TheALMONDBURIAN

November2010

THE MAGAZINE OF THE OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY

IN THIS ISSUE

3 Chairman’s Letter4 OAS Calendar5 OAS Membership6 Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day7 Terry’sTeaser8 From the Headteacher

10 70Years at King James’s17 An evening to remember18 New Books20 George Beach: unsung hero25 Staff v School football match28 Cricket30 Soccer32 Badminton/Tennis32 Golf33 Letter from Porthcawl35 Postbag37 Obituaries39 OAS Shop

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The next issue of The Almondburian will be published on 1st March 2011.Closing date for contributions: 21st January 2011

The magazine of The Old Almondburians’ Society

The ALMONDBURIAN

ASTHE LEAVES BEGINTOTURN BROWN and the weather turns coolerwe can look back at the sunny day that was President’s Day and lookforward to the doubtless wet and windyAnnual Dinner.

President’s Day was again well organised by the Cricket Club and a full report ofthe event appears on page 29 of this issue.TheAnnual Dinner is again at the GalpharmStadium and this year celebrates the working lives of two long serving members ofthe teaching staff who retired this year: Patrick O’Brien andWalter Raleigh. Patrick

Editor: Roger Dowling November 2010

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EMILY COMER / NICKY MURPHY

Chairman’s letter

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ SOCIETY CALENDARDATES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEETINGS,2010The Executive Committee of the Societymeets upstairs at the ‘Woolpack’ inAlmondbury. Meetings are held on the firstMonday of the month at 7.30 pm, with theexception of August, when there is nomeeting.Any member of the Society whowould like to attend one of these meetingswill be made most welcome on the followingdates: 1st November; 6th December.

ANNUAL DINNERSaturday 20th November 2010 at theGalpharm Stadium. Full details, together withan application form for tickets, are enclosedwith this issue of The Almondburian and onwww.oas.org.uk.

FOUNDERS’ DAYSunday 21st November 2010 atAll HallowsChurch, Almondbury. Full details, togetherwith an application form for tickets, areenclosed with this issue of The Almondburianand on www.oas.org.uk.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGThe Annual General Meeting of the Societywill be held at the ‘Woolpack’,AlmondburyonTuesday, 4th January 2011 at 7.30 pm.Nominations for office on the ExecutiveCommittee are required by the Secretary inadvance of this date, so that the election ofofficers can take place at the Annual GeneralMeeting in accordance with Rule Eight.

Members are urged to make every effort toattend the Annual General Meeting.

BADMINTONThursday evenings from 7.30 pm until 9.30pm, until Thursday, 26th May 2011. Fee: £5 perperson per evening.Note that due to schoolevents or examinations there there will be nobadminton on these dates: 16th September;14th October; 11th November;2nd December.

OLD ALMONDBURIANS’ CRICKET CLUBAnnual Dinner and Presentation Evening:Saturday, 12th February 2011, at LockwoodPark, Brewery Drive,Huddersfield HD4 6EN.Further details from JackTaylor(jtaylor73@btinternet.com).

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andWalter have been staunch supporters of the Old Almondburians’ Society overthe years, and they look back on their teaching careers at King James's on page 10.They will be guests of honour at the event and we encourage any member who hasnot yet bought a ticket to use one of the enclosed forms or apply on our websitewww.oas.org.uk.This year’s reunion event for those that attended the school up to the early 70s will

have taken place by the time you read this and next year’s event for a slightly youngergeneration will be in the planning.A report appears on page 17 and on the website,so you can see what you may have missed or – depending on your age – what you canlook forward to next year!Thanks are due to GaryWoodhouse for all the work he putinto the planning of Reunion 2010, and to the Cricket Club for manning the bar.Finally theAGM is due to be held onTuesday, 4th January 2011at theWoolpack in

Almondbury and we encourage as many members as possible to attend. �

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ASWE ENTER A NEW FINANCIALYEAR, the Executive Committee hasresolved to be somewhat firmer about removing members who are in arrearswith their subscriptions than perhaps we have been in the past.There are

54 members of the Society who have made no subscription payment in the financialyear ended 31st August 2010, ie the subscription which fell due on 1st September2009 and, as a consequence, these people will no longer be deemed members of theSociety as we enter our new financial year beginning 1st September, 2010.Unfortunately, this rather hits our membership figures and we therefore start thecurrent year with a total of only 758 members.

Of course, the problem of late payment of subscriptions does not affect thosemembers who pay by standing order, which is why the Society strongly encouragesall members to pay their subscription by this method, and I am delighted to say that88% of the membership now do so, making the Secretary’s life much easier – thankyou! It would be greatly appreciated if those of you who don’t yet pay by standingorder could complete the mandate that you will find enclosed with your magazine andreturn it to the Secretary using the envelope provided. If not, you may post a chequein the same envelope or, alternatively, you may renew online, using PayPal or a debitor credit card, by visiting www.oas.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Join/Renew Online’button. Subscriptions are due on 1st September each year; please do pay promptly.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that we are now entering the fourth year sincethe subscription rate increased from £5.00 to £10.00 per annum, there are still 53standing orders that are going through at the old rate. Despite repeated reminders,these standing orders have still not been updated and the Executive Committee hasresolved that we can no longer afford to distribute the magazine to those memberswho are still paying less than £10.00 per annum.

To be fair, 20 of those 53 whose standing orders are still going through at the oldrate are members who have failed to notify us of a change of address, resulting in uslosing contact with them and meaning that they will not be aware that the subscriptionrate has changed! Including some members‘lost’ in this way more recently, there are25 people in total who are either life members or are paying a subscription, but whoreceive no newsletter because we don’t have any current contact details for them.With your help we have tracked down a good number of such members in the past,so thank you to the members who supplied this information.The members withwhom we have currently lost contact are listed below and, if anyone knows thewhereabouts of any of them, then we would be delighted to hear from you.The list

OAS MembershipANDREW HAIGH

has changed since the last newsletter, so please check carefully whether or not thereis anyone on it whom you know.

Finally,we are delighted to have welcomed one newmember to the Society alreadyin the new financial year:Mark C.Aylward (1985-1988),who lives in Dalton. �

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Name From ToEdward A Armitage 1932 1937

Kathryn E Auger 1982 1987

Anthony John Bramley 1970 1979

Peter Ralph Breach 1972 1978

Matthew S Brearey 1988 1991

Frederick C Bungeroth 1951 1959

David Philip Burnett 1952 1954

Stuart G Carby 1962 1970

Name From ToJohn Chacksfield 1967 1973

Dr Laura Joanne Cliffe 1991 1996

Sydney C Edwards 1962 1969

Sarah E Foster 1989 1992

Randon Ian Gallaway 1947 1955

Carl Maxwell Hague 1955 1962

John Christopher Hague 1948 1954

Michael Haigh 1971 1978

Name From ToAlwyn Faraway Hollings 1934 1939

Timothy Jackson 1965 1973

Lucy J Jacob 1990 1995

Michael J Rimicans 1992 1994

Michael Alan Taylor 1965 1973

Gerard N Vinton 1977 1983

Michael Craig Vinton 1985 1989

Stephen D Wilson 1970 1977

THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL DINNER will be another special one, since – asreported in the last issue of The Almondburian – Patrick O’Brien and WalterRaleigh have recently retired after many years’ service. Both will be guests

of honour at this year’s Dinner and there will undoubtedly be many of their formerpupils and colleagues who will want to attend to wish them well.A collection is alsobeing made for retirement gifts from the Society to Patrick andWalter and if youhaven’t already purchased your ticket you may wish to include a donation whenyou apply.The Dinner will take place once again in the main Banqueting Suite at the

Galpharm Stadium on Saturday, 20th November at 6.30 pm for 7.30 pm, so there’sjust time left to make sure that you don’t miss out on a great evening.The ticketprice this year remains at £25.00 and an application form is included with thisnewsletter; you can also apply online at www.oas.org.uk.HuddersfieldTown have a home fixture against Exeter City during the afternoon

before the dinner and it is hoped to once again negotiate a special ticket price forAlmondburians wishing to attend the match in the afternoon. It has even beensuggested by one member that the Society should secure a hospitality box for theday and, if any member is interested in participating, then they should contact meas soon as possible (contact details on back cover).The traditional Founders’ Day Service will be held at All Hallows Church,

Almondbury, at 11.30 am on the day following the Annual Dinner: Sunday, 21stNovember.Almondburians are invited to assemble in BigTreeYard at 11.00 am for

Annual Dinner/Founders’ Day

ANDREW HAIGH

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the traditional procession up the hill. The Executive Committee would urge allAlmondburians to make every effort to attend this event. It would help if you areable to indicate in the space provided on theAnnual Dinner ticket application formwhether or not you expect to attend the Founders’ Day Service as well, but it is notessential and you are most welcome to turn up on the day if you are able. �

ACROSS1. Rex Darwin wins! (7,3,5)8. Worthy lacking an item of furniture (7)11. Place during festival tonight in

Hampshire (5)13. Make mistake in listening to hesitant

sound (3)14. Found in awareness of conflict (3)15. Present sound? (4)16. SpeII letter in message (3)17. Chuck Switchworth (5)

19. Jet set monarch on board (5,5)21. Singer in formal togs (4)22. Hear correct ritual (4)24. Shiny top Italians? (10)27. Beastly money! (5)29. French dance in the balance (3)30. Came out top (4)31. Hear, Hear! Take a rest at golf for a

beverage (3)33. The wilder part of Regent’s Park (3)

35. I go to the country to find anative thereof (5)

37. Praise more on the level (7)38. A bad time for the dragon (5,7,3)

DOWN1. S E journeyman’s narrative (10,5)2. Buck behind (4)3. Food way out west (4)4. What keeps one going round the

tea bars (10)5. Curtailed destiny - definitely not a

slim chance! (3)6. We learn reorganisation and

refurbishment (7)7. The part-timers of the region

confuse Mary (11,4)9. She moves the seats round (5)10. A note to stagger the badger (5)12. Find in no-hopers an expression of

discovery (3)18. Terminal French lady (10)20. Prompt audible letter (3)21. Hear my song in Scotland (3)23. More than one ending (7)25. Girl leaves Queen to become Miss

Doolittle (5)26. Found at the top of the abbey (5)28. With 5 she becomes paternal! (3)32. A note, take a right some distance

away (4)34. US company offers a lift (4)36. Government produced play (3)

TERRY’S TEASERCompiled by Terry Buckley (1948 - 1953)

Draw: 31st December 2010 Prize: 12 months free OAS membership

� The winner of Keith’s Kryptic Krossword (July 2010) was Stuart Thompson.

