A couple of years ago. I re-established contact with Ronald Robert Burgess and we meet up now and again for a natter about old times. We both became pupils of KBGS in September 1945. We were in form 1A; our class room was at the end of the corridor leading from the hall and our Form Mistress [if memory serves me correctly] was Frizzy Berrington. It's all such a long time ago now, but it is surprising how much we can remember when the mind gets working!

Recently, Ronnie sent me half a dozen copies of the Keighlian magazine dating back to his time spent in the 6th form. I'd left by then - gone to earn a living in local government, but I have found these 60 year old publications fascinating. I always knew that Arnold Birch was devoted to cricket but I never realised just how much he contributed to the magazine. One sixth of the content of the Summer 1952 issue came from the pen of A.S.B. including a report on the match played against Roundhay - a close run game as things turned out. KBGS won by one wicket! The man of the match for KBGS was my pal R.R. Burgess who was 'almost unplayable', 'moving the ball both ways and occasionally sending a faster one which went straight through'! He finished with 9 wickets for 25 runs. Brilliant!

There is another little article entitled 'Zebras' which intrigued me. It relates to the recent introduction of Zebra Crossings as a road safety initiative. Did you know that the person who took the credit for the introduction of this device was an old boy of KBGS, a Dr George Charlesworth, a scientist at the Road Research Laboratory? I didn't! Sixty years on and zebra crossings are seen everywhere. I wonder how many lives 'Dr Zebra' has saved?

I think the corridor leading from the Hall was known as the “Junior” or “Thirties Corridor”. Unfortunately this is not shown in Shaun Pye’s valuable collection of photos – which are essential viewing for those who shook off their ignorance in the old Mechanics building.
The Junior Corridor also provided the room for the meetings of the “1930’s Society” started by Neville Hind (headmaster) in his early years at KBGS.
Known as the “Thirties Corridor” because all the rooms were numbered “30 summat”, my first experience in that learning quarter was as a member of Beaky’s 3A in 1954-5. We were 24 and, as was his wont, Beaky seated our form in an alphabetical sequence up the rows and around the room, starting at the door until the squad ran out of bods. Hence I finished up next to Trevor Mackwell, a cheerful youth.
Thence I had a good view of the building across Lord Street that was gradually replacing the old Cavendish St Methodist Church which had been demolished in 1952. Some of the structural methods in its replacement were probably being used in Kegley for the first time and they left me aghast whether it was Latin, Maths or French etc that was being purveyed to my 3A of the day.
I saw men riding girders being craned into place and others walking tight-rope style between sections already bolted and riveted into place. This has led me to be fascinated by the photographs of the constructors of the New York skyline. I always imagine them as my contemporaries although we were decades apart.
And then there was the door at the end of the corridor , leading as it did into the staircase and the depths of the Tech – a mystery element to 3rd years.
I would refer Kegley afficiandos to the following website for further elucidation of their architectural environment .
http://www.valendale.myby.co.uk/churches.html


http://www.valendale.myby.co.uk/churches.html

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

Current location (optional) Nirvana

Yes, Terry, a nice piece of conjuring up. I guess I spent the year before you in the same classroom, with the dreaded Beaky. I remember that whenever he wanted to call the class to order he would utter (probably) the only two words of French he had retained from his years as a pupil at the old school, at the end of the first decade of the twentieth century: 'Taissez-vous!', which even then struck me as being a bit pretentious, if not childish, in the mouth of a tyrant! I have a copy of Books III & IV of 'Paradise Lost', which I came by, God knows how, and failed to return, God knows why, to the School, before I shook its dust from off my feet, inscribed 'A.S. Birch, 1911-12'. But for me, the Junior corridor's abiding memory is Room 33, Braithwaite's room, during my first year. Fittingly enough, it was across the corridor, on the dark side, from Birch's much airier abode. If you remember, it was dark because of the nearness of the building opposite (part of the tech (or was it School of Art? Maroon blazers?). If you looked down from those dark windows I think you were seeing the roofs of the two 'B' corridor classrooms (B2 being 1A's form room, with a newly-recruited form master called Trenouth!). But in 33, I think I experienced the first fears the School hatched in me. Already needing glasses but steadfastly refusing to acknowledge the fact, I would sit front row, centre, squinting at the blur of figures Albert scrawled over the board, my hand over my left eye (as if by doing that more power would go into my 'better', right eye) trying to figure out what the hell it was all about. My classmate, Tony Barker, though better at Maths than me, wasn't much help, since his hand was clapped over his right eye, trying to coax Albert's mysteries into his left... In later years, I realised that effectively missing most of that board-work in Maths, in that first year, meant I struggled in the subject right up to GCE. It was always my greatest fear at School, and after two years of AB being handed on to Beaky was no picnic!

Think on this, Doug.

Were the initials, "AB", a necessary prerequisite for a teacher of Maths at KBGS, who was destined to become the dreaded tyrant of Frank Castle, the Denizen of the Log Table?

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

Current location (optional) Nirvana

I have the following Copies of the "Keighlian" in my possession.

No. Season Year No Season Year
155 Easter 1943--------169 Christmas 1948
157 Summer 1944--------170 Easter 1949
158 July 1944--------171 Summer 1949
159 Easter 1945--------189 Summer 1955
160 Summer 1945--------191 Easter 1956
161 Easter 1946--------193 Winter 1956
162 Summer 1946--------194 Spring 1957
164 Easter 1947--------195 Summer 1957
165 Summer 1947--------196 Christmas 1957
166 Christmas 1947--------197 Easter 1958
168 Summer 1948--------198 Summer 1958
199 Christmas 1958

Any suggestions what to do with them as when I'm gone my sons will probably burn them with a lot of other stuff I have and that would be a pity if anyone wants a particular copy .I will be in Yorkshire in August and could leave them anywhere if anyone is interested.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

A teacher at Oakbank School has posted on this site in the past. She takes an interest in the history of the school and of it's predecessor, KBGS. She may be interested. I'm sure one of our contributors with a better memory than mine could point you in the right direction to save you scouring the site for the appropriate thread.

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

Rachel Panteli l Assistant Head Teacher l Oakbank School l Oakworth Road l Keighley l BD22 7DU
Tel: 01535 210111 E: rp@oakbank.org.uk

Search this website for "Rachel" to find previous posts.

Currently trying to log the archives at Oakbank; will post contents when completed. Also looking into possibility of combining Oakbank collection with similar stuff in Local Studies at Keighley Public Library. Will get back to you before August Mike when I know more. I am sure one or other of these places would be very pleased to have all those copies of the "Keighlian".

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1954-59

Current location (optional) United Kingdom

Mike, the Oakbank collection of KBGS archives is now held at Keighley Public Library. Although this included a lot of loose individual issues of the Keighlian I am pretty sure it is incomplete for the years you have, so you could drop them off there in August, unless anyone else wants them, to help them make up a complete run.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1954-59

Current location (optional) United Kingdom

Gareth. Thanks for the news about the Library. I will bring what I have and take them there for safe keeping. Mike

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

The Keighley Public Library now has a nicely bound and apparently full set of Keighlian Magazines available on the open shelves on the first floor. But it has at least one issue missing: there's nothing between Christmas 1958 (No. 199) and Christmas 1959 (No. 201). Does anyone have a copy of the missing issue, No. 200, which might be for Easter or Summer 1959?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 54-59

Current location (optional) Denholme