BY OLD SALIANS FOR OLD SALIANS

December 2009 NEWS

1. School Photograph with a story

John Clowes (Class of 55) sent in the above postcard which he thinks was produced in about 1939. The postcard came into his possession, and here is the interesting bit, it was sent to a person known as Paterson-Jones living in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia from people living at 74, The Avenue. How it then got back into the UK and survived is a real mystery. The main air raid shelters where bikes were kept in John’s day and not a little smoking are clearly visible as are the gym’s large windows. Some of the trees of the copse are to be seen in the top left corner. The area in front of the gym is the junior playground and this was the site for several scary ice slides in the winter months.

2. Now that is what I call a fire Keith Walker (Class of 49), now living in Canada, sent me a series of pictures of wild fires that broke out in the Mount McLean area of British Columbia earlier this year. I have selected this one that shows fire fighters resting from their efforts to control matters. If you would like to see the rest of them then please let me know and I will forward them on to you. They are well worth seeing.

3. Class of 47 November reunion dinner (November 7th 2009)

Left to right back row. Graham Howe, Ted Casey, Derek Gibson, Keith Sibbald, John Wright and Pete Huffman. Left to right front row Peter Jordan, Mike Chadwick, Geoff Stone (Form and German Master) Alan Barratt and Geoff Atkins

Dinner about to be served. L to R Lis Casey, Ted Casey, Ann Gibson, Annie Gray Graham Howe, Sue Howe and Derek Gibson

Ladies in waiting. Ann Atkins, Ann Gibson, Lis Casey and Annie Gray.

Following on from a lunchtime get together at the King’s Ransom, Sale the dinner took place at Styal Golf Club in the evening. Nineteen people were present which is down on last year’s dinner due to illness with some members or their families. Nevertheless a fine time was had by all. Good food, fine wine and above all, good company was the order of the day.

4. News for Old Stagers Malcolm Jenyon (Class of 41) tells me that he has had a second meeting with Eric Bamford (Class of 39) and his wife following an accidental meeting with him at Arundel Castle in West Sussex. Malcolm informs me that Eric was Captain of cricket in 1945 and he related two coincidences. After leaving SGS Eric was in the Fleet Air Arm. So was Malcolm Eric then worked in Nigeria. So did Malcolm. Eric is retired and living in Worthing just 5 miles away from Malcolm. A small world

5. Sports Memories Keith Walker (Class of 49) sent me a set of Athletics and Rugby team pictures taken in the early 1950’s some of which are reproduced below. It seems that Keith was a real sporting type for not only was he good enough to make the School Teams but he combined this with an excellent career in Cyclo cross. Those of you who read the report in an earlier newsletter would be aware of his continuing involvement in administration of Cyclo cross in Canada. Keith writes.

The Athletic World of Sale Grammar School for Boys 1949 to 1954

In those days it was run by Harold Christian and Ernie Wilcox soon to be joined by Old Boy John Fernie. As in Academia the “natural ones” soon came to the top. What went before we were never informed. What came after, students were able to continue by playing for the Old Salians. Why we were never introduced to Soccer, Boxing, Golf or many other sports was not questioned at all. We did have trips to Sale Baths by motor coach which resulted in a Sale Grammar School swimming team. In the summer term we had an Athletics day of Field sports from which the School’s Athletic Team was chosen. The main sport was RUGBY with a competitive “league” already in place. Someone who I assume were the Physical Education teachers already sorted out whom you played against. We had Juniors, Colts, Second and First teams. Looking back the title “Colts” seems rather peculiar. In my case I was fortunate to play for the Colts and Second teams as well as being chosen for the Athletics team. I recall a track meeting against Altrincham Grammar School. On looking back the memories are happy ones except for the time I woke up in Altrincham Hospital due to being knocked out during one Rugby game! Keith Walker (Class of 49)

Keith Walker is seated on the far left in this athletics team

In the top 1953/4 rugby picture Keith is seated front row far left and in the lower 1952/3 he is seated second from the left

6. Now who put that toilet in such a very special place? Getting an up to date map of the site of the now demolished SGS was an easy matter but finding one that was current in the 1947 to 1952 period was much more difficult proposition. Much searching and much failure led me to he local historical society who willingly gave me a photocopy of one in their possession. So far so good. The next problem was that both maps were of a different scale so after much messing around I managed to get them to the same scale. The next job was to print them onto transparent paper which proved easy providing that you let them dry completely. Now you may ask “what is he trying to do?) And yes you are entitled to an explanation. I was going to overlay one map onto the other to see what had been built and where so maps in hand I set off to walk down The Avenue for the first time since 1952. Past “Knocker’s” old house at a reasonable pace I felt guilty for not wearing my School cap and half expected to be overtaken by that fast moving headmaster who would deal out punishment for the missing cap. I quickened my pace. The first thing that I noticed was that the 1st Team Rugby pitch was covered in houses. Very nice houses but still a shame and what is more to the point, further consultation to the maps indicated that the downstairs loo of one house was sited on what I regard as “hallowed Ground” and this is why. Back in 1952 Demassey A played Demassey B in the final of the Rugby Seven a side competition. The match was all square at the end of full time so we were into “golden score” extra time and this is when I achieved immortal fame when I scuttled round the blind side of a 5 yard scrum to secure victory for Demassey B. You can see why I am very upset because after all it may well have been a scruffy try but to put a toilet on that very spot is an over the top way of expressing an opinion is it not? Other points of interest that were discovered are that there is a house called “The Copse” right on the site of the SGS copse. Maybe an Old Salian lives there. On the site of the woodwork room there is a house called “The Oaks” but I couldn’t find an “Old Croft” near were Room 7 stood. All in all an interesting afternoon which I hope to repeat in the future because I am sure that there is more to be uncovered. Keith Sibbald (class of 47)

7. The last word.

On August 18th 2009 at the invitation of Peter Crawford (Class of 52) I attended a meeting of the Nantwhich Probus Club in Cheshire. The speaker for the day was my former German and Form Master Geoff Stone (Herr Stein) who gave a talk entitled “A School Boy in Nazi Germany” It was a real tour de force and how a 90-year-old man can stand and speak for an hour without notes defeats me.

He spoke of an 8-week trip that he had made when he lived with a German family. He was just 15 years old and at a time and Hitler had just taken over full control of the country. His talk was truly interesting and informative and held the audience spellbound. There were many questions for him to deal with as well. I marked his efforts 10 out of 10 and awarded him a Merit Half. As is always the case I continue to be on the look out for newsletter content and as you all must have a tale to tell how about putting pen to paper for me. Smart enough to pass the Eleven Plus examination means that you can put a few words together in an informative manner so how about getting on with it? All contributions will be welcome. My thanks go to Keith Walker, Malcolm Jenyon and John Clowes for their interesting contributions. It just goes to show that if you dust off your brains and dust off the old photographs stored away in you attic you have a story in the making. If you have any news of or have met with old school friends then please drop me a line because just two of you meeting up is a reunion in itself.

May I wish you and yours all the very best for Christmas and The New Year coupled with the wish that you all keep in good health with much happiness surrounding you.

Keith Sibbald (Class of 47) Editor