Old Wallaseyans Worldwide

Newsletter 47,  March 2007 for former pupils of Wallasey School, Henry Meoles, Oxley Schools & WGS

Editor: Tony Simpson   97 Fairdene Road, Coulsdon, Surrey   CR5 1RJ   Tel. 01737 553462

Secretary: Vic Green   <vic.green@blueyonder.co.uk>

 Chairman and Webmaster: Bob Bryans   <robert.bryans@onetel.net>

Treasurer: Clive Lewis-Jones <clive@lewis-jones.co.uk>   

www.oldwallaseyans.co.uk

THE 76TH ANNUAL DINNER OF THE OLD WALLASEYANS WORLDWIDE WILL BE HELD AT THE RAF CLUB 128 PICCADILLY LONDON W1V OPYON FRIDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2007

The preliminary booking form can be found on the Events page

_______________________________________________________

Dear Old Wallaseyan,

For out of town OWs thinking of attending the annual dinner, why not take advantage of the Travel lodge offers. Some of these are as low as £26 per DOUBLE ROOM  per night  on the 19th October. Bob tells me the rooms are very comfortable. Visit the website for details of this offer at www.travelodge.co.uk for  London hotels. However the really good bargains tend to get booked up early so you should hurry. The best advice is book the dinner and your room now if you have no bolt hole in London.

 After 15 years I have handed over the Chairmanship to Bob Bryans with my best wishes and full support.  Bob will also continue as Webmaster.  Derek West becomes Deputy Chairman.  Roy Swinbank has retired as Treasurer and is succeeded by Clive Lewis-Jones.  Vic Green continues as our faithful and long serving Secretary.  I continue as Newsletter Editor. In addition to the above ex officio  members the Committee will comprise : Douglas Addison  48-55;Alan Berry 67-72; Stan Lawrence 44-50; Roy Swinbank 41-48 and Andrew Watson 30-36.  Alan Berry is the only Committee Member to have attended Wallasey School in Birket Avenue.   The others are all WGS Old Boys.  Our mailing list numbers about 320.  These are roughly equally divided between email and snail mail hard copies.  If you do not require hard copy, please tell Vic Green.  .I  have enjoyed my time as Chairman - it has been a pleasure to work with our very able Committee and to keep contact with so many interesting friends.  The Old Wallaseyans Worldwide are thriving - so keep it going chaps - OWW longa vita brevis!

.Tony Simpson

 

 

THE 75TH LONDON DINNER

 

The members of the Dinner Committee felt that our 75th Anniversary should be marked in a special way.  We were delighted when Baroness Chalker invited us to hold this year's Dinner in the House of Lords.  The event took place on the 26th October.  One hundred and nine diners met for preprandial drinks in the Cholmondeley Room at 6 pm.  Drinks in hand, we then made our way to the outdoor terrace of the House - overlooking the Thames - where we congregated and renewed old friendships whilst enjoying the unique view.  The weather was unseasonably mild, and we stood chatting in the warmth of the late October sun until summoned to table.

Unfortunately Baroness Chalker was unable to attend owing to official duties, which took her to Africa.  Her place at table was taken by Baroness Hooper who welcomed us and assured us of her connection with "our part of the world", as she had been Liverpool's first MEP from 1979 to 1984.  Baroness Hooper is not only a colleague of Baroness (Linda) Chalker   Chalker but also a good friend, and she expressed her pleasure at being able to act as her stand-in.

Tony Simpson, our Committee Chairman, took the Chair for the last time.   Both he and Roy Swinbank, our Treasurer, have served in their respective roles for the last 15 years and are now handing on their batons to Bob Bryans and Clive Lewis-Jones.  Tony and Roy were presented with mementoes from the rest of the committee.  A presentation was also made to the Grand Old Man of the evening, Bob Leach, whose years at WGS were 1930 - 35.  Bob later commentated that it was nice to receive a trophy without having to do four laps of the track!

(It had been our intention to present a gift to Linda Chalker in recognition of her long association with the Old Wallaseyans.  As she was unable to join us we have instead sent a donation to the Chalker Foundation for Africa.)

Amongst the guests, we were pleased to have with us the Deputy Head of Wallasey School, Rob Hughes, accompanied by the Head Boy (Daniel Citrine) and the Head Girl (Lisa Andrews).  Our other very welcome guests were Jerry Brace, Current President of the OW Club in Grove Road, his wife Elizabeth, and our Chief Guest Professor Bob Williams, OW, who treated us to a thought-provoking speech on the importance of education in an increasingly competitive world.  Rob Hughes, who spoke of the work and philosophy of Wallasey School, replied to his toast to the Schools.  

A most enjoyable evening came to an end around 11 pm.

It was very gratifying for your committee to see so many Old Wallaseyans  (and their wives and partners) in attendance at this year's London Dinner.  Hopefully, some if not all of the "First-Timers" will have so enjoyed the experience of meeting old friends at our convivial get-together that they will decide to join the "Regulars" again for next year's Dinner - in the splendid surroundings of the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly.

Stan Lawrence.