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W EDNESDAY 21ST JULY 2010, the last day of the summer term, was asad yet memorable day. Sad, as two long serving members of staff wereleaving the school yet memorable because of the excellent farewell given

to them by the students, staff and governors.The two members of staff concernedwere of course Patrick O’Brien andWalter Raleighwho both retired after long,extremely successful and distinguished teaching careers.

Patrick spent his entire teaching career at King James’s School. He joined theschool initially in 1971 as a student teacher and was appointed as a teacher in 1972.Walter joined the school in 1978 after starting his teaching career at AlmondburyHigh School. Both Patrick and Walter have had a major impact on the lives ofthousands of young people who have been educated at King James's School.Thosereaders who had the privilege to be taught by Patrick andWalter will remember themwith gratitude and respect.They were both outstanding classroom practitioners whoselessons were always interesting and stimulating.Their hard work and contributionsover the years have been major factors in the success of our school.They are truelegends of the teaching profession and in years to come when the next book on ourhistory is published I am sure that both of them will feature prominently.They willbe truly missed by everyone connected to the school and I am sure that you will allwish them both a long and happy retirement.

The summer holidays brought two pieces of excellent news.The first was fromthe Department for Education who informed us that we had been ‘redesignated’[extended for a further three years] as a Specialist Science College.This means thatthe school will continue to receive extra funding of over £100,000 per academic year.

Specialist status has made a tremendous difference as it hasallowed us to refurbish our outdated facilities and installstate of the art technology throughout the school. It hasalso been a major contributory factor to the huge increasein academic attainment that the school has achieved overthe last few years. I would like to thank again the OldAlmondburians’ Society, the King James’s SchoolFoundation and those ex-students of the school whosesponsorship enabled us to achieve specialist status in 2004.

The second piece of excellent news was thetremendous GCSE examination results. Yet again theschool has achieved record results and preliminary figures

From the HeadteacherROBERT LAMB

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indicate that for the second consecutive year our5+A*-C results are the best in Kirklees (seecharts).

Unlike many schools who achieve resultsboosted by less rigorous qualifications the vastmajority of our results are based on either GCSEsor widely respected vocational qualifications.Weare obviously extremely proud of these stunningresults and look forward with anticipation to ourSpeech Night at Huddersfield Town Hall on the9th November when we can celebrate thesuccesses achieved by our students and staff.

67% 26% 68% 87% 91%

Percentage ofstudents whoachieved

five or moreA* - C

(including Englishand Mathematics)

Percentage ofgrades awardedthat wereA* or A

Percentage ofstudents whoachievedten or moreA* - C

Percentage ofgirls whoachieved

five or moreA* - C

Percentage ofboys whoachieved

five or moreA* - C

89%

100%

Percentage ofstudents whoachieved

five or moreA* - C

Percentage ofstudents whoachieved

five or moreGCSEs

Finally I should like to thank you for your continued support of and interest inKing James’s School.We have made tremendous strides over the last few years andsoon we will be established as the best school in Kirklees. �

A few words from your Editor��We were pleased to hear recently from Maureen Makinson, wife of AlbertMakinson who taught English at the School from 1952 to 1968. He then taught inBolton, began to have articles published and did several radio broadcasts for theBBC. When his parents became frailer he moved back to Southport to be withthem, and became a lecturer at a Teacher Training College in Liverpool, and then atthe University. He took early retirement in the 1980s but continued as Head ofGovernors at his old school, Hutton Grammar near Preston. Sadly, he is now in poorhealth and I am sure those Old Almondburians who remember him will wish to passon their best wishes.��We are aiming to strengthen our presence on the social networking siteFacebook. A new webpage at www.oas.org.uk/OASfacebook.php contains links toindividual Facebook year groups recently set up by Gary Woodhouse: please help usto build up a Facebook community for YOUR year group at King James’s.

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I HAD STARTED my PGCE [Postgraduate Certificate in Education] year atLeeds University in September 1971, mentored by the eccentric WilliamThompson. I waited in trepidation for the letter to appear in my pigeonhole,

detailing the school I would be based at for my teacher training practice. The letterduly appeared at the end of October. I was to attend King James’s Grammar inAlmondbury. The school meant nothing to me at the time. A day in mid-November was allocated

to spend at the school, prior to starting in January 1972. Directions were given and,like many before and after, I missed the turning down St Helen’s Gate and arrived atthe Star at Fenay Bridge. Retracing my steps I was ushered into the presence of theawesome Doreen Hinchliffe, the Headteacher’s personal secretary and schoolmanager. A few words with the legendary Harry Taylor and I was escorted to the StaffRoom. I was intrigued by the yellow ceiling, not realising at the time that it was due to

the incessant pipe and cigarette smoking of the male staff. Passive smoking was a term

Deputy headteacher Patrick O’Brien and assistant headteacher WalterRaleigh notched up a total of 70 years of service before retiring at theend of the Summer term. They look back on their time at the School.

70 years at King James’sAU REVOIR TO WALTER AND PATRICK

PATRICK O’BRIEN (1972-2010)

The Huddersfield Examiner

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for the future. In the staff room I was introduced to the fearsome Dave Bush,beginning a professional and personal friendship that lasts to this day. I also becameacquainted with the evergreen Jack Taylor, whom I still see occasionally leaving theWoolpack, apparently after some sort of Committee Meeting. Fortune was favourableand with the unexpected departure of Ian Jordan, assistant master in Classics, I wasappointed permanently to the school.The 70s was a period of great change and challenge for the school. I was glad that

the School did not maintain its Grammar School status, as moving with the timesensured its future with new buildings. Sixth Form College rapidly becamecomprehensive and the first mixed-ability co-educational students arrived inSeptember 1976. A start was made on staff gender balance, often eliciting the nowlegendary ‘NABW!’* comment from Ken Ireland at every female appointment.By now I was Head of Classics and Latin and Classical Civilisation both became part

of the curriculum at O-level and A-level. As thatdecade moved on into the 80s, Alan Conley wasreplaced by Clive Watkins with Dave Bush and PatReid as deputies and Jack Taylor as Senior Teacher.Following in Dave’s footsteps I became ExaminationsOfficer, a post I held for some 20 years. Although the loss of the Sixth Form in 1990 was

a blow to some, it did ensure the future of the schoolas it coincided with the Local Education Authoritywishing to close Middle Schools in the area. KingJames’s, as an 11-16 mixed comprehensive, was thebest way forward as, with greater parental choice, itcould become popular and oversubscribed. This wasalso the decade when schools assessed theirperformance more effectively and King James’s wasat the forefront in the LEA for this.Change was on the horizon. The age profile of the

Senior Leadership Group was rising rapidly and it wasno surprise when Dave, Pat and Jack all retired withina year. It was indeed the end of an era, although it didfinally unblock promotion to the Senior Team for thefirst time in fifteen years. The premature retirementof Clive Watkins, due to ill-health, early in 1998,meant the school entered an uncertain leadershipperiod. The new team was established by January 2000

with Martin Shevill, Pippa Dodgshon, Walter*‘Not Another Bl**dy Woman!’

Patrick addresses staffcolleagues. His well known catchphrase (and he says it veryslowly): “Just in case there areany doubts, this is my own hair –not a wig!” Zoe Brunning

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Raleigh, Ann Heafield and myself. Although Martin and Pippa had relatively shortcareers at King James’s (where 30 years was considered an acceptable minimum) theywere instrumental in setting the foundations for the school’s current success. Theschool was now increasing in size and had its first new buildings since 1978. A new (and many would say unique) Headteacher was appointed in January 2003:

Robert Lamb. In January 2004 Robert and the Governors appointed me as DeputyHeadteacher. It had taken 32 years in the same school for me to reach that level –probably some kind of record. I will mention Robert’s relentless drive and unerringvision for the school to become the most successful in Kirklees. I think we are therealready and we must now retain that top ranking. As numbers to other schools dropalarmingly, King James’s still remains oversubscribed, even with a maximum roll of180 students a year. The school I started at in 1972 with 380 students now has 900.The last seven years as Robert’s Deputy have been the most challenging and rewardingfor me as the school has clearly flourished in many ways. My own daughter, Hannah,has just completed five years at the school, achieving really excellent results.It was with something of a heavy heart that I decided to retire at the end of the

Summer Term, 2010. The records tell me that I am the third longest serving memberof staff, the longest since 1771†. I am also the last member of staff appointed to theGrammar School. If asked if I would do it differently, if the clock could be woundback, I would honestly say not. The 38 years have flown and there was never a timewhen I did not want to go into work. King James’s has been a truly great place to work

†The longest-serving teacher (so far) is Rev Samuel Brook, headmaster for 44 years from 1727-1771.George Farrand was headmaster for 40 years from 1640-1680.

