Visitors 5
| 1. Christine Whittaker 1955-62 | |
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►Hi David, I've made it at last! Still a few email problems to sort out. I will get in touch again soon. Bye for now, Christine (January 2003) |
| ►Dear Christine, Thank you very much for contacting the site. The photos you have contributed have been very useful indeed - especially the 1957 Panoramic Whole School photo. Your other photos will be found on the Gallery and in the Class Pages section of the site. Sheila and I have attempted to identify as many people as possible. Hopefully other visitors to the site will be able to name the remainder of the pupils who were on roll at that time. Lovely to hear from you again, David ►Dear Sheila, I have the website to thank for giving me the incentive to finally get online. So thank you and David for all your hard work over the past year. The school memories are still coming back. Christine | |
| 2. John Sudworth 1952-57 | |
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►Price Athletics photo 1956. Bottom row 1-5 O.K. 6 is Colin (Fuzzy) Hellewell and 7 is Ralph Winstanley. 8 is O.K (Med Snookes) who is now retired from being Head of Art at a school in the Great Malvern area. Regards, John Sudworth (Price House 1952 - 1957) (January 2003) |
| ►Dear John, Thank you for the information. I will do the adjustments this morning. If you notice any errors of identification anywhere on the site, please let me know. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►David, Thanks to the HGS website I got an email from a long lost school mate in Australia, Roy Mason of Shafton. He mentioned a 1955 Colts cricket team photo with him and me on it, so I took a look see. I spotted a couple of errors and can also give a couple of missing names. Back row to the right of Mr. Stewart is Colin (Fuzzy) Hellawell. He and Maurice Randall were of similar looks but Maurice was 6 inches taller. Next to Fuzzy is John Mansfield from Brierley. The wicket keeper is Malcolm Halstead from Shafton and the guy between Pete Hardy and Geoff Trueman is John Lamprey from Ackworth. I have some 1956 School play photos somewhere, Adventure Story. Do you want them? Keep up the good work, Regards John Sudworth ►Dear John, Thank you very much for the details and the photo. I will process them this evening. So glad that Roy got in touch. I really enjoy hearing about the connectivity of our growing network. I went to a mini-reunion last Monday at the Three Horse Shoes in Brierley. Just a few of us, but I had not previously seen two of the participants for a very long time. It was a lovely catch-up evening. Please send through anything you have. Photos are always welcome. Best wishes, Dave | |
| 3. John Hardy 1947-53 | |
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►I have today heard about the HGS site via my cousin Christine Robinson nee Kelly. We had quite a family connection with the school as my brother Peter attended along with cousins Tony Kelly, Syd Kenningham, David Freeman and John Kelly, plus my Second Cousin Ted Fox. It is a fantastic site and I felt I had to respond so quickly. I will send memorabilia in the near future in the hope my contributions will bring back some of the great memories I am just starting to recapture. John Hardy (January 2003) |
| ►Dear John, Thank you for such a positive email. I am glad that you have enjoyed your visit. HGS served the community for a long time and it was a great loss when it closed. The Willowhem... site helps us to remember the School's contribution to the life of the area. Thank you for the offer of material. Your memorabilia will extend the enjoyment of our fellow pupils. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie | |
| 4. Ray Noble 1950-58 | |
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►I was at Hemsworth 1950-58 (Forms 1B, 2B, 3S, 4S, 5S, Lower 6S, Upper 6S - 2 years) and would be happy to hear from anyone in these forms. Ray (January 2003) |
| ►Dear Ray, Thank you for contacting the site and for the information. We obviously have a long way to go if we are to complete the record of that well-loved establishment - but a start has been made. I will add your information to the site this evening. If you could possibly help the site with photos, memories and memorabilia please do. Do you remember Miss. K. Ward (Geography and History)? I spent the afternoon of New Year's Day with her. She speaks with great fondness of her time at Hemsworth. She called it a "family" school - as indeed did RWH. There were so many activities in which so many people took part. Lovely to hear from you. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie Dear Dave, Thanks for the information. I remember Colin Thomas well. He was an excellent rugby player. I am currently going through some of the many photos on the website trying to do it methodically. Jean Snookes contacted me via your site. She was a contemporary of mine and from the same village. I am trying to get in touch with Tony Pickering and Geoff Marston. Geoff taught at local R.C. Junior Schools until 1998 when he retired. One difficulty I am having is that there are no back editions of the South Elmsall Express on the internet, so I can't search for retirements etc. Thanks for keeping in touch. I am trying to spread the word! Ray Noble. (April 2003) | |
| 5. Keith Vest 1946-50 | |
