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The Bewsian is a history of Secondary Education in Bewsey (1934-1993)The information in this section is based on a booklet, I attended Bewsey Secondary Modern between 1974 and 1979. Some of my memories are included at the end. If you attended Bewsey Secondary Modern/Bewsey County High School, and wish to share your memories, do please use the Feedback link. If you have relevant photos for which you own the copyright, attach them to the email address (no bigger than 800 pixels wide by 600 high please).
The Founding of the School
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Warrington Education Committee began secondary education in 1903. Their first development was the Technical Institute in Palmyra Square. Like many other schools it was not free at this time, but it did provide the first opportunity for secondary education for many working class children in Warrington. Council scholarships were soon made available and after the Education Act of 1921, Warrington became one of the first to provide 100% of such places in its schools. The impact of these developments was enormous and made valuable education provision for all children in the town up to the age of fourteen. The next important piece of legislation to affect secondary schools was the 1944 Education Act, which made it compulsory for all children to receive a free secondary education up to the age of fifteen, and many schools including Bewsey were renamed Secondary Modern Schools. |
| Warrington
Technical Institute served as the Borough Treasurers building in later life. Photo taken 3 Feb, 2005. |
Previously some working class children had received secondary-type education in the higher standards (classes) of elementary schools, but this was the first provision designed for this sector. The only secondary facilities available previously were at Boteler Grammar School, the Clergyman's Daughters' School and the private schools which were all essentially middle-class at the time and were restricted in their intake.
In the 1930s pupils started school at 5 years old and left at 14. In my time it was 16, and I notice the government is considering raising it to 18 in the 21st century. Basic subjects were Maths, English, History, Geography, Geometry, Poetry and Drawing, with Religious Education too, as lots of schools were originally connected to the churches.
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The first purpose-built secondary schools did not open until 1934, when Bewsey and Richard Fairclough schools were opened. The Secondary or 'Senior' departments as they were known were built near to council-provided elementary or 'Junior' departments. In doing this, the Education Committee was following national trends, being influenced by the report, "Education of Adolescent of 1925" by the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education and by the Hadow Report of 1926. These reports wanted a definite break in education of children at about 11 years old, and grading of classes according to ability. The origins of Bewsey go back to 1927 when, after the Education Act of 1921, an area of land measuring approximately 29 acres was handed over to the Local Education Authority. |
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The school's deed
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The deed map, above right, shows the area bound by the Sankey Brook, Lodge Lane and the Cheshire Lines Railway. The area was originally acquired for use by the Ministry of Health, presumably for some medical institution. Together with this map was an official document with the then Minister of Health's Official Seal, signing the land over to Warrington Borough Council.
Architects Wright and Hamlyn of Winmarleigh Street, Warrington, were then appointed to draw up plans for the building. In the late 1920s local contractors started work, which was completed in 1933 at a cost of £42,000. At a meeting on 18 December, 1933, the opening date for the school was set. The Seniors school opened its doors for the first time on Monday 8 January, 1934. Present were the Mayor, Austin Matthew Crowe, and the Deputy Chairman of the Education Committee (Rev E. Downham), who performed the opening ceremony. The opening of the two Senior Departments at Bewsey (boys and girls) was seen as an adventure in municipal enterprise by the Warrington Corporation.
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At that time boys were separate from girls and the
school was designed to hold 480 of each. In an essentially industrial
area (see the emblem of the school at the top of the page), whilst the
curriculum should have some relationship to the future vocation, it
was also seen that it should have some relationship to the future
leisure time of the pupils. This was met by an increased opportunity
for practical as well as theoretical studies in the new school.
The Education System of the Borough was organised to provide opportunities for all capable children to proceed to the highest educational institutions after leaving school, passing through various stages of Elementary, Secondary Branch Technical, Technical and Commercial and Art Colleges, and from these on to University, Training College or other educational institution. |
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The original |
The Boys and Girls schools (Boys near the railway side, Girls near the playing fields), each had eight ordinary classrooms, an art room, two science rooms, a library, a head teacher's room, staff rooms and a medical inspection room.
In the Boys' department there were manual instruction rooms and there were domestic science rooms for the girls. If you look at the overhead photograph of 1934, below right, you will notice the original building was symmetrical.
The school catered largely for children of Bewsey and Whitecross and the feeder schools were Evelyn Street Council School, St Barnabas School and Arpley Street Council School. Headmaster for the Boys was Mr. N. H. Fackrell, whilst Miss Smith became head for the Girls. Each school also had 14 assistant teachers.
The following is a copy of the greetings from the first Head Master, Mr Fackrell.
BEWSEY is - what twelve months ago was a pile of buildings and a site is now a school. From the opening ceremony, on January 8th, when, in the presence of a number of distinguished visitors, His Worship the Mayor declared the school open, we have gone ahead. We have no traditions, but we are building them in work and in play; a glance round the school in the class rooms, the labs., the gardens, and the workshops, will show the work, our games and concerts show the play. The various school activities are dealt with fully elsewhere, only one point I should like to stress, already nearly 170 boys have left the school, and not more than a dozen are without work, while some with whom we are in contact are doing really well.
I feel we have done well, and that we shall continue to do better if the spirit which has animated the school so far lives on, a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, of co-operation and hard work. To those within our little world, children, parents and staff, who have striven hard and successfully, I give thanks and good wishes for the future.
N. H. FACKRELL,
Head Master.
