1st XI
1945
Col. Wallace, P Parkin, J Almond, V Hartshorne, L Eyre, M Kettleborough
G Denie, P Skillen, W Crossley (captain), G Warburton, G Bentley
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
October 1946
Mr J D Illingworth, R H Palmer, J Swindin, C.Sykes, J N Earl, E Abbott, D Price
C E Waterfield, J Almond, E J Ingall (captain), V Hartshorne, R B Olive
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
1947
J H Richards, J M Higgs, M Hurst, C Taylor, C P Snell, J M Noble,
T E Waterfield, F W Stinchcombe, V Hartshorne, J Almond, P M Parkin
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
1947-8
J D Illingworth, E D Wilson, P M Parkin, R Payne, C Sykes,
J M Higgs,
T A Mangan, T E Waterfield
E Abbott, R B Olive, J Almond (capt), D Price, C R Tattersfield,
D G Collingburn
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
1948
C P Snell, R Cordall, J R Fishburne, A Bloomfield
P M Parkin, J Almond, F W Stinchcombe (captain), D M North, W J Cordall
J Fawkes, M J Hall
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
1948-9
A Bloomfield, D C Minnitt, R Payne, D M North, B Gardner,
A M Clayton, T A Mangan, D Price, J Almond (captain), E Abbott, J H P Padley, R Wood
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E.R.G.S.
FIRST XI
1949
C M Bloore, A Bloomfield, R D North, W J Cordall, P N Pratt, R Shone,
C P Snell, R Cordall, J Almond (captain), D M North, C E Waterfield,
J Fawkes
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E.R.G.S
PREFECTS
October 1948
Small, Eastland, Blore, Gerry Brooks
P.Kingston, E.Abbott, Frank Hilder, D.Minnitt, ---
A.Evans, D.Price, J.Almond, D.North (Head Boy),
A.Bloomfield, C.P.Snell, Brian Stanford
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5 Jan 2009
Dear John,
I was at school from 1941 and have quite a few photos if you are interested.
Joe Almond
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6 Jan 2009
There does not seem to be anything in the history about the fact that
Yarmouth Grammar School shared our premises (evacuees). They went to school
early in the morning before us and after us in the late afternoon. I cannot
remember the exact hours we shared but I have a feeling that my school day
was very short. As I remember this went on for about 2 years.
I lived in Langold and in the early years I got a bus to Worksop, a train
(2 carriages for the boys) from Worksop and a long walk to school. Towards
the end of the war (I think) there was a special bus that took us from
Langold to School via Blyth and Barnby Moor. If we stayed for after-school
activities (only football and cricket) we had to get the public transport.
The Staff consisted of men too old to go to war and young women. One of
them (Miss Nicklin - a blond I always and still do!,fancied) later married
one of the prefects. He was the son of the Mayor of Retford by the name of
Waterfield. No, he wasn't a prefect when they got married. Such was the
make-up of the Staff that we went through a full school life without a
single PE or Games lesson.
To be continued.
Joe
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6 Jan 2009
Hello Joe,
I did know about Yarmouth GS in the war, but not the details.
If you don't already have it, you should get yourself
"A History of King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford"
by A D Grounds, published by R Martin & Co, 1970.
There are 264 pages of index and history. On page 236 he writes:
"The building up of an efficient staff and the careful work of
re-organisation were disrupted by the war in 1939.
Masters who were called up for military service were replaced by
women teachers, and the school had to be adapted to meet the
difficulties arising from the evacuation to Retford of West Leeds
High School. Their arrival before the September term began
posed such a problem, indeed, that it was solved only by the
introduction of a shift system: The Leeds boys, because they were
billeted in Retford and therefore on the spot, used the premises
in the early morning and late afternoon, while the hours for local
boys, some of whom had considerable distances to travel, were
between 10.20 am and 3.00 pm. West Leeds High School
remained only until the Christmas, but the same arrangements were
followed when Great Yarmouth Grammar School arrived early the
next summer to stay for the duration of the war. The shortened
hours were initially greeted with delight, but as yhe years went by
it became more difficult to maintain academic standards, and the
curtailment of societies and sports - although every effort was
made to keep school life as normal as possible - made all long for
the restoration of peace."
Best wishes,
John Palmer
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8 Jan 2009
I didn't know about the Leeds school being billeted on us. I do remember
that the train from Worksop left at 9.15 a.m. and we returned at 3.25pm.
As there was at least an hour for lunch there is no wonder we could only
do a maximum of 7 subjects for School Certificate. That train journey for
a junior was somewhat hazardous. Today it would be called bullying as
many a junior was 'ragged' particularly on the homeward journey and
frequently you would see a junior get off the train in a state of undress.
Personally I quickly learnt that as the journey was only 15 minutes so the
best thing to do was resist as hard as possible. Oddly I don't remember
any ill-intent on the part of the miscreants. After the walk to school we
spent the time to let Yarmouth depart sitting on the balcony in the school
Hall
In my early days I had school lunch which, I believe, was organised by the
Head's wife. Since then I have never eaten sago or bread and butter pudding
again. Then a British Restaurant was open just up the road so most pupils
went there. Tash Illingworth was also a daily diner and I remember him
going round the tables picking up scraps for his pet dog/cat. Fridays were
a special day as the only fish and chip shop was open. When the bell went
for the end of morning school there was a mad dash up the road, along the
canal and into town to get to the head of the queue.
