Hyde Grammar School The Staff of 1959 - does anybody recognise anyone?
Old Hyde
Pole Bank 1910 ----------------------------------------------------------Town Hall 1937 --------------------------------------------- Cenotaph 1990
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Stunning film and music.. alas I did not know anyone there, but my oldest brother went there.
ReplyDeleteI was a pupil at Hyde from 1971. The chap in the centre of the frame after 1.01 min looks like my old Latin teacher Dr Berry (or Doc Bez as he was affectionately known). He was about 151 years old then, so its feasible that he was there in 1959.
ReplyDeleteI was at Hyde Grammar from 1960-66. The faces on the video are mostly the same though. The ones I recognise are: Dr Couzens, who used to stagger onto the Assembly Hall stage each morning to deal out the floggings and citations; "Jorris" (History delivered by the medium of dictated notes - unbelievable, almost destroyed my love of the subject); Alice - Dr. Couzens' "assistant"; "Plum" - chemistry whizz and aged 10; Dr Berry ("Hitler")- Latin and chalkdust and "Nunc Amici" protagonist; "Kenny" Ball - physics and sadism (it gave me great pleasure to give him a good kicking during the Staff v First XV); Robinson - maths and advanced sarcasm; Sexton("Snoz") - Longlands supremo; Foster (Deputy Head and thoroughly good bloke). Inadvertently got me a good kicking from Greenwood as I got top marks in a contest between Greenwood's A and Foster's B; Greenwood - enough said; "Fred Wyatt- basically a good guy obsessed with the interaction of black plimsolls and the gym floor; "Moth" Heaton - Jack-of-all-trades and a master of none - owner of an ancient Standard Vanguard whose nearside door was secured with a rope around the steering column. Also an Olympic-graded chain smoker; "Drac" - English and "pocket billiards^, can't for the life of me remember his name; someone who is a dead-ringer for Wilfred Hyde-White and finally someone who is also a dead-ringer for Mr. Pastry. Other names who don't show on the photo: "Cherry" Wain - a good man and a very approachable human being; Kubica - maths and applied violence; Shepherd - chemistry and extreme boredom; Glenda -lab assistant and very desirable; school dinners - fantastic!
ReplyDeleteTremendous bit of archive film.
ReplyDeleteI went to Hyde Grammar in September 1963 starting in 1D (Ashton House) reaching 2C and departed after 5C. My recollections of that first year were of Doc Couzens at the helm and Foster as Second in Command. My first Form Master was Williams who taught us Geography and possibly History. English Language and Literature was done by Tarpey, Latin as you’d expect was Doc. Berry. Didn’t have Cherry Wain for Art but a younger graduate Gerrard, likewise in the Gym didn’t have Fred Whyatt but a younger fellow called Byron.
Maths and Scripture were from one and the same Bancroft, Science was Barnes, the General Science Lab in the road side annexe had been recently constructed, Music was Bentley, French was Wood and for handicraft there was an elderly Woodwork tutor, Cousins, replaced by Faragher and later in life metalwork with Heywood.
In the Second years Crossley was Form Master and Latin tutor, as we were at Longlands in the morning Kubica was in charge of Maths, Joris Cauldwell for English and Saxton for French and Scripture. Back in main school for the afternoon it was Rhodes I believe for Geography and Driver for History…
At the end of my third years Couzens was gone and Bloomfield was in charge. My O level results were due to conscientious staff among them Harrison for English, Palmer and Lodge for Chemistry and Physics (never had Kenny Ball or Plod Wilson) and Greenfield for Geography. With the rose tinted glasses of forty years, it was a great school and some memorable staff.
It was I who put this clip together from the 1959 school photo, and added the music. In response to PP Pete, George Wain is on the clip. If anyone is interested, I've posted some of George's films on You Tube.
ReplyDeleteSuperb film of the 1946 football team captained by Fred Whyatt, sports day 1949, cross country 1946, and 1950s school trips abroad.
All well before my time (1957-1963), but great viewing. Go to YouTube and search Hyde Grammar School.
Also check out our new version of Nunc Amici.
