Central Technical School

[HPSec]

HSPec correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding for the reason to demolish the Gleedles school/site was because of Blue an White Asbestos.

It was a late 60's Clasp building. As you are a building professional as I am to the danger was to much for the Education Authority to accep

 

Ihave the same problem from Inverness to Wick, Stornoway to kirkwall Health and Safety are pulling the strings.

 

I went back to CTS Gleedles just before it was flattened and it did bring a lump to my throat to see an institution before destruction.

That school gave me so much

 

Hi Sandie,

 

You’ve got me wondering now and digging about. Not CLASP I don’t think, though I’d be content to be proved wrong. To my way of thinking, the new school was more craft-based (around a steel frame) than system-built. Could it even have been SCOLA (about which I know next to nothing)?

 

Looking at the old photographs, I see that I went from 6X in 1964 (Form Teacher: J H Hunter) to A1Y (Form Teacher: Ron Underdown). The 6X picture is taken in Bow Yard and the A1Y picture is taken at the new school at Gleadless. Cross-referencing with school reports, I guess we moved to the new school in September 1964, in time for the new academic year. I remember being in some kind of advance party, and it is a sunny day in my mind’s eye (sun streaming through the windows of the classroom block). Much use would be made of the white venetian blinds as time passed, but it was a brave new world – a breath of fresh air.

 

I have a vague recollection of newspaper reports that The School was to be demolished (in the ’90s, I guess). Can you put an accurate date on it? I fully understand the lump in the throat, but I guess the first hammer blow came at the very end of Summer Term or beginning of Autumn Term 1968 with the name change from CTS to Ashleigh Comprehensive. Sheffield and the whole nation, I guess, were turning their backs on a very good way of schooling. It used to be said that (post-Diploma) Sheffield’s employers were queuing at the ‘school gates’ to sign ‘boys’ up. And I imagine that The School had its ‘feelers’ out into ‘Industry’ and that it had its ‘connections’.

 

And yes, you jog my memory – I’m sure asbestos was cited as a reason for demolition in (I’m guessing) pre-Construction Design and Management Regulation days. It’s strange in a way, because you have some high costs in dealing with asbestos regardless of whether you refurbish or demolish. You know that you can’t just knock a building down with a ball-and-chain and just let fragments of asbestos blow wherever they will. Also, these days, when there is a concern for the “Carbon Footprint” we might think on whether to tear up a lot of concrete before replacing it with a lot more.

 

In fact we could wade into a national debate here! I notice that a recent headline in the construction press reads, “English Heritage wades into schools’ demolition debate”, and bears the strapline, “Heritage body lists 16 schools as disquiet grows over lack of refurbs in Building Schools for the Future programme”.

 

My own disquiet would relate to PFI and the “buy now, pay later” attitude in modern thinking embraced by all the main political parties – “or buy now, get the next generation to pay for it”.

 

I happen to think too that if you demolish a dozen local schools at a time (which seems to be the mood of the moment) and replace them all to a similar pattern, perhaps they all demonstrate the same flaws and all wear out at the same time. What is wrong with a steady hand on the nations tiller and a steadily, rolling programme? That would be new in Construction, wouldn’t it? Don’t let the blighters from Inverness to Wick, Stornoway to Kirkwall grind you down. I’m sure there is a CTS cavalry out here somewhere, even though I’ve got detached. I must look up those places you mention on a map. You see, I’m still trying to complete my education!

 

Strange that our old school had to be converted to pubs, clubs, restaurants and apartments or whatever before it really became part of Sheffield’s Heritage. Can’t help but feel we have our values upside down!

 

Admittedly the new school was unlikely ever to be Listed. For a higher education exercise, I did a building faults survey on it in the spring of 1970. It looked a bit tired even then – in need of a bit of love and maintenance already. The powers that be always seem to forget that buildings, even new ones, need constant maintenance. I compared it with Hurlfield Girls School (as was) and included some slides of both schools which I still have. I dare say the whole thing could be copied for the public record.

