Wigan Album

Ah, the missing names as forementioned and others. Had Eccles for History if memory serves me correct, in the room at the very end of the corridor (which also doubled as Bank's house room). Balmer was the PE teacher, with occasional science. Thank you Keirh

Ah yes, Frank Balmer, his bark was far, far worse than his bite, unlike a few other staff (2 or 3 perhaps). I never saw Frank touch any pupil, slap them, hit them or indeed kick them. He maintained order in his own way, no physical violence involved, as it should have been in those long gone days.

Frank was on St Helens RL books, unfortunately it coincided with WW2 so he probably got few opportunities to play.
He served an apprenticeship as an electrician in one of the local brickworks.

Not Cochran but Ellis Cockram,whose cry was "I shall mallet thee"
FAL was the nicest of men.in marked contrast to his predecessor as Art Master,Bulmer

We sat in threes & Bulmer spent the whole lesson knocking heads together.Seated in the middle I got hit twice.Autumn Term 1943 but still remembered
Not Cochran but Ellis Cockram whose cry was "I shall mallet thee"

I think the teacher on the extreme left is Cooper, who taught woodwork. I have seen a photograph of Frank Balmer in the St. Helens rugby team about 1946.

Frank made his debut for the Saints on January 21st 1939 against Salford. Playing as a centre he made 68 appearances and scored 13 tries.

Yes I think it is Mr Cooper on the left. He did teach woodwork and as the son of a master joiner I remember him shouting at me as I planed down my third piece of wood for a lamp stand. " your father's a carpenter lad, why can't you do it?!" I never did inherit any of my dad's skills!

Graham - My Dad was also a master joiner and I did not inherit any of his skills. I made a nail box in Year one (and only) of Mr Coopers class and I think all 4 corners were different angles, I could never get the knack of chiselling out the wood to make dovetail joints.

Apologies all round, I've posted the incorrect name, it is as you say Cooper, not Temple.
He may have succeeded Mr Baron as the Woodwork teacher. I also have a memory from the mid 1950's, of going to Wigan Little Theatre, in a group from WGS, to watch him perform, in a Shakespearian production. The title of which escapes me.

It was only after I'd left WGS that I learned Frank had played for St Helens when the opposition was Wigan and my own father was in the Wigan team. Typical of professional players they never "blew their own trumpet".

And here was I , thinking I'd had a tough time of it at AGS, having had the likes of Don Gullick et al to grapple with, but looking at the Caponesque lineup of masters that you lot had to contend with makes me realise that, with hindsight, I probably, unknowingly , yet fortunately and happily dodged, well, if not the cane, then at least the bullet.

"Cakie" Eccles, next to Robin Cooper, taught French and helped to run a soccer team.
Bert Savigny would never let us use the word "Fuhrer" for leader when doing German with him. It was always crossed out and we were told to find another word. Researching his war record explains why.

Never knew Savigny's first name since he never taught me but I heard, don't know how true it is, that in the war he was dropped behind enemy lines. Also didn't he have a son at WGS?

I do know that the bluff character "Dickie" Downing took part in the invasion of Italy, I think he was a Captain.

Savigny's name was Brian.His son Nigel was a little younger than myself.
The first Mrs Savigny died and WBS married the headmistress at the Girl's High School who lived to a great age

Thank you Donald I found that very interesting. One further memory of Brian was his intense amusement at my pathetic attempts to fold up a deck chair while clearing them away, no advice was forthcoming.

My 3 favourites sat next to each other. Cocky, Dicky and Fal.
Cocky taught maths, and once gave me a fishing book saying "thal learn more from this than I con teach thee lad" Dicky was a brilliant English teacher.Ex Army Capt, paratrooper. I owe him a great deal. Fal taught Art when he could be bothered. Used to nip out for a fag.
Cooper.. Naah, Balmer frightened me. Paddy Gore.. sadist. Joe Boz loved the cane. Music man forgot his name Hitler lookalike. The rest ????????

Bernard, as an ex-WGS pupil, (53 - 59) I found your comments of interest. How little things change. Your experience of FAL matches mine exactly (despite this I taught the subject for 40 years), Frank Balmer, I suspect was a better actor than you anticipated, bark and bite come to mind. Dicky I liked, he laughed like a drain when I presented my Shakespeare book well and truly chewed by our young labrador.