 

Those attending were: Judy, Clara and Douglas Addison 48-55; Sandra and Neville Andrews 45-52, 68-72 (staff); Lisa Andrews (Head Girl, Wallasey School); Geoffrey Andrews 49-54;   Rose and Rodney Arthur 41-44; Mary Winward and Donald Atherton  39-46; David Beck 60-66; Sylvia Janion and Ken Burnley; Alan Berry 67-72; Ann and Brian Blacoe 43-49; Janice and Graham Boston (Past President OWC); Elizabeth and Jerry Brace (President OWC); Margaret and David Browne 55-62;Valerie and Andrew Bryans 57-64; Wendy Levey and Robert Bryans 54-61(Webmaster and Deputy Chairman); June and Frank Carlyle 38-46 (Past President OWC); Ethella , Michael and Norman Carter; Yvonne and Lionel Cashin 53-61; Daniel Citrine (Head Boy, Wallasey School); Sheila and Brian Clay 42-50; Lorna and Dr Peter Cochrane 44-53; W John Conning 44-50; Dowell G J Conning 49-54; Katherine Shelay and Donald Cropp 46-53; Jane and Terrence Darlow 47-53; June and Peter Doyle 51-55; Joyce and Keith Farrelly 41-47; Rita and Anthony Fraser; Isobel and Geoffrey Frost 39-45; Phil Samuel and Vic Green 31-40 (Hon Sec OWW); Margaret and Roger Holmes 49-54; Lady Gloria Hooper;  Elizabeth and Keith Howard 44-51; Robert Hughes (Deputy Headmaster, Wallasey School); George Johnston 38-45; Daphne and Dr Ivor Johnston; Celia and Brian Jones 34-42; Lilian and Stuart Joynson; Stuart King 42-49; Lesley and John Lambie 30-39; Jessica and Capt. Stan Lawrence 44-50; Daphne and Robert Leach 30-35; Helen , Gareth, Richard and Clive Lewis-Jones 60-67; Rev Robert Marsh 53-60; Bryan McGinity ; Jean and Harry Milburn 47-54; Claire and Harold Murphy 37-47; Joyce and James Pritchard 39-47; Winfried Roll 1963 Exchange; Sabina and Tony Simpson 42-46; Sue and Arthur Stanley 43-49; Alan Stears; Heather and Leslie Stockton ; Joyce and Roy Swinbank 41-48; Jeanette Lawson and  Derek Verdin 44-51; Jack Waller; Peggie and Derek Wardle 38-46; Mary and Andrew Watson 30-36; Jenny and Derek West 51-58; Clive Whatling 58-65; Prof RJP Williams 37-44; Sue Black and John M Williams 54-61; Sheila and James Woodend 43-49.

Apologies for absence: J Kirk Baird 28-32; Alan Bennett 36-40; Prof John Bennett 43-52; Frank Brownlow 46-53; John Budge 34-38; Gordon L Davies 31-33; Peter Dill 53-60;Keith Farrelly 41-47; John D Fraser 42-46; Fred Harvey 27-35; George Hocking 41-49; W Grahame Hunter 18-25; Derek Jackson OWC; Peter McNicol 43-49; N G A Morrison 40-44; Donald Mudd 41-51; Keith Panter-Brick 29-37;Dr. Bill  Penley 26-34;  Dr Kenneth Sargeant ; Alan Stabler 35-42; Frank Sturman 26-31; Peter Townsend 49-56; Bill Wise 50-65; John Westlake 44-53; Barrie White 39-43; J Rex Wood 22-31

News from Members

John A M Armstrong   1934-41      

Many thanks for the recent WGS News and enclose a cheque  £ 10.  If you ever hear of any School photos surfacing 1937-8--9   please let me know.  Mine got lost in the Blitz.

You could try the archives at the OWC (Grove Road). [I have a 1935 one if you are interested -Vic Green]  PS. My main contact with Cammell Laird was John Pearce.  H E Moss built the TT "LUCELLUM" there.  [1953 - steam turbo electric tanker - Ed.]

 

Geoffrey Barrow 55-62          <geoffreybarrow@msn.com>

Why not publish a list of OW email addresses?  ["If all the email addresses were published on the web, there would be a danger that spammers might get them", says our Webmaster Bob Bryans].

In particular, I would like to contact Barry Lewis 1955-62, Rodney Atkinson 1955-62  &  Roy Chapman  1956-63.

Geoffrey Barrow writes later:  By the way, I did contact Barry Lewis 55-62.  He is a retired professor of Russian at University of New South Wales, still in Sydney.

 

Brian 'Dickie' Bird  1948-54   

I was saddened to receive a cutting from the Wallasey News recording the death of Stuart Edgar over the Christmas period, particularly as he had such a recent mention in Newsletter No 44.  However, he seems to have received a good send off with a marching jazz band, and with Tony Davies and friends to accompany him on his last journey.

Stuart was some years ahead of me at school, so whilst we knew one another we were not friends, that came later, but I have a little story that those who knew him might enjoy.

In 1956 we found ourselves in the 6 Royal Tank Regiment heading for Suez, Stuart as a reservist, me as a National serviceman.  At the end of day one we were through Port Said and heading for the canal road.  On board Stuart's tank was a brand new 2nd Lt. Just out of officer training school who wasn't too sure of anything, let alone what he was doing.  Anyway they arrived at a manned bridge on the outskirts just at dusk so it was not clear who was manning it.