 

For the purpose of the record here, let me say that I noted that Hurlfield Girls School (to accommodate 600 girls) had come to be called “Ashleigh Comprehensive – Lower School” and was under the direction of our Mr Walker (serving the 11 to 14 age range). It was built from 1952 to 1954 at a cost of about £130,000 to the design of Architects Co-Partnership (still a notable architectural practice to this day, I believe). I included a publication reference – Architects Journal, 24 March 1955. Hope I got it right, for anybody who might follow it up!

 

Our school at Gleadless (to accommodate 600 boys) had come to be called “Ashleigh Comprehensive – Upper School” (serving the age range from 14 to 18). I recorded that it had been built from 1962 to 1964 and credited J L Womersley (City Architect) with the design. I didn’t bother to mention the cost. Looking back, that seems a bit sloppy.

 

In the “Acknowedgements” I referred to Mr Fyfe as “Headmaster of Ashleigh Compressive School” (head of both schools by inference) and Mr Walker as “Head of Lower School” (formerly “Hurlfield Girls”). There was a “Head of Upper School” too, but I don’t have a record of who that was. The creation of massive hierarchical tiers of administration in Education (and everything else) had obviously begun!

 

I observed that altering both schools to be co-educational had necessitated some adaptation of the toilet provision as well as remarking on how “Upper School” had a “fine workshop block involving high capital investment” whereas “Lower School” (which, oddly enough, stood on the higher ground) had accommodation for “Housecraft” and “Domestic Science”. “Equality” and “Political Correctness” were still some years ahead! The Upper School had also taken on the function of the main ‘administrative centre’ to avoid some duplication of purpose.

 

My dad used to say he went to a high school. It was on top of a hill he contended. Unlike us, I don’t think he had a great education, but he was full of daft little jokes like that.

 

Because (and I’m sure that the rule was never to begin a sentence with that word), in my schooldays, I had to get some perspective drawings in a portfolio, I borrowed the architects ‘blueprints’ (plan and elevations) from Albert Fairbrother and constructed perspectives from them (in one or other school vacation in 1967 probably). They look a little ‘mechanical’ and a bit elongated to my eye now. The pencil (2H) is harder than I would choose to use today – but the main elements are still recognisable. Perhaps I shall get them reduced and framed one day (if time ever allows or we run out of things to say about our Alma Mata).

 

All the best to you.

Edited February 13, 2010 by HPSec

[HPSec]

The reason I remember it was because when I was at Tech model railway stuff was beginning to become available and I spent most of my lunch hours drooling over Hornby and Triang models in the basement of the shop.

 

When I think I’ve run out of things to say I discover a ‘post’ appears that rakes something up. Your post is one such, Coalandcoke, and, in a sense, this is a post about a post (a broken one).

 

Like a lot of lads of the baby-boom generation I don’t suppose I had a lot of toys. We lived on a Council estate and there was never more than a copper left over by the end of the week, from the one wage. Even so, I did have a basic Triang train set before I got to the Tech (a Christmas present). Now I think about it, it had already been sold on to get a two-wheeler bike before I got to the Tech (£21 – brand new! – from pocket money of one kind or another scrimped over a young lifetime) and I’d got my Cycling Proficiency (a story about that another time perhaps). If I recall, Triang had changed the pattern of lines by then and I had finished up with a mixture of each, which rather took the edge off the model railway experience for me. I did particularly like the Royal Mail coach set which probably cost 17/6 (which was a king’s ransom, as you know). I wonder if Ronnie Biggs ever had one.

 

The annual holiday was a week in a hired caravan at Bridlington in May (at the latest). Get the picture?

 

So I know exactly what you mean about drooling over stuff in Gordon Joel’s. I think I must have been more of a window-shopper than you. I don’t recall daring to venture in without Mum or Dad. Then a hand would be tight on the purse strings and there would be no tantrums (we certainly didn’t know what they were), but it seems to me that if you had a Triang train set, you would be dead against Hornby – and vice versa.

