Wigan Album

Headmaster Arthur Harris back row left. Matt, is that Joe Bogiss on the opposite end of the line ? I went there in 1949 until 1953, for what was handed out as punishment those days, the perpetrators these days would be jailed. Headmaster used the bottom 3 feet of a snooker cue, and Joe B used a cricket wicket, which, you had to get out of the cupboard yourself and present it to him before bending over to be rattled on the backside with it !!!

Roy did the punishment scar you for life?

The old teachers should be named and shamed they could be really nasty same when I went

Some of the male teachers in those days of the fifties had served in the war and didn't stand any nonsense. It always seemed to be the boys who got the cane though. Sometimes girls had their legs 'rattled' with a female teacher.

What would “ naming and shaming “ really achieve. It was wrong but they were a product of their time. They themselves would probably object to it today. It was over 60 . years ago. They will have living descendants maybe in the area.

Had the jolly old cane many times from that Beast Quelch.. Never did me any harm. Would pick the cane any time over conjugating Latin verbs..

Yes Veronica, I had my legs "rattled" with Miss Holland, we were in her class for sewing, and just because my hem was a bit wobbly. I got rattled. I was 11yrs old.

It wasn't punishment , it was an assault and they got away with it

I once got the thick ruler on my right hand from Miss Doherty there was a few of us got it and I don't remember what we had done. I know we had to go through her class to get to ours. Perhaps we were late I don't know. I know it stung like Billio. I worked in Boon's Chemist in later years and she came in but I wouldn't serve her! ,! I never forgot the incident... I felt ashamed more than anything. Different times then...

I get what your saying veronica , my dad was in the army as was yours in the war, so we're many others but they didn't slap us about .

Henry, times have changed. At one time you got your hand cut off for stealing and deported to Australia for other minor crimes. Back then it was an acceptable form of punishment, which everyone accepted with no qualms. Didn't do me any harm, or anyone I know, you just got on with it. If you got caught doing something wrong you knew what to accept It was called DISCIPLINE sadly a word no longer in use in the U.K.

There was no way you would answer a teacher back either. You just accepted what went on it was 'par for the course' . No way would you go home and tell your mam or dad. I agree Scaramouche there certainly was discipline in our schooldays. Although 'lines' were plentiful as well... " I must not ......'blah blah' or whatever in class"...they ranged for anything from 20 to a 100, :o))

There's no sutch thing as a minor crime you have just confirmed what I have said

Could you ever imagine in those days a teacher being stabbed to death in the classroom or even being assaulted. I did hear of one teacher being assaulted by somebody's dad but not at my school. This was a school at Westhoughton , I knew the nowty old teacher! He apparently slapped a pupil round his head and pushed him down some stone steps. The dad came and give him a 'belting'. Lord above it reminded me of the film " How Green Was My Valley" . This happened in the 40's .. the teacher was well known.

Scaramouche, no it didn't scar me for life but it was painful at the time. The senior school i went to in 1953 the headmaster used a piece of bamboo which wasn't straight, it was bent in several places along its length and you ended up getting 4 or 5 whacks instead of one with one stroke.

Discipline don't, mean hurting young people may be the teachers who dished it out needed some just bully,s

I went to St Josephs School in Wallgate..the headmaster used a leather belt with a brass buckle on..we could hear the boys screaming from inside the classroom...but..funnily enough some of those lads finished up in brilliant jobs..a couple in Wigans high rising jobs..make of it what you will..mind you the nun that was over us girls was so strict she was frightening,someone once said her hands shook when typing her name.

Roy, With the age you are I presume you did national Service Any complaints of how you were treated there?

I once got locked in a class cupboard..I was 10.
Good job I didn't tell my Mam,she would have been to see her in no time...

Roy, Joe ( you know I never knew his first name) Boggis would have walked to school and back as he lived on Milton Grove, he died some ten to 12 years ago now and must have been in his 90s, he kept his mind active though with playing Bridge and Chess.

In his younger days and with him always wearing those wire framed glasses he would remind me of a Gestapo officer that was shown in war films.

No National Service Scaramouche, born August 1941 i was one of the first missers, plus i was in an engineering apprenticeship which would have exempted me anyway..

I went to St Josephs School in Wallgate..the headmaster used a leather belt with a brass buckle on..we could hear the boys screaming from inside the classroom...but..funnily enough some of those lads finished up in brilliant jobs..a couple in Wigans high rising jobs..make of it what you will..mind you the nun that was over us girls was so strict she was frightening,someone once said her hands shook when typing her name.

" Stung like Billio ", not heard that phrase in yonks Veronica :)

We keep the old phrases up here in Howfen Standisher. Things are changing though, lots of new housing being built in the surrounding fields right up to the cemetery. I wonder just what 'they' would think having their peace destroyed with all that noisy machinery. The roads certainly won't cope and the rest of the infrastructure. Plus the schools... As Bob Dillon sang " The times they are a changing".. ...

That's how it started with Standish Veronica. The builders latched onto a nice location and before you know it, gridlock and worse. Hard times ahead love, ( if I'm allowed to call you that these days ) !!

Nothing wrong with terms of endearment Standish I don't mind. When all these changes occur I hope my last journey will not be held up at traffic lights too long or I will be banging on the lid. It has to go through Aspull and Haigh to Gidlow it may take some while!...I always said I would end up back at Wigan.

That's a nice ride there Veronica, mine will be a bit shorter. Over the bridge onto Wigan Lane, past Gidlow C and on to St Wilfrid's. Short and sweet :)

Who knows Standisher, some photographer may well stumble over our last resting places and we may end up on P a D. That would be a turn up for the books! Or should I say a turn up for the 'sods' (grass!). ;o))

Saw what you did there :)

Alan Wilson Boggis ''Joe''
Born 11th May 1923, Wigan.
Lived 25 Milton Grove, Wigan.
Died 3rd July 2007 aged 84