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Woodfield School

8 Comments

Woodfield School - mid 60s
Woodfield School - mid 60s
Photo: David Brown
Views: 2,585
Item #: 31124
Mid 60s

Comment by: Ian on 26th June 2022 at 00:30

David, not sure that this photograph is from the 'mid 60s' as the children look older than infants (older than 6 or 7 years of age) and the head was Miss Hill. There were no juniors as Woodfield was an infants school in the mid 60s
Could the photograph have possibly been taken a number of years earlier: it seems to have been a black and white photograph originally and, at a later date, it was coloured (purple and green) in parts.

Comment by: Graham Parkinson on 7th July 2022 at 11:15

My sister is on this photograph and she can name all her class mates. The teacher is Mr Smith. She reckons she was in 3rd year juniors (current day Y5) when this was taken which would definitely place it in the mid 60’s. She says her classroom was on the top floor of the old building.

Comment by: Ian on 9th July 2022 at 16:06

Graham,
I will admit that this photograph is around the year we are both talking about, but I can honestly say that I am not fully sure of the exact year. But, here are some details which I know:
- Mr Smith was a teacher at Mab's Cross Primary School and I am sure that he was there in 1967 (and, possibly earlier)
- Woodfield changed from a primary school to an infant school
- Miss Hill was the head in the sixties (but, I am not sure of the exact year she became the head)
- Woodfield only had infants (4-7 years of age) in some of the years of the 1960 decade
I had the feeling that Woodfield only had infants in 1965.
Some information for both of us to consider is the age of the children and the fact that this photograph isn't in colour. I'm sure that you will agree that this photograph was tinted at some time. If this is around 1966, I wonder why it isn't in colour.
Of course, as your sister is on this photograph and she is in the third year (juniors), this would put your sister at ten years of age. Therefore, your sister was born in 1955. As you are her brother, I am sure that you can recognise her and date this photograph exactly from the facts. Please let me know the exact year as I am curious.
Please accept my apologies if I have got the year wrong.
I know that Woodfield was a primary school with pupils from around the age of four to eleven years of age. Also, I know that Woodfield became an infant school. But, I thought that this change happened in the early sixties. Thinking about what you typed, I wonder whether the change happened in 1965.
But, to be honest, the photograph is perfectly clear and the clothes the children are wearing certainly do not give the impression that this photograph was taken in the fifties - then again, it could easily be the seventies. It is difficult to get an exact year from the clothes the children are wearing.
By the way, I don't know if you have any knowledge of Mr Smith, but he cycled to school. I remember a public information film about cycling safety shown circa 1980. The character, I think that his name was Augustus Windsock, reminded me of Mr Smith. I think that Kenny Everett was the narrater.

Comment by: Ian on 10th July 2022 at 11:03

Graham. One thing that I hadn't noticed earlier, it seems that those patterned pullovers were possibly fashionable at the time.
Also, Mr Smith doesn't look that old on the photograph. Then, again, he seemed to have those looks which changed little over the years; possibly, over the decades.
Additionally, it seems unusual for only one member of staff to be on the photograph with the children. I wonder why the head (possibly, Miss Hill or the head could still have been Miss Parkinson) isn't on the photograph. I assume this is a photograph of Mr Smith's class.
By the way, sorry for the typing error: I meant, Kenny Everett was the narrator.
I must, at some time, have a look and a listen to that old cycling safety film.

Comment by: Graham on 11th July 2022 at 16:47

Thanks Ian, that’s very interesting and valuable information. Yes, my sister was born in 1955 so assuming she’s right about being in 3rd year juniors it places the photo around 1964/65. I left Woodfield in 1959 and, of course, all my class photos are in black and white. I’ll ask my sis if she has any colour ones of her time there. It might help with the dating as sometimes the year was written on the class photo

Comment by: Ian on 11th July 2022 at 22:17

Graham. My pleasure.
I had a think about a few things and what seems realistic is that changes happened around 1964/5. I strongly believe, the new 'Wigan Girl's High School' (Whitley) opened in 1965 and this, of course, left the old 'Girl's High School' building on Wigan Lane empty. This building/school became Mab's Cross County Primary School. I am quite sure that this building became Woodfield Junior School and probably became this in either 1964 or 1965. Thus, Woodfield School (near the Cherry Gardens) became a pure infant school with pupils 7+ moving to the junior school (old Girl's High School).
Naturally, some of the teachers would have moved from Woodfield (Cherry Gardens area) to Woodfield Junior School on Wigan Lane in the Swinley area. This certainly explains the reason for Mr Smith being a teacher at Woodfield School (Cherry Gardens area) and, at a later date, at the school on Wigan Lane (Swinley area).

Comment by: Graham on 12th July 2022 at 12:10

Ian. I have always been intrigued to know more about Miss Parkinson. She was the head when I was there and I’ve always said that she is no relation of mine. However, since I have now done extensive family tree research, especially on my Parkinson side of the family, I wonder if there is some connection somewhere! Can anyone else help with some information about her?

Comment by: Ian Boardman on 12th July 2022 at 15:43

Hi
I am in the photo and can also name most of my class mates
I left in June 1966 along with the rest. There was an infant school in the new building with the Junior school of 4 yrs in the old building. Looks like we were in y 3 with mr Smith as I think we had Mr Briggs in Y4. Also the photo has a hint of colour and I’m sure it was originally in colour. Can’t find my original one now but did see it a while back. Woodfield junior school moved to Mans Cross site possibly a couple of yrs later when it was adapted from the old girls high school. The new one being on Whitley fields.

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