GROWING UP IN HYDE 1950 – 1957 Part 8

By Roger Chadwick

For worse, rather than better, I sat the Manchester Grammar School 11+ three months before my 10^th birthday – and failed!  But then that was why we had two years for these exams and I did get a scholarship to William Hulme’s G.S in Moss Side Manchester the following year.  I still wonder how I won this award because on the day of the first examinations the 7.50 bus to Manchester was full and didn’t stop at Glen Wood, nor did the 8.05 and I was some twenty minutes late arriving at one of the exams.

In case anyone might think I am highly intelligent, I had another crack at Manchester Grammar just before I was 11 and for Hyde Grammar as well – and I failed those!!!. 

Hyde Grammar School, now Clarendon College.

Leigh Street had educated me well, even in drama when I played Jan in “Jan of Windmill Land” and somewhere in our attic there is a postcard of the “cast” to prove it but I have no real memory of it.  This gave me confidence for school plays and concerts at the new school – and later – in the pulpit!!. 

Nowadays, junior schools have big trips over huge distances.  We had only one – a bouncy ride in an SHMD Thornycroft single decker with the seats arranged around the sides of the vehicle (for cramming standing passengers in during the war) – and then a journey via Mottram to Melandra, a Roman Fort between Woolley Bridge and Glossop.  This was part of our history studies on Roman civilisation and there we learnt our first Latin words!!

Memories of Leigh Street School continue to come back – ink monitor duties on a Monday moring, milk monitor duties at other times, boring assemblies and the singing of “Strawberry Fair” and something called “Tarah’s Halls” – the sight of Mrs Gaunt’s red Biro, something very new in 1948!  School reports, Moray House exam papers, the smell of school dinners and mad playground games.

School Milk !

All this ceased when I started school days with the daily 7.35 SHMD bus to Manchester and then another one out to Moss Side.  The new school co-incided with a new bike.  This was NOT given because I had “passed the Scholarship” but because at 11 years of age I was deemed sensible enough to be careful in the heavy traffic.   

Well! that  was like letting a cat out of the house for the first time. 

I set off up Mottram Road, through Hollingworth and Tintwistle to Woodhead Tunnel and then over the top to Dunford Bridge and Holmfirth.  Little heed had I taken of the terrain home via Holme Moss TV transmitter and a late arrival home and a good telling off for being out so long!   Then, other long days in the Cheshire countryside and by the time I was 14 I was cycling the 13 mile round trip to school in the summer term.  With no gears, the hills around Hyde were hard work but then I was young and strong and used to exercise.  I knew every blade of grass on Green Lane, past Dove House Farm, Glendarach, Godley Green to Mottram Old Road and up the Hackingknife to Idle Hill, Apple Street, Bothams Hall Wood, Broadbottom  and then a train ride back to Godley.  I loved the view across the Etherow valley to Charlesworth, Combs Rocks, Monks Road and Kinder.  Other walks come to mind -  up to Sulby Glen, Thompsons Wood, Matley, Harrap Edge and over the top of Hobsons  Moor and then home by the SHMD 4 Service from Carrbrook to the Hippodrome in Hyde!

ABC / Green Lane

During the summer holidays I cycled everywhere with a best friend from Hulme Grammar who lived in Denton.  We got as far as Oxford when we were 12, Whitby the following year and sundry other Youth Hostelling holidays in the Peak District.   Nowadays, even lads together would not be allowed this freedom and certainly not on solo walks.  But we always felt safe and there was always somebody you could ask for help.  I well remember a 40 mile ride from Hyde, through Ashton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bacup and Burnley and Colne to Skipton to stay with another friend.  Within sight of Skipton I stopped at a pub and asked the landlord if he could give me some water.   I was really tired and needed sustenance.  “Come t’ut back dooer”, he bawled out and then regaled me with tea and cheese sandwiches in his kitchen.  “Yuv come from wheah?  Hyde?  Oh aye, that’s where all’t flies from Denton go to in’twinter in’t it.    The good man would not charge me a penny.

Need I say more.

Great memories, once again, Roger !
Also, thanks to Carl's Cam for the photo of Hyde Grammar!
Many thanks :)

 

Hyde Grammar School

Here are two photos showing "Then and Now" shots of Hyde Grammar School.

Look at how the housing estate has shot up in the second photo !
Hyde Grammar was practically the only building around on the older picture .

Warren Bradley

Warren Bradley (20 June 1933 – 6 June 2007) was a former professional footballer. 
 
 He was born in Hyde, and educated at Hyde Grammar School, where he played for Bolton Wanderers youth and B teams for eight years. He then attended Hatfield College at the University of Durham, and appeared for Durham City before joining Northern League side Bishop Auckland, one of the leading amateur clubs in the country, in 1955. In February 1958, many of the players and staff of Manchester United were killed or injured in the Munich air crash. In order to fulfil their immediate fixture commitments, they needed to find several good players at short notice, and turned to Bishop Auckland for help. Three England amateur internationals, including Bradley, were loaned to United's reserve team while the club tried to rebuild. After a few months, having recovered from his injuries received in the crash, United's manager Matt Busby returned to work and was impressed by Bradley. He was signed as a part-time professional in November 1958, taking a job as a teacher in Stretford, and made his first-team debut for United against his old club, Bolton Wanderers. In May 1959, Bradley was selected by England manager Walter Winterbottom, and became the first and only player to play for both the professional and amateur England teams in the same season. He played just three games for the full England team, including a tour of Mexico and the United States, and scored twice. However, his career at Manchester United never progressed any further, and he was transferred to Bury in 1962 for £2,500. He left Bury after a couple of seasons, and after brief spells with Northwich Victoria, Macclesfield Town and Bangor City, he retired in 1966. After his retirement from football he had a long career as a headteacher, and worked with the Manchester United ex-players association.

  Honours
England: 3 caps,
2 goals England Amateurs:
11 caps Bishop Auckland:
FA Amateur Cup winners 1956, 1957.
   
Thanks to Wikipedia.

EDIT 
 According to 'The Website of Dreams' Warren Bradley played in 63 league games for Manchester United, scoring 20 goals, and in 4 FA cup games, scoring once. I was fortunate to see most of the home games in which he played and several of the away games as well.

Thanks Dave, for this information.

Hyde Grammar Class Photo 1973

CLASS OF 1x 1973

Fresh Faced First Years, Back row-Paul Kennedy, Steve Jenkins, Phil Greaves, Robert Stokes, Bryn Meredith, Nigel Ashworth, Andrew Davies, Martin Twist. 

Middle Row-Mark Browne, Dave (Tonka) Nield, Ray Potter, Peter (Bert) Etchells, Tez Harrison, Des Etchells, Neil Clayton, Dave Seddon.

Front Middle Row-David Rhodes, Steve Moss, Guy Shorrocks, Derek Chappell (teacher), Ian Molyneux, Alan Nicholson, Ian Pickering. 

Front row-Andrew Parker, David Hollinghurst, Carl Phillips, Crispin Trueman, Steve Beeley and Shaun Turner... 

What are we all doing now? With special thanks to Bryn Meredith who helped with the names

Myself Mark Browne, with Andrew Davies and Mr Chappell

I have a lot of memories from my time at Hyde Grammar School if I am honest not all happy but I do remember that looking back, Mr Chappell was a kind dedicated enthusiastic teacher I think he might of been newly qualified thus the form photograph which I think he organised himself

If my memory is correct the then current government announced the closure of Grammar Schools in the mid 70s and Hyde County Grammar School was gradually closed to new intakes from around that time and eventually became Clarendon Rd Sixth Form College although I may be wrong about some of the latter details, I had left the school and the area in my 5th year at the school around 1978

I am a regular visitor to Hyde and Gee Cross visiting my nan (she is 93 and still sharp as a tack) I was amazed to see the old sports field and tennis courts are now home to the Police station

Thank you to Mark for sending in this post.

EDIT
Today we received an email off the teacher on the photo, Derek Chappell, who sent this message...

Hi Everybody!

By sheer chance, I landed on your home page and found myself staring at myself at the photo of the boys in Form 1x of 1973 at Hyde Grammar!

I still have that original photo here at home in Munich, Germany where my wife and I have lived since 1980.

I have often wondered what has happened to these boys and if any of them should see this mail of mine then I enclose my e-mail address to which they can write at any time: all mails would be very welcome.

Many thanks to the people responsible for posting and I really look forward to hearing from any of the boys of this Form 1x.

with all best wishes from Munich

So,  if anyone would like to get in touch please drop us a line at hydonian@gmail.com and we will give you Dereks' email address.

Hyde Grammar 'Golden Jubilee' Magazine

The Staff 1952

Back row – left to right

Mr. W.T. Hurst, Mr. K.B. Saxton, Mr. E. Martin, ?, ?, Mr. F. Bottomley, ?, Mr. H.L. Collis, Mr. G. Wain, ?, ?, Mr. D.A. Norwood, ?, Mr. G.S. Orchard, ?, ?, M.  Houelbecq, ?, Mr. W.J. Wood, Mr. C.A. Blackwell, Mr. P.F. Boardman.

Front Row – left to right

?, Miss Westerman, Miss Boucher, ?, ?, Miss M.D. Plowe, Miss N. Barker, Miss M. Dives, Dr. F.C. Couzens, Headmaster, Miss E. Armstrong, Headmistress, ?, ?, ?, ?, Miss Grimshaw, ?, ?, Miss D. Bates, Miss M. Whitely, Miss Kenyon, ?

Hope you find this useful.

Thank you to Gillian Meakin from Canada who kindly sent these in

Hyde Grammar Views

Early Views

The building in Clarendon Road cost £12,000 and was opened on September 17th 1912, by Sir George Dixon, chairman of the County Council. Large extensions to the building were made and opened in 1929 and at that time the name was changed to the "Hyde Grammar School". The building is now Hyde 6th Form College.

View from the 1930s

Pictures and information from Paul Taylor's "A Pictorial History Of Old Hyde On Photo CD".  

The History of Hyde Grammar School part 1

Below is a brief history of the beginnings of Hyde Grammar School as written by George Wain, a former teacher and pupil of the school.





The original Hyde Grammar School building on the corner of Edna St and Henry Street.(Complete with naughty schoolboy loitering) :)



Hyde Technical School was at the side of the library building on Union Street.