When we were kids -if we didnt fancy school that day for whatever reason, I was told I had to go because the School Board Bobby would be after me.
Did he exist and was anyone actually 'got' by this fearsome fellow ?

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

The "school bobby" did indeed exist Brian.
He visited a lad called Tom Smith when we were at Ingrow Juniors.
The School Bobby metamorphosed over the years into the Education Welfare Officer, the Education Social Worker and the School Attendance Officer ... and possibly a few other titles too. The job essentially remained the same though.

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

Current location (optional) leeds

In my day, there was more than one - presumably they were allocated an area or a certain number of schools. The one who dealt with truancy and worse at Eastwood School was a certain John Willy Ackroyd. He patrolled his patch on a 'sit-up-and-beg' bicycle, complete with cycle clips, and wore heavy, dark horn-rimmed specs, which gave him a truly fearsome look. I can see him now, though fortunately, I never had any dealings with him myself.

About the same time, the 'bobby' for Long Lee School was a Mr Murgatroyd who, apparently, was very keen on singing - as was the school's headmaster, Mr Wilding - and often doled out sixpences to good singers on his visits to the school.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

I have just replied to your similar posting on the Keighley History site Brian, so I won't go over it all again, but Robert Bailey lived near us in Cross Roads and covered a territory but I do not know how far. We were never brave enough to speak to him unless he spoke to us first. His title, as he wrote it on a character reference he gave me when I left for Australia in 1954, was Retired School Attendance Officer.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

Brian,Harold Town`s son was a "School Board Bobby" called Neville.!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1959-66

Current location (optional) HAWORTH

I am not sure about Keighley but in Bradford,( not sure whether it was Trevor or Norman) Foster, ex-Great Britain forward, was the school attendance officer for my school. He did look very much like a retired Rugby league forward, too, which probably helped his job effectiveness.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1944-49

Current location (optional) Philippines

It was Trevor, Arthur, same Bradford Northern team as Ernest Ward and Ken Traill (brother of the Keighley RLFC forward) - all three played for England together in the late nineteen forties, Ward, I think, as captain.

Hi Doug --- welcome back! Hope that downunder was kind to you. Ernest Ward was regarded as one of the games best ever centres according to a report I have in my scrap book. I remember him well. Others in that team along with the ones you mentioned were Frank Whitcombe, one of the biggest props ever, Eric Batten, the winger who devised a cunning plan of jumping through and over a tackle until he kicked someone and it was banned, and Ernest Ward's brother Donald.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

Did J W Ackroyd wear a light coloured raincoat, belted at the middle and wear brown boots?

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

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Wasn't Trevor Foster from the valleys? And because he and others were hardly English was that not the reason the RL international team was styled as Great Britain.

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

Current location (optional) Lincoln

You're right about the raincoat, Terry, but can't see the boots, quite. A grey, large-check suit is in my mind too, but who can say where it came from?

Curious about the RL Great Britain tag, really, because as far as 'home' internationals were concerned there was certainly a Welsh team in the fifties, as well as an 'Other Nationalities' - this latter regularly winning all their matches; how could they not with Brian Bevan on one wing and the formidable Lionel Cooper on the other?

John A, Yes of course I remember Neville Town as he wass associated with our church, but I never knew he was a 'School Board Bobby' !

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

Current location (optional) Wirral