Bewsey Boys' School 1934-1946
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The actual buildings in those early days were in many ways very different from those later years. The school had been built on the "Open Air Plan", a style very much in fashion for school buildings all over the country at the time. Although it looked very attractive, it was hardly appropriate for our climate. The corridors were open to the weather and the outside walls of the classrooms were actually made of glass (French window style), meaning a great loss of heat. The heating was provided by under-floor gas central heating, which was inadequate. It was given the title of the "Ice Palace" by some, due to the cold. |
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| Ariel photograph
1934. Notice the symmetry. Photo from The Bewsian. |
The prefabricated buildings around the perimeter were not there originally - they were erected during the war for the serving of school meals. At first pupils (and staff) either went home for meals of brought sandwiches. On opening, pupils and staff were transferred from the Senior Departments of old-established schools in the central, western and north-western areas of the town, including Arpley Street, Silver Street, St Anne's Hamilton Street (my first school), St Barnabas and Heathside. These schools were often overcrowded and badly lit and ventilated. Often a coke fire stove stood in the centre of the classroom provided the heating. The colour scheme was a choice of two: all upper walls were painted calf and the lower half was painted either dark green or brown. Those schools remained as Junior schools.
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The old Wycliffe School, which opened in 1868, had moved
en masse to Bewsey Junior and Infants Schools when they opened in
1932. In the notes it says the pupils and teachers borrowed a handcart
from the Education Office in Sankey Street to move all the text books
and records, making several journeys to complete the transfer to the
new Junior School.
One assumes they walked down Bewsey Road and over the railway bridge - that must have been hard pushing it one side and then trying to keep control on the other side going down! One pupil notes they settled in very quickly: How great it was to sit at a desk on a chair instead of the old bench-type desk. We also had the playing fields close by and at this time school milk was introduced at one old penny for one third of a pint of fresh milk. |
| The old Wycliffe
School on Bewsey Street, which was, until January 2007 a shirt factory. Photo taken 9 Nov, 2006. |
The pupils on entry were divided into four streams, named A, B, C and D for convenience. The A and B were parallel academically, with the A being a commercial basis, and the B a Technical basis. Both took the basic subjects: English, Maths, Geography, History, etc. The A stream also took French, Bookkeeping, etc and the B stream took more practical Science, Technical Drawing, etc. The C and D streams spent more time on basic Maths and English and Rural and Practical Science. Which stream would be best for you if you wanted to be a Book-keeper at a Science lab? Just a thought! Pupils were placed in their respective stream according to the result of an examination on entry (that was before the 11+ came in, by the way).
Sport was also a big part of the school's activities, especially football and cricket. An entry in the log book of 2 April, 1934, records that Bewsey won the P.W.V. Cup at the Peninsular Barracks. The winning team were treated to a hot pot supper at Atkins Café on Bridge Street.
| Other external activities included the Bewsey Boys Club, the Bewsey Boys Concert Party, rugby teams, baseball and many school trips and outings, including an early trip to Edinburgh on 10 May, 1934. That's some going for those days. No M6 motorway then! Wherever possible, outside activities were linked to formal work. The Rural Science classes were involved in bee-keeping, poultry, pig farming and it also had fish pond. An old car was purchased from school funds for car maintenance classes. Some boys produced their own magazine. |  |
| Bewsey Junior and
Infants School on 2 Dec, 2006. |
A Carol Service and parties were held every Christmas. One year the whole of the school went to the Ritz cinema for a specially arranged show with one of the teachers playing the Wurlitzer organ.
The school adopted "For All The Saints" as its anthem. Discipline was strict and "four of the best" was often the punishment for small offences, but there were no complaints and staff were respected by most pupils. There was little or no vandalism and the authorities were respected for what they had done to build such a fine school, and the pupils were proud of their school.
In the town there was no shortage of entertainment, with two theatres, nine cinemas, two roller skating rinks and a speedway track. We had the wireless as television was many years in the future.
Bewsey Girls' School 1934 -
1946 In the Girls' side subjects included Science, Geography, Needlework and Crafts. There were two cookery rooms, a grand assembly hall, where as well as allowing P.T. (Physical Training) to be enjoyed, some really useful plays were performed. There were new interests, gardening and bee-keeping (unheard of before) and the introduction of French. In those early days foreign languages were normally taught to the privileged few in the grammar schools, so to see it in Bewsey was something modern.
One teacher recalls that during the war the younger men were called up for active service and female teachers were asked to teach in the Boys School. She has two memories - one was the singing of those boys, something quite awesome and really beautiful. The other was a staff versus pupils cricket match at the end of the summer term.
Back to the French lessons. Another teacher recalls how the pupils were very interested in the subject. She says she managed to persuade them that the main diet of the French was NOT frogs. Actually, I recently watched a classic episode of The Likely Lads from the 1960s when Terry's sister, Audrey, when asked what do you give a French girl to eat, replied "frog butties!"
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The teacher reports that some of the pupils were lucky
enough to spend a week's holiday in the country, with a stay at a very
nice Paris hotel where they sampled the culinary delights the country
had to offer (not a frog butty in sight!). The pupils managed to make
brief conversation with the lift boy, but she doesn't say what was
said.
During the war, pupils were escorted into the shelters when the air raid warnings sounded. These were built on the playing fields next to the girls' playgrounds. Sometimes the children were sent home, whilst staff remained behind for the obligatory teaching of first aid. Some rooms were made like strongholds by the building of outside walls. The windows were blackened out with curtains and blinds. Staff and pupils knitted comforts for the Forces, khaki wool being in endless supply. Just over the woods was Burtonwood Air Base, so the noise from the planes always interrupted the teaching. Some of the teachers helped out on night duty in the activity known as "fire-watching". |
| French windows in
the classrooms. This section no longer exists. The space is occupied by a football field for the Junior school. Photo taken in 1978. |
Bewsey Boys' School 1946-1972
Like most of the country, the World Wars took their toll on the efforts of the schools. The priority now was to re-establish the school for the next generation. During the war years shortages of both staff and equipment had resulted in severe limitations in the scope of the curriculum, e.g. practical rooms were closed and there was little of any organized P.E. and Games.
