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Wigan Album

John Rigby Grammar School, Orrell

25 Comments

John Rigby Grammar School 1963
John Rigby Grammar School 1963
Photo: Frank Orrell
Views: 11,460
Item #: 11983
John Rigby Grammar School. Form 3C. 1963
Front row,left to right,Frank Orrell,Francis Tilly,Laurence Fairhurst,Terry Toker,Alan Molyneux.
Second row,Malcolm Cook,Joe Wilson,Robert Pilkington,Les Brown,John Ogden,Steven Hardacre,Jimmy McNicholas,Frank Hern.
Third row,Teacher(Kevin Sharkey),Paul McNally,Tom Hart,George Birch,Hugh Wilson,William Roberts,Paul Barker,John Day.
Back row,David Radcliffe,Michael McCormick,Peter McCormick,Tom Parker,Steve Wilson,George Hankinson,Keith Tyrer,Hugh Powell.

Comment by: Mick on 2nd October 2009 at 20:31

I can see you sat front row on the left Frank

Comment by: Tony Topping on 2nd October 2009 at 22:08

Eee Laurence you've not changed a bit!

Comment by: Maureen Topping on 19th October 2009 at 22:13

I was thrilled to see my cousin Malcolm Cooke on this photo.Sadly Malcolm died in 1995. Thanks for the memories this brought back.

Comment by: Hugh Wilson on 26th September 2010 at 07:15

Anyone know where Tom Hart is these days? He and I were really good friends. I now live in Scotland, but work in Northeast China.

Comment by: michael mccormick on 24th January 2015 at 13:12

I am on the back row. I have just retired from my career as a civil engineer.I still live in Wigan and I am married with two kids in their twenties. I would be interested in hearing from other class members.

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 15th February 2015 at 22:17

Hello Michael, I posted the picture and remember you from those days. Can't say I was fond of the Christian Brothers who taught us especially Baylor who was cruel and sadistic. I've bumped into Laurence Fairhurst and Keith Tyrer, who live in Standish, occasionally and Alan Molyneux in the Anvil pub in Wigan I remember you had a relative who had a farm near the Crown pub at Bradley and you giving a few of us a lift on a tractor you drove. I live in Shevington and have two sons and two grandchildren.
If anybody wants a copy of this picture I can e-mail it.

Comment by: laurence fairhurst on 27th February 2015 at 10:36

50 years since leaving and now retired from working in the engineering industry, have seen frank orrell and keith tyrer over the years and also billy roberts more recently. We have 5 grandchildren that keeps us busy and active.

Comment by: Hugh Wilson on 11th March 2015 at 08:54

Laurence I remeber you well. I'm past my use- by date but still working in China as a Project Manager in the ship building industry. I'm married with two sons and one grandson (another on the way). After leaving John Rigby, I went to college in Preston for 3 years and then went to sea as a Radio Officer with Marconi and loved every minute of it.

Comment by: paul mcnally on 24th June 2015 at 15:13

I found this website by chance. The photograph brought back many memories. After graduating from Hull University I moved to Northern Ireland in 1984.I retired from the civil service in 2008 and spend my time gardening and looking after 4 grandchildren.

Comment by: michael mccormick on 9th August 2015 at 21:51

Frank/Laurence - do you know what happened to anthony cheetham.

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 16th August 2015 at 21:26

Hello Michael, I don't know what happened to Anthony Cheetham after leaving John Rigby.
He lived next to Boar's Head post office when I knew him and along with Laurence Fairhurst and a few others we used to play football in a field near the bleachworks at Worthington where Laurence lived in Mayflower cottages.
The field was right next to the River Douglas and we had a long pole to fish the ball out when it went in.

Comment by: Laurence Fairhurst on 17th August 2015 at 14:49

Hello Frank & Michael, I managed to meet up with Tony Cheetham again after tracing him on facebook.He now lives in Chetenham and he came up last month to our house , 29 yrs since I last saw him and he was asking about you all. We had great times playing football on the Douglas pitch Frank, sadly it's now overgrown and tree-covered.

Comment by: Tony Cheetham on 23rd August 2015 at 20:46

Thanks so much to Laurence Fairhurst for alerting me to this archive! Am now living in Cheltenham and recently retired from the print business. Frank Orrell, Michael McCormick,Keith Tyrer where have you been? The bad news for you guys is that I,m seriously thinking of moving back to the North West!

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 11th September 2015 at 21:03

Nice to hear from you Anthony and Laurence. If you go to People on Album contents I have published four pictures, one with you and Laurence on Anthony and the others with you and me Laurence.

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 11th September 2015 at 21:09

Sorry meant to say when you go on the people category click on "A friend from long ago" to see pictures

Comment by: Laurence Fairhurst on 13th September 2015 at 09:04

Hello Frank, some golden oldies that you posted on wigan album. Tony will be up in Standish in mid October and would love to meet up with you and Michael McCormick if possible. A mini reunion would be good if we could arrange it.

Comment by: mike mccormick on 14th September 2015 at 20:37

Laurence/Tony/Frank. I will be out of the country until 21/10/15. It would be good to have a mini reunion. We just need Keith Tyrer to attend. Does anyone know where he now lives?

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 22nd September 2015 at 18:55

Hello again Laurence, Tony and Mike. Sorry I have only just replied. I would love to have a mini reunion if it can be arranged. I've not seen Keith Tyrer for a long time so not sure where he is.

Comment by: Laurence Fairhurst on 23rd September 2015 at 15:38

Hello Frank in reply to your previous comments, I've seen Keith recently in Standish I think he still lives in Greenwood rd, I don't have your phone number. Do you still live in Shevington? Would be great to meet up when Tony is here in mid october.

Comment by: Frank Orrell on 8th October 2015 at 21:16

Hello again Laurence. Sorry for late reply but Dennis Turner was trying to get me your phone number. My mobile is 07766898514. Let me know when Tony is in town and we can meet up.

Comment by: John Day on 12th May 2021 at 22:32

Hi
I’m the one on the far right, opposite end to Mr Sharkey. I just found this picture on the net.
I survived the school (barely) with zero fond memories of the staff but great memories of many of the boys. I am still in touch with my brother Tony and Mike Higham of 2B same year.
I went to Liverpool university (dentistry) and worked as a house surgeon there, then emigrated to Vancouver where I’ve been ever since.
Best wishes to any of you reading this about 7 years too late.

Comment by: Alan Wright on 13th May 2021 at 17:37

Hi John Day! I went to John Rigby and was a couple of years below you. I think we played on the same rugby team both at John Rigby and then at Newton-le-Willows RU. I've still got a photo somewhere of us playing for the Colts team in a sevens competition! If memory serves me correctly, didn't we also work together at Reeds Corrugated during the summer when we were at uni? Must've been around 1970.

Comment by: John Day on 10th December 2022 at 05:55

Hi Allen Wright.
I have that same photo of us on the 7s rugby tournament. You are right that we both had summer jobs working at Reeds while at uni. I seem to remember you were at Leeds Uni. I remember there was Bill Livesey on that team from your year.
I was at Liverpool for over 5 years as a student then very junior surgical staff. Then I did the Canadian qualifications and moved over here to ski and sail. As my income tripled I never went back except for weddings and funerals.
I would love to hear more if you read this thread.

Comment by: Andycalderbank on 28th February 2023 at 23:44

Think I played rugby with you john day

Comment by: Alfie on 16th May 2024 at 21:32

Hello my grandad ( frank hern) is on the far right. He was friends with hugh Wilson and Malcom Cook. He said he went to Hugh's house once and he had a little cart that they pushed up and down for collecting crops, vegetables etc. He also told me that one of his classmates (all I know is he is on the top row near the middle) once had a board duster thrown at him in the last year and he stood up put the teacher against the wall then never returned. My grandad won the ken gee rugby league cup in 1969 beating wigan saint pats. He played full back for south lancs boring. Just wanted too see if anyone remembers him. Thanks.

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