 

I’d forgotten about the basement, but, if I remember, the counter (perhaps displaying toys behind glass panels) was end on to the door and there wasn’t much room to pass.

 

There was an earlier train set in my life and I miss it even now. It had a clockwork engine with a sizeable key and two rods with knurled brass ends (one served as a brake and the other was reverse gear I suppose). It was a tank engine in a freight set with a tender, a flat bed truck, a closed cattle truck with an opening pair of doors, a truck with grey sides and a guard’s van (with an opening half-door and a roof that slid off). It had some crude lines with black clips to hold them together.

 

The family anecdote goes that Dad who worked shifts (“earlies”, “afters”, or “nights”) had collected it - already wrapped (in brown paper I should think), on Christmas Eve from Gordon Joel’s (though we’d forgotten that name until your reminder). I opened it in the morning of Christmas Day and it had miraculously turned into the Coronation Coach and Horses set (in a large presentation box I suppose). It would be 1953 and I’d be five. I vaguely remember it, but it was whisked from under my nose and returned to Joel’s as soon as Joel’s opened, to be replaced by my train. I wonder who had had that in the meantime.

 

Mum ousted the train set somewhere along the way. I wonder if she disposed of the maroon Foden at the same time. I had two Foden Dinky lorries. One was a flatbed – orange and green (though I can’t remember which was the body colour and which the flatbed colour). The other was maroon. I saw one just like it on Antiques Roadshow a few years ago. Twelve thousand quid! The maroon Foden wasn’t much liked. It was the colour. No demand! So Dinky didn’t make many. It was similar to the flatbed, but it was a beer lorry with three posts each side supporting a fine chain. I had broken one of the posts, so it hung from the chain. Do you think that for the sake of a bit of Super Glue, anybody would have given me …. say £6000? Good job I’m not a mercenary!

 

Ah, the laws of supply and demand and the making of a Central Technical schoolboy!

[coalandcoke]

HPSec, I was a little ahead of you. I was doing my drooling in about 1953 or 1954. The first Triangs were called Rovex I think, and had the rails on raised grey plastic channels. My first "set" consisted of a tender and a coach. The engines didn't arrive at Joels until much later. The figures you mention for used Dinky cars are amazing. I wish I'd kept mine. Going back to CTS for a moment. I remember the Geography teacher back then was called Firth. I don't think I've seen his name crop up but he was a reasonable sort as I remember.

[HPSec]

HPSec,

 

You have made my day, you describe Wisewood and the TECH to a tee.

Haydock was a very strict man, but I will always remember the history of North and South America. He used to get his hand printing unit out and churn out copies, this was the day before photocopies.

I think it was called a Gestetner.

 

All the best

 

Yes, the Gestetner, Sandie. I'd forgotten there was such a thing. I seem to recall that Charlie would come into the classroom still rubbing the ink off his hands - not always in the best of temper. Technology!

 

I've no memory of doing anything other than English with him. North and South America must have gone straight over my head.

[HPSec]

HPSec, I was a little ahead of you. I was doing my drooling in about 1953 or 1954. The first Triangs were called Rovex I think, and had the rails on raised grey plastic channels. My first "set" consisted of a tender and a coach. The engines didn't arrive at Joels until much later. The figures you mention for used Dinky cars are amazing. I wish I'd kept mine. Going back to CTS for a moment. I remember the Geography teacher back then was called Firth. I don't think I've seen his name crop up but he was a reasonable sort as I remember.

 

Happy days – no doubt, Coalandcoke. Interesting! I’d never heard of Rovex (or perhaps I’ve lost all memory of it).