                                               Young Lt  "Edgar you speak French, don't you?"

                                               Edgar "Yes, Sir"

                                               Young Lt "Well be a good chap and stick your head out and see if they are friendly will you".

                                               He did and they were French Legionnaires, so all was well.

Everything stopped a few days later so we had plenty of time to have a few beers and chew the fat before we set sail for home.   Incidentally   Stuart King was Head Boy when I started in 1948 and I was more scared of him than the masters.  Hope to make it to the dinner this year as my son now lives in Berkshire so I have a bolthole. [We apologise for the delay in printing this contribution as we mislaid it. - Ed.]

 

Alan Boniface   1936-45   

I noticed the appeal at the foot of the last OW Newsletter and, somewhat tardily, send a modest contribution to its production costs.

 

Frank Brownlow  46-53     <fbrownlo@Comcast.net> 

My wife and I won't be able to come to the dinner after all, I'm afraid.  The autumn term is looking a lot busier than I expected, so dropping a week is not a good idea.

 

John Budge   28-34    

I enclose a cheque to cover the cost of my newsletter.  I enjoy reading about the memories of Ex-Wallaseyans though those of my fellow students of long ago are becoming rarer. I often recall the young German students of the Zehlendorf school visiting Wallasey as part of the Anglo-German society under the leadership of Dr Herman Thiemke, an arrangement so brilliantly pioneered by Headmaster F Wilkinson, setting a country wide policy of overseas exchanges.  As it happened I was in Berlin in 1945 soon after the war ended and I was the first OW to visit him since before the war.  I well recall knocking on the door of his modest home in the lovely suburb of Zehlendorf and his joyful surprise at seeing an Old Wallaseyan.

 I recall seeing the German lads trying to wield a cricket bat and slogging the ball (as far as they could) into the middle of the Withens Lane cricket field.  I could not at that time foresee the day when I would marry Ingrid Zeye, the German girl who was secretary of the welfare group (Voluntary Service Overseas) which was responsible for me being in Berlin at that time.  We were married at Claremount Road Methodist Church, had three children, and now have seven grandchildren. Sadly our daughter Diana died of a brain tumour at the age of 34, leaving two children.

 

Ian Caruana,   

May Ashmore tells me that you are interested in the obituary for the OWW.   I have made you a photocopy (of Trans .Cumb & Westm Archaeological Soc.  3rd Series   VolV. 2005.

IN MEMORIAM. Brian Gerald Ashmore, MBE., RD, and Clasp. JP.,MA.,FSA.,Lt.Cdr. RNR Retd.  1924-2004

Brian Gerald Ashmore, who died at Cornwall Park, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire on 23 December 2004, was a well known figure in the public life of Cumberland for half a century, a member of this society from 1956 and elected a patron in 1990.  I first met him in the Michaelmas Term of 1942, when he came up from WGS to St John's.  We were on the same stair and amid the modest privations of wartime Oxford we established an immediate rapport.  He was an eager type, ready to discourse on and discuss any subject under the sun, far into the small hours; in this he never changed. Brian saw service in the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, the Arctic and latter in the Far East.  The Navy and St John's continued to be a prime interest for the rest of his life.  Shortly after the war he and I spent a very warm August walking in Tuscany and the Marches of eastern Italy.  He was already a historian and it was perhaps this trip, which ensured that Roman Archaeology was to become a lifelong passion.   There followed a post with United Steel in Sheffield and in 1949 marriage to Susan, daughter of H C Hodgson and niece of W Noel Hodgson, the First World War poet killed on the Somme in 1916.    This connection with a very influential family was important for the Society.  In 1950 United Steel transferred him to its subsidiary, the Distington Engineering Company, to manage its housing stock.  Housing, in the form of the Westfield Housing Association was to fill his working life.  In  Maryport he was a JP from 1966 and a very active  member of the Urban district council.  Brian settled at Camp Hill, Maryport; near the Roman fort of Alauna; excavated by the Senhouse family with the collection housed at Netherhall.    Brian led a team to form the Senhouse Museum Trust, which rescued the collection.  Brian, in failing health and his second wife May were able to attend the tenth Anniversary of the opening of their Senhouse Roman Museum in 2000.

 

John  44-50 and Dowell Conning 49-54 

A big THANK YOU and to all who made the evening at the H of Ls such a wonderful event……So many not-so-old friends……Are we not the lucky ones? - Born at the right time and in the right place….the place and the School!  And then, we had to watch, probably the greatest Education System ever! Thrown away.  Good Grief!  Me thinks Charles the Second had the right idea!  Again, many, many thanks….

 

Alex Crowther  1950-57   >

I was a pupil at WGS from 1950-57 and I have just come across the web site.  I would be most interested to track down a copy of  Eggleshaw's 'History' but it is not currently available from Amazon.  Are you able to help in any way?  I should really be most grateful.  [We sent Alex the Wallasey School address etc  as they might still  have a copy - Ed ]

 

Mary Edwards       

Thank you for sending all the news of the Old Wallaseyans.  I am so interested in it all and am grateful to you.  Enclosed cheque for whatever you think.