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►Dear Sheila, I am delighted that you have contacted me, because until Friends came along, I despaired of ever discovering what happened to my old school friends. It seemed unfortunate that the Old Hilmians did not survive but, I suppose this was down to those, like myself, who felt, and perhaps still feel, little allegiance to the school which did not, as an institution, make it easy to "belong" after one had left. |
| It may be that the fact that I realised that the school was geared to academia, whilst I wanted to be an engineer did not help in this relationship. The problem was, of course, that one gained a place at 11 years old and the system did not consider changes in ambition. I welcomed the concept of comprehensivism which seemed to be designed to stream pupils within the one school into academic, technical and other but realised that this was a dream and that the reality was to aim for an amorphous mass. I found "Percy" Crossland to be a great teacher and enjoyed every moment of his classes. His style would NOT have been acceptable in today's world since we were horrible little men who needed to be forced into learning. We were tested regularly by him but the pleasure which I received from him was always in the "asides" which weren't in the history books but which made the history come to life. Mr. Collette was also one of my teachers. He taught me Book-keeping among other things and my favourite recollection was of his telling me that my ledgers appeared to have been written by a demented spider. Would you get away with that today? One of his sons, Mike, was in a form with me. I will look at which one but I am sure it was 1A. I do have some of my form photographs and, whilst I will be happy to attempt identification of others, I look at them and think, - was I ever so young? Cheers, Keith (February 2003) ►Dear Keith, Many thanks for sharing your reminiscences with us. We try hard to reflect a true picture of the ethos of our School in that particular era, and this comes across so well in the random memories of Hilmians like yourself, who are willing to search the memory-banks for the highlights, and send them to us. You are always welcome to keep in touch, and together we will build a unique record of some exceptional teachers and an educational grounding which we all value. Sincerely, Sheila | |
| 6. Val Watkin 1956-61 | |
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►Dear Dave, I have just read that someone else remembers the 1958 school play. WOW! I played the part of Peasblossom and still cringe when I remember that I was the biggest and most developed fairy on the stage. Happy days! Val (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Val, Thank you for getting in touch with the site. I do hope it has brought back lots of memories. As time goes on I hope more memories of HGS will emerge. If you can play your part in this, please do. To personalise your entry, the site could do with a good photo of you when you were at school. If you have any memories such as the 1958 play, please let the site have them. Our audience will be very interested in what you have to say. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►Dear Dave, Please let me know how to add names to photographs as I can fill in quite a few gaps. I was in Talbot House. Val (March 2004) ►Dear Val, Lovely to hear from you again. It is easy to add names to photos as I will do it here. All you need to do is say which Year and Photo. Each person on the photos should have been given a name or a number. Just email the site with your additions or corrections. Best wishes, Dave | |
| 7. Peter Roebuck 1963-71 | |
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►I enclose name additions to the recent photographs as best I can remember but hopefully someone else will be able to fill in the blanks and make corrections as necessary. After much searching I have found the old whole school photo of October 1963. I think this was the last one taken at HGS. If you do not already have this on the site I can arrange to send my copy to you to scan but naturally I would appeciate it being returned. |
| For the record my HGS forms were Normans, 2B, 3B, Normans IV and Normans V. No form photograph was taken in 1968 and the one of 2B (1964/65) with Miss. Jennings as the Form Teacher was totally out of focus - hence I did not submit it to Friends. I was a member of Price House (Blue) - which was also known as the Pride of George Pacy! I have not yet seen reference to the 10 School Rules. Are they on the site? Anyone who went to HGS will remember No 1 - "Any offence against common sense is an offence against school rules." Regards Peter Roebuck (February 2003) ►Dear Peter, Thank you for contacting the site and for the information you have provided. I will add the names to the photos as soon as possible. The School Rules are a mystery to many people except for number 1. I do hope someone will send in a full list of the rules one day. You mention the whole school photo for 1963. Judging by the positive reaction to the other Panoramics on the site, this is a must. I will scan the photo in sections and return it to you. Best wishes, Dave | |
| 8. Vivienne Horton 1963-70 | |
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►Nothing to send at the moment as all my photos are at my mothers but I will send some photos later. No enquiry except - Why don't we all join together and have a great 'DO'?? 22/03/03?? Vivienne (February 2003) |
| 9. Steve Hudson 1963-70 | |
