HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Friday 4 May 2012

Walter H Renwick

Photobucket

One of our recent emails contained this picture of Walter H. Renwick who was, for many years, a very well respected headmaster of Leigh Street School. The picture was sent to us by his grandson Robin Morgan, who was only17 when his grandfather died. 
Unfortunately, a great deal of Mr Renwicks papers and pictures from school were destroyed. He has quite a bit on other aspects of his grandfather life, but if you have pictures or other documents, or just memories of Mr Renwick, he would love to see them.  Robin says he thinks his grandfather would love the idea of being included in the Leigh Street part of our blog, as Leigh Street was very much the happiest time of his grandfathers life.


Updated with staff photo 0505/12 by Mrs Hodkinson


Photobucket

Mr. Renwick. Ken Sloane. Stan Drewitt. Harry Renshaw. Nev Pakeman
Front row: Sheila Hodkinson.  Pat Pakeman. Edna Sloan. Freda Degroote.


14 comments:

Tom said...

Our thanks to Robin for this post.

Gianni Zazzarino said...

Mr Renwick was the headteacher when i was at Leigh street infants and junior school, from what i can remember he was a very strict but fair man, he used to put the fear of god into me lol, but the children where well behaved because of it, we could do with more teachers like him now.

Sheila Hodkinson said...

Hello. I was a teacher at Leigh Street School from 1955 to 1960, joining as Miss Nolan, and leaving as Mrs. Hodkinson. Mr. Renwick was our Headmaster then, and he was a lovely man; very kind & very honest, with the best interests of his staff & pupils at heart,although he didn't stand any nonsense from the children. I loved my time at the school. and have a photo of myself and all the staff from June 1960, when I was leaving to have my first child. I also have a lovely letter from Mr. Renwick, signed by all of the staff.
We now live in retirement on the Costa Blanca, but I still have very happy memories of Leigh Street Junior School.

Tom said...

Hello there Mrs Hopkinson..

Thank you for taking the time to comment, I'm sure Robin will be very pleased to read your comment... I would be honoured to show the photo you mentioned on the blog if you could scan and email it to us..

Brian Hodkinson. said...

Hi Tom. e mailed the photo to you at 10.26 your time, then one with all the names.
All the best. It's Hod by the way, not Hop.

Tom said...

Thank you and please except my apologies for the Hop and not Hod.. :O) My surname is Wigley.. I get Wrigley, Wiggly, and many other ways... the best I had was a letter addressed to a Mr Twigley...

Robin Morgan said...

I would like to say a big thankyou to Gianni and to Shelia for posting.
I knew the private man not the headmaster, although he was a very strict man and we were indeed polite and respectful around him, although in later life I am grateful to him for teaching me. Its is so nice to finally get a glimpse of hid life at Leigh St, he spoke often to me of his time there with great fondness, and he always told me how proud he was to have such excellent staff to work with. I am so pleased to see he is still remembered after so many years, and I know he would be thrilled to know his small contribution to the school had value. Thankyou everyone...

Hydonian said...

Wow, what a great photo!
Mr Drewitt, Mr Pakeman, Mrs Sloane and Mr Renshaw all together. They were all there when I attended Leigh Street juniors. Unfortunately Mr Renwick had already left when I went there and Mr Wood had taken over as headmaster. I think Mr Renwick was headmaster when my dad was there.

Hydonian said...

@ Robin - Are you Carls brother?

Gianni Zazzarino said...

Wow Mr Renshaw and Mr Pakeman, i remember those two now as well, brings back some great memories for me.

westarsteve said...

hello hydonian robin is carls and ian morgans brother i knew them well as for the picture of the teachers mr wood was the headmaster and i can still remember mr drewitt banging his pipe on the pillars of the entry door at leigh street to empty the tobbacco
as the children came in and mr pakeman but mrs pakeman must have left as i dont remember her what nice memories

Robin Morgan. said...

Yes Hydonian I am Carl and Ian's Brother.
Mr Drewitt was the last of those who served under my grandfather at the school when I attended, He left in my second year of Leigh St, By then Miss Pye had taken over as headmistress.
It was never easy at Leigh st being the grandson of Mr Renwick, I think I heard his name mentioned on a daily basis, especially from the dinner ladies, who would often say "This would never have happened under Mr Renwick" I would tell him and he laughed about it, but in a way although it did not make my life easy at times, it was nice to know my Grandfather was shown so much respect from everyone. At his funeral I was very suprised at how many people turned up to give their last respects, many of them were people he had taught, and everyone of them had nothing but the highest respect for him, I was proud to be his grandson.

Hydonian said...

Thanks Steve and Robin.
@ Robin- I was in Carls class at school. He had a wonderful singing voice if I remember rightly. A nice lad, too :)
I remember Mr Armistead hitting him on the back for talking to me in the library area and causing him to have an asthma attack....it gave Mr Armistead a real fright when Carl struggled to breathe, I can tell you ! Your Mum was a lovely dinner lady, too ! She was my favourite. I loved Leigh Street!!

Anonymous said...

Hi
I was at Leigh Street School from 1955 to 1960, remembering Mr Renwick he was a great headmaster having the cane many times which did teach me to be a better person he was always known as Pop Renwick don't know why remember some of the teachers but also a teacher called Miss Mcfarland who was our teacher very nice lady,how this site takes you back over 50 years with great affection fantastic work of all the team. Barry