Memorable Staff were 'Polly' Beasley (Physics), 'Tubby' Lewis (Scripture),
G.W.R.Lines(Geog) better known as Great Western Railway, 'Paddy' Gover(Maths),
Headmaster (Pilk-Rodgers) Sixth form maths and MacFerran. Mac was a great
story teller and I clearly remember him telling us the whole of History of
Mr. Polly without any notes and may others. This took several lessons which
should have been Geography.
Mrs. Jones took me for Chemistry up to S.Cert. and then she was replaced by
her husband who had been away during the War working on munitions (we were
told.). 'Colonel' Wallace was my favourite. He taught junior science and
one day the only occasion I met him in a classroom was when I went into the
Chem. Lab to find him peeing in the sink. He coached us at cricket after
school and when he batted in the nets he always put coins on the stumps
which you kept if you bowled him out. The only time I saw him in full-flow
was when he captained a First XI team to play against a team of Australians
from a nearby RAF base. We were slaughtered and it was the only time in
my life that I have played against a team that bowled all eleven players.
Even the wicket-keeper bowled. The only one of us who got any runs was the
Colonel and while he was batting we were smoking his Gold Flake that he had
left in his blazer. GWR Lines was a brilliant Geography teacher and seemed
to have a joke for every geographical fact. I particularly remember him
saying "In the exam don't write that Chicago is at the bottom of Lake
Michigan". At the end of the was previous staff gradually returned -
Hedley Brooks, Charlton, Chemy Jones etc.
Because of the unique staffing situation throughout my school career
P.E.Lessons, Games lessons, School Play, Debating Society, School Clubs etc.
were completely unknown.
To be cont.
-----------------
10 Jan 2009
When I first went to RGS one of my main ambitions was to better a record
that a certain Frank Walsh held. Frank lived in Langold, was some years
ahead of me and had left school before I went there. His record was for
throwing the cricket ball and stood at 96 1/2 yards. I even took home a
medicine ball and trained by throwing it against the house wall. Sports day
1948 I beat him and the record has stood ever since as they stopped it a
few years later and throwing the javelin took over!!!!!! Members of staff
were godlike to the juniors and I will always remember using a school
urinal and being amazed when teacher Chris Bintcliffe (Physics) came into
the toilet and and used the urinal next to me. I realised that he was
mortal just like me. He became even more mortal when I found myself
teaching in the same school (Varndean, Brighton) as Chris. When I started
School (1941) the air raid shelters were already there. We did use them
but only for practice in case there was an air raid. I can't remember any
sirens going. Sport has always been an addiction for me especially football
and cricket. One of my best friends at school was C.P.Snell who had a
young brother (David) at the school. David left at 16 to become an
assistant golf pro at Lindrick golf club. David later won the British
Matchplay Championship and today has his own golf course in the grounds
of Worksop College. The course is College Pines and David is on your 1947
photo.
Next time I will name pupils in photos
Joe
--------------------
11 Jan 2009
David Snell was Head professional at Lindrick and I was a member there for
one year (1986) when I took early retirement from teaching. I then moved to
East Anglia. You will see David in your 1947 photo, as you look at it,
5th.row up, he is 10th from the left. Johnnie Fawkes was the school wicket
keeper and, I believe, went to to keep wicket for the Army. Fawkes is 7th.
from the left in the same row as David.
3rd.row up, reading from the left : -, -, -, -, Evans, -, Rhodes,Olive,
Taylor, G.Dernie, -, Dickinson, -, Mick Noble, Hirst, Me, Axleby,
John Higgs(Head boy), Charlton, Bintcliffe, -, Brooks, Illingworth,
Chem.Jones, Bartlett, Tubby Lewis, Pilk-Rodgers, Polly Beasley,
Art teacher(Boss?), -, -, -, Chislette, -, caretaker, V.Hartshorne,
D.North, F.Stinchcombe, Massey, -, -, -, Moorehouse, Pat Snell
(David's brother), -, -, -, -, Colin Sykes, Frost, -, -.
I do have a school photo earlier than this but I have yet to find it !!!!!
After 60 odd years I have only just spotted that K.Palmer's name is missing
off the 1945 photo. Who said that your eyesight gets worse as you get
older? Palmer stands between Parkin and myself.
The blurred names, I believe, were on the attached photo so I am sending
another and incidentally I had 3 years in the VIth so I left in 1949 -
too much football, cricket, table tennis, snooker etc.
Just to finish off the golf area, I finally took it up when I was 32 years
but still managed to play in the British Amateur at St.Andrews 1976, runner
up in the Suffolk County Championship and win the County Seniors
Championship at the age of 69. I also played for Suffolk many years.
My current handicap is 9 but I am hoping to reduce that when the weather
gets a bit warmer.
Joe
Correction:
Palmer was between myself and Vernon Hartshorne
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14 Jan 2009
The missing name on the 1946 football team is C.Sykes.
I am attaching my last team photo. I should have a school photo that is
earlier than 1947 but I have yet to locate it. During the War years we
had very few matches. I seem to remember that the only cricket matches for
the Under 14s were against Yarmouth Grammar. Football matches were a little
odd and included opposition from Rampton Asylum (Staff) which was played
away, with the touchline occupied by inmates who cheered us very loudly.
Another soccer match was against a religios college (it might have been
against a team of monks) at Kelham, near Newark. During the whole of my
time at the school there was never a Second XI team for soccer or cricket.
Joe
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