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►Loved the school from 1963-68. Loathed it 1968-70. Should have left when Russ did! Hope the New Kids on the Block eventually found their own traditions. Pre - 1968 tradition evaporated over night. Romans - Taff Davies 2B - Ma Jennings 3B - Pat Glenn 4 Danes - Dennis Bavister 5 Danes - Monsieur Baker L6 / U6 - Brian Davis (Geog Field Trip Whitby - Photo to follow!) Keep up the good work! Steve (February 2003) |
| 10. Jean Burton 1936-43 | |
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►I didn't renew my sub. to Friends Reunited as no one from my years seemed to have survived, so was delighted to have an email from Sheila. I noted a message from Eileen Morley in Australia, 1927 to 1933, so she must have overlapped with my aunt, Sylvia Dawson - whose photo used to be in the school photos which lined the corridors by the Assembly Hall. The site is fascinating and I've had a wonderful time! |
| I overlapped one year with Mr. Jenkinson as Head whose 'accession' to the platform for Assembly was awesome as he laid his mortar board on a table, preparatory to conducting prayers. I have some photos which may be of use. The school building taken from the direction of the Green Gate and in winter so that it is not obscured by foliage - I don't think that was on the website. The school choir (all girls!) about 1938. The school rounders team, about 1940. Hockey 2nd eleven about 1941. The 1st. tennis six, the school prefects, and the 1st. eleven hockey team - about 1943. An informal group of eight prefects - 1943, just before we left. I don't know whether these are of any interest. I haven't a scanner, but when I visit one of my children they could scan them if it would be helpful. I will send some more memories shortly. Many thanks and congratulations. Jean (February 2003) ►Dear Jean, Thank you very much for getting in touch with the site and for your positive comments about it. Many people have sent in photos, memories and memorabilia. What people have kept is fascinating. There is still a lot of good feeling about HGS. The task of covering the 46 years is a large one but each day takes us a step nearer. Your comment about Mr. Jenkinson draws my attention. I never met the man although I may have seen him when the New Gym and Science blocks were opened in 1957. Please continue to visit and enjoy the site. If you are able to develop it further, please do. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►So we have Upton in common! I lived in the old village. Next door to the Methodist Church was a shop - used to be the Co-op. Opposite to that is a detached house - used to be called Rose Villa - don't know what it is now - that is where I lived. I wonder if you have seen a book - 'Upton and North Elmsall Yesteryears' which was produced by the local history group in 1996 and has lots of interesting details and photos. An additional memory - re the photo of the school dining hall. About 1938 - I was sitting on the girls' side (R.H. side of photo) about half way down, when suddenly the whole room was shocked into silence. A former pupil had entered, as a visitor, and was wearing a black shirt. We all knew that that was the uniform of Mosley's fascist followers and the atmosphere was electric! On another occasion, there was a sudden silence. This was because Mr. Hamilton, the Head, had entered the room, and taken the place of a junior pupil at the end of a table. Serving of food was done by seniors at the other end and it seemed that there had been some unfair proportions. An imaginative way of tackling the problem! You've set all our minds working! Best wishes, Jean (nee Burton) ►Dear Jean, Thank you for a lovely email. The anecdotes will be added to the site. I certainly do hope to set minds working. There is a vast reservoir of HGS memories out in cyber-land. Wouldn't it be wonderful if just a small fraction of the stories found their way to the Internet? Dave McKenzie ►Dear Jean, Doris Watson, Head Girl in your first year at HGS, has sent in a whole school photo from the 1936-37 Academic Year. It is on Index 13 of the HGS site. I wonder if you can spot any familiar faces? Best wishes, Dave ►At last someone who overlapped with me! Thank you very much for alerting me to the whole school photo. I am on the first one, second row, 6th from the left. I can put names to a few, others are familiar even after 60 years! I often marvel nowadays that 6th form girls seem to be remarkably grown up, but looking at the photo, the senior girls there also seem very grown up - they certainly did to a first former! I keep hoping that someone of my years will find a son or daughter contributing to the site and will be alerted to send something themselves. Best wishes, Jean (Jones) | |
| 11. David Chappell 1957-62 | |
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►Brilliant site. I lived next to school at the farm over the wall of North Walk. I enjoyed 1957-1962 - playing 5-s and helping Jack Rhodes the groundsman. Once got caught by the Boss jumping the wall to avoid Physics with Mr. Booth. That cost a dozen eggs instead of 100 x 1st school rule. Incidentally Dad was one of the first pupils. David (February 2003) |
| ►Dear David, Thank you for getting in touch with the site. Thank you also for the positive comments. I suppose site members are all like-minded individuals who have fond memories of HGS. Please keep in touch and let us have more of those memories! Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►Dear Sheila, Great to hear from you. Jack Rhodes lived on Holly Bank across the public playing fields from North Walk. He was groundsman in 1951 when my brother Ken left. He retired to Guernsey in about 1964. After leaving school I often climbed the wall from our farm to enjoy a cuppa in his shed next to the 5's court. He was a marvellous man, hard working, dedicated, knowledgeable, interesting and very good with young people. Sorry I can't help any more but have made some enquiries so may turn more up. Keep up the good work on the site. All the best. David Chappell (1957-62 Price) | |
