A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School.
In an attempt to ensure that your labours don't come to nothing, Terry, I'll add another one.
Dave Baldwin's recollections of George Brown at the meeting in Keighley mirror mine.
Then, in 1968, I was en route overland to Turkey with a few friends and we stopped for a few days at Biograd-nu-Moru on the Yugoslav (now Croatian) coast. We were walking on the beach one day around dusk. All the holidaymakers (mostly Yugoslav's from the cities) had left and the beach was virtually deserted with the exception of three middle-aged men walking slowly towards us. My friend Dick, in his lovely Hampshire accent, piped up 'ere that old Yugo looks just loik George Brown. When they got up close the "old Yugo" said good evening and we exchanged a few sentences - it was indeed George Brown. Up close he was the very antithesis of the loud, almost aggressive, character we used to see on TV. Seemed quite gentle and diffident.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
Cheers, Shaun.
There must be scores more - unless my expectations are totally wrong.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60
Current location (optional) Nirvana
OK Terry. Here's another one for you.
Around 1970 I sat comfortably on a very thick chinese carpet having tea and biscuits with Baroness Edith Summerskill and her husband (I think he was Dr Jeffrey Samuel). I'd opted for the carpet because we were one chair short.
I was visiting a friend in London and, as we were on our way to meet other friends he asked if we could pop into a house to leave a note for a young Brazilian lady of his acquaintance. She rented a room in the house. Turned out to be a large house in north London and we arrived to find the owners in. They invited us in for tea and biscuits. We had a very pleasant chat for about half an hour or so. When we left my friend enlightened me as to their names. I remember the thickness of the carpet to this day.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
Just read that Graham Taylor has died. Sat at the next table to him in a quiet, out of the way, restaurant in Cyprus about 15 years ago. Just exchanged a smile and a nod of recognition (on my part). Hope he was grateful not to have been buttonholed about football for ages. Only 72!
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
It must be almost thirty years ago now when I was a delegate to a Housing Conference some place in London. I was introduced to a young man who was an elected member of Bradford City Council whose name was Eric Pickles. I was told that he came from Keighley.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945 - 50
Current location (optional) Norfolk
Erics family lived on Malsis Rd at one time. He's a few years younger than me though (Born 1952, mother was a Smith) Failed his 11+ and went to Tech School, but later to Greenhead.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64
Current location (optional) Wirral
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Current location (optional) Brighouse
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Current location (optional) Brighouse
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Since I have fond memories of Terry, who started this thread, I thought I'd better add to it.
This may mean nothing to you unless you are an aficionado of the acoustic guitar.
A few years ago my wife and I had gone to see a performance by Stefan Grossman (a rather good acoustic guitarist) and we got talking to him afterwards. During the conversation I mentioned John Fahey (another rather good acoustic guitarist whom Grossman had occasionally played with) only to be told that he had died in the operating theatre some months earlier.
I had taken my then teen-aged so to see Fahey at a local club in about 2001/2 and we had been two of only 7 people who had paid to see him. Everyone else there was there for the beer and the other 5 who had paid were practically paralytic.
We had a whole John Fahey concert all to ourselves.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
I too miss Terry. I miss his occasional visits to me here in Norfolk when he was on his way back home to Lincoln after visiting his son in Essex. A very clever lad was our Terry. So pleased to have met him as a result of the Old Boy Reunion Luncheon. Will that be held this year? The reunion lunch I mean. I must admit that I have not been paying as much attention to the postings on this web site of late - but seeing that several of you are keeping it going, I thought I’d add another name to the ones I have already mentioned. This time it’s a film star/ TV personality by the name of David Kossoff who I met up with as an artist. He turned up in Southport and joined a group of friends who were exhibiting at the Atkinson Gallery.. He was knocking on a bit when we met. His film roles had dried up and he no longer appeared on TV where he once did the bible slot. But as well as producing art works, he was performing a one man show to highlight the dangers of drug taking. His son Paul Kossoff, a guitarist member of the pop group ‘Free’ had died as a result of an overdose.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945 - 50
Current location (optional) Norfolk
What heartbreak some parents endure.
Denis: nearly 60 years ago, I regularly visited Norwich with a van owning mate who had an aunt in Cossy; on one occasion, the drines were blocked.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Blocked ‘drines’’ are still a problem in the flatlands of East Anglia. The problem stems from the fact that the ‘drines’ do not run downhill as they do in Keighley. That which does flow in the pipes is pumped from place to place by a series of pumping stations and if one gives up the ghost the drines are blocked. I had the same problem only last week!