 

Roger A Eilbeck    1931-41  <reilbeck@btinternet.com>  

[Extract of a letter to Brian Jones]  In the latest issue of the 2nd Wallasey Bulletin your article asks whether Percy McCormack (sic) was killed in 1940.  Sadly he was.   The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website gives all the details.  As you can see he was only 21, and left a widow.  How very tragic.  I remember him well.  As you will notice, the Commission 's records spell his surname as McCormick.  The Commission gives very detailed instructions for finding the little local cemetery in which he and eight other British servicemen lie buried.

 

Geoffrey Frost  39-45  <geoffreyfrost@talktalk.net> 

Many thanks from Isobel and me for the splendid evening at the HoL.   We thoroughly enjoyed the whole occasion and we appreciate that an immense amount of work must have been necessary to produce the final result.  Our thanks to the committee for organising the event for us.  Hope to see you in the RAF Club next year.

 

Fred Harvey   27-35    <quadriga5@tiscali.co.uk>

Sorry that I will once again be unable to attend the dinner.  My year has been notable only for cataract operations on both eyes (not together!) and the satisfactory completion of my first (!!) 25 years of retirement.  Best wishes for another successful dinner.  Cheque for future newsletters enclosed.

 

Jon Henderson   <jon5@talktalk.net>

I don't know if any of you gentlemen can help, but I'm a tennis writer who is doing research on Fred Perry who went to WGS during the First World War.  Are there any school records still existing from that time? Was the school  (now Henry Meoles School I understand) in the same place now as it was then?  All I've managed to glean so far is that Perry went with the rest of the school to welcome home the Mersey ferryboats that took part in the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918.  Welcome any help you can give.

Jon writes later:

Just had a very entertaining chat with Robert Leach, who has a very good anecdote about Perry and his film actress girlfriend/wife Helen Vinson visiting WGS in the 1930s.  He also told me about a reunion dinner in October.  I suppose there wouldn't be other Old Wallaseyans who are attending this event who might remember stories about  Perry.

 

Will Howard  44-51  <whoward@ihug.co.nz>

Not a regular visitor to the Old Walls website, I have just spent some time reading all the newsletters on the site.  And could find one chap who was in the same class throughout my time at WGS.  And that was Neville Andrews who tells us that he is competing in the Boston Marathon at the age of 72.  I can recall Neville having an operation on his nose in Form 4A, to correct a breathing problem.  Obviously it worked well, Neville.

Memories of the school after 55 years are still fresh in my mind, but I sometimes wonder how accurate they are, or if they have been embellished by time.  My first form was 3A, with "Billie" Barker as our form master.  I recall him as a man perpetually in a grey tweed suit and woollen cardigan, smiling benignly at all and sundry, and disappearing into his little room under the stairs whenever real work had to be done.  The rumours of what went on in that little room were always a source of gossip.

And being a third former meant that we had to endure the inspection by the school nurse.  All lined up in the corridor outside 3A and 3C, we each had to undo our trousers to wait for the nurse to come along, thrust her hand down our pants and cup our testicles in her hand, saying "Cough" when she had our balls resting securely in her hand.,  One boy, who was more mature than most of us, and who happened to be one of the only two boys of "colour" in the school, waited patiently in line, but when the nurse put her hand down his trousers she immediately pulled it out again, saying to Geoff (for that was his name) "Go to the end of the line and try and control your emotions."

The only other boy of a different race, was Freddie Kin, a quietly spoken smiling Chinese boy.   Not sure if he was in 3A, but he was certainly in 4A, LVA, and UVA with me.

It was in 3A that we first met our new schoolteachers.  "Seedy " Danson took us for Latin, and "John Henry" Spear for Spanish I think.  "Kate" Silvey gave us our first R.I., and "Ernie" Preece introduced us to French.  "Charlie" Cannon took us for music, complete with his teaching invention that looked like a small guillotine with a keyboard on top.  "Billie" Barker for maths and "Spud" Widlake for geography I think.  And "Billie" Bohs for art.                                                                                                                                                                                          Form 4A was a new experience.  A number of new teachers arrived at the school.  Younger men than the teachers we had met so far.  Men who had been demobbed from the services at the end of the war, and were now back in the workforce.  Amongst these was "Digger Dan" Davies, (chemistry), "Tubby" Tolman, (Physics), "Pug" Ridley for biology, "Dick" Daffurn, who became our form master in 4A and took us for maths.     In 4A things changed.  Art was dropped and we had to elect a second language with which we would continue to School Certificate.      Other teachers we had were "Sarky Joe" Taylor for English.  "Sarky Joe" because of the constant sarcastic remarks he would make.  "Rubberneck" Porter for Geography.  "Rubberneck" because he would spend the entire period, talking to the class, but gazing around the ceiling.  And I seem to recall "Freddie" Felton taking us for something, German I suspect.  And it was in 4A that I became acquainted with "Freddie" Allen.  After some incident which caused me to be sent to the Headmaster.  And after knocking and being called in, becoming aware of his collection of antique guns.. But no chance of having a closer look.  "Face the window and bend down, boy" was the precursor to the ensuing assault on my backside.  This became a fairly regular occurrence during my time at school.  But in retrospect I can say that I was never caned unjustly, and never with violence.  Well, apart from once, when Mr Eggleshaw caned me- with considerable vigour.  And all I had done was walk into the Senior Library without knocking, and interrupted him in conversation with Miss Doyle.  I think the fact that Eggleshaw was only wearing a rugby shirt and a jockstrap had something to do with it.