Old Almondburians’ Society Secretary Andrew Haigh presents farewell gifts to Patrick onbehalf of the OAS and the School Governors

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I’D LIKE TO BEGIN by saying a big ‘thank you’ to the many staff and students,both past and present, Governors and friends of the school who have been sokind in sending cards, messages and gifts to me at this time. They are all very

much appreciated.On the Friday before the end of term, Patrick O’Brien and I, with the help of

Sue Cope, Ann Turner and other staff from school, organised a Barn Dance at theHuddersfield RU club at Lockwood Park. It was a wonderful occasion where both pastand present staff met for a drink, something to eat and some of us even had a dance!It is events like this which remind me, if I needed reminding, why King James’s Schoolis such a special place to work. I really do feel privileged to have spent 32 years of myteaching career in the old place.My appointment at King James’s was my third teaching post and little did I know

that I would spend the rest of my career there. From the start it was different. The staffwere a small group of very professional teachers and they all seemed to get on welltogether. It was just as well because the old staff room had around twenty five chairsbut thirty five staff. This meant there were no cliques as people simply sat in anyavailable seat. Staff quickly got to know one another which was to be important in theactivities around school.This ‘togetherness’ was reflected in staff after-school activities. Though a small

staff, Bob Field was able to organise or coerce enough of the male members to playfootball every Wednesday evening. What a line up we had! O’Brien and Hargreavestracking out wide, Taylor dominating the defence, Bush with his silky skills sprayingpasses from the mid-field to the athletic Field playing centre forward; and Alan ‘thecat’ Gaukroger dominating the 18 yard box in goal. Happy days indeed, especiallyhaving a drink in the pub afterwards reflecting on the match and seeing how muchfood Alan Thomas could consume.Sadly, this no longer takes place as the demands of team meetings after school

together with the lack of male members of staff under 50, restricts the sort of socialevents which can be organised.Similarly, the camaraderie of the staff in my early days was reflected in the end of

WALTER RALEIGH (1979-2010)

in and it has been a pleasure to work with the many hundreds of staff and a privilege tohave taught the many thousands of pupils over the years. I will still be maintaining contactwith the school, as I am a member of the Governing Body and I have also done somesupply work for the school since retiring. It just remains to wish the school well for the future. Secondary school re-organisation

is again with us and we must be vigilant, even though the school appears to be the bestperforming and most over-subscribed in the LEA. The new Senior Team and all the staffwill bring further success to the school. I envy them their active role �

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term staff social events. From memory, all staff attended the events. For many thehighlight of the staff social calendar was the Staff Car Rally in the Summer Term. DaveBush saw this as a personal challenge. It was not just a fun event but a matter of personalpride not only to win but to answer all the questions and have travelled the correctmileage. Dave would frequently arrive later than everyone else back at the prescribedhostelry in his attempts to complete every aspect of the quiz. Whilst the rest of ustucked into the food and drink he could be heard arguing his case for an extra halfmark when he was clearly wrong!However, it was not just the staff who made King James’s such a great place to

work. From day one it was a privilege to teach the many students who have passedthrough the doors. When I began, the likes of Steve Slack and Martin Tunnacliffe werein the 6th Form. They were great students then and they have both had a lastingconnection with school through their sporting prowess and support of other schoolfunctions.In September 1978 King James’s students all came from Lepton Middle School

into the Third Year, or Year 9 as we now call it. My first group of students – I say minebecause up to this point the boys had been taught by Ken Ireland – were a magnificentbunch of boys whom I would find it difficult to better in the whole of my time atKing James’s. There have been boys who were as talented since then but in sheernumbers this one intake was simply outstanding. They were incredibly sporting,particularly at football and cricket. They were, in fact, the first cricket team fromKing James’s for 30 years to win the Marshall Shield, the trophy provided by one ofour old Headmasters in 1890. As Head of Siddon House, Walter bursts with pride as Siddon win the Dartmouth Shield for thefirst time since the 1970s. They also won the House athletics competition for the first time.

Zoe Brunning

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However, besides their sporting ability theywere simply great kids. They led the school for fiveyears. They were involved in everything from Sportto Drama. They were real role models and set thetone for the rest of the school population. After 32years the names of Gary Hodgson, Neil Parkin, NeilTaylor, Andrew Mitchell, Peter Warry et al still tripoff the tongue. The school owes a debt of gratitudeto these students for their role in taking the schoolforward after the end of the Grammar School era. Itwould be remiss of me not mention a couple of girlsin this cohort of students though you can understandmy bias as I was a boys’ PE teacher! However, girls

such as Helen Darwin and Caroline Schofield were also hugely important at this time.During this period, the school had the fortune to appoint a new music teacher

called Jim Morgan. Together with the Drama teacher, Dave Houldsworth and theenthusiasm of English teacher Liz Hayward, the three of them transformed the school.Suddenly, King James’s became a centre for performing arts. Every term there was aproduction of one sort or another. My particular memory goes back to the fabulousVictorian Evenings which took place. At these events students sang and played OldTime Musical Hall songs. They were so popular they were sold out for three night onthe run. Together, the three staff wrote and produced a musical based on the oldmonologue ‘Albert and the Lion’. It was so good it won through many stages of anational competition and was eventually performed in the newly opened BarbicanCentre in London. I had no talent in this area of school life, but like most other staff was willing to

get involved in any way possible. I remember working with Christine Hazel and laterAngela Melling to set tables out, provide food and drink and finally sell tickets forthese numerous events. Again, this was an indication of the way events pulled everyonein the school community together. At this point I must mention the first HeadteacherI served under at King James’s, Alan Conley. Whatever the suggestions staff made forproductions or activities which would benefit students, Mr Conley always gave 100%support. He saw that school was not just a factory to produce students who wouldleave with excellent academic results but a place which developed the whole person.King James’s school owes him a debt of gratitude for his leadership.Founders’ Weekend was also a very important part of school life in the early years

of my career at King James’s. For staff like Dave Bush, Jack Taylor and Christine Hazelthey spent most of their Founders’ Weekends at school. On Friday afternoon Years 9and 10 made the trek up St. Helen’s Gate to the church for the service whilst the

Walter addresses staff colleagues. His well-known catchphrase: “Can I just tell you…?’

Zoe Brunning

older students went home. It wasthe turn of the older students on theSunday. On the Saturday the Annual

Dinner was held in school and this,for most, was the highlight ofevents. I remember Dave Bush speaking to the school in assembly telling them that itwas always a personal dilemma for him in choosing which was more important,Founders’ Weekend or Speech Day (now Presentation Evening) at the Town Hall.Sadly, there is now no difficulty in seeing which is the premier event. For school

– and I mean both staff and students alike – Presentation Evening is the main eventof the school calendar. For most people Founders’ Weekend is simply an OASevent.There is no-one to blame for this but simply events have moved on. The schoolkitchens are now unable to cater for the numbers attending the Dinner and with theevent taking place at venues such as the Galpharm Stadium there are no longeropportunities for our older students to act as waiters and waitresses at the event. Itwas this that showed the participating students that they were part of one bigcommunity that continued after school.However, it is easy to lament the ending of traditions and think that what is on

offer now is inferior. It isn’t! It is simply different. The events of the 400th Anniversarycelebrations showed that we still have large numbers of students, staff and OldAlmondburians who have a love for the school and are willing to help progress theschool into the next stage of its development. The school has a wonderful staff, ledby Robert Lamb, which will continue the goal to make King James’s the best schoolin Kirklees and later the best in Yorkshire. This aim is being addressed and this year’sexamination results may indicate we have achieved it. The retirement of Patrick andmyself will have little effect on the relentless progress school is making as we havebeen replaced on the Senior Management Team by Stephen MacNamara and RebeccaWalton, two excellent Heads of Department, outstanding teaching practitioners andgood people. Similarly, the OAS is being led by a hard-working team whose hard work and

commitment are an example for us all. They know that they can call upon the help ofmany stalwarts who appreciate what King James’s has done for them. There is also agreat deal of love and affection for the school in the Huddersfield community. It isquite humbling to see so many parents at school events who attended King James’sand then moved back into the area so their children could also attend our school. Wemust have done something right!My I finally encourage as many of you as possible to attend the Dinner in

November. I am sure it will be a wonderful event and one which will add even morememories for my, hopefully, long and happy retirement. �

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Dancing the night away at the retirementparty with colleagues past and present atLockwood Park Rugby Club.

Jenny Ainger

ONCE AGAIN, a thoroughly enjoyable eveningwas had by all who attended this year’s Reunion.Some 94 Old Almondburians and partners

attended, enjoying the opportunity to meet up with oldfriends to catch up and reminisce.

A team quiz helped those from class years with a lowattendance to mingle with other years in order to makeup teams of four or five. The winners with 18 out of 25points were David Sinclair (class of 1959), Eric Abbott(class of 1958), Gerald Whitehead (class of 1958) and Ralph Beaumont (class of1937). However, they failed to beat a teachers’ team of John Hargreaves, PatrickO’Brien and Alan and Marie Thomas in the ‘fastest on the buzzer’ Teachers v Pupilsfinal that followed later on the stage.

There was music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, and the cricket club did a goodjob of keeping the spirit flowing with an efficient bar service.