Between 1945 and 1947, eleven members of staff were appointed, some returning from the Services. The school was subjected to an H.M.I. inspection. At this time there were almost 400 boys as the school leaving age had been raised to 15. Extra classrooms were built alongside the railway for a projected life of just 10 years (they were still there when I left the school in 1979 and were only dismantled in recent years).
Rural Studies was still high on the agenda, with the keeping of hens, chickens, pigs and bee-keeping. There were also some well cultivated garden plots which occupied the land where the gymnasiums were built later on.
In 1951 the first headmaster, Mr. Fackrell, died. His place was taken by Mr. Thompson (who was my headmaster during the 1970s). During 1951 the Festival of Britain was held - a celebration designed to lift the spirits out of the post war rationing and shortages. This was jointly celebrated with the Girls' School in the form of a mass P.E. display and Maypole dancing on the school field attended by a large gathering of parents and Governors.
In the 1950s the population grew and, of course, so did pupil numbers. At one point the Boys' School had around 600 pupils in a building designed for 480. School assemblies saw pupils sat on the floor because there was no other space. The school teaching timetable had to adjusted to a six-day-week to spread out the skills of the specialist teaching. The second Monday in each term became day 6, etc.
| There was another inspection in 1957. During the 1950s,
the school's catchments area had been extended to include the whole of
Longford beyond the Fiat Car plant (now Alban Retail Park) and
eastwards as far as Orford Church and Hallfields Road.
It was clear that resources were overstretched and it was decided to build two new Secondary Schools on Long Lane to cope with demand. These schools were Orford Secondary (Boys and Girls), which opened in August 1958. Staffing and pupil levels dropped at the two schools in Bewsey, but in the long term it meant there was now space to cope with the inflated birth rate of the immediate post-war era. Throughout the 1960s, Bewsey established its reputation in the forefront of local schools in both rugby and association football. Many boys achieved County Honours and school teams at Senior and Intermediate level were frequently successful in league and cup competitions. |
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| A winter scene
looking towards
Lodge Lane with the Infant and Junior Schools on the left and Caretaker's Cottage on the right in the 1980s. Photo © DJ Kenny. |
In common with many Secondary schools, Bewsey Boys were encouraged to stay on for a fifth year in order to prepare for one of the external examinations which were the precursors of the C.S.E. (Certificate of Secondary Education).
Towards the end of the 1960s, the Local Education Authority made plans to rebuild both of the Bewsey Schools. Work eventually began in 1969 and was finished in 1971. The building program involved driving a wide point of access at the eastern end of the quadrangle which deprived each school of its specialist Art rooms. Health and Safety laws were not as strict as nowadays and access to and from classrooms was quite hazardous, particularly in bad weather. However, the final outcome was favourable as the school received two new gymnasiums, a library, excellent new practical rooms, new assembly halls and refurbished classrooms.
By 1972, the Local Education Authority had completed its preparations for co-educational Secondary Education and in July, 1972, the two schools at Bewsey plus the smaller Evelyn Street Secondary School were amalgamated into one school housed in the refurbished provision at Bewsey.
Bewsey Girls' School 1946-1972
Miss Smith, the first Headmistress in 1934, retired and her place was taken by Miss Griffiths. Miss Griffiths was also a qualified social worker and was well respected by pupils. A tradition for sound teaching, high achievement and good behaviour had been established. The school was ready for some innovations, such as a less formal approach to teaching and a certain relaxation to discipline. New furniture, equipment and text books were needed. The school had 500 girls on its books and the building was overcrowded.
The School Governors and Education Committee made a generous allowance in the early years for the purchase of furniture and equipment. In 1956, they recognized the success of the specialist subject teachers by appointing two Heads of Department and six teachers in Grade Posts.
There was a need to learn what each girl could achieve and award recognition for this achievement. There were a number of intelligent girls who, had the educational opportunities been different, would have gained from a grammar or technical education. The less able were encouraged in the basic subjects. The staff recognized that all girls could be helped to achieve some success. Self-confidence, self-respect, self-esteem and self-discipline were encouraged.
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Social depravation and problems at home were major issues and so every effort was made to allow each girl to develop. The changes during adolescence were given consideration and the girls received excellent health and sex education from the Deputy Headmistress, who was also a specialist teacher of biology. The building was cold, especially in the winter, with conditions that would not have been tolerated elsewhere. At times of frost and snow the outside toilets would freeze and the surface of the playground was dangerous because the authorities would not provide salt or sand. Some girls did not have proper footwear which often resulted in weekly attendances falling below 90%. An inside toilet block did not appear until 1970! |
| The original Girls'
School occupied
the side closest to the playing fields. Photo taken in the early 1990s after the school closed. Photo © DJ Kenny. |
Improvements in specialist teaching gradually appeared and new technology was finding its way into the classrooms. There were film-strip projectors, a large sound/film projector, a Fordifax overhead projector and tape recorders. Also up-to-date office equipment made easier duplication of exam papers, questionnaires, excursion and holiday booklets and the annual School Magazine.
One of the most innovative ideas was when the school was divided into Houses. Each was named after a prominent Warringtonian and had its own motto and appropriate social concern. They were:
| House Name | Patron | Motto | Social Work |
| Boulting House | Mr. William A. Boulting, J.P. | "Actions speak" | For the elderly |
| Downham House | Mrs. Mary Downham, J.P. | "Honour Thy Father and Mother" | For the elderly |
| Furness House | Mr. Rex Furness, M.B.E. | "Happiness through helpfulness" | For
handicapped people, especially the blind |
| Poole House | Alderman Joseph Poole, J.P. | "Together we build a new world" | International friendship |
| Robertson House | Mrs. Margaret Robinson, O.B.E., J.P. | "Serve others" | For nursing and hospitals |
Led by House Mistresses, House and Games captains, the girls competed in self-denial, work, games, sports and conduct.