Form LVA came next, with "Seedy" Danson as form master.  Dr. Atkins became our English teacher, a tall man with grey-cropped hair, heavy horn rimmed glasses, and a simian mouth.  LVA sticks in my mind because "Digger  Dan" Davies, who was our chemistry teacher, refused to let me stay in the  laboratory - probably because I had misbehaved with combustible materials - and I spent the entire year, and the following year in UVA, standing in the corridor watching the lab lessons through a crack in the door.  Fortunately for me. the Lab Assistant, Mr Penny, (or was it Mr Money?) took pity on me and   every week gave me the lab notes for the lessons.  He did this for two years, bless him.   And when the school certificate results came out after UVA, outside the LVA form room when Davies came along to me and sneeringly asked how I did in chemistry.  I took great delight in telling him I had received a "Credit".  This really seemed to annoy him!

LVA was the form in which we learned most I think.  And UVA was sort of finishing off for School Certificate.  UVA was the best form room in the school.  Above the front door it looked out over the front pitch.  I had a desk by the window - a great place on a sunny day to daydream.  For some reason my strongest recollection of UVA is listening to Tom" Howard giving history lessons, and listening to the distant explosions of the army demolition squads detonating the land mines on the golf course.

And we had good teachers, who were all fairly strict disciplinarians.  Mr Moscrop was appropriately nicknamed "Moses" for he taught us religious education.  "Ernie" Preece, with his head perpetually tilted to one side, was probably our most strict master, and I suspect our best teacher by a long way.  And of course there were other teachers with whom I had no contact, but nonetheless had a great presence in the school.  "Soapy" Williams and  "Bill" Browning come to mind.  All these men, who really were just little men, leading insignificant little lives, living in little semi detached pebble dashed houses, had a huge effect on all our lives.  And the older I get, the more I realize just how important they were in my life, and how grateful I am for the education I received.  And I still wonder why there are not more notes in your column from my classmates.

 

Brian G S Jones    34-42  

I have acquired an undated, and unknown source, article about Grammar Schools, which includes a photograph of boys of the Sixth Form WGS circa 1949. I recognise George Hocking and John Hawksley.  I hope to get it copied and bring to the 2nd Reunion in October.  In March/April we visited friends in Cheam, Winchester and Brixham.  Whilst there we visited Brownsea Island, and found the memorial of the camp held in 1907 by B-P; not a Scout camp as some think.  The first was in 1908 in Northumberland, and we have seen that too.  At Torquay we went to the Deep Sea Scout Fellowship annual reunion and dinner, which included an excellent visit to HMS Britannia, the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth.  Early June we were off to Bodensee in Germany, followed by St. Wolfgang in Austria for 2 VG Rallies run by ICA.  We go to Scotland for September on ICA tour, and hope to stay with Val Fallon on our way North.  We are looking forward to the 2nd Reunion on the 21st October, and bring Jack Harwood with us. Then at the OWW Dinner [at the House of Lords.]  Age is catching up fast but we still keep going, limited to 4/5 miles and very slow going up hill.

 

Stuart King   42-49     <stuartreidking@yahoo.co.uk> 

I wonder why the enclosed photo [of boys at the WGS in 1949] was taken?  We appear to be flaunting all the ties, blazers and scarves and taking our books across the front pitch - but there were no classrooms in that direction!  Obviously posed but I can't remember it being taken at all.  Bridge Berry (bottom left) was the brother-in-law of Tony Davies (of Harriers fame) he died some time ago.  George Hocking I haven't seen since 1949!   Jim Paul went off to Oxford never to be seen again and Alan Stuart did his National Service with me - we were both 2nd lieutenants in Germany, with a chap called John Frazer (not WGS) - who became a Z list film man.  Happy Days!

Congratulations to Tony Simpson, Roy Swinbank and the rest of the Committee for arranging a truly memorable evening on 26th October, which was most enjoyable.  I'm enclosing a small cheque towards the OW Newsletter - am I on your mailing list? [You are now - Ed.]

             

 

Michael Lewis 1955-62     <mcel@mital.com> 

Thank you for sending me the latest OW newsletter.  These days, I am happy to read the contents on line, so I no longer need the printed copy.  I appreciate, however, that running the web site takes time and resources, and accordingly enclose a contribution for you to pass to Roy Swinbank.  Thank you for your continued efforts, which are much appreciated by us all.

 

Rev Ralph Marsh  53-60   <ralph_marsh42@hotmail.com>  

Really enjoyed do last Thursday.  Apropos of DVD the incident with me in is taken in 3B form room in 1954 with Dr Hugh Pollard.  We were singing 'sur le pont d'Avignon'.  Although we had our lessons in 3A there was no piano there so we had our French lessons in 3B room where there was Charlie Cannon's piano.  Our French master had been Mr Preece but he died in Feb 1954 and Dr Pollard was a temporary master who came in March until July 1954; he subsequently became the first principal of the College of St Martin's in Lancester and died aged 90 in 2005/6.