Enlarged photos on the wall in the gym had everyone pointing out themselves andtheir classmates, and the display of photo albums was a big draw. But without a doubt,the main attraction was when we opened up the old part of the school for a shortwhile, with around 60 people visiting the Big, Small, ODH and the old dormitories.

All in all, the event was a great success and we have plans for something more onthe lines of the last year’s Disco Reunion Party next year for those who left the schoolbetween 1979 and 1989.The year after, we mayorganise a 1990-2010leavers’ party. �

An evening to rememberGARY WOODHOUSE

A ‘Big’ attraction (right) while itwas spotting-oneself time inthe school gym (below)

Photographs: Austen Smith

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LETTERS FROM A PROFESSIONALNUISANCEImprobable jobs, impossible items andimplausible complaintsby Michael A LeePortico £9.99+postage/packing; pp316 (available onlinefrom www.oas.org.uk)

Lovers of whimsy will be delighted by the latest book byOld Almondburian Tony Lee (1971-1978), a compilation ofthree previous titles. His witty letters to a wide range oforganisations and individuals lead to some hilariousexchanges. He asks the Post Office – not unreasonably – if they can supply him witha ‘poetic licence’; he writes to Harry Ramsden’s complaining that he has a chip on hisshoulder; and he asks the British Ambassador in Cairo is they have an opening for a‘pyramid seller’. The joy of some of the letters is when recipients completely fail to seethe joke: he asks Heinz for some ‘canned laughter’ but is gravely advised that becauseof budget restraints they would ask to be excused on this occasion. Some replies areas clever as the letters. When he asks Next for a ‘Freudian Slip’ (for his wife who, alas,is no longer a Jungian) their customer services department can only suggest a ‘CheekyDevil’ slip by another designer; nonetheless they would like to know more about theFreudian brand as a possible addition to this ‘Nietzsche’ market.

This is the sort of book that is best read in private. The guffaws and chortles maybe profoundly irritating to partners and fellow-travellers.

BOMBER JACKThe Second World War and its Effect on OneMan’s Lifeby Valerie AshtonLulu £13+postage/packing; pp234 (available online fromwww.oas.org.uk)

No one can deny that, for a relatively small school, KingJames’s has produced more than its fair share of notablealumni: the worlds of medicine, law, sport, government andentertainment have all been well represented over the years.Now, we learn of a courageous Old Almondburian who took

New books

STOCKING-FILLERS FOR CHRISTMAS

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part in no fewer than 71 bombing operations in North Africa and Italy in the SecondWorld War, at one stage as a member of a Squadron that had just dropped a spareartificial leg for war hero Douglas Bader.

This was Jack Ashton – ‘Bomber Jack’ – the subject of a fascinating new book byhis daughter Valerie Ashton. Jack Ashton was born in Oldham in 1920 and attendedwhat was in those days known as Almondbury Grammar School during 1931-2,forming a deep friendship with schoolmate Eric Westerby. Unlike many of hiscomrades, Ashton survived the War, but it was an experience that scarred the rest ofhis life. He suffered nightmares for years after leaving the RAF and was dogged by guiltand remorse at the deaths resulting from his wartime bombing activities.

Valerie Ashton’s well-researched book gives a wealth of detail about her father’searly life, his wartime career and his problems in settling down to life as a civilian. Itwill be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in local family history, flying and the RAF.

THE INTRUDERS AND OTHER POEMSby David MorphetNotion Books £9.99 inc postage/packing; pp72(available online from www.oas.org.uk)

This is the seventh volume of verse by David Morphet(1951-1958). In The Intruders, the dubious characters ofAngel and Fox vie for attention in an amusing sequence oftwenty poems on the follies of ambition and the pitfalls ofskulduggery – drawn from David’s personal experience!The second part Songs and Observations covers variedground. The first two poems are satirical. ‘What you’remeant to hear’ takes oddities of experimental music as its theme, and ‘How good hewas!’ is a villanelle about art world jiggery-pokery, first published in the TimesLiterary Supplement a few months ago. Next, in contrast, comes a poetic tribute toprecision, entitled ‘Trust the Engineers’. The fourth poem ‘Looking after ourselves’subverts the theme of precision with a wry glance at human vulnerability and recourseto myth. This short sequence is followed by a range of lyrics on eight differentelements from the Periodic Table and by a group of poems with a scientific flavour,including ‘GPS’, which first appeared in The London Magazine. Then come five‘selfish’ poems, including ‘I do what I like’, first published in Magma; five poemsabout poets (Pope, Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Ezra Pound, Louis MacNeice);and five songs of affection, involving amongst other things marmalade, Turk’s turbanpumpkins and dim sum. The collection ends with a couple of poems of personalreflection.� A selection of poems from all David Morphet’s previous collections can be found atwww.notionbooks.co.uk.

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George Beach: unsung hero

GEORGE BEACH, a graduate ofLeeds University, came to KingJames’s from Ackworth

School, Pontefract in 1949to take charge of theMathematics Depart-ment. Though George

Beach was Churchof England and theson of an Anglicanclergyman, he wasmuch in sympathywith the Quakers.Previously a deter-mined pacifist in the1930s, a member of theInternational Voluntary Service forPeace, he had been a conscientious

objector in the Second World War,working in agriculture in the Cotswolds.

Outside School he was amember of HuddersfieldParish Church and of theGlee and MadrigalSociety.

In School, interalia, he was amember of theJacobean Society ofcourse, Housemasterof Dartmouth forten years, a strongsupporter of the Old

Almondburians’ Societyand he even began an Under

14 cricket team on Saturdayafternoons to bolster the cricket.

Having laid aside his Leeds University blazer, George Beach bowledhis off-breaks very slowly. But he bowled three masterly deliveries –mathematics, chess and music – which were to be a gift for his Head-master and the School. Four Old Almondburians pay tribute to hiscontribution to school life.

REPUTATIONS

IAN SHAW (1946-1954) has long-established links withKing James’s: his father and his uncle both attended the Schooland the former was OAS Chairman in 1956. Ian was SeniorHistory Master at Sir George Monoux School, Walthamstowfrom 1958 to 1972 and Deputy Head of Whitby School from1972 to 1980. He then became Headmaster of The Bishop’sStortford High School up to his retirement in 1998.

Ian Shaw was Chairman of The Old Almondburians’Society in 2006.

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Above all, his music gave the School a Yorkshire reputation and the chess a nationalstatus, inestimable qualities for a Headmaster searching to attract able members ofStaff to a small two—form entry school. The Headmaster Harry Taylor, and hisubiquitous Deputy Fred Hudson, along with Gerald Dobson and Gerald Hinchliffe,were the guiding spirits of the fine ethos of the School in our era. George Beach was a diffident, creative, outstanding schoolmaster to the forefront

in presenting the School’s pupils with a multitude of wonderful opportunities. Heenriched their good talents – academic, social, organisational – and, in the process,both nurtured their personal development and splendidly ennobled and enhancedthe name of the School.

Mathematics: Douglas KayeAs Senior Mathematics Master from 1949, George Beach taught me to be curious.

Mathematics can be a drag, a bore, something to be avoided. To enjoy mathematics youneed two strokes of luck at the beginning. The first is to have some empathy for it andgiven this the second is tohave a good teacher.

A good teacher isn’tone who can get you totick all the boxes andpass all the tests. A goodteacher can draw out theshape of mathematics,can let you see its beautyand form, so thatmathematics becomesakin to poetry. With a good teacher, mathematics takes on meaning and comes to life.You begin to see the pattems, the symmetries, the sheer power and beauty of thesubject and in doing so begin to become a mathematician. You also begin to feel apart of a three thousand year old discipline. Alongside this, the good teacher mustinstruct you in the technical requirements of the subject, which are considerable, andwhich are completely necessary and which are not easy to teach (or to learn). GeorgeBeach did all this for me. George Beach was a good mathematics teacher. GeorgeBeach was a good mathematics educator.

On a personal note, whilst at university he invited Brenda, my future wife, andme to tea. I was vaguely aware that Ellen, George’s wife, was Head of DomesticScience at Greenhead. I know good things improve with the passing of time, but couldshe cook – I can still taste it.

DOUGLAS KAYE (1949-1957) was George Beach’s first‘double maths’ students. After abrief career in the Patent Office,he taught in a Grammar Schooland a College of Education,followed by 30 years teachingstatistics and later computerlanguages to computerprofessionals at ManchesterUniversity.

Chess: David Anderson CMGWhen Mr Beach arrived at the School in 1949, chess was in the doldrums. The

school had a team; but the very few matches, played against the College and otherlocal schools, all ended in defeat. The School magazine for Christmas 1949 noted that‘this term saw a complete revival of Chess in the School’. A committee headed by MrBeach had been formed with House Chess captains; each House had a weekly chess

dinner-hour and thenewly formed chessclub met everyWednesday, running aladder competition.The Chess Notesended by lookingforward to a time‘when the school willbe noted externallyfor its Chess’.

These changessoon produced re-sults. A year later, thefirst match was won –against Honley GS. In1951, both senior andjunior teams enjoyed

unbroken success, including wins against the College and Bradford GS. New fixturesagainst Doncaster GS and Leeds GS were played. In 1952, Mr Beach was able to notein the magazine that the School had ‘one of the strongest teams in Yorkshire.’ Itsrecord was ten wins and a single loss to Bradford GS.