The House Service became a feature of school life and prominent men and women concerned with social work came as guest speakers. These occasions lent themselves to useful classroom teaching in most subjects. Many striking illustrative projects were set up in the corridors. Through their thought and self-denial money, the girls strove to recognize and satisfy the needs of others. The donation of money was replaced by the giving of specific objects, wheelchairs, coal, outings/holidays for the elderly and furniture. Many will recall being their form's House representative and following the House banner in the procession.
By the time I attended Bewsey School, Poole and Downham had been combined into Poole-Downham. Every Friday we would collect our self-denial money. It was a bit of a competition between different forms to get the most. My class always tried to collect more than we had the week before. So that's where Bruce Forsyth got his "so much better than last week" catchphrase from!
The girls were helped to success in sport by the games mistresses, including athletics, netball, gymnastics and swimming. The school field, though, was not at its best during these early years and there were no changing or shower facilities. Despite this, inter-house sporting events were held and in the early years the school had success in inter-school athletics and netball.
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Ascension Day outing, the Beauty of the Spoken English Competition,
the P.E. Display and Drama and Dance were held annually. The Ascension
Outing took place each year until 1967, travelling by train and coach
to beauty spots in Wales, Derbyshire and the Lake District. Some of
the girls spent holidays at Coleg Harlech or on Youth Hostelling
weekends.
Visits were made to Warrington Reference Library and Museum, the town's churches, Howarth and Bronte Country, Liverpool Museum, Ainsdale Nature Trail, water works and sewage plants, all departments of the Borough Hospital, Pilkington Glass Museum and the Wedgwood Pottery, to name just a few. At that time the Education Authority made small grants towards educational visits, with many parents giving money to their children's trips so they didn't miss out on the things they themselves missed out on. |
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| The gymnasiums are
now the Warrington Islamic Community Centre Photo taken 2 Dec, 2006. |
Eight-eight girls were transferred to Orford Secondary Modern in the early 1970s. The overcrowding at Bewsey was relieved slightly but the building was still inadequate. The extension of the late 1960s were planned with the sole purpose of remedying the deficiencies of the Girls' School. They included indoor toilet blocks, an assembly hall, a gymnasium, a housecraft block with large utility D.I.Y. room for home-crafts, additional science, needlework, art and crafts and store rooms. As mentioned in the Boys' School section, the results were well worth waiting for.
A number of trophies had been given as inter-House competition awards:- the Arthur Hill Cup for Work, the Alice Boulting Trophy for Conduct, the Joyce Potter Cup for the Beauty of Spoken English, the Fearnley Cup for Athletics, the Hatch Cup for Netball and the Furness Trophy for Swimming. These were awarded at the Annual Prize Distribution which became one of the social highlights of the school year.
The final Prize Giving was held in July, 1972, and it was appropriate that the former Deputy Headmistress, Miss Hawthorn, who had served the girls so loyally from 1938 to 1971, should make the presentations.
In September 1972, three small schools combined to form one large one, Bewsey Secondary Modern Mixed School, which combined the old Boys and Girls schools, plus Evelyn Street Secondary Modern School. It didn't take long for both genders to mix and settle down to their new school life.
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In 1973, with the Raising of the School Leaving Age,
known as ROSLA, numbers of pupils expanded even further, as new first
year pupils arrive but no fourth year ones left. In 1979, the year I
left, a new Comprehensive education system was brought in and the name
changed to Bewsey County High School, with many changes to the
curriculum. With the introduction of foreign languages, a language
laboratory was necessary. Typewriters (remember them?) were introduced
for Office Studies and commercial subjects. A special room was set
aside for Computer Studies (didn't have them in my day). A former
cloakroom was converted into a Fifth Form Common Room.
Apart from changes in day-to-day school work, social occasions were enhanced as a result of both sexes participating. A mixed-gender choir was formed for the Christmas Carol Service, creating a sound that neither boy, girl or teacher had experienced at the school before. Dancing was also performed at the Christmas parties, such as the St Bernard's Waltz and the Barn Dance. The various House groups were maintained in the new set up and donations continued for community projects. |
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In 1981, a group
of 5th |
During this period some of the teachers who contributed many years to the school reached retirement age. These included Miss Griffiths, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Godfrey, Mr. Jones, Mr. Bayley and Mr. Mather. I always remember Mr. Mather reading the short Paddington Bear stories from my Blue Peter annual. He was fascinated by the creative writing of Michael Bond and his enthusiasm was a joy to witness as his voice changed when the story became more dramatic. He was greatly missed and it was a sad day when I heard that he had died.
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Between 1972 and 1984 the school experience two very long hot summers (the longest being 1976 during my time there). It benefited the Sports Days and Fetes, although late afternoon classes were quite unbearable. In contrast, the winters were harsh, resulting in pupils being sent home on many occasions before the school day had even started because the heating system had broken down. Joy for the pupils in one sense, but then, how did we fill the day at home? We, and our parents, were used to us being in school. |
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| Ariel Photograph
1984. Photo from The Bewsian. |
It would be chaotic in the modern world where often both parents were out at work. The winter weather also affected the Carol Service and Christmas parties in some years.
OFFICIAL ENTRANCES
i) By way of Lovely Lane and Clapgates Road.
ii) By Lodge Lane gate and access road by the tennis courts.
USE OF BICYCLES
Bicycles must be thoroughly roadworthy and must not be ridden on any part of the school premises.
SCHOOL HOURS 8.55 a.m. until 12 noon - 1.10 p.m. until 3.35 p.m.
No boy or girl is to leave school without permission during either the morning or afternoon sessions.
Permission will be granted to boys and girls to keep appointments at clinics and hospitals on production of an official appointment card. In all other cases application for permission to leave school must be supported by a parent's note.
All children seeking permission to leave school must report to the School Office before 8.50 a.m. each day. On returning to school such children must report to the office.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
In all cases of absence from school a parent's note or parent's telephone message is required no later than the day of return from absence. (Dear teacher. Please excuse Little Johnny today as he is not well. Signed My Mother!)
PLAYGROUNDS
Ball games must be played on the tarmacadam surface by the side of the gymnasium. The railway embankment and canal bank are out of bounds.
MOVEMENT IN SCHOOL
Movement should be quiet and orderly. Keep to the left when moving along corridors. Running in school is forbidden.
SCHOOL MATERIALS AND PROPERTY
All cases of damage to be reported immediately to [nominated teacher].
VALUABLE ARTICLES
Valuable articles, e.g. jewellery, portable radios, cassette recorders, etc MUST NOT BE BROUGHT INTO SCHOOL.
SCHOOL MEALS
Pupils who have school meals should remain on the school site for the remainder of the lunch time session unless a note requesting otherwise has been received from your parents.
Taken from the 1983-4 Year Booklet (apart from Little Johnny's sick note!)
But the best set of rules I ever heard were on BBC TV's Porridge sitcom:
There are only two rules in this prison -
1 - You do not write on the walls
and
2 - You obey all the rules!
In 1984, the Headmaster, Mr. Goodier, set out his vision for the future.
Much has been written about the last 50 years at Bewsey. Very little of course can be written about the future. Perhaps this is as well because we all react to new situations in different ways and part of the challenge of a teacher's job is continually to build on past experience.
What is certain is that we will endeavour to do our utmost to educate the pupils attending the school, within the guidelines of our stated aims and objectives.
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Bewsey High School is situated in the centre of
an established community and has the added advantage of having new
development nearby. In addition to our academic aims I feel we should
play an important part in the community both old and new, as
symbolized by our highly acclaimed Arrows sculpture in Sankey Valley
Park. Many community links have been developed over the years and I
trust these will be built on and added to in the future.
One thing above all other has been apparent in all our conversations with former pupils concerning the Jubilee, and that has been the fond regard they have for the school and their former teachers. I hope that those reviewing the school in 2034, after another fifty years will continue to feel the same affection for the school and the education they will have received. If that is so, we, or our successors, will feel very pleased. |
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This housing
development |
Sadly, Mr. Goodier's vision for 2034 would not be realized. Pupil numbers were dropping and the costs were rising, resulting in the announcement from Cheshire County Council that the school would have to close. This created fury in the community and a major campaign was started to keep the school open. After a hard-fought series of meetings, which involved coach-loads of pupils, parents and community users attending meetings at County Hall in Chester, the Council decided to back down on the condition that pupil numbers must rise. Feeling was so strong that when the Bewsey and Dallam Community Play was performed in the Parr Hall for 8 nights in 1991, the closure of the school featured in one very dramatic, heart-wrenching scene, and I believe the actors taking part in that scene were re-living their real expressions and emotions which helped them save the school in the mid 1980s.
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However, the reprise was only temporary because the subject of pupil numbers and cutbacks in budgets came up again, but this time it was not good news for the campaigners. The school closed in July 1993. The building still remains, but has now been converted into the head office for Warrington Borough Council's Social Service Department, who have been there since the 1990s. The Department moved from Priestley House on Sankey Street when the lease for that building came up for renewal. They now call it Bewsey Old School, after protests about the original choice of Lockton House, although the approach road is called Lockton Lane. The land which was the school playing fields, known as The Towers, was sold for redevelopment and is now a housing estate. There is a Towers Court residential area off Lodge Lane, which was built in the 1970s. Within the grounds is St Rocco's Hospice, which moved from Orford Avenue. The gymnasiums have been handed over to the Islamic Community Centre, whilst the Bewsey Lodge Primary School is still going strong on Lodge Lane. The caretaker's house on Lodge Lane served as Bewsey Lodge Community House for some years, but has now relocated to Bewsey Park and the building is now sold. |
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| The Caretaker's
Lodge. This became Bewsey Lodge Community Centre when the school closed. Photo taken 2 Dec, 2006. |
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I attended Bewsey Secondary Modern between
September 1974 and May 1979. I remember my first day with trepidation.
I was used to having all my lessons taught by one teacher in primary
school, so it came as a bit of a shock when I entered the library
lesson on that first Monday afternoon. Everybody watched me walk in,
having been escorted there by an older pupil.
I soon settle down to my new routine. In my first year I was in Class 1D. There were three bands of class, with two classes in each band. So Band 1 included 1A and 1B, my Band 2 was 1C and 1D, and Band 3 being 1E and 1F. I was a shy pupil, but I did enjoy my studying. It has continued into my adult life, hence this website. I liked Maths, English, Geography and History. I hated P.E. and Games. Biology didn't interest me. And even though I like technology, I wasn't a great lover of doing science experiments. |
| My first Bewsey School Photo, 1974. |
In one lesson the teacher made up a concoction of chemicals and asked us to taste the result. Not as drastic as it sounds, but nobody would taste it. He didn't tell us what the components were, but the final result was sodium chloride, common table salt. It was only when the janitor brought in some equipment and he tasted it first that we trusted him. I do remember pupils playing tricks on one science teacher when they turned up the wattage on the electric dial and laughed when we saw smoke rising from the desk.
| I was not a sporty person. I'm not now,
although I do watch rugby league. Regular readers of
mywarrington will know the cross-country story from the Sankey Valley
page, but I'll include it here too. We had a shorter cross-country
route around Bewsey Woods and this came to my advantage. It was a
well-known fact at school that I was not a lover of sport (C-
"far too timid, must try harder" was on one of my school
reports!).