 

My Dinkies went to the neighbours’ kids who were a few years younger than me. I must have acquiesced in a moment of madness to Mum just “clearing a space”. If they were all as valuable as that maroon lorry they’ll be millionaires. Good luck to ’em even if I’m as poor as a church mouse. There was a lot of Dinky military hardware in the toy box including a Centurion tank and a tank transporter. A good proportion of Britain’s military might was there as I recall. Maybe it was the army ambulance with the opening rear doors that raised a question in my mind and stopped me pursuing a military career. I’m kind of glad I got the battlefield tactics and the fighting out of my mind as a little fella. The world’s been a safer place.

 

It’s snowing here. Fancy sledging later?

 

I don't recall a Mr Firth, but hopefully somebody will.

[coalandcoke]

It's snowing here as well but I got sledging (and anything else to do with snow) out of my system along time ago while still in Sheffield.

[sandie]

Yes, the Gestetner, Sandie. I'd forgotten there was such a thing. I seem to recall that Charlie would come into the classroom still rubbing the ink off his hands - not always in the best of temper. Technology!

 

I've no memory of doing anything other than English with him. North and South America must have gone straight over my head.

 

Who was the teacher who used to come in and do current affairs with his news papers. From meory he had a tweed jacket small but stocky.

 

The more you talk of Wisewood the more I remember, I was in the music class and played the Trombone, I also at the age of 12 was to sing a duet with Jane Bartlet at the end of school pagent, but my voice broke so I played in the band with my Trombone.

 

In metalwork I learnet how to make pastry cutters and solder from Tin sheet.,how to use a ball pain hammer to shape brass and copper.

Also tools and their names files for example, the 3 types which were marked R B Y to indicate the finish they would produce.

The one's marked Blue (related to those children who's parents were not at that time married) were aways a point of laughter in the playground at 12 year old.

 

46 Years later I go to a School not far from Port Ness north of Stornaway Isle of Lewis to carry out an M&E Survey, finish up in the as it is now called the craft workshop.

Well it was like going back to the 60's, proper woodwork benches with bench stops, vices with jaw protectors etc. The Master of the class was due to retire and I asked him if I could look in his tool cupbords.

It was like time had taken me back to my childhood. Spokeshaves,wooden mallets, wood chizels with brass rings at the top to stop the handle from splitting,gimletts, centre punches, taps and die's and the final most rewarding of all was the "******* File" with a blue mark.

 

Sadly the school will close within 2 years and if I have the brass I would by all of that workshop and preserve it.

 

I have strayed from the point I am sorry. Wisewood gave me the building bricks, but CTS gave me the information to allow me to put the cement between those bricks and for me I will always be greatfull.

 

My education at CTS was not always easy and at the time seemed unfair, but it on reflection was bloody good.

 

Sorry for the grammer and spelling I was in the Science streem where english was not important.

 

Those days have passed us all by If only we could go back.

Edited February 2, 2010 by sandie

[HPSec]

I recall the following teachers:-

 

Mr Baines

Mr A Bun - Scripture, English

Mr Crisp (Sam) - Woodwork, Brickwork Drawing

Mr Dixon (Peter) – Headmaster (Autumn Term ’65 to Summer Term ’66)

Mr Dove - History

Mr A B Fairbrother (Albert) - Art

Mr L D L Fyfe – Headmaster (Autumn Term ’67 to the end of my school days)

Mr Green - English

Mr W G Gregory (“Pop”) - Chemistry

Mr Groarke - Physics

Mr E A Harrington – Physics, a gentleman and a scholar (amongst many)

Mr Howell - PE

Mr R Hughes (“Sally”) - Music

Mr Hunter (John Henry) – Carpentry & Joinery, Building Drawing

Mr Jarvis (Ken) – Carpentry & Joinery

Mr King - French

Mr J G Knight (John) - Economics

Mr Lee (Pete) - Geography

Mr Matson – Geography

Mrs Matson - Social Studies

Mr Simpson (Alf) - RE or Scripture, Applied Mechanics

Mr D Smith (Dave) - French

Mr G F Taylor - Maths

Mr G Thompson (Gilbert) – Maths, Deputy Head (Acting Head, Summer Term ’65)

Mr J L Thornton (“Toffee”) - Physics

Mr R Underdown (Ron) - English, French

Mr Wadge (Herbert) – Headmaster from the beginning of time to Spring Term ’65

Mr A Walker (Andy) – Maths (not just a wizard like the rest, but he could explain it)

Mr Westnege (Ken)

Mr Wigget (Terry) - Technical Drawing

Mr D Woolhouse (Don) - Technical Drawing

 

There were some others who hopefully you can recall for the benefit of all of us.