This site is thinly populated these days. Do you get to the reunion lunches? I cannot recollect our paths ever having crossed!
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1945 - 50
Current location (optional) Norfolk
In these here hills, it's simple to achieve drain falls of one in 40 or 60 for 4 and 6 inch pipes, respectively.
And yes, I'm disappointed at the dearth of contributors, including from my forms.
Many years ago, I mused that there were too many cars on the road. So, as I had had quite a few "near does", I didn't renew my licence, a Socratic Daimon thing? Living approx 18 miles from Keighley, re-unions aren't easy. Medical problems also play a part.
There's a poem from the Sanskrit that starts: Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life. For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision.
In my younger days. our vicar left Yorkshire for the incumbency of Taverham, whom I called on once: he was out but I spoke to his wife.
I think Fred Catley was quietly amusing when he remarked that infinitive pouvoir meant, to can.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Current location (optional) Brighouse
In the course of my work I have interviewed quite a few public figures. But my favourite was somebody who is now forgotten but enlivened a dull early part of my career.
Back in the mid seventies I was summoned to the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford to interview Dame Margot Fonteyn our leading UK ballerina in the post war years.
I was informed I could enter by the Alhambra stage door and knock on her changing room at the interval. This I did and and she graciously said I might enter and conduct an interview.
She was stark naked when I entered and said I should feel relaxed about this as this was normal backstage at such events when artists were changing between acts. I interviewed her for 20 miuntes most of the time she was naked but I still got the story and the quotes.
Anyway she thanked me for my relaxed attitude and said she thought the Alhambra was a marvellous theatre for such ballet events. Naturally this ex-KBGS laddie was suitably excited by her physicality and at the end skipped into darkest Bradford with a smile on my face.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1961-70
Current location (optional) Bingley
... and did you find any --- ladies of negotiable virtue ?
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 55/60
Current location (optional) Harrogate
No because they only exist in the Labour Party or down Lawkholme or Lumb Lane. As you well know. At a higher level its just get the business done for us ex-KBGS professionals.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1961-70
Current location (optional) Bingley
Yes, John Fahey, a 'primitive' guitarist he called himself. I have quite a lot of his albums and have learned a few of his tunes. Stefan Grossman too, a very good tutor on YouTube.
For some recent John Fahey interpretations and some wonderful guitars, check out (if you haven’t already), Tony Klassen on YouTube.
Trevor, it was a joy to see your post regarding John Fahey.
Allan and I are not alone then.
I also once encountered John Renbourn when he was playing in the Cloth Hall at Leeds University, not too long before his death.
He had become almost as wide as he was high but amazed me by, at times, sitting cross-legged to play the guitar.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
And silly me thinking of Duane Eddy. But how did Chet Atkins measure up?
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Current location (optional) Brighouse
Yes Allan, Tony Klassen is brilliant - and clearly a big fan of Fahey.
As for Chet Atkins - I wish that I could play as well as he could. He could certainly play much better than he used to demonstrate when I saw him on the TV when I was a young lad. People often played what the public wanted rather than what they were capable of. Some stuff on youtube shows that he could play - somewhere at the top end of the Championship, whereas Fahey, Grossman, Renbourn etc were more like Champions League, and I am Sunday league after 10 pints the night before.
Another name dropping, albeit once removed.
A good friend of mine at university studied philosophy. One holiday she took the train to London and, as she was walking through the train looking for somewhere with a table to sit, she saw an elderly gentleman sitting alone next to a window. It was Bertrand Russell. I was really envious and asked her what they had talked about. She said that she had been too frightened to sit by him and had gone to the next carriage instead.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
I'll check out Klassen.
I had a Master Class a few years ago with Martin Carthy (well, there was 1/2 dozen of us) at the Port Fairy Folk Festival
Also, only a few weeks ago we hosted Eleanor McEvoy for a few nights as she attended an International Folk Music Conference in Geelong - lovely lady!!!
'What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.'
After some fifty or sixty repetitions, this remark ceased to amuse me.
Bertrand Russell
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-58
Current location (optional) Brighouse
Trevor, I went to such a session with Stefan Grossman a number of years ago. His core message to everyone there was to play louder. Sounds simplistic but it really does give body to what even the poorest of us would-be guitar players produce (sadly it doesn't make us pick the correct strings or fret the correct notes. Hey ho.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65
Current location (optional) Leeds
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1953-8
Current location (optional) Brighouse