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Wigan Grammar Schools

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Wigan Grammar's Schoolmasters 1938
Wigan Grammar's Schoolmasters 1938
Photo: Keith
Views: 569
Item #: 35099
A photo of Wigan Grammar Schoolmasters from 1938, some 58 years from the time the Ordnance survey map I posted was made. It is also 71 years since I started at the school in 1953 and the following in the photo were still teaching there.
1. “Tommy” Walker 2. “Joe” Boswell 3.”Teddy” Johnson 4. “Pop” Denning 5. “Gus” Wolfenden ? (not sure he never taught me) 6.”Pop” Skirrow 7. “Paddy” Gore.

Comment by: Keith on 4th May 2024 at 13:01

Correction, No.7 should read Wolfendale.

Comment by: Benjy on 4th May 2024 at 13:19

Person standing in the middle of the front row, with hands clasped, Mr Williams.

Comment by: Donald Underwood on 4th May 2024 at 18:56

I started in 1943 Some were in the Forces In addition to those mentioned I see "Pat" lemon,W G Allenson."Little Angie"Thompson,"Weedy" Wallace and Savigny
There should also be "Dippy"Preston "Billy"baron and H A Bulmer and W W Thompson to say nothing of Miss McCartney

Comment by: Keith on 5th May 2024 at 10:16

Thank you Donald for that insight. Savigny was there in my time at the school but l can’t pick him out here. Stories had it that he operated behind “enemy” lines in the war but whether true or not l’ve no idea. On reflection l think l can now recognise “Dicky” Nutt in between Boswell and Williams.

Comment by: Donald Underwod on 6th May 2024 at 16:47

Keith
.Saviny is with arms folded on the far leftYes.That is dickie Nutt

Comment by: Keith on 6th May 2024 at 22:42

Thank you Donald, When you mention “Billy” Baron was he the Woodwork teacher who also taught me.

Comment by: DerekB on 8th May 2024 at 11:44

I started at Wigan Grammar in 1949, and Savigny 's son was in my class year. Who remembers Madame Tissot? The french lady who always said when entering the class "bonjour mes enfants". to 15 and 16 years old lads! Word was that she was a widow, her husband having been in the French resistance and was killed by the Germans.

Comment by: Donal Underwood on 8th May 2024 at 17:06

Keith.Yes the very same.He once chased me round the Woodwork room with a mallet in his hand.He was seen frequently on parade in Wigan as the Commanding Officer of the Naval Cadets

Comment by: Keith on 9th May 2024 at 22:13

Donald! What on earth had you been doing for Baron to chase you around the room with a mallet!
DerekB, I too remember Madame Tissot very well, and I also heard the same story but many, many years after leaving. In the early 50’s a best friend at Primary School was Harold Bibby. He had two older brothers, Walter and I think Norman, who may have been your age, all attended WGS.

Comment by: DerekB on 9th May 2024 at 23:32

Keith, of the three Bibby brothers you mention, Norman Bibby seems to ring a bell as being one of my class mates.

Comment by: Norman Eastham on 13th May 2024 at 17:43

Savigny served in intelligence, he used to interrogate prisoners, I read somewhere.

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