JKP
Two memorable teachers: Centre frame at 35 sec is Mr Farragher, woodwork, and centre frame at 35 sec Hans Seelig, German and Music. Used to send us to the Halle Orchestra in lieu of translation homework
ReplyDeleteHyde GS 1958 to 64. Left to join the Army.Good advice from Doc Couzens at the time. Remember all the old faces from the staff, including the first ever staff v school XV rugby match [ I started the rugby team when in the fifth form as the school didn't have one . Doc said to me ' you get the fixtures , I'll get the shirts' As an educator he was light years ahead of his time when you consider the vast breadth of social strata with which he had to deal.
ReplyDeleteI remember my final maths teacher , Ian Gibson telling me not to worry as I was going to fail my maths O level " but it's in there somewhere, you're just too stupid to use it at your age. It'll all come good in a few years ".
Ian Gibson taught me maths in my second year, he had red hair, lots of it.
DeleteI think I remember he was an accomplished organist. I was useless at maths but I likes him and have wondered what happened to him.
He came from Slaithwaite, and I think he travelled to school on the train every morning. I could be wrong as some masters had local digs, as David ('Des') Hooley who I have recently met up with. He was my form master in my first year, 1E, Room 10, just off the hall.
I spent a few months at Hyde Grammar from Jan.'64 and met Dr. Couzens (self-important; the local 'beak', a miserable 'g*t') and saw his soon-to-die deputy, Mr. Bloomfield.I was doing 6th form science when I arrived but something seemed badly wrong ( the chemistry lab was a wreck compared to my previous school).To the local 6th formers I was an auslander (different accent and all) and I was soon sick of the place (often physlcally-remember the sickly-sweet smell from the dyeworks at the bottom of the hill?) and I left, choosing another school and doing 'arts' instead). I last saw Couzens on a bus, oddly enough, (a come-down, what?): I think he died soon after,about 4O years ago, I think.It's sad about Bloomfield dying young:Six yearsago, I bumped into someone who remembered him (I was in Blackpool for a funeral).
ReplyDeleteDoc Couzen's dep was Bert Collis, or it was whilst I was there. He did in fact die whilst in the school, but I can't recall when. Or did the Doc see two of them off?
DeleteTom Uprichard.
Arrived in '66 summer intake.Form 1c,gordon house.Form master 'Sacky' Saxton.Bloomfield was head then I think,Foster his deputy,Kenny Ball and Lippy lodge,Physics.Doc Berry,Latin,Greenfield,Geography,and coach driver.Jim Hyde,Music master.Roy Gerrard,art and Board duster marksman."Benny Hill,French.Kubica, 'Collect the copybooks' Maths,I never did pass that one.Fred 'Pele' Wyatt and the other one whose name has escaped me...'Ugby Morrow, Played Rugby League for Salford.Plum Palmer,Slept in his Dormobile van during school week,arrived back Monday morning stocked up with homemade bread and jam for the week,Best chemmy master ever.Anybody remember his Acetelene demo's.Oh! and how to warm up the lab on a cold morning..Turn on the gas taps,light and step away.Brilliant.That's just a few I remember.I still have my old school tie,complete with gravy stains.
ReplyDeleteJohn (Ben) Knighton was the rugby player.
DeleteAndy Gelsthorpe.1964 to 1971. Many of the staff on the '59 picture were there when I was. One not mentioned is D.A.Norwood (Dan) who I think retired in my first year. He had a big part to play in the opening of the Festival Theatre, altered from a cinema and pool hall and still going strong today- visit the website for details. An oval stone plaque in the foyer, visible through the glass doors, records his years of service . I still have Hydonians from '62 to '76 (excluding '63). Dan is on the far left of the picture at 17 seconds.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly recall anyone, memory is very patchy these days.
