I am sorry to tell you all that Jim Hall has passed away at the far too young age of 62. He had been suffering from Leukaemia for some time. I started school the same day as Jim at Holycroft Infants, and remained friends for many years, at Ingrow Juniors, at KBGS and at Lund Park Youth Club. His parents had the newsagents in Victoria Road near the top of Goulbourne St. Jim was always very bright at school and read Modern Languages at Oxford. Until his retirement 2 or 3 hrs ago, he taught for the whole of his career at Clitheroe G S. Although I hadn't seen him for some years, we exchanged cards at Christmas without fail. I offer my deepest sympathies to his wife Kathryn (nee Binns)and his son and two daughters.

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

I might just add that Jim appears on the photo captioned 'Form 4 1962' (though it is actually Form 3X in April 1961)- he is 4th from right on back row. He also is pictured with 'yours truly' on the Visit to Spain which was also Summer 1961.

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Oh no! This site usually offers joy and humour. This is the complete antithesis - a very, very sad day.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds

That is really sad news. Jim was amongst the brightest in our year and it wasn't surprising that he went on to a distinguished teaching career. Very sad news indeed...

Sad news indeed! I too remember Jim well, even though I didn't make his acquaintance until Year 2 at KBGS.
It's a shock to learn of his premature death and brings home to us the fact that we must enjoy our remaining years to the full.

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

Current location (optional) West Midlands

Sad news.Never really knew Jim to speak to.This place is turning into a green and white striped graveyard, and I still think of everyone as they were at school.

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

I was on nodding terms with Jim, I only ever nodded so that he would nod in return and then have to push his specs back up. I always thought of Jim whenever we sang the song, "Me name is Sammy Hall".

Brian Craven is right, live your life to the full whilst we still have it. It's grand to remember the past, but we live in the future.

Peace Jim

Alan? Is that you?

Not sure who this message may reach. I am looking at a photo of prefects at KBGS who received prizes and book tokens 64-65. Now that I am retired I am trying to make contact with anybody from that era and am saddened to find so many years after the event that James has died. So has John Bailey. I have made contact with Richard Battarbee. So if there is still anybody out there from that photo I'd love to hear from you. Cheers

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

I missed that photo because although I was a prefect that year I left school at Christmas 1964(Joe was not happy!) as I had an unconditional Uni place, so went to work in the labs at ICI Harrogate. I knew all those guys.I was saddened to hear that John Bailey had passed away as he and I were I think just the two who went to Nottingham Uni.

Current location (optional) Wirral

Hi Brian, I've also been looking at a photo of 3X submitted by fsharpminor in 2009. You are on the extreme right of the middle row. Have you had any communication with any of the others? Do you hear anything from Jonah or Keith Lowcock? Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Hi WIllie, F#Minor is a user name I have used on other websites.!
From those on that photo, Allan Jones posts on here from time to time, as does Brian Craven. Alan Wearmouth has in the past. I have maintained contact, occasionally met with Bernard Tennant (retired Dental Surgeon in Lyndhurst). I am also in touch with Brian Shuttleworth (was due to retire in the summer as a Surveyor with Dacre Son and Hartley , lives in Embsay). I even met Kevin Hawkins a couple of times a few years back, probably he has had the highest flying career of any of us ( has been Midlands Director of the CBI, Main Board Director of WH Smith and Safeway, and Director of the Government Quango 'The Retail Consortium') Finally have renewed contact with Rev Brian Goodall (Baptist Minister in Dewsbury). Oh and I did have an exchange with Pete Messenger a few years back, he was an Agricultural Consultant , living just south of Wrexham. John Bracewell is in Bristol, but havent had any contact.
I often wonder what happened to the others like Keith Lowcock, Mike Bennison, David Labrum, David Foulger,John Whitley ,Peter Holmes , Tom Pearson, John Pike (also became clergy I think), Richard Sharp (without) Michael Sharpe (with) and Roger Stead.
Not in our class, but in our year, Mike Boothroyd(still in Keighley)is my Brother in Law, and of course Shaun Pye is a regular poster

Current location (optional) Wirral

The photo of 3X is actually a photo of 4X. There wasn't a 3X. I was in 3M (which stood for modern languages I think). 4X meant we were hot-housed to do O levels before we started shaving. So in our year, x meant swots and pimples. In the year above us, 5X meant cool and anti authority.