| 12. Peter Hardy 1952-57 | |
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►I attended HGS between 1952-1957. I was in Talbot House - the same as my brother John who has also corresponded with you. My wife was formerly Pat Brooke of Shafton. The site is great nostalgia and once we find our old photos we will be in touch again. Peter (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Peter, Thank you for getting in touch with the site and I hope you and Pat enjoy many more visits. We are now in our eleventh month and the response from Hilmians has been very encouraging. The School found a spot in many hearts. The site grows daily. If you can add to the record, please do. I will add your name, email address and House to the site. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie | |
| 13. Margaret Birkin 1955-63 | |
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►Dear David, An enormous thank you for finally enabling me to talk to Christine after all these years. As for everyone else, it was as though we had been in touch yesterday instead of 40 years ago. We could have talked for ever. I was so pleased to hear about your meeting up last week and just wish I could have been there. I have just been looking at the site again. What a fantastic achievement. You must be so proud to be giving so much pleasure to so many people. I could browse for hours. Again, many thanks. Margaret (February 2003) |
| 14. Allan Dye 1966-72 | |
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►Dear Sheila, Good to hear from you. If there is anything I can do to help with the development of the site please let me know. The other thing someone may be interested in is a reunion. A small group of us, that are now in contact were talking about a get- together this summer, I think it is long overdue. Friends Reunited has put me back in touch with a lot of " Hemsworth alumni" who seem to feel the same way. Look forward to hearing from you. Allan (February 2003) ►Dave, Great site and great idea. Given time to look, I have newspaper articles and photographs to which you are very welcome. They cover the school and the Hilmians. Let me know what the best way to do this would be for you. Regards Allan |
| ►Dear Allan, Thank you for contacting the site. I do hope you will find it to be of interest. The site is now in its 12th month. Obviously all material relevant to the central theme is very welcome. Most people have scanned what they have and sent it to the site by email. Some have posted it. The choice is yours. I can let you have the site address if you wish. If you have no objections, I will add your email address to the site. Please give my regards to Janet and David. To complete the record, could you please let me know which House you were in? Best wishes, Dave McKenzie | |
| 15. Billy Rowett 1966-73 | |
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►Dave, I attended the school from 1966 to 1973 and witnessed the changes to the comprehensive. Both my sons also attended and I have revisited on many occasions I did a stint as a parent governor so I guess I hold a lot of recent information about the place as it is today. If anybody recollects the journey along the playing fields then you will remember North Walk, the place where I now live. The web site has rekindled many memories and I would be only too happy to help if anybody would like any updates. Best wishes, Billy Rowett (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Billy, Thank you for contacting the site. I am glad that Willowhem.... has rekindled memories. Next month the site will be one year old. HGS is still held firmly in the memories of many people. Your involvement with HGS/HHS as a pupil, a parent and a parent governor is of great interest. The site will be able to use whatever you are able to provide in terms of memories and information. I am sure it will be fascinating to read. If you could let me know which House you were in at HGS, I will add your name to the growing House List of former pupils. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie | |
| 16. Susan Bristow 1958-65 | |
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►What a wonderful walk down memory lane!! Especially the 1962 Variety Show. I still have pics of the Scottish Country Dance set (including me Steve Moody, Andy Coope et al). I was in Talbot House, as was my brother Stephen (two years after me) from 1958 to 65. My father (Stan) and his brother and sister (Janet and John) all were at HGS so it was quite a family concern. I have quite a bit of memorabilia which I will look out and get to you in some way or other. I am down to Sth. Yorks. from my current home in the Yorkshire Dales every other week to visit my mother so I can easily contact the webmasters if permitted. Look forward to hearing from anyone who knew me - am also registered on Friends Reunited. Susan (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Susan, Thank you very much for contacting the site. I am very glad that Willowhem... has been of interest to you. This relatively new site will be able to use whatever material you have. All will be of interest to some of our audience. We were not too far apart at HGS and will have many memories in common. Please feel free to send your thoughts to the site. They will make fascinating reading. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►Hi Dave, I've signed your guest book on the Willowhemhistory website but thought I would contact you direct. I have a number of photographs and the odd press cutting from my time there - the 62 Variety show, the recorder group (we won prizes at the Pontefract Music Festival) also the Chess Club run and organised by Beryl Williams (she taught Chemistry). My friend Kay Styring and I prepared the Teas for the Chess Club - also for the Staff Cricket Team. I also have some photos and the itinerary from the school holiday to Nice and Avignon in 1962. Looking forward to hearing from you, Best wishes, Susan | |
