Author Topic: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys  (Read 133680 times)

Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #90 on: 13:47:55, 13/12/17 »
Hello again,
Tony has informed me that he is attending hospital for even more treatment but has asked me to post another invitation to meet in the Courtyard at Wythenshawe Park next Tuesday at around 1200 noon.


We also wish all those contributors to the site who cannot meet next week a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year together with hopes for the best of health.


Personally, I had the good fortune to meet up with an old classmate, Ed Gregson, but I shall leave details of this great occasion until next year.


All the best,


Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #91 on: 14:45:46, 19/12/17 »
Seasons greetings to all.
Have just come back from meeting Alan and Steve, really great to meet again.
Let me now take this chance to wish all our old boys a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.
May you all have many more and god bless you all.
TONY.

Benny

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #92 on: 01:51:37, 28/01/18 »
Hi , I've only just joined this forum.
My name's Steve Bennett - I joined Manchester Central in 1962 in form 1T Taffy Thomas was my form teacher - a truly lovely guy.
I thought it was just me that thought Calddbeck was an evil so & so'

Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #93 on: 22:15:06, 30/01/18 »
Hello Benny,
Welcome to the site and we hope that yours is the first post of many.  I have the school roll for 1962-63 and, when looking for your name, could not find it.  It seems that there was no Form 1T for that intake and My. Thomas, who taught me English, was busy looking after two Forms, a small group, 5X, and a small group in the Sixth possible catering for boys staying on to so do re-sits.
Is it possible that you were a member of the 1963 intake?
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[size=78%]Alan D. Jackson [/size]

Benny

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #94 on: 13:09:32, 31/01/18 »
Hi Alan - yes it might have been 1963. I know that is was the first year that new starters went straight to Kirkmanshulme Lane and did not go to Whitworth Street as my older brother Jim Bennett had done 3 years earlier.
In subsequent years I was in the X forms - 2X,3X,4X before going into the Lower and Upper Sixth.
Some of my mates in the X forms would have been Stuart Galloway , Kevin Anderson , Peter Collins, Philip Derbishire, John Grundy,David Gibson,Alan Milne and John Milne.

Mohammed Amin

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #95 on: 20:30:01, 14/02/18 »
I am conscious that although I have been a registered member for many years, I never visit this site or post on it. I was at Central 1962-1969, originally in form 1B, then in the X stream, and then did Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A Level.


If anyone wants to get in touch with me, the most reliable way is to visit the "Contact me" page of my website which has details of how to email me. Alternatively you can use my Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn details, which are also on that page. I am not allowed to post links. My website is WWW [DOT] MOHAMMEDAMIN [DOT] COM

ExileSteve

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #96 on: 21:41:39, 14/02/18 »
Perhaps it might be nice to hear more from you? :)

Peter L

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #97 on: 22:46:21, 18/02/18 »
Just saw this site for the first time.  Started at Kirkmanshulme Lane on day 1 in September 1957 and left in 1964, never to return. Class 1c-5c and then into the 6th form to do maths, physics, chemistry.  I am on that long list on page 4. Favorite teacher was Joe Dobbins, I still love Physics and worst was music teacher Roarke. Pretty sure what he used to do with young boys back there in the music room now counts as sexual abuse!
Can't go to reunions as I live in Virginia, USA but enjoy seeing all the chat.

soulman1949

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #98 on: 13:57:53, 21/03/18 »
It's been a while since I posted here but Old Boys may be interested to know about a Facebook page that's been active for a few years now at https://www.facebook.com/groups/centralhighmanchester/. All are welcome to join, just click the "join" button to get one of the moderators to approve your request.

Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #99 on: 12:46:08, 26/03/18 »
Hello Alan (Soulman) and it's so good to hear from you since the early pages when you formed the MCGS site.  I hope that you keep up sending those informative posts as before.  Thanks for telling us about the Facebook site: I used to have a Facebook account but it all went wrong and so cancelled it and am wary of going back to Facebook.  Other old boys will, no doubt, log on and enjoy posts on Facebook.


Best,


Alan J

Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #100 on: 13:04:41, 26/03/18 »
Dear Peter L,


Tony, Steve and I welcome you as a new member to the site.  You were at the school one year after I joined but, in the Sixth Form where both Upper and Lower shared the Common Room, we should have met.  Even though I don't recall your name I am much better on 'faces'.
Alan Dobbins took us for Physics in the Sixth and he helped us with problems with our guitar amplifiers.  After a few years in the Chemical Industry I became a teacher and joined a union.  Alan was a major player in the Stockport branch and we became friends.  I agree that he was a good man and you were fortunate to have him as your form teacher. I was lucky to have my Latin master, John Wilkinson as mine in the third year.  It is little known that John was a family member of the company who made razor blades, scissors etc., and could have had an easy life living off the profits, but gave all that up to have a more exciting career teaching foreign languages.  Dedication!
Incidentally, all the firms I worked for as a chemist went out of business after I left and that included I.C.I. and the research side of Exide batteries.


