Wigan Album

I went to St John's in the 50s I dont suppose Mrs redfern is still with us? I suppose she would be 90 by now. Are there any of the teachers alive today? ( from that era)

There used to be a big brick wall, that seperated the juniors and the infants, Juniors to the right of the pic and infants to the left. There was also in the Juniors side outside toilets with the old white oblong tiles.

Hi John P.

I heard that sadly, Miss Anderton and Miss Phythian have both passed away within the last twelve months. When we were pupils the teachers always seemd to be so old and personally I had thought they were long gone many years ago, so good for them. I hope they lived long and happy lives. Mrs Redfern was my favourite when I was 7 years old. She taught us 'real writing' and she lived on a farm.

I remember planting the tree on the corner of the grassed area. The trees were dug out when they constructed the home for the elderly on Ormskirk Road. A number of teachers brought them down and we planted them in the school grounds. I remember it was raining and as I put the final soil around the tree and an elderly lady passing through said helpfully, "I'll give it to November 5th!" It is still there I am pleased to say.

Do you remember the toilets in that old bit on the right?
I know you shouldn't speak ill of the dead but i was very quiet and shy at school and Miss Phythian always seemed to pick on me for petty reasons and i never worked out why.
I used to pretend i was ill to get out of going to school,i hated it so much. My mum had to go and see Mr Starkey about it and he had to have a word with her.After that she was totally different. Ah well! those were the days eh?

Christine,

I must say that Miss Phythian didn't just pick on you, she picked on all of us. I know you shouldn't speak ill of the dead, however we must be honest to our classmates. Miss P once slapped me on the hands with a ruler for having a piece of paper that was torn. She had just given it to me.!!

No wonder we fained illness to get out of classes. I did however feel that St John's was the best compared with the strict regime of Wigan Grammar School where I ended up, after St John's.

Mrs Redfern was the best though, because she lived on a farm, at least in my eyes.

Fred, she terrified me so much.. even though she was that way with most people I thought at the time it was just me.
When you think about it they could do with more like her teaching now. Pupils would certainly think twice about stepping out of line.

Ah, Christine, very well put.

Bring back Miss Phythian.... and Miss Marsden....

May I know your last name, Christine? e-mail me!!

Attended st Johns 50's-60's I remember miss starkey &mr starkey
Miss Anderton,Mathews n Phybian(?) and very cold winters. Any other
ex students from that period.I moved to Australia 1965. Remember we beat Lamberhead Green school in the annual soccer game. That was a
Big day drinks n crisps for the team. I don't think a victory was very often
If at all. We were self coached,amazing. Goog memories. AM

I must say that my favourite was Nora Anderton,My mum was worried because I was so quiet and Nora was so loud, but I loved her and I actually had her for two of my years. Christopher Hamill was in my class and always seemed to be in trouble for one thing and another.Also the terraced houses that lead down to the church,people said that one was haunted and we used to whizz past on our way home.Miss Phythian was intimidating,and had a five foot ruler that she would lean over and suddenly clonk you on the head with for no apparent reason.And dinner times when you had a glass of water that you didn't dare fill past the line halfway up the glass Oh the joy of it!.But it did me no lasting harm at all

but in spite of the ruler smackings by Miss P et al, didn't we enjoy St John's..we were a good bunch of kids, no matter..!!!

Hi , yes I was also at the school in the 50's 60's remember the Starkeys and Miss Phythian , now live in USA sat next to Lynne Meadows -

Take a virtual tour of our school now...

http://www.hostedonharris.co.uk/virtualtours/stjohnscofe/CrocodilePhotography_StJohnsCofEPrimarySchool.html

Iwent to st johns from 67 to 72 I feared Miss phythian from everything I had heard but found her to be ok. It was miss mathews who terrified me and remember my mum going to school and I was put back into reception class and skipped her class. My favourite teachers were Miss Anderton and Mrs lowe, Miss Anderton ended up being our headmisstress in the last year I think.There were 3 heads while I was there mr starkey,mr wright and miss Anderton, apart from one dinner lady who insisted on me holding my knife and fork right handed I am a keggy and hitting me across my knuckles with a spoon whenI couldnt and miss mathews, they were good times

I also remember the tree being planted, as i was their with a group of other kids at the time, when M Hollingdrake was planting the tree back in 84 or 85 I think.

I went St John's school i really loved that school .I was in Miss Phithians class .does anyone remember us having a Black teacher his name was Mr Perashotman .he was so lovely . and I used to get the job of ringing the massive BELL outside the class room