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OWWW NEWSLETTER No54 Sept 2010
For former pupils of Wallasey School, Henry Meoles, Oxley and Wallasey GS The79thAnnual OWW Dinner will be held on the 22nd October 2010 at the RAF Club With all good wishes,
Tony Simpson News from Members
Mrs Leslie Allison, [to Tony Simpson] 'Twas most kind of you to ring recently. I have decided to send you the album; photos are so small but in this day and age maybe they could be
enlarged if anyone feels it worthwhile. There are negatives in an envelope, which I think refer to some of the loose snaps. There is no urgency for the return but I trust you to do so at some convenient time -
stamps are for the return journey unless postage is increased! The gentleman who came to Norman's service at St. Mary's in Linton was Richard P Dunn of 18 Fen Road Cambridge 01223 420 034. I fancy he is one
of the signatories in the album (I remember he said there were two Dunns in his time!) It seems he had brought along photos of rowers to the service but unfortunately the family had to depart immediately for Brinkley
Woodland Cemetery as the vicar had another service to take. Only learnt this some weeks later from a member of the church. I did ring but was not able to thank him. Hope they bring back happy memories for you.
Tony Simpson writes: Mrs Leslie Allison kindly sent me a rowing Club album which contains photographs of the WGS Rowing Club in action and posed. I have returned the album to Mrs Allison. It was inscribed with a message to Norman Allison from the Members, in gratitude for his service to School Rowing 1946-49. The signatories were:- Captain Stewart King, Vice Captain John Pearson, Secretary Allan Stewart, and the following members H Berry, R F Bordley, ND Bradbury, JM Carruthers, D McW Barlow, CJ Hughes, J Woodend, RP Dunn, CH Brown, J Brospert, GCW Edwards & JG Forster.
Philip N Bird 1934-42 Many
thanks for sending me the Old Wallaseyans Newsletter. So many of the memories of school days are of the non-routine events rather than the regular classroom days. The bicycle shed(s) at Withens Lane became so
overcrowded that the Headmaster, at that time FL Allan, decreed that everyone living within a mile of the school must WALK! These sheds were against the boundary fence between school and the Navy League next
door. I remember that we were not allowed into the school building in the morning until the school bell rang. So we stood by the fence & watched the Navy League boys' parade for their daily flag-raising
ceremony. As it concluded one of their officers marched over to me and reprimanded us for not doffing our caps as the Union Jack was being raised. The tension & embarrassing silence was relieved by the school bell,
when we all turned around & walked away Cross country running - for ALL those not playing in a team game as centred round the old-fashioned farmhouse at Leasowe, in an area now all built up.
Facilities were primitive but exhilarating! The grounds man, Mr Tranter, had a fire in the old stone-floored kitchen under a huge copper boiler filled with water. On return from the run you might get one of several
footbaths with a bucket full of hot water in which to wash. The slower runners had to make do with cold water! The only available "shower" was to up-end the footbath over oneself after washing. The Headmaster
would regularly run with us and might afterwards appear in the changing room with a "well run so & so". He once said it to me but I can't think why.
Roger Creegen 1957-63 <rmcreegan@btinternet.com>
[To Bob Bryans] You were interested in what happened to WGS after it ceased to be WGS. Well, here are some jottings:- It reopened as Withensfield Middle School in September
1970. It had been considerably altered from earlier days. The back pitch had been made "all-weather" with red gravel. The cricket square in the front had deteriorated till it was just like any other
field. The "new" laboratory was the only retained science lab. I seem to remember the outside chemistry lab was used by the F.E. College next door. Each block of 3 classrooms was reduced to 2, with a shared practical area
between. Classes were given their teacher's initials. I took 10 year olds (Year 1 of Middle School, hence 1C.) The classes were separated from the practical areas by plastic concertina (Marley-type) doors, which were
forever breaking, as the handles were too low, and the bearings at the top broke down. The gas taps were a real menace with some of the gentry we had! Fortunately there was a master tap, which I kept turned off!
This pattern was repeated each side of the hall, upstairs and down. Larger rooms, e.g. the one over the Head's and Secretary's room or the former Senior Library had a practical area as part of their classroom and
did not have to share it. Former labs eg, Physics, became classrooms, as did the Art Room. Eggleshaw's room too. The cloakrooms at the 3rd
Form block became the Staff Room, with a bit portioned off for male staff changing and showers and loo. The two toilet blocks changed loos were inside. One was bricked off for Caretaker purposes. The one near
the gym became the girls' shower and changing. Boys had their changing and showers where the PE/Games changing rooms used to be. The gym stayed but all the wall bars and ropes went. A wheel-out small set of wall
bars was fitted (I never liked it.) The old 3rd
form rooms were altered - one was partitioned to make a language lab. The Head & Secretary's rooms swapped over from WGS days. The railings round the hall balcony were raised, and book lockers for a number of children stopped access too Health & Safety!
The Fives Courts were still there, but minus the wooden spectator stands we loved so much. The canteen stayed. The printing press?- I don't remember anyone using it.
The Deputy Head used the small room halfway up the stairs at the 3rd Form end. I can't remember the old Junior Library being used for anything much. The Boiler Room - wait for it was in the room next
to the Art Room where the Staff used to go for tea or a smoke at break time. It broke down almost as the school reopened, and we were shut for a day or two. All electricals were controlled via residual current
breakers. The slightest "fault" on your lights and they tripped out. Access was via a ladder (care H & S!!) to the fuse box at the back of the hall, high up. One term I got very fit repeatedly resetting it
for my room!!! Think of the size of the classrooms I started off with 38 ten year olds. It was like a sardine tin. We had a six-form entry. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. By
the way, the Deputy Head boy, Peter Roberts, 1963-64, was on the staff too. The last address I had for him was 34 Beryl Drive, Parkgate. I think he's still there. [Later to Bob Bryans] DVD received today many thanks. Needless to say, much of it was of great interest and fascinating. I actually took the footage of the Geography field trip. It was known that I was very
interested in photography (still am) and I was entrusted with the school cine camera at Easter 1963, when we stayed at Dalsham Hall near Carlisle. The group was lead by a young geography master, Tony Stoney, who has only
recently retired as a Secondary Head in Doncaster. I'm still in touch with him. In this footage, one lad is shown having his lunch while on rural study. That's Ron Brightman, who now lives in Auckland, New
Zealand. I met him there in 2003. The person standing in the field filling in a piece of paperwork is I Ron took that shot of me. Small world isn't it. I still have family on the Wirral, and was
there briefly just two weeks ago. I'm afraid I've no real knowledge of the change to Leasowe. I do know who was Deputy Headboy in 1963-4, and that he lives in Parkgate. The WGS building, rather altered,
reopened as Withensfield Middle School in 1970. As a teacher, I spent 5 ½ very happy years there, before moving here for a deputy headship in 1976. My classroom was at the back of the hall, right hand side facing
the front. In a way it felt odd to be teaching where I'd spent 7 years as a pupil. When the 1974 reorganisation of local government eventually led to the abolition of middle schools, the building became
Liscard Primary School. It still is. I still have a copy of Kate Silvey's " Leaves from a Diary," published by the WGS printing press after she died so suddenly in 1959. I also have three of the long school
photos.
Ted Freeman New address: <edward.freeman3@gmail.com> [Ted Freeman is a contemporary of Derek West and lives in France Ed.]
Angus Moyes 1963-71
malfam9455@aol.com
Ron Parker 1959-66 ronwparker@gmail.com LIFE IN NORTHERN THAILAND I have lived in Chiangmai for at least 6 months a year for over the last 7 years and can't think of a better place to retire. It is not just 35-40% cheaper to live
here, not just so much better climate (sun shines for over 350 days a year and the temperature goes down as low as 11 degrees C in the night on occasion in the middle of winter); not just wonderful food ; not just that you are
still very sought after by beautiful girls in your 50s and 60s (my lady has a degree, speaks good English and comes from a middle class family) but life is so good here .It is so much more a relaxing pace of life the most
common phrases are cha cha (slow slow) and mai pend (never mind). Chiangmai is the "Rose of the North" the second largest city but much smaller than Bangkok, much more beautiful with gardens everywhere, with a fabulous
road system which makes traffic jams few and with 3 bands of ring road easy to get around by car. It is the cultural heart of Thailand and the main centre of Lanna culture. Lanna literally means the kingdom of a
million rice fields. It has an old city surrounded by a moat with more temples that Bangkok but also very modern shopping malls, cinema complexes, theatre etc. There are great design studios, art galleries and music
even including a number of Blues and Jazz venues plus traditional music and dance. The University (CMU) is one of the best in the country and the first outside Bangkok is now one of 6/7 in the region and with a big student
population the nightlife, great without the seediness of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket etc. Chiangmai sits in the middle of a bowl shaped plateau (300 metres above sea level) surrounded by forested mountains which abound
with lakes, waterfalls and hot springs plus colourful hill tribe villages. It has 6 month of mainly dry weather covering winter and their summer (March early May) followed by 6 months of rainy season usually 1 downpour in
the late afternoon /evening separated by mixed sun and clouds. There is a large multicultural expat population, ranging from young volunteers and teachers to retirees (we have some thriving expat clubs), many come just
for the winter dry months but others grow into the place and make it their home. "But how can you live so far way" I am often asked. Well firstly far from where? as we are nearer to Australasia,
and most of Asia plus the Pacific so I can be in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Maldives or Bali quickly. But with very good Internet and cheap/free computer phone links I keep in regular touch with family and friends plus
my annual pilgrimage in the English summer (?) back to the UK which I like to keep to a maximum (not just cost but weather and lifestyle are limiting factors) of 3 weeks and go through a variety of emotions finishing with
pleasure at flying back! Any questions?
