Abbeydale Boys, Girls, Grange schools, '63-69

[davidbyron]

Hi, I was at Abbeydale Boys' from '63 to '69. I used to live Dore/Totley, have lived in Australia (Byron Bay, NSW) for 30 years. I'd like to hear from anyone at those 3 schools in the 60's, my name is David Hall.

[CaptChris]

Hi David,

 

I started my first year at Abbeydale Boys' Grammar, Hastings Road in September 1958 when it first opened and left in 1963 aged 16. Many fond memories of the place - Friends Reunited has some vintage photos of the school and pupils. However, about 1995 I returned to the school for the first time (I was in charge of the admin for a team of NHS nurses who were conducting an innoculation programme. My excitement at the impending visit was tremendous. How sadly disappointed I was and what a great error of judgement to have visited (not that I could have avoided it even if I had wanted to). It was co-ed and judging by the disrespect the pupils were showing the teaching staff during the lunch breaks discipline had clearly broken down. Clearly not the era of the Masseys and Coopers. My heart was saddened by what I saw. I took the liberty of wandering around and whilst certain classrooms (woodwork - Mr Pugh; metalwork - Mr Belcher, art - Mr Parsons and the old library) were no longer fulfilling their former functions, it brought back many memories when I sat in the chemistry, physics and biology labs in my former place. I was so pre-occupied in the biology lab that for several minutes I did not notice the teacher sat at the front - we had a brief conversation then I left. It possibly does not pay to visit former haunts as they are not likely to be as they were some forty or so years ago. You clearly made the break many years ago - I have been in Thailand since retirement in 2007 (always warm/hot for an old man and cheap to boot).

 

Do you remember many of the old teachers?

 

As ever,

 

Chris