Wigan Album

Is that the headmaster on the right? What's his name?

I think the headmaster was Mr. Shelton or Sheldon? He lived in a house near the reservoir at Orrel. Absolutely a brilliant teacher. so was Melvin Wadsworth, the teacher on the left hand side. I remember when we heard he was leaving the school, we heard him coming up the corridor and the whole class stood up in silence, as a tribute, that was unheard of at Pem Boys. I'm the one on the left middle row. Thanks Janice for sending me a copy and sorry for not being in touch for a while.
Tom jones

If I`m not mistaken think that the Teacher on the right was James? Arrowsmith who taught woodwork.

Is the teacher on the right Mr Coulshed the Headmaster

Yes, it just struck me. It's Eric Coulshed. A great headmaster and a great school with good lads. Does anyone remember the science teacher who taught us how to make fishing rods.? Was it Frankie Balmer?

I left in 1961. Can anyone name all these lads?

The science teacher when I was there was I think a Mr Bradbury who gave us electric shocks by way of a small dynamo. Happy days, I was after those shocks.

The art teacher in the 1950s when I was there was a Mr Bond, very arty but not good on the discipline side. The woodwork teacher was Mr Arrowsmith who also doubled as the gardening teacher on Fridays. There were some wonderful vegetable plots between the school and the sloping rugby pitch. New boys were always thrown onto the garden rubbish dump on their first day at school by the older boys. It was their way of saying welcome and join the gang. It was a good school but a lot of what went on then wouldn't be allowed today political correctness being what it is.

The art teacher in the 1950s when I was there was a Mr Bond, very arty but not good on the discipline side. The woodwork teacher was Mr Arrowsmith who also doubled as the gardening teacher on Fridays. There were some wonderful vegetable plots between the school and the sloping rugby pitch. New boys were always thrown onto the garden rubbish dump on their first day at school by the older boys. It was their way of saying welcome and join the gang. It was a good school but a lot of what went on then wouldn't be allowed today political correctness being what it is.

The art teacher in the 1950s when I was there was a Mr Bond, very arty but not good on the discipline side. The woodwork teacher was Mr Arrowsmith who also doubled as the gardening teacher on Fridays. There were some wonderful vegetable plots between the school and the sloping rugby pitch. New boys were always thrown onto the garden rubbish dump on their first day at school by the older boys. It was their way of saying welcome and join the gang. It was a good school but a lot of what went on then wouldn't be allowed today political correctness being what it is.

Pardon my hiccups

Mr Coulshed was the Headmaster when I first went to Pem(1965) but I think it changed in my second year there to Mr Smith.

One question, Is the Dave Johnson who wrote in the same Dave Johnson we called Prod,if it is have you heard from Mr Dave Bithell,. Last I heard he had been booted out of Saudi Arabia and was applying for a job at Blackpool airport as a helicopter technician?.

I think back row, third from the left is keith ashall

Phil only just seen this, not seen Dave Bithell for years. Last I heard he was in Harare according their Joe.

I was in this year at Pem senior but not on the photo as I wasnt sporty. I can name most of the back row. First from the left I dont know then Kieth Ashall (great fringe) then Ray Ormisher then Clifford Lee then Ian Bryant then Graham Kay last one I dont know. First left middle row Tommy Jones and lastly sat at the front on the right I think was something Rigby. I remember these faces as they were in 2B with me and some of them were at Pem Primary with me. The teacher on the left is Mr Wadsworth and the on on the right is the head Mr Coulshed what happened to them. I think that Wadsorth (Hank) left to go into industry and Coulshed (cooly) had poor health and the music teacher Smith took over as head , he was a cruel b*****d I once saw him slap a lad across the face so hard he nearly took his head off. He was the only one like that and the other teachers were good blokes essentialy. I saw Mr Sandiford the metalwork teacher in Wigan last year but didnt speak to him I wish I had now. All that metalwork and woodwork set me up for a lifetime of DIY young folks now cant even change a bulb.

The lad in front of Eric Coulshed top right of the photo standing is Kenny Brookes, and the lad at the side of Mike Wadsworth top left of the photo standing his christian name I seem to recall was Phillip but can't recall his surname, next to him is Keith Ashall and the only other lad I can recall is Tom Jones seated on far left of the middle row.

standing, wadsworth, buckley, ashall, ormshaw, leigh, bryant, kay,brooks, coulshed,sitting, jones,hilton,smart, wooton,cunliff. front,taylor and booth. andbooth.

I am middle row right. I left after this year and went to Wigan Grammer. Except for Tommy I couldn't remeber anyone else, just shows old age. Still live and work in Wigan

The headmaster on the right hand side of the photo was MR ERIC COULSHED, he lived on Winstanley Road, Orrell. He was my uncle.

I an now 60 years old I live in Mid Wales and I was brought up in Troutbech Rise on Norly,(possibly the same street as Bian Holding ,above) At first I went to the old scool next to the West Ward Labour club, but after only a few months we were sent to the new scool at Montrose Ave; The scool was built on concrete fats with class rooms sat on them, they were attached to each other by corridors set on rollers.So asone raft moved the corrodors rolled with it . The site was a moving bog.When we got there there was no play ground just a square with kerbs around it.On one side was Norley quarry, and we were protected by a fence that consisted of uprights and thats all.On the opposite side was a pond, no fence, and if you accidently fell in you could go home to get changed , but this didnt last long,when the teachers twigg it. On the third side was Red Ash, a 30ft,slag heap that continuously belched out smoke from the internal fire that it had.Eventualy we had a tarmac play ground. The teachers that I remember were Eric Coulshed headmaster and a true gent.Brian Smith dept; a right swine as described above. Bob Hodgeson a mad welsh PT instructor who used to hit you on the backside with a trainer,George Sandiford football metalwork another gent, Mr Arrowsmith woodwork a dead shot with apiece of 2x2,Pete Brison, Bill Derby history great at telling tales about old Wigan,Bill Bradbury ,he used to give us all the electric shock, we also used to hunt for mice on top of Norly quarry in the long grass to feed his family of owls, he also invented the game Killer, he was also mad on fishing,and an english teacher who I can,t remember his name who had a speach impediment. Does any of this ring any bells? This is the second time iv'e tried to make a comment so I hope this time I get it right,(well I am an old u'n)Cheers.

Richard you must have just left pem when I started (1965-1970) all those teachers were still there, but I think you got the teacher who knew a lot about wigan wrong, his name was george derbyshire (owd nick). Don’t you wish you were back there, I do

Barrie, you were spot on it was George Derbyshire, he lived up Wigan Lane somewhere, he was as has been mentioned above like many of the teachers a very good teacher, but I think like many others at that time I didn't realise it. They were good times and I am thankful that I like all of our generation had a Childhood that involved taking chances now and then,without writting out a"risk assesment" first. But enough of that , I have only just found this site and it's great to have contact with Wigan as I sit in my cave in the hills in mid Wales fighting off mad Welsh men.In my first comments it should have been the classrooms sat on RAFTS, still i'm an old'un and can get away with it now.I thought that a spell check was a payment for a majic box, (so much for my education).I shall veiw this page as much as possible,(welsh men permitting ,Cheers.PS Yes Barrie I do miss those days.

Hi Richard think you may know my brother Malc Conroy i know you but can`t remember who you mated with `Think we use call you Dickie Green

Hello Jan, yes I do remember Malc how are you all keeping? Yes I am and was known as Dickie and although I didn't have any mates at all, I'll mention a few lads who I knew Gezz Glover, ( Iwas in love with his sister) Derick Orm,( I was in love with his sister too) Harry fisher( and his) Rolland Bradshaw ( both his) and anybody else who had a sister I tried to be their mate.Moved first to Hereford in 82 then to Wales in 2002, but we still come back quite often to visit relatives, and dare I say it friends, to finish off (none of their sisters liked me.) Hope to hear from you again Jan , in the mean time, my roast hedgehog is nearly done. bye for now.

richard you didnt mention my sister what was wrong with her we were at 5 troutbeck rise. do you remember wigan baths evey tuesday evening with special passes.I will email you soon brian holden

Brian nice to hear from you, iv'e already contacted your Dorothy on another part of wiganworld.She's e mailed me and told me that you are abroad. I was in luv with her too but as I wasn't earning enough on my papaer round and spent it on chips after the swimming I decided not to get married until I was at least 11.Hope you are well and I look foreward to hearing from you, are you still playing the drums???

Hi Richard Malc is fine I see Teresa and Roland Bradshaw quite A lot. Do you remember Norman and Frank Gaskell. Have you been back to Pemberton recently . Jan

Jan, well I'll go to the foot of our stairs, (in my cave ) Norman and Frank, didn't they live on the corner of Scafell Drive and you lived further on, or have I got it wrong again? As far as Roland, Iv'e not seen him for years, infact longer than that, and Tereaser I used to see her when she worked at Unit 4, she used to hit me with her torch,we once joined forces and had a "bommy" between Troutbeck and Scafell, we went up the little path in the corner of Scafell onto the field at the back were we could come out on Ormskirk Road, what a blaze that made I remember an old chap coming up quietly with a tin bucket with water in, saying "just in case" the flames were 40 feet up.Jan can you show me how to put a photo up, as Iv'e got one for the Highfield football site, but I don't know how to do it( the story of my life).Please all keep well, PS we have to go up to Liverpool (hospital) on 17-12-09 so we may stop over and perhaps meet for a drink? Dickie.

Richard, Norman and Frank lived at the top end of Scafell Derek Orme lived the other end .We lived near the opening bottom end going on to the back field .Remember the bonfires And Brian Bradshaw From the Green. I worked with Teresa at Unit four we had some great laughs.

Richard to upload you photo click on photo upload and it will take you through step by step how to do it. jan

this is a team i alwayswanted to get into but wasn,t good enough.i remember all of these lads asmost of them were in my class...left class 4a in 1967...tommy jones..cliff leigh..allan booth ...barry buckley...kenny brooks...kenny smart who won the cross country every year...it,s fantastic to see their faces again.hope everyones still alive and kicking.....sadly iv,e defected to the east [yorkshire] due to work but i do miss the old days in WIGAN ....what a great website this is.....remember 2 of us doin hanks garden for him in the summer hols,,what creeps,,in kitt green...

richard green was the teacher with the speech impediment name catteral.