Dr William H Penley 1926-1934 bill@penley.org
I have been motivated to write (at the advanced age of 93) by reading emails from John Budge (1928-1934) and also Alex
Burr (1928-1934) who may remember our camping trips together; as well as goaded by Douglas Addison who lives quite near! I am sorry not to have felt up to attending the dinners in recent years but enjoyed them when I lived at Sevenoaks. I find the Newsletter interesting
and enclose a contribution to help maintain your activity. My three elder brothers went to the WGS and in 1926, well after they had left, I joined the Junior School with Mr Vipan as Headmaster. I was there
throughout Wilkie's period as head taking part, as a soloist, in concerts and in "King Arthur" at the New Brighton Tower Theatre recorded in his book by Maurice Eggleshaw who also took a lead part. I didn't
work very hard at school but put in the necessary effort in at Liverpool University where I got the David Rew memorial scholarship and a first class honours degree in Electrical Engineering in 1937. I then researched the
effect of very high voltage high frequency stresses on insulators, for a PhD I completed in 1939. In the middle of this year, at the suggestion of a friend, I applied, and was accepted for a job at the Bawdsey
Research Station on undefined secret research! Soon after the start of the war I volunteered to join the Royal Engineers but was told that the Bawdsey job had top priority and I was to go there straight away!
The Bawdsey team had been moved to Dundee for safety and on joining them I as initiated into the R & D of Radar and learned about the chain of stations (CH) already in place down the East and South coasts. During the deep
freeze, with an inch of ice on the rungs of the ladders, at a CH station I installed radar on the 200ft platform of a 360ft high steel tower, to attempt the better detection of low flying aircraft! The team moved
to Worth Matravers in Dorset in May 1940 and I continued on these CHL stations for better low-level detection. The CH and CHL stations enabled the RAF to make very efficient use of their small force of fighters and
success was achieved against daytime attacks in the Battle of Britain. The enemy increased night raids and I was involved in the development of special ground based equipment (GCI) for the direction of fighters at
night. These in association with the airborne radars (A1) used by "cat's eye Cunningham" were successful; and the Germans were denied the superiority in the air they needed to mount a successful invasion. In
May 1942 on orders direct from Winston Churchill, who feared we might be subjected to a reprisal raid, the Radar team, which had expanded from 200 to 2000, was moved to Malvern. I became team leader for the work on ground
radar and at the end of the war for defensive airborne radar and guided weapons research too. I became director of the Establishment in 1960, then moved to London as Director General of Electronics in 1962. At that
time about 90% of the electronics research done in the UK was paid for on the Defence Budget and I was trying to ensure that British Industry would keep in the forefront in microelectronics to match the USA and Japan. Mr
Wedgewood Benn became S of S for Technology and instructed me to claw back from industry cash for an advantage they had gained from defence funding. I considered this and several other instructions to be against the
future viability of the British Electronics Industry and would undo the success I had helped them achieve, so I moved to the Army Department first as Director of the Royal Armament R & D Establishment and then as Chief
Scientist of the Army and a full member of the Army Board. In 1975 I became controller of all 26 Defence Research & Development Establishments and was responsible for the whole Defence Research Programme until I retired
in March 1977. I was the professional head of the Science Group in the Civil Service for this period. After an enforced break, I joined Marconi Underwater Systems in January 1979 as Engineering Director, responsible for
the development of 'smart' homing torpedoes and underwater remote controlled vehicles. This involved using American firms as sub-contractors and much travelling round the world. I retired from Marconi in June 1985
and moved back to Swanage permanently. In Swanage I became involved in many activities St Mark's Church Choir; the Swanage Choral and Operatic Society, for which I was Secretary until October 2000, starting the
Belvedere Singers, singing in the Arts Club Choir; I was a Link person in Communicare a volunteer organisation to help anyone in difficulty - to name but a few. In 1988 the Dorset County Council showed an
interest in commemorating the significance of the work on Radar done in Purbeck during the war and asked my help. I wrote to about 200 surviving members of those who were here between 1940 and 1942 asking them for their
reminiscences. The county initiative was to pace stone markers for paths with inscriptions at Worth but came to nothing. However cooperation with Tony Viney resulted in setting up the Purbeck Radar Museum Trust
(PRMT) that sponsored D-Day and VE -Day anniversary exhibitions about Radar in Swanage Town Hall. These generated a lot of interest and one result was the inauguration of the Centre for the History of Defence Electronics
(ChiDE) at Bournmouth University. I became a visiting fellow and provided extensive records. This activity was transferred to the Defence Academy at Shrivenham and is now called the Defence Electronics Historical
Society (DEHS) I was President until 2008. I have lectured to many organisations on Defence matters. To make the personal reminiscences and other historical papers I collected available for study my son
Jonathan set me up a website
Roger Smith [mail to: rogerjudysmith@tiscali.co.uk] The McGinity tribe Bryan is the eldest. I am in frequent touch with Peter (no.2) and David and was with David only the other week.
