Buildings (Internal) (Photos provided by Brian Ardron, a pupil in 1948-55.)

1. The Assembly Hall/Old Gym 1939

This was one of the centres of school life. Daily assemblies, GCE and School Cert. examinations, concerts, school and staff plays, dances, House Dramatics and Physical Education lessons all took place here. Does anyone have comments which could appear here?

2. The Library April 1939

Sheila writes:

Situated above the entrance to the School via the steps where our many School photos were taken, the library centred itself over the Head's study, and the office where Miss Blake worked.

The door into the library was to the left of the Homework Pigeonholes; opposite Miss Smith's office, and the male and female Staffroom doors. According to Terry McCroakam, the library was converted to a Staff Room when the school became Comprehensive. It must have been an interesting change to a mixed-sex facility for those long-serving members of Staff who had only ever occupied the male or the female Staffrooms. I wonder how their behaviour changed? Anyway, I never saw this, so my memories are of a squeaky wooden floor, several large wooden tables, bench seats within the windows with shutters, and an overwhelming sense of cosiness and pleasant sunlight.

We had 'Library Periods' during our Upper School days, when given homework could be researched and completed. This was the time when one could meet friends from the other forms who didn't necessarily take the same subjects. There were usually appeals for "Quiet!" until we all settled down, and the continuation of this rested on the control of the teacher who sat at the desk to the right of the door against the far wall. It was a novelty to sit facing, and sideways-on to other pupils, as in normal classroom lessons the desks were arranged in rows facing the teacher at the front - except, that is, in the smaller groups of the Sixth Forms.

Each pupil had a library ticket (or maybe more) and when one wished to borrow a book, there was an after-school period of time when the Library Prefects were on hand to lodge the ticket from the book into your named card/ticket, and you were given a specified length of time for the loan. The Library Prefects, usually fourth-formers, also catalogued new books, and kept an eye on repairs, stocktaking and overdue loans, and prepared an annual report for publication in the School Magazine.

The main drawback to concentration in the library was the pleasant view from the four windows. A selection of mature trees and colourful shrubs set in the land which sloped away down to the distant road, guaranteed interest and movement whatever the season, but as the front of the school was away from playgrounds and classrooms, it was the tranquillity and peacefulness which encouraged reverie.

Let's hope the Staff enjoyed it too, while they could!

Please add comments with regard to your personal library experiences.

Thoughts in the Library Study Area, late on a Friday Afternoon

From the School Magazine (Insight) 1968

Why is Friday considered by everybody to be a time for being fed-up, a time for sitting back and doing nothing, a time for gently nodding off in Latin lessons and waiting for the sweet dulcet tones of the four o'clock bell?

Let us, on this Friday afternoon, probe this drastic social phenomenon which has hurled itself before us. As you well know, Friday is the culmination of a busy, fruitful and hectic week in which we have played our part in fostering English school life. We feel, as any self-respecting English workman should feel, that the week ends at approximately 12-20 p.m. on a Friday afternoon; the remainder of the day is spent waiting for the bell, dreaming of the weekend, waiting for the bell and -- well -- waiting for that damned bell!

Now, my readers, one and all, as I see it, there is much to be learned about our society from human endeavour on a Friday afternoon. We are, it is plain to see, quite incapable of pouring out our energies to the last. We have always to stumble at the last hurdle, when the winning post is just in sight. Now, dearly beloved, how much better a sight that last winning post would be if we had jumped that last hurdle without faltering, don't you agree?

Need I say more? I put it to you! Unaccustomed as I am to public writing, I ask you, should Friday afternoons be periods of dexterity, thriftiness, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, or should they be abolished altogether? Should 12-21 p.m. on a Friday be officially proclaimed Saturday?

Children, I fear I am being flippant, frivolous even, on this hot, stuffy Friday afternoon. Even now verily, as I am writing my proclamation for public circulation, I am surrounded by talkers, babblers and snorers in this beautiful library study area so generously and thoughtfully given to us.

I have spoken; I am having a snooze before being faced with the long, LONG straight to the winning post - the Geography lesson!!