DeleteJust a list of names in approximately the same order as they appear, with an occasional memory dredged from the recesses of my mind. Plenty of gaps, I'm afraid. Doc Couzens, of course, Dan Norwood, ?? Gray??, Sam Seelig (German and ticket agent for Halle concerts) "Chinny" ??, Splint Wood (German and French horn), Gus Cousins (woodwork), Bert Weeldon (English ??), Cherry Wain (Art, trombone and musical saw), Killer Cain (History), Cabby Blackwell (Chemistry, but he somehow got me through Syllabus ll Maths), Doc Berry, Nappy Martin, Bert Collis, Des Hooley (English), Snoz Saxton (French), ??Foster, Fred Wyatt and ?? Price (both PE generally), Doc Barnes, Jack Grimshaw (Music - he also conducted the Hyde Festival Orchestra and married Miss Herd, who was a glamorous hangover from the pre-Astley days),
ReplyDeleteI've still got my tie, but my cap and blazer are long, long gone. My contemporaries, I left in 1961, had reunions from time to time in the Rising Moon on Matley Lane. until we all drifted away. Goodness knows the current extent of the Hydonian diaspora.
Tom Uprichard
London N16
Well have just come across this. Interesting. I was there 1963-1970 so I recognise many of the teacher's pics on the 1959 photo. Yes Doc. Couzens - HM but in reality was the Dep. Head Chris Foster (also taught French) who ran the show until Doc Couzens retired and Bloomfield arrived. Then Foster lost his nice office and had to move to what was staff room 3. He was never happy re. Bloomfield and I think left for a Headship in his own right after I left. Doc Couzens was Chair of the Magistrates at the court in Hyde within the town hall. Dr. Berry Latin and also ancient Greek but no demand for the latter. Mike Ball Physics and eventually head of Science when Bloomfirld eventually got rid of Palmer. Ken Palmer was Head of Science and taught Chemistry. V clever guy, Educated at Cambridge Uni. Yes slept in his Bedford van week times and ate in the lab. When we went to swimming lessons, he took us all in the back of his van to Hyde Baths. Mike Ball in love with himself but good teacher and clever guy. Very close with Sale rugby club and drove Triumph Spitfires. Mike Greenway Geography and yes drove the coaches from a Cheadle coach company for school trips. Polish Kube taught Maths.Mr Heywood - metalwork. Very good. Was a high end pistol shooter at Bisley. Brought his pistols in one day to show us all. Can you imagine that today in 2016? and Ken Saxon - Snoz - he was always sniffing. Taught French and was King of Longlands whilst the school used that nice location due to student volume overload. a tad hard/harsh on the pupils. Mr Wood - Splint - French and also played French horn and violin. He eventually left to go King's School in Macclesfield. George Wain - art teacher. Yes Cherry Wain. I still have a coloured chalk drawing he did of me when was circa 14. Jorris (Mr Cauldwell) History. Terrible teacher. Did not teach anything. Just dictated notes for us all to write down. Then another chemistry teacher mid 60s, Dr. Neeth. Could not control his classes. Music was Dr. Bentley in the 1959 photo but he left and was replaced by James (Jim) Hyde. Outstanding musician, keyboard player, Nottingham Uni educated in music, tenor with the BBC Northern Singers, had his own 'Melling-Hyde' - group of classical singers which brought to the school for concerts - even brought his harpsichord in for one concert. High end church organist in Middleton and v good cricketer. And Mr Heaton - Moth. OMG. I was top of class in Science in my 1st year there under his teaching. I got 30%!!! Lastly to sport. Yes Fred Wyatt and then Mr. Byron. He brought rugby to the school for the 1st time. Not easy for sure. I recall the chuckles in assembly when the previous weekend sports results were read out. Like always X 70/80. Hyde Grammar 0.
ReplyDeleteanyway all good fun and many memorable times. Got me to Bristol University to read Chemistry and thereafter a lifetime career in the global chemical industry. No complaints at all.
Phil Bardsley - 'philbardsley@hotmail.com'
St. Albans, Herts, UK.
Jim Hyde taught me at Chadderton Grammar School in the 60's. Thanks to him I became a professional musician and conductor. I will never forget what he did for me during those formative years.
DeleteHave just discovered that the building on Clarendon Road may well be demolished. All very sad. I was a pupil at HGS from 1950 until 1957. Was Deputy Head Boy in my final year before going to Bristol University to read Chemistry. Entered the teaching profession in 1960 spent the last 25 years of my teaching career as H of D at a 6th form college in Leicester. I remember my Chemistry teachers well - Mr 'Cabby' Blackwell & Derek Grant.
