KBGS Old Boys' Forum

A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School. 


Terms of use.  Anonymous, offensive, or malicious postings will  be deleted. School-related topics only please. If you need to add a "family notice" reply to any of the current messages in that thread, and remember to change the Subject to the name of the newsworthy person.

 

 

KBGS Old Boys' Forum
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Re: 'Wilbur' Bloomfield

This bloke Wilbur had the reddest face and facial spots I can remember of any master. And a temper to match. A heavy drinker one suspects. Matched only by curly haired Eddie Riley who used to prop up a bar in Cowling at a local pub when not teaching chemistry.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1961-68

Current location (optional) Steeton

Re: 'Wilbur' Bloomfield

Going back to Allan's post in 2005, Wilbur was born in Blackburn in 1923, so he was 34 when we started at the school. When his birth was registered, his second name is recorded a A. Was it too embarrassing to even write it on registration document or was his middle name simply A?

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

Re: 'Wilbur' Bloomfield

Happen he was a triplet, and his brothers were Wilburs B and C?

Re: 'Wilbur' Bloomfield

I think this extract from the London Gazette (March 1943) probably solves the mystery of Wilbur's middle name.


SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 5 MARCH, 1943 1069
R. Fus.-
George Albert GRAY (255713).
The King's R.
Sidney Thomas STROMBERG (255739). Ernest
QUINN (255609). Wilbert Arthur BLOOMFIELD
(255740). Peter LANGE (255741).

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1962-69

Current location (optional) Nottingham

Re: 'Wilbur' Bloomfield


WAB left KBGS in 1967, either to Hale or to Hyde Grammar School - I can't actually remember which now. I happened to be returning from working in Singapore at the beginning of that year and was looking for a teaching post in English, and I applied to both those schools among others. From one of them I had notification that the Head was changing in the September, and much to my surprise (and chagrin - for there had never been any love lost between WAB and me) I was told the name and provenance of the new head who would be scrutinising the applications. My brother happened to be in the sixth at the time and Wilbur sought him out to say that the interviews would almost certainly be held before I was back in England - for which, in those very special circumstances, I was greatly relieved! I think Hale is actually in Cheshire, Shaun, and Hyde is now Greater Manchester, but also probably Cheshire then.

Wilbur actually retired back to Yorkshire, to Grassington, where he was encountered on many occasions by Trevor Hargreaves who also lived, and taught there, and who was at the last annual reunion we held in September 2019. Wilbur died sometime in the 'noughties'. The house he had built at Oakworth, 'Looking Stead', named after his favourite mountain here in the Lakes, is still standing - though no longer in splendid isolation in the field it was originally in.

Doug

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria