I realise what a brilliant school it was. I have pleasant memories of trips to Leeds to see "The Mikado", a special train (from South Elmsall) to the Festival of Britain and further afield a skiing trip to the French Alps under the care of Mr. Johnson. I was at Hemsworth from 1943 to 1951 before going on to Imperial College.
Once again may I compliment you on the standard, and content, of the web site.
Jim Wilkinson
Nov 13, 2012
10. Dear Dave and Sheila
I don't know why it's taken me till now to Google 'Hemsworth Grammar School - but I just have and I'm glad I did! My dad Jack Marsden, and his older brother William attended the school in the late 30s and early 40s. I was thrilled to find dad on a panoramic photo taken in 39/40. He's on pic 6/6 - the section on the extreme right of the group and his brother Bill, if I remember correctly, is on Picture 4. They're also both featured in a picture of a Price house Rugby team taken in 1941(?) I can't seem to find them on the earlier photos. Dad's curly hair tends to make him easier to find! It's amazing how many of the boys have slicked back straight hair! Please find attached a form photo taken - I think, in my dad's last year at the school 1940 - 1941. He's the curly haired boy sitting just in front and slightly left of the form teacher, whom I now know to be Mr Scourfield.
Just in case you're interested - like many young lads of his era, dad joined the RAF in 1943, becoming operational as a flight engineer on a Lancaster in March 44, based at 166 squadron's base in Kirmington (now Humberside Airport). His plane was shot down on May 3/4 1944. He baled out successfully; evaded capture; was in the forest with the French resistance until May 15th, when the group was surrounded by Germans and dad was shot in the head by machine gun fire. He was taken half dead to Sens Hospital, where surgeons removed the bullet lodged in his brain. Five weeks later, the resistance came to rescue him - and what followed were more near misses and adventures - now as a disabled foreign airman on the run (partially paralysed and unable to speak much due to the brain damage he'd suffered.)
I've been researching his escape story for many years and have finally got round to putting a summary on the Internet, on a site called 'Tripline'. You can follow this link, if you're interested as to what happened to an HGS old boy!!
http://www.tripline.net/trip/Jack_Marsden%27s_RAF_escape_story-676320503553100385E6DB887ABB4543?n=43
Anyway, thanks once again for all your hard work. It's certainly been worthwhile!
Best Wishes,
Janet Marsden
Feb 15, 2013
Just found the new site. It looks better than ever. There seems to be a great deal more and this has added to its interest. The memories continue to tumble through my mind, especially during my time at HGS, but also finding relatives etc who attended the school prior to my commencing. I fully agree with all the comments made by your other contributors. Brilliant site offering lots of great memories.
Tony White
Apr 22, 2011
2. Hi, Dave.
Just seen the website for the first time today. I can identify myself and my neighbour on Panoramic 1963/64. Photo 4/6. Fifth Row. Next to No.9 (Peter Marsh) is No.8 (John Mills) then myself No.7 (Stan Hatton). I seem to recall that at the time we were in Form 5BR. I vaguely recognise quite a number of people - hopefully if some names come back to me I will let you know.
Regards
Stan Hatton
Jan 19, 2012
3. Dave,
Just had a quick look at the new website and flicked to "Prefects 1960's" (because I wanted to be reminded what I once looked like) and noticed a couple of errors in the names.
1965/66 Prefects
Second row extreme left should be Michael Walker.
1966/67 Prefects
Back row extreme right should also be Michael Walker.
Keep up the good work. I don't know how you find time to do it. I'm retired now, but I don't seem to have any more free time than before. Still, next time I have an hour to spare, I'll be able to delve deeper into the site and remind myself how good it was then.
All the best,
Roger Poole
Feb 19, 2012
4. Hi, Sheila.
I came across the site today and have thoroughly enjoyed having a look through it. My dad is Pat Jagger and his older brother is Anthony (Tony). They were pupils in the mid 40's - mid 50's. They are both identified correctly in the pictures. Tony was the Rugby captain in 1944-45. My dad was there 1945-50. Most of their memories centre around sport although my dad has told me all about "skivvies" in the dining room. They had to clear everything away and were rewarded with any spare food and also that his form room one year was next to the pig sty which I imagine is quite hard to forget. There are a few photos of them that I have printed off. I was wondering if it is possible to get actual prints of them made? Although he isn't exactly internet literate I will be getting my Dad on the site asap to have a look around.
Thanks for your time and for your efforts on the site.
John Jagger
Aug 6, 2012
Hi John,
Delighted to hear from you! It's great when someone new discovers our website, as we are always needing lots of help with the naming of the pupils in the Form photos and also sports, music, panoramas and drama pics. That old habit of calling the boys by their surnames means we are often struggling to identify some pupils. Dave and I were at the School 1955-62, so anyone from previous eras is always welcomed with open arms!!
Your Uncle Tony might/might not know that Les Tate returned to HGS in 1956 as PE Master. He left in 1964. His sister Eileen also returned as Needlework Mistress around the same time. They have both attended a few reunions over the past 10 years. Another ex-pupil was George Pacy, whom your Uncle Tony may remember, who returned as Maths Master in the late 1950's. Geoff Booth has been in touch with us at the site, and has provided photos and valuable information on many aspects. Joyce Burton's sister Jean has been in touch with us since the early days of our setting up the website, and Brenda Swinbank and Viva Wyatt have also helped us with the content of the site.
When your father has had a look round the site, we would love to hear about his memories of School - favourite Staff, the dinners, good friends, special interests etc. Do please keep in touch,
Sincerely,
Sheila
5. Hello, Sheila.
My mother-in-law, now 97, attended Hemsworth Grammar School in the 1920s. My husband and I are currently visiting from Australia and today were reminiscing with Annie about her school days. She enjoyed her time at Hemsworth very much and she also told us that a school friend, Eileen Morley, had gone to Melbourne, Australia, long ago. Imagine our surprise when we looked on your website and found an email from Kate Lloyd, the granddaughter of her friend Eileen Morley (Ref 27 December 2010 visitor 18 no 13). At that stage Eileen was 94 and living in Tasmania. If she is still living we thought it would be lovely if these two old friends could have some contact again. Is it possible to forward my email to Kate Lloyd (if you have retained her email address) so that she could get in touch if she wished? Eileen would have known my mother-in-law as Annie Thorpe.
Many thanks,
Rae King
Hello Rae,
Many thanks for your mail. How wonderful that technology might enable two survivors to make contact after so many years! I hope by now that some progress has been made towards this. Please let us know how it turned out?
Sincerely,
Sheila
30 Jun, 2012
Hello Sheila,
Yes, there has been contact made. Thanks so much for putting up the website and enabling the contact. Both are thrilled to think that someone from their schooldays is still around. When you are that age you've usually lost most of your contemporaries and I know for my mother-in-law it had a positive effect to know she wasn't the last one after all.
Kind regards,
Rae King
Jul 01, 2012
6. Hello Dave,
I'm Barry Linsey. I attended HGS from 1960 to 1966 (Guest House) and came across the HGS web site purely by chance a few weeks ago. It is a credit to all concerned. It brings back many memories as well as highlighting what a good all round school Hemsworth was. From a personal point of view, I was wondering if you had any information regarding the school cross country as this was perhaps my strongest sporting event, having been part of the school cross country team and also managing to win the annual cross country race on a number of occasions. I attach a newspaper cutting from 1966 which is my only record. I can also be seen in class photographs and in the 1964-65 athletics photo as number 4, and also the 1965-66 athletics photo.
Please would you advise me if any more reunions are to take place as I would like to try to attend if possible.
All the best and regards to yourself and to all my old school colleagues,
Barry Linsey
Sept 24, 2012
7. Dear Dave,
I have followed for some time the HGS web site, which I think is the best and most detailed site for school in the whole country. I was a pupil from 1947 to 1955 and I note that I figure in one or two of the photos and articles from that period. I was much involved in the rugby and cricket teams, the school orchestra and choir. I chaired the Historical Society and was involved in the mock election of 1955. I think the date is right, but it could be 1954. I became the school's representative, beating no less than Mike Nurney the communist and two other candidates. I remember on the day of our presentations to the whole school, the three official candidates for Hemsworth constituency were invited and were present on the stage. Something that I have not seen mentioned in the records is the fact that the school took us on a visit to the Great Exhibition in 1951, a fantastic event, with the Skylon still a clear image in my mind. Recently I met up with Bill Baxendale who was a contemporary and made contact with Johnny Winters. Both were outstanding cricketers, though, as we know, they did not progress as well as Geoff Boycott another contemporary of ours.
I don't know what you do with this information, Dave, but I thought it was about time I made contact with, as I said, a web site of which I am very proud. I constantly point friends from other schools towards it. They can't match it.
With best wishes
Terry Dillon
Oct 22, 2012
8. Greetings Dave and Sheila,
I haven't looked at the school website for a year or two and I am very impressed by the new format. I can fill in a few more names to form photos:
1948-49 5A: Middle row - Roy Duckitt is between Colin Beckett and myself (Neville Flavell) at the right hand end. Roy was a very talented artist.
1944-45 1st form: I am pretty sure is 1D with 1st row 1st left Arthur Doughty and 3rd left Roy Butterfield; 2nd row 1st left Kathleen Kidd and 3rd row 2nd left Kathleen King (all in my Junior class at South Kirkby). Fred Hanley is 1st left on the 4th row. The prefect 2nd row 5th from left is Brenda Swinbank, the daughter of the South Kirkby headmaster. The form teacher must have been absent! Other faces are familiar, but names are not forthcoming at the moment. My year cohort are now like myself 80 or in their 80th year, so memory is not likely to get better!
On another tack - I have some photos of my mother in school uniform in the 1920s and other 20s memorabilia - report book and school magazines etc - which I will try to gather together to scan in the not too distant future if these are suitable for the collection.
Best wishes,
Neville Flavell (Price 1944-51)
PS: My mother started her school life in Talbot House, but was transferred to Price when the new House was added. She once told me that it was not a move she appreciated. Apparently, a change of loyalty was far from smooth!
Nov 12, 2012
9. I have finally found the time to browse your excellent web site. I have found two photos of myself and vanity forces me to correct my name. 1950-51 "Prefects" and 1950-51 "Huddersfield Athletic Team" both have me as Jack Wilkinson when in fact it should be Jim. The older I get the more I realise what a brilliant school it was. I have pleasant memories of trips to Leeds to see "The Mikado", a special train (from South Elmsall) to the Festival of Britain and further afield a skiing trip to the French Alps under the care of Mr. Johnson. I was at Hemsworth from 1943 to 1951 before going on to Imperial College.
Once again may I compliment you on the standard, and content, of the web site.
Jim Wilkinson
Nov 13, 2012
10. Dear Dave and Sheila
I don't know why it's taken me till now to Google 'Hemsworth Grammar School - but I just have and I'm glad I did! My dad Jack Marsden, and his older brother William attended the school in the late 30s and early 40s. I was thrilled to find dad on a panoramic photo taken in 39/40. He's on pic 6/6 - the section on the extreme right of the group and his brother Bill, if I remember correctly, is on Picture 4. They're also both featured in a picture of a Price house Rugby team taken in 1941(?) I can't seem to find them on the earlier photos. Dad's curly hair tends to make him easier to find! It's amazing how many of the boys have slicked back straight hair! Please find attached a form photo taken - I think, in my dad's last year at the school 1940 - 1941. He's the curly haired boy sitting just in front and slightly left of the form teacher, whom I now know to be Mr Scourfield.
Just in case you're interested - like many young lads of his era, dad joined the RAF in 1943, becoming operational as a flight engineer on a Lancaster in March 44, based at 166 squadron's base in Kirmington (now Humberside Airport). His plane was shot down on May 3/4 1944. He baled out successfully; evaded capture; was in the forest with the French resistance until May 15th, when the group was surrounded by Germans and dad was shot in the head by machine gun fire. He was taken half dead to Sens Hospital, where surgeons removed the bullet lodged in his brain. Five weeks later, the resistance came to rescue him - and what followed were more near misses and adventures - now as a disabled foreign airman on the run (partially paralysed and unable to speak much due to the brain damage he'd suffered.)
I've been researching his escape story for many years and have finally got round to putting a summary on the Internet, on a site called 'Tripline'. You can follow this link, if you're interested as to what happened to an HGS old boy!!
http://www.tripline.net/trip/Jack_Marsden%27s_RAF_escape_story-676320503553100385E6DB887ABB4543?n=43
Anyway, thanks once again for all your hard work. It's certainly been worthwhile!
Best Wishes,
Janet Marsden
Feb 15, 2013
