KBGS Old Boys' Forum

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Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

Whilst getting lost in France last month, I came across a village called Les Attaques. This stirred a memory of an exchange visit during the summer of, I think, 1955. The Yorkshire-Lille Exchange involved schools from all over the county. The Lille bit was clearly generously interpreted as my exchangee lived just outside Calais. As I recall there were thousands involved. We went by train from Leeds overnight and stayed on the same train until Dover. I remember the train winding through West London in the early marning passing Olympia and Clapham Junction.
We were met at Calais and introduced to our hosts. Mine was a farming family which had a small farm about 10km from Calais. I spent two or three weeks there and didn't learn much Frence. I did, however, acquire a taste for pastis and biere brune which I still enjoy. I was also taught to drive the family vehicle - a Ford V8 Pilot - which served as car, pick-up truck and cattle transporter!
At the end of my stay, we returned to England with our exchangees. I have to say that Pierre (yes he really was called that) was gobsmacked by Yorkshire. The Pas-de-Calais is dead flat and I lived in Queensbury in those days.
Does anyone else recall the Yorkshire-Lille Exchange?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 51-58

Current location (optional) Cleckheaton

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

The only French connection I remember was the road outside the bus garage off the bottom of West Lane: Suresnes Road (locally pronounced as "Sureness Road"). I remember Harry Blinks regailing us with the story of how the street got its name - probably a WWI battle? I wonder if there's a Rue Keighley in Suresnes? And if so, how it's locally pronounced!

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

Don't recall the Yorkshire Lille exchange. I can well imagine the wonders of the rolling hills of Keighley's surrounds for someone from the Pas-de-Calais. When told of my placement for a year in France the town on the letter said Henin-Lietard, which at the time sounded exotically of the south. It was about 20 miles south of Lille, a typically drab town with its "terrils" but which I became quite fond of, perhaps due to the friendly natives, the abundance of "demis" at breakfast sometimes continuing through the day. I was "loge" (accent aigu) in a desolate room above the "Hotel Bellevue", so going for a drink first thing was never a problem. In adjacent rooms were the German assistant and a French demoiselle whose job I never really knew apart from keeping me awake at night on a regular basis when paid une visite by a local first in the morning 51 drinker who also happened to be a "grand chasseur". He introduced me to 51 but never the chassing. Later I became fond of a song "Le Plat Pays" by the great Jacques Brel. I know he was singing of Belgium but same difference with Pas de Calais. " avec des cathedrales pour uniques montagnes". More anecdotes to follow if needed.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66

Current location (optional) uk

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

Another Keighley pronunciation of 'Suresnes', particularly in Ingrow area was 'Surraneez'

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

Down Lawkholme, it woh Shurezness - and it was so in the West Yorkshire Road Car garage where I worked a time or two and which backed on to Shurezness which afforded the swiftest route, unobserved by management, to the bookies for the inveterate gamblers.

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

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange

Reverting back to my post, a Google search shows that the Yorkshire/Lille French Exchange Committee is still in being. Malton Grammar and Heckmondwike Grammar both refer to it in their promotional websites. Can't find anything about exchanges in my day - probably censored!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 51-58

Current location (optional) Cleckheaton

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange - Suresnes

How did we survive before Google? A search shows that Suresnes is a suburb of Paris,lying to the west about 5kms from the centre. It was apparently the centre for the manufacture of artillery shells during the First World War and houses an important American Military Cemetery. No mention of a Rue Keighley though. Nor any hint as to how Keighley got its Suresnes Road. By the age of the properties, the road was there long before the FWW so if there is a connection, it must have been re-named. More research needed. I wonder if Ian Dewhirst can help?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 51-58

Current location (optional) Cleckheaton

Re: Yorkshire-Lille Exchange - Suresnes

What else to do during lockdown but dig around a bit.
It seems that Suresnes was the site of a fortress built for the defence of Paris and held out for some time during the Franco-Prussian War. It was called Forteresse du Mont-Valérien and was near the Bois de Boulogne. Surrendered in January 1881. In 1894 Dreyfus was imprisoned there. From 1940 to 1944 the Nazi occupiers housed prisoners there who would then be taken to the woods and shot.
The name, Suresnes Road, could either have been in recognition of the part Suresnes played in the defence of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, or it may have had an earlier name and been renamed as an act of remembrance for those who had awaited their fate there in WW2. My guess is that it would have probably been the latter, given that many resistance fighters were sent there.

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

Current location (optional) Leeds