Allan how are you , you are right it was Mr Catterall who was our english teacher . He couln't say his "Fs" so when we were reading in turn out loud in the class when we came to a word beginning with "F" we would ask him to say it as we couldn't read it . What cruel sods we were.I remember one book we read was "The Cruel Sea" and the main character in it was a fellow called "Ferrerby" As I say cruel little sods. All the best to you all Dickie.

Roy Rothwell, did you live in Norley Hall Avenue, go in the Royal Navy (gunner on a submarine) mother's name Annie. If so get in touch, you're my cousin!!

Hi Harold
I tried to get in touch a while ago by writing to your old address in Ashton, got no reply. Yes Mothers name Annie, lived in Lamberhead Rd, joined the navy in 63. I have a photo of you and your mother, or aunt Betty as she was known. Will post on line or send by e-mail. I have lots of family history about the Prestons but no photos.
Regards Roy

dickie
i am well sorry about the delay,i remember the summer i left we moved the equipment to the new school. i remember when i was older i went to visit, and was pleased to see in the entrance a cabinet with all the pictures of past teams, i wonder what happened to them?. good to see that a lot of people remember the old school with good memories.

Just came across this site,good memories. Ileft in '65
To live in Australia,I remember those teachers in photo agree with
Comments good guys. Any other guys from '65?

Also left in 65 to travel to Australia.
Thanks to everyone who refreshed memories of a great school & great teachers ;0)

I remember Mr. Derbyshire made everyone take off their shoes before going into the library, which had cork floor tiles. The shoes in the corridor made your eyes water!

Jan, I have cleaned this photo a little let me know if you want a copy.

Just been reading the comments left by ex pupils of Pem Senior. What a blast from the past this has been!!!
I started there in 1967 and left in 1971. Clearly there's been a few changes of teachers up to the time I started but the teachers I remember are:
Don Morris (Sport)He took over from David Stevens who I'm pretty sure played on the wing for Wigan Warriors?, Ethel Brown (Art), Jimmy Arrowsmith (Woodwork), Mr Entwistle, James? Sharrock, George Derbyshire, Brian Smith was headmaster all the time I was there. George? Bradbury who taught us Science and was also a digestive biscuit fanatic.
Brian Tinsley (Practical Drawing), John Devine (Maths).
Hope some of these names ring a bell.

happy memories norman NIK smith headmaster strict but fair teachers mr pearson brian smith mrs wadsworth

Hi Barrie only just seen your comment on the photo , yes i would like a copy of the photo you have cleaned up please.i have also left a comment on the Pemberton Primary photo for you. Jan
Jan

The second man seated from the left is my Dad Alf Hilton. He passed away this week and my dad and mum would of been married foe 40 years if he had lived another 5 days. I am so proud of my dad and I have always been a Daddy's Girl even at the age of 39. I love you Dad. RIP. XXX

message for alan murphy. you lived next door to us on saddleback rd.me and my husband met up with your sister Sheila and Ron last september in wigan, it was so very good to see her again,talked non stop about old times and family, you were only a young lad when you emigrated.I remember your whole family, Ernie,Alice,John,Sheila,Joe and yourself. I left Pem sec 1961, I think that the school became separated around that time boy's went to Montrose ave. girls stayed at Pem, my two brothers Barry and Terry would have attended Montrose ave.

head master was eric coulshed ileft school in 1952agz

Hi my name was Diane Heaton Just found this site I remember Alan murphy and the time you left to go to Australia I always wondered if you got there and Maureen markland and your brother/s I to lived at 58 saddleback rd across from both of you and I remember you especially Alan and sheila I used to look after Pauline and you used to call me streaky bacon I was thin them days hope you both have had a good life as I have I remember the boys going to the new school on Montrose ave as I was at pem girls

I think the headmaster was Mr Coulshed upto 1961.

Àt pemberton sec 1960/64 recall many lads b Marsden d Tudor r sharp

Had a great time at Pem Boys. Didn’t realise at the time but you learned a lot more than the subjects being taught.

I went to Pem from 1963 to 67 (following my brother Barry who was there 1959 to 1963). Some of the teachers were very good, especially Sharrock (English), Horrocks(Frankie, Geog), George Derbyshire (History) and George Sandiford (Metalwork).
I worked with Jack Silcock at Whitley High a decade later and he told the personal side of the varied staff!!
The days at Pem were good and we learned a lot (not a great deal academic though) . I spent a lot of my time there in the library ( being an avid reader) with Jim Macavoy, David Schofield and Keith Bennett ( who died six months after leaving school.

Just come across this site on my break,yes still slaving away at 70.Thanks for the mention Steve ( fame at last) Brought back mostly good memories also remember other lads that spring to mind Brian Sherry Brain Banks William Fisher David Orrell.

Just driven past the school and surprised to see the bulldozers eating their way through the library block