For the first time a team was entered in a national competition – the Junior PostalChess Club League, run by the magazine Chess. The first of several simultaneous

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DAVID ANDERSON (1948-1955) studied law at Leeds and theLSE before becoming a barrister and a legal adviser in HMDiplomatic Service, working for many years in the Foreign Officebut with spells in Bonn and New York (at the time of the Falklandsconflict, after which he was appointed CMG). From the mid-1970s,he focused on the law of the sea. From 1996 to 2005, he was anelected judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,hearing inter-State cases about the UN Convention on the Law ofthe Sea. In retirement, David has published Modern Law of the Seaand remains active in international maritime circles

Chess teams in 1963Standing left to right: D M Gledhill; M J Wortley; N D Beaumont; D T Beach; J S Derham; George Beach; J Rangeley; I SmithSitting: A B Irvine; P A Shaw; J Moorhouse; J E Graley; J M Pearson; S A Bremner; C M Graley

displays by visiting experts (one by the Lancashire champion, Mr Beach’s brother)was held at the School. In 1953, the first team won the JPCCL (and the Sir GeorgeThomas trophy), while the second team was runner up in Division II.

As if this was not enough, the first team repeated their win the following year, andthis time the second team won Division II. Medals were awarded to team membersat Speech Day and a team photograph was included in the School magazine. Matcheswere now played not only against other Schools but also Clubs such as Lindley, DavidBrown Tractors and Leeds University. The School competed for the Watkinson Trophyin Huddersfield.

By the mid-1950s, the early prophecy had clearly been realised: the Chess Clubhad 50 members; the School must have been noted externally for its chess. The creditclearly belonged to Mr Beach who had re-organised chess throughout the school,opening new vistas and enthusing both seniors and juniors.

Music: Martin PriestleyGeorge Beach brought the verve of the enthusiastic amateur to the founding and

development of the School Orchestra. Many of us recall how he got so carried awayin performance that the baton sometimes flew out of his hand, on one occasionsnapping after a collision with the scroll of a viola.

The Orchestra first performed at the School Fair in 1957 and became establishedin the next few years during George’s son, David’s, time at the School. Lacking aviola player David waspress-ganged to rectifythe situation. In 1963the Orchestra and Choirplayed at the opening ofthe new buildings.

George’s musicalenterprise received aconsiderable boost withthe arrival of VaughanKitchen in 1A in 1963.King James’s Grammar School was blessed with the presence of many other talentedinstrumentalists during the 60s, but it was above all violinist Vaughan who providedthe leadership and musicianship at a high level which enabled our two-form entryboys’ school to scale wonderful heights of performance under George Beach’sguidance. In successive years we played a Vivaldi violin concerto, BrandenburgConcerto No 5, piano and violin concertos by Mozart and a keyboard concerto by JS Bach; in 1966 S.H.Crowther, music critic of The Huddersfield Examiner, referred tothe Orchestra’s ‘understanding of Mozart’. George entered his orchestra in successiveyears at the Mrs Sunderland Competition and the Pontefract Festival, a policy which

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MARTIN PRIESTLEY (1963-1971) taught for over 35 years inBarnet, Croydon and Lincolnshire.He retains a keen love for music,playing the piano and singing,although his violin stays in itscase these days. His wife, Jane,works at Chetham’s School ofMusic in Manchester.

culminated in the outstanding mark of 90 at Pontefract in 1968. Writing in TheAlmondburian, Martin Woodhead declared how ‘we now expect great things of theperformers’, and stalwart cellist Paul Wilson voiced the sentiments of all membersof the orchestra when he thanked Mr Beach for all the ‘time and enthusiasm he hasgiven us during the several years he has been in charge’.

George relinquished his conductorship in 1968 during the period when MrHigginson was Head of Music, but resumed the role in 1970 and assisted Mrs Nobleduring the last years of his career down to 1975. His generosity of spirit was there forall to appreciate in the tribute which he paid to school musicians in 1971, his unfailingenthusiasm having made so much possible for a disparate bunch of schoolboys whothought that they might play a bit. ��What are YOUR recollections of George Beach? Write (address on back cover), or email theEditor at almondburian@oas.org.uk.

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CorrectionIn the July 2010 issue of The Almondburian, we wrongly stated that Bob Goldsmithwas at one stage head of the first UK Delegation to the then European EconomicCommunity. In fact, he was deputy head; the head was Sir Michael Palliser.

George Beach’s orchestra in 1967:(Back row) A Lloyd; J R Stafford; J H Stafford; T G Slater; G S Sellens; D W Beacham; G Mosley; C SlaterMiddle row R Batty; D J Sykes; P A Shaw; S M Priestley; D A Coppell; J H Cole; D G Slocombe; A C PhillipsFront row: P D Wilson; J E Grayson; J L Hart; D V Kitchen (leader); George Beach; M J Priestley(deputy leader); M H Sellens; S Horner; C D Sykes

25

WHILE clearing out some old papers I recently came across some souvenirsof the 1967 soccer match between the Staff and the School first XI. Thefirst of these matches had been staged in 1966 and it was such a success

that it became an annual fixture. I had joined King James’s six years earlier, initiallyon teaching practice and then as a full time member of staff. I was impressed by theschool’s strong sporting tradition and immediately became a member of the OldAlmondburians’ football team.

The 1967 event took place on the grandly re-named ‘Arkenley Stadium’ (JackTaylor’s description,while he termed thecricket field ‘TheArkenley Bowl’) and wasrefereed by head of P E,Ken Ireland, supportedby linesmen with the

DAVE BUSH

MEMORIES: WEDNESDAY, 22ND MARCH 1967

TOP PICTUREThe Staff XI (Back row, leftto right): K Davies, J Jenkinson, C Graham, J Taylor, SWroe, M James, G Beach; (Front row, left to right): P Tracey, P Heywood, D Bush, J Kenyon, W R Knight

BOTTOM PICTURESchool First XI (Back row,left to right): D Rockett, P Bamforth, D Gledhill, I Robertson, M J Wortley, K L W Ireland(referee); (Front row, left to right): R H N Booth, A R Trueman,M W Bevins, Headmaster, J Armstrong, G M Powner, G Boothroyd

Staff v School football match

26

unlikely names of P Flagwaga and Dai the Train. The latter allegedly came from theWelsh village with the longest name in the British Isles, Flanfair PG (I will sparereaders the full name in the interests of saving space), and this leads me to concludethat the programme was almost certainly produced by George Beach whose favouriteparty piece was to rattle off the full name of Flanfair PG without drawing breath.

The pen portraits (overleaf) contain many ‘in-jokes’. Ken Davies was thecaretaker and therefore played the role as the team’s ‘sweeper-up’, while dramateacher, Mike James, was inclined to ‘take the Mickey’ in his ‘highly dramatic’performances on the field.

Pete Heywood, head of the Languages Department, had to watch his languageto avoid trouble with the referee. Dick Knight had recently left the School to becomeEducation Officer with the West Riding County Council; later he became ChiefExecutive for the Bradford Authority. Who could be better to ‘reorganise the attackcomprehensively’?

SECOND ANNUALGRAND FOOTBALL MATCH

KING JAMES'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL 1st. XI

v.

Ye St%ffe of Ye GRAMAR SCHOLE OFKING JAMES in ALMONDBURIE XI

ARKENLEY STADIUMWednesd%y M%rch 22nd., 1967.

Kick-off, 2.0 p.m.

OFFICIAL

SOUVENIR PROGRAMME.

Price 2d. All profits to Ch%rity.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ADVERT &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After the M%tchMeet

yourFriends

%ndDiscuss

the M%tch

Down %t the OLD BALL AND BUSH,Rushfield Dyke.

ADAM's Ales ADAM's Ales

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

J.KENYON

J.C.GRAHAM

K.DAVIES

J.TAYLOR

J.JENKINSON

S.ROE

W.R.KNIGHT M.JAMES

G.L.BEACH

D.BUSH

P.HEYWOOD

TEAMS.

THE SCHOOL. Colours:-Shirts, Amber %nd Bl%ckShorts, very

GLEDHILLROCKETT BOOTH

ARMSTRONG TRUEMAN WORTLEYBAMFORTH BEVINS POWNER BOOTHROYD ROBERTSON

THE STAFF.Colours:- Shirts, R%inbow %ssorted

Shorts? or Pints?

REFEREE:- K.L.W.IRELAND (GLOS.)LINESMAN:- P.Fl%gw%g% (Czeckoslov%ki%)

D%i the Tr%in (Ll%nf%irpwllgwyn-gyll-gogerychwyrn-drobwll-ll%ntisilio-go-gogoch)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Since this M%tch t%kes pl%ce in School Hours,%ll spect%tors will do the following

HOMEWORKAnswer ANY FIVE questions.

Answers should not exceed one word in length.

1. Wh%t do you think %bout the M%tch?2. Wh%t do you think %bout the St%ff?3. Wh%t do you think %bout?4. Do you think?

George Beach is believed to have been responsible for the Programme. His inverted namesuggests that he was not sure of the direction of enemy fire

27

George Beach admits that he is ‘inclined to fiddle’ which is not surprising as hewas a keen violinist who had recently started up a very successful school orchestra.

The ‘harmonising’ player was our music teacher Peter (I think that was hisforename) Kenyon,nicknamed ‘Pugsley’ forsome reason. His tenureat KJGS was a short one.

Jack Taylor’sportrait as a ‘quietgentleman’ was really acontradiction in terms ashis thunderous tones andscything tackles onanything above daisyheight proved.Apocryphal stories relatethat on one occasionwhen an opponent wasbeing carried off thefield with a suspectedbroken leg, Jackboomed: “It’s only a fleshwound!”

