It is marvellous to see the long and in-depth contribution from the one and only Malcolm Berry on the guestbook. One interesting thing about Malcolm Berry was that I think in the sixties he lived as close to KBGS as any pupil could be. One or two streets away! On the Skipton Road. However, with the greatest of respect to Malcolm I thing he is wrong in two respects. Dinesh Umpaddiyayah (or whatever) was the first Indian/Pakistani pupil. Quite well spoken and well presented and certainly not a teacher. So I don't who Malcolm Berry is on about. Malcolm Berry of the ginger hair and mod cut also says there was a sixth form common room at Oakbank in the basement. This I cannot remember. So Mr Berry explain yourself!

The 'common room' in the basement of Oakbank was an informal smoking room, known as the Rats. As in 'I'm just going to see how the rats are getting on'. This was because the back cellar was the home of the biology lab rats. They were a feral lot (the rats, not the smokers) when I took them over. By judicious culling of the wilder rats and handling the youngsters we got them quite tame. We never seemed to get disturbed there whilst smoking, though whether smoking atop a pile of coconut matting was a good idea, is another story.....

As a non-smoker, I am indebted to Bill Bracewell's explanation of the 'common room'in the basement at Oakbank. But Mr Berry's confusion over Dinesh Umpadiyayah remains baffling.

I think the Indian name, quite common, is Upadhyay.
My wife teaches a girl even now with that name. Maybe'Oops a Daisy' is better analogy

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Yes, it seems like an historical error. But to mistake a teacher for a pupil suggests perhaps alcohol or summat over the years may have got the better of Malcolm Berry. Anyway, I am off the Keighley Blues Club next month!

I'll be there, propping up the bar, Guinness in hand. . .

Well well... Ian Ackroyd eh? Remember our trip to Amsterdam funded by a school bursary to visit the art galleries? Is it safe yet to admit what we really got up to with all that cash?! The Asian teacher I was referring to arrived at the school in 1961-2.. I think now,after your correction and after sobering up,that his surname was Khan.The sixth form common room was in the cellar of the old mansion and for the final time my hair is not ginger it's autumn gold.By the way if we can wangle another bursary I'm up for a return trip to Amsterdam if you are.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1960-1968

Current location (optional) Leeds