Allan , there as a 3X, it existed for 1 term only starting Easter 1961, when Joe decided to put some of us in an express stream to do GCE early. 3X became 4X. But yes you my be right that it was taken the following year before we did GCE O level

Current location (optional) Wirral

Yes Allan, I'm with Brian M. on the 3X (for part-year only) recollection. I think Brian would have started that year, as did I, in 3S2. 'S' stood for Science, in our case chem/phys, but doing Latin in preference to the biology/art option of 3S1 - I always maintained that art was imposed as a punishment (I'm sure Brian shares my sentiments here!) for anyone choosing biology, seen as much too "girly" back in those days.
However, I am inclined to think the class photo is of 4X (Wilbur being the Form Master) but am open to persuasion otherwise.

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

Current location (optional) Dudley, West Midlands

Yes thats right Brian 3S2 with the Latin option,(Gus Cullingford, together with the plimsoll he called 'Adanae' who got angry if you didnt do your corrections.

Current location (optional) Wirral

That's right. It's all flooding back. 3X for the final term of the third year. However, the photo is 4X. How do I know? It's my photo...:)

Oh dear I thought I had submitted it ! See caption in Photos section. Anyway its too trivial to argue about !

Current location (optional) Wirral

To say you were "fast-tracked", you lads have troubles with your "points."

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

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Fast tracking was clearly a mistake. Affects the memory in later life.

I think Joes idea for our fast track stream was that we would then (after A levels) do a third year sixth form and take Scholarships to Oxbridge or do the S levels which were experimented with for a time. For many of us then we already had A levels when we applie dto Unis, and we then got unconditional offers (I got them from 5 Unis). The temptation to leave school and work until the following summer was huge. So I left at Christmas 1964, with several others. I was lucky to get a job which benefitted me in the labs at ICI Harrogate. (I read Chemistry at Nottm Uni). Joe was not a happy chappy, as it was rumoured he had an ulterior motive in trying to increase 6th form numbers, as it improved his salary.

Current location (optional) Wirral

Seem to remember my uear in 3rd year sixth being spent mostly playing rugby and filling in the time doing woodwork and metalwork, subjects I hadn't taken since first year, but which I thought would give me DIY skills later on. I was wrong. Am totally handless when it comes to doing anything of practical use. Still good at languages though...

Hi chaps, I'm glad to see so many of you are still about and having some very healthy discussions. My subject was History and it seems you are all doing the right thing and trying to remember the facts. Whereas I have problems trying to recall my own name.
Thanks to Brian and Jonah for the photos. I've forwarded them on to Battars, who seems reasonably keen on some sort of reunion.I think before we've all kicked the bucket.
What's the general opinion? It seems that between us we may be able to put together a decent gathering of the hot house swots. Or would joining the general reunion be a better option? Or are reunions to be avoided?
I was also one of those who left early and got a job to get some brass for Uni. That was the intention. Unfortunately most of it went on beer and women.
Still fond memories. Wouldn't mind Hearing a few more from you chaps.
I've never used a forum before so I'm not sure of any protocols.
Should we start a new subject or would this be fitting to continue it under Jim Hall's name- one respected and admired for academic brilliance amongst us lesser mortals? Perhaps it would be a tribute to meet to toast his name and those of others who have departed? A lot of questions. Any views?
Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

A few of us from our year have been meeting up from time to time on Tuesday evenings (Until I retired at Easter I was working in Horsfolrth 3 days a week) Shaun Pye, and my brother in law Mike Boothroyd were there and Rev Brian Goodall. Brian Shuttleworth came once. Then a few from the year below such as John Ackroyd, David Boddy and David Baldwin.
These are in the thread 'Boys Night Out' . Shaun organised a small one last month, but its not easy for me to get over. I guess most of you anyway are maybe not near enough to Keighley to do a weekday get together.
But if anything can be organised just form our year, I would try to make it, whether in the week or weekend.