So Sir must have been very surprised to find me asking to go on the cross country run every lesson. What he didn't know was that I used to run out of school and off into the woods on the short route. Except my short route was even shorter than the official short route! As soon as I got out of site of the playing fields I used to stop in the woods for an hour before going back to school. He never did find out! Swimming finals were held at Legh Street baths, using the Gala pool. I DID have a go, but not being a strong swimmer I came last, but the teacher did compliment me on my efforts when I eventually got back after my second length. And I did take part in indoor cricket in the summer using a soft ball. In my final year I played table tennis with my class mate. In baseball, the teacher used to select teams by writing 1 or 2 on your hand in pen so you knew where you were. |
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As you entered
Clapgates Road
entrance, these bike sheds were |
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In one year my Timex wind-up watch was stolen whilst in games. The teacher kept everybody back and released them at five minute intervals to give them a chance to place it on the bonnet of a car outside. Nobody returned it and it was replaced with one similar from the Deputy Headmaster's collection of unclaimed ones. And we never did see anybody wearing my original in school after that. The bike sheds view on 2 Dec, 2006. |
| I worked hard in my classroom lessons, which paid off
at the end of my second year. I came top of the class and moved up
to 3B the following year. Mind you, my dad was disappointed at the
end of the third year when my results showed me as 15th. Dad asked
why I came top one year and dropped to 15th the next. In fact I had
gone UP to 15th. Regard it as a First Division football club winning
that league and playing in the Premiership the following season. Or
put another way, if there were 31 pupils in each of the six classes,
my position at the end of my Second Year would have been 94. At the
end of my Third Year I was in overall position 46. But dad couldn't
see that at the time.
We didn't call it Year 1 from Infant School through to Year Whatever in Senior School as they do now. (Neighbours started that, by the way!) My Maths teacher did suggest I do the O-Level examination as I would have passed it easily. But you had to pay extra for the examination and I was a bit scared of asking dad for the money in fear of his reaction. So I never did the extra, but did get the Grade One C.S.E. pass in the subject. English literature was one of our subjects. One book I read in school was A Kestrel for a Knave, written by Barry Hines, another being Lord of the Flies. It was made more interesting when the teacher invited each of us in turn to read out a section. |
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| The school
playing field with the Cheshire Lines Railway in the Background. This is the point where the railway split for the "straight" and "loop" sections, the "straight" section (nearest to the camera) had already closed in 1968. Read more about the Cheshire Lines Railway in Making Tracks. Photo taken in 1978. |
Even though the film version of Hines' book (called Kes) was made in 1969, I hadn't seen it, which I suppose is good in one sense because a film doesn't always portray the book in the style of the original author. Kes was about a young schoolboy who trains a kestrel in his spare time. Lord of the Flies was William Golding's fierce morality tale about schoolboys marooned on a desert island and reverting to religious savagery. Another book we read was Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner. This is the story of a boy who stumbles across a master criminal plan to rob Berlin's richest bank. I remember it being a small blue book. Thankfully, we never did any Shakespeare. Sorry, but the Bard didn't interest me then and doesn't interest me now. but it does remind me of the Family Fortunes answer given by a contestant who was asked to name a famous "Arthur" and he replied "Shakespeare!"
As mentioned earlier, the games master taught us the various dances for the Christmas party, which seemed to be stage-managed with a stopwatch! Now we have this dance, then we do this, now you can line up for your refreshments... It might not have actually been like that, but parties never really interested me at school anyway. I only remember attending one Christmas party.
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My History teacher had a strange way of teaching - or
at least it felt strange to me! He was into summarizing every piece
of text! He would read something out to us and before we wrote it
down he then start asking us how we could write down what he had
just said in a summary. He would go right round the class until he
got it as he wanted. It took longer to write out the edited versions
than it would have done to write it down the original. I wonder if
he was secretly in charge of the School Exercise Book Budget? I'm
glad he's not editing my website. This would have been a one-page
website!
Another of my teachers had a car which was - well - past it! In fact, he always said it was held together by faith and rust - in that order! He was our Religious Education teacher. One time somebody asked him how to spell Benjamin. He replied by saying its BEN with JAM IN! And the story of Noah and the Ark got his comical twist. He imagined the sceptics laughing at Noah by asking him how he was going to get the boat to the water. Noah's reply? I'm not. The water is coming to the boat! |
| The Old School Tie. |
The school tie has just reminded me of another story. You didn't dare turn up to your Maths lesson without one. Why? Well, one particular teacher would make you one - out of paper! It would have a pretty coloured front AND he would make you wear it for the rest of the day in every other lesson. You came to school next day wearing your proper one! Most pupils called him Hitler because they assumed he was German. He was actually from Scotland. Two minutes before the end of every lesson he would always say "Collect up the books, put the cat out, feed the mice!" I also remember the time when I copied the wrong questions out for homework on the Friday and when we marked them on the Monday he announced to the class that I had made a "pig's ear" of the copying. He did let me have the marks though because I had got the answer right to the wrong questions, if you see what I mean. I also took in my copy of Guinness Book Of Records at one time and he went to the store room to get me some card to create an alternative cover to keep the original clean. Hitler? No chance. He was one of the best teachers in the school! And it was when he called into Lowes (Warrington) Ltd booksellers on Sankey Street (long gone) where I had my first job that he announced his disappointment at me not taking that O-Level Maths exam.
| And there was one teacher who NOBODY
liked to have lessons from. His method was to colour-code everything.
It would look good on the blackboard and must have took him all his
lunch hour to write up there. But then WE had to write it in our
exercise books using the same colour scheme! I'm
not joking,
but this sentence
represents how
he did it.
Talk about paint the whole world with a rainbow! And if you were
slower than others, hard luck, you had to catch up off your fellow
pupils.