Pete has just retired as a senior manager at one of the big London NHS Trusts; we rowed together (with Steve Williams, and Bob Lear was another of our crowd). David was a very senior manager in Bayer and worked all
over the world then retired first to Newbury and now lives in a lovely cottage in a tiny village that has a pub, in Suffolk. He was a rugby man and now referees, golfs a lot and enjoys life. Pete has a holiday
cottage just round the corner. Another of our group is Dave Burns who went to Oxford with Pete and spent his life in oil exploration and now retired to Dunblane: Dave Burns, Pete & Bobby Lear and I,
with wives, have w/e away reunions from time to time and last met this summer in Keswick. So there is a veritable coterie of OW's !
Colin Bruce 1959-1966 cbrucewarren@tiscali.co.uk [To Clive Lewis-Jones] I came across your name when browsing Old Wallaseyans sites. You are the Treasurer of WWW from the information that I have seen. If my memory is correct
you were in the year below me at WGS, and I think we may have played rugby for the Second XV. At another time you were the scorer for the First XI. I am currently the Secretary of The Wallaseyans Club and we held a
function recently for past pupils. Almost thirty attended and they were at WGS from about 1942 until the mid1950's. They included: Don Mudd, Les Stockton, Brian Blacoe, Stuart King, John Tomkins, Ray Brunskill and
Tony Davies. Wearing another hat, I am the Club Archivist and I was able to present to three of the above with biographies of their time at school. Four others have requested their own
biographies. The archive contains a full record of all pupils from 1875 until 1968, which was the last year that selection took place in Wallasey. There is also a complete set of school magazines, a complete record
of all rugby fixtures played between 1940 and 1968, photographs of prefects, rugby First XV's, Cricket XI's, Athletic Teams but they are by no means complete. If there is any information that you would
like me to research, then let me know. I do have some time available as I retired in 2003. However, I spend about eight or nine weeks each year on holiday as my wife and I are very actively spending our
children's inheritance. Bill Wise Member of Staff 1950-65 Having received the Newsletter for a number of years and
found it most interesting, informative and at times sad, I thought it time to make a contribution. Having reached an age when yesteryear is much clearer than yesterday my mind focussed on September 1950 when I arrived at
WGS. Looking at the School Photograph of that year I was reminded that three other new staff viz. Bill Stock, Martin Day and Frank Gibbons also arrived at that time. On arrival I was met by a
young man with a moustache who I took to be a staff member. It later transpired that he was a 6th
Former by the name of Ian Forbes Keir who was only two years my junior. He showed me into the Head's room where I lined up facing the Heads' desk with the other new boys. The Head in full academic dress looked every inch the part, but my initial attention was drawn to the board full of duelling pistols on the wall behind him. In quite a short interview he gave us to understand that we were on trial until the end of term, at which time we would re-assemble. When this meeting took place only Frank Gibbons and I were in attendance, the other two new boys had departed I never found out the reason.
After our first meeting the Head told me that in his view the Senior boys would benefit from a very firm hand. I appreciated this warning when I went in the gym for my first lesson with them. The
noise and fooling about was unbelievable. Having restored order & arranged teams in size order I took a lesson of non-stop activity at the end of which at the foot of each wall bar section there was a full sweaty back
mark. I only recount this event because as the boys were leaving a boy named Bruce Porter quietly said to me "You can go off people". I have never forgotten that remark & who made it.