Current location (optional) Wirral

Bill - you have reminded me of that wonderful quote from George Best. When asked what had happened to all the money he had gained from football. He said that he had "spent most of it on women and booze .............. and the rest I just wasted".

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

I remember "Gus" Cullingford with rather more affection than many of his peers; my form/history master in 1C and then, as Brian recalls, Latin up until his departure for Africa at Christmas of our 3rd year. A very energetic and (dare I say?) quite inspiring teacher.

Some of you may be interested to know that Gus, having survived his fall from a mountain in Eritrea, is fit and well and living in Tewkesbury with his wife, Connie, whom he met in Africa. He and I exchange the odd email - mainly jokes of the less irreverant variety.(His father was a clergyman I seem to recall!)

Another of George Best's celebrated quotes, Shaun, was his response to an interviewer's question as to which he would rate the greater achievement, scoring the winning goal in a European cup final or bedding Miss World.
His reply was, "I didn't have to choose!"

Current location (optional) Dudley, West Midlands

Brian - I too held Gus in high regard. First Latin teacher I had, and it was to become my favourite subject (perhaps because of little practical use). It, didhoever make me ace at Puntuation, speling and grandma which has lasted form any years'.

Brian, Could you possibly let me have Gus's email address. We both started with him in 1C and then he was my form teacher in 2B. I owe a lot to the way he gave me great pastoral care as well as academic encouragement when my parents divorced. So I would like to send a personal thank you and let him know I managed to avoid prison. If you want to get in touch direct I'm available at bill@inkcreations.co.uk. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Brian, Can you get in touch with me direct at bill@inkcreations.co.uk. I have an updated version of the 2B photo you discussed with Mike Boothroyd and Shaun Pye. I was able with help from Brian Craven to make contact with Tony " Gus" Cullingford and between us we have managed to put more names to faces- hopefully accurately. But I would like to email you a copy for comment before I/you post a revised version on the KBGS site or send it to Gus. Cheers Bill
P.S. I couldn't get my simple program to print the names in white.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

You /Gus/Shaun have probably got all the names by now...but I notice:
John Brigg, not Briggs
The person to the right of Paul Helliwell was called Hargreaves (nickname Haggis) but I can't remember the first name.
The person next to David Atkinson had the first name Terry, but can't recall his surname. Next to him one of the Harding brothers?
Wasn't the guy next to Gus called Barry Jennings?

Yes we are on the 2B photo now, not the 4X
John Brigg has also sadly passed away (brain haemorrage). He was another of the Ingrow contingent. I cant see a Harding (another Ingrowite) it would be David for our year, his older brother was James. One of them is also passed away, though I cant remeber which, can Shaun help ?
Also I think Darrell Camm is back left not back right.

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

CORRECTION (didnt get the link to allow me to edit the last post)

Sorry, now I scrolled the pic to the right, it is indeed David Harding extreme right middle row. He died in a climbing accident only the year after he left school

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

Oh - and I forgot to mention....Sharp without an 'e'...

As I recall, the ones unmarked in the 2B photo are:-
Next to Mike Wilkinson - Dave Pemberton
Next to John Brigg (sic) - Steve(?) Sawley
End right standing - David Harding (Brian is correct regarding his accident)
In front of David - Tony Pickles

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

Ah! I see we've done this before. Apologies.
I think Chisholme was called Geoff.

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

Happy birthday today Shaun !

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

Current location (optional) Wirral

I'll add my fourpennorth to that

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

Current location (optional) Lincoln

I'm including this as a reply to Shaun; but it's aimed at anybody out there who knows 2B and might be tempted to go to the Brown Cow on Friday. I'll be there with photos of 2B and 4X with the hope of filling in any blank names and finding contact details if poss. Cheers Bill

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire