Wigan Album
Whelley Secondary School
18 Comments
Photo: jeff taylor
Item #: 10577
from top left to right stuart smart vaugn crooks paul senior kieth melling jeff puckering paul appleton teacher derek birchall
bottom row from left terry ? dennis slater carl anders stephen evens(evy)stephen evens(joey) me ste baron
Derek Birchall with hair! That photo must be early 1950's?
crikey jeff..brill pic hate to say it but ..How much do i look like you lol
I was at College with Derek Birchall. He was a very fine rugby player. It isn't the hair that surprises me (I knew him 40 years ago) but the fact he's wearing a tie! I also ended up in teaching (it was after all a Teacher's Training College) and retired 2 years ago after 40 years at the "chalk face". Where is Derek now I wonder.
Derek? Enjoying retirement (and Sams Bar!)
Thanks for that Malc. When I knew Derek he was built like a whippet and just as quick.
terrys surname is hammond sorry terry but it as been a while
And us girls had a right crush on Mr Birchall. It was hard to concentrate. Ha.
Ste Baron's skin is still grey today just like the photo!
hey thats my dad your talking about lol. very interesting seeing this picture as ive never seen one of my dad so young,he looks better now than he did back then
by the crin jeff you are spitting image of your norman when i used to mate with him
only just seen the picture now.bloody hell i was only ten then.those were the days
o my god i remember all u lads u all thought u wer really cool back then lol the good old days
What were the shirt colours then? When I was at Whelley Middle in the early-mid 70's the school team wore cherry and white hoops (as per the RL side of the time). I remember Mr Birchall, and wasn't his wife the music teacher? In fact Mr Birchall gave me my first taste of playing rugby in my last ever games session - I'd always steered clear, preferring football, but thought I'd give it a go. I loved it, but when I went on to Mesnes High they played Union so I continued my rugby career in the 15 a side code, subsequently playing club rugby until retiring this year aged 47!
Geoff Puckering is my cousin and now lives in Canada. He has three sisters and his mum and dad still live in Scholes. Geoff makes regular visits home.
sad to say domloition starts on 1 dec.2012 to make way for new homes.sorry to see it go.
just seen this pic, remember it being taken by tom simm
still see some of the lads in town, from time to time.
ahh Mr Birchall the teacher that wrote the funniest school report on me ever it went "i would love to write a report on this boy but i have never actually seen him"