Wigan Album

I look forward to reading the book. How do you know the closure was unnecessary?? Were you on the education committee? I would say you were still in your teens. I was there at the time of the merger. no big deal. At least we got to play rugby (albeit the wrong code). The TLS was less than a mile from the most famous rugby team in the world and not a sign of a pitch. As for education it felt no different being educated across the road.

broady, if you had read as much info. on the reasons for the "MERGER" that I have, you will have seen that it was just political. The reasons given for the merger were absolute tosh. Fortunately I had left before the MERGER but the feedback from the people I know who moved over, said that it wasn't a MERGER it was a TAKEOVER. Even the few Masters and their families, who we have been in contact with, who moved over to the Grammar school didn't have a positive word to say about it. Your opinion is the first positive one I have heard from an ex. Thomas Linacre pupil.

Merger or takeover, what difference does a word make. I found no difference in the standard of education. History is History whichever side of the road it was taught on. We had the same masters albeit across the road.If you had left it won't have affected you so you are only going off other peoples say so. There can only be a few years that were taught in both schools.

When boys passed their 11+ they had a choice of school. The Grammar School or the Thomas Linacre. People chose the Linacre or Grammar School for whatever reasons and then to find that they were now at the Grammar School, for most Linacre pupils appeared to be a betrayal and to add insult to injury everything 'Thomas Linacre' was either ignored or forgotten.( check out the first Combined school magazine Not a mention of the Thomas Linacre School Sporting records. etc.) It was as if the school had never existed. That is why former pupils are so upset about the whole escapade. Obviously you didn't have the same affinity with the school as a lot of my Peers and former Peers had.
Hence me and my friend decided to write the History of the School. Now at least there will be some tangible documentation that the Thomas Linacre School existed even if it was only for 10 years.

As Clarence Thorpe wrote:-
"LINACRE WHOSE NAME WE PROUDLY BEAR WHOSE COAT OF ARMS WE WEAR BECKONS US..."See the rest of the school song in an earlier post under SCHOOLS. THOMAS LINACRE
Never forget the old ALMA MATER

School songs. How archaic. We all sang it of course but did it mean anything?? Certainly not to me but I suppose I could have been the only one in the school it meant zilch to (but I doubt it) Will try to read the book in the future.

I went to the Grammar School in the 1950's because I passed my 11+. I don't remember my parents having the choice of the Grammar or the TLS. The whole point of taking the entrance test was to receive a grammar school education. In fact, my best friend went to the Linacre because he didn't pass his 11+ ! He retook it later and then moved 'across the road' when he passed. As far as school songs go , I can still recite every word of the Grammar school song which was always sung with pride and gusto! Irrelevant? Never!!

Graham you did need to pass your 11+ to go to the TLS. A few boys passed their 12+ or 13+ whilst at the Secondary Modern school they went to after failing their 11+ and joined the school, and probably the Grammar School, a year or two later. Frank Richards aka. Mr Universe was one of these. He came from All Saints School after passing his 12+ having failed his 11+

Graham P, sorry old mate your memory is failing you. YOU DID NEED TO PASS YOUR 11+ to go to the Linacre It was a Technical Grammar School and there is no way your friend went to the Linacre if he didn't pass his 11+. Maybe you are getting mixed up and he went to All Saints School before passing his 12+. Which some people did.

As Ron and Old Linicarite have said. Yes you did need to pass your 11+ to gain entry to the Thomas Linacre.

Ok, point taken and maybe my memory is failing me. However, I still stand by the fact that the Thomas Linacre, when it opened, was a Technical High School not a Grammar school.

RON, If you have managed to publish your book - how can I get a copy?
I would love to have one.

I was one of the very last Linacreites having joined the school the year prior to the merger, our year were all greatly disappointed to hear of this happening. The lower school as we became were dumped in the grammar school building and only allowed to escape for woodwork and metalwork/engineering, even though forced to wear grammar school uniform some of us continued to wear the Linacre tie but were greatly chastised by old WGS masters but supported by masters like Flem, Basher and Jasper.