In the first couple of years we had to do drama. Acting just wasn't my scene. Having said that, I did get involved in the research for the previously mentioned Bewsey and Dallam Play (which was called The North Face of Longshaw Street, by the way). I didn't act in that, but did show up at rehearsals in the version 10 years later for the opening of the Pyramid Arts Centre in town centre. I was there to offer any input, but ended up in the play. Some would say I didn't act in that version either! Anyway, back to drama classes. As I say, not my thing, but the teacher was involved in the Octagon Theatre in Bolton. It is also interesting that our lessons took place in our octagon-shaped hall on the old Girls' School side. |
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| During the
Queen's Silver Jubilee Year celebrations in 1977, all schoolchildren across Warrington were presented with a commemorative coin. |
School Assembly took place in the Octagonal Hall for 1st and 2nd years and in the big hall for 3rd, 4th and 5th years - with music played before assembly started (often a famous classical piece). Some pupils picked on the weakest by throwing their hymn books on his or her chair for him to hold until the end of assembly, leaving them holding a whole pile of hymn books for the rest of the session. I took part in many assemblies, with a reading or something.
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We had a few school trips as part of our education, although sometimes they were just for pleasure - Blackpool Lights, for instance. It was only day trips for me, such as North Wales and Delamere Forest, but some pupils were able to go abroad to France or Italy. The teacher involved in the foreign holidays used to make his own cini films of the holidays and it gave me my first insight into how they make cartoons. I watched him filming one open sequence with the letters running across the screen showing the destination. He would lay the letters out, photograph them, then move them across the page slightly, re-photograph them, and so on until his sequence was shot. He would return from the holiday and show the film. It was great to see, especially when he ran the film backwards to see one of the skiers pick themselves up from a fall! |
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This is DJKenny, age 13, modelling the school tie. |
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My most enjoyable subjects in my final two years was photography. Of course, in my time it was all on film. Digital was only mentioned when you asked what the time was, if you happened to have a digital watch! I miss the procedures of the processing techniques as I never set up a darkroom when I had left school. The school had a well-equipped darkroom and studio facilities. We used Praktica single lens reflex cameras and 35mm black and white film. We were charged a penny a shot for each picture taken and a small amount for the paper (Ilford brand in those days). We used Durst enlargers, but the teacher always preferred to use the older version they had. He once said you can use those flashy Dursts if you like but I can get a better print from the old one in the corner. I thoroughly enjoyed this subject and it even came in useful for another of my C.S.E. subjects as I took pictures in my local church to illustrate my Religious Education project. We visited a film processing factory to see how the professionals process colour and black and white film. |
| The first
photograph I took at school in 1977. The subject matter has been the bane of my life ever since! Everywhere I go round the town taking photos for the website there is always a lamp post trying to get in the way. Look out for a new page called Lamp Posts of Warrington! |
When we had an exhibition in the school I told the story of that visit on a mounted board. And it's a good job my dad had his wits about him because I was describing how the film was stored on a roll and spelt it ROLE. Yoo wownt fynd enny spelllling mistakkes lyke thatt onn thiss websssite!
One pupil asked how they managed to take a photo of the earth from space. The teacher replied: stand well back! They used to call that student Ena because his name was Sharples. As part of my compulsory English lessons you had to give a talk on a subject for about 15 minutes and then answer relevant questions from the other pupils in the class. I was brave to choose the procedure for processing a film, beginning with taking the film out of the cassette in a changing bag, spooling it onto a reel and placing it in the light-proof container ready for the processing chemicals to be added. The bravery was actually doing it with real photos I had taken for the photography course. Something went horribly wrong and they didn't come out too well. The photography teacher offered a rescue plan by suggesting I used a process calling intensification. This involved reprocessing the film in a different chemical to bring out the rather faded images. When that didn't work he said I won't charge you for the negatives. He then said what I should have done was use a dummy strip of film and add water to the tank in the English talk! Why didn't I think of that?
| I bet you didn't know that my photography teacher
invented the lottery? Well, he invented the optical scanning system
they use. Okay, so it wasn't the system they use, but he did
get there first in 1978. For the written exams he set the questions
out as a multiple choice sheet where you blocked in a circle to
indicate you answer. His answer sheet contained holes in the
position of the correct answer. He put his answer sheet on top of
ours and if he saw a black circle coloured in through the hole you
got a mark.
He reckoned he could mark answer sheets much quicker that way. Of course, the national lottery uses computers to read marks on a page to indicate your choice of number. Whichever way was best, it got me a Grade One in my finals. When we started the course in September, 1978, he didn't give us that much confidence in the subject because he told us that, with his qualifications, his application to the top photography companies in London would not get him any further than that application form, and yet he was teaching us! It's a good job we put that behind us right away. |
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| An early example
of still life in
my first few weeks in Photography class. You couldn't mistake my pens - they've got my name on. Can't remember if this was my original watch or the school replacement. |
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In the fourth and fifth year I was selected to be a
school prefect. One of my duties was to be posted at one of the
doors at break times to ensure that pupils stayed out of the
building, apart from using the toilets. It was quite an honour to be
chosen because they only chose you if they felt you could be
trusted.
I didn't have any problems from other pupils because I had been chosen. I remember my final day at school as a prefect we were asked to stand by the fire alarms so nobody could set them off. Well it wasn't me that set them off! Actually, I don't think they did get set off. Not before I left the building anyway. |
| A
view of the old Boys' School in modern times Photo taken 2 Dec, 2006. |
When I had left school I became involved in working for the elderly in my local community. It led to me re-entering the school some years later when the school were happy to offer facilities for committee meetings and eventually for the Help The Needy & Over Sixties Club to meet there every Wednesday. When I was back at the school I met up with my old games master and asked if he was still teaching games. Oh no he said. I'm too old for that now! I teach Maths these days. Help The Needy gave the school the chance to continue its community involvement because many pupils willing gave up their lunchtimes to assist with the serving of meals to the housebound members. The pupils, both girls and boys, really enjoyed their time there and I'm sure it inspired some of them to consider social and care work as a career when they left school. In fact, even when the over 60s club found permanent accommodation at Whitecross Community Centre, some of the children still came over from the school to help out at lunchtimes. Their effort was greatly appreciated and there were so many wishing to take part that they had to be put on a rota system.