 

A Maths teacher stood up at a Speech Day rehearsal at Victoria Hall to announce, “I have found a Yale key. Would any boy who has lost a Yale key please report to me?” Who was that teacher?

 

Unusually in our school there was for a while a young woman of French extraction (a student teacher I guess), rather easier on the eye than our usual French teachers. The class I was in – 5 something or other – always in danger of killing a goose that could lay a golden egg, rather showed off in one of her lessons and Mr King had to wade in to sort us out. Does anybody remember that? We were in one of those classrooms in Cathedral School, off the top corridor above the Dining Hall (just down the corridor perhaps from the Physics lab where you took a beating with a thin cane no doubt – the very sight of which kept me on the straight and narrow).

 

I’m wrong about Pete Lee being the crossword guru (perhaps not totally); but there was another shorter, dark haired teacher at the younger end who was known for doing crosswords during Assembly. Who was that?

 

If it helps recall, the list of subjects in my day (’62 – ’68) included:-

 

English (a mixture of Language and Literature)

French

Geography

History

Mathematics

Physics

Chemistry and Metallurgy

Applied Mechanics

Building Science

Drawing (Engineering)

Drawing (Building)

Art

Engineering Workshop Practice

Pattern Making and Moulding

Carpentry and Joinery

Brickwork

Scripture

Music

Physical Education

 

Keep talking to yourself, HPSec, and you may get to the bottom of this.

 

Pete Lee was the teacher of medium build with dark curly hair who took you for History for a couple of terms in 1st Year. He was the one with a particular reputation for doing the crossword in Herbert’s assemblies. You were right first time! Pete wore a gown, as did Mr Hill (Arthur to his friends, I think) – tall, sharp, bespectacled, dark straight hair thinning (but not so much as yours now, old boy). Mr Hill took you for History in 2nd and 3rd Years.

 

History wasn’t your subject, was it lad? You were asleep – otherwise you would have remembered who was taking the lessons!

 

Later, at Gleadless, you were in a select group in Whistling Gil’s office (on the right going down the corridor to the workshop block), with Whistling Gil and Arthur and your peers. Encouragement was being given to apply for Oxbridge places. We would have needed a crash course in Latin as that was an entry requirement in those days. But teachers were probably of a different breed then (not so thrashed as they are these days) – willing to put a fair bit of energy into extra-curricular stuff – and there is no doubt in my mind that we would have got full support. We were given a few days to think about it, and, to a man, we declined. There were far better scholars in that small group than I was. Within a few months, I’d collected six “refusals” from the universities I’d included in my UCCA application. I only got into university after I’d got my A-level results - through the ‘clearing system’ (into my first choice university as it happened). In a fluke encounter, LDL Fyfe prompted me to apply for ‘clearing’. And there was his earlier willingness to invite in a friend to advise on a career choice. He’s another one, among many, I owe. Encouragement again – so important!

 

A lot of rubbish is spoken by the fascists presently in power about “social mobility”, but, in our family, it took another generation to produce an Oxford graduate. We may have been ‘Working Class’, but we were not feral. The key to academic success is hard work – fundamental unless you have an especial talent. I wonder if CTS ever did produce an Oxbridge grad.

 

Oh, and today you remember Mr Green who took you for English in the city centre days. Terry was the master of the riposte. So, when a lad called Ferritt (not his real name, but for illustration) was asked to identify himself, he was in the habit of saying, “Ferritt, Sir, two Ts.” Terry, quick as a flash, asked “How many sugars?” Funny what sticks! If you could work it out you could build it into a teaching method.