As to my role, I seethat I had ‘flowered’ intoa consistent goal scorer,a bush being a floweringshrub for those who donot appreciate George’shumour immediately.

The match itselfwas fiercely competitive – they always were, as much ‘street cred’ was at stake – andwas played on a heavy pitch on a typically misty late autumn afternoon. However, Kenwas not called upon to book anyone, there were no dismissals and I do not thinksubstitutions had yet been invented. The general level of play was high; the school hadan excellent side and apart from George B (age) and Kenyon (inexperience) the staffteam contained nine competent players.

I’m pleased to report that the result of this keenly fought match was a 2-0 victoryfor the Staff XI. And if you REALLY want to know who scored the goals, I must tellyou with due modesty that they were netted by me and Peter Tracey. �

PEN PORTRAITSOF THE STAFF XI.

J.C.GRAHAM. Old Almondburi"ns' go"lkeeper, "nd well known "s " YorkshireCounty Tennis pl"yer "nd " Huddersfield B"dminton "nd Squ"sh expert.

G.L.Be"ch. Now somewh"t of " veter"n, if not "n “old crock”, in hisyounger d"ys he performed (if th"t is the right word) in the “Extr" B”te"ms for v"rious Soccer, Rugger, Hockey, "nd Cricket clubs. His coolpl"y h"s inspired m"ny opposition "tt"cks; r"ther inclined to fiddle inhis own pen"lty "re".

S.WROE. A close-se"son signing, "t " subst"nti"l but undisclosed fee,from Huddersfield New College, he h"s " reput"tion "s " dyn"mic butstrong-t"ckling wing-h"lf.

J.TAYLOR. The “Sweeper-up” "nd the key m"n in the te"m's defensivestr"tegy. Kirkburton’s veter"n p"ce-bowler in wh"t p"sses for thesummer, during the rest of the ye"r he pl"ys centre-h"lf for theY.M.C.A. "nd is known throughout the District Le"gue "s the g"me’s“quiet gentlem"n”.

K.DAVIES. A member of Br"ckenh"ll United, he h"s " well-deservedreputtion "s "nother very efficient “sweeper-up”, especi"lly for theSt"ff.

M.JAMES. An ide"l link m"n, his perform"nce should be highly dr"m"tic.Often t"kes the mickey out of his opponents.

J.JENKINSON. C"pt"in, Old Almondburi"ns F.C. (Note to Press. - kindlyrefer to this pl"yer "s “A.N.Other” or “the tri"list”.)

P.HEYWOOD. A f"st r"ider in Continent"l styl. It is hoped th"t hisl"ngu"ge will not get him into trouble with the Refereee.

D.BUSH. (C"pt"in, or “Skip”) Heh"s flowered into " consistent go"l-scorer with the Old Almondburi"ns; scorer of both go"ls in l"st ye"r’sm"tch, he hopes to do even better this ye"r.

W.R.KNIGHT. A former member of the St"ff, now in educ"tion"l"dministr"tion with the West Riding County Council. The schemer of theside, he is "t "ny time li"ble to reorg"nise the "tt"ckcomprehensively.

J.KENYON. Tr"nsferred from Mirfield Sund"y School Le"gue "t Christm"s, herem"ins somewh"t of "n unknown qu"ntity. We hope his style of pl"y willh"rmonise with th"t of the rest of the te"m.

P.TRACEY.(Substitute.) A Prefect " few ye"rs "go; his f"ther is " Footb"llLe"gue referee.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

By Order of the Chief Const"ble of Almondbury, we insert the followingPOLITE NOTICE.

DON’T SHOOT THE REFEREE, HE’S DOING HIS BEST.Anyone he"rd s"ying “Who for” will be li"ble

(i) to incur the wr"th of the English Dep"rtment(ii) to be sent to run tround the Senior Cross-Country Course;(iii) to be suspended sine die from future use of, "nd/or the

highest be"m in the Gym.

28

AFTER A LACK-LUSTRE START to the season the First Eleven won severalgames in mid-season only to end the season on another losing streak, thus finishing in a creditable seventh position in Section A of the Arrow

Huddersfield Central Cricket League. The Second Eleven, after a change in captaincyin mid-season, nevertheless acquitted themselves well with a below average age squad.Unfortunately holiday commitments, injuries and the obligatory attendance at

‘Music Festivals’ decimated both the teams throughout the season.In the first game of the season, on Sunday 25 April at Arkenley, the First Eleven

were all out for 31 in reply to Birkby’s total of 239. Thankfully a gradual improvementfollowed as the season unfolded.

FINAL LEAGUE TABLES 2010First Eleven: Section A

Mirfield and Denby Grange were relegatedto Section B; Silkstone and Upperthongwere promoted to Section A from B.In the Premier Section our neighbours

Almondbury Wesleyans were runners-up tochampions Cumberworth by a one pointdifference (96 to 95). Unfortunately they

were frustrated by inclement weather on the final day of the season – when theirvisitors were Cumberworth ; now they know how Yorkshire feel!Our congratulations go to the Wesleyans on finishing in such an elevated position

on their first season in the top section and commiserations on going so close toachieving the championship.

CricketJACK TAYLOR

FIRSTS P W L Points

Birkby Rose Hill* (Champions) 22 14 4 101

Old Almondburians’ (7th) 22 8 9 62

*Birkby Rose Hill, playing at the Nuffield Ground(formerly Brook Motors), were previously known asBirkby Nuffield – and before that as YMCA.

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SECOND ELEVEN : Section ESilkstone and Birchencliffe were promoted to Section D.

Leading players’ averages:First Eleven Batting First Eleven Bowling

James Cliffe made some useful contributions with both bat and ball and we lookforward to him totally severing his connection with golf so that he can play more regularlynext season.John Clutterbrook took eleven catches and made five stumpings from his seventeen

games with the First Eleven. He was also not out on seven occasions in his twelve innings.Second Eleven Batting Second Eleven Bowling

PRESIDENT’S DAYOur traditional President’s Day was held on Sunday, 29th. August at Arkenley. As the

day dawned against a background of grey skies and persistent drizzle, the chances of cricketappeared to be nil. Miraculously, two hours later, a blue sky and sunshine replaced the alltoo evident heavenly canvas experienced this ‘summer’. A six a-side ‘round robin’competition, featuring an OACC team, an Almondbury Casuals team and an ‘AlmondburyVillage’ team was the main attraction. The event commenced at 11.00 am and by 6.00 pmthe eventual winners were the hosts; the ‘OACC Six’. Great excitement was provided forthe spectators by the lusty hitting, necessitating the provision of a bucketful of spare cricketballs on the pavilion verandah. One lost count of the number of balls that disappearedinto the trees, onto the football pitches and into the Arkenley gardens. Against thisbackdrop brilliant fielding and superb catching were features of the cricket.

SECONDS P W L Points

Silkstone (Champions) 20 14 4 91

Old Almondburians’ (7th) 20 7 6 52

PLAYER Innings Runs Av

Tim Taylor 19 624 34.67

Steve Slack 17 400 30.77

Will Atkinson 11 247 27.44

Luke Booth* 11 279 25.36

Simon Lyons 19 452 23.79

PLAYER Overs Wickets Av

Steve Slack 133 28 14.68

Luke Booth 108 23 17.83

Tim Taylor 190 39 18.41

PLAYER Innings Runs Av

Richard Taylor 17 323 21.53

PLAYER Overs Wickets Av

Joe George 68 20 12.85

*Luke held nine catches in his eleven games. One of the youngest in the team, he joined the club this season. We havehigh hopes that he will continue to show steady improvement next season.

Richard is obviously lacking support on the battingfront!

Joe would appreciate some additional input on thebowling front!

30

In particular gratefulthanks should be recorded tojoint secretaries John Headeyand John Clutterbrook, First

Eleven captain Steve Slack and playing colleague Andy Pearson for ensuring a promptstart, a smooth progression with barbecue, bar and food provision. On behalf of the clubI should like to thank all Almondburians who supported the event and we look forwardto seeing them again next year. �� Please note the revised date for our Annual Dinner and Presentation Evening, now to be held onSaturday, 12 February 2011, at our usual venue; Lockwood Park, the home of Huddersfield RugbyUnion Football Club. Richard Taylor assures me that we have engaged a top class comedian toentertain us, having encountered him at a previous sporting function. Within a matter of weeks wewill be looking forward to Season 2011 and hope very much that many Almondburians will join usat the incomparable setting of Arkenley.

THE OACC PRESIDENT’S DAYTEAMBack row left to right: JohnClutterbrook, Jonny Mansell,John Headey, ChammiMudalige, Jack Taylor(Chairman)Front row left to right: SteveSlack (captain), Sean Wienand,Luke Booth, George Brady

SoccerMARTYN HICKS

WHAT BEGAN AS A WHISPER became chat and is now a shout! Followingthe demise (henceforth lets call it a hiatus) of the Almondburians’ FootballClub in 2007, there have been many occasions when the question has been

asked “why don’t we get the band back together?”The question has often fallen on older deafer ears who – perhaps jaded by past exertions

and mellowed by golf club intoxicants – chose the path of least resistance, and did nothing.Shame on your doors. Finally, the yoof (and let’s be honest, it had to come from them), frustrated by the non-

activity, toiling as they where homeless in a currently stagnant sea of District Leaguefootball mediocrity, began whispering late at night in all the right nightclubs and bars ofHuddersfield: “Lets do it ourselves…!” And they have.Reformed, re-suited with new nets, flags and medical bag, they re-applied to rejoin the

Yorkshire Old Boys League (soon to be renamed The Yorkshire Amateur League). Despitethe late application they were voted in unopposed at 40 votes ‘for’ and none‘against’ (quite

31

an achievment and a testament to good preparation). Now re-established on the top field at the school (the Arkenley

Stadium, cheaper in construction than Wembley but with farsuperior views) the team brimming with enthusiastic talentedattack-minded gazelles have begun their new adventure mostsplendidly: they beat all three teams in the pre-season friendliesand trounced Leeds City OB 4-0 and Shadwell 7-1 in the first twoLeague games.You can follow their progress as they climb up theladder out of Division 4 towards the promised land onwww.yobleague.co.uk.

