Marley had indeed been the Council rubbish tip until the early 1960s when the tip moved to Cross Roads. It has the disadvantage of being adjacent to the gas works which belched out the smell of bad eggs and there was always the chance of unearthing something unseemly from the not well consolidated former tip (including on one occasion the remains of a dead dog). Does anyone remember the large communal tin bath at KRLFC in the changing room under the stand? The bottom was always an ooze of mud and the water the colour of the Ganges!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) gwalker@diocant.org

Apart from the fog and the frost that seemed to envelop Rose Cottage every Saturday morning there were House Matches, I remember the contributions left by the cattle that grazed that field during the week. Playing in the middle of the front row on those occasions and binding into loose scrums required the willing suspension of your sense of smell - and a sympathetic mother when it came to washing your togs.

As soon as it was known that I had a place at KBGS (1952)present pupils who lived in my home district told me of the terrors that awaited me when I first set foot in the school. Rumours of devilish initiation ceremonies and ill-treatment abounded. I would be interested to read of others' first day expectations and realities.

Yes, coming all the way from Queensbury as I did, I well remember the graphic tales from local sec. mod. kids about horrendous initiation ceremonies at KBGS. The classic "head down the W.C. followed by flushing" must have caused most consternation, being the one that sticks in my mind!
In the event,however,the worst I recall was the crush in the "dungeon" corridor following bell on the first morning, and my mother commenting rather sharply the same evening about the smear (dried mash potato) all down the back of my previously pristine green blazer.
Oh Happy Days!

I remember the Form matches played on the "Tip Top" at Marley.Gilbert used to ask malingerers ie people with broken arms etc who were excused games, to walk up Thwaites Brow and when you got back to tell him what was written on the board outside Long Lee school.
I also have fond memories of the games of Rugby Touch played in the School Yard.Unbelievable that numerous games could take place at Break times with the numbers of pupils in the yard.

Having been thoroughly idle in 2A, I was placed in 3S1 the following year – no regrets.
We were paired with 3S2 for rugby and, was it pure coincidence?, there seemed to be an abundance of sporting skills in 3S2.
We were regularly trounced at rugby and only managed one draw and no victories in the whole year. It never occurred to the teachers that better games could be had by mixing the personnel. However, since I played full back for most of the time I got in a heck of a lot of tackling practice though if I ever got the ball to hand I was so surprised that I didn’t have the foggiest idea what to do. The only option was usually to run towards the inevitable mangling by the opposing forwards
One of the most enjoyable games was the one where a loose scrum wheeled and scrambled around and, eventually one of our team [could have been a lad called Sharpe] picked up the ball and ran the full length of the field to make a touchdown – over our own line.
But then I guess that’s what we learned from watching KRLFC so often.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) sjspye@hotmail.com

Now that you mention that incident I now recall it.
It was indeed Michael Sharpe. I was of course in the usually victorious 3S2, though I had little sporting skill at all. I do remember taking the goal kicks for a while though, I wasnt too bad at that.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

Current location (optional) www.whitesea.co.uk

Yes, it took "Zeek" quite a while to live that one down. I too remember that occasion, if not our 3S2 dominance on the field although we did have the likes of Bracewell, Battarbee, etc. in our ranks (and I'm quite ready to accept Shaun's plaudits as one of the marauding forwards!)
Incidentally, Shaun, I think you're being too modest in differentiating 3S1 and 2 solely on prior achievement. We were separated, as I recall, on the basis of choosing biology plus art (in my case to be avoided at all costs), in preference to Latin.
This probably explains my lamentable ignorance of the life sciences, and the widespread Yorkshire belief that sex were what coal came in!