 

If it was Literature Mr Green took us for, it left me cold (though he wasn’t to blame; I was neither Kenneth Brannagh nor even Sean Bean). There was a question as to whether he was colour-blind on account of the maroon sock / green sock incident which led to a fellow pupil (it may have been Ferritt – he had the spunk) pointing out the discrepancy to him (the cheek!), earning himself a period of time kneeling at the front of the class.

 

Quiet now lad!

[HPSec]

Who was the teacher who used to come in and do current affairs with his news papers. From meory he had a tweed jacket small but stocky.

 

The more you talk of Wisewood the more I remember, I was in the music class and played the Trombone, I also at the age of 12 was to sing a duet with Jane Bartlet at the end of school pagent, but my voice broke so I played in the band with my Trombone.

 

In metalwork I learnet how to make pastry cutters and solder from Tin sheet.,how to use a ball pain hammer to shape brass and copper.

Also tools and their names files for example, the 3 types which were marked R B Y to indicate the finish they would produce.

The one's marked Blue (related to those children who's parents were not at that time married) were aways a point of laughter in the playground at 12 year old.

 

46 Years later I go to a School not far from Port Ness north of Stornaway Isle of Lewis to carry out an M&E Survey, finish up in the as it is now called the craft workshop.

Well it was like going back to the 60's, proper woodwork benches with bench stops, vices with jaw protectors etc. The Master of the class was due to retire and I asked him if I could look in his tool cupbords.

It was like time had taken me back to my childhood. Spokeshaves,wooden mallets, wood chizels with brass rings at the top to stop the handle from splitting,gimletts, centre punches, taps and die's and the final most rewarding of all was the "******* File" with a blue mark.

 

Sadly the school will close within 2 years and if I have the brass I would by all of that workshop and preserve it.

 

I have strayed from the point I am sorry. Wisewood gave me the building bricks, but CTS gave me the information to allow me to put the cement between those bricks and for me I will always be greatfull.

 

My education at CTS was not always easy and at the time seemed unfair, but it on reflection was bloody good.

 

Sorry for the grammer and spelling I was in the Science streem where english was not important.

 

Those days have passed us all by If only we could go back.

 

I don’t remember who did current affairs. It wasn’t Mr Richardson was it? He wore tweeds – a pleasant fair-haired man. His face came back to me as clear as a bell today (though I hadn’t given him a thought for the best part of fifty years).

 

It’s as you say, the more we talk the more we remember.

 

Envy! I never did learn to play a musical instrument. I only dream of playing the sax. It’s still OK to dream, I guess. Did Jane Bartlet make the Big Time? Do you still sing?

 

Our tin-smithing exercise at Wisewood produced an ashtray and I remember making a coat hook which involved forming a rivet and making countersunk holes for screw fixings (not supplied as it would say on a DIY purchase). Who was the metalwork teacher? I don’t suppose the ashtray would be PC these days, but Dad used it for a while.

 

I was fonder of woodwork. Who was the woodwork teacher? Was that Mr Moffit?

 

I’d forgotten the colours for files until you mentioned them. It must be PC to say “******* file” these days. You are right – that was the name of the item as we were taught it and I wonder why it was so called? In any other sense ‘*******’ is a term that would apply to half the population these days according to any old definition (surely long gone). I’m all for promoting family values, myself, and something longer than a one-night stand - but I’m glad we (as a society) seem to be largely past the name calling. The dictionary makes for interesting reading, referring to “fils de bast”. Perhaps a ******* file was a general purpose packsaddle file used by a mule driver.

 

I can tell from what you say about looking in the tool cupboard in the craft workshop, up there in Scotland, that you are a true chip off the CTS old block. There’s no escaping it. You speak with such affection for the tools.

