KBGS Old Boys' Forum

A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School. 


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KBGS Old Boys' Forum
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Re: Gordon Crowther

Thats right Brian, noun is peninsula, I live on one !

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Re: Gordon Crowther

It's a while since I checked the KBGS site so there are a few points to take up:

Brian M. - I was told you had an astounding memory. I'd forgotten about being taught by Tex. I clearly remember being taught by Albert Braithwaite as well as his having been my form master (3rd form?).
One vignette from that time:
Robert Stead was in class wearing an inoffensive green sweater instead of the regulation grey (with or without house colours).
Albert: "What colour is that sweater you're wearing Stead?"
Robert: "Green, Sir, the same as yours"
30 seconds later - Robert face down on the classroom floor with Albert's foot on his back and Albert vigorously twisting Robert's arm.
Can't imagine why he was called Basher! Oddly enough we really liked Albert.

Dave B. - Gordon would have been 82 in October. Not sure about Denis and Slim but about the same I suppose. The photograph on the back of the order of service at the funeral was extracted from the 1960 school photograph - with me partly obscured directly behind Gordon (my mother was quite indignant about that at the time).
I remember the camp site in Vevey, the submarine trip, the funicular(?)railway, almost seeing the North Wall of the Eiger (the rest of the party were not sufficiently interested in mountaineering to go on up to Kleine Scheidegg). I can just about remember the midnight swimming episode - mainly because it was an astoundingly clear night sky and there were a number of bright meteors (and an early satellite?). What about the huge plate of chips?

J.F.A. Toy Shop Boy - isn't that one of these pop groups one hears so much about in these degenerate times? Actually it really annoys me that I haven't got a single decent photograph of my father's shop (Harry Wood's, toys and bicycles, 26 Cavendish Street - just in case anyone might have such a picture).

Generally: "Peninsular" as a spelling of the noun is becoming distressingly common - even in serious books on the Middle East. Why wasn't everybody taught English by Kenneth "You must do your corrections, boy, as they're an essential part of your education" Preston?
Not that I don't still find words which I have been spelling (or pronouncing) wrongly for half a century and more.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964 (or '65 according to taste)

Current location (optional) Haworth

Re: Gordon Crowther

Just an anecdote about Tex Mitchell (I think he was Derek H Mitchell). When we were taught what vertically opposite angles were, he explained that 'vertically' in this sense was just a corruption of VerTEXically opposite, and it was that reason he was nicknamed 'Tex' . But as I remember he had slighlty bowed legs (like several generations of Moates), so looking like a cowboy, was nicknamed 'Tex'

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Re: Gordon Crowther

According to my reference at the time (contemporerry!) Tex was so known because his pupils would claim that "he teks us" for Maths. That account was passed to me by John (Henry) Turner; Brigg House and School fullback at 15 and a Bradford Street neighbour in the '40s and '50s.

Another later explanation was that Tex's distinctive southern drawl came from his efforts to hide his natal Roker Park accent, resulting in a Gabby Hayes movie accent.

I would like to draw on Wilbur's help with the dispute above over geographical terminology and spelling.
The Classical writers all used paene (preposition + ablative) hence paene insula - "almost an island" (Is that a peninsula?)

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

Current location (optional) Nirvana

Re: Gordon Crowther

He took me for maths in 2nd form, I had goe through hell with Beaky Birch in 1st form, 29t out of 29 for the year. With Yogi I went to 1st = . I was grateful to him for this, it stood me in great stead when I joined the Army and made much use of trigonometry.

Vale Gordon

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1961

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, Australia via Haworth