KBGS Old Boys' Forum

A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School. 


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KBGS Old Boys' Forum
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Dennis Healey

Dennis Healey (according to Wikipedia) lived in Keighley from age 5. Went to Bradford Grammar though, so his parents must've been minted or aspirational, or both. Anybody know where he lived? I'm guessing Utley rather than Back Paget Street (unadopted), but who knows?

Re: Dennis Healey

Denis Healey's dad was the principal of Keighley Mechanics Institute and/or college - if I've got that right. My dad, an old boy of kbgs went into engineering and did some of the theory associated with his apprenticeship at what was probably the predecessor to Keighley Tech Coll. I have some of his reports with Healey's (senior) signature on them. If I'd found them out, I could have clarified the above. He lived in a large semi in Riddlesden right alongside the snicket that runs from Bar Lane to the Willow Tree - the address was probably Banks Lane. I can't remember my source - but I was told that senior Healey used to "terrorise" the kids on the bus into Keighley. Denis went to Bradford GS - but to his credit, he stuck true to his Keighley connections when he took the title Baron Healey of Riddlesden.His wife, Edna, recently published her autobiography which was Radio 4's book of the week and provided some interesting local info.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Re: Dennis Healey

A friend of my dad's was at Bradford GS with Mr Healey. "Allus had his head stuck in a book"

Re: Dennis Healey

Riddlesden, eh? Not Thwaites Brow?

Re: Dennis Healey

Amongst other things Healey senior taught science to night school students. One of these was my father who was, at that time, training to be a textile designer and studying chemistry under Healey Sr.(Unfortunately the slump came along and my father never completed his training).
He used to tell a story of Healey bringing in a flask made of a new "unbreakable" glass - ideal for the chemilab. He threw it on the floor and it didn't break. He told one of the students to kick it. Sadly he wasn't aware that the one he had asked was goal kicker for a local ARL club. The flask sailed the whole length of the room, hit the wall and shattered. He must have had a sense of humour because he responded by saying "I didn't mean quite that hard" and continuing his teaching.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds

Re: Dennis Healey

You are right Terry,as usual. Dennis Healey came from Riddlesden and his father was the Principal of the Technical College, which was in the same building as K.B.G.S. How do I know ?
In the nineteen seventies I was invited each year to a dinner in London and for some reason I was always seated at the same table as the guest of honour who was always a Cabinet Minister, or on one occasion an ex P.M.--Ted Heath.They were usually full of their own importance with little personality. When Dennis Healey, at the time Chancellor of the Exchequer, was the guest of honour, I was fortunate to be seated next to him and although our politics were poles apart he was a charming and very interesting man to be dining with. When he discovered I,too, was from Keighley he talked about his early life there for a long time. He came across as a very sincere man and was obviously proud of being a Yorkshireman and of his Keighley roots, but what really impressed me was that at the end he came all the way through the crowd of about a hundred to find me and say how much he had enjoyed our reminiscing about Keighley and to wish me well. I was flattered,to say the least.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 41/46

Current location (optional) I.O.M.

Re: Dennis Healey

I concur, Healey seniors signature appears on my late mother's shorthand /typing certificate (about 1938-9)form the Tech College.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64

Current location (optional) Wirral

Re: Dennis Healey

Reading through a Keighley News Supplement,dated March 2001, recently, I noted with interest, that Denis(spelt with one 'n')did in fact, attend a Grammar School in Keighley, albeit Keighley Girls' Grammar School!!! At the time the Girls' School included a mixed junior department.
He won a scholarship to Bradford Grammar School, then another to Balliol College, Oxford, where he gained a 'double first'(plus prizes) for Philosophy and Classics and a travelling scholarship which enabled him to study Greek Civilization at close quarters.
During WW2 he reached the rank of Major in the Royal Engineers and was 'mentioned in despatches' after the landings at Anzio. He spoke fluent French, Italian and German and was once described as "one of the West Riding's most outstanding scholars of all time"!!!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945/50

Current location (optional) Keighley

Re: Dennis Healey

Dennis Healey said when he learned of Alaister Campbell's (Labour spin doctor) link to Keighley he said that he was glad that they had both migrated to the south of the country. Healey don't feel no patriotic link to Riddlesden.