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| Two
views of the School building now as the Head Office for Warrington
Borough Council's Social Service Department, with a modern lamp post image to end! (Photos taken 2 Dec, 2006) |
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I had many happy years at Bewsey School, both as a pupil and later whilst working in the community.
Teachers who were at Bewsey between 1954 and 1958 were:
| MISS
ELLIS ...... if she found you had headlice, she would send you home with a letter and a dark brown bottleful of 'lotion' |
MISS SWAN (later became MRS HAIGH) ...... taught Art |
| MRS JONES ...... the Drama teacher | MRS HICKS ..... Music teacher |
| MISS LOUDON ..... my favourite teacher to whom I gave a bunch of flowers from our garden, every Monday morning which were always put in a vase on her desk. | MISS HATCH ......Physical Education teacher |
| MISS BOWE ...... one of two Needlework teachers | MISS HAWTHORNE ..... Science teacher |
| MRS MATHER ...... the History teacher | MISS McGINN ..... Needlework teacher. |
| MISS STONE ..... Religious Instruction teacher | MISS HARRIS, MRS JOLLEY and MISS ENTWISTLE ...... Domestic Science (cookery) teachers. |
I remember my first day at Bewsey because I was SO proud to be wearing my new uniform... something I'd never had to wear at Primary school. I remember my belted 'burberry' (or gaberdine) but mostly I can remember my navy beret complete with green pom pom... yes honestly, it had a green pom pom on top. I was a little girl who'd always worn a hair ribbon bow on the top of my head, so I was quite thrilled with my new 'headgear'... until I got to the bus stop and while waiting for the school bus, I was teased and had the beret pulled off and passed around. Worse still when I got to my new school and saw only one other. I was tormented and bullied unmercifully. At hometime I took my beret home minus pom pom, and needless to say I never, ever wore it again.
I remember in one cookery lesson with Miss Entwistle, I sat at a table at the front of the class and someone left the classroom door open, asked to please shut it, I got up... so did the girl next to me, we both dashed to do teacher's bidding and I caught my leg on something very sharp, sticking out of an old tin larder/cupboard. I screamed in pain as my knee was ripped open and was carried over to the Headmistress's office where she wanted me taken to hospital to be stitched up. I was SO terrified at the thought of being 'sewn up' and refused to go, so I was bandaged up and sent home. I still have the scar today, 47 years on.
In my final year in needlework class, I made a petticoat with matching knickers. Miss McGinn insisted that as I was such 'a little thing' with absolutely no shape, my petticoat would be a straight one with no cups and instead of lace edged panties, mine would be 'granny type bloomers' with legs reaching almost to my knees. I used to try and fake 'sickness' every week on sewing day, but as Mum had paid out good money for material etc, I HAD to go to school and get the hated garment finished. I never did wear it... can you blame me??
On a much happier note, were the school dinners... ooooh, I can smell them even now. Proper mashed potatoes (not your dried packet stuff), cabbage, homemade pie, lovely gravy etc, then there was lovely thick rice pudding or my absolute favourite, semolina with either a blob of jam or a big thick ginger biscuit which we called NIG NOGS. Also chocolate sponge and chocolate sauce, gorgeous custard, blancmange etc. Only thing I didn't like was 'frogspawn'... tapioca. Yep, school dinners were excellent, not like the quick and convenient stuff they dish up nowadays (and I should know, I spent 12 yrs in a school kitchen in the 80's).
I was in FURNESS HOUSE throughout my time at Bewsey and at the last House Festival before I left the school, I presented Mrs Furness with a lovely bouquet of flowers. I remember my little speech: "As I leave school this Christmas, this is the last House Festival I shall ever attend. Please accept these flowers on behalf of all the pupils here at Bewsey"
Seeing again the pic of the Caretaker's house, reminded me of the AVIARY that was in the playground alongside the toilets and each holiday, I used to volunteer to come in and feed and water the many budgies and canaries that were there. My brother and I used to walk from home at Orford, call at the caretaker's house each morning for the key then clean up the aviary, giving the birds fresh seed and water. I don't ever remember it raining on these occasions so we would spend ages just enjoying them. That was a lovely job which we looked forward to every holiday.
They do say schooldays are the best days of your life and for me they certainly were.
Ex-pupil Kathleen Barker nee Spero.
I attended Bewsey Girl's Secondary Modern between 1954 and 1958. I was a very forward and pushy child and had to be at the front of the queue for everything. I loved sports especially running and would enter as many races as possible.
I think the first 3 winners in each race went on to represent the school at the Town Sports which were held in Victoria Park. I never managed to get there until one year, someone fell ill and so I took her place. I failed though, I came LAST!
Because music was a favourite lesson of mine, I joined the
choir. All went well until one day the teacher had all of us (about 40) up on
the stage. Me being tiny, was stood on the front row. She walked slowly along
the line listening carefully to each one of us, but me being very nervous of
her, clammed up and just 'mimed'. I was thrown out of the choir there and then.
Then there was the Drama group, how I loved that. One year I got the part of the
Angel Gabriel in the Christmas Nativity.
I was on stage throughout the whole performance being the narrator. Another year
I played the part of Beelzebub. I remember having to drag off the stage, a girl
on my back who was much bigger than me and had her hands around my neck Then
there was the time I made Chelsea buns in the cookery class and put SALT in them
instead of SUGAR. Mum made me eat every one (she was SO annoyed with me). I
cried the day I left when I was 15. I had enjoyed every moment of my time there.
(ANON)
Don't forget to send in
your own memories of life at Bewsey School. It would great to hear from you,
especially if you were in my class.
If you can shed any light on the exact date in 1993 when the school closed I
would be very grateful. Thanks to DJKenny for the year.
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