 

Make “The Master” a reasonable offer for them. Don’t stand back. That is my advice. Far better you have them than they go in a skip. I’ve got an old CTS wooden jack plane and the remains of a mallet that were sold off in my day – and a hand drill that was a school prize! Get me!

 

No matter that you stray from the point. Maybe that’s where we find our most creative moments. After all, what is the point? No apology needed. It’s great to share in your story. What did the old school song say, “may their story” (your story) “serve us in the age-long fight”? There’s wisdom, knowledge and experience in it - and for what purpose if it’s not to share?

 

You say your “education at CTS was not always easy and at the time seemed unfair, but on reflection it was bloody good”. I can understand and echo that.

 

No worries about spelling and grammar. Nobody is standing over us now. Just tell it the way it comes. That will be quite good enough.

 

Sadly there is no going back – but onward, Sandie, in the age-long fight!

[sandie]

I don’t remember who did current affairs. It wasn’t Mr Richardson was it? He wore tweeds – a pleasant fair-haired man. His face came back to me as clear as a bell today (though I hadn’t given him a thought for the best part of fifty years).

 

It’s as you say, the more we talk the more we remember.

 

Envy! I never did learn to play a musical instrument. I only dream of playing the sax. It’s still OK to dream, I guess. Did Jane Bartlet make the Big Time? Do you still sing?

 

Our tin-smithing exercise at Wisewood produced an ashtray and I remember making a coat hook which involved forming a rivet and making countersunk holes for screw fixings (not supplied as it would say on a DIY purchase). Who was the metalwork teacher? I don’t suppose the ashtray would be PC these days, but Dad used it for a while.

 

I was fonder of woodwork. Who was the woodwork teacher? Was that Mr Moffit?

 

I’d forgotten the colours for files until you mentioned them. It must be PC to say “******* file” these days. You are right – that was the name of the item as we were taught it and I wonder why it was so called? In any other sense ‘*******’ is a term that would apply to half the population these days according to any old definition (surely long gone). I’m all for promoting family values, myself, and something longer than a one-night stand - but I’m glad we (as a society) seem to be largely past the name calling. The dictionary makes for interesting reading, referring to “fils de bast”. Perhaps a ******* file was a general purpose packsaddle file used by a mule driver.

 

I can tell from what you say about looking in the tool cupboard in the craft workshop, up there in Scotland, that you are a true chip off the CTS old block. There’s no escaping it. You speak with such affection for the tools.

 

Make “The Master” a reasonable offer for them. Don’t stand back. That is my advice. Far better you have them than they go in a skip. I’ve got an old CTS wooden jack plane and the remains of a mallet that were sold off in my day – and a hand drill that was a school prize! Get me!

 

No matter that you stray from the point. Maybe that’s where we find our most creative moments. After all, what is the point? No apology needed. It’s great to share in your story. What did the old school song say, “may their story” (your story) “serve us in the age-long fight”? There’s wisdom, knowledge and experience in it - and for what purpose if it’s not to share?

 

You say your “education at CTS was not always easy and at the time seemed unfair, but on reflection it was bloody good”. I can understand and echo that.

 

No worries about spelling and grammar. Nobody is standing over us now. Just tell it the way it comes. That will be quite good enough.

 

Sadly there is no going back – but onward, Sandie, in the age-long fight!

 

Hi HPSec.

 

You are testing the gray matter, the people I remember was David Jowell, Jane Harper, Paul Bartlett and Kathrine Harrison.

I had a crush for Jane Harper.

 

To go back to Wisewood School their was portable buildings just past the sceince block. Can you remember when the school was been painted we moved into the hall.

 

Woodwork I dont remember, but metalwork I do remember as it was yesterday.

 

CTS well that was different. Foundry, Woodwork and Metalwork gave me the base of practicality and I was lucky to have that oppertunity, sadly kids today do not have that priveledge which is sad.

 

It has been a real priveledge to talk to you and thanks.

 

Dave

Edited February 8, 2010 by sandie