Or better still, to view their silky skills, fluidity and awseome fire power at first hand,come along and support them on Saturday afternoons (the fixtures are on the YOBL sitetoo). Entry to the ground is through the turnstiles, the admission fee is a flask of coffeeor biscuits, and to qualify for the executive seats bring a hip flask (that rules GezWhitehead out then).Going forward with so many players signed on it will make it a difficult balancing act

to keep everyone happy with game-minutes throughout the season. The club’s intentionis to get to two teams up and running as quickly as possible so, old and new, if you wantto get back on board the AFC express, contact our secretary Robert Antich atrobantich@googlemail.com.The train is pulling out of the station heading to Pleasureville – jump on board quickly

to bag a seat. �Back Row left to right: Julian Atkinson (Co-Manager/Player), Mark Sutton, Robert Thompson,Robert Antich, Adam Taylor, Bruce Atkinson, Gary Lumb, Greg Sykes, Paul McCabe, DavidFisher, Martyn Hicks (Co-Manager). Front Row: Chris Dunn, Matthew Grindey, Charles Ryan-Hicks, David Worthington, Steve O'Brien, Dan Pointer.Players away at this match: Marcus Hedley, John Mellor and John Clarke.

DIVISION 4 Played PtsAlmondburians 2 6

Thornesians Res 2 6

Modernians V 2 4

East Ardsley Res 2 4

Norristhorpe 1 3

Colton III 1 3

Batelians III 2 3

Sandal Athletic Res 1 0

Hudds Amateurs III 2 0

Centralians III 1 0

Shadwell Res 1 0

Leeds City OB Res 3 0

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THE 2010 TENNIS SEASON cannot be regarded as one of the most successfulon record. Only about half a dozen members played this season and, due to thefact that they all took holidays at different points in the summer, there were a

number of weeks when there weren’t enough people to play, which is a shame given thatThursday evenings were largely unaffected by rain this summer. Please consider joining us for next season, which will start on Thursday, 9th June

2011.The new BADMINTON season started on Thursday, 2nd September and we will be

playing in the school sports hall on Thursday evening during term-time, from 7.30 p.m.until 9.30 p.m., until Thursday, 26th May 2011. The fee, to cover the hire of the sportshall, shuttlecocks and showers, is £5 per person per evening. Please come along andjoin us. However, please note that due to school events or examinations there are fourdates this season on which there will be no badminton:� Thursday, 16th September � Thursday, 11th November� Thursday, 14th October � Thursday, 2nd December

Badminton and TennisANDREW HAIGH

Golf: Gothard CupSIMON RUSSELL

THE GOTHARD CUP was played on what was probably the last decent day ofthis typical British Summer: 16th July 2010. It was good to see John Bradleyagain over from Australia where summers remain summers.Despite as

ever,some last minute cancellations eighteen entrants battled away over the superbWoodsome Hall course. As usual the golf was followed by an excellent dinner andconversation in the club house.This year’s winner was Robin Merchant with an amazing total of 42 ponts from a

handicap of 9. He was proud to tell us that his gross score was 73 – a worthy winnerindeed.

The view around the room was that an end of June date would be better for allnext year and I will arrange accordingly. Contact numbers remain the same butconfirmation from you to me by the end of April will facilitate much easier planning.�

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Letter from PorthcawlDAVE BUSH

I HAD BEEN WORRYING. I had searched my book shelves without success. Ifelt sure it had never arrived but was assured it had been posted. The cause ofmy anxiety was the March edition of The Almondburian. Then in true imitation

of London buses, the March and July publications arrived within a week of each other.It appears those posted earlier in the year to Vice Presidents are languishing in abundle in the corner of some Yorkshire sorting office. Still ‘mas vale tarde que nunca’,as the Spanish say. What delight they bring and what a standard of presentation RogerDowling continues to set.

The article about Graham Gelder, who was before my time, reminded me of astory about him which seems typical. Apparently in a football match on the top fieldthe lace had partly come loose in the ball. Would older members please explain toyounger ones all about lacing up a leather soccer ball? Graham bent down , picked upthe ball in his teeth by the lace and ran with it into the opposition goal. I’m sure someOA’s will know more details. Another article featured Leonard Ash whom again Inever met. However, Harry Taylor recounted how in retirement the Ash familyconstantly changed address. His address book, he informed me, showed their 26th

change and there were more to come.Not so Jim Toomey who has migrated only once

since retiring from his Bromsgrove school. Margaret andI visited him and Betty in June at their lovely home nearStourport-on- Severn. A glorious day meant we wereable to spend most of the time in the garden. I ampleased to report that Jim continues in good health, stillploughs through medieval manuscripts and remains aconnoisseur of fine clarets.

Mentioning Jim’s retirement leads me neatly on tothe 16th and 17th of July. I had received an invitation toattend the ‘leaving do’ of two King James’s stalwarts,Patrick O’Brien and Walter Raleigh. Their combinedservice totals , I believe, some 64 years. I do not want tosay too much here as I suspect I shall be prevailed uponto deliver a few words at the Annual Dinner. I do hopeOld Almondburians will turn out in great numbers onthe evening to pay tribute to them. How will KingGraham Gelder: First XI soccer captain in 1954-55

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James’s manage without them? I thoughtthat, when Jack Taylor and I left, the schoolwould collapse but it goes from strength tostrength! The Friday evening at Lockwoodwas memorable and I met many formercolleagues whom I had not seen for 14years. A pie and peas with mint saucesupper, a giant tin of Quality Street won byJack and me at Barkisland Junior CricketCompetition on the Saturday morning,superb fish and chips for lunch and the long

drive back to Porthcawl seemed comparatively short.I was disconcerted by two pieces of news over this

weekend. It will be remembered perhaps that I along withmany others have long lamented the demise of the OldAlmondburians’ Football Club. Then came the news in someExecutive Committee minutes that Martyn Hicks hadnumerous players lined up to resurrect the team for thecoming season .However, it seems that there are problemsaround their playing at the school. I desperately hope they canbe overcome. (They have been. Ed). Secondly Patrick O’Brien’s

retirement inevitably means there is some uncertainty about the future of Latin in theschool curriculum. It has been taught at St.Helen’s Gate for over 400 years and sosuccessfully for nearly the last 60, ever since Jim Toomey became ‘magister’.Headmaster, Robert Lamb, assured me it will be retained in some form. I urge allthose with influence to assist him in his endeavours.

From that last sentence readers will readily deduce that I cannot and will notdisassociate myself from happenings at King James’s and indeed from schools ingeneral. With daughter Catherine a teacher and grandchildren passing throughsecondary school – grandson Jordi enters the Sixth Form in September – my ears areconstantly assailed by matters pedagogical. So one moment please while once moreI mount my high horse ‘Education’. That’s better. From my lofty saddle let me readto you the concluding quarter of granddaughter Anna’s Science report (the first 75%was in the same vein):‘Anna refines the success criteria, reviews the learning strategies andapplies her learning to the new and abstract situations. The next step is to be more quantitativein the work, make further predictions and to go on to carry out further enquiries’.

‘Cui bono?’ as Cassius or Cicero would have said. What gibberish! What a wasteof ink and paper! She has a veritable booklet of this computer-bank generated rubbish.

Jim Toomey: still ‘ploughing through medievalmanuscripts’. His Records of Hanley Castle1147-1547 gives a fascinating account of thelives of ordinary people in the middle ages

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Multiply this by all the pupils in her school and all the schools in the UK –it was justthe same in her junior school – and then let’s begin a campaign to restore some sanityto the system. ‘Government requirements’ is the standard defence of the status quo.Well, they need abolishing. I am minded of the parent, Yorkshireman no doubt, who,when confronted with this gobbledygook , demanded of his son’s form teacher. ‘AllI want to know is it a bike or a b*ll*ck*ng?’

Back on terra firma, not ‘terra cotta’ as Lord Prescott once said, I contrastedpresent day reports with those single sheets I received and completed as pupil andteacher in the 1950s and 1960s. I still have mine and I suspect many OldAlmondburians have theirs. Now here’s some potentially wonderful archive material.Perhaps our esteemed Media Editor might consider a separate page on our web site.I suggest you, dear reader, might contemplate sending him some items. My wordlimit is almost up but a few memories to get things underway. �Harry Taylor’s only comment on Eric Abbott: ‘Missed Founders’ Day’� Ray Bishop who intended to write ‘He really must pull himself together next term’ butmissed out ‘together’�Wilfred Western’s much repeated RE comments ‘No Exam. Good’alternated with‘Pleasant and well behaved’, � Anon who asked of a regular absentee, ‘Who is this boy?’� And how Jack Taylor and Bob Field took advantage of Doc L’Amie’s renowneduncertainty of who should be in his classes by inserting a fictitious pupil’s sheet intohis group. It was duly completed. �

� Do YOU have any school report gems? If so, please send them in and we’ll print the best(editorial contact details on back cover).