 

Prof. Harry Milburn   47-54   <harry@milburn.fsnet.co.uk>  

Rather a belated thank you for the recent dinner in the House of Lords.  My wife and I had a wonderful few days in London, and it was great to meet people I haven't seen for over 50 years.  Congratulations to the organisers.  

 

David Maxwell   1983-89     <dj_maxwell@hotmail.co.uk>    

  I have just visited your Old Wallaseyans website and recognised a few names from the newsletters. Unfortunately, they only go back a few years and I couldn't view some of the older newsletters that I wanted to.  Would it be possible for you to send me a copy of some of the older newsletters, especially No.38?  Are they still available?  [Newsletters No. 36-46 (except for 39 which was mislaid) were forwarded to Dave on a floppy disk - Ed.]

 

Keith Panter-Brick    29-37       

Am grateful to the Newsletters and regret that living in France most of the year cuts me off from attending dinners etc.

 

Dr. William H Penley   26-34   <bill@penley.org>          

I find the newsletters most interesting, and apologise for failing to respond for many years and also for being unable to attend the dinners.  I have been energised to write to you now as I would have been very motivated to attend the 75th Dinner had the date not clashed with my arrangements to get married again on 21st October! (At the age of 89!)  I should explain that I had the delightful task of welcoming Mrs Linda Chalker to the 43rd Dinner of the LOW at the House of Commons in 1974 and am so sorry not to have been able to come this time.  As it happened, in my file of WGS papers I have the speech notes I used and I thought you [Tony] might like to have a copy.  I am still very much engaged in recording the early history of Radar and if you put 'Penley Radar' into Google will get you to some of this activity.  I enclose a contribution to help maintain your activity

 

James Richardson 1925-1929      

Many thanks for keeping me in touch over the years with the activities ands achievements of old Wallaseyans.  Belatedly, I enclose a draft to cover costs involved and to ensure receiving your Newsletter for whatever period remains to me.  As my future becomes, with age, my past, I look back increasingly with nostalgia to my formative years in Wallasey in which W.G.S. played an important part.  Bob Leach and John Fraser have graphically described the town as I knew it pre-war and in its present sorry state.  I left Wallasey in 1949 to live in New Zealand and subsequently in Queensland, Canada, New South Wales and South Australia, my home for the past 40 years.  I retired in 1980 as Professor and Dean of the School of Education at Adelaide's Flinders University.  [My wife, Hilda (nee Rees) was born and brought up in Wallasey, went to Oldershaw School, played hockey for England in 1937 and 8 and died in 2003 in the 63rd year of our married life.  Since then, I have lived alone.]

Memories of W.G.S. in the 30's are even more vivid than those of Wallasey itself:

 

Daily assembly in the School Hall, 'the dons on the dais sublime', the memorial plaques to the old Wallaseyans fallen in the 1914-18 war, the massed phalanx of dark blue and gold, the School song with its rousing chorus, ("Here's to the School which looks out on the west"….).  I wonder if any of my contempories of the '30's now recall it? 

 

1928(?} Speech Day in the Town Hall and Schubert's Erlkoenig sung by the choir, conducted by Dr. Brierly - my introduction to classical music and to German, interests pursued intermittently ever since.

 

The final of the Merseyside School's Football Cup 9n 1927(?), a narrow 1-0 victory to W.G.S. over Liverpool Collegiate to the tumultuous ecstasy of almost the entire School, granted a Saturday morning free of lessons to go to the match at Anfield(?)

 

"X=O, a Night of the Trojan War" in a book of one-act plays, through which our 4A form-master, Bill (?) Mason, inspired me and no doubt others with a life-long love of drama.

 

Many other memories crowd in on me as I write, of episodes and contacts which had a significant influence on my emerging self-awareness and social and moral consciousness; for this I am deeply indebted to W.G.S.

 

My greetings to Bob Leach who I knew in the Wallasey Athletics Club.   If not me, Bob will recall my brother, Bill, Captain of the Club for a few years both pre- and post war.  I would have dearly loved to be at the October  reunion.  However, age and distance make it impossible.

 

W (Bill) Roberts 1952-59     

Please find enclosed a cheque for £ 10 to cover the cost of   OWW Newsletters.  Also, please would you add my brother David (David Roberts, 10 Queenswood Avenue, Bebington, Birkenhead   CH63 8NZ) to your mailing list.  He attended WGS from 1944 to 1950.  I was interested to read in recent newsletters that Ian Gilmour and Dave Peers had renewed their interest in bird watching.  Like them, I was a member of WGS Natural History Society and remember enjoyable trips to Hilbre Island, Loggerheads, Hightown etc.  Apart from a period when I was in my 20's, I have maintained my interest in natural history (particularly bird watching) throughout my life and still go out regularly both for my own interest and to do survey work for the BTO.

I retired from full-time teaching in 2001, and since then, have been teaching part-time at a small private school in Market Harborough.  Early last year we had a visit from two inspectors, one of who was Robin Laidlaw who was a friend of mine when we were at WGS.  I hadn't seen him since 1963 and he was most surprised to see me.