| 17. Peter Webster 1963-68 | |
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►Well that's 2 hours gone that I did not cater for, and really well worth it. I just put some photo's on the 'Friends' site and Sheila sent me an email asking for permission to use them. I said yes, then went onto this site. WOW. There are photo's on this not on the other. So many memories. In my Ist year, 1963 Danes, I did not know any Upper 6, they looked so old. Looking at some of these reminded me of the film 'Dead Poets Society' with Robin Williams showing his pupils all the old class photographs on the wall. He says they are all pushing flowers now and tells them to, seize the day 'Carpe Diem'. Will we look back and wonder, did we seize the day? I like to think we have still the time. |
| I will need more time to digest all on this site. It's brilliant. When I attend a reunion soon I will tell all about it. There are some gaps on photo's that need filling in so I will take copies to the reunion and we will get them done. I look forward to the whole school photograph from the 1960's. Peter (February 2003) ►Dear Peter, Thank you for contacting the site and for such a positive email. I am gad that you have enjoyed your first visit to the site. Hopefully you will make many more visits. As we move towards the completion of our first year, the site does now appear to be taking shape. We do, however, have along way to go before we can consider the job done. There are lots of individual memories which could be recorded. HGS served the community for nearly half a century. We have made a start and with your help we can go that bit further. Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►Dear Dave, Your site is like a drug at the moment. I see some of my photos are on. I will get more at the Reunion, although I reckon if I look at the other years the bits could be filled in. Peter ►Dave, Just seen the 1963 school photo that I never had a copy of. You can see that some people moved because they are blurred. My daughters think it's funny that I was wearing short trousers. Some of my friends were never in my class so I never had a photo of them. I have now! Thank you and Peter Roebuck. Peter (March 2003) ►Nice to see all those names from our Reunion go on to the 63/4 64/5 65/6 66/7 photos with even a thanks on one for me and Viv. Nice to be thanked. Peter (April 2003) | |
| 18. Roy Whitehall 1967-72 | |
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►Not an enquiry exactly, but I have tried to remember the names of the players on the rugby team photo sent by Jeff Ennis. I think it is the 1st XV from around 1970-71. Here are some names: Back row L-R: Allan Dye, Larry Parks, Bill Rowett, (Steve?) Ives, Richard Hart, Chris Harwood, ??? Front row L-R: Ken Robinson, Dave (Skip) Hyde, Steve (Sam) Ellis, Barry Butterfield, ??? Can anyone else fill in the missing names or confirm/correct my efforts? Roy (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Roy, Thank you for the information. It has now been added to the site. I do hope you have enjoyed your visits to the Willowhem.... site. To complete the record, could you please let me know which House you were in at HGS and the year that you went there? Best wishes, Dave McKenzie ►Dave, I have to say that the site is addictive. My association with HGS was strange but brief. My tutor, knowing that the comprehensive system was about to happen, nominated myself and three others to transfer to the Grammar School at Easter 1967. If my memory serves me right, the comprehensive system happened in the Autumn of that year, so I experienced about 5 months of HGS. I did, though, remain until 1972 having passed O and A levels. So far as my house is/was concerned, I'm afraid age has got the better of me, but I believe there were actually five houses during my time (Norman, Roman, Jutes, Picts and Celts). I still keep in touch with a couple of ex. students. I also played for the Hillmians RFC during and after my time in the Sixth Form. Roy (February 2003) | |
| 19. Peter Cooper 1956-63 | |
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►I really cannot believe it is 40 years since I left. Looking at all this for the last 3 hours it just seems like yesterday. Happy days though we probably didn't appreciate just how happy at the time. In those days our whole lives revolved around school even for sport and leisure. I guess we were lucky to be so well provided for. Peter Cooper (February 2003) |
| ►Dear Peter, Lovely to hear from you again after all this time! You will have seen that you feature on the site in several places. I am glad that you have enjoyed a journey down memory lane. HGS was a special place to many people and in some ways still lives on. The site is nearing its first birthday. If you can help to develop it further with photos or memories, please do! Best wishes, Dave McKenzie | |