Looking at the photograph among the Senior boys were the Prefects eg. Randolph Marshall McHarris the Head Boy (what an unforgettable name), Keith Howard, Les Stockton, Don Mudd, Carruthers, Bennett and
Callow. Other Seniors I can see at a glance include Brian Liversidge, Keith Ridge, Edwards (the boxer we still had a boxing club run by Dai Davies) & Dan Anderson (an outstanding athlete).
Moving to the new boys, who like me had just arrived, and I had the privilege to see grow and mature were Neil Spooney (the best natural vaulter I ever saw) Tich Lorraine, John Tomkins (an outstanding games player), Brian
Lawrence (he always beat me at fives with a smile), Harry Watkins, Philip and Tony Townsend, Ken Retallacle (the most dedicated shot-putter), Don Staniford (a County Rugby player, the Lewis twins, John Gavin (a most elegant
disc thrower), Neil McKechnie (an Olympic swimmer who brought me a boomerang back which we lost in the Head's garden on the first throw), Harry Gibson (a doughty prop) , Tom Kennedy (a wonderful middle-distance
runner) and John Stoddart. I cannot leave without mentioning the Davies twins, I could never separate them until one day talking to Wilf Allen I mentioned this difficulty & he told me it was simple
just call them Oll-Fred and Fred-Oll. They were rumoured to talk to one another by moving their ears, but I never actually saw them do this. Finally I recount a little incident, which is clear in my
memory which involved Charles Cannon and his new bicycle. He called me over to admire this machine, three Juniors were nearby and in his enthusiasm he called them over to admire his new purchase, and one boy calmly said
will you get good use of it sir at your age.
Obituaries
Norman Wilson Allison died on the 8th December 2008 HFJ (Fred) Hadrill (1937-45) died on 19th December 2009 Jack H Harwood (1926-31) died on the 10th July 2010
Peter J McNicol (1943-49) died on the 3rd November 2009 Professor Victor R Tyndall (1942-46) died on the 11th June 2010 aged 82.
Norman William Allison 8th August 1911 - 8th December 2008. Norman was born in Wallasey, attending a junior school and then WGS. He was
invited to take the entrance exam for Liverpool University and started there in 1929, graduating with an honours degree in Physics in 1932. In the early thirties he travelled extensively in Europe, visiting Russia,
Germany and a number of Eastern European cities and was a first hand observer of the rise of Fascism. He was a keen artist and made many sketches of the places he visited. After University he took a teacher
training course, commencing his teaching career at Quarry Bank School in Liverpool. From there he went to Guisburgh and then to Oakham. During this time he met his wife, Doris, who as working as a school
matron. In July 1939 he returned to Wallasey to teach at the grammar school there. At the outbreak of war, Norman volunteered for the Navy. Because of his physics background he was assigned degaussing ships
and was posted to Trindad. Trinidad was a rich source of music and Norman played in a group with Winifred Atwell. Norman returned to WGS after demobilisation, starting his MSc at Liverpool University concluded in
1947. In 1949 he moved to Felsted where he spent the remainder of his teaching career, teaching physics, swimming and astronomy. He was involved in the planning of the Nuffield physics curriculum. Doris
sadly died in 1991. He married Leslie, a friend of Doris in 1997. Norman was a kind and contented man who is greatly missed by his family.
Gordon Rogers [mailto:gordonrogersassoc@msn.com ] writes: Sadly I have to advise that HFJ (Fred) Hadrill passed away on December 19th
2009. Fred attended the WGS Junior School 1937-39; then WGS 1939-45. He was a front row forward in the Famous WGS rugby XV whose record 1944-45 season in described on page 219 of Maurice Eggleshaw's "History of Wallasey Grammar School". It is quite remarkable that seven of the fifteen who played in that team: John Jones, Bill Smith, Eric Jones, Alf Hill, Gordon Rogers, Bill Davies (Captain: obituary Newsletter No 43) and Fred Hadrill kept in touch, either in person or by email, over the years.
Editor: Tony Simpson
Secretary: Vic Green <vic.green@blueyonder.co.uk> Chairman and Webmaster: Bob Bryans <robert.bryans@homecall.co.uk>
Treasurer: Clive Lewis-Jones <clive@lewis-jones.co.uk>
Information on the Wallaseyans' Club at 142 Grove Road, Wallasey CH45 0JF (Tel. 0151-639 2832) and its activities can now be found at the website: www.wallaseyans.com
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