ReplyDeleteIt has been demolished. Bits of the building were given away, and my brother salvaged a brick for me - a very notable brick too. It's marked "Accrington", and was made by the firm who supplied bricks for the foundation of the Empire State Building. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Accrington_brick .The site is now an estate of residential properties called Clarendon Woods.
DeleteTom Uprichard (mid 50s)
London N16
Jim Hyde taught me music at Chadderton Grammar school in the 60's. Thanks to him I became a professional musician and conductor. I can never thank him enough for his influence and encouragement.
ReplyDeleteI attended Hyde Grammar School from 1953 to 1958 just at the change from Co Education to an all boys school. I recognise a lot of the members of staff and the names of all who taught me. I still quote Mr Collis who taught Geography after being in the PE department and I can still remember his lessons well. Mr Wood and Mr Branson gave up their free time to give Joan Grisbrook and l extra lessons to catch up on the curriculum after being transferred from Highfield Secondary Modern at 13 years of age. I am eternally grateful to all the staff who put me on the path to succeed and enjoy a professional career. Thank you for the wonderful memories I have of you all. Valerie Clayton (now Hurst)
ReplyDeleteDon’t see any mention of Josh Ainsworth. I think he taught science, but he also assembled our under 16 cricket team than won the Dewes Cup in the mid ‘60s. A good man. Description of Kubica as “maths & applied violence” is perfect ! Still have the scars from the edge of his blackboard set square (mental ones at least !).
ReplyDeleteRJS
I attended HCGS from Sept '66 and was a Brownson boy. I remember many of the teacher names mentioned, some fondly others less so. It's interesting to read other's opinions of the various teaching characters and how they vary or coincide with mine.Got to say, I never really felt any were overly draconian. Some were humourless and plodded through days but others were truly inspirational and generated long lasting interests and life skills. Mike Greenway was one who's teaching of geography was always interesting and promoted a love of the subject......I suppose Malham Tarn hasn't had the interest or been the same since those Hyde days with Mike Greenway, my No1 from those days.
ReplyDeleteI was also quite fond of Mike Ball, physics and badminton supremo.........more so from the badminton point of view as I played for schochol and county. I disliked physics at the time.......but have actually found it fascinating as life has progressed. Mike Ball was much too much maligned, yes, didn't treat fools lightly, but a good bloke nonetheless.
Harry Driver my first form master, can't remember much about him and Peter Robinson my third.......always enjoyed his sarcastic humour, can't remember any others, suppose they didn't do anything memorable.
Always remember John Knighton, brilliant sports master, Mr Hyde music teacher and fantastic cricketer (batsman), Kubica, a man who destroyed for life, any interest I may have ever had in mathematics. Dr Berry, can't fathom why I was taught Latin, or anything from being taught it !!
'Jorris' tried hard to bore any interest in history out of everyone. I married a French girl and at the beginning of our relationship conversed with her in French, so I must have had a decent education in French, but am struggling to remember the French master's name.......Chapman ?? (one of the few to wear a gown).
Others I remember were Gerrard (art), Wheedon (english), Wood (music). Also a word for Headmaster Bloomfield, who once he came in from Keighley GS quite rightly promoted sport as a major part of the school's 'raison d'etre'.
Then there is the famous 'Pele' Wyatt........there can't be many boys who were at HCGS who weren't either class-mates or pupils of Fred, such was his amazing longevity at the school.
At the time, I enjoyed my days at HCGS, but in hindsight they were much better than that. A terrific education and a great start in life. Sadly, the equivalent education today would cost around £15,000 a term, because it is not available courtesy of the state, and hasn't been since the 70's. Shame on Harold Wilson and Shirley Williams.
Keith
I drove up Clarendon Rd and noticed that some of the streets/cul-de-sacs on the estate now covering the site where the school once stood were named:- Brownson Close, Chapman Avenue and Gordon Close. Nice to see a link with the old school has been maintained (don't think there is an Ashton named street there, though there is of course Ashton Rd at the top of Clarendon Rd, though that's named after the town rather than the Red House at HCGS).
ReplyDeleteKeith