PostbagYOU WRITE …

I HAVE GENERALLY PLEASANT MEMORIES of Harry Gledhill [Reputations,October 2009], and had some sympathies for him in his attempts to teach often

reluctant pupils. His background as a church organist and choir master, with littleother musical experience (hence his reluctance to set up an orchestra) does go someway to explaining why lessons could be little more than having a few songs to sing.

My main memory is the traditional first lesson of every new school year, whenone by one we were required to stand and sing a solo scale or two so that he could

From David Beach (1958-1966)‘You’re fired!’ says Harry

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recruit his new trebles for the choir. I recall the embarrassment of one boy, whoturned the shade of a ripe tomato while grunting, and I use the word kindly, a fewtotally off key notes. He was not selected.

Being unaware of the risks involved, I sang a reasonable scale or two and was toldthat I was ‘in the choir’. There was no question of this being an invitation requiring adecision on my part. It was the schoolboy equivalent of a three-line whip.

For a year I tolerated the choir, sandwiched between one boy who had bad breathand another who sang off key more often than not. Being a complete philistine, Icannot claim to have enjoyed the music either.

Then, at the next voice tests, I was suffering from a bad cold and could not reachthe upper notes of the scale. My voice was well short of breaking, but I was told to‘join the altos’, of which I imagine he was a bit short at the time. I hated it, beingdeprived now of even having the tune to sing.

Within weeks, I recall having a chess competition match to play, and during thelunch break skipped the choir practice to play the game. At the end of the session,Harry came in, asked why I was not at choir, and in the manner of Alan Sugar,announced that I was ‘fired’, in a tone which implied that I ought to be really upset.Perhaps he felt that, being the son of one of his colleagues, I ought to be setting abetter example. I have to say that being sacked from the choir was the best news I hadthat term.

Minehead, Somerset

IMUST WRITE to congratulate all involved with the special Taylor Dyson issueof The Almondburian. It was beautifully produced and had a very high standard of

consistently interesting and well written articles. I found the Taylor Dysoncontributions most revealing, presenting a well balanced picture of a complex man.

The obituary for my contemporary Carl Goldsmith was very moving. A teacherin charge of the home side at the Blackpool school mentioned was most upset byCarl’s perfectly fair but very fast bowling, and by our Australian influenced Carmodyplacing of a ring of fielders round the bat!

On a personal note, can I enter a claim to a part in the discovery of the SchoolCharter in 1952? I read an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post about the YorkshireArchaeological Society exhibition which mentioned that a Jacobean charter of a localschool was to be displayed. From the description I thought that it might be THEcharter and mentioned this to Fred Hudson, who said that we should look out for iton our visit to the exhibition. I was subsequently one of the group who rediscoveredthe Charter.

Bath

From Emeritus Professor Colin Robson (1946-1953)The rediscovery of the School Charter

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ObituariesGONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

STEPHEN JOYCE (CLARKSON) (1961–1968)

Keen school sportsman who fought injury to regain football and cricket skillsAt school, Stephen was the perfect example of the dour

Yorkshireman, a sharp sense of humour but often reluctant tocommunicate any more than what he wanted you to know! Westarted at King James’s together in 1961 and our friendship continuedthrough the 60s and 70s, after which circumstances were to dictatethat we would not meet up again until the 400th anniversary dinner.Stephen was an able scholar and sportsman but always tended to

understate his abilities. In the mid 60s he suffered a traumatic injuryto his leg in a traffic accident. This interrupted his progress throughthe school football teams where his midfield destroyer abilities drewparallels with Nobby Stiles. His determination to regain fitness wonthrough and he returned to a first team place at school and went on

to play for the Old Almondburians and Sunday league team BIC Sports.My best memories are of our times together in the school cricket teams and afterwards (with

many other Almondburians) at Lockwood Cricket Club. Stephen was a dependable middle orderbatsman, able to grind out the runs when the team was in trouble and cut loose when accelerationwas needed. He was also an alert fielder – his agility making up for his suspect eyesight!After school, Stephen – who later adopted the surname Clarkson – developed a very successful

career with Midland Bank (HSBC). This was complemented by his thirty year marriage to Gwen andfamily life with their sons Ben and David.I last came across Stephen on the touchline at the 400th reunion ‘old crocks’ football match.

‘Aren’t you playing, Steve?’ was met with the reply that with reluctance he had had to refuse onhealth grounds. A debilitating illness had caused his early retirement from work and was eventuallyto take his life.

Richard Teale

DAVID McKAY (1943–1951)

Farnley Line fifth form pipe-smoker who became a successful dental surgeonDavid McKay – extrovert ex-pat Scot, dental surgeon and a dear friend – died on 29th March

2010 at his home in Cowie near Aberdeen, aged 78. Bom in 1932 (a vintage year), David left Almondbury Grammar School to study dental surgery

at Leeds University, graduating BChD, LDS. Conscripted for national service in the RAF he took ashort service commission and after basic training was posted to RAF Limavady, Northem Ireland.

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Demobbed in 1958, he joined the government dental serviceas a peripatetic surgeon, visiting schools in the province in a mobilesurgery and laboratory. He returned to Aberdeen in privatepractice, which he left to join the local schools service. He retiredat the age of 60, (a decision he never regretted, according to hiswidow) to become a keen gardener with the creed ‘grow it if youcan eat it’.

David and I were in the same class as Willum Booth (obituary:The Almondburian, July 2010). David, Dennis Berry and Ken Brownran a smoking club, pipes only, on Farnley Line in the Fifth Form.

Our fourth form had no form room and hence no desks.Instead we used a line of lockers in the corridor leading to thegym. In a hot summer we complained to David about the smell from his locker and insisted that heopen it. Inside was a fox’s head, half rotten, “waiting to be boiled clean so I can examine the jaw andteeth structure”.

Don Sykes, who started at Leeds with David, recalls a train journey in which he told David thathis dentist told him that he had excellent teeth and would probably never need dental treatment. Theunbelieving McKay lured him to the dental school, pinned him to a chair and examined the Sykes’smouth. “Well,”quoth he , “I’ve only seen better teeth once and they were in an ape.”

As Yeats nearly said “ …and say my glory was I had such a friend.” A pithy, one-off he leaves hiswidow, Betty, two sons, two daughters, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with a thirddue at Christmas in Israel.

Peter BurnsBob Letters adds: “David visited the school at the end of his first term at Leeds University and met ‘Tich’ Blackburnin a corridor. “How are you, McKay?” enquired the latter. “I am very well, Blackburn,” replied David, asserting hisequality right to be addressed as ‘Mr’.

MRS IRENE MANNParent who worked tirelessly in support of School activities Old Almondburians at the School in the late 1950s and

1960s may remember the elegant presence of Mrs Irene Mann,mother of Christopher (1958-1966) and Nicholas (1962-1970)at many of the functions held during those years. Some mayalso recall her immense energy supporting the scout troop andcreating elaborate costumes for the annual plays directed byFrank Anderson, Albert Makinson and Alan Brown. She diedon 24th July, only a few days after a pre-90th birthday partyorganised by her sons at the family home at Beaumont Park, towhich several Old Almondburians were invited.

One Old Almondburian has written: ‘Like so many of her generation,she had the gift of combining an immense dignity with an irrepressiblesense of fun.She always knew what ought to be done, and got on and did it – as I was growing up, shewas always one of the people who were involved at King James’s, always supporting the School. Her deathis the end of an era in Huddersfield.’

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HISTORY

HISTORY

An Illustrated History of King James’s School:£12.50 inc pp (UK)

A Historyof King James’s School:£12.50 inc pp (UK)

The Royal Charter returnsto its home at King James’sROGER DOWLING tells the strange story of the Charter’s ‘disappearance’ and itseventual chance rediscovery in 1952 by members of the School’s Surveying Society‘THE ORIGINAL LETTERS PATENT do notexist’, recorded Taylor Dyson in his classic Almondburyand its Ancient School of 1926, echoing the words ofCanon Hulbert’s earlier Annals of the Church and Parish ofAlmondbury. But they were both wrong: the LettersPatent (‘the Charter’) in fact lay, undisturbed over manyyears, in a strong box at the unlikely location of DenbyGrange Colliery just a few miles away on the road to

Wakefield. So how did the School come to be partedfrom its own Charter? And why did it require theservices of the School’s Surveying Society to reunite itwith the School on 6th April 1954?It all started with a planned visit by members of theSociety, led by Geography master Fred Hudson, to alocal history exhibition being organised by theYorkshire Archaeological Society in Leeds. Hudson was

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HISTORYHISTORY

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Joint ChairmenEMILY COMER and NICKY MURPHY

4 Arkenley LaneAlmondbury, Huddersfield HD4 6SQ

Mobile: 07855 264043Email: emily@conscious.comnicky01@conscious.com

SecretaryANDREW HAIGH

2 Arkenley Lane, Almondbury HD4 6SQTel: 01484 432105

Email: andrew.haigh@oas.org.uk

TreasurerKEITH CRAWSHAW

5 Benomley Drive, Almondbury HD5 8LXTel: 01484 533658

Email: keith.crawshaw@oas.org.uk

Media EditorROGER DOWLING

Orchard House, Oughtrington Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0RDTel: 01925 756390

Email: roger.dowling@oas.org.uk

Website: www.oas.org.ukFacebook: http://tinyurl.com/3ykffo3

The Almondburian is distributed to OAS members free of charge. Price to non-members: £3.00