Winfried Roll   1963 Exchange  

This is just to inform you that I've returned home to Berlin safe and sound  - and to thank you once again for another unforgettable evening with the OWs!  On Friday, I didn't take that recommended ride on "The London Eye" as I was deterred by the huge queues - first for getting a ticket and again for boarding - at 9.30 in the morning already!  I'll book in advance online for the next time I'll be in London, for sure!  Instead, I had a great day out in the sunshine with a boat trip from Westminster Pier to Greenwich (and back) and a visit to the Royal Observatory.  They sold me a senior's ticket for the boat, by the way, without asking proper identification, which actually gave me something to think about, hehe.  On Saturday, I made my way to Luton Airport pretty early - and was "lucky" enough to my flight being the only one of that day which was more than an hour delayed…So, I was at home well after midnight, but the switchover to winter time, this morning, fortunately gave me back that additional hour.  Thanking you again and strongly considering my participation in next year's event (with equal chances for smokers, Mr Chairman of the committee, hehe)

                    

Robert Scott    1952- 57 <buccpilot@yahoo.co.net> 

After several false starts I have found the time to 'put pen to paper' and make contact with you and the other Old Wallaseyans who make use of the excellent website.  To be honest, I feel a bit of a fraud, as I only attended the school from the age of eleven to fifteen, at which time I was dragged kicking and screaming 'Down South'.  However, my four years at the school were wonderful, and in complete contrast to the years that followed in Essex.  I was in Wallasey from '52 and well remember the Masters (and Kate) who were all held in high regard by the pimply-faced youths who were their charges.  Prior to attending Wallasey, I had been at St Georges, and had been luck enough to perform well enough at the 'eleven-plus'

to be accepted for Wallasey, which had been mine, and my parents' hope.       I read with great interest the recent write-up by the daughter of 'Moses', our highly esteemed Latin Master, who, I have to say, invoked a fair amount of amusement from his pupils at times.  When time permits I will read through past submissions and re-acquaint myself with some of the other names from the past.    After completing 'high school' in Essex, I did a spell as a mechanical engineering trainee before going to BRNC Dartmouth.  There I did the basic Naval Officer training before becoming a fixed-wing pilot.  I had a terrific and very rewarding career in the RN until the lunacy of the socialist government under Wilson drove me (and many others) to leave and seek sunnier climes and careers.

I had a wonderful second career in Cathay Pacific Airways, based in Hong Kong, followed by a spell in Geneva as Director of Operations of a charter company.  I now live in British Columbia, Canada, where the weather, skiing, golf, wine, fishing and sailing are magnificent, and when I do work it is as an aviation consultant - and it is usually fun.

If there are any of my vintage who read this and can remember me, I would be delighted to hear from them.  I look forward to reading the website from now on, and hope that my schedule will permit me to attend OWs' functions in the future.

 

Neil Smith     <neilandpaula@byrnesmith.fsnet.co.uk>                  

I came across your site and might be interested in becoming a member some time. I live in Wallasey Village.  Can you possibly send me some details on how to become a member.

[Details sent - Ed.]

 

Roger Smith  <rogerjudysmith@tiscali.co.uk>

Could you add to MISSING, Paul Somerscales, gifted music master who succeeded Charlie Cannon, and so started about '59. He introduced me to singing which apart from my profession (and my family!) has been quite the most important thing in my life.  I have tried all sorts of avenues but failed.  Someone told me that he played organ at St Nich's but really I know nothing else.  The news of the sad death of Neil McKechnie brought back memories of his return from the Olympics with a boomerang which he demonstrated to the adoring throng on the back pitch and the display of trophies in Marks and Sparks' window in Liscard Road.  [See the note underneath from Keith Wright - Ed.]

Roger Smith writes later:  Many thanks; I think it must be the same.  The Newsletter is great.

 

Peter Townsend   1949-56   <peter@townsend60.wanadoo.co.uk>

Please note change of email.  Apologies for non-attendance at dinner - will be in Slovenia (Triglar National Park) running an English language for environmentalists course.  Not many folk will know that in addition to my geography teaching (I worked with Freddy Porter 1962 -71) I taught   English to UVC 62/63 and most of them passed 'O' level English Language in a previously unheard of success rate (ask John Stoddart who taught the previous year!)

 

Derek Wardle   1938-46   

Like many other Old Walls, I am very much looking forward to the Annual Dinner to be held in the House of Lords.  Neither my wife nor I have ever visited the House before.  We recently (beginning of June) celebrated our Golden Wedding, with a family lunch party at the Stone House Hotel.  Happily all our family were able to be present, plus Frank Carlyle and his wife June and Denis Haslehurst and his wife.  I am in regular touch with both Gillie Morrison and Roy Storer.  Gillie and I have happy memories of playing cricket together for Wallasey Cricket Club.  Roy rang this morning to exchange views on the performance of the Pakistan team at the Oval.  Roy's first question was "What would Dapper have said?"  We both agreed that his first words would have been "Caesar's Ghost".  Frank Carlyle has very kindly arranged accommodation for my wife and me at the Union Jack Club in London, where he is a member, so we are grateful for this.  We have lived in Stone for 45 years, and are very happy here.  I am fortunate enough to be a member of the Stonefield Singers male voice choir.  Some 46 members at full strength  - the average age is over 80, so I am one of the younger ones at 77!!

