Ex Holgate / Grammar School Pupils

Haha, that brought back memories. Exactly how I remember Kearsley. Jack Livesey was our form teacher in year 1 followed by Norman Goddard, who was great, in year 2. A chap called Barraclough taught us maths in year 2. I went to a wedding about 15 years later and he was the vicar. More surprisingly, he recognised me and we had a good chat about the old days. I asked him about the notorious Dicky Pym and even he didn't know how he got away with it. For those that didn't know Pym, he loved to get boys out of their wet trousers if it had been raining heavily.

 

Great stuff. Looks really well for his age. He actually tought my late father in law who passed away 5 years ago aged 77.

 

Fiona, remember when Mr Jarvis used to stop on his playground patrols to watch us play football, and then start giving us tips as to where we’d gone wrong? I remember him once telling me off for being a “fancy Dan” when I had a clear pass to Paul Bailey available. We were only playing at the side of the Sports Hall with a tennis ball!

Bumped into Paul after the Exeter game actually. He’s been over Manchester way for some time now.

 

Intimidating. That’s one way of putting it. It was like being taken from primary school to joining the SAS. And your first mission was on the day you arrived.

There was just too much to take in as a kid. The masters, the setting, the lessons. Every hour felt like a day, every day like a week, every week like a year. But once you got the hang of it I reckon it set you up for life. After that I’ve never been bothered or worried by exams, interviews or new job because nothing could compare to that. If kids today were put through the first weeks of Holgate there’d be an outcry and the school shut down. Make a good reality TV programme.

Spot Avery: "Say it out loud. You'll remember this for the rest of your life.... "TREATY OF SAN STEFANO. BIG BULGARIA!"

So I do remember it. Just don't know what it means.

 

I remember getting the prospectus for Holgate after leaving Wilthorpe Junior. 1971.
It was like reading about another world. A scary one! Like something out of Jennings or Billy Bunter.
As for Horace. Not sure how he managed it but I got through O level maths. A modern day miracle. The look on his face after the results came out confirmed that he viewed it in the same way.

 

Don’t know if you’ve got it sorted but if not why not write to the Chronicle and get them to do an article? I’m sure some company would step froward to do transport and/or installation.

Also, when you get it to Shaw Lane, how about getting together some of the old boys together on November 11 next year to do the reading out of the names?

I’m sure there’d be some on here up for it. I’d do it.

 

Just had a quick look..if he was Barnsley born he'll be 93.

 

I walked past him on Saturday, never taught me I had Sneck or Livesey

 

He always wore those slim knitted ties from memory.

 

If/when this goes ahead, please can we remember also those whose names appear on the board at the Cooper Gallery (home of the Grammar School before Shaw Lane, of course). Their sacrifice shouldn’t be forgotten.

Fortiter Occupa Portam.

 

Good stuff. I've still got my cap from the first year so I'm ready. Might not fit now though.

And if there are too many old boys wanting to do the reading then we could organise a footy match (using a bottle top instead of a ball) with winners doing it. And if you've never played with a bottle top then you never went to Holgate.

 

Or a game of Pie Crust. So dangerous it got banned.

 

And let's not go near the Goff Pit....

 

I started at Holgate in 1963 and was in Keresforth House and "Spot" Avery was Keresforth House Master. I remember "Dickie" Pym well. I turned an ankle playing football in the yard one playtime and a couple of lads helped me down to the medical room in the basement: Mr Pym thought it necessary to check my pulse - but in my left groin ! Being very young (I was in my 1st year) I just thought it was strange but never mentioned it to anyone up until now. Thankfully he didn't try to molest me further but he might have been picked up nowadays.............

 

I bet they were nothing compared to the epic John Street v Highfields "unofficial" dinner time matches that occasionally happened - including the "neutral" Special School kids. 1 pitch, 3 schools, 1 ball, (it seemed) hundreds of kids. If you got to kick the ball you were lucky, nevermind scoring. Funiest part was the teachers trying to break it up once they'd got wind of it.

 

You'll remember the corner shop opposite the school.

Used to go in there for ONE Woodbine or Park Drive.

Sold discretely in a small white paper bag.

 

I also remember it well and the Armistice Day ceremony. I wonder what happened to the honours board, which hung in the hall. My brother's name was on there for winning a State Scholarship.

 

Spot was indeed a true character and a great teacher. He taught me A-level History in 1965-7 and also taught me in the 3rd form. He wouldn't stand for any nonsense, and if he wasn't impressed by your work, he would let you know in no uncertain terms. I remember his once saying, as he handed back the form's homework, "3A? More like 3 flaming Z".