Dyson, W., L6A . . . sleep.

3. The Dining Room 1939

"10 Tables down each side. Boys 12 at a table, girls 10 at a table."

These are the memories which come to mind when dinners are mentioned. On Monday morning breaks we had to go and buy our Dinner Tickets for the week. Usually two half-crowns would be the cost, as the tickets were one shilling each for the 5 days. [That will puzzle younger visitors to the site!]

The grey rectangular tickets were on a roll, and dispensed by a prefect who put our money in a tin and dispensed change where necessary. After we had queued in all weathers outside the Dining Hall, we went up the steps, through the doors and turned right to encounter a table set at an angle in the corner. This is where we parted with our tickets by tossing them onto the table manned by a prefect. The longer everyone had to wait for entry, the more dirty, curled, folded, and generally tatty was the ticket. The First sitting was usually for the younger end of the school, and maybe entry was by forms. Continuing down the long side of the building, we approached the kitchen end of the Hall. Trestle tables were arranged in front of the entrance to the kitchen, and word had already travelled to us while we were outside as to what was on the menu. Fridays we knew would bring fish, but never chips. The nearest we came to chips was when the offering was roasted parsnips as a vegetable. They really looked like chips! A trolley on wheels with a middle shelf held a stack of dinner plates, and having chosen one, we progressed along the line of dinner ladies wielding ladles, large spoons and a huge aluminium jug of gravy.

Those ladies were jolly sorts, with rosy cheeks and grey permed hair peeking out of their white starched caps. They said things like-"did you know there are 23 eggs in that custard?" or, "eat your carrots and you'll be able to see in the dark". The Catering Supervisor was a very youthful looking lady compared with her staff, and we had no idea of the way she had to figure out how to present nutritional meals on a budget.

All we knew were our own likes and dislikes. Liver and onions, Steak Pie, Minced meat in gravy, Baked fish, "Frog Spawn" - Sago Pudding. Semolina with a dash of strawberry jam. Manchester Tart - a pastry base, then jam, then sponge, and served with custard. Everyone would be able to add to this as their memories select. The first incomers would then walk back down the far side of the Hall carrying a full plate, and occupy the first long tables by the door, which ran widthways across the room. By the time the room was full, those who came last did not have far to walk to their seats.

We stayed in line, sat, ate, and went line by line for seconds, or for the next course. Our exit was made in the opposite direction towards a trolley in the opposite corner to the ticket table. Slow eaters sometimes gave up rather than bear the silent gazes of everyone eager to get out and play, as the whole line of about 20 children could only be dismissed when all had finished. After a short clearing away procedure, the whole proceedings were repeated in the Second Sitting.

There was usually a member of staff on duty, exhibiting varying degrees of interest in the proceedings. I remember Mr Leonard rapping on a table for attention, and announcing that he was disgusted at the way some people were lacking table manners. He held up a fork, and turned it curved side upwards, to show how we should use it. He did not want to see anyone "shovelling" food into their mouths. There was always an effort to keep the noise levels down.

We never saw the washing-up, nor the preparation of the food. First-formers might hear a bit of clattering as the serving trays and containers were moved around, and of course they received the first aromas of cooking cauliflower or baked fish, being so near to the Dining Hall, but generally we acted as consumers pure and simple.

There were a few pupils who went home for dinner, but they missed so much!

Sheila

I too remember Mr. Leonard gaining our attention by rapping on the table. In fact the whole scene is still very clear to me. Where I was and where he was. I also remember having slices of bread instead of potatoes when the latter were in particularly short supply. After rugby matches, I remember pop, crisps and potted meat sandwiches. I think we had these with the opposition. A nice social touch.

Dave

4. The New Gym 1957

5. The History Room (Room 12?)

Photo from Stephen Batey. Thank you, Stephen.

The photo was taken in 1966. Can anyone identify the room? Was anyone an ink monitor? Who can describe the ink dispenser and the "dip-in" pens. Did they have wooden handles? Who filled their fountain pen from the contents of the ink-wells? The desks in the New Block were rather different.