Our daughter Helen graduated at Stafford University five years ago and is now a Senior Staff Nurse at Stafford General Hospital.  Son Richard is Contracts Manager for Barlows in Malpas, Cheshire; they are plumbers and electricians. My wife and I have recently returned from a cruise on the P & O liner Arcadia - we visited Norway and the Fjords  - a fascinating experience, during which we were blessed with glorious weather.  Have much enjoyed being a member of Lancashire County Cricket Club in the last five years.  I clearly remember Frank Carlyle's father taking me to Old Trafford in 1946 when I played for Liverpool Schools against Manchester, thanks of course to Dapper Danson.  Many Old Wallaseyans figured in my early years playing cricket for Wallasey - Val (G.E.V.) Rone, Reg Radcliffe, Ronnie Smith, Denis Cotterell, Harold  Flynn and indeed Keith Farrelly, who was born in the house next door to ours in Broadway Avenue.

 

Robert (Bob) Forrest Webb    1938-45   <FORREST WEBB@BTOPENWORLD.COM>

I was at the WGS from 1938 -1945.  During this time Derek Charles was also a pupil, about my own age.  Unknown to either of us we were, in fact, closely related.  My maternal grandmother 's brother was Derek Charles's grandfather.  It seems that Derek Charles, like myself, moved away from Wallasey and although I have attempted to locate him I haven't had any luck.  I will be grateful if anyone can put me in touch with him.  For any Old Wallaseyans who may remember me. I am still active in sport, and although a little creaky, still teach one of the martial arts in which I hold the grade of 7th Dan.  I continue to write, but in none of the three pseudonyms I used for various novels.  For the past few years I have concentrated on film, TV and theatre as scriptwriter and lyricist.  I will be happy to have contact with any of my old school friends.

 

John Westlake    1944-53    <westlake.ofwg@virgin.net>       (Please note the new email address)  £ 10 enclosed.

 

Barrie White   39-42     7 Abbots Way, Neston, Cheshire    CH64 3SU      Tel. 0151 336 7711

Thank you for sending me the OWW Newsletter No. 45 -March 2006, which was most enjoyable; in particular the section by Brian Caddock giving much detail of the war years at school.  I have pleasure in enclosing £ 10 to cover costs of sending me the Newsletter.

 

Bill Wise      1950-65 (Member of Staff)        

Thank you for sending the newsletter.  I find it fascinating to be reminded of my years as a member of staff.  I am enclosing £ 5 for future newsletters.

 

Keith Wright     <ksm.Gemini@freeuk.com>

Whilst browsing the Internet, I found an inquiry about PAUL SOMERSCALES.  Well, I knew a Paul Somerscales, who was at Cambridge, and then moved to France to teach music at Chatellerault.  I'm afraid, though, he died a couple of years ago.  If you wish to know more, please get in touch with me.

 

Mike Whatling 1961-68   <mike_whatling@yahoo.co.uk> 

An excellent newsletter.  As an old boy 1961-1968 I would be interested in being added to your circulation list to receive a copy by email. [Done - Ed.]  I now live in Coventry.

 

J Rex Wood   22-31    Eaves Cottage, Stinchcombe, Dursley, Glos   GL11 6AP   Tel. 01453 543 710

Apologies.  Thank you for your continuing work.  I regret that I am unable to attend.

I knew Dave (Ammo) for over 60 years, starting at Egerton Grove primary, through the Grammar School years, and although circumstances took me away from Wallasey we met regularly for about the last 20 years. Since I retired in 1996 we met every Wednesday in term time for bacon butties at his house where we solved all the world's problems.  Dave was a true Wallasey person; he never left the town and Liscard was his patch throughout life.  For at least the last ten years he held daily audiences in the coffee shops with people aged 16 to 90.  They sought him out for advice on problems and his take on life in general.  We all called him the Godfather!  He was the most contented and popular person I had ever met as evidenced by nearly 300 Wallasey people attending his funeral.  Dave leaves his wife Chris and 2 sons plus 2 daughters and a son from his first marriage.  He has 13 grandchildren and counting!  Dave was my best man and best friend for over 60 years and to me he was the brother I never had.

J. J. Brace, President of The Old Wallaseyans' Club, writes:

I knew Norman best from our time together on the bowling green - he helped Wilf Barton and John Pringle form the OW's Bowls Section in 1989and then, when I was Hon. Sec., he used to buttonhole me from time to time about various aspects of the Club's management, usually to do with the comparative decline in the Bar finances or the Catering's inadequacies.  Such discussions were often fierce but they never affected our good relationship!  By the time I joined the Club's Committee in the early 90's, under a new Rule, Norman was time-barred from continuing as Hon. Treasurer, an office he had held for some 20 years (nobody seems to know exactly how many years but all agree that he had become a fixture!), but, behind the scenes, he carried on by helping his friend, Derek Jackson, do the job.  From conversation with other long-standing members; I have learned of his practical work for the Club in its early days at the present address and his steadfast adherence to conservative standards of behaviour, over a long period of time, and his preference for the traditional - gentleman's club - way of doing things, from which he never wavered.

He was the first non-WGS man to be President (from April 1988 to April 1990) and, I understand, one of the first Oldershaw G.S. men to be admitted to membership of the OWs.

He bore his final illness with fortitude and the attendance at his funeral service at St. Hilary's Church on 14th August bore testimony to the respect in which he was held.  Norman was born on 22.11.25 and died on 6.8.06.