Please post again with your recollections of your schooldays.


Alan J. 

Oldhippy

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #101 on: 14:00:13, 13/04/18 »
Hi All,
Been meaning to post here for some years, but somehow never got around to it.
Name is Pete Olsen, but known by all sorts of daft nicknames, as was everyone in my form (always "B").
I was in the 1965 intake, so never went to Whitworth Street. Most of the masters' names are familiar to me, and looking at that 1951 staff photo, it seems there was not much staff turnover prior to the great exodus of 1968. Someone mentioned Philip Derbyshire above, and I certainly remember him as Head Boy always trying to catch us at smokers' corner. Kipper Wilkinson was an outstanding maths teacher - never had him for foreign languages. Had physics with Billy Mundae and later Roger Welsby. Have to explain, I joined the dark side and became a teacher later in life, and worked with several ex-colleagues of Roger, so it really is a small world. The teacher who was the most fun as well as teaching his boys a lot was Joe Potterton who had also taught a band-mate of mine at Burnage. I could probably recite the form register to this day, and I think I remember all the boys. Allen, Belcher, Broadbent....no, won't bother. Have run into one or two in later years. Was playing in a scratch band in a pub once, (late 90s?) when Johnny Eaton got up to play, then spotted Steve Williams at the bar! Also found myself (in the early 70s), working with Rich Hewlett's cousin Fred. Ran into Al Farr when I was repairing a TV in a house on Stanley Grove. Kept up my friendship with Dave Fairclough for some years - last saw him at my 50th birthday party, so it's a long time ago.
For all the people who disliked Harry Caldbeck, here is a story to show there was more than one side to him. He never taught me, but when it was time for my metalwork O-level, I mixed my dates up and didn't show up for the exam. Dr Perrelle, always the gentleman, came to my house and drove me to school. I hadn't eaten, of course, so HC, after checking that there was nothing in the regulations to prevent it, disappeared and came back with a cup of tea and some toast and marmalade for me to tuck into while I attempted to make up for lost time on the exam.
Another character was Johnny Hopley who, as Deputy Head, used to go from room to room caning those who failed to turn up for detention. as I arrived late to school almost every day (53 bus, eh?) I was always "on the list". One day, he called me out for the cane, when I explained that I had not had a detention the previous evening. He checked his list, "Oh you're right, lad," he said, "never mind, now you're here, bend over and I'll give you one for next week." I think that was the only time that I actually laughed whilst being caned!
Best wishes to all. Non nobis domine.

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #102 on: 20:32:27, 21/04/18 »
Hello to a.'ll ex boys from the school.
I have spoken to Alan and Steve and we have agreed to meet up again,
Tuesday 1st May... at courtyard cafe Wythenshawe park 12.30 pm .
Let's try and show we may be old but there is still life in the
 old dogs yet.  Every one welcome please try  and attend it would be great to meet new .....old boys. See you soon , I  hope.
TONY.....

Alan J

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #103 on: 12:21:28, 22/04/18 »
Dear Oldhippy,

Good to hear from you as a student after my time and learn that so many 'old' members of staff were still there years after I left MCGS.  Perhaps the later teachers were more approachable than some of those I knew but there are boys who were of your age who still comment on the canings they received.  In my day only the Head and his Deputy used the cane but others did have implements such as board dusters, slippers and steel rules which were available.


You did not say whether you are still living in the Manchester area and, if so, may be able to take up Tony Marino's invitation to meet up in Wythenshawe Park in May.  We usually have a good time.  Tony is not well but has had the good news that he has met up with his best friend from school and is walking around like a dog with two bones, is that if the expression in common use.


However, welcome to the 'club' and we hope to read many more posts from you.


Best,
Alan D. Jackson

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Re: Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys
« Reply #104 on: 10:36:12, 07/06/18 »
Hello fellas, just to let you know we are going to have another meet up at the courtyard cafe , Wythenshawe park, (entrance off Wythenshawe road ) on Monday 18 th June at 12.00 to 12.30 .
Please try and attend anyone who lives near, will excuse our friends in the States and Australia  etc.
Hope to see you soon...........TONY