Wigan Album

It is "Standish" not "St Wilfrid". How old were these boys?

The full title for this school WAS: Standish St.Wilfrid's C of E boys Grammar School. The age of the pupils varied, one on the back row of the photo was five months older than I.
At the time King George VI passed away, 6th. Feb. 1952, I was eight years old, two months short of nine. I could have got the class standard number wrong (i.e.J3), it could have been J2; anyway it was Miss Light's class, maybe someone will offer the correct one. My sincere apology Frank, for the confusion.

Peter is it true the tale I still remember of when they held a class in the conservative club that when the teacher Bob Baker asked if anyone had a knife he could borrow Aaron Ashurst clod one for him and it stuck in the blackboard ?

I am in a similar position to Yourself on that one, I heard that tale because I was off with having checks on my peepers, I got my right one damaged when a school chum threw a handful of lime based mortar, and it closed it for a short spell. I was sat at the rear of the class and I couldn't see the writing on the board so well, so I had days off to be tested for different specs, and that is probably why I missed the fun. Quite often Bob Baker got things thrown at the board when his back was turned,at least one winter I remember a small number of pupils threw snowballs at the board, the melting snow obliterated best part of his writings. I should have left this following comment on the other one, but I think it should do here. Bobby Brown did live on Adelphi, His Brother Alan lives a ten minute walk from wher I live.

Do any of you realise that Molly Light was Australian?

Would that make her sister Australian as well Roy? They both lived together opposite the lodge gates, no.35, I used to take their paper when the regular lad ducked

They were both spinsters were they not, so i imagine if they were Australian they would have come here together

I would say they were both unmarried women of refinement, my father and his brother used to know them to speak with and I do remember Annie being mentioned; I never found out which person was who, in those days kids had to keep quiet and listen.

Frank, Peter, it became St Wilfrid C of E rather than Standish Grammar in approx 1950. Talking to Harry Smethurst in Wigan last night, not seen him for years but couldn,t mistake him.

I believe your comment Roy. I answered Frank's comment to the best of my ability, according to the history books the school was built as a grammar school for boys, can't remember the exact date, but it was about 16-- something. Harry Smethurst; it's surprising who one bumps into.
Didn't you live near to Mr.Groome the sergeant, or was it someone with the same name as yourself?

Yes Peter i lived at no 19 which is now Garlands flower shop and the Groomes lived next door at 17.

Now you do surprise me, I never knew that miss Light was an Australian, never detected an Australian accent.

Did brian taylor die in the manchester airport disaster