Wigan Album

Lovely photo Fred, what year was it taken. I dont remember us having grass verges.

Quite right, Dorothy,

I took this about 1973, I think, on a trip home from Canada, or it could have been in the eighties, I'll double check. There was a stone wall across there back when we were there and a clay, dusty area that we played marbles on. I was once caned by John Willie after a prefect reported me and some mates for climbing this wall to get home quicker on a Friday afternoon.

I see a lot a new comments on the photo collection, thats pleasing. I can remember the dusty area we used to play marbles on, I was never great at that game. Yes Mrs Redfern was in the end classroom of the so called "new" extension! everyone wanted to ring the bell at going home time just outside Mr Redferns classroom door.I can remember walking up to Fleet Street at 12 noon one day thinking it was going home time!

i remember playing on that area ,we used to play chuky with the marbles,i lived in lamberhead rd.

I went to St Johns 54-59 and I remember ringing school bell, I thought my hand was dropping off. But it was a privelege to ring it. I dont remember grass verge either. I enjoyed every day at infants school (so my mum tells me).

britboy, Alan and Derek, aren't memories wonderful. That dusty area for playing marbles, Mrs Redfern et al,what have we all done in those years since then. Did we all realise where we would travel to and what would we become in the future, which is now the past... ahhhhh...

Good to hear from one and all. All the best to you and may we all meet up again one day...!!

Cheers.

I had quite a traumatic time at St Johns..mainly because I was a very shy child..Miss Phythian caused me no end of apprehension because of the no-nonsense attitude she had and she always seemed to pick on me for no good reason
At the time I was glad to leave,but when I look back on my life since those days and the upsets and illness..I would go back tomorrow...but with a different attitude

Suzy I had exactly the same problem with Miss Phythian(I have mentioned it with one of the other pictures.),I'm so glad it wasn't only me.In fact I used to pretend I was feeling ill on more than one occasion so that I wouldn't have to go to school.In the end my mum went to see Mr Starkey the Headmaster things were so bad.As we came down from the office I went back into her class and my mum turned back for something and actually caught her having a go at me for nothing.There was quite a to do and afterwards her attitude changed I was cripplingly shy and quiet as a child and was badly affected by her behaviour to some pupils.Like you she seemed to sense this and pick on me even more.I was so relieved when I left (1971)

Christine,

I have met so many people from different parts of the north who experienced treatment like that from their teachers, as did I, myself, with Miss Phythian and Miss Marsden. Thank goodness that times have changed and these types are now eliminated. However I do believe that they were quite close to the discipline needed to us all, just a little too much. Nowadays there is NO discipline, which is sad.

Does anyone remember Mr Sherrington and his 'den' down the steps in the low building in front